Daniel woke up to the soft sound of raindrops tapping on the window.
For a moment, he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. He blinked a few times, trying to reboot his mind.
With a loud sigh, he got up and went for his clothes. By the time he entered the kitchen, the smell of coffee and the sound of boiling milk had filled the air.
"Our little girl is an early bird as always, haha!" Daniel laughed when he saw the bags under his sister's eyes.
Alice was sitting on a chair with sleepy eyes, stirring her cereal in the bowl with boredom.
"Shut up," she said with a groan and gave him a grumpy look.
Liana, as usual neat and tidy, was standing by the table in a thick jacket, looking out the window.
"Wear something warm. It's rainy again. The ground's already wet."
"I'm not going out today! Why can't school just go online already?" Alice complained.
"You always fell asleep wrapped in a blanket whenever it was online!" Liana frowned.
Daniel sat down with a smile and grabbed a piece of bread.
"I'm heading to the association today. Gotta follow up on something."
"The association again? Nothing's changed yet. Don't rush. Let that weird system for awakened ones settle in your body a bit first."
"Is the system even a person that it needs to 'settle in'?" Alice mumbled.
"It's important. I need to ask a few questions about something. Won't take long, but I'll call if anything comes up."
"Take care of yourself," Liana nodded.
"If you buy anything to eat, get something chocolatey too. This cereal tastes like cardboard now," Alice said.
"If you're going out, get something tasty! Cereal's not cutting it anymore!" she added.
Daniel laughed, waved goodbye, and stepped out the door.
Rain was lightly hitting the taxi windows. The streets were crowded, but inside the car, there was a strange peace—until the driver, an old man with thick mustache and bushy eyebrows, started grumbling.
"Awakened ones… ha! Back in our day, if a monster showed up, it'd kill itself out of fear of us! We fought with nothing but dry bread and sticks! And now? Systems, classes, all this nonsense!"
"…"
Daniel gave a faint smile and stared out the window.
"When did you fight monsters, exactly?" he asked without looking at him.
"Year 196, the Dungeon War of Karaka. I went in with two empty bottles and came out alive," the old man said, suddenly serious, like he'd just noticed Daniel was there.
Daniel didn't say anything. He just smirked. The old man probably made up the monsters in his head too.
Year 196… that's almost 400 years ago. How is this old man even alive? Sure, awakened ones get longer lives as they get stronger—but to live 500 years, you'd need to be at least Rank A.
And he doubted a Rank A awakened would be driving a taxi.
A few minutes later, the taxi stopped in front of the association building. Daniel paid and got out.
The glass building, as always, looked fancy, modern, and crowded. Awakened people in special outfits, colorful badges on their chests, and sometimes mysterious weapons walked in and out of the entrance.
Daniel walked to the information desk. A woman with thin glasses and a formal uniform was sitting behind it.
"Hi, I'm here to register for the awakened assessment test," he said politely.
"The next test is in six months. Exact date hasn't been announced yet," the woman said after checking the hologram in front of her, not even bothering to smile.
Daniel blinked. There was a moment of silence. His mind felt scrambled.
Six months? He hadn't expected that.
"There's no other way? Not even a small chance?"
The woman didn't even lift her head.
"No. According to the protocol, you can only apply during official times. Have a good day."
Daniel turned around without saying anything. His footsteps echoed on the shiny floor of the hall. When he got outside, the sky was gray and the rain had gotten heavier. He didn't have an umbrella, there were no taxis, and the only thing he had was a growing sense of disappointment weighing on him.
He was just about to step off the sidewalk when…
Someone grabbed his sleeve.
"Hey. I didn't get to thank you yesterday… you kinda disappeared!"
The girl's voice was soft, but had a childlike boldness in it.
Daniel looked up and saw the same girl. Her wet hair clung to her shoulders, and she had a warm smile on her face.
Her eyes sparkled, like someone who already knew something interesting was about to happen.
Daniel smiled faintly, slightly dazed. What was this girl doing here?
"I just did what I had to… it wasn't a big deal."
"I'm Naya. Naya everlight." She smiled and reached out her hand.
Everlight. That name sounded familiar. Or maybe it just sounded too special to ignore.
"I'm Daniel… Daniel Noir."
There was a short silence between them, filled only by the sound of rain.
"You came back to the association? What're you looking for?" Naya asked curiously.
Daniel paused for a second. He didn't think he had to say anything—especially since this girl seemed a little strange.
Though the reason wasn't anything secret.
"Honestly… I'm looking for a tower entry key. They said I need to take the assessment test, but it's six months away."
Naya tilted her head and gave a mischievous grin.
"You came all this way just for a key? One call would've been enough!"
Daniel blinked. "Are you joking? What do you mean?"
"Don't underestimate me, okay? Hold on…" Naya said with a short laugh.
She pulled out her phone from her long coat, quickly dialed a number. The ringing echoed for a moment, then a man's voice—serious but warm—came through.
"Yes? Naya?"
"Hi, Dad. I need a favor… can you get me a key? It's for a friend."
There was a pause. The man's voice came back, quieter but still firm.
"A key? Don't you already have one?"
Naya grinned wide.
"It's for someone who helped me yesterday. Without him, I'd probably be looking for dentures right now!"
The man laughed on the other end. It was deep and noble.
"Alright, alright… I'll send it. But this time, you owe me!"
Naya hung up and turned back to Daniel.
"Your key's ready."
Daniel stood still for a moment.
"What? Just like that? Why would you even help me, though?"
He looked at her with suspicious eyes, his guard up.
He knew how expensive keys were. He didn't think a girl he just met would offer one for nothing.
"Well, you looked like you were in a hurry, right? And think of it as a thank-you," Naya shrugged.
Daniel's mind was spinning.
'Who is this girl, really? Can keys just be passed around like this? Who's her dad to make it happen with one call? And why is she helping me?'
Is anything this good even real in this world?
But he didn't say any of that. He just lowered his head and smiled for real.
"Thanks, really. I don't even know what to say."
He hadn't expected to get a key so easily. When he walked out of the association earlier, he had even thought about joining his sister to test with the Fallen Sun guild.
Six months was a long time, and he didn't want to waste it thinking.
But who would've guessed he'd get a key this easily?
"Want me to give you a ride? It's still raining, and you're pretty soaked," Naya said, running a hand through her hair.
Daniel was about to politely refuse, like he always did. But this time, he told himself—why not?
…Also, mostly because there were no taxis around, and this way he wouldn't have to pay for another ride.
"If it's no trouble… I'd really appreciate it."
Naya casually called a number and said, "They're coming to pick us up. Should be here in a few minutes."
A moment later, the soft sound of tires on wet pavement reached them as a shiny black car pulled up in front of them. Its pale blue lights glowed along the edges, and its angular design was full of golden details.
It was the kind of car people across the country dreamed of.
On the hood, elegant letters read: "Astra Vantaria X9 – Silver Model"
Daniel got in. The roof shifted and closed smoothly, and the door shut with a soft click. The seat beneath him was velvet, with buttons that probably made coffee.
He stared out the window and just thought: Did I seriously just get in an Astra Vantaria? What the hell just happened?
"So… where to?" Naya asked, cheerful and relaxed, sitting beside him.