Chapter—The Role He Chose To Show.
Luke's heart sank.
The first question he had to face that morning—the very first—was the one he had never wanted to hear.
What role did you get?
For a moment, his body simply refused to move. The words echoed in his head louder than the news outside, louder than the dream that still clung to his senses. His chest felt tight, and a dull pressure formed behind his eyes.
He didn't answer immediately.
After a short pause, he forced his voice to sound normal.
"I… I have a little headache," Luke said through the door. "That dream… there were a lot of lights. I'll tell you later."
Another pause followed.
"Oh," his mother replied gently. "Alright. Don't push yourself."
She didn't ask again. She didn't force him. Luke knew her well enough to understand—whatever role he had received, it was something he would need time to accept.
Her footsteps moved away from the door.
Luke exhaled slowly, his shoulders dropping.
Avoided… for now.
He stood up and opened the door, stepping into the living room. His father was already awake, sitting on the sofa with his eyes fixed on the television. The screen was filled with flashing headlines, graphs, and recorded footage of people reacting to the Aura Formulation. Since all work across the country had been suspended, the channels were replaying analysis after analysis, experts arguing over theories, implications, and predictions.
Luke walked past quietly and went to wash his face. Cold water splashed against his skin, clearing the lingering heaviness of sleep but not the weight inside his mind. He brushed his teeth, staring at his reflection, half-expecting to see something different.
But he looked the same.
Does the world really change… he wondered, just because of something inside us?
Breakfast was simple. Tea, bread, and the usual calm of a holiday morning. Luke sat with his parents, listening more than speaking. Outside, the city buzzed faintly, as if everyone was awake but unsure what to do next.
Then the television tone shifted.
"—we interrupt regular programming for live coverage—"
The anchors' voices rose in urgency. The words world-changing event and new era were repeated endlessly. Luke stirred his tea slowly, watching the liquid swirl.
Has the world really changed?
Or is it just beginning to realize what it's done?
After a few moments, his father glanced at him.
"So," he asked casually, "have you checked your category?"
Luke's fingers tightened around the cup.
"I—"
His father noticed the hesitation immediately.
"If you don't want to say, that's fine," he added quickly. "You don't have to show it either."
Luke looked up, surprised.
"Everyone can display it privately or publicly," his father continued. "No need to rush. Some things take time."
Luke nodded faintly.
His father activated his own panel briefly—just a faint shimmer in the air.
Average — 3 Star.
His mother followed, smiling softly.
Average — 2 Star.
There was no shame in it. No disappointment. Just acceptance.
That made Luke feel worse.
The memory surged back.
Darkness. Silence. Then the voice.
"I don't want this power," Luke had said in the dream, his voice shaking. "Can I be average?"
"Roles cannot be changed," the voice replied, calm and absolute.
"But I don't want it."
"Aura Master is powerful," the voice continued. "With that power comes the authority to conceal, alter, and display information."
Luke had frozen.
"You can choose what the world sees."
Back in the present, his heart beat unevenly.
That was the answer.
That was the reason.
Luke didn't want anyone—especially his family—to look at him differently. He didn't want expectations, fear, distance, or responsibility forced onto him before he could even understand it himself.
Luke closed his eyes.
The faint warmth returned, spreading through his chest as the invisible panel surfaced within his awareness. His breathing slowed as he focused, carefully, deliberately.
Not that, he thought. Anything but that.
The panel responded.
A soft shimmer appeared in the air before him—visible only because he allowed it to be.
Average — 1 Star
The light faded almost instantly.
Silence followed.
His father leaned back slightly on the sofa, studying the space where the panel had been. There was no shock in his expression. No disappointment. Just a quiet, thoughtful look.
"One star, huh…" his father said after a moment.
Luke felt a knot tighten in his stomach.
"That's alright," his father continued calmly. "Everyone starts somewhere. Rankings don't decide who you are."
His mother nodded in agreement. "What matters is how you live with it."
Luke let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
His father gave a small, reassuring smile. "The world may be obsessed with numbers right now, but that doesn't mean we have to be."
Luke lowered his gaze, the weight in his chest easing—just a little.
He lifted his cup of tea and took a quiet sip.
Luke smiled faintly,but unease curled deep within him.
As he sipped his tea, one thought refused to leave his mind.
Will they ever know…
that I'm the only Aura Master?
And if the system had chosen him because he understood responsibility before power—
what did that mean for what was coming next?
---
End of Chapter.