Awakening The Only SSS-Rank Class! Now Even Dragons Obey Me

"Tiana, are you really sure about your decision?" Liana asked as she looked at Tiana. "I know we've talked about this before, but in the end, they're still your parents… and I could see the hesitation on your face."

"Huh? Auntie, I—"

"Think about it first, and then give me your answer. The court hearing is in two days, and if you're not fully decided, we might end up losing."

Tiana went silent and fell deep into thought. She closed her eyes as the memories of the times her parents hurt her started replaying in her mind.

Tears began to stream down her cheeks as she tried her hardest to recall at least one good memory with her parents—just one.

But to her surprise… nothing. Not a single good memory. It was all bad—scenes of being used, of being hit for the dumbest reasons.

Then, the faces of Daniel, Liana, and Alice appeared in her mind. In just the one month she had lived with them, she had made the best memories of her life.

A peaceful month, with no fear or anxiety—just restful nights and safety.

A smile appeared on her face as she opened her eyes.

"I'm sure. I want to stay with you guys… if you don't mind."

"Of course. I told you already—you're like my own daughter," Liana smiled and hugged her.

After a bit more conversation, they finally headed to the Headmaster's office. The secretary was already waiting and led them to the door.

"This is the Headmaster's office. You may enter now," the secretary said and then walked away.

Daniel knocked, and the door opened automatically. All four of them walked in.

"Ha ha, welcome," Philip stood up and greeted them.

"It's been a while, Headmaster," Daniel said, shaking his hand.

Alice and Tiana just nodded slightly. After all, they had already greeted the Headmaster before the exam.

"You must be Miss Noir. It's a pleasure to meet you," Philip said, turning to Liana.

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Philip," Liana nodded and replied.

"You're the mother of two geniuses, you know? Honestly, meeting you is more of an honor than any title," Philip smiled.

"They're the ones who worked hard to reach this level. That's why they're called geniuses," she replied.

Philip nodded in agreement. No matter how talented you are, without effort you won't get far.

"Anyway, let's move on to the prizes for you two." He turned his attention to the girls.

He extended his hand, and a golden circular badge appeared in his palm. A phoenix was engraved in its center.

"This is the entry badge for the Lapis Phoenix Domain," he said, handing it to Alice.

"Thank you very much," Alice bowed lightly to show her gratitude.

"No need to thank me. You earned it with your own effort. Just know that the opening date for the Lapis Phoenix Domain this year hasn't been announced yet, but it's expected to be after the Phoenix and Dragon Gathering."

"Until then, I suggest you get as strong as you can. It's rare for an F-rank to enter that place, and if you're not careful, it could be very dangerous," Philip warned, though there was something deeper behind his words.

"Also, let me tell you a few more things. The Lapis Phoenix Domain was originally a dungeon that had been cleared, but for some reason, even though it's been cleared, it hasn't disappeared like other dungeons."

"No one knows the exact reason why, but since then, it's been turned into a training zone for geniuses. There are a lot of treasures and items there, most of them ranked B or A—though they say there are even some S-rank ones too."

"But the most important thing about that place is the Phoenix Tear. However, except for one person, no one has ever managed to obtain it. And from what I know, only two drops of the Phoenix Tear remain."

"Thank You Su Much! And Can I give this badge to someone else?" Alice asked.

"Of course. You can gift it to anyone you want," the Headmaster smiled.

"Now, about the extra rewards. Honestly, I wanted to give you something extra because of your performance, but I had no idea what would be suitable. That's why I asked you to come to my office—so I could take some time to think."

He looked at the two girls.

"But now I have a good idea. You're planning to move to the capital, right?"

"That's right, Mr. Philip. We're moving next month," Daniel answered.

"Great. Then I want you to think of this not just as a reward, but as a long-term investment in two promising young talents. I'll give you two drops of Purple Mountain Turtle's Tears from my personal collection."

"What? Purple Turtle Tears? But that's from an A-rank Corrupted Beast, isn't it?" the girls shouted in disbelief.

The Purple Mountain Turtle was an A-rank Corruption Beast known for its powerful defense—so strong that even a False S-rank couldn't break through it.

As far as they knew, anyone who absorbed its tears would gain a defense comparable to the beast itself.

But its tears were one of the rarest treasures in the world and incredibly expensive—worth more than most S-rank items or artifacts.

And the Headmaster was seriously going to give that to them? They couldn't believe it.

"Are you joking headmaster?" Daniel asked with a strange look in his eyes. He was familiar with the Turtle Tears too.

'What's this old man trying to pull?' He had no doubt there was a motive behind such a reward.

'Could his goal be me?' Daniel considered the possibility that the Headmaster was investing in Alice and Tiana to build a good relationship with him instead.

And it actually made a lot of sense. The Headmaster was one of the few people who knew that Daniel had cleared a B-rank dungeon back when he was still D-rank.

Not to mention, he definitely knew that Daniel had placed first in the combat simulator hosted by the Awakened Association.

"Ha ha, I know it's hard to believe, but like I said—don't just see it as a reward. Think of it as a long-term investment too."