Chapter 5
According to the Talent system, an individual's level of talent is determined solely based on the number of awakening ceremonies they have participated in.
The level of a person's talent decreases as they participate more in the awakening ceremony and increases when they participate less.
The talent system has four levels of talent, and they are Top-class talent, High-class talent, Middle-class talent, and Lower-class talent.
Those people that have Top-class talent are the people who naturally awakened their mana without any need for the awakening ceremony.
As for high-class talents, they are people who successfully awakened during their first time participating in the awakening ceremony.
Middle-class talents are people who successfully awakened during the second time, and those who awakened during their third time or more will have a Lower-class talent.
With the talent system, the intentions of the imperial knight institute became obvious.
They want a high-knight that has at least middle-class talent and don’t want a lower-class talent high-knight
After all, the talent system determines the rate of improvement of the mana user, and those with lower-class talent will be a waste of resources if they improve very slowly.
Deon was also surprised to learn that a person can naturally awaken their mana and would automatically have a top-class talent, the peak talent of mana users.
Deon has never heard such a thing, as he always thought that only by awakening ceremony could a person obtain mana.
Deon wanted to learn more about it but found no more books about top-class talent and how a person can naturally awaken their mana.
The four youths in the library continued their study, and from time to time, they would discuss amongst each other about everything they had learned.
…
Soon the third day came, and it was time for the top apprentice knights to depart to the capital.
The top 5 apprentice knights from grade 9, including Deon, stood firm at the institute entrance, eagerly anticipating the arrival of their guide and the top 5 apprentice knights from grade 10.
Everyone has a horse beside them for transport, with their respective horse carrying their luggage.
As apprentice knights, deon and others learned horse riding when they were only seven years old, and after years of practice and experience, they have reached advanced mastery in horse riding.
After waiting a few minutes, they saw their Instructor returning with six other people. Their Instructor talked to another instructor while they walked toward deon and the others.
The group is the grade ten apprentice knights and their Instructor, and they were walking with their horses, except for the grade nine Instructor.
Deon is familiar with the other group since they are only one year older than them and would sometimes encounter each other in the institute, but their relationship is mostly acquaintance.
Deon and the four youths went towards the newcomers and said their greetings, to which the grade 10s only nodded, completely uninterested in the grade 9s as they talked amongst each other.
“Deon, This is Instructor Cain, and he will guide you all in the capital. Make sure to follow everything Instructor Cain says,” The Grade Nine Instructor said
As far as Deon knows, the Grade 10 Instructor is responsible for leading the apprentice knights to the capital. This is because the other Grade Instructors are occupied with training the apprentice knights to move up to the next level.
While the grade 10 instructor no longer needs to train the grade 10 apprentice knight for the next grade since grade 10 is the final grade in the institute and only needs to assign the grade 10 to their perspective official knight position, But that could be pushed after the awakening ceremony since there are still grade 10 participating in the awakening ceremony.
“Yes, Sir,” Deon replied and saluted to both instructors, with the other four youths behind him following suit.
“Good,” The Grade Nine Instructor said and looked at Instructor cain: “Take care of my boys on your trip.”
“Yeah, yeah, I got it,” Instructor Cain casually said
“All right, I’ll leave you guys be,” The Grade Nine Instructor said before dismissing himself. He was too busy to waste his time saying goodbye to his apprentices
Instructor Cain looked at deon and spoke: “Are you guys ready? Did you double-check everything you need?”
“Yes, Sir,” Deon and the rest of the grade nines replied
“Excellent, We will go to Whitehill town first to get some materials for the travel and also to give you guys some time to say goodbye to your love ones,” Instructor Cain said, “Also, we are helping the Whitehill family to escort their heir to the awakening ceremony, Is that understood?”
“Yes, Sir,” Deon said but was internally surprised. He thought they would immediately depart since it takes approximately five days to travel from the 24th Imperial Knight Institute to the capital.
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“All right, Let’s not waste time then. Let us depart!” Instructor cain shouted, making all the apprentice knights get on their horses.
As they left the institute, Instructor Cain led the way toward the town of Whitehill, which is the closest town and just a 10-minute horse ride away. Additionally, it is the hometown of Deon and Lucien.
...
The Whitehill Town
Ten Minutes Later
The town has a large wall protecting it and has a population of more than 2000+ people, and once they reach a ten thousand people, the town can be promoted to a city.
Once the town guards saw the group, they immediately made way for the apprentice knights and Instructor Cain with adoration and respect in their eyes.
As the apprentice knights passed through town, the locals greeted them with friendly waves. Even the children paused their play to gaze in admiration, perceiving the apprentice knights as heroic figures from their favorite stories.
The group arrived at a spacious estate house located in the heart of the town. The property was so vast that it could accommodate two houses, which made it a noticeable landmark in the area.
As the apprentice knights made their way to the estate house gate, they were met by two guards. Without delay, one of the guards quickly proceeded inside to inform the owner of the household of their presence.
The estate house is the residence of the Whitehill family which is also ruler over Whitehill town.
As the nearest noble family around the institute, the institute has a very friendly relationship with the Whitehill family, as they usually help one another.
When the Instructor saw the guard informing the Whitehill family of their presence, instructor cain looked at the apprentice knights behind him and spoke:
“All right, ill give you guys 30 minutes to sort your business in the town and come back here. If some of you are late, I don’t mind leaving some of you. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Sir,” the ten apprentice knights replied
“Good, Go!” Instructor cain said as the youths dispersed into different directions
Deon and his friends went to a more secluded part of the town and stopped at a building that looked like a church, and at the top of the gate, there was a sign Orphanage written on it.
Deon and Lucien spent their childhood at the Whitehill Orphanage, which was the closest thing to a home that Deon had ever known.
Deon was left by his parents in the orphanage when he was only an infant, with no memory of his parents. But as deon grew up, he no longer cared about his parents. After all, why would he care about his parents when they abandoned him?
The only thing deon feel about his parents is curiosity, and his curiosity is about his dreamscape: does his parent know about his dreamscape?
The trio opened the gate and knocked at the orphanage's door, and a few seconds later, an old man opened the door.
The old man beamed joyfully when he saw the trio: “Deon, Lucien, Caleb, What are you guys doing here?”
"Good Morning, Father," Deon and Lucien smilingly said
“Good Morning, Father James,” Caleb politely greeted the old man.
“Come in, Come in,” the old man spoke and gestured the trio to enter, to which deon and his friends gladly entered.
“How are you, boys? Did the annual tournament finish?” Father James asked while maintaining his smile
“Yes, Father. Us three passed to the top 5 and are now heading to the capital for the awakening ceremony,” Lucien said with a hint of pride.
“Ahh. That’s brilliant! Congratulations! I knew you three had what it takes to become high knights! I’m so proud of you three!” Father James showered the trio with compliments with genuine happiness for the three youths.
“Thank you, Father,” Deon replied, feeling deep happiness in his chest
“Thank you, Father!” Lucien replied and was more excited than deon after hearing Father James
Father James has been the father figure of Deon and Lucien growing up, with Father James always treating deon and Lucien like they were his children, always proud of their accomplishments, and always caring for them.
When deon fell into a comatose state, Father James was the one who took care of deon and never once gave up on him, even when many doctors had already given up on deon
Father James was a priest for the god of the light church but gave up his position to take care of the orphanage in Whitehill town when no one was willing to do it.
Father James took the position as the head of the orphanage when he was already 60 years old and had been its head for 20 years now, and is now 80+ years old.
The Whitehill town orphanage has developed a notorious reputation for being a dumping ground where parents from nearby areas abandon their children. This is a direct result of the imperial knight institute's presence, as they take in orphaned children once they turn five. Some parents choose to leave their children at the orphanage to ease their guilt about abandoning their children, assuming that the institute will provide adequate care.
While Deon and Lucien spoke with Father James, Caleb remained silent. Unlike them, Caleb is not an orphan and has a family, but they live in a different town.
“Where is Sister Reva?” Lucien asked
“Your sister Reva is at the back with the kids,” Father James replied. “How about we go there to surprise the kids?”
“We brought some candies with us when we were at the market earlier,” Deon said
“The kids would love that,” Father James said as he led the three youths to the back of the orphanage.
As they walked, the group could hear the joyful voices of children playing nearby, which brought a smile to their faces.
Upon opening the back door, the children in the backyard swiftly took notice of Father James and the three youths.
“Brother Deon!”
“Brother Lucien!”
“Father James!”
Six children stopped whatever they were playing and swarmed the group
“Brother Deon! Did you get us candies?” a cheerful boy asked
“Of course! I bought many candies for you, brats! Here!” Deon handed a paper bag full of candies
One of the children quickly grabbed the paper bag and ran off, causing the other children to chase after them.
“Brother Lucien?” a small, timid girl asked, who stayed behind while stretching out her hand toward Lucien.
“Here you go. Make sure to share with your brother and sister,” Lucien happily said
“Thank you, Brother Lucien!” the girl took the paper bag but also sprinted away from the group of children.
“Hey! Brother Lucien told us to share!” one of the children shouted and ran after the running brat who took their candies.
“You spoil them too much. There’s no need to give them candies. They are already too active as it is” A 30+ years old nun calmly walked towards the trio and father James as she remarked.
“Good morning, Sister,” Deon and Lucien greeted the nun in front of them with a familial smile.
“Good morning, Sister Reva,” Caleb also greeted
“Good morning, Deon, Lucien, and Caleb,” Sister Reva greeted back
Sister Reva is a nun of the god light church that helps Father James with housework in the orphanage, with Father James training sister Reva to succeed him when he dies.
..
Caleb poked Lucien in his arm and handed him a paper bag full of candies
“What? No! you give it to them,” Lucien said, ridiculing Caleb since he was too shy to give his candies to the children
“But they don’t know me well,” Caleb replied while pushing the bag of candies to Lucien
“So what? Just give it to them. They don’t bite… Well… actually stay away for Hansen,” Lucien said
“Should I just throw it to them?” Caleb asked, confused about whether to do it or not
“Are you serious?” Lucien replied
“….” Deon
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Thought for Thoughts
* Top-class talent: Natural awakened
* High-class Talent: First time in Awakening Ceremony
* Middle-class Talent: Second time in Awakening Ceremony
* Lower-class Talent: Third time or more in Awakening Ceremony