Chapter 9: A Bit Miserable

[Welcome, Challenger.]

[The Runes Have Given Their Blessings.]

This was what Arthur heard in his mind. Lying on the floor, he calmed himself down—it took about an hour before he could move his body.

Both Verna and Thoth seemed stumped at Arthur's state but, noticing he wasn't dead, they carried him to a nearby couch and waited for him to recover.

'Ugh! My body feels as stiff as a board!'

Arthur slowly sat up, hunching forward while trying to piece together what had just happened. He knew that after the awakening ritual, he was now somehow connected to the Runes.

"How are you feeling?" Verna asked. Though Arthur's complexion was pale, he seemed otherwise fine.

"It's all good. I heard a voice in my head—is that normal?" Arthur asked while rubbing his forehead.

This time, it was Thoth who answered. "Yes, it is. The voice you're hearing is that of the Runes. Well, that's a good sign, I suppose—it confirms the awakening was a success and that you were able to sense Life Essence."

Arthur nodded. "Was that reddish speck I saw... the Life Essence?"

Thoth and Verna exchanged a glance at his question. "Red?"

Arthur explained in detail what had happened to him during the ritual, including Verna sharing her essence with him. To his surprise, they revealed that Life Essence wasn't supposed to appear crimson—it should be either golden or white. If the amount of Ichor in the body is high, it's white. If it's moderate, it's golden. Crimson, however, was unheard of.

"Why don't you summon the Runes? We'll be able to observe anything unusual by comparing it to the norm," suggested Thoth, clearly excited. Even after years of performing awakenings, this part of the process never bored him—it always brought something new to discover. After all, every person's Runes were unique.

"…How do I do that? Summon the Runes, I mean," Arthur asked awkwardly.

Verna leaned forward, her gaze steady. "Now that you can sense Life Essence, your body contains a small amount of Innate Life Essence. Focus on that essence, and command the Runes to reveal themselves. It's a matter of intent—directing your will toward them."

Her explanation wasn't perfect, but it was the best she could offer. Unlike Arthur, Verna had been trained in these matters from a young age and could summon Runes instinctively.

"I'll try," Arthur said, closing his eyes. At first, he felt calm, but soon he sensed a distinct warmth. Then, as he focused, a speck of crimson appeared in the void—a lone, dull shimmer.

Command the Runes, Arthur thought. Unsure of how to proceed, he opted for the simplest method: asking a question internally.

'Isn't the best way to get answers is… just ask?'

Suddenly, a sharp ringing filled his mind, startling him. He opened his eyes, and in front of him floated a string of shimmering symbols.

"W-Whoa!" he exclaimed involuntarily.

"What happened? Do you see them?" Thoth asked excitedly, his eyes darting between Arthur and the space where Arthur was looking. Only Arthur could see the symbols, but both Thoth and Verna were aware of what he might be experiencing—though the exact content of the symbols was for Arthur to share.

Arthur stared at the otherworldly letters, shimmering in pale blue light. Although unrecognizable, they were strangely understandable to him.

[The Challenger's Status.]

[Archetype: ]

[Titles: ]

[Lineage: Aesir]

[Purity: Miserable]

[Race: Mostly Human]

[Class: ]

[Skills: A Silent Song]

[Ascension Abilities: ]

[Armament: ]

[Hoard: ]

[Harvested Essence: ]

"Wow," Arthur muttered, awestruck.

"Don't just 'wow' us! Tell me! What's your dormant skill? Or better yet, what's the purity?" Thoth practically jumped out of his chair, grinning like a child who had just received a gift.

"Y-Yeah," Arthur stammered, focusing again on the floating symbols. They shimmered persistently, no matter where he looked. "It's mostly empty—Titles, Class… all blank."

Thoth grabbed his shoulder. "Don't worry about that. Just tell us what's written."

Arthur nodded. "It says my Lineage is Aesir."

Verna clasped her hands in front of her face. "That means you'll have the Path of a Warrior."

Path of a Warrior? Arthur thought, shelving the question for later.

"And my Race is Mostly Human."

Thoth muttered, "Well, that's better than having Goblin mixed in."

Arthur hesitated before continuing, "As for my skill… it says 'A Silent Song.' And the purity…" He paused, reluctant. "…It says Miserable."

Verna's expression betrayed subtle ridicule as she asked, "What did you say your blood purity was?"

"…Miserable," Arthur repeated, his tone tinged with hesitation.

Verna glanced at Thoth, who wore a more exaggerated expression.

"That's a first. Miserable, huh? Maybe that explains why your Essence is crimson instead of golden. We never hoped for white, but lower than that… You might be the weakest of the bunch, Arthur. The weakest challenger in the history of the Nine Realms." He informed laughing as it was amusing,maybe to him...yes but for Arthur himself-

'So, I'm not at the bottom of the barrel… I've set a new low?' Arthur thought bitterly. What kind of unfunny joke is this?!

But it is not a joke.