"You will be put on trial in a week from now. By then we will know if you are telling the truth or lying. During the trial, you will be using the System Window Reader device."
'A week...'
Realizing that he will be spending his birthday here, he at least hopes that his Awakening will not be affected. Usually, when people reach the age of 20, they would need to spend it in a most relaxing manner.
There was even research recording that people who awakened in the most comfortable place have a higher chance of awakening a Top Class (T-Class).
Now, his awakening will be full of stress and anxiety. What if he will never awaken? Or what if he will become a Useless Class (U-Class)?
Though there were rare re-awakening for U-Class, like his uncle- as Agent Patel told him- it was still rare. He didn't want to spend his life for something that may never actually happen.
When the one sided interrogation was finished, Eirik was escorted to an isolated room. It was dark and humid. The only opening available was a small opening where his eyes could only see through it.
He remembered this kind of room back when he was in high school. Before graduating 2 years ago, Awakened people came to their school in order to conduct a seminar.
They showed a similar room back then, this was the isolated jails for the criminal awakened one.
"Am I really being treated like I am some kind of terrible person? I haven't even awakened yet."
"Enough with your talking. You will be staying here until the trial in a week."
The prison warden said to Eirik as he closed the door. Leaving him all alone in this dark room.
"They should have at least given me a lamp. It is so dark here."
As Eirik couldn't see much of his surroundings, he went towards the only source of light here and sat there.
"When the sun comes down, there will be no more light present."
With nothing to do in jail, Eirik just put his face in between his legs and started thinking about his life.
He just won the lottery yesterday, but he was jailed the next day. Is this like the saying "The higher the peak of joy, the deeper the valley of sorrow." works?
At least it wasn't his real being used against him. His name is still clean and not tarnished yet by a criminal record.
Sitting for the whole time until it was time for the prison warden to distribute dinner, Eirik felt his legs numbing as he stood up in order to get the tray being pushed onto the designated opening in the door.
"Hey! Are there any pea-"
As soon as he received the tray of food and drinks, the prison warden immediately closed off the opening without even waiting for Eirik to finish talking.
"-nuts...? What the heck? What if I get an allergic reaction from here?"
Though he was frustrated that his needs were being ignored, Eirik still sighed and looked at the tray. After all, he didn't want to be starved off just because he was accused of something he didn't do.
He was confident that he would be able to get away from here so he wouldn't succumb to sorrows.
Eirik looked down at the tray and it was sticky rice, scrambled egg and some cubed carrots with lettuce mixed in.
"That's it? This is dinner?"
He wasn't accustomed to such meals. Although his uncle treated him like a servant, he was still able to eat with much gusto.
Eirik just swallowed all the remaining complaints in his throat and started eating the food on the tray.
Every time the spoon entered his mouth, Eirik shed tears. He didn't deserve this. All of this was just something that he shouldn't experience.
He had a dream of attending Awakened Special University (ASU), the alma mater of his parents. When he was young, his mom would always tell him her experience in the University together with his father. The friends they got, the adventure they did together and above all, the memories they created together.
Attending ASU will also be able to give better opportunities in the future. Those who can graduate from the university will be able to establish their own guild or go to a big one.
As the Awakened dominated the world, business didn't revolve on common commodities and services. Rather, it would be dungeon products and Mana Stones.
Even though Eldoria's government controls the Mana Stone mine in most of the Open Dungeon, big Guilds are privileged to own one.
That was his ultimate dream, to become a Guild Master and have his own mine. To realize his dream, he needs to attend ASU.
***
"You have a visitor."
As Eirik was prepared to spend the whole day thinking about his future, he suddenly received a visit. But from who?
Which among his relatives would come to visit him?
When Eirik appeared in front of the visitors lounge, he immediately saw a familiar face. It was his uncle.
He immediately shook off the hands of the prison warden and went towards his uncle.
"You son of a bitch! Why did you use me as your scapegoat!"
Seeing his uncle, it brought Eirik all the burning wrath boiling inside him. This person was the cause of all the humiliation he received and the atrocities he was currently experiencing.
However, his uncle didn't show any remorse. He just sat there and looked at him with a smile.
Meanwhile, the prison warden let him do what he wanted. After all, he didn't want to meddle in some family affairs.
"Hahaha, calm down... Lorcan."
Eirik wanted to punch him but the transparent mirror separating them was preventing him from doing so.
"You... how did I become the one to blame for your actions?"
Eirik's uncle just let out another small laugh before replying.
"It seems like you haven't realized it yet. You are now Lorcan..." His uncle took out a mirror from his pocket and showed it to Eirik. "Look in this mirror. This is now you."
Eirik was expecting him to see his own reflection, but it wasn't his face that appeared. It was his uncle.
"What the heck? What did you do?"
"My Useless class is Mimic. Like everyone else, I thought it would be useless but... There are some uses for it. When brother Lorenz died, a new ability appeared and it was 'Deceive.' With this ability, I was able to deceive those people. Don't worry my dear nephew. Be my substitute for now until I run away."
"Hey! Don't just leave after saying that! I still have questions."
As soon as his uncle dropped those words, he stood up and left. Leaving Eirik full of questions unanswered.
"THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN USE ME!"
Shouting with the top of his lungs, wanting his uncle to hear his words.
As if his uncle heard his words, he returned and said, "Tomorrow will be your birthday, so let me greet you with an Advance Happy Birthday!"
"I don't need your happy birthday! I want you in jail!"
When his uncle completely disappeared from the visitors lounge, the prison warden came in again and escorted Eirik to his jail.