Chapter 15: Chapter 15 : Benjamin Vorhelm
Daniel crossed the threshold and entered the designated area chosen for the awakening process of the younger generation of the Vorholm family.
Upon his arrival, he immediately attracted attention. Most of the participants had already gathered information about one another, so everyone knew who he was.
"That must be the illegitimate child, right?"
"Yeah, I didn't think he'd actually come. I mean, why would he even bother showing up?" Illegitimate children were naturally despised, and on top of that, he was deemed entirely talentless—a complete insult to the Vorholm bloodline.
"He's lucky that Young Lord Liam is preoccupied with his awakening process."
Especially considering the rumors that had spread since yesterday, it seemed like there was some kind of conflict brewing between Daniel and Liam.
Most of the participants had already been warned by their families to form good relationships with Liam and Emma under any circumstances. It was unclear why, but the council apparently believed they were prodigies on the same level as Nicholas and Mary Vorholm.
"As a worthless illegitimate brat, he'll probably only awaken with a Mortal Rank Talent."
"Honestly, I doubt he'll awaken anything at all, hahaha."
Daniel ignored their chatter. If he had been a ten-year-old child, such remarks might have affected him. It was unavoidable—children that age are particularly sensitive.
However, in his previous life, he had been a champion and the strongest human being—a being of his caliber was nearly impervious to being provoked by others' words.
"So, you finally showed up!"
Daniel heard a familiar and annoying voice behind him. With a calm, indifferent gaze, he glanced over his shoulder.
"I thought after the beating you got last night, you'd stay away from me. Maybe I should've been a little more ruthless."
"Hey, hey, don't be like that! If you keep acting this way, you'll never make any friends," Olivia replied with a wounded expression.
"Friends, huh? I'll make sure to keep acting this way, then." To him, the word friend was meaningless.
He saw no need for friends. Everything he needed, he could achieve by leveraging others.
In this life, he divided people into two categories: those he could use and those he would kill.
Well, except for his mother and Augustus. They had helped him significantly, and he wasn't so heartless as to exploit those he genuinely cared about.
"Oh, look, it seems Liam and Emma are here too." Daniel glanced toward the front of the crowd, where several people surrounded the two, engaging them in conversation.
"Have you even managed to befriend those two?" Daniel raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by how casually she referred to them.
Honestly, this girl didn't seem like someone skilled at making friends.
The novel didn't delve much into this aspect, or if it did, he couldn't remember. Moreover, even though this girl was one of the hero's companions, she was more of a supporting character.
"My father always says making friends is beneficial. It helps spread your roots across the world. Of course, boundaries need to be set with these so-called friends," Olivia explained simply.
Daniel gave her a sideways glance. Perhaps this girl was more intriguing than he initially thought.
He generally won't waste his time analyzing or understanding people unless they were significant to him. That's why he hadn't focused much on her before.
But maybe she could prove valuable.
"Then why are you telling me all this?"
"Well, I don't know? I just feel like befriending you might be worthwhile," Olivia answered nonchalantly.
Daniel didn't reply, and a strange silence enveloped the space between them. Olivia wanted to break it, but suddenly, a charming voice echoed across the enclosed area.
"Well, well, it seems everyone has finally arrived! First of all, I'd like to welcome all of you who've gathered here over the past few days," said a young man, extraordinarily handsome, with jet-black hair that fell to his neck.
Standing opposite the crowd, he floated in the air, addressing them all.
He exuded an aura of nobility.
At the same time, a warm, inviting presence surrounded him. Coupled with his dazzling smile, it made people feel drawn to him, eager to engage with him.
"I'm sure you all know why you're here today. This marks the day you finally become awakened beings—existences elevated beyond ordinary mortals."
"Beings capable of wielding mana and the laws, each with your own [Innate Talent]."
"For those of you from the branch families, if you awaken a high-level talent, you'll be accepted into the main family and granted all the rights of a direct bloodline heir."
"And, of course, you'll even earn the opportunity to compete for succession."
Daniel studied the man closely and recognized him instantly. He was the younger brother of the current patriarch and, therefore, Daniel's uncle.
He also remembered this man's character from the novel. While not as talented as the patriarch, he was still a monster in his own league.
His uncle, Benjamin Vorholm, waved a finger, and suddenly, columns with an ancient Greek architectural design emerged from the ground in front of everyone. Atop each column was a glowing orb.
"Place your hands on the orbs. They will formally register your identification in the Mother System, and you'll then be able to begin the test."
"There are additional instructions, some of which will be provided by the Mother System itself, and the rest I'll explain once you've completed your tests."
"Good luck with your awakening process." Benjamin glanced at Liam and Emma, flashing them a smile.
He had high hopes for those two and couldn't wait to see the results of their tests.
Such a powerful aura... it's almost too much for his age, he thought.
However, his gaze briefly fell on Daniel, drawn to him by the peculiar presence emanating from the boy.
As far as Benjamin knew, Daniel had zero mana compatibility. But the aura surrounding him surpassed that of any other mortal. More intriguingly, it didn't feel entirely human—there was something else mixed in...
It seems this time, things won't proceed according to the council's predictions, he mused.
Meanwhile, Daniel placed his hand on the orb. Suddenly, the world around him began to spin like a carousel.
[Personal Identification Under Review]
[First Login to the Mother System Confirmed]
[23%... 57%... 99%...]
[Personal Identification Successfully Registered in the Mother System]
[Request Type: Awakening Process/Test of Awakening]
[Eligibility Check in Progress... Ding... Eligibility Confirmed]
[Daniel Vorholm, welcome to The Nightmare of the Last Winter. The gods wish you success.]
In the next instant, Daniel found himself in a winter forest, his arms and legs bound by chains in opposite directions.