⟨Renji⟩
Mizuki and I had finally bought a house in this strange new world.
Even now, thinking back on it, the idea still felt unreal. Just a few months ago, I didn't even understand how this world worked—its magic, its people, its rules. And yet, somehow, here I was… standing in front of a place I could actually call my own.
The house itself was massive.
Far too large for just the two of us.
At first, it felt almost ridiculous. The empty halls echoed with every step, and the sheer size of it made it hard to believe we were supposed to live there. But slowly… bit by bit… it started to feel less like a structure and more like a home.
After securing the house, we bought furniture to fill the empty space.
Beds, a dining table, shelves—just the basics.
Still, even those small additions made a difference. The emptiness faded, replaced by something quieter… something more grounded. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough.
And then—
We started taking on guild quests.
At first, it was just to earn money.
Simple jobs. Low-risk tasks. Nothing too serious.
But… surprisingly—
It was fun.
Fighting E-rank monsters like slimes, baby goblins, and wild boars wasn't exactly thrilling in the way stories described heroic battles. There were no dramatic clashes or life-threatening moments.
But there was something else.
Something subtle.
Each time I defeated one, I felt a small sense of accomplishment. A quiet satisfaction that built up over time. It wasn't about danger—it was about progress.
About moving forward.
Two months passed.
Just like that.
Time flowed differently here. Days blurred together between training, quests, and study. Before I realized it, everything that once felt unfamiliar had started to become routine.
And in those two months—
I had changed.
Completely.
At first, controlling mana had been difficult.
Painfully slow.
It used to take me twenty-five to thirty minutes just to gather it properly. Every attempt required intense focus, and even then, the results were unstable.
But now—
It only took seconds.
The difference was overwhelming.
I could feel it clearly—the flow of mana inside my body, moving exactly where I wanted it to go. It wasn't forced anymore. It felt natural.
Almost instinctive.
A big part of that progress came from the books Rika had given me.
Three thick volumes.
Heavy. Detailed. Hard to read at times.
But incredibly valuable.
One focused on the history of the Humanlords—something I didn't fully understand at first but quickly realized was important.
The other two—
They were entirely about magic and mana control.
Those books changed everything.
I had also learned several basic spells.
"Fireball."
"Windblast."
"Waterjet."
Simple spells.
At least—that's what they were supposed to be.
In reality?
They were anything but easy.
I still remembered my first attempts at casting Fireball.
The burns on my face.
The sharp sting of failure.
The way the spell would collapse before forming properly—or worse, explode too early.
"…Yeah," I muttered quietly to myself, touching my cheek unconsciously. "That was not fun."
"You improved," Mizuki's voice echoed calmly in my mind.
"…After almost blowing my face off."
"That is part of learning."
"That's a terrible learning method."
"You survived."
"…Barely."
Mizuki had also taught me enhancement spells.
"Speedboost."
"Musclebuff."
Unlike elemental spells, these didn't create something outside my body.
Instead—
They changed me.
The moment I activated them, I could feel the difference instantly. My muscles responded faster. My movements became sharper. My strength increased beyond what I thought was possible.
With those spells—
Even low- to mid-level monsters became easy to handle.
What once felt like a challenge now felt manageable.
Controlled.
Every day, I trained.
Pushing my body further.
Testing my limits.
Breaking them—
Then rebuilding them again.
It was exhausting.
Painful.
But also—
Exciting.
Because for the first time, I could clearly see my progress.
⟨Narrator⟩
In just a few days, Renji had trained himself to the level of an A-rank adventurer.
What would normally take years—sometimes decades—had been compressed into an impossibly short span of time.
Yet to Renji, it didn't feel unnatural.
It simply felt like the result of effort.
Of repetition.
Of persistence.
Confident in his abilities, Renji made his way to see Hotaru.
The decision was simple.
If he wanted to move forward—
If he wanted to understand this world properly—
Then he needed proper education.
Eryndralis Academy was the obvious choice.
"Did you learn magic?"
Hotaru's voice was calm, but his eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Renji.
There was curiosity in his gaze.
And something else.
Something sharper.
Renji didn't answer immediately.
Instead—
He let his mana flow.
Not aggressively.
Not wildly.
Just enough for it to become visible.
A faint aura surrounded him, steady and controlled.
Hotaru froze.
For a brief moment, his expression broke.
"…This boy…"
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"…surely will surpass my brother."
Renji blinked.
"Huh?"
The mana around him faded slightly as he tilted his head.
"Did you say something?"
Hotaru immediately shook his head.
"No."
His expression returned to normal—but only on the surface.
"The entrance exams are next month," he continued. "You should spend this time gaining as much knowledge about the world as possible."
Renji nodded.
"Sure. Thanks a lot, uncle."
There was no hesitation in his tone.
No doubt.
He turned and walked toward the door.
As it closed behind him—
A voice echoed.
"Hey, Renji."
He paused.
"…Mm?"
"What do you want to do now?" Mizuki asked. "We have time."
Her tone was calm.
But there was curiosity beneath it.
Renji didn't think long.
"…Let's go to the library."
Even as he said it—
He felt it.
That quiet excitement rising again.
⟨Renji⟩
The Hoshizora Library welcomed us in silence.
Not an empty silence—
But a calm one.
The moment I stepped inside, something shifted.
The noise of the outside world faded completely, replaced by a stillness that felt… intentional.
Peaceful.
Tall wooden doors stood behind me as I entered.
Ahead—
Rows of shelves stretched endlessly toward the ceiling.
Each one filled.
Books.
Scrolls.
Records.
Knowledge.
So much of it that it felt impossible to take in all at once.
"…Whoa…" I whispered under my breath.
The scent reached me next.
Old paper.
Polished wood.
And something faint—
Almost like incense.
It lingered gently in the air, blending with the quiet atmosphere of the space.
Sunlight filtered through paper-paneled windows, casting soft, shifting patterns across the tatami mats below.
The light wasn't harsh.
It didn't demand attention.
It simply existed.
Low tables were arranged neatly across the floor.
Some occupied.
Some empty.
Each one placed with careful precision, as if even the layout of the room followed a certain order.
"…This place feels… different," I muttered.
"It is a place of knowledge," Mizuki replied calmly.
"…Yeah. I can tell."
At the front—
A middle-aged man sat behind a reception desk.
Glasses rested neatly on his nose as he stamped a stack of books with steady, practiced movements.
Each motion precise.
Measured.
Unhurried.
He looked up.
Noticing me.
And smiled.
"Good morning."
I stepped forward slightly and bowed my head.
"Good morning."
"Are you here to register for a library card?" he asked, adjusting his glasses.
"Yes, please."
He handed me a form.
"Fill in your details. The registration fee is five gold coins."
I nodded and took it.
The paper felt smooth beneath my fingers.
Carefully—
I wrote everything down.
Name.
Date of birth.
Registration number.
Each word deliberate.
When I handed it back, he reviewed it briefly.
Then—
Stamp.
The sound was clean.
Final.
He handed me a small laminated card.
"Here is your library card. With this, you may borrow books and access restricted sections. Please return all materials on time."
I took it.
And paused.
It was simple.
Small.
Light.
But as I held it—
I could feel it.
This wasn't just a card.
It was access.
To knowledge.
To understanding.
To everything I didn't know yet.
"…Thank you," I said quietly.
And without wasting another second—
I moved deeper into the library.