"Why are you so happy? Did you use up all the gold I gave you to buy something?"
Seeing Liora smiling beautifully as if in a good mood, Lucien casually asked while walking towards the crowd.
"Tch... can’t I smile normally? Hey, Lucein, why do I feel like you have become stingy recently?"
As soon as Lucien spoke, Liora’s smile disappeared.
’He never cared what I did before? Why do I feel like he changed?’
Liora looked at Lucien with her beautiful emerald green eyes with curiosity that didn’t go unnoticed by Lucien, whose perception had recently increased.
"Stingy? If I were stingy, would I give you 1000 gold coins so easily yesterday?"
Lucien rolled his eyes at Liora and quickly changed the subject,
"By the way, what are you actually doing with so much gold anyway?"
He asked, genuinely curious.
He was even more curious why there was no prompt after she took his money.
’Did it mean she has no intention of defaulting on the debt?’
Honestly, after her reaction that day, he had some opinion about her.
After all, who would like a Gold Digger on his tail?
Especially, if she seemed to be on guard against you and only using you for money.
That’s why he gave her 1000 gold coins directly before, in a fit of a bad mood.
But unfortunately or fortunately, he never heard any prompt at all.
"I won’t say it. It’s a secret."
However, as soon as Lucien asked, Liora suddenly shook her head as if afraid that he would know her secret.
Then, seeing the suspicious look on Lucien, Liora mused for a while and added a few words,
"Okay, don’t worry about it. I will tell you when it is time. Maybe, after this awakening ceremony?"
Then, without waiting for his reaction, she suddenly changed the topic,
"By the way, I heard you got an awakening quota this time? Is it true?"
She asked curiously, looking at Lucien with her big eyes.
"Yeah, there was some deal with the Second Prince Dorian. He promised a quota for the Awakening Altar."
Lucien nodded as he found out that basically everyone seemed to know about it. So, he felt there was no need to hide.
"Yeah, I heard from my father. Since, Second Prince has promised, he won’t let you down."
Liora nodded at him and then suddenly warned him seriously in a low voice,
"However, I heard there is something fishy going on in this dungeon. Although I don’t know what it is, it is better that you don’t take the test. Just wait for the Awakening Altar, no need to take rest."
Lucien rarely saw Liora get serious. So, he was caught off guard by her heads-up.
"Okay, since all of you are here, it is time to open the Genesis Rift."
Just as he was about to ask, the entire Dawnreach Plaza suddenly fell silent, followed by a low, ancient-sounding voice. Somehow, it reached everyone’s ears at once, no matter where they were, silencing the plaza completely.
"There are quite a few seedlings this time."
The voice appeared once again, this time more clearly, as Lucien finally saw the figure of an old man who had suddenly materialized in front of the massive arch ahead.
The old man was draped in flowing robes adorned with the crest of a sun, and in his hand he held a staff crowned with a glowing, rotating orb, radiating energy with a brilliant, pulsing light.
"Greetings, Grand Magister Orin, I didn’t know Father sent you here."
As soon as the old man appeared, a crisp voice suddenly rang out from the front of the crowd—calm, confident, and dripping with an almost intoxicating charm.
Only then did Lucien realize that, besides noble children like himself and Hugo, there was someone from the royal family present as well.
It was the Third Princess Lilith who was with her group of entourage.
"Oh? Haha... Princess Lilith jests. It wasn’t His Majesty who sent me—I was simply bored, so I came."
Hearing the greeting, the old man suddenly looked at the princess and responded with a smile while bowing a little.
The doting in his eyes couldn’t be hidden.
"Hehe... it is good that you came, Sir Orin. I now feel extremely safe."
Lilith suddenly laughed, beautifully shaking her huge bosom up and down, intoxicating the entire crowd.
Honestly, it was a little too big.
Even Lucien, who was a little farther away, was affected by the tall figure of the princess laughing gracefully, her hand delicately covering her mouth.
She was tall, with deep blue eyes that seemed to bleed emotion, and black hair cascading down her back. Her long gown was tightly wrapped around her figure, highlighting every curve of her.
Although modestly dressed with no exposure, Lucien felt his blood boil just by looking at her.
No doubt, he was instinctively affected by her charm, as evident by the fervent gaze of males around her.
But Princess Lilith seemed used to it and didn’t care about their gaze.
’Does she have some special physique?’ Lucien wondered feeling that might be the case.
But before he could think further, a sudden sharp pain at his waist yanked his attention back.
He couldn’t help but gasp sharply when he heard a low mumble from the side, filled with irritation.
"Tch... all men are perverts!"
Liora muttered annoyingly, completely ignoring Lucien’s pained expression, as if she wasn’t the one who had just pinched him.
"Hiss... why did you pinch me all of a sudden?"
Although Lilith’s charm was high, it wasn’t to the point where Lucien couldn’t handle himself.
Was there a need to label him as a pervert?
"It is good that you feel that way, princess."
However, before Lucien could argue further, the old man nodded to the princess and began to lecture everyone,
"Okay, let’s not waste too much time. I know all of you are eager to awaken your class, and couldn’t wait to enter the Genesis Rift Dungeon."
The old man gathered everyone’s attention and continued,
"However, I must warn you. Although, novice dungeon isn’t fatal, it can still be dangerous if you chew more than you can handle. So, be sure to give up while you still can."
He warned everyone with a serious look and then swiftly turned around, facing the massive arch.
Then, without waiting for a single second, he suddenly lifted his impressive staff high into the air—its glowing orb spinning faster—as a surge of energy burst forth, striking the arch and causing ancient runes along its surface to ignite one by one.
Suddenly, a deep hum resonated through the plaza as the runes pulsed with light, and the space within the arch began to ripple like water, forming a swirling vortex of blinding energy.
Grand Magister Orin finally lowered his staff, its glow dimming, and turned back to the crowd, saying with a calm, commanding voice.
"The Genesis Rift is now open. Step forward one by one... and enter the dungeon."