Chapter 4 – Awakening Day

I woke up once more to the sound of church bells signaling the start of the workday.

In Averula, the locals track time by the church’s tolling. The bells ring three times a day: dawn, noon, and dusk. I was honestly surprised I still remembered such minor details.

But waking up while the bells were already ringing meant I was officially late. A lackey is supposed to be up before his master to prep everything for the new day.

Not that it mattered, though, because today was Awakening Day. I figured my dear cousin Jullius would be way too preoccupied with the Holy Mark popping up on his chest to give a damn about his servant’s tardiness.

I took my time strolling over to the mirror on the wardrobe to see the look I’d long since forgotten.

A sixteen-year-old kid with black hair, a bit on the small side for his age, with a face that screamed “innocent and naive.” Right now, he looked haggard and washed out, like he’d just survived a brutal fever.

But the real kicker was my left eye. What used to be a dull, depressing brown had transformed into a crystal-clear sky blue. And on the back of my left hand, there was now a mark – a moon and a star intertwined.

I blinked and scanned the room, but I didn’t notice any “super-vision” or weird perks from the new eye color yet.

I wasn’t sure if people would notice the change. I wasn’t looking to become the center of attention so I brushed my bangs down to hide as much of the eye as possible.

I stripped down and did a quick body scan. A bit too skinny, zero muscle, definitely going to need a workout routine.

With a sigh, I grabbed my uniform from the wardrobe and tied a perfectly neat necktie. Oh, and the gloves. Can’t forget those.

The mark on my left hand was the official Hero’s Crest, which was a world apart from the candidate marks. If I flashed it now, everyone would assume it was a knockoff, and I’d probably end up at the end of a rope for “impersonating a divine appointee.”

Just as I expected, the entire mansion was buzzing with the news: Young Master Jullius Griffin had just manifested a Holy Mark. The maids were huddled in groups, gossiping with a mix of curiosity and pure hype.

“…I heard it’s on the left side of his chest.”

“Is it true that the closer the mark is to the heart, the stronger the power?”

“That’s just a rumor, but still, the Marquis is going to be over the moon.”

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“But this is just a candidate mark, right? It doesn’t mean he’s a guaranteed Hero yet, does it?”

“Listen to me, when the mark is that close to the heart, it’s basically a locked-in deal…”