Chapter 35: Shocking Disappointment

The butler announced pleasantly:

"A Second-Dimensional Nature!"

A wave of whispers swept through the crowd.

"She... She’s not even a student yet."

"How is that fair?!"

Aaron rubbed his face in frustration.

Now I’m being forced to babysit the daughter of my father’s boss.

Meanwhile, Natasha wore an expression of unmistakable satisfaction and accomplishment. She hurried towards the group of Awakened individuals standing on the podium, seemingly too excited to wait for the Butler to give his usual instructions.

The Butler watched her approach with a smile. After she joined the others, he turned towards the assembled students, the smile still lingering on his face.

"525!"

Aaron let out a quiet sigh.

"I hope everything goes well."

With purposeful strides, he made his way towards the podium, navigating through the crowd of students gathered in front of it.

Unlike when Natasha had stepped forward, not a single student spoke as Aaron approached.

Most of them had already seen him speaking with Damien earlier. By now, rumours about him being the younger Goldilock had undoubtedly spread throughout the crowd.

After all, Damien Goldilock had just emerged as one of the few individuals in this generation to possess a Third-Dimensional Nature.

History had just been made.

And perhaps because of that, every student watched Aaron in silence as he made his way towards the podium.

Their expressions, however, were anything but uniform.

Curiosity. Envy. Disdain. Amusement.

And, for some inexplicable reason, anger.

Aaron could understand almost every expression directed at him.

Almost.

What exactly have I done to them?

He was only fifteen, and most of these people were seeing him for the first time. Yet some looked at him as though he had personally wronged them.

After giving it some thought, he arrived at a rather reasonable conclusion.

They must have been victims of Damien at some point.

Considering his older brother’s reputation, it wouldn’t be surprising if a good number of students had suffered at his hands. And now, seeing another Goldilock, they probably saw him as a convenient target for all their pent-up frustration.

Still, couldn’t they at least distinguish between the two of us?

Before long, Aaron found himself standing directly in front of the dimly lit orb.

He studied it silently for a moment.

Then, slowly, he reached out and wrapped his teenage-sized palm around it, his fingers enclosing roughly half its surface.

The entire crowd fell silent.

Aaron held his breath, keeping his eyes fixed on the orb as he gradually tightened his grip.

A second passed. Then another.

Nothing happened.

The orb remained as lifeless as ever.

Confusion crept into Aaron’s expression. He loosened his grip slightly and glanced towards the Butler, who was watching him with narrowed eyes.

Aaron let out an awkward chuckle.

"Give me a moment."

The Butler smiled faintly.

"It’s useless, but take your time."

How reassuring.

Aaron readjusted his grip, spreading his fingers more firmly around the orb before squeezing it with all the strength he could muster.

Yet, once again...

Nothing. No glow. No flicker.

Not even the slightest reaction.

The orb remained completely silent.

"Whattt?!"

Aaron’s confidence crumbled as a cold sweat broke out across his forehead.

He quickly glanced towards Natasha and Damien.

Natasha was watching him with a concerned expression, her brows slightly furrowed.

Damien, on the other hand, was... frowning.

Aaron felt a fresh wave of discomfort wash over him.

The situation was becoming increasingly embarrassing. He had no idea what was going wrong, and the growing number of eyes fixed on him only made matters worse.

He shot another anxious glance at the Butler, this time with an almost pleading expression.

"One... One moment, please."

The Butler sighed and turned his gaze away.

"I don’t have all the time in the world, boy. Try again in three years."

Before Aaron could protest, the Butler raised his voice, addressing the crowd.

"He’s Mundane."

"No! I’m not!" Aaron snapped back at him.

"Just... Just give me a minute."

He briefly glanced over his shoulder at the students waiting behind him.

Their expressions had changed considerably.

The envy, hatred and anger that had followed him earlier had disappeared. Instead, most of them were now looking at him with mocking smiles, while a few watched with barely concealed pity.

It was almost as though they were enjoying his predicament.

Aaron swallowed hard and turned his attention back to the orb.

Why does nothing ever come easy to me?

His fingers tightened around its surface.

Velma said I was Sixth-Dimensional. What’s going on?!

The Butler frowned, his patience evidently running out.

Just then, a familiar voice came from the direction of the newly Awakened students standing on the podium.

"Get the hell out of there and stop embarrassing the family. You’re not an Awakened being."

Aaron turned towards the voice and, unsurprisingly, found Damien staring down at him.

His older brother’s expression was cold, his words carrying enough contempt to make the already uncomfortable situation even worse.

Aaron swallowed hard once more before lowering his head.

"But... But I’m an Awakened being."

His voice was barely audible, almost as though he were trying to convince himself rather than anyone else.

"A carrier of a Sixth-Dimensional Ability."

Then, something suddenly clicked in Aaron’s mind.

Wait!

His eyes widened slightly.

Unlike the others, who are only awakening their abilities for the first time, mine is already there. It’s been lying dormant within me all this time.

His grip on the orb tightened.

I just need the awakening ceremony to draw it out!

A flicker of hope returned to his eyes.

The Butler’s frown deepened as he watched Aaron continue holding onto the orb.

"Get off the orb, boy."

But Aaron ignored him.

For the first time since the ceremony began, he was no longer concerned about the crowd, Damien’s insults, or the Butler’s impatience.

He had remembered something important. And he wasn’t about to give up now.

His thoughts raced as he desperately tried to make sense of the situation.

Just then, the Butler reached for his arm, intending to pull him away from the orb.

But Aaron wasn’t ready to give up.

He tightened his grip, digging his fingers firmly into the orb’s smooth surface.

Wait! Even if it does glow, what color would it produce?