My head was still throbbing when I regained consciousness. My cheek pressed against something cold and smooth, so different from the dirty toilet floor I remembered. Slowly, I opened my eyes.
I was no longer in the filthy school bathroom.
I remember exactly the last moment I was conscious, a strange circle of light suddenly appeared from the bathroom floor, enveloping us all in bright light before everything went dark.
With a hurried movement, my hand immediately touched the part of my head that had been hit. I clearly remembered the sensation of warm blood flowing down my temple before I passed out, but what I found now was that my scalp was intact, there were no more scars, no wet or sticky blood on my hair. Even the pain that had been piercing me was gone without a trace.
I moved my head slowly, trying to see my surroundings with my still blurry vision. My eyes caught the glint of the white marble floor and the high ceiling decorated with beautiful paintings. There were also magical crystals on the ceiling that emitted a soft light.
Around me, I saw Eri, Dito, Sari, and Maya start to move. They looked just as confused as I did.
But... among them, I saw someone who looked different, a middle-aged man with short, slightly messy brown hair, a slight mustache, and a thin beard on his chin. His eyes were jet black, looking around with a mixture of panic and alertness. His face looked pale, but still retained the determination typical of an adult.
I blinked quickly, trying to confirm what I was seeing.
Huh...? Mr. Anton?
Why is he here? I'm sure I didn't see him in the toilet earlier.
Before I could process my confusion, a deep voice suddenly echoed throughout the room.
"Wake up, everyone!"
I jolted awake as the thunderous voice filled the room. My body shook violently, and reflexively, my hand rubbed the shoulder that Eri had kicked hard earlier.
But when I looked, there were no bruises, no wounds, and even the pain had completely disappeared. All the wounds and suffering seemed to vanish without a trace, as if the heartbreaking incident in the toilet earlier was just a nightmare that I had left far behind.
I turned my gaze toward the voice. There I saw an old man in a golden robe with long white hair and a beard as white as snow. His smile was faint, but his sharp blue eyes seemed to pierce every inch of us.
Beside him sat a man with short black hair and piercing red eyes. The man, who was about 40 years old, sat on a magnificent throne, wearing a purple robe with gold patterns and decorated with a sparkling gem necklace. He was surrounded by fully armed knights and servants.
"W-where are we?" Mr. Anton, our math teacher, said in a trembling voice.
"It seems the summoning was successful!" the old man with white hair exclaimed, with a voice that sounded both relieved and confident. His hands were open in a wide welcoming gesture, and his face glowed with satisfaction.
"Welcome to the Kingdom of Aethelgard, oh summoned ones. My name is Eldrin, the Archmage who led this ritual."
He then turned respectfully toward the throne. The knights and servants standing guard around the room had initially looked tense, but now their expressions brightened.
Some began to smile with relief, while others whispered to each other with optimistic expressions. Some even looked at each other with sparkling eyes, as if they had seen a glimmer of hope after waiting for so long.
"And with all due respect," Eldrin continued, his voice echoing once more.
"Allow me to introduce His Majesty King Thorian, the ruler of our kingdom. It is he who is most eager to welcome you, with great hope for the future of our kingdom."
King Thorian rise from his throne. His smile was sincere but tense, the worry lines on his face beginning to fade.
"Indeed, we have been awaiting your arrival with bated breath," he said.
His eyes scanned each of our faces one by one, full of almost unbearable expectation.
"Welcome, heroes from another world. May your arrival be a good omen for us all."
Eri, who had been standing near me with a pale face, suddenly beamed.
"A summons? Like... a hero in a game?" she exclaimed, her expression changing from fear to enthusiasm in an instant.
Eldrin nodded seriously.
"More than that, young one. The Kingdom of Aethelgard is facing the greatest crisis in its history. The Ancient Dragon, imprisoned for thousands of years, is beginning to show signs of awakening."
He cast a glance at the King, whose face darkened at the news.
King Thorian continued the explanation, his hand gripping the arm of his throne tightly.
"According to the royal soothsayers predictions, we only have one year before the Dragon awakens completely."
"The seal that has held it back is growing weaker. And every month, the rumbling from the belly of the mountain grows louder, shaking the entire capital."
His eyes looked at us one by one, full of hope and pleading.
"If the Ancient Dragon truly awakens, not only our kingdom, but the entire continent will be destroyed in fire and suffering." Eldrin's face was creased with worry.
"We've tried everything, but the magic of this world isn't strong enough to reinforce the seal."
"That's why we need a hero from another world whose blood and soul are uncontaminated by the magic of our world to strengthen the seal or... face the Dragon directly."
Instantly, the air in the room felt heavy.
I swallowed hard. An Ancient Dragon? A seal? A hero from another world? It all felt like a fairy tale too big to comprehend.
But me? A poor kid who was always the butt of jokes? For a moment, my heart was filled with hope.
Maybe...
maybe here, everything would be different.
Maybe in this world, I could become someone important.
But... could I really? Was I truly capable of changing, or would I remain the same person I was in the previous world?
Before I could think further, a loud voice broke my reverie.
"Wait! There's a mistake!" protested Mr. Anton, his voice trembling.
"I was just a teacher checking on a disturbance! I need to go home!"
King Thorian sighed, his face showing empathy but also firmness.
"I understand your fears, Your Excellency, and on behalf of the kingdom, I apologize for taking you from your previous lives. But the summoning has been done and cannot be undone. Fate has chosen you. This is not just about you…"
He scanned all of us with a steady gaze before continuing.
"it is about all of you. The future of this kingdom… now depends on all of you."
Mr. Anton's face grew even paler.
"But I have a family! My wife and children are waiting at home! This isn't fair!"
"First" said Eldrin, diverting everyone's attention with his booming voice, ignoring Mr. Anton's words.
"We must identify each of your talents and potential." He pointed to the giant crystal ball at the end of the room that emitted a strong magical aura.
"This is the Orb of Affinity," Eldrin explained in an authoritative voice.
"A royal heirloom capable of reading the hidden potential within a person."
"This orb will glow with different colors and intensities according to your magical affinity and talent level. By touching it, the orb will reveal the type of talent that best suits your soul."
King Thorian added from his throne.
"This orb has helped our kingdom find the greatest talent for centuries. Its accuracy is unquestionable."
Eldrin nodded. "Even someone who is unaware of their talent will have their potential revealed."
He walked calmly toward the Orb of Affinity, which emitted a magical aura. He stood upright beside the giant crystal ball.
"Before we begin, you must understand the talent ranking system in our world." His voice was clear and firm, echoing throughout the room.
"There are seven main talent levels," he explained in an authoritative voice.
"Rank F for those with almost no talent, Rank E for basic talent, Rank D for intermediate talent, Rank C for above-average talent, Rank B for rare talent, Rank A for extremely rare talent, and..."
He paused for a moment, his eyes sparkling with meaning,
"Rank S for legendary talent that only appears once in several generations."
"However," Eldrin continued in a more serious tone,
"you should know that there are a small number of people who have no affinity for magic at all. They are categorized as Mortal Grade - ordinary humans without talent or what we usually call talentless."
Talentless…
Those words hung in the air, creating a subtle tension that weighed heavily on my chest. For some reason, the words felt frightening.
King Thorian added from his throne.
"In the history of our kingdom, only three people have ever achieved Rank S. They are the founders of this kingdom. As for those classified as talentless..."
The King looked slightly uncomfortable, pausing briefly before continuing.
"They typically take on supporting roles in the kingdom, such as low-class workers or low-class servants."
Archmage Eldrin nodded firmly. "Your talents will determine your training and roles in facing the threat of the Ancient Dragon. This orb will not only show your rank, but also the type of talent affinity you have mastered."
He looked at us one by one, his gaze moving from Eri, Dito, Sari, Maya, Mr. Anton, and finally pausing briefly on me.
"So," said Eldrin, his voice still echoing but now with a more inviting tone.
"Who wants to come forward first to check their talent?"
Eri immediately stepped forward with confidence, a smug smile on her face.
"I'll show you how a true hero is born," she whispered to us before placing her hand on the orb.
I bit my lip. Every time he spoke like that, it felt like a hand was gripping my chest. I closed my eyes and hoped deeply that the orb would only show Eri's ordinary talent.
Let her get an E or D rank, let her know what it's like to be an ordinary person. But when her fingers touched the crystal, my heart sank. The golden light that emanated was so strong that it pierced my closed eyelids.
When I opened my eyes, the bright golden light was still shining so strongly that it made everyone squint. The sparkle was so pure and authoritative, filling the entire room with a sacred aura.
"Sacred Magic... Rank S?!" Eldrin gasped, his eyes wide in disbelief. His voice trembled with emotion.
"This... this is incredible! This talent is not just ordinary Holy Magic, but the highest evolution that I thought only existed in legends!"
He shook his head, still in awe. "In all of our kingdom's recorded history, only one person has ever reached this level, and that was the Founder of the Aethelgard Kingdom himself! I never expected to witness the emergence of Sacred Magic again in my lifetime!"
King Thorian rose from his throne, his face radiating deep admiration.
"Sacred Magic... So the legend is true! This power far surpasses ordinary Holy Magic. With Sacred Magic, you can not only heal fatal wounds, but also purify darkness, raise the spirits of your troops, and most importantly, your power can strengthen that weakened ancient seal!"
My heart ached. This world turned out to be just as unfair as the previous one. The person who tormented me the most was the one who gained such a special ability. I felt sad and angry about this situation.
Eri smiled triumphantly, her eyes sparkling. "Of course. I always knew I was special."
She then glanced at me. Her arrogant gaze pierced my heart.
Next, Dito stepped forward with a bold stride.
"Now it's my turn!"
Without hesitation, he placed his hand on the orb. The crystal immediately glowed red, like a burning fire. Wild energy radiated from the ball, making everyone's hair fly.