Admission Part 1

"Are you sure about this? I mean, I am totally fine staying at an inn."

"Eei, don't bother. We have a lot of spare rooms plus I won't charge you anything."

Hoon said with assurance while holding up his right arm to show his word of honor.

"Fine... Don't take back your word."

"I won't, I won't. Hahaha"

"Dang, is he from a high-class family? With this gigantic mansion, everyone from Buenoa can fit inside without a problem."

Jae-ki kept on gazing with his mouth wide open as they walk past the gate.

"I'm home."

"Oh Hoonie, did you have dinner already?"

"Hoonie, pfft." Jae-ki whisper

"Aunty, I have a guest please refrain from calling me by that alias. Also, I'm not hungry yet."

Hoon's Aunty Leila peeks at his back to see his guest then he faces Hoon again.

"Ah, I see, he's so small that you can cover his whole body at the back."

Jae-ki's veins on his head slightly popped out.

"Your mother's in the sala. Let her know your arrival, okay? Young master------- Hoonie."

Aunt Leila hurriedly goes to the kitchen after teasing her young master while Hoon just like Jae-ki, is left with a popping vein on his head.

"pfft..."

"Tch... follow me, let's greet my mother."

"Yes, young master Hoo--"

Devil eyes we're formed at the back of Hoon's head.

"Young master Hoon. Hehe"

"Stop it, just call me casually."

They walk towards the sala area while Jae-ki's eyes wandered.

Woah, the interior is ten times better than the outside. He thought.

"Mother, I'm home."

"Oh, take a sit. How did the evaluation go?"

Hoon's mother was sitting on the opposite sofa and shifted his gaze towards Jae-ki.

"Nothing much, it was so-so. They just asked us to conjure basic spells, fight with dummies, and test our elemental aptitude."

"Oh, mother, this is Jae-ki. He's my friend, we met at the institution."

"It's my pleasure to meet you Mrs.-"

"Dea Fuenness,"

"Dea Fuenness," Jae-ki repeated.

Jae-ki slightly nodded his head and bowed at a ninety-degree angle.

"Good, good. Hoon, you should learn manners from him. May I ask your family name, young boy?"

"I am just a nobody. My parents were killed just after I was born and I was raised by a couple that has no child."

That's right. It's better to avoid suspicions, especially from people of high caliber. Jae-ki thought.

"Oh, I'm sorry if my stupid question made you uncomfortable."

"No, it's alright. I'm used to it."

"Alright, alright. Let's stop the interview. Mother, I have brought Jae-ki here because he has no place to stay in."

"I get what you want to say. Go upstairs and let him pick the room he wants to use."

"Let's go."

Hoon excitedly grabs Jae-ki's hand and runs toward the stairs.

His vibrant hair, his eyes that call for wiseness along with his gentle face, somewhat resemble her.

Or am I imagining things?

"Hah" She exhales

How many was it already? You still owe me one.

She smiles very gently.

"Eh, this one is too large."

"Oh come on Jae-ki. There's no small room here. All were made the same in size."

"But..."

"Uh-uh, No buts."

Hoon pushes Jae-ki inside the room.

Jae-ki sat on the bed. He lay down and slowly close his eyes.

"Ki...Ae-ki"

"Jae-ki, wake up... WAAAAKE UP!"

"The result was just delivered."

Hoon excitedly said.

"Did we... pass?"

Jae-ki asked with a morning voice.

"I don't know, I haven't opened it yet."

Hoon slowly opens the scroll as their eyes largen filled with expectation and thrill.

They both pass.

From below, the two can be heard murmuring. The door opened.

"The head maid greets the head of the family."

Leila, the head maid bows respectfully. The remaining maids followed the greetings.

"Where is Elaine?"

"Welcome home, darling."

Elaine rushes toward her husband to hug him.

Jae-ki and Hoon walk down the stairs.

"Is this your friend?

"Yes, father."

"Greetings, Mr. Dea Fuenness." Jae-ki bows

"Hoon, how did the entrance evaluation go?"

[Magenta's eye]

"It goes well, actually we just have received the result. We both pass."

"I see."

Average but I can't figure out this boy's mana core level.

"Jae-ki, right? If you don't mind, what level is your mana core now?"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you but I am still unaware of my mana core level."

"Darling, stop pressuring the kids. They still need to prepare for attending the academy."

Right. I've been too persistent. He thought.

"I will excuse myself first. Leila, bring me a coffee to my room."

"Right away sir," Leila replied.

"Son, are you going to head out?" Elaine asked.

"Yes mother, I am planning to take Jae-ki to the Flea Market. We're going to see if we're able to buy anything that we need."

"I see."

"We're off mom."

Jae-ki smiled.

"Hey, what's a flea market?" Jae-ki asked.

"What? You've never been to a flea market before?"

"No.."

Sighs. How many mountains do I even venture to reach your origin?

Hoon thought.

"A flea market is just like a regular market, the only differences are first, it does not stay for 24 hours in the same place. Second, you can buy stuff that can't be found in a regular market."

"...."

Although I kinda visualize what a market is, I really have never been to one before. Jae-ki thought.

"We're here.."

"As you can see there are many stalls that offer different items."

Hoon explained. The mesmerized Jae-ki can't help but be in awe.

"Do you find something that you want?"

"Hmm.." Jae-ki shakes his head.

"Seems like the flea market didn't have a thing that interests you huh."

"Since the day is still young, do you want to visit the underground market?"

"What market is it this time? and aren't that kind of market dangerous?"

"Don't worry, I have something that assures our safety."

"Everything ancients are present here. Since there is insufficient current knowledge in utilizing these ancient artifacts, they are thrown here."

While Hoon was talking, Jae-ki stopped and move closer to a stall full of artifacts.

"Do you find something?"

"Greetings mister. What is this thing?"

"What's a kid doing here? Did your parents know that you're here? Haha"

Jae-ki shows no reaction and just keeps his emotionless face while staring dead serious at the mister.

"Ahem... What is this thing you ask?"

He's no ordinary kid, wth. He thought.

"Ever since I was here that thing was there already, now that I have 4 kids that thing remains unsold."

"No one knows what is that. Well, if you want I can give it to you for free!"

'Really mister?"

"Yeah, it's better to hand it over to someone who's interested in it rather than to keep it here for centuries."

"Legend says it is indestructible... I hope you can figure out how that thing works. Good luck boy!

The mister said. He smile with his teeth and gave Jae-ki a thumb-up.

"What do you use it for?" Hoon asked.

"I don't know."

"Huh?"

"How about you?"

"I found a longsword, one that looks rusty but sturdy af."

"I see."

They both walk out of the underground market.

"Jae-ki, birthplace - Buenoa. He was raised in Buenoa, his mother is Jang Alsifrete and his father is Jino Alsifrete. A midwife and a farmer."

"Frete."

"Rania, what else do you have?"

"The couple Jang and Jino Frete are childhood friends of the emperor's treacherous mistress."

Jae-ki's mother was nicknamed "Lotus' Blade" because of her extremely elegantly exceptional swordsmanship.

"Fuchsia Maiden" for her unparalleled beauty, her vibrant pink, soft, and silky hair.

"However, the Fuchsia Maiden was purged two decades ago. There's no way she could give birth to a thirteen-years old boy today."

"Is there more?"

"The Buenoan people said the same thing that isn't useful at all."

Director Morriegreen and Rania remain puzzled but not surprised.

"Tomorrow is the day. Go back to the shadows, I'll let you know if I have something for you to do."

"Roger sir."

"Someone piqued your interest?"

A voice of a man speaks from within the area of the room where no light reaches.

"What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? I've been visiting your little playground for centuries, why can't I now?"

"Suit yourself."

"Hahaha..."

The man remains unexposed lurking in the shadow.

"Where's my son?" Elaine asked Jae-ki.

"About that, he wanted to visit a blacksmith. He bought a rusty longsword earlier so he wanted to restore it."

"I see. "

Jae-ki still feels awkward with Hoon's mother. He bows to greet her and excuses himself immediately.

Jae-ki then rushed towards his room.

"Now let's see, what you can do."

Jae-ki look closer almost glued it to his eyes.

"I can't find any clue to open this octagonal cylinder shaped-like artifact."

After reversing the artifact countless times, Jae-ki got a bright idea.

"If the clue cannot be seen with my bare eyes, I should just feel it."

He started covering the artifact with mana and detailedly grasp every micrometer part of the artifact.

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.."

24 micrometer holes. four holes on the upper and bottom part and two holes on each side of the artifact.

Jae-ki took 24 microneedles and started prickling the holes with them.

.....

....

...

..

.

"It's not like I expected something to happen, hehe."

Jae-ki started to focus on emptying his thoughts. He replaced it with a picture of a thin thread.

"Even thinner.... even thinner..." He whispered.

He pictures it to the size of a micrometer.

Cover it with mana...

Then destroy the thread and replace the image with mana...

"Argh, this is harder than I thought..."

After maintaining the imaginary thread covered with mana for 5 minutes, he succeeded in creating a micrometer mana thread.

"Is this enough??"

I should test it to know.

Jae-ki slowly creates 24 micrometer threads of mana, one by one.

I figure it out... It's not enough.

"Creating a 24-micrometer thread of mana one-by-one and stabilizing all of it, is definitely easy to say but otherwise to do"

The only way to do it is to simultaneously create 24 micrometer threads of mana, all of it, in one go.

Jae-ki has thought of it, but the big question is...

"How..." He said

After covering the whole artifact with mana, he was able to project a four-dimensional structure of it in his head.

He started creating the threads and place them right in front of the holes. He bit his lower lip to maintain focus and slowly prick the holes, simultaneously.

The blood runs down his chin and neck. After successfully inserting the mana threads, he stabilized the flow of each mana thread.

A maze-like pathway! After a minute of sustaining the mana threads, all of the threads met at the center of the artifact.

"I suppose it's finished right?"

"And..?"

The artifact floats, it opened and turned into an armlet. It attaches to Jae-ki's wrist and it magically disappeared.

"Wha---what? That's it??"

"Surprisingly, now, a cool tattoo is what all I get."

It would be better if it could be just at least a sword. He cried in his thought.

The tattoo on his wrist rapidly moves, forming a sword. A regular sword unexpectedly appeared in his hand.

"Oh damn, so cool. Wth is this?"

He started swinging the sword. The sword doubles the effect of the Berserk Skill when used.

Does that mean every weapon in this artifact has its own effect?

Wait, "It would be better if it could be just at least a sword" is what I said in my mind. I think I have to decide on command to replace the current weapon.

[Disperse] - not a skill but a command that Jae-ki comes up with.

The sword disappears.

[Shortbow]

How convenient that I can summon a weapon out of this artifact with only commanding in mind. He thought.

A short bow appeared and it seems to double the effect of the Concentration Skill.

YES! it worked!

Jae-ki was so absorbed in his thought that he didn't notice Hoon knocking on his door.

knock..knock..knock...

[Disperse]

"Come in."

"Heeeey, what took you so long? I thought you're doing something, somethinggggg"

Jae-ki didn't get the joke so he just stare at him the whole time.

I'm not even surprised that you won't get that one. He thought.

"Anyway, the food is ready. Mother said you should eat with us starting today."

"Jae-ki's face brightens up and he smiles.

"Alright, wait for me... Let's go down together."

"Hurry up, don't make this young master wait for too long."

"Yeeeees, young master Hoonie.

"Tch... such a brat."

"Hahahaha..."