Emma looked surprised by the question. "I’m eighteen, young master. I didn’t awaken. I tried twice but failed both times."
Luke paused with his fingers on the buckle. He searched the previous owner’s memories and found a vague recollection of Emma returning to work after her ceremony, smiling when he asked how it had gone.
The original Luke had been busy preparing for his own attempt at the time, and apparently he hadn’t thought to ask much more.
"Right," he said, feeling awkward. "Sorry. Yesterday must have knocked a few things loose."
"You had other things to worry about." She gave him a small smile and finished fastening her coat. "I wasn’t expecting a rare class or anything. I thought perhaps I might get something useful for work. Even a cooking class would have been nice. I would have been able to cook better food for you."
Luke shook his head. "Forget about that. Your cooking’s already good. But why did you try only twice? Everyone has three chances, right?"
"Heh. The Ashford young master doesn’t even know what those extra chances cost," Garrick said. He glanced at Helena as though expecting her to share his amusement, then looked back at Luke. "Everyone is allowed three attempts. That doesn’t mean everyone can afford them."
Luke’s fingers stopped moving. Of course there was a cost. The previous owner remembered treatments, consultations, and private training sessions, but the payments had always been someone else’s concern. He turned toward Emma. "How much is the third attempt?"
"Young master, it’s fine," she said quickly. "I’ve already had two chances. Plenty of people don’t even get that."
"That wasn’t what I asked."
She hesitated before answering. "Five hundred credits for the ceremony. More if I need treatment beforehand."
Luke thought of the thousand credits she had received yesterday. He had been imagining taking her shopping, while she had probably been calculating whether getting thrown across a room had finally earned her another chance to awaken. The thought took most of the pleasure out of their compensation.
"Then we’ll find out what you need and arrange it," he said. "You still have a chance left. There’s no reason to give it up before you’ve even tried."
"I can pay for it now," Emma replied, looking up at him. "With the money from yesterday. I was going to ask about the next ceremony once you were feeling better."
Garrick gave a short laugh. "Money doesn’t guarantee an awakening. You should know that better than anyone."
"Yes," Luke said, finally looking at him. "I do. But she needs it to try, doesn’t she?"
Garrick smirked. "You know what. Helena, don’t you always carry an awakening orb with you? Why don’t you take it out? Let’s get this woman tested right here and now, shall we?"
Luke looked toward Helena. She hadn’t reached for her storage ring, and the expression on her face suggested she didn’t appreciate Garrick volunteering her belongings.
"It’s for recruitment assessments," she said.
"And it works just as well on her as anyone else." Garrick shrugged. "We’re standing around talking about it anyway. Might as well find out whether those five hundred credits would be worth spending."
Emma’s fingers tightened around the edge of her sleeve. Luke noticed her looking at Helena’s ring, hope briefly overcoming her discomfort. Whatever Garrick’s reasons for suggesting it, he had her attention now.
"Would it count as her third attempt?" Luke asked.
"Of course it would," Helena replied. "The orb initiates the same process as the ones used in the ceremonies. The system records the attempt regardless of where it happens."
"Then she should decide." Luke turned toward Emma. "You don’t have to do it now just because he brought it up."
"Or she can save herself the fee," Garrick said. "I thought that was the problem."
Luke ignored him. Emma had gone quiet, her eyes moving between him and Helena. He could almost see her calculating what five hundred credits meant, and he wished Garrick would shut up long enough for her to think.
"Would waiting help?" she asked Helena. "Or getting a treatment first?"
Helena studied her for a moment before answering. "That depends on your condition. Have you been ill recently? Apart from yesterday’s injuries."
"No. And the healer said I was fully recovered."
"Any change in your attributes since your last attempt?"
"A little. My stamina increased by one point."
Helena held out her hand. "Share the results from your previous ceremony with me. I’ll take a look before we do anything."
Emma opened her interface immediately. Luke waited beside her while Helena read, feeling increasingly irritated by the faint smile Garrick was making no effort to hide. The man clearly expected another failure.
"There’s no recommendation for treatment here," Helena said at last. "You completed the previous attempt normally. I can offer you the use of the orb, but I can’t tell you that your chances have improved."
Emma nodded slowly. "And there wouldn’t be a charge?"
"No."
She looked at Luke again. "What do you want to do?" he asked.
"I want to try. I was going to apply for another ceremony anyway."
"Then try." Luke gave her a reassuring smile. "I’ll be right here."
Helena glanced toward the busy lobby before gesturing to an attendant. "Open one of the assessment rooms. We’ll need a few minutes." She then turned to Garrick. "You can notify transit that we’ll be taking a later slot."
His smirk faded at being given an errand, but he opened his interface without arguing. Luke followed Emma into the room. Helena took a clear orb from her storage ring and placed it on a stand in the center of the table. Pale light stirred beneath its surface.
"Once you begin, keep your palm against it until the process finishes," Helena said. "Are you ready?"
Emma drew a breath and nodded. Before she reached forward, Luke rested a hand briefly on her shoulder.
"Whatever happens, we’re still going to the Sanctuary afterward."
She smiled at him, then placed her palm against the orb. A faint warmth spread from the orb beneath Emma’s palm. She held herself very still as a small orange light appeared at its center.
Then the orb dimmed, and Emma drew a sharp breath. Garrick immediately scoffed. "If you have already failed twice, then what do you expect."
However, the next second his face changed and a system notification popped up.
[Ding! Awakening successful.]
[Class obtained: Fire Mage]
[Rank: F]
"Young master," Emma gasped, turning toward him. "I did it."
Luke grinned. "You did. A Fire Mage, too. Congratulations, Emma."
Helena gave a nod and put away the awakening orb. Garrick’s face twitched as he scoffed loudly. "An F-rank Fire Mage. Well, at least you’ll be able to light the stove and we won’t have to give you any mana resistance gear."
Emma’s smile faltered. She fidgeted a little.
"Stop wasting everyone’s time and walk. We don’t have all day. You still want to go to the first sanctuary, don’t you? Get moving. A fucking cripple and a F rank useless. What a waste of my time."
Luke’s grin faded as Garrick turned toward the door. He had been willing to ignore the occasional insult, but the man apparently intended to keep going. Why keep a red flag next to you?
"Helena," Luke said before she could follow him. "I’d like a different escort."
Garrick stopped in the doorway and looked back.
"What?" Helena asked.
"A different escort. He clearly doesn’t want to do this, and I don’t want to spend a month with him."
Garrick gave a short, disbelieving laugh. "You think you can just pick and choose who—"
"Yes," Luke interrupted. "If you’re responsible for keeping me alive, then I would like someone who doesn’t think that I am a waste of time. After all I am paying for this, aren’t I?"
"You little shit. Where are you paying?" Helena’s gaze shifted toward Garrick. He stopped moving, although the expression on his face suggested he was considering several things Luke wouldn’t enjoy.
"He’s been complaining since we arrived," Luke continued. "You heard him. If there’s a problem with the assignment, sort it out before we go through."
"Watch your mouth, boy."
"Garrick, wait outside," Helena said.
The man turned toward her. "You’re seriously listening to this?"
"I heard what you said. Wait outside."
He stared at her for another moment before leaving. The door shut loudly behind him.
Helena sighed. "He’s an experienced escort. His attitude won’t interfere with his duties. Trust me he is very good at what he does. He is an experienced tank. He is in one of the main dungeon raid teams. You won’t find anyone more skilled than him to accompany you."
"Then he should be with his raid team," Luke said. "I’m visiting a stronghold. I don’t need your best tank. I need someone I can trust."
Helena folded her arms. "He won’t let anything happen to you. Trust me." She then started walking out, without leaving anymore room for negotiations.
"Hmmm." Luke frowned.
"Young master, let’s go. It’s normal for strong awakeners to..." Emma hesitated.
"To look down on others?" Emma did not have to tell him. Luke already had plenty of experiences with people like this. That was precisely why he did not want him as an escort but it looks like they had no choice in this matter.
Luke thought for a moment and then decided to let it go. He was just visiting and getting to know the new world for now. He did not plan to rush into anything before his luck attribute was high enough. So there was no point in trying to argue with them here.
"Come. Let’s go." The two of them followed Helena and Garrick who was now happy to completely ignore them. Soon they arrived at the main transit area, their teleportation room.