Suta POV

"Bri...Briallah!" His foreign youthful voice slightly carried across the hall more than what he would've liked. Time seemed to stop once Suta finally said her name out loud. Numerous eyes quickly converge upon him. Naturally, he felt slightly embarrassed being at the center of the stage again, but in truth, he was stumped by the change of his voice.

"L-listen to them. You should go and become strong. I... I promise, I will be alright ok,s-so go, go and become strong...alright?" he said those words without any true reasoning behind them, merely saying what he felt she needed to hear right now.

'That's the best I got kid, it's not like I could offer you anything else but kind words at this point anyway.'

He held her gaze for a short while in silence and she held his.

A gentle smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, filling Suta with a slight kind of relief. But almost a moment later, her eyes flashed in surprise for some reason, Suta sensed her pondering something, and then disappointment surfaced. And then anger. Suta didn't miss a single change, his brows slightly narrowed, watching her face become crestfallen after a few expressions squeezed themselves out.

Briallah shook away the hold from her shoulders finally, but she stopped protesting and simply stood there, watching her feet.

"Yo-you too, Suta?... You don't want me around as well...s-so you hated me all along" She muttered beneath her breath. Suta clearly heard her words, but he was still unsure if he was hearing her correctly. Trying to refocus on his previous statement, and wondering where such a thing was implied.

She lifted her head again, this time her eyes glazed with tears as she stared right into his own gaze. Wearing a mocking smile towards him. Suta's heart instantly sunk seeing her bashful expression sullen even more, she eventually opened her delicate mouth and spoke.

"Fine! I'll leave you alone then... "

"W-wait that's not what I-"

"s-st-stu-STUPID WEAK SUTA!" Brilliah screamed before Suta was given a moment to respond, she turned on her heels and stomped away.

Suta stood idly on his own, blinking his eyes a few times in silent bewilderment. Ooh's and ahh's echoed through the halls to the point of Briallah vanishing down the hall.

'Ouch. That one kinda hurt. Well...guess that's an extra person who hates me then... sigh, another nuisance.'

***

After watching Briallah storm away down the aisle of the cathedral. Suta was a little lost with what to do with himself now. Somehow despite his best wishes, this entire ordeal had turned him into the center of all things negative. He could still hear constant sniggering coming from among the onlookers. But he tried to ignore the outside noise, instead, his gaze just so happened to fall towards the mature-faced lady. He saw relief wash away the anxiety previously against her face, he also noticed a similar kind against the shrewd-faced silver fox.

But why did it feel as though he had lost again? Perhaps he should have told her to stay maybe?

'Ergh, why do I feel terrible all of a sudden? It's not like I even remember half of the time spent with that girl. Plus I was only trying to look out for her, Hmph! A lesson learned for next time I guess.' He shook his head slightly, he creased a sardonic smile wondering who else he might end up offending at this rate.

The awakening ceremony continued very much the same way it started, of course barring his awkward encounter. More and more young faces took to the altar, placed their hands into the fountain, and heard their ranks from those grotesque-looking heads loudly announcing it.

During the fast-moving ceremony, Suta heard countless C ranks, a few B ranks, and one or two more A ranks announced after Briallah, but not many. It wasn't until a few youths remained that he realized how swiftly this should've all been.

Shaking his head at the time he alone spent at that altar, it was no wonder everyone was throwing curses at him for wasting time.

Finally, only four people were left, one of whom was the blonde-haired boy from before. Who just so happened to be called up to the fountain next. He swaggered toward the altar with measured steps, exuding an air of confidence around him. Just before he reached the altar, he bizarrely gave Suta a snide smirk and mouthed something strange.

'I'll take care of her,' Suta was assured he read his lips, and then he winked at him before continuing along.

"This little boy must have some screws loose. What kind of clique story have I walked into?"

Suta didn't react of course, and simply observed quietly from where he stood, by now he had grown so tired of this spectacle that he was almost falling asleep while standing.

He performed the same actions as everyone else, placing his hand into the fountain before waiting for the expected rise of the three-headed golems.

A shimmering golden light danced across the still water in response. The three ugly heads rose again, but then something strange took place.

From what he had observed about them, only two of the three heads ever kept their eyes open. However, this time around, he saw all three heads with their eyes glued open. Their looks of distress were difficult to observe, but not just for him; everyone still present felt something intense begin to stir.

"THE GODDESS HAS CHOSEN!"

"THE GODDESS HAS CHOSEN!"

"THE GODDESS HAS CHOSEN!"

The floating heads all began roaring the same words in unison, their voices were as sharp as blades, forcing Suta into shielding his ears out of fear of his eardrums being ruptured.

He tried to keep his rattling eyes glued to the altar, almost having to blink several times to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

'What in the world is that?' his inner voice sparked a train of thoughts crackling forth into his mental

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

A blinding pale light shone dangerously ahead, he wouldn't dare to open his eyes right now, forced into narrowing his gaze, purposely shielding his eyes using his arm. Other people seemed too slow to catch on, and he heard a range of screams of panic and terror nearby.

"Arghhhh! my eyes! my eyes!"

"I can't see, someone help meeee!"

"W-what the hell is that thing!"

"It's too bright I can't...I can't see"

As the overwhelming brightness gradually faded, Suta cautiously lowered his arm, his eyes narrowing in disbelief unsure whether or not he was seeing clearly. What met his gaze, however, was beyond anything he could have anticipated. Above the fountain stood a figure so majestic and ethereal, it seemed as though she belonged to another realm. Her skin was a smooth, angelic grey, and she hovered just above the water's surface, her form gracefully arching towards the sky as though the heavens split and her perfect form drifted from above.

Her lithe body was adorned in a silver and pale dress, clinging against her body with a sparkled golden light flickering against the hem. Her entire being breathed a divine essence. From her back unfurled the most exquisite pair of pale wings, noticeably causing Suta's mouth to slacken with surprise. And another memory birthed through his thoughts. 'Angel' he told himself, suddenly he was filled with a plethora of mythos concerning the fabled winged beings of divinity.

Her long, luxurious white hair cascaded down to her feet, adding to her divine presence. The world seemed to stand still around him, and then his gaze locked onto her eyes, a pair of sparkling red jewels that contrasted starkly with her serene outward appearance. Framing her face were two ram-like ivory horns. And within a moment of clarity, as if struck by lightning, Suta's mind raced to the statues scattered throughout the hall.

It dawned on him at that very moment.

It's her...she's...the goddess?

Apart from himself, Suta saw everyone within the cathedral falling against a single knee. He stood hesitant for a short while, being the only one standing at this moment almost certainly made him stand out, but ultimately he decided against kneeling, something within him was acting against the thought of doing that, a strange feeling of disgust almost. Instead, he took a few cautious steps back, slightly placing himself behind one of the grey stone statues that resembled her.

"Greetings...my loyal followers,"

Her voice flowed like choral music, and yet Suta felt a sense of deep anguish soothing over his bones once he heard her. She cast a gaze around the entire hall.

When her scarlet eyes passed over his direction, his chest felt a rush of anxiety . There was a brief pause in her movements, but he made sure he was half-hidden behind the statue, unable to be truly seen. And thankfully his actions didn't appear to have gotten him noticed since the Goddess passed over him without a care in the world.

She then lowered her gaze downwards to those knelt by the fountain before her.

"Greetings, my champion. You have been marked by destiny." She spoke.

Her sweet smile sent a shiver running down his spine for some strange reason.

"Your talents have been acknowledged, Estran! And you are deemed worthy of my grace, possessing an S rank has made it so, your destiny has already been set, you will be a champion amongst men."

And so it is I, the Goddess of Dawn and Gold, who holds all the desires of men loyal to my cause resting on the tip of my left hand. Because of your talents, as a sign of my honorable merit. I shall grant you a portion of my grace.

Make it a single wish. Let it be known to me, so that I may make it true, as a show of our newly found accord?"

A gentle gasp moved across the hall, and even Suta himself couldn't hold back his genuine deep surprise after hearing all of that "A w-wish? What kind of insane power does she have? Does that mean that arrogant guy could wish for anything he wanted, and it would be granted?"

Suta swallowed harshly, watching on with agonizing anticipation as this almost baffling scene unfolded. He eagerly locked onto the pompous youth, watching the fellow rubbing his chin for a short while in deep thought. He failed to capture what was said, but he did notice a slight change in the expressionless gaze of the goddess once she heard Estran's answer. The youth said a few words before turning back towards him, wearing a mischievous grin plastered against his obnoxious face.

Suta's heart sank almost instantly, dreading to wonder what the youth had wished for. But the Goddess seemed conflicted with something. Even an ethereal figure like herself was displaying what Suta would call human emotions, which struck him as odd.

After a short pause, the goddess noticeably shook her head from side to side and wagged her finger, Estran looked annoyed, and rather audaciously stamped his foot. Suta wasn't exactly sure why, but her presence filled him with emotions closer to hatred rather than hope, harmony, and reverence. The things he was expecting to feel.

The goddess raised her slender, pale arm, pure and smooth like a jade crystal. Her fingers danced across the empty air, performing a series of delicate hand seals, before conjuring an almost blinding ball of light against her palm. Most of those present shielded their gazes, but Suta fought against his body's instincts, feeling a weird obsession not to even blink.

The goddess reached downwards and placed the golden light on top of Estran's head. A bizarre thing took place as the shimmering golden ball began to enter through his skull. Narrowing his gaze, he saw this golden, thick liquid substance slowly wrapping itself all over Estran's body. The light intensified, but Suta painfully fought against it at first, he was sure he noticed an infant humanoid figure slowly passing into Estran. Moments passed before the golden essence finally dissipated.

Rubbing his itchy eyes, Suta was a little surprised to see the goddess's once brilliant light quickly fading into a shimmering afterimage.

"I hope my gift aids you well... my champion." Her fading smokey voice trailed throughout the hall, and Suta felt the tiny hairs along his arms stand tall.

'That was too weird - a goddess? Wh-what kind of world is this?' He darkly asked himself.

'And why am I so on guard? It's like something inside of me is naturally opposing her. Damn it am I the demonic one?' he asked himself, what else might explain why he felt so strongly towards something so divine.

Amidst his uncertainty regarding just about everything, he noticed the boy called Estran was swiftly surrounded by a group of mature-faced fellows. They were dressed in expensive-looking pale silks, with heavy white robes slung over their shoulders, bearing a large gold X stitched against their backs. They reminded Suta of priests.

Putting all those thoughts aside, that lucky individual was an S Rank! Despite not having a single clue about the ranking system, it didn't take a genius to understand that rank was exceptionally high, so high that it invoked the arrival of a goddess.

'That lucky bastard, of course, the one who suddenly hates me gets an OP ability like that.'

Just remembering those glittering red eyes again filled him with terror. There were so many changes within him and around him, that he felt he just needed a few hours to simply calm down in order to carefully piece together these fractured memories.

It wasn't long before the entire hall had turned into the Estran show.

They swooned around him like dogs, showering him with countless offers underneath the sun. He even heard a few ask him whether or not he was interested in marrying some of their daughters. The pompous-looking blonde couldn't get enough of it. Now and then, he stole a mocking glance his way, but Suta ignored his taunts. He had his own worries to deal with.

"Attention!" a rough voice erupted his thinking

Suta's lazy gaze moved towards the source of the noise in haste.

An average-sized man stood by the front of the large gathering of people he happened to be part of. He was clothed in leather over a warm-colored tunic and beige trousers with hunting boots.

A dark dandy mustache warmed the top of his lips, and just from an initial glance, he could tell the man held no pleasure in talking to any of them.

"Listen, as none of youse have been deemed worthy enough to be granted tutelage from the capital, I'm afraid to say your chance as becoming students beneath one of the Queen's most famous guilds has come to an end! If you kindly exit in a single file, we've already arranged your carriages back to Hobbleton. Oh right, and since we've possibly deprived you of a day's work, you'll all receive a small payment as a gesture of goodwill.

Good day, and I wish you all the best of luck."