"The history of the Awakened dates back thousands of years. We're unsure of the exact origins, but records suggest their presence in ancient Egypt, Greece, Japan, China, Persia and other civilizations." My foreign tutor, Ralph, spoke with practiced ease, his hands clasped behind his back as he paced in front of me.
I leaned forward, intrigued. "So, you're saying Zeus was real?" I gasped dramatically, though my tone carried more amusement than shock.
"Yes, at some point in history," Ralph confirmed, adjusting his glasses with the kind of patience that suggested he had answered this question many times before.
I arched a brow. "Was he really a god? Because according to non-Awakened mythology, he was the god of lightning."
Ralph gave a knowing smile. "No, he wasn't a god. He was simply a powerful Awakener. Back then, the Awakened lived openly among the non-Awakened, and those who possessed extraordinary power were revered as deities. The same can be said for figures like Raijin of Japan or the Yellow Emperor of China—many were just individuals with immense abilities, their feats turned into myths over time."
That made sense. If an Awakener in ancient times could summon storms or hurl lightning, to ordinary people, they might as well be gods. But this raised an interesting question.
"Are there any known families today with electrokinesis?" I asked.
"Only one," Ralph answered, his expression turning a bit more serious. "That family is situated in Greece. They claim to be direct descendants of Zeus himself."
My fingers tapped idly against my knee as I mulled over that piece of information. So Kaiden belongs to that family... I'm pretty sure of it. He was the strongest electrokinesis user I knew of in Eleceed, and it would make sense if his lineage could be traced back to the so-called descendants of Zeus.
Ralph glanced at the clock and sighed. "Our lesson ends here. We'll have our final session next week." He started gathering his things.
I tilted my head. "Where will you be for the next few days?"
"I need to return to the US," he said, his tone dismissive.
"Why?"
"It's personal, kid," he replied, shutting down further questions.
I clicked my tongue but didn't push. Instead, I stood up and stretched. "Well, then, have a safe trip, Ralph."
He nodded at me, offering nothing more before heading for the door.
A few minutes later, one of the household butlers approached. "Young Master, lunch is ready. Madam will be dining with you today."
I nodded and made my way to the dining area. As I walked, my mind drifted—back to the strange reality I now found myself in.
I had reincarnated into Eleceed, a manhwa I used to read in my past life. Unfortunately, I had stopped keeping up with it after my deployment to the Middle East. Now, I was Rheon Lee—eight years old, the eldest son and heir to the Korean Awakener Association, also known as the Awakened Union.
I had awakened my cryokinesis at the unprecedented age of five, something unheard of. But what was even more shocking was the nature of my ice—it had a deep, almost midnight-blue hue, far darker than the usual crystalline blue that most ice Awakeners wielded. My affinity for ice was so strong that my freezing ability was far more potent than others, a fact that had caused quite a stir when it was first discovered.
Arriving at the dining area, I saw my mother already seated, her warm smile greeting me. My gaze instinctively dropped to her bulging stomach, and I felt a flicker of excitement. Subin—my little sister—would be born soon.
"Come, Rheon. Eat," she said, gesturing to the food. "What took you so long?"
I slid into my chair and shrugged. "Just had some things on my mind."
She didn't press further, simply smiling. "Well, you're here now. Eat before the food gets cold."
I dug in, savoring the warm, familiar flavors of Asian cuisine. In my past life, I had grown used to MREs and hastily eaten meals in the middle of war zones, but here, in this life, I had the luxury of sitting down and enjoying home-cooked food.
And, honestly? That was something I'd never take for granted again.
As I was finishing up my meal, my mother spoke again, her tone casual but firm.
"Your father wants you to go to his office later after lunch," she said, setting her chopsticks down. "Apparently, he wants to formally introduce you to the executives of the Association."
I wiped my mouth with a napkin, contemplating her words. My formal introduction, huh? It wasn't unexpected, but it meant I'd be stepping into the political and administrative side of the Awakener world much earlier than most heirs.
I leaned back slightly, exhaling. Well… this should be interesting.