As I closed the door behind me, I slumped onto the bed with a sigh.
"What a tiring day..."
Recalling everything that had happened today, I let out a breath.
"No wonder this body looked so drained... so fragile."
A bitter smile tugged at my lips.
"Sister really is something else."
I paused, the weight of the moment settling in.
"So... she's truly gone now. I wonder if our paths will ever cross again."
I sat up on the bed and pulled out the scroll from my pocket, staring down at it.
'Why didn't she let me open it right away?'
"Open it when you get home, Luci. It's my last gift to you."
My fingers tightened around the scroll.
"Final gift, huh?"
I couldn't help but smile a little.
'What did she leave me? A martial art? A secret technique? Some kind of legacy Skill?'
Excitement buzzed through my chest as I unrolled the scroll.
The first line made my eyes pause:
======= Worldly Information of Thalvoria,
Cultivation Techniques and Legacies,
Sister's Personal Experiences, All in One Pack. =======
I stared at the scroll,
Speechless,
Blinking Once. Twice.
And just like that, my anticipation evaporated.
"This... is what she meant?"
It wasn't a technique.
No martial art.
Just... knowledge.
Her observations. Her understanding of the world. A guidebook.
I let out a long sigh and leaned back.
'Right. It made sense.'
"The old me probably didn't know any of this. She must've written it for that version—clueless, uninformed, weak."
Even if I already knew most of it—thanks to Arcadia—I couldn't just toss it aside.
Selena never half-assed anything. If she took the time to write this, it had to contain her own insights. And those might be more valuable than any textbook.
"But seriously, what's the point of dumping all this info for me to scroll through? If she really wanted to keep it private, she could've just sent a message, with a privacy tag or something."
I paused.
"Wait a second… I never checked Lucion's phone."
I glanced toward the drawer. "Maybe next time."
I returned my focus to the scroll and kept reading:
======= "All beings begin their cultivation journey in the Mortal Realm,
except for rare exceptions like elves, who are often born Awakened.
There are a total of nine ranks, each divided into five star-levels." =======
MortalAwakenedStarbornSolarbornAstral
"…That should be enough for your current strength to understand."
"If you want to know more… find out yourself."
======================================================
'Ohhh, my dear sister… I actually know way more than you.'
I casually flipped the bottom edge of the scroll and paused.
"Something felt... off."
My fingers brushed over the parchment again, slower this time. There, barely noticeable, a faint ridge hidden beneath the layers.
I pressed gently. A soft click answered me, followed by the tiniest vibration pulsing through my fingertips.
My brows furrowed.
I scratched at the seam, and after a few careful tugs, a small, metallic chip slipped into my palm.
"…An encryption chip?"
Did she hide this in the scroll?
'Why? If she wanted me to have it, why not give it directly?'
My thoughts swirled.
Encryption chips weren't toys.
They were used for high-level storage—sealed using mana signatures. Most couldn't be opened without a match. Some would even self-destruct if tampered with.
'Why go this far, Sis?'
'Then again... maybe she had her reasons. She's not that foolish, after all.'
A small smirk tugged at my lips.
"How unfortunate, Sis. I don't know what your intentions were… but I do know how to decrypt this."
'After all, I was the one who created the method.'
In Arcadia, encryption chips were used in a special minigame: Runic Echo, a mana-based logic duel where players battled with encrypted chips that stored secret data and rewards.
Most players couldn't break them.
But I could.
I discovered a loophole. By syncing mana pulses at a perfect rhythm, I could override the seal just long enough to extract the content.
'Let's see if it works here too…'
Then a doubt crept into my mind.
"Is this really alright? I mean... she sealed it for a reason."
'Well, I'll just make an excuse later if anything goes wrong.'
'Let's see what's in here.'
I closed my eyes and carefully channeled my mana into the chip.
Slowly.
One wrong flow and it could detonate.
The chip vibrated lightly, but didn't explode.
I exhaled in relief.
"It worked..."
Then, with a soft shimmer, something materialized.
I stared.
"No way..."
"A storage ring."
"One with high-grade internal space."
I poured mana into it, and its contents unfolded in my mind.
My jaw slackened.
Inside were:
A 3rd-tier armor set, resistant to even Starborn-level attacks.A 2nd-tier obsidian blade—slim, silent, lethal.A silver card tucked beneath it all.
I barely noticed the card. My mind was still processing the rest.
"Sister… you really outdid yourself."
'Although it's not a technique, this is exactly what I needed most.'
What shocked me most wasn't the contents; it was the tiers.
She gave me Tier 2 and Tier 3 gear.
Artifacts are ranked from Tier 1 to Tier 9, just like cultivation ranks.
And these were worth at least nine to ten million Celest.
Just the two blue mana stones alone were worth a million each.
My mouth went dry.
Even though the Zyphars were one of the Nine Great Families… after Selena's grandfather died, they fell hard. Hit rock bottom, really.
A cold thought crawled into my head.
'What if her father finds out she spent this much on me?'
"First, the revitalizing elixir. Then pills made from rare ingredients. And now this?"
"I need to return these to her somehow..."
Not because I'm some paragon of honesty or goodwill—honestly, I'm tempted.
But I have to think long-term.
"I didn't want to get caught up in the mess of those Great Families."
That's when I noticed the note.
======= LUCI—
Don't get upset. I know you couldn't pass the entrance exam.
This is a Special Admission I've prepared for you.
Don't you dare refuse it.
You know what'll happen if you do.
Also, thank Instructor Han for helping you decrypt this message.
Goodbye.
Your loving sister,
—Selena =======
"Damn... I messed up."
'This wasn't just a gift, it was her backup plan for me.'
'And Instructor Han... now I remember—he's connected to the Zyphar family. If he's part of sister's arrangements...'
'Then…'
"It's already over."
"I thought I could keep a low profile, but that hope vanished before it even began. Now all these important people are involved - and it's not even because of me. It's because of SIS"
I stared at the scrolls, my pulse spiking.
I could feel it, her intent woven into every line.
Not just care... but pressure.
"She's serious."
"Now I can't even refuse this..."
Sigh…
'All I wanted was a quiet life. How did I end up tied to all these crazy people...?'
I ran a hand through my hair, staring at the ceiling.
"Need to find a way out of this."
I looked at the card.
======= SPECIAL ADMISSION CARD =======
Cadet Name: Lucion D. Everhart
Year: First-Year Cadet
Course: Elite Cadet Advancement Program (ECAP)
Duration: 4 Years
=====================================
"It was real."
Knock knock.
"Dear?" mom's voice rang out. "Dinner's almost ready! When are you coming?"
"Five—no, ten minutes!" I called back.
"If you wait too long, it'll be cold," she replied, her voice carrying a gentle reminder..
Her words pulled me out of it.
A small, familiar anchor.
For a moment, I forgot the mess.
I grabbed a towel and headed for the shower.
Wrapped in steam, secrets, and a strange mix of relief and dread.
The shower was quick, but not rushed. The warmth washed away the tension I hadn't realized I'd been holding.
As the mirror cleared, I got a good look at myself.
"She really gave me a good haircut," I murmured,
I ran a hand over my newly-shorn hair, the pale strands springy with moisture.
"This face never ceases to amaze me. It framed my features better now, sharper, more defined."
"Hah, I thought cutting my hair would be enough to avoid attention... but it seems I was wrong."
After drying off, I dressed in a simple, comfortable outfit—an old, soft t-shirt and faded jeans. Nothing flashy, just something easy for the night.
But for once, I looked like someone who had his life together.
And more than that, I felt it.
Downstairs, the scent of spiced stew hit me before I even stepped into the dining hall.
"There you are," mom said, apron on, wooden spoon tucked in her pocket.
"I was starting to think you locked yourself in."
"Mom. You know me. Why would I?"
"I had to clean up properly," I added with a small smile as I sat down.
Dad chuckled. "You've looked worse."
"I'll take that as encouragement."
Dinner was already served, steamed rice, grilled vegetables, and a thick, rich stew filled with tender meat.
Comfort food at its finest.
I took a few bites, savoring the warmth.
'Wonder what the occasion is. Mom never made such a feast when Selena was here...'
We talked casually.
They asked about training. About Selena. When she'd be back.
I shrugged. "No idea."
Eventually, I set down my spoon.
"Mom, Dad... I need to tell you something."
They both paused, forks halfway to their mouths.
"I'll be leaving for Valora."
Elena blinked. "Valora? So soon? Luci, the entrance exam isn't until—"
"I know," I cut in softly. "But... I'm not taking the entrance exam."
They froze.
"I got special admission to Vortex."
Their eyes widened.
They stared at me.
I could see the questions starting to form on their faces.
But I raised my hand.
"It's not what you think."
Dad leaned back, folding his arms. "Vortex doesn't offer special admission lightly. Explain."
'So he knows about special admissions...' That caught me off guard.
Over the past few days, I'd come to see how well-informed Dad was about public affairs and the world's workings, but even this was unexpected.
I looked at him. His expression was serious.
'Looks like they won't buy this... I'll need to go further.'
"Well, sister gave me a card," I began, feeling the weight of the conversation. "It mentioned something about special admission."
I paused for a moment, gathering my thoughts.
"At first, I didn't really get what it meant. Then she explained it to me."
I looked between them. "She said I wouldn't need to take the entrance exam."
Silence.
Even the gentle clinking of spoons stopped.
Mom's brows furrowed. "Is she really the one to tell you this? Anything else she mentioned? Like a special assignment or something?"
'Oh, Mom too... does she know about the special admission as well?'
"No, she didn't mention anything else," I replied, doing my best to keep things calm.
"She just mentioned the privileges—like getting a better room, and being placed among the elite cadets in my batch…"
Curiously, I asked, "But why did you ask, Mom? Is there something strange about this special admission?"
She shook her head. "I thought if you got in so easily, there must be some requirements for it."
'So it was just her way of understanding it all...'
"I see," I said quietly, then smiled at them both.
"Don't worry, Mom and Dad. I won't be leaving tomorrow. Not for a couple of weeks, at least. I just… thought you should know ahead of time."
Mom looked like she wanted to protest, but Dad raised his hand gently.
"Let him go, honey," he said, his voice calm but firm. "His eyes said it before his words did."
She turned to him, surprised, but he simply met her gaze with quiet certainty.
"We can't force the life we want on him," he added. "The boy we raised is still there… but he's walking his own path now."
That silenced her.
For a while, none of us spoke.
Then Mom gently set a bowl in front of me. "Eat up. The stew's best when it's hot."
I gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Mom."
Dad added, "So you're planning to leave after a week?"
"So, how's your preparation going?" his tone shifting to a practical concern.
I didn't quite understand his question, but replied, "Fine, I guess. These days, I'll practice very hard."
I then let some of my aura slip out, just to see what kind of reaction it would get.
I looked at Dad, waiting for his response.
His expression seemed surprised, but I couldn't quite read it, like he was trying to hide something, or maybe even unsure of what he felt himself.
"Dad? Aren't you surprised?" I asked, sensing something off in his response.
"Oh, no... you really got me there," he said, clearing his throat, clearly trying to move past it.
Mom chimed in with a smile, "Dear, you're awakened now. I'm really happy for you. Tomorrow, we'll celebrate your new achievement!"
I quickly responded, "No need, Mom."
Darius interrupted, his voice a bit more serious. "So what's your plan, Lucion?"
Seeing the confusion on my face, he added quickly, "I mean, if you need money or financial help, just ask."
"Our farm had a good crop yield this year. So don't worry about money," Dad said, his voice steady with quiet reassurance.
Oh, so that's what it was… I realized. He wasn't just being generous; he was concerned.
Looking at his face, I saw it again—that familiar expression that reminded me of the man I used to call my father.
"No, Dad, it's fine. I've got it covered. I don't need money right now," I said gently, hoping to ease his worry.
Elena shook her head. "No, Luci, you need this," she insisted, her voice soft but unwavering.
I let out a small sigh. "Fine. If I need anything, I'll ask you, Dad. So don't worry."
The conversation carried on, drifting into simpler topics.
But beneath it all, I understood, without saying it aloud, that my departure had given them grave shock and displeasure.
Yet, somehow, they managed to overcome it. I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt, but it was also something I couldn't ignore. I couldn't stay.
'Such fleeting warmth... How rare it is to feel something so whole.' I thought to myself, the warmth of the moment lingering despite the tension. 'I hope we just stay as we are... just for a little longer.'