All the children in the awakening room were of the same age; they all looked like children who had just stepped out into the big world to represent their families.
Elysia was the same. Theo knew that although she might have an aura of maturity around her, it was a given that she was still a child.
Yet, when the boy beside him stepped forward, Theo couldn't help but feel surprised.
'He is so calm… is it just to show others that he is fine, or…?' he thought as the boy moved and stopped in front of the small orb.
At first, the orb didn't do anything, so Sigrid took another step without any instructions. It was then that the orb flashed and showed a blue screen inside it, with characters and numbers flashing and vanishing within seconds.
Soon, a holographic screen popped up, and Theo looked at it intently.
"Sigrid Frostmoor, you have successfully contracted with the benevolent artifact. I will now tell you your affinity," the old man stated and stepped forward to look at the status screen.
The letters on the status screen were small, so Theo couldn't see them from his distance. He wanted to step forward to look but didn't dare disrupt the ceremony, as the repercussions were unknown.
"You have gained an affinity with the explosion element. Congratulations again."
The boy still remained calm, and there was not an ounce of emotion on him. He nodded toward the robed old man and went on to look at his status as he had been doing for some time.
"Explosion is an uncommon element that falls under the main element of Fire. You can learn more about it by entering the academy. Now, please step back," the robed man said and stepped back as well.
Sigrid gave a noble bow to him and then walked back to his previous place. Elysia smiled at him, and when Theo and Sigrid's eyes met, a frown formed on Sigrid's face before it vanished again.
Theo did not care about it. His family was not friendly with Sigrid's, so it was a given.
"Now, Theo Merrick, please step forward."
Every fiber of Theo's being shivered, as if he had just entered the atmosphere of a cold hospital.
He nodded toward the old man with a smile, yet deep down, he was overwhelmed.
He took a step forward and realized that it could be the day everyone would learn about his curse.
He took another step forward and realized that he might even be banished from his family after the ceremony.
Every negative possibility that could happen crossed Theo's mind. By the time he took the last step and felt another shiver in his spine, the veins in his forehead throbbed. Theo realized something.
'Whatever happens, it doesn't change the fact that I am alive…'
The boy and girl in the back looked at Theo intently. They knew who he was and to which family he belonged. The name Merrick carried great significance in the region they all lived in. For some, it was threatening; for others, it was supportive. But for most, it was reassuring.
Theo knew he had to take one more step to activate the orb. He hesitated for a second before forcing his foot forward.
When finally his foot touched the activation mark, Theo could feel the silence in the monument becoming even more overbearing. It was as if the world had stopped.
Theo looked at the orb intently, which had not moved all this time. He glanced at his foot, which was inches away from it, and felt as if something was wrong.
But all his thinking came to naught when the orb flashed brightly and started showing a blue screen inside, with numbers and characters scrambling and randomizing with each passing moment.
Five seconds, ten seconds, fifteen seconds passed, yet the orb did not stop. Theo looked up at the robed men, who were glancing at each other.
The old man's eyes met Theo's, and he gave a consoling smile. Theo knew he was trying to reassure him.
'Don't show my curse, don't show my curse, don't show my curse…' Theo kept repeating in his mind.
Another five seconds passed, and the boy and girl looked at him with astonishment, seemingly not understanding what was happening.
Yet nobody dared speak.
Suddenly, the orb stopped, and a screen appeared inside before it shot out from the orb.
Theo looked at his status with astonishment. His eyes moved all around, trying to find words like 'curse' or anything related.
The old man moved forward, a slight brisk in his step, as if he had been anticipating this moment for a while.
Theo glanced around and sighed inwardly in relief. 'Nothing related to the curse…' He felt satisfied with the development.
Yet, when he looked up, he froze upon seeing the old man's stupefied expression.
"W-What…" the old man muttered under his breath, making everyone's ears perk up.
But the old man quickly regained his composure. He looked at Theo with an apologetic expression. "I apologize for my rudeness, Theo Merrick." The old man bowed in front of him. Theo was about to speak when the old man continued.
"Theo Merrick, you have successfully contracted with the benevolent artifact. I will now tell you your affinity." The astonishment was still evident on the old man's face, though he seemed calmer than before.
"You have gained an affinity with the… evolution element… Congratulations again."
Theo looked at the old man, dumbfounded, and then at the system. Yet the blue hologram went back inside the orb the next second and vanished.
"Evolution is an element that has not been recorded in humanity's 1,000-year history. Therefore, the element will now be considered a unique-grade affinity and classified as a main element until further notice," the old man said, nodding at the equally astonished and panicked robed men nearby.
One of them quickly ran into a distant chamber.
"…You can try learning more about it by entering the academy. Now, please step back," the old man said with a warm smile.
"Yes… thank you for the ceremony," Theo said while bowing and stepping back.
'Just what I didn't fucking want to get…' Theo gnashed his teeth. The affinity was a unique-grade one, one that was never seen before.
'My life was already going to be tough because of the curse, and now this? What shitty luck,' he thought.
Even though the curse was not shown in front of the others, Theo felt like he was in an even bigger problem now.
"The ceremony has been completed for everyone present in this group. You have now been promoted from prospective tamers to apprentice tamers."