Shaking his head to get rid of the distracting thoughts, Jash focused on what his grandfather said.
'Hmm. He's indeed right. It would do me no good if I can't see reality and become delusional.'
Thinking so, Jash seemed to remember the mention of someone having a higher awakening time than him.
"Just who is it for Grandpa to ask me not to tell even Dad about this?" mumbled Jash with furrowed brows.
His mind worked at breakneck speeds, recalling all kinds of talented people, mainly females, who helped the protagonist or stood as roadblocks, mainly males.
As if he were used to the incongruity, he didn't dwell on the details much and focused more on the individuals and their plots.
Yet all he got as a result was frustration as he couldn't help but curse lightly, "Just who is this darned mystery person?"
"Are they some freaking recluse or what?"
"Maybe some world guardian protecting the world from otherworldly threats?"
"No way! That's impossible! If they existed, where were they when the world was on the verge of destruction?"
"So annoying!"
In the end, Jash gritted his teeth and wisely put the matter at the back of his mind instead of wasting his time.
"Whatever. Not my problem, for now. Maybe they were assassinated due to their overwhelming talent or something. Even if they are alive, what are the odds of us meeting?" He shrugged off his curiosity and returned to the day's events.
'What prompted Grandpa, though? Maybe my talent in archery? No, that sucked. Then, my behavior afterwards?' Jash contemplated the reason for the sudden chat.
As he recalled his mannerism and downcast expression, he felt as if he was inevitably closer to the truth, his eyes narrowing in focus not on his line of sight but his internal musings.
"Yeah, that has to be it!" Jash shouted in slight exhilaration, planting his right fist into his left palm.
"It was because I behaved as if expecting to have talent in everything just because of my unbeatable awakening time! Maybe that's the reason the academy death even happens!"
Jash muttered to himself in a moment of contemplation before regaining his bearing and looking around with a serious expression.
'I hope no one heard that.' Well, he was more worried about the embarrassment it would bring instead of any other consequences.
Though a bitter pill to swallow, he felt at least partially correct in his assessment.
After ensuring no one was eavesdropping, he returned to his musings.
'The last thing is this natural vs artificial awakening. Damn! So complex!' Jash lamented the complexity of almost everything mana-related.
In truth, he didn't have any problems understanding or remembering them, it was just a slight inconvenience for him.
"Just why can't things be streamlined for easier understanding?" Jash complained, despite knowing it was useless.
Feeling helpless, he pursed his lips and focused on the knowledge regarding awakening he had learnt when he was an 8-year-old.
[
Awakening wasn't all that complicated but required significant funds for a private awakening or one could visit the Hunter Association to awaken.
Naturally, it won't be for free. In return, they require the person to sign a contract to work for different tenures and departments based on awakening results.
Obviously, one needed to reach at least the age of 18 to work for them after graduating from the academy they attended.
Of course, this all had nothing to do with Jash, as he didn't have to become a corporate slave for the Association when he was the second son of the Ramille Family.
Being one of the three founding ducal families in the empire, their wealth surpassed many as they worked in various industries throughout the years.
Back to private awakenings.
A Mana Room with a constant and pure flow of mana was essential, being the bare minimum to awaken while a Mana Gem increased the chances of success, became an additional requirement.
Of course, no one rich enough to afford a private awakening would care about a meager mana gem.
Hence, rich people, mostly nobles, do not have to wait for their children to form Mana Cores gradually.
Since they can simply afford to use Mana Gems solely for their children to awaken immediately. This also became a way for people in power to control newly awakened hunters.
In contrast to private awakenings, the Association usually shares a single Mana Gem among a thousand civilians to awaken them due to the low drop rate of Mana Gems.
Thus, the Mana Gem which helped complete the formation of a Mana Core remained lacking for a thousand civilians.
Although they too awakened at the age of 12, as stipulated by the Hunter Association for everyone, their awakening remained incomplete.
Their awakening process involved forming their Mana Core in the initial stages and gradually growing it over time, typically between ages 13 and 18, depending on talent.
The Hunter Association would then pick the talented individuals under 15 to recruit directly instead of the contract and sponsor them to the Solarnelle Academy.
Still, they wouldn't recruit everyone into the ranks without evaluating their results upon graduation and throughout the Academy years.
Heck, even passing the entrance test wasn't a cakewalk.
That's why no academy cared about age; they only focused on the awakening. Therefore, no admission are allowed in most academics after 18 years of age.
18 years is the limit until someone can awaken their powers. If they don't, they just have to live their life like that—unable to use mana.
The only way forward for such people without mana's support would be to get stronger by training their body, the crude way.
Even with all that and the Association's support, there are many unawakened people in the world and they might just be the ones who have bodies unsuitable for mana itself.
Not all fall under the same category as some can't afford the cost for a safe awakening ceremony, but at the same time don't want to accept the Association's contract.
"Ah, If you're wondering if awakening is so good and necessary, why isn't the Imperial Family making it free for the public. Then, Young Master, you are too naive.
Just like everything else in the world—mana is a resource—limited and expensive. So why would anyone risk spending something like that without a guarantee if their investment will be successful or not.
Also, people can never be trusted; the one you help today might stab you in the back tomorrow. Why increase potential competition?"
"Of course, some noble families and even the Church of Light have some planned ways, making it cheaper or easier for the general public to awaken.
Naturally, they expect the return over it, just like the Association does. The Church one, though, is done in an attempt to gain believers and increase faith in the Goddess, while nobles do it to increase their army power to fight against monsters & dungeons."
]
Recalling all the complex information regarding awakening, Jash was in an unpleasant mood. "Urgh, so useless."
"Damn! I am already awakened! What's the use now? Can't I just recall the relevant information?"
Even though he said that, Jash did focus on the subtle details from his lessons and the practicality of it instead of just rote-learning the books on awakening.