As he woke up, Orion took a moment to breathe. Today was finally the day he would receive his class.

  It took a long time, and he had done his best to work within the limitations he was given, but he knew there was much that lay beyond his reach.

  Most of his theories seemed plausible, but he had a limited ability to validate them, whether due to scarce resources or simply lacking the necessary power to compensate for inadequate equipment.

  Attunement was undoubtedly the most important stat for that, but it was Mind that allowed him to reach beyond his level.

  His brainpower had increased over the years, reaching a point where recalling just about anything took only an instant. He could now solve extremely complex calculations in his mind very quickly, but if he thought about what the mental stats of someone with a real class would allow him to do…

  His current theory posited that stats worked off a baseline. Since people were integrated into the System at birth, that baseline was usually the same for everyone.

  Some kids may have an advantage in physicality, while others may have been faster on the uptake, but the overall differences were minimal.

  In his specific case, his mental faculties were already significantly more advanced, which meant his baseline was higher. That meant that once he finally got his class, he would become unparalleled, at least in terms of brainpower.

  But what he was looking forward to the most was not just becoming a human supercomputer. It was the other aspects that would make a difference.

  Mind, after all, was not just intelligence. It was understanding social cues, forming mental connections, and much more.

  His initial Mind had been quite skewed in one direction, so his subsequent attribute points had to work hard to bring him up to par.

  Every other child was probably much the same. Their baseline was taken into consideration, and their stats were built upon that.

  It also provided a final explanation for the healing done to children before their integration.

  He had initially dismissed it as a simple cultural matter. It made sense for a people capable of healing magic to ensure their newborns were all in good health, but that was put in doubt when he learned that it was not the same outside.

  Most children still received healing from local healers or priests, but that was typically done after the integration, not before.

  The fact that the Sanctum employed a different method told him that they knew something, and given their apparent extreme success in producing magical classes, it was evident that this was part of a larger strategy.

  Just as with the Blessing every prospective student received before their Apprenticement, which allowed children to learn not only better and faster but also to resist external influences.

  Everything in an Initiate's life was carefully controlled to ensure success. For a religious cult, these witches certainly act like scientists.

  Opening his eyes, he gazed at the light streaming in through his window. He had once again forgotten to close it.

  “Well, no matter. I needed to get up early anyway.”

  He took his time with his morning ablutions. No matter how much he rationalized his excitement, today was important. He wanted to be at his best.

  Not only am I getting my class, but this is also the best opportunity I will ever have to see the System in action. That’s not something I can approach unprepared.

  “Good morning,” his mother smiled as she placed a bowl of breakfast porridge on the table. It was studded with dried apricots, gooseberries, nuts, and honey—exactly how he liked it for special occasions.

  His eyes flicked to hers, and he nodded meaningfully. These small moments still felt quite awkward, but he could appreciate her efforts.

  A cup of mou was then set next to the bowl, and a genuine smile appeared on his face.

  Asteria chuckled, shaking her head and making her silvery hair sway gently. Even after thirteen years, she remained a youthful, beautiful woman, but she had never once shown romantic interest in anyone.

  Orion didn’t know how he would have reacted, but he found himself glad for it. Already, their relationship was complicated enough as it was. Adding a third person with whom he wasn’t even related by blood would have been too much.

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  Still, he couldn’t deny his curiosity about his biological father after Set’s words. He had no expectations, since the man had never been part of his life and Asteria hadn’t even bothered to provide an excuse for his absence.

  But the fact remained that Orion had observed a significant correlation between a parent’s class and their children’s. Some of this might have been simply that kids were exposed to their parents' jobs daily and would inevitably gain some of the necessary experience, but he wasn’t yet ready to dismiss a genetic component.

  With only hours left until his class ceremony, Orion asked about his father for the first time in his life.

  “Mom.”

  Asteria immediately froze. He hadn’t called her that since the accident, and it was clear that even this much was enough to summon a storm of emotions. “Yes, moonbeam?” she asked, her eyes wide open.

  For a moment, Orion hesitated. It was clear to him that she wouldn’t enjoy the topic, and the hopeful tint in her tone nearly made him swallow his question.

  But the need to eliminate as many variables as possible was too strong, so he bulldozed through. “I want to know about my sire.”

  Her lips tightened, and her hands balled into fists. Asteria’s eyes clouded with fury, indicating the situation was graver than he had anticipated. "Why now?” she asked in a strained voice.

  “My Class ceremony,” he said. “I heard that your parents’ class influences what you get. I want to be prepared.”

  “The only thing that influences your class is the Moon Mother,” she tried, not meeting his eyes.

  “Mom.” He said again, and she turned to face him, almost unwillingly. “ I just want to know what class he had. Or has, I suppose.”

  Asteria hesitated. There was anger and sadness there, yes, but also something more intriguing: shame.

  Considering that it was very common for witches to be single mothers in the Coven, that was something he hadn’t anticipated. It implied many things. I will content myself with just this much for now, but one day, I will ask again.

  Eventually, she exhaled, closing her eyes as if she were exhausted. “Very well, but just that. Your… That man was a powerful tier three Arcanist the last time I saw him. It is possible he rose in rank, or maybe he died. I do not know, and I do not want to know.”

  She closed her mouth, and Orion knew he wouldn’t get anything else out of her. “Thanks,” he said, earning a bitter smile.

  “I was told to expect such a question one day. Most mothers have to explain why only some children have fathers, but it took you much longer than expected.”

  Orion shrugged. “I don’t care about him. It’s just another data point.”

  Surprisingly, that seemed to inject more energy into her, as she chuckled and shook her head. “I should have expected as much.”

  And with that, she rose, took her bowl, and walked over to the sink. “Take your time, you still have another ten hours before the sun goes down, and you need to be there.”

  He nodded, turning back to his porridge. As expected, his biological father wasn’t just a nobody. He had doubted that his mother, given how quickly she had risen in the ranks of the Sanctum, would have settled so low, but it was good to have confirmation.

  My genetics shouldn’t hold me back. That’s all that matters.

  The main temple was a vast chamber, spacious enough to accommodate everyone who lived within the Sanctum and then some. It was where Orion had come to realize his rebirth and where he’d received a Blessing before he started learning.

  On both occasions, the temple was packed to capacity. People of all ages attended the ceremony, although their participation likely stemmed more from the High Priestess’ presence rather than any genuine interest in watching the children stand around.

  This time, however, the cavernous room was empty. The crystal lamps, which usually glowed brightly enough to illuminate the entire temple, were dull, leaving the room in a penumbra.

  Only faint moonlight streamed in from the high windows, lighting a path from the grand doors to the dais, where a solitary figure waited for them.

  The children hesitated, unsure of what was expected of them.

  Magistra Eire had explained some things, but she had omitted the mechanics of the ceremony, leaving them to experience it for themselves; thus, they had no frame of reference.

  Orion, however, could hardly contain his excitement as he adjusted his glasses on the tip of his nose. He strode down the path, quickly joined by Selene, followed by Dorian and Luna, and eventually all the others.

  Since the High Priestess made no move to stop them, he interpreted it as permission that he was doing the right thing. The moonlight shifted when he reached the dais, revealing a crescent painted on the floor.

  He met Seraphina’s gaze and nearly stepped back at their intensity. Pure pools of silver reflected the natural light, while the rest of her features remained hidden behind a veil.

  She waved toward the crescent, and the spell was broken. Orion rushed to the edge, suddenly feeling less confident.

  Seraphina is known to be a monstrously strong witch. Could she hide the System from my view? Or is it possible that she’s actually filtering it, as Eire suggested?

  Taking a deep breath, he did his best to dispel his doubts. He would have his answer soon enough. There was no need for idle speculation.

  As the final person settled into the semicircle, the temple doors closed by themselves, and the moonlight vanished from the room, leaving only Seraphina illuminated.

  “Today is a glorious day indeed,” she intoned, her words reverberating through the children. “For we welcome more blessed daughters and sons into Her embrace. It is through her that your path becomes clear, and through her that your past becomes your future.”

  Orion hung on her lips, cataloging every word for later reflection. Even if she didn’t speak directly about the System, about what would happen to them to grant their class, everything he knew about this woman told him that she wouldn’t speak falsehoods.

  Even if her words were rooted in religious dogma, there was a kernel of truth in them.

  “You were welcomed first as Initiates and then became apprentices, learning the histories and mysteries that the Moon Mother has instilled in the World.”

  Something is happening.

  Where previously the light had come from the windows, it now radiated from everywhere in the temple. A haze began to settle, obscuring their feet and making it difficult to see beyond a few yards.

  And yet, Orion could make out Seraphina’s features as though she were standing before him. Moreover, the great statue of the Moon Goddess at the back of the chamber became so startlingly clear that he could hardly turn his gaze away from it, requiring great effort.

  All the other children seemed hypnotized, staring at the statue with wide eyes, their bodies trembling as if under great strain.

  “For it is your history that is reflected upon today. It is your pathway that Her light shines on, opening the way for the Heavens to bless you.”

  By then, Seraphina’s voice had grown so powerful that Orion could feel it resonating in his bones. The mist continued to thicken, swirling into impossible shapes.

  Flashes appeared everywhere, showing scenes of children playing, studying, and exploring.

  It was all Orion could do to keep his eyes on the High Priestess, trembling under the strain. His consciousness kept trying to slip away, but he forged ahead, using his iron willpower to stay present.

  “Open your minds! Open your souls! Let Her in!” The temple shook as dimensions and distances came apart.

  Then, all of a sudden, it was there.

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