Adrian's POV
The ceremony had reached its climax.
The commoners had finished their awakenings, and while a few had received passable gifts, none had awakened anything that shook the world. Except for one—Valeria Ignis—whose rejection from the temple had set a new course for her destiny.
Now, it was time for them—the three princesses.
The three stars of this generation. The pinnacle of nobility. The daughters of Emperors and Empresses.
And most importantly, my closest people in this world.
I stood near the grand stage, my crimson-gold eyes watching intently as the first princess stepped forward. The tension in the air was suffocating. Even the most arrogant nobles and high-ranking priests held their breaths. The commoners? They looked like they had seen deities descend.
[ System : Hoho~ Here we go. This is what I've been waiting for, Adrian! The top talents of this generation! ]
"Three gifts. That's the pinnacle, isn't it?" I responded mentally, my fingers lightly tapping against my wrist.
[ Yep! Three gifts are considered the absolute limit of human talent. Only those with extreme bloodline power can reach this level… and these three? They're practically destined to stand at the peak. ]
My lips curled slightly. I know. I've read the novel, after all.
And then—
The first vision appeared.
---
Evelyn's Awakening
As Evelyn stepped forward, the Awakening Crystal pulsed. Not just a gentle flicker like it had for the commoners—but a full wave of energy that rippled across the entire temple.
The priests gasped. The crowd staggered.
Then—the visions began.
A vast silver moon, looming over an endless forest. Ethereal silver threads woven between the trees, whispering secrets to the night. Shadows moved, dancing under the moon's gaze, as a celestial figure walked barefoot upon a lake, her eyes glowing silver.
Then—
A name was etched into reality.
—『 Moonshadow Empress 』—
A second vision struck.
A radiant tree, its golden-green leaves pulsating with life, roots stretching across continents. The whispers of nature itself surrounded it, singing a hymn of creation. Beneath it, Evelyn stood, her fingertips glowing as the very essence of the world flowed into her.
—『 Nature's Songstress 』—
The final vision erupted like a dying star.
A world without light. A realm of shifting shadows, endless and consuming. At its heart, Evelyn stood, unfazed, as she commanded the abyss itself. The darkness bent to her will, forming blades, armor, an army of silent phantoms. She was its ruler.
—『 Mistress of the Eternal Shade 』—
And then—silence.
The temple stood frozen.
Then—chaos.
Gasps. Screams. The nobles were stunned. Even her own parents, Empress Elaris Moonshade and Emperor Arthas Moonshade, were momentarily speechless before their faces burst into pride and joy.
"Evelyn… my baby…" Elaris whispered, stepping forward before embracing her tightly. "You have done something truly extraordinary."
Her father followed, his arms wrapping around them both, his voice proud yet emotional. "You carry the future of our empire."
The rest of our family followed—congratulations, cheers, praises. And then—
"Edddd!!"
Before I could react, Evelyn lunged forward and hugged me tightly.
I blinked. Then chuckled, patting her back.
Evelyn clung to me like a koala, her silver-blonde hair tickling my cheek as she rubbed her face against my shoulder.
"Ed! Did you see?! I was amazing, right?!"
I chuckled, patting her back gently. "Yeah, Evie. You were incredible."
She pulled back, her bright green eyes shimmering with excitement. But before she could say anything else—
BOOM.
The Awakening Crystal pulsed violently once more.
The next princess was stepping forward.
---
Celeste Solis' Awakening
Celeste approached the crystal, her usual hyperactive energy momentarily subdued by the tension in the air.
Then—
The sun rose in her vision.
No, not just a sun—two suns.
A golden star burning with endless radiance, bringing warmth, life, and purity to the world. And another—a sun forged from fire, destruction, and battle. Both coexisted, spinning in a perfect celestial dance, their power overflowing as they bathed Celeste in their radiance.
—『 Twin Suns Monarch 』—
The second vision erupted like wildfire.
A battlefield. Flames raged across the land, consuming all in their path. Yet in the center, Celeste stood, unscathed, her body cloaked in golden-red flames. Every step she took burned the ground beneath her, every wave of her hand conjuring infernos that obeyed her every whim.
—『 Phoenix's Wrath 』—
The final vision roared to life.
A sacred cathedral of light, stretching beyond the heavens. Divine sigils floated around Celeste, illuminating the darkness as beams of pure light descended like judgment itself. In her hands, a spear of golden radiance formed, crackling with holy energy, ready to purge anything that stood in its way.
—『 Saintess of the Eternal Dawn 』—
The visions shattered.
The temple erupted into chaos once again.
Even the high priests, men who had seen countless awakenings in their lifetime, were left speechless.
"Three supreme gifts… one of them divine in nature…" an elder priest muttered in shock.
Celeste, however, didn't care about the audience.
"Edie!!!"
Before her father, Emperor Alexander Solis, could even react—Celeste ran straight past him and into my arms.
Her small hands clutched my sleeves tightly as she beamed up at me, pink eyes gleaming.
"Did you see that?! I was so cool, right?! I bet you think I'm the strongest now, huh? Huh?!"
I smiled, nodding. "You did great, Cel. I'm proud of you."
She beamed even brighter, nodding rapidly. Only then did her parents, Uncle Alexander and Aunt Sylvia , come forward, both shaking their heads in amused exasperation before embracing their daughter.
The rest of our family joined in once more.
But my attention was already shifting—because there was still one more awakening left.
And it was her turn.
---
Liliana Noctis' Awakening
Unlike the others, Liliana walked toward the crystal with eerie calmness.
She didn't show nervousness. No excitement.
Just… stillness.
The moment her fingers brushed the crystal—
The world turned black.
A cold wind howled through the temple. The torches flickered, the warmth in the air vanished.
And then—the visions came.
A throne of shadows, floating in a void of endless darkness. Beneath it, shadows writhed, waiting, watching. On the throne sat Liliana, her crimson eyes cold and distant, a crown of abyssal energy forming above her head as countless creatures knelt before her.
—『 Queen of the Abyss 』—
The second vision appeared.
A battlefield drenched in blood. Warriors fell, lifeless, as a single girl walked forward, unfazed. Around her, specters of fallen warriors rose—undead knights, cursed warlords, spirits of forgotten legends—bound to her will.
—『 Warlord of the Forsaken 』—
The final vision struck.
A realm of complete destruction. Chaos incarnate. A world where death reigned supreme. And in the center of it all, Liliana stood, untouched, wielding twin blades wreathed in shadow and crimson flames. Her expression remained emotionless as the world itself trembled before her presence.
—『 Asura's Requiem 』—
The visions snapped out of existence.
Silence.
No one spoke. No one could.
The nobles were paralyzed with fear. The priests were shaking. Even the strongest warriors in the empire felt their souls tremble.
It wasn't just power.
It was dominance.
The aura of someone who was born to rule the battlefield.
Liliana stood there for a moment, her face blank as usual. Then—she turned.
And the first thing she did—
Was walk straight to me.
She didn't say anything.
She just wrapped her arms around me, burying her face into my shoulder.
I sighed softly, smiling as I stroked her hair. "Lili, you did amazing."
She didn't respond. But I felt her grip tighten slightly.
Only after a few seconds did her parents—Emperor Asmodeus Noctis and Empress Lilith Noctis—step forward. Asmodeus let out a deep, approving chuckle.
"You've surpassed my expectations, daughter."
Lilith nodded, her dark eyes shimmering. "You've made us proud."
The rest of our family followed, offering their praises and congratulations.
But me?
I was only half-listening.
Because I was talking to him.
[ System : WELL, HOLY SHIT. ]
"…Yeah. I know."
[ Three supreme talents. One awakening ceremony. Adrian, this isn't just surprising—it's outright ridiculous seeing even though you're already aware that this going to happen. Even the gods would raise an eyebrow at this! ]
I exhaled slowly, glancing at the princesses.
Each of them had awakened power beyond imagination.
And they were mine.
"Not in a possessive sense, of course . But their trust, their loyalty… their destiny was tied with me this time"
"And maybe also something more in the future, You know what let's think about this later, let's leave this to future me "I thought to
myself shrugging inwardly.
Then—
[ So… Adrian? ]
The system's voice became deadly serious.
[ It's your turn now. ]
I smiled.
No—I grinned.
My crimson-gold eyes gleamed with excitement.
"I know."
This was it.
The end of my childhood. The end of my laying back .
From this moment on—
No more playing around.
This was my story.
And I would make sure it was written exactly how I wanted.