I woke up once more to the sound of church bells signaling the start of the workday.

  In Averula, the locals track time by the church’s tolling. The bells ring three times a day: dawn, noon, and dusk. I was honestly surprised I still remembered such minor details.

  But waking up while the bells were already ringing meant I was officially late. A lackey is supposed to be up before his master to prep everything for the new day.

  Not that it mattered, though, because today was Awakening Day. I figured my dear cousin Jullius would be way too preoccupied with the Holy Mark popping up on his chest to give a damn about his servant’s tardiness.

  I took my time strolling over to the mirror on the wardrobe to see the look I’d long since forgotten.

  A sixteenth-year-old kid with black hair, a bit on the small side for his age, with a face that screamed "innocent and naive." Right now, he looked haggard and washed out, like he’d just survived a brutal fever.

  But the real kicker was my left eye. What used to be a dull, depressing brown had transformed into a crystal-clear sky blue. And on the back of my left hand, there was now a mark - a moon and a star intertwined.

  I blinked and scanned the room, but I didn't notice any "super-vision" or weird perks from the new eye color yet.

  I wasn't sure if people would notice the change. I wasn't looking to become the center of attention so I brushed my bangs down to hide as much of the eye as possible.

  I stripped down and did a quick body scan. A bit too skinny, zero muscle, definitely going to need a workout routine.

  With a sigh, I grabbed my uniform from the wardrobe and tied a perfectly neat necktie. Oh, and the gloves. Can't forget those.

  The mark on my left hand was the official Hero’s Crest, which was a world apart from the candidate marks. If I flashed it now, everyone would assume it was a knockoff, and I’d probably end up at the end of a rope for "impersonating a divine appointee."

  Just as I expected, the entire mansion was buzzing with the news: Young Master Jullius Griffin had just manifested a Holy Mark. The maids were huddled in groups, gossiping with a mix of curiosity and pure hype.

  "...I heard it’s on his left chest."

  "Is it true that the closer the mark is to the heart, the stronger the power?"

  "That’s just a rumor, but still, the Marquis is going to be over the moon."

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  "But this is just a candidate mark, right? It doesn't mean he's a guaranteed Hero yet, does it?"

  "Listen to me, when the mark is that close to the heart, it’s basically a locked-in deal..."

  "I'm telling you, it’s just hearsay!"

  I ghosted right past the whispering crowds and stepped into the most lavish room on this floor. The doors were wide open, and the place was already packed, including the Marquis and the Marchioness.

  Jullius stood front and center, his face flushed with a mix of adrenaline and suprise. His entire body was radiating a faint golden glow. He’d left his white silk undershirt unbuttoned so everyone could get a front-row seat to the dark red mark that had just appeared between his chest and left shoulder.

  That golden aura is the "Certified Candidate" glow. It’s how the kingdom keeps track of Hero Candidates so no one gets missed, and more importantly, so no one can fake it.

  A nobody like me stepping into the room didn't get any attention. I quickly tucked myself into a corner, playing the silent observer.

  As the eldest son of Marquis Marius Griffin, Jullius had been raised on a steady diet of pampering and high expectations. He was a natural with sword. People even hailed him as a "once-in-a-century" prodigy. Growing up in such a golden-spoon environment gave him this rare brand of confidence and charisma. To be honest, both his brain and his physique were hard to fault.

  During my first Isekai run, I actually thought he wasn't bad at all. That if we were back in my world, he’s the kind of guy I’d actually want to be friend with. When he was chosen as a Hero, I wasn't even surprised.

  But once the crusade actually kicked off, the cracks started to show.

  Jullius became increasingly full of himself, love giving orders, and was pathologically clumsy when it came to adapting to the rugged lifestyle of an adventure.

  I still vividly remember the night I had to gallop through three different towns just to find an inn with high-thread-count sheets, all so the "Hero Party" would have a cozy place to crash the next day. And believe me, that wasn't a one-time thing.

  Of course, I couldn't complain. "Hero Jullius" also had a severe allergy to taking advice from anyone else.

  If I had to guess, the reason the Hero Party keeps wiping against the Demon King is that I’m no longer there to nag him about checking his mana bar before spamming ultimate moves just to look cool.

  Back to the present. Jullius was currently grinning ear to ear, soaking up the endless stream of flattery from everyone in the room. I had a feeling that if I didn't cut in, this ego-stroking session could easily drag on for three days and nights.

  So, I slowly approached from behind and dropped a low-volume reminder.

  "Young Master, we really need to head to the Academy now."

  Jullius jumped slightly, spinning around to look at me as if I’d just phased through a wall like a ghost.

  "Asher? Oh... right. Yeah, I guess I should probably show up at school."

  Looking at his face, I could practically see the gears turning. He was definitely fantasizing about the absolute riot Imperia Academy would become the moment he stepped onto campus as a Hero Candidate.

  But Jullius seemed to be forgetting one tiny detail: since today was Awakening Day, Holy Marks were popping up on all the candidates, roughly thirty people across the kingdom. And considering Imperia is Averula’s top-tier academy for the kingdom’s elite youth, a good chunk of those candidates were probably sitting in his very own classrooms.