Secret World of Occultists
Chapter 64: Loyalty and Potential

Chapter 64: Loyalty and Potential

Abel was stunned to hear those words. "You..."

He was speechless for a few moments, thinking Emily was a really kind and helpful person. But soon, reason took hold of him.

He calmed down his emotions and asked, "Why would you go so far for me?"

Emily looked at the youth with slight amusement, her lips forming a faint smile. "You are a rather cautious gentleman, are you not, Mr. Bishop?"

She paused for a moment before continuing in a gentle voice, "Well, even without my recommendation, Mr. Kensington is certain to recognize your merits, and in time, I daresay he shall send you to Winchester. Perhaps, within a year or two.

"After all, Newport has but so much to offer. Whereas Winchester... That is a city abundant with opportunity."

"Is the Ministry in such a need for Aberrant-type Occultists?" Abel couldn’t help but ask that.

"I fear you are misunderstanding the matter, Mr. Bishop." Emily shook her head, her tone calm and steady. "It’s not merely Aberrant-type Occultist, but all who show potential."

Abel arched an eyebrow. "But... I thought Aberrant-type Occultists were the most special of the bunch. Was that not the case?"

"Mysterious, not special," Emily corrected gently. She recalled something and then added with a light smile, "May I share with you something Mr. Kensington once told me, some years past?"

Abel straightened his posture, intently listening to what the woman had to say.

Emily began softly, "A Hallmark is rather like a seed. In its infancy, it appears simple, unremarkable even. But as an Occultist matures, so too does their understanding of it deepen and unfold.

"Even those born with seemingly modest supernatural abilities may yet ascend to great power, provided they possess the will and discipline to cultivate it."

Her gaze flashed with certainty as she concluded, "There are no weak Hallmarks, Mr. Bishop. Only weak-willed Occultists."

"...Only weak-willed Occultists," Abel repeated her words subconsciously.

"And to answer your question, yes." Emily nodded, her expression turning solemn. "The Ministry has great need of capable Occultists. The horrors that stand against us, after all, far exceed our number."

"Are there really so many Anomalous Beings out there?" Abel asked, his tone laced with slight nervousness.

"Indeed, Mr. Bishop." Emily nodded yet again. "There are far more monsters in this world beyond anything you might yet fathom."

She paused for a moment, allowing the weight of her words to settle in. "That is why the Ministry invests so heavily in its agents, nurturing their growth, and placing faith in their ability to one day become powerful enough to protect the Empire from the shadows."

Abel nodded with a solemn expression. "I understand, Miss Thompson."

Emily soon smiled wryly, "But nurturing an Occultist’s growth is not without its dangers, either."

She deeply looked at the youth and asked, "You do understand what becomes of those who fail to complete their trial within the Crucible... don’t you, Mr. Bishop?"

Abel muttered softly, "They... turn into Anomalous Beings."

"Indeed." Emily nodded. "And the higher we ascend, the greater the peril of becoming the very monsters we were sworn to destroy."

A deafening silence descended in the carriage, with neither Abel nor Emily speaking for a long time, each of them lost in their own thoughts.

Abel couldn’t help but think to himself, Just what the fuck have I gotten myself into...

But he never had a choice.

The moment he woke up in this world, he had already found himself entangled with the supernatural.

His transmigration. The cursed coin.

He had no other choice but to enter the Spirit Crucible and become an Occultist.

"Miss," he called out. "How does one ascend, anyway?"

Emily displayed a faint smile, "The simple answer is this: they enter the Crucible and face the trials when they are deemed ready. Should they succeed, they ascend to the higher grades."

Her voice grew more somber "But should they fail, they transform into Anomalous Beings."

"And how does one become ready to participate in the subsequent trials?" Abel probed, his eyes flickering with curiosity as well as caution.

"Well, that is something I am expressly forbidden to reveal, Mr. Bishop." The lady let out a soft, amused laugh.

"I believe you now see why the Ministry refrains from revealing the means of ascension, do you not?"

Abel sighed, his shoulders involuntarily slouching. For a moment, he thought that Emily would divulge to him the secrets of becoming a Grade 2 Occultist.

"Yeah, I know," he said. "The higher we climb, the greater the risk of the fall."

"Indeed." Emily smiled. She paused for a moment before adding, "That is not to say the Ministry withholds all knowledge. In time, the method to advancing to Grade 2 is made known, though only to those deemed prepared."

"So, what does one have to do then?"

"It goes without saying that the foremost criterion for being entrusted with the knowledge of ascension is unwavering loyalty to the crown," Emily said matter-of-factly.

"Of course, of course." Abel nodded.

The citizens of the Albion Empire had a highly nationalistic mindset. The previous Abel was also the same, and his viewpoints had inadvertently influenced the current Abel.

Thus, he now saw himself as a proud citizen of the Empire.

"And lastly, as I have said before, it is a matter of potential," Emily added. "If the Ministry perceives worth in you, it will choose to invest accordingly."

Her voice trailed off and her expression grew stern. "But make no mistake, If you squander the potential, believing the Ministry entitles you to favor because you are an Aberrant-type Occultist or because you awakened the old way, you will find yourself sorely mistaken."

She paused, her tone softening, "Actions speak far louder than words, Mr. Bishop. So allow me to repeat myself: train earnestly, study with care, and prove yourself through service.

"Complete your missions with diligence, and gain all the experience you can. In time you shall find the path to Winchester opens before you."

"Rest assured, Miss Thompson." Abel seriously nodded. "I’ll do my best."

Emily displayed a radiant smile, "I am certain you will, Mr. Bishop."

Abel suddenly thought something and asked, "By the way, when I eventually do get a promotion, I’ll be promoted to what exactly? Would my designation still be a field agent?"

"In most cases, when a Grade 1 Occultist ascends to Grade 2, they are appointed as senior field agents such as Commander Preston," Emily patiently explained.

She offered a small, knowing smile. "However, should an Occultist exhibit exceptional promise, they may be selected for promotion into one of the elite task forces... as I was."

"Elite task force?" Abel asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes." Emily’s lips curled into a smile. "They are specialized units within the Ministry, dispatched to confront the most dangerous or sensitive missions involving anomalies"

She paused for a moment, her smile turning deeper.

"They are also known as... Hunters."