The carriage rolled through the gates and disappeared into the white expanse of the snow plain.
The three of them stood at the entrance watching it go.
Then Lily spun around.
"Aunt Maria!" she said, eyes bright. "What was your awakening like?"
Aunt Maria blinked, clearly not expecting the question. Then she laughed softly with warm and turned back toward the orphanage.
"Come inside first. It's cold."
They filed back into the common room. The younger children had somehow already heard the news and were hovering near the doorway, peeking in with barely contained curiosity. Aunt Maria shooed them away with practiced ease before settling into a chair.
"Well then." She folded her hands in her lap.
"C rank talent."
Lily's eyes went wide. "Really?"
"As for my affinity, it is Fire" she added with a small smile. "Nothing as impressive as you guys," She pat Lily's headed gently.
"Then can you show us some magics?" Lily excitedly said
Aunt Maria nodded and said " Later."
Lily beamed.
Aunt Maria stood and clapped her hands once. "Alright, alright. Both of you still have a week before they come." She looked between them with her usual warmth. "Enjoy the time you have left here."
Lily immediately brightened and darted toward the door, already calling for the children.
Suddenly, she halt her feet, turning around and and ask, "Brother Law! Are you joining?"
"Nah! You go ahead, I have something to do," Law replied, walking toward his room.
Lily's eyes filled with a bit of disappointment, but before long, joy returned to her face as she follow the children.
...
Law entered his room and sat down on the edge of the bed.
From below, laughter drifted up through the walls. Lily's voice among them, bright and loud, already in the middle of whatever game the children had pulled her into.
His room sat on the second floor, its window facing directly over the courtyard.
He leaned over and looked down.
The children were running through the snow, their small figures darting between each other. Lily was in the center of it all, cheeks red from the cold, smiling while playing with them.
Law rested his arm on the windowsill and watched quietly.
It was a warm sight.
But his mind drifted elsewhere.
This world is far from safe. Law knew that better than any of them, well, except Aunt Maria.
Monsters roaming freely beyond the borders.
Demons with their pillar falling from the sky can appear anywhere without warning. And overnight everything familiar could be reduced to nothing.
Time changed his heart, he already grow fond of this place. The warm this place bring, he could not let it be gone.
For that، he need to get stronger.
Law had once read a book, after a person awakened, there is a single core appeared at the lower abdomen.
A core functions like a reservoir, a place where one stores their mana or aura and draws from it whenever needed.
By refining the energy within, one can gradually strengthen their core, and as the refined energy reaches a certain point, they can achieve a breakthrough.
From the 1st Circle to the 9th Circle, the peak of power.
With that, he calm his mind and focus to his lower abdomen.
There, two cores, side by side, pulsing steadily in the quiet dark of his consciousness.
One pulsing with red glow around it while other one with blue.
Ancient symbols surrounding both the cores bringing a majestic feeling.
But Law is shock. Not upon seeing the symbols but because there is two cores.
He had read every book in the orphanage about awakening. Not once have any of them mentioned about this.
Maybe this is his cheat? Since every transmigrator get their own golden finger, so why not him, right?
Joke on you for believing that. Law already has a hunch as for why this happened
Since he got into this world not by his real body, his soul must come here by unknown force.
That mean, he have two cores because one from the original body's and other from his truthfully.
Considering that the appraiser wrote his path as Knight on the admission letter, Law focused his attention to the red core.
Aura, this unique energy come from with one's body. Instead of sensing the energy from outside it's better to focused on inside.
Then, Law see it, a scattered light within his abdomen. It was called Aurion.
He tries to gather it but no matter how hard he tried, it refused to respond.
'This... How should I do it then?' Law is in dilemma, he thought it will be easy yet it is opposite.
'Calm down, Law, you are going too fast right now,'
How could he, someone who never got exposed to this fantastical phenomenal immediately understand it.
'Maybe this is a wrong approach," Law made up his mind to find another way.
Law closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. Slowly, he inhaled, imagining the scattered the light inside his body being drawn together.
Thus it happen، the once scattered Aurion now being move closer toward his red core. Though just by small margin.
Then he exhaled, the scattered light move once again.
'This! I manage to do it?' Law was smug inside. 'Maybe I'm a genius after all.'
Before he could feel a bit happy, he notice that his body is panting slightly as if he already done one lap of running. Doing this is putting strain on his body.
'Seems like I need to increase my physical strength further more.'
From the moment he arrived in this world, Law had done workout to increase his strength.
100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, 10km run. At least, he is not going bald anytime soon.
But now, it seems like it is still not enough.
'Forget it, let's gather the Aurion first.' Law thought.
....
Night soon fell, outside is already quiet with no children playing.
Law is lying on his bed, drenched in sweat.
Were it not for the rapid rise and fall of his chest, you might have thought him dead.
After having doing several round of breathing, he finally cannot hold on and thus this scene happened.
'Finally, I manage to create the first-circle!' Law was content on what he achieve now.
After the Aurion enter the Core, it will be refined into his. Then, a circle appear around the core.
Although this seems fast, every circle is divided by low, mid, and peak level. And now he is just at low level.
With the achieving the first-circle, he could feel his body being strengthen.
'But what about my affinity l?' That man said he got Earth affinity.
Law doubted it, after all there isn't a single earthly clue at all inside him and the orb when awakening.
With Law decided to try it tomorrow, maybe he just can't use it yet because he is training the Knight path.
What difference is Knight can only manifested thei aura once they reach Second-Circle.
While Sorcerer can use Mana when they reach First-Circle.
Maybe after he can know his affinity after creating his First-Circle at the Sorcerer's Core.
As for why not Second-Circle Knight? It probably would take a long time. And he want to use it as soon as possible
Thinking about this, Law decided to try it tomorrow.
He quickly take a bath and headed toward the dining hall.
....
As soon as he step into the dining hall, a girly voice carried through the wind reach him.
"Look who decided to show up! It's already night and you just show up now?" With a ladle on her hand, she squinted her eyes at Law.
"Uhh, Am I that late?"
"Yes, luckily Aunt Maria manage to cook some foods before dinner time."
The job of cooking has been done by Law for several years, that is why when he is not cooking, it become a bit messed up.
He walk towards Lily's table and sit beside her. But something feel different.
Lily is staring at him.
"What?"
"Nothing," she said. "You look different," she added quietly.
Law looked at her. "Different how?"
Lily tilted her head slightly, as if trying to find the right word. "Umm, don't know."
She changed the subject, "Are you hiding something good from me?" she asked, leaning closer with a suspicious smile.
Law instinctively lean back as her face drew closer. "Then I will tell you...
Your brother just get stronger! I got to First-Circle already!" Law said smugly.
Lily's eyes widened. "First-Circle?"
'Seems like Lily doesn't know yet about the power leve.' Law proceed to explain her about it a bit
She suddenly stand up, looking devastated. "Aaa! you didn't invite me?"
"Ha! I knew it!" she continues, pointing at him dramatically. "Power changes people! You're already forgetting me!"
Law was shocked, what is this kid talking about?
He raised a hand, "Don't make a fuss. I saw you happily playing outside. How could I possibly bother you?"
"You are so thoughtful. Then let's train together tomorrow," Lily said, her tone a mix of determination and lingering indignation.
Aunt Maria, who had been watching from the side, stepped forward. "Let me join you too. I can help you both a bit."
Although they can train at the academy later, she believed that more strength is better.
"Then it's decided" Lily happily went to her room after finishing her food. "Goodnight brother Law! Goodnight Aunt Maria!"
'Training with brother Law tomorrow,' She hummed happily
Law quickly finished his food and also headed toward his room.
Maybe because he is too tired, after sliding into his bed, Law quickly fall asleep.