The book lay open before Rayan.
One hundred and twenty chapters.
One hundred and twenty opportunities for Grandpa to ruin his peaceful life.
Rayan stared at the book for a long moment before slowly turning his head toward the courtyard, where Grandpa was enjoying a cup of tea.
“Grandpa?”
“Hm?”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“If someone studies a book so thoroughly that he remembers every word, every sentence, and every little detail, does that mean he has reached the peak of knowledge?”
Grandpa took another sip of tea.
“Not necessarily.”
Rayan's face fell.
“What if he can also explain every chapter?”
“Better.”
“What if he can answer every question related to it?”
“Very good.”
“What if he can answer questions that haven't even been written in the book?”
Grandpa smiled. “Then he might be ready for the entrance examination.”
Rayan looked down at the book.
Then he looked back at Grandpa.
“Grandpa, I think I've discovered a serious problem.”
“What problem?”
“This book is trying to kill me.”
Grandpa burst into laughter.
Ran, who had been sitting beside Rayan with a smaller book in her lap, immediately raised her head.
“Is it the history book?”
“Yes.”
“Then be careful. The geography book is even more dangerous.”
Rayan turned toward her in disbelief.
“Why are you saying that so happily?”
“Because I've already finished it!”
Rayan's mouth fell open.
Grandpa nearly spilled his tea.
“Ran, you finished the entire geography book?”
“Of course!” She proudly lifted her chin. “I even memorized the locations of the five kingdoms.”
Rayan narrowed his eyes.
“Then tell me where the eastern border of the Kingdom of Veloria meets the neutral zone.”
Ran's confident expression froze.
She slowly lowered her book.
“That's a geography question.”
“Yes.”
“A difficult geography question.”
“It's from chapter thirty-seven.”
Ran stared at him.
Then she pointed an accusing finger at his face.
“You remembered the chapter number just to trap me!”
Rayan nodded solemnly.
“Knowledge is a dangerous weapon.”
Grandpa laughed so loudly that a nearby bird flew away from the roof.
“Enough, you two. Your examination is approaching. If you spend all your time arguing, neither of you will pass.”
Rayan and Ran immediately returned to their books.
For approximately three minutes, the courtyard became peaceful.
Then Ran whispered, “Rayan?”
“What?”
“Do you think the examination hall will have snacks?”
Rayan slowly closed his eyes.
Two years of preparation. Thousands of questions. Countless hours of training.
And this is the question that concerns her most.
“No,” he whispered.
Ran looked horrified.
“Then how are we supposed to survive?”
“By using the knowledge we've gained.”
“What if knowledge isn't enough?”
“Then we die with dignity.”
Ran gasped.
“Don't say such terrible things! I haven't even tried all the snacks in the market!”
Grandpa covered his face with one hand.
He was beginning to wonder whether teaching them necromancy had been easier than preparing them for an examination.
The Training Became Serious
As the examination drew closer, Grandpa changed their routine.
Their mornings began with physical training.
Their afternoons were dedicated to theoretical studies.
Their evenings were reserved for controlling Jet Black and strengthening their mental endurance.
And their nights were supposed to be for revision.
Unfortunately, Rayan had discovered that Grandpa considered the word supposed to be a meaningless excuse.
One evening, after an exhausting training session, Rayan dragged himself toward a chair.
Grandpa pointed at him.
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“Ten more laps around the courtyard.”
Rayan stopped moving.
“Grandpa, I believe there has been a misunderstanding.”
“What misunderstanding?”
“My legs have resigned.”
“Then train your legs until they reconsider.”
Rayan stared at him.
This family has no sympathy for the elderly.
He glanced toward Ran, hoping for support.
She was already running.
“Come on, Rayan!” she called. “If you finish first, I'll give you half my snack!”
Rayan's eyes sharpened.
“Half?”
“Two-thirds!”
Rayan immediately started running.
Grandpa watched the two children race around the courtyard, one motivated by discipline and the other by food.
He shook his head.
“At least they have found something that works.”
By the end of their preparations, their progress was remarkable.
Rayan's understanding of necromantic theory had improved significantly. He could explain the foundations of necromancy, the nature of Jet Black, and the relationship between mental strength and control.
His shadow-control technique had also become more refined. He could manipulate it with greater precision and use his storage technique more efficiently.
However, Grandpa still refused to teach him certain advanced techniques.
Whenever Rayan asked about them, Grandpa gave the same answer.
“Your mental strength is not sufficient yet.”
Rayan had begun to suspect that Grandpa used those words whenever he didn't want to explain something.
Ran, meanwhile, had made excellent progress in her control of Jet Black. Her memory was particularly impressive. Once she focused on a subject, she could remember even the smallest details. Read the latest chapters at g.com.
The problem was getting her to focus.
One afternoon, Grandpa asked her to explain the difference between two basic necromantic principles.
Ran answered perfectly.
He nodded approvingly.
“Good. Now explain the third principle.”
Ran opened her mouth.
Then she suddenly looked toward the kitchen.
“Grandma is making something!”
Grandpa's expression darkened.
“Ran.”
“Yes, Grandpa?”
“The third principle.”
“It's very important.”
“I agree.”
“Extremely important.”
“Then explain it.”
Ran thought for a moment.
“The third principle is that a hungry necromancer cannot become a great necromancer.”
Silence filled the courtyard.
Rayan slowly turned toward her.
“Where did you learn that?”
Ran smiled proudly.
“Personal experience.”
Grandpa sighed.
Rayan burst out laughing so hard that he nearly fell from his chair.
“Perhaps,” Grandpa muttered, “I should make you both study in separate rooms.”
“No!” Ran immediately protested.
Rayan wiped the tears from his eyes.
“Please don't, Grandpa. If you separate us, I'll have to answer all my own questions.”
“That is precisely the point.”
“Cruelty,” Rayan whispered. “Pure cruelty.”
Grandpa's Mock Examination
Several months before the examination, Grandpa announced that they would take a full mock test.
Rayan and Ran sat at a table in the courtyard.
In front of each of them lay a stack of papers.
Grandpa stood before them with an expression that was far too cheerful.
“Answer every question. You will have a limited amount of time. No talking, no helping each other, and no looking at anyone else's paper.”
Ran raised her hand.
“Yes?”
“Can I look at Rayan's paper if I only want to check whether he is suffering more than me?”
“No.”
“What if I look without reading?”
“No.”
“What if—”
“Ran.”
She lowered her hand.
Rayan leaned toward her and whispered, “You should save your questions for the examination.”
Grandpa's eyes shifted toward him.
“And you should save your voice for after the test.”
Rayan immediately sat straight.
The examination began.
At first, everything went smoothly.
Rayan answered the history questions, completed the geography section, and moved on to the foundations of necromancy.
Some questions were easy.
Others required careful thought.
A few seemed designed specifically to make him question the meaning of life.
Why does this question have three possible answers that all sound correct?
He read it again.
Then a third time.
Finally, he selected the answer he believed was correct and moved on.
Across the table, Ran was working just as hard. Her handwriting was neat, and she answered quickly when she knew the material.
But halfway through the examination, she stopped.
She stared at one question.
Then she looked at the ceiling.
Then she looked at the question again.
Rayan noticed her struggle but kept his eyes on his own paper.
A few seconds later, Ran raised her hand.
Grandpa approached her.
“What is it?”
“Grandpa, what should I do if I know the answer but cannot remember it?”
“Think carefully.”
“I have been thinking carefully.”
“Then think more carefully.”
Ran looked devastated.
“That sounds exhausting.”
“Continue.”
She lowered her head and returned to work.
When the time ended, Grandpa collected their papers.
Neither child spoke while he examined their answers.
Rayan sat with his hands folded.
Ran sat with her fingers crossed.
Grandpa read the first paper.
Then the second.
His expression remained unreadable.
Finally, he put the papers down.
“Well?”
Rayan could no longer hold back.
“How bad is it?”
Grandpa looked at him.
“Your theoretical understanding is strong. Your knowledge of history and geography is good, although you made a few careless mistakes.”
Rayan relaxed slightly.
“And Ran?”
“Her memory is excellent, but she needs to read questions more carefully. She occasionally answers what she thinks the question should be rather than what it actually asks.”
Ran lowered her head.
“I knew that question was suspicious.”
“That is not the problem,” Grandpa replied.
He then smiled.
“Overall, both of you have improved considerably. If you continue working at this pace, you should be well prepared for the entrance examination.”
Ran's face lit up.
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Did you hear that? We're going to pass!”
Rayan smiled.
“We haven't taken the actual examination yet.”
Ran's smile faded.
“Why must you destroy every beautiful moment?”
“Someone has to keep you realistic.”
“And someone has to remind you to eat.”
“That's Grandma's job.”
“Then Grandma has too much work!”
From the kitchen, Grandma's voice rang out.
“I heard that!”
Both children immediately became silent.
Grandpa looked at them and laughed.
Their future was still uncertain, but one thing was clear: they had grown stronger, learned more, and become better at facing difficulties together.
And that was exactly what he had wanted.
The Final Month
As the final month approached, the atmosphere in the house changed.
The books that had once seemed endless were now familiar.
The questions that had once caused confusion could usually be answered without hesitation.
Rayan and Ran continued their daily training, but Grandpa reduced the intensity of their physical exercises so that they would not exhaust themselves before the examination.
He also warned them against studying until they could barely keep their eyes open.
“Rest is part of preparation,” he explained. “A tired mind makes careless mistakes.”
Rayan nodded seriously.
At last, a training principle he could fully support.
Unfortunately, Grandpa followed this statement by giving them another revision assignment.
Rayan stared at the papers.
“Grandpa, I thought rest was part of preparation.”
“It is.”
“Then why are we studying?”
“Because you have not finished revising.”
Rayan looked at Ran.
Ran looked at Rayan.
Together, they returned to their books.
That evening, they sat outside and watched the sky grow darker.
Ran rested her chin on her knees.
“Rayan, are you nervous?”
“A little.”
“I'm more than a little nervous.”
“That's understandable.”
“What if the questions are difficult?”
“Then we'll answer the ones we know first.”
“What if we forget everything?”
“Then we'll remember it again.”
Ran gave him a suspicious look.
“That's not how memory works.”
“I was trying to comfort you.”
“You're terrible at it.”
Rayan smiled.
“Then I'll try something else. We've studied for a long time. We've trained hard. We can't control what questions appear on the paper, but we can control how well we prepare ourselves. Whatever happens, we will do our best.”
Ran was quiet for a moment.
Then she held out her little finger.
“Promise we'll try our hardest?”
Rayan hooked his little finger around hers.
“Promise.”
“And if one of us gets scared?”
“We remind each other why we started.”
“And if one of us wants to run away?”
“We drag that person back.”
Ran nodded firmly.
“Good. Because if you try to run away, I'll tell Grandpa.”
Rayan released her finger.
“That was a very touching moment until you threatened me.”
She giggled.
For a while, neither spoke.
The two children had started this journey with books they barely understood and a distant dream of entering the Necromancer Academy.
Now the examination was almost here.
Rayan glanced toward the deeper forest.
The strange marks he had discovered months earlier still occupied a small corner of his mind. The scorched bark, the unnatural impressions, the blackened patch of soil—he had not forgotten them.
But Grandpa had told him not to investigate alone, and he had kept his promise.
There would be time to seek answers later.
For now, his family and his future came first.
The next morning, Grandpa entered the courtyard carrying two travel bags.
Rayan noticed them immediately.
He slowly put down his book.
“Grandpa?”
“Yes?”
“Why are you carrying bags?”
“Because we're leaving.”
Ran sprang to her feet.
“Leaving where?”
Grandpa smiled.
“To the regional building of the Necromancer Alliance. Your written entrance examination is approaching, and we need to arrive before it begins.”
For several seconds, neither child moved.
Then Ran grabbed Rayan's sleeve.
“Rayan!”
“I heard him.”
“We're really going!”
“I heard him the first time!”
“THE EXAMINATION!”
“Yes, Ran!”
Grandpa watched them with an amused expression.
Then he added, “And if either of you forgets your documents, I will leave you at the entrance and return home.”
Both children rushed inside.
A moment later, Grandpa heard a crash.
Then Ran shouted, “RAYAN, WHY DID YOU PUT YOUR BOOKS ON TOP OF MY SNACK BAG?”
Rayan shouted back, “WHY ARE YOU PACKING SO MANY SNACKS?”
“BECAUSE THE EXAMINATION IS LONG!”
Grandpa closed his eyes.
He had trained them for years.
He had taught them theory, physical discipline, mental endurance, and control over Jet Black.
Yet somehow, getting them to pack a bag remained his greatest challenge.
He sighed.
“Perhaps the academy should have an entrance examination for parents as well.”