Over the next few days, DK's time was just filled with stuffing himself full five times a day and then poring over all kinds of books that talked about the Celestia Realm. Lucy was confused about this behavior as Aiden never himself did not have great interest in reading the books. He gained a better understanding of the Celestia Realm, its social structure, and hierarchy. It turns out that the Celestia Realm still follows a monarchy, with strongest families ruling over the entire realm, and often the strongest families breed the strongest children, which leads to the whole monarchy structure. However there were exceptions of certain extraordinary individuals who enter into the top families and while some wither away into being lower nobles from weak heirs.
On the tenth day of his recovery, DK's routine was interrupted by the arrival of a sealed letter, brought by a uniformed courier with a crest that Lucy instantly recognized. Her face paled, and she whispered, "The royal family's insignia. This must be urgent."
DK, still unaccustomed to the feeble state of his body, accepted the letter with trembling hands. The ornate seal broke easily under his fingers, revealing an invitation—or rather, a summons.
"Master Aiden of the Lin Family,
By decree of the Celestia Council and His Royal Highness, you are hereby commanded to attend the Trial of Initiation at the Arcanum Skyhold. All noble houses must present their heirs to determine their aptitude for the Celestial Arts and their fitness to represent their lineage. Your attendance is mandatory.
Failure to comply will result in the revocation of your family's titles and assets. Prepare yourself accordingly.
Signed,
Lord Chancellor Edris Tharal, Celestial Council"
DK's mind raced as he read the letter. A trial? Celestial Arts? None of this made sense. How was he supposed to compete in a test of strength, skill, or magic when he could barely walk across the room? He glanced at Lucy, who was fidgeting nervously.
"Why didn't anyone mention this before?" DK asked, holding up the letter.
Lucy hesitated. "It's... complicated, Master. Your family must have assumed you would never awaken, so they didn't prepare you for this. The Trials are a rite of passage for nobles—it's how future leaders prove their worth. If you fail, the Lin family's reputation will be irreparably damaged. Lord and Lady Lin have likely been preparing Travis and Angie for years. But you..." She trailed off, her eyes filling with pity.
DK clenched his fists. "So I'm a liability. They'd probably prefer if I didn't show up at all."
Lucy nodded reluctantly. "Yes, Master. If you don't attend, they might argue you're still incapacitated, sparing the family from disgrace. But the Council doesn't take kindly to excuses, and any deception could bring severe consequences."
DK sank back into his chair, staring at the letter. A part of him wanted to ignore the summons, to hide from this world's expectations. But another part—a stronger part—burned with the same determination that had once propelled him to lead the Crimson Riders. He wasn't just going to roll over and accept defeat, not here, not again.
"Lucy," he said finally, "if I'm going to survive this Trial, I need every resource you can get me. Books, training gear, whatever you can find. And I need someone who knows how these Trials work. Do we have any connections to someone who can help me train?"
Lucy blinked in surprise, then broke into a wide smile. "Yes, Master Aiden. I know just the person. He's unconventional, but he's the best there is. If anyone can prepare you in time, it's him."
As Lucy hurried out of the room to make arrangements, DK leaned back, his resolve hardening. This wasn't just about proving himself to a family that had written him off. It was about reclaiming his agency, uncovering the mysteries of this realm, and finding out why he'd been given this second chance.
One day during a regular check up with healer Nam, DK asked, "Healer Nam. Do you have any books that describe how the mana pathways and the nexus core works. I wanted to know more about why I am in this particular state and on mana recovery."
"Wow! I did not know Master Aiden was interested in mana physiology. Sure, I can get you some books. But I ask you to be careful in trying anything on yourself without consulting with me. Although I don't have all the knowledge, I can always refer to some senior healers about your situation. In fact Senior healer Gong and his granddaughter are particularly interested in you when I told them about you." Healer Nam responded.
"Oh you shared my info with people outside the house." DK wanted to avoid unnecessary interactions that may reveal his true identity and was a bit worried. "Worry not Senior Healer Gong is a trustworthy individual and will keep it confidential.'
After a month and half of physical training DK developed excellent control of Aiden's body and his form could compete against the top athletes if he were back on earth. However, his next focus is on reworking his mana pathways and nexus core. As he was going through the books shared by healer Nam, he found that people with mana affinity could bring out the mana flow from the nexus as if trying to artificially pump out from the nexus core on command. Although it sounds simple, DK had no clue how or where to start from.