The journey to the regional building of the Necromancer Alliance began early in the morning.
Grandpa led the way while Rayan and Ran followed behind him.
Rayan carried a modest bag containing his documents, a few necessary items, and one small book for last-minute revision.
Ran carried a bag that appeared to be packed for a month-long expedition.
Grandpa glanced at it.
“Ran, what exactly have you packed?”
“Important things.”
“Such as?”
“Water, food, extra food, emergency food, and my examination materials.”
Rayan turned toward her.
“Why do you have three different kinds of emergency food?”
She looked at him as if he had asked the stupidest question in the world.
“Because emergencies come in different sizes.”
Grandpa continued walking.
He had decided not to ask any further questions.
The Regional Building
After several hours of travel, they finally arrived.
Rayan stopped walking.
Before them stood a massive stone building surrounded by a high wall. The structure was several stories tall, with broad staircases leading to enormous entrance doors.
Dark symbols had been carved into the pillars.
Above the main entrance was the emblem of the Necromancer Alliance.
Necromancers wearing robes of different colors moved in and out of the building. Some carried documents, while others spoke quietly with their companions. A few stood in small groups, discussing the upcoming examination.
The entire place felt different from the quiet village where Rayan had grown up.
Here, necromancy was not simply a family tradition or a skill taught in a courtyard.
It was an organized discipline, supported by institutions, rules, and generations of practitioners.
Rayan looked up at the building.
“So this is where they conduct the regional examination?”
Grandpa nodded.
“This building belongs to the Necromancer Alliance. It handles several regional matters, including the written entrance examinations for recognized necromancer schools.”
Ran stared at the entrance.
“It's enormous.”
“Indeed.”
“Do you think the examination room is also enormous?”
“Probably.”
“Do you think the desks are enormous?”
Grandpa looked at her.
“Why would the desks be enormous?”
She considered this carefully.
“So that the students have enough space to write.”
Rayan rubbed his forehead.
“Ran, you don't need a desk the size of a house to write an answer.”
“What if I have a very long answer?”
“Then you should learn to write shorter answers.”
Ran looked personally offended.
Grandpa chuckled and led them toward the entrance.
As they climbed the steps, Rayan noticed other children arriving with their families.
Some looked excited.
Others were visibly nervous.
A boy near the entrance was repeating historical dates under his breath. A girl stood beside her father, reading through a small booklet. Two candidates were arguing about whether a particular kingdom had changed its border during an old war.
Rayan listened for a moment.
He recognized the subject.
Chapter twenty-four. Border changes and regional treaties.
He almost smiled.
At least the book had been useful.
Ran leaned toward him.
“Do you think everyone here is as nervous as we are?”
“Probably.”
“What if they're all geniuses?”
“Then we'll have to work harder.”
“What if they're geniuses who also have excellent memories?”
“Then we'll have to work harder.”
“What if they're geniuses with excellent memories and very good handwriting?”
Rayan stopped.
He looked at her.
“Ran, are you planning to lose the examination before it even begins?”
“No!” she protested. “I'm preparing for every possible enemy!”
“Your greatest enemy is your own imagination.”
Grandpa laughed.
“Enough. Come with me.”
The Registration Desk
Inside the building, a large hall had been prepared for the candidates.
Several desks stood along one side, each marked with a sign. Alliance staff members sat behind them, checking documents and directing applicants.
Grandpa led the children to the registration desk.
A woman wearing the official robes of the Necromancer Alliance looked up.
“Good morning. Are these the candidates for the written entrance examination?”
“Yes,” Grandpa replied.
“Please provide their registration documents.”
Rayan immediately took out his papers.
Ran opened her bag.
Then she froze.
Her expression changed so quickly that Rayan noticed at once.
“What happened?”
Ran searched the main compartment.
Then the smaller compartment.
Then the side pocket.
She looked inside the bag again.
Finally, she raised her head.
“Rayan.”
He recognized that tone.
It was the tone people used immediately before disaster.
“What?”
“I can't find my documents.”
Rayan stared at her.
Grandpa slowly turned his head.
The registration officer waited patiently.
Ran searched again, this time with increasing desperation.
“My papers were here! I remember putting them here!”
Rayan closed his eyes.
Please, let this be a nightmare. Let me wake up in the courtyard with Grandpa ordering another hundred laps.
“Ran,” he said carefully, “did you put them in your bag yourself?”
“Yes!”
“Did you check the bag before we left?”
“Yes!”
“Then where are they?”
Ran's eyes widened.
A terrible possibility had occurred to her.
“What if the documents escaped?”
Silence.
The registration officer blinked.
Rayan stared at Ran as if he had never met her before.
Grandpa pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Documents do not escape.”
“You don't know that for certain, Grandpa.”
“Ran.”
“Yes?”
“Check the front pocket.”
She opened it.
The documents were inside.
Ran slowly pulled them out.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she smiled brightly and handed them to the officer.
“Found them!”
Rayan leaned toward her.
“Your documents were in the front pocket?”
“Yes.”
“The front pocket you checked twice?”
Ran nodded.
Rayan looked at the ceiling.
“I am going to become the greatest necromancer in history, not because of my talent, but because surviving this friendship has strengthened my mental endurance.”
Grandpa laughed so hard that the registration officer had to wait before continuing.
After checking the documents, the officer stamped their registration forms and handed them back.
“Your registration is complete. Please proceed to the waiting area. Candidates will be called into the examination hall when the staff are ready.”
“Thank you,” Grandpa said.
He guided the children toward the waiting area.
As they walked away, Ran leaned toward Rayan.
“I'm glad I found the documents.”
“So am I.”
“Why?”
“Because Grandpa would have sent us home, and I would never have forgiven you.”
Ran considered that.
Then she held out a small packet of snacks.
“Here. Peace offering.”
Rayan accepted it immediately.
“Your mistake is forgiven.”
“That quickly?”
“I'm a very understanding person.”
Grandpa looked back at them.
“You two are impossible.”
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Before the Examination
The waiting area was filled with candidates.
Some sat quietly.
Others reviewed their notes.
A few tried to appear confident, although their restless movements betrayed their nerves.
Rayan found two empty seats and sat down beside Ran.
He took out his small revision book.
Ran looked at it.
“Are you really going to study now?”
“Just a little revision.”
“But we've been preparing for years.”
“Which is why I don't want to forget something simple.”
Ran thought about that and opened her own book.
For several minutes, they studied in silence.
Then she whispered, “Rayan?”
“Hm?”
“What if I forget the answer to a question?”
“Skip it and return to it later.”
“What if I forget where I skipped it?”
“Mark it.”
“What if I forget to mark it?”
Rayan slowly shut his book.
“Then you will have to trust yourself.”
Ran looked down at her notes.
Her fingers tightened around the pages.
For the first time that morning, she seemed genuinely afraid.
“What if I don't pass?”
Rayan's expression softened.
He knew how much this examination meant to her.
They had studied together, trained together, and promised that neither would give up before trying their best.
He could not promise her success.
But he could remind her of what they had already achieved.
“We've prepared for this,” he said quietly. “You remember things better than almost anyone I know. You've worked hard, and you've improved a lot. Don't let fear make you forget that.”
Ran looked at him.
“And you?”
“What about me?”
“Are you afraid?”
Rayan considered the question.
“Yes.”
She seemed surprised.
“You are?”
“Of course. I'm not made of stone.”
“Sometimes you act like you are.”
“That's because if I show weakness, Grandpa gives me more exercises.”
From a few seats away, Grandpa spoke without even turning around.
“I heard that.”
Rayan sat straight.
“I was praising your training methods.”
“Then you can demonstrate your gratitude with twenty more laps after we return.”
Rayan's face went blank.
Ran covered her mouth to hide her laughter.
“Grandpa,” Rayan said solemnly, “I believe we should maintain a respectful distance during the examination.”
“Why?”
“So that my concentration is not disturbed.”
“Of course.”
Rayan suspected that smile.
He suspected it very much.
Before he could say anything else, a staff member entered the waiting area.
“Candidates for the written entrance examination, please listen carefully.”
The conversations gradually stopped.
“The examination will test your knowledge of history, geography, general knowledge, and the foundational principles of necromancy. Read each question carefully. You must follow the instructions provided on your examination papers. Communication between candidates is prohibited once the examination begins.”
Ran nodded repeatedly.
Rayan leaned toward her.
“Remember. Read the question carefully.”
“I know.”
“Don't answer a question you wish they had asked.”
“I know!”
“And don't think your documents will escape.”
Ran elbowed him.
The staff member continued explaining the rules and procedures.
Soon, the candidates were instructed to line up.
Grandpa stood before Rayan and Ran.
His usual teasing expression had disappeared, replaced by quiet seriousness.
“You have both worked hard to reach this day,” he said. “Remember that an examination is not the end of your journey. It is only one step. Stay calm, read carefully, and answer to the best of your ability.”
Rayan nodded.
Ran did the same.
Grandpa placed a hand on each of their heads.
“I believe in you.”
For a moment, neither child spoke.
Those words meant more to them than any promise of reward.
Rayan looked at Grandpa and smiled.
“We'll do our best.”
Ran nodded firmly.
“Both of us!”
Grandpa stepped aside.
“Then go.”
The Written Test
The examination hall was larger than Rayan had expected.
Rows of desks filled the room, each separated by enough space to prevent candidates from easily seeing one another's papers.
Tall windows allowed sunlight to enter, while protective symbols had been carved into the walls.
A staff member directed Rayan and Ran to their assigned seats.
They sat several rows apart.
Ran looked toward Rayan before sitting down.
He gave her a small nod.
She returned it.
Then the examination papers were distributed.
Rayan placed his hands on the desk and took a slow breath.
All right.
History. Geography. General knowledge. Necromantic foundations.
I've studied these subjects for years.
There is no reason to panic.
The staff member gave the signal.
“Begin.”
Rayan turned over the paper.
His eyes moved across the first page.
Question one.
Question two.
Question three.
He read each question carefully before answering.
The opening section was manageable. Several questions concerned the five kingdoms and the major events that had shaped their borders.
He remembered Grandpa's lessons and wrote his answers.
The next section covered geography.
He paused at one question involving the neutral zone.
After thinking for a moment, he recalled the relevant map and selected his answer.
Thank you, geography book. You may live another day.
Then came the general knowledge section.
Some questions were familiar.
Others required more thought.
Rayan resisted the temptation to spend too long on any single problem. He answered what he knew, marked the difficult questions, and returned to them later.
When he reached the necromantic foundations section, his concentration sharpened.
He had spent countless hours studying these principles with Grandpa.
He understood the importance of mental strength, the basic nature of Jet Black, and the discipline required to control it.
He answered steadily.
Across the hall, Ran was working just as hard.
She carefully read every question, remembering Grandpa's warnings about careless mistakes.
At one point, she nearly marked an answer without reading the final line.
Then she stopped.
She read the question again.
Her eyes widened.
Oh! That's a trick question!
She corrected her answer and silently thanked Grandpa for making her practise.
The examination continued.
Time passed.
Rayan reached the final page and checked the remaining questions. He returned to the ones he had marked earlier, reconsidered his answers, and corrected one mistake.
He then reviewed the paper from beginning to end.
When the staff member announced that time was nearly over, he checked the final page once more.
Finally, the instruction came.
“Stop writing. Put down your pens.”
Rayan placed his pen on the desk.
For a moment, he simply sat there.
It was finished.
Years of preparation, countless training sessions, hundreds of study hours, and a suspiciously large number of exercises had led to this moment.
He had completed the written examination.
The staff collected the papers.
Rayan left the hall and waited in the designated area.
A few minutes later, Ran appeared.
She looked at him.
He looked at her.
Neither spoke.
Then Ran whispered, “I think it went well.”
Rayan's face brightened.
“Really?”
“I answered most of the questions. There were a few difficult ones, but I remembered what Grandpa taught us.”
“That's good.”
“What about you?”
“I think I did well too.”
Ran let out a breath she seemed to have been holding for the entire examination.
Then she smiled.
“We did it!”
“We completed the examination,” Rayan corrected. “We don't know the results yet.”
Ran's smile vanished.
“Rayan.”
“Yes?”
“Can't you let me be happy for five minutes?”
He considered the request.
“Four minutes and fifty-nine seconds.”
She chased him around the waiting area.
Grandpa watched them from a distance and shook his head.
The examination was over, but apparently the children still had enough energy to run.
He wondered whether the academy could use them as part of its physical training programme.
The Waiting Period
The results were not announced immediately.
The Alliance staff explained that the answer sheets would be evaluated and that candidates would be notified once the results had been finalized.
Grandpa took Rayan and Ran home.
The journey back felt shorter than the journey there.
Perhaps because neither child was carrying the weight of an upcoming examination anymore.
Ran talked almost the entire way.
She discussed the questions she had answered, the ones she had found difficult, and the answer she had nearly changed at the last moment.
Rayan listened and occasionally offered his opinion.
Grandpa mostly listened in silence.
When they finally arrived home, Grandma came out to meet them.
“How did it go?”
Ran rushed toward her.
“Grandma! I think we did well!”
Grandma smiled and embraced her.
“And you, Rayan?”
“I believe I did well too.”
Grandpa nodded.
“They both completed the examination seriously. Now we must wait for the results.”
Grandma looked relieved.
“Then you two should rest. You have worked hard.”
Rayan immediately sat down.
For once, he had no objection to resting.
Ran sat beside him and opened her snack bag.
Rayan stared at her.
“You still have snacks left?”
“Of course.”
“How?”
“I prepared for emergencies.”
Rayan looked at Grandpa.
“Grandpa, I think we should investigate this ability. Her storage capacity exceeds mine.”
Grandpa laughed.
“Eat your snacks, both of you.”
For the next several days, life returned to something close to normal.
Rayan continued his training, though Grandpa did not push him as hard as before. Ran practised controlling Jet Black and reviewed her notes occasionally.
But the examination remained in the back of their minds.
Whenever footsteps approached the house, Ran looked toward the entrance.
Whenever someone mentioned the Necromancer Alliance, Rayan became attentive.
They tried not to discuss the results too often.
They failed almost every day.
One afternoon, Ran sat beside Rayan in the courtyard.
“Do you think the results will come tomorrow?”
“I don't know.”
“What about the day after tomorrow?”
“I don't know.”
“Next week?”
“Ran, I am not secretly working for the Alliance.”
She sighed.
“Waiting is terrible.”
Rayan nodded.
“Agreed.”
Grandpa, who was passing nearby, stopped.
“If you have enough energy to complain, you have enough energy to train.”
Both children turned toward him.
“Grandpa!”
He smiled.
“Ten laps.”
Rayan slowly stood.
Ran followed him.
As they began running, Rayan muttered, “If we pass, I'm going to ask the academy to teach us how to avoid Grandpa's training sessions.”
Ran shook her head.
“That's impossible.”
“Why?”
“Because Grandpa would probably become the academy's chief instructor.”
Rayan stopped for half a second.
Then he ran faster.
That possibility was far too terrifying to ignore.
The Admission Slips
Several days later, a messenger from the Necromancer Alliance arrived at the Zu family home.
Grandpa was the first to notice him.
The messenger carried an official envelope bearing the Alliance emblem.
“I'm here to deliver the examination results for two candidates,” he said. “Rayan Zu and Ran.”
Inside the house, Ran was eating.
Rayan was reading.
Both heard their names.
Both rushed toward the entrance.
Ran nearly collided with Rayan.
“You go first!”
“No, you go first!”
“Why should I go first?”
“Because you ran faster!”
“That doesn't make any sense!”
Grandpa took one step forward.
“Both of you, stop.”
They froze.
He accepted the envelope from the messenger and thanked him.
The messenger departed.
For several seconds, Grandpa simply held the envelope.
Rayan and Ran stood before him, barely breathing.
Grandma appeared behind them. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
“What is it?”
“The results have arrived,” Grandpa replied.
Ran clasped her hands together.
“Please open it!”
Grandpa broke the seal.
He removed the documents and began reading.
His expression gave nothing away.
Rayan watched his face.
Ran watched his hands.
Grandma watched all three of them.
Finally, Grandpa raised his head.
A smile spread across his face.
“Congratulations.”
Ran blinked.
“What?”
“You both passed the written examination.”
For one second, the courtyard became completely silent.
Then Ran screamed.
“WE PASSED!”
She jumped into the air, landed awkwardly, and grabbed Rayan by the shoulders.
“RAYAN! WE PASSED! WE REALLY PASSED!”
Rayan stared at Grandpa.
“Both of us?”
“Both of you.”
A grin slowly spread across his face.
He had hoped they would pass.
He had worked hard for it.
But hearing the result from Grandpa made it feel real in a way he had not expected.
“We did it,” he whispered.
Grandpa handed them their documents.
“These are your official admission slips. Your examination results have qualified you for admission to the Royal Necromancer Academy, one of the finest necromancer schools in the kingdoms.”
Rayan's eyes widened.
The Royal Necromancer Academy.
He had heard of it during their studies. It was renowned for its instructors, extensive library, advanced training facilities, and strict selection standards.
Only candidates who met its requirements could enter.
And now, he and Ran had earned their admission slips.
Ran held hers with both hands as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.
“Does this mean we're going to study at the best school?”
Grandpa nodded.
“If you complete the remaining admission procedures and arrive when instructed, yes.”
Ran looked as though she might cry.
Then she turned toward Rayan.
“We're going together!”
Rayan smiled.
“We're going together.”
She hugged him so suddenly that he nearly dropped his admission slip.
“Don't lose it!” Grandpa warned.
Rayan immediately held the document above his head.
“I'm protecting it!”
Ran released him and inspected her own slip.
Then she looked at Grandpa.
“Grandpa, does this mean Rayan gets his three scrolls now?”
Rayan turned so quickly that his neck almost made a sound.
“Grandpa!”
Grandpa's smile vanished.
“Why are you bringing that up at a time like this?”
“Because you promised!”
“I promised to give you the scrolls when you joined the school to learn necromancy.”
“And now we're admitted!”
“Admission is not the same as joining.”
Rayan stared at him.
Grandpa stared back.
Ran slowly raised her hand.
“Grandpa, that sounds like you're changing the rules.”
Grandpa looked at her.
“Would you like ten laps?”
She lowered her hand.
“No, Grandpa.”
Rayan sighed.
The three scrolls. So close, yet so far away.
Still, he couldn't stop smiling.
They had earned something important today.
And he was determined to earn the rest.
A Celebration at Home
Grandma refused to let the day pass without a proper celebration.
The moment she heard the news, she went straight into the kitchen and announced that everyone would be having a special dinner.
Ran volunteered to help.
This lasted until Grandma asked her to wash some vegetables.
Ran stared at the vegetables.
Then she looked toward the courtyard, where Rayan was helping Grandpa arrange the table.
“Grandma?”
“Yes?”
“Wouldn't it be more efficient if I supervised Rayan instead?”
Grandma didn't even turn around.
“No.”
“But I have excellent leadership skills!”
“Then lead those vegetables to the washing basin.”
Ran reluctantly obeyed.
Meanwhile, Rayan was arranging the plates.
Grandpa watched him for a moment.
“You look pleased with yourself.”
“I'm pleased with both of us.”
“Good answer.”
Rayan placed the final plate on the table.
“Grandpa, now that we've passed, does this mean you can finally teach me something advanced?”
Grandpa considered the question.
“Perhaps.”
Rayan's eyes lit up.
“Really?”
“When your mental strength is sufficient.”
Rayan's smile disappeared.
“Grandpa, I have just received admission to one of the best necromancer schools in the kingdoms.”
“And I am very proud of you.”
“Then why—”
“Because your mental strength is still not sufficient.”
Rayan slowly turned away.
He had defeated the written examination.
He had survived years of training.
He had earned admission to a prestigious academy.
Yet the final boss of his childhood remained undefeated.
His grandfather.
By evening, the entire family had gathered for the celebration.
The table was filled with delicious food. Grandma had prepared several dishes, and Grandpa had even brought out a special drink reserved for important family occasions.
Ran sat beside Rayan, carefully keeping her admission slip away from the food.
Every few minutes, she took it out to look at it again.
Rayan finally noticed.
“Ran, the words aren't going to change.”
“I know.”
“Then why do you keep checking?”
“Because I like seeing it.”
She held the slip close to her chest.
“Do you know how many times I imagined this day?”
Rayan became quiet.
He remembered their early study sessions, when Ran had struggled to remember certain lessons and he had struggled to explain them.
He remembered the mock examinations, the training, the arguments, and the promises they had made.
They had not reached this point by luck alone.
They had worked for it.
Grandpa raised his cup.
“To Rayan and Ran. You both worked hard, and today your efforts have been rewarded. This is only the beginning, so continue learning, continue training, and never become careless just because you've achieved something.”
Grandma smiled warmly.
“And remember to eat properly.”
Ran immediately raised her cup.
“That is the most important advice!”
Rayan shook his head.
“You were waiting for someone to mention food.”
“Of course. This is a celebration.”
Grandpa chuckled.
“To their future, then.”
Everyone raised their cups.
“To their future!”
The meal began.
Ran praised every dish and asked Grandma how she had prepared them. Rayan ate happily, enjoying the rare occasion when nobody was ordering him to run around the courtyard.
For once, Grandpa did not assign any exercises.
For once, there were no books to finish, no mock examinations to take, and no questions waiting to expose gaps in their knowledge.
There was only the warmth of their family and the happiness of having achieved something together.
After dinner, Grandma brought out a special dessert.
Ran's eyes shone.
Rayan stared at her.
“Don't tell me you have room for more food.”
She looked offended.
“Rayan, I have room for celebration.”
“That's not a real thing.”
“It is now.”
She took a large bite.
Rayan laughed.
Grandpa leaned back in his chair and watched the children.
They were growing up.
Soon, they would leave home to enter the academy, meet new people, face unfamiliar challenges, and begin a different part of their lives.
He was proud of them.
Yet beneath that pride lay a quiet concern.
The world beyond their home was not always kind.
The strange marks in the forest had not been forgotten, and there were matters he had not yet explained to the children.
But tonight was not the time for those worries.
Tonight belonged to Rayan and Ran.
As the evening grew late, Rayan stepped outside and looked up at the stars.
Ran joined him, holding her admission slip.
“We really did it,” she said softly.
“Yes.”
“And we're going to the same academy.”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“I was afraid we'd be separated.”
Rayan looked at her.
“I remember.”
“But we passed together.”
He nodded.
“We did.”
Ran held out her little finger.
“Then let's make another promise.”
Rayan hooked his little finger around hers.
“What promise?”
“That we'll keep helping each other at the academy, just like we did here.”
Rayan smiled.
“Of course.”
“And that we'll both become strong necromancers.”
“Of course.”
“And that you'll share your snacks with me.”
Rayan's smile vanished.
“Wait. That wasn't part of the agreement.”
“It is now.”
“Ran!”
She laughed and ran back into the house.
Rayan followed her, protesting all the way.
From inside, Grandpa's laughter echoed through the courtyard.
For the first time in a long while, Rayan felt that the future was something he could look forward to without fear.
He had a family that cared for him.
A friend who had walked beside him through every challenge.
And now, an admission slip that opened the door to a new world.
The Royal Necromancer Academy awaited them.
Their journey was only beginning.