Chapter 13: Professions

Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Professions

The mouth-watering aroma of roasted root vegetables and savory pan-seared pork filled the small dining room as Martha set a steaming platter on the wooden table. Arthur took his seat, letting out a weary sigh as he stretched his aching back, while Rowan sat opposite them, setting his utensils down.

Martha wiped her hands on her apron, her eyes twinkling with a mix of maternal pride and quiet anxiety. She reached into her apron pocket and pulled out the heavy parchment envelope with its unbroken wax seal, placing it directly beside Rowan’s plate.

"It came while you were at the library, sweetheart," Martha said softly, sitting down next to Arthur. "A courier from the Executive Bureau dropped it off personally. I recognized the seal immediately."

Arthur glanced down at the imperial leaf-and-blade crest stamped into the gold wax, his brow furrowing slightly before a warm smile broke across his weathered face. "The Awakener’s Academy. Under Archduke Valerius Vane’s seal, no less."

Rowan picked up the letter, letting his thumb trace the raised lettering. "I read through the notice upstairs. It’s an official invitation for the Class of 2026 orientation and placement assessments."

Arthur leaned back, a nostalgic gleam entering his tired eyes. "Twenty-five years ago, your mother and I walked through those exact same white-stone gates at the Grand Aqueduct district. Back then, before we retired to take up civilian work, the Academy was already the toughest crucible in Sol-Aethel. But what they offer in return... there’s no better place in the Viridian Empire to build your foundation."

"The training grounds and resource vaults are top-tier," Martha agreed, reaching over to pat Rowan’s hand gently. "When we were active in the Adventurer’s Guild, almost every high-ranking vanguard and specialized cultivator we met was an alumnus. But Rowan... it’s not like our day anymore. The noble houses have tightened their grip on the guild hierarchies. Class placement assessments can be brutal if you don’t have a wealthy patron backing you."

"She’s right," Arthur said, his tone turning serious as he looked at his son. "The Academy operates on merit, but the aristocrats from the upper terraces play politics. They’ll expect common-born Awakeners to fall in line or take support roles in their squads. What did the System assign as your primary affinity during your awakening, Rowan?"

Rowan kept his composure, his 16 Intelligence instantly filtering how much to reveal. He couldn’t disclose [Domain: The Virgin Soil] or his legendary precursor status, but he needed a solid, logical explanation that fit his parents’ understanding of the world.

"It classified me under the Botanical and Agrarian tree," Rowan replied smoothly, giving a partial truth. "A farmstead-type foundation focused on soil affinity and crop vitality."

Martha’s eyes softened with relief, while Arthur gave a firm, approving nod.

"An Agrarian class," Arthur murmured thoughtfully. "In a border city like Sol-Aethel, a good cultivator is worth their weight in gold. The noble combatants might strut around showing off flashy battle skills, but the Guilds and the Regional Governor know that armies and cities run on food, mana herbs, and alchemy supplies. If you play your cards right at the Academy, you can secure imperial funding without ever having to put yourself in front of a dungeon horde."

"Just promise us you’ll be careful, Rowan," Martha said softly, her eyes full of warmth. "Use the Academy’s libraries and greenhouses, make good allies, but don’t let the noble kids push you into reckless rivalries."

Rowan smiled, looking at the letter in his hands and then at his parents. "I won’t. I’m going to make full use of everything the Academy has to offer."

With his parents’ blessing and their past experience as former adventurers guiding his expectations, Rowan picked up his fork. The path ahead was clear—and the Sol-Aethel Awakener’s Academy was about to meet a cultivator unlike any the Viridian Empire had ever seen.

Arthur took a slow sip of hot tea, setting his cup down with a soft click against the wooden table.

"Since your affinity came back under the Botanical tree," Arthur said, leaning forward slightly, "the Academy’s initial sorting board will almost certainly assign you to the Non-Combat Track."

"He’s right," Martha added, passing Rowan a bowl of steamed rice. "The Awakener’s Academy splits the incoming cohort right after orientation. The Vanguard and Combat classes—your Swordsmen, Elementals, and Shield-bearers—go straight into tactic drills and dungeon simulations. But the rest of the student body gets placed into the Lifestyle and Production Guilds."

She smiled warmly, listing them off on her fingers:

Forgemasters & Blacksmiths: Crafting enchanted armor, weapons, and dungeon gear.

Scribes & Runeworkers: Inscribing spell scrolls, array barriers, and magical contracts.

Agri-Cultivators & Gardeners: Raising mana crops, alchemy herbs, and soil management—where Rowan would be placed.

Alchemists & Chefs: Processing raw botanical and beast materials into stat-boosting potions and restorative dishes.

"It’s honestly a blessing, Rowan," Arthur said, his expression earnest. "Don’t let any arrogant noble combatant make you feel like a support class is second-rate. The battle guilds in Sol-Aethel might get the glory in the newspapers, but the entire Viridian Empire runs on the backs of its craftsmen, farmers, and scribes. A high-tier Agri-Cultivator can dictate the price of an entire guild’s supply line."

Martha nodded in agreement. "In the Lifestyle track, you’ll have full access to the Academy’s specialized research greenhouses, high-grade fertilizer recipes, and imperial seed vaults without having to fight over dungeon boss loot. You can focus entirely on refining your craft."

Rowan listened quietly, a calm, strategic smile playing on his lips.

To the rest of Sol-Aethel, being sorted into a support or lifestyle class meant a quiet, safe life behind the frontlines. But for Rowan, sitting on an ultimate precursor domain, the Lifestyle Track was the perfect cover. Under the guise of a humble student gardener, he could access the Empire’s rarest botanical records, trade for exotic seeds, and harvest legendary Edenic crops right under the nose of the imperial nobility.

"It sounds like the perfect place for me," Rowan said smoothly, taking a bite of his meal. "I’ll let the combatants draw all the attention while I build my foundation."