The first day of the journey passed peacefully.
At least, that was what Rayan would have said if Grandpa had not turned the carriage into a moving classroom.
Every few hours, Grandpa asked them questions about the five kingdoms, the history of necromancy, and the basic principles of controlling Jet Black.
Ran answered many of them correctly.
Rayan answered most of them correctly.
And whenever Rayan gave an answer that was technically correct but unnecessarily complicated, Grandpa made him explain it again in simpler words.
By the end of the day, Rayan had reached an important conclusion.
There are two kinds of people in this world.
Those who use a carriage to travel.
And those who use a carriage to torture children through education.
Grandpa belonged firmly to the second category.
As evening approached, the carriage stopped at an inn along the road.
The journey to the port city would take around five days, and Grandpa had arranged several stops along the way.
After dinner, Rayan and Ran sat outside the inn beneath the night sky.
Ran stretched her arms.
“Finally. No questions.”
Grandpa's voice came from behind them.
“What is the difference between a curse and a binding technique?”
Ran immediately stood up.
“I suddenly remembered something important inside!”
She ran into the inn.
Rayan stared after her.
Incredible. Her survival instincts are improving.
Grandpa sat beside him.
“Rayan.”
“Yes?”
“You've been quiet for a while.”
“I was appreciating the peaceful night.”
“Good. Then you'll have no trouble answering a few questions.”
Rayan looked up at the stars.
I should have run with Ran.
The Three Promised Scrolls
The following morning, the carriage resumed its journey.
Rayan had endured Grandpa's questioning for another hour when he finally straightened his back.
“Grandpa.”
“What is it?”
“You said that you would give me three scrolls when I joined the academy to learn necromancy.”
Grandpa glanced at him.
“I remember.”
Rayan stretched out his hand.
“Then I believe the time has come.”
Ran turned toward them immediately.
“Oh! The scrolls!”
Grandpa sighed.
“You really have an excellent memory when it comes to things you want.”
“Thank you, Grandpa.”
“That was not praise.”
“I choose to receive it as praise.”
Grandpa shook his head and reached into his storage item.
He took out three old scrolls and placed them in Rayan's hands.
Rayan's eyes shone.
He had been waiting for these for a long time.
He carefully inspected the scrolls. Their surfaces were marked with unfamiliar symbols, and each appeared to contain a different technique or body of knowledge.
He could feel the faint traces of power sealed within them.
Before he could examine them more closely, Grandpa raised a finger.
“Listen carefully. These scrolls contain knowledge that you are not yet prepared to use freely. Read them carefully, but don't become distracted from your academy studies.”
Rayan nodded.
“Understood.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Then repeat what I just said.”
Rayan paused.
Grandpa smiled.
Rayan slowly lowered the scrolls.
“You told me not to become distracted from my academy studies.”
“Good.”
“Can I read them during meals?”
“No.”
“Before sleeping?”
“Only if you have completed your responsibilities.”
“During travel?”
“We are travelling right now.”
“Exactly. So technically—”
“Rayan.”
“Yes, Grandpa?”
“Would you like me to take them back?”
Rayan immediately hugged the scrolls.
“No, Grandpa. I have understood your instructions perfectly.”
Ran laughed.
Grandpa shook his head.
Then he reached into his storage item once more.
Rayan blinked.
“Grandpa? Didn't you give me all three?”
“These are different.”
Grandpa took out two additional scrolls.
Unlike the first three, these appeared to be more recently prepared. Their bindings were simple, and the markings on their surfaces looked slightly different.
“I prepared these two using my own knowledge,” Grandpa explained. “The first three contain the techniques I promised you. These two are reference materials that will help you understand certain principles behind them.”
Rayan looked at the two scrolls in surprise.
“You wrote these yourself?”
“Yes.”
For once, Rayan did not make a joke.
He understood that knowledge was not something Grandpa handed out carelessly. If his grandfather had taken the time to prepare two additional scrolls, they must contain something important.
He accepted them respectfully.
“Thank you, Grandpa.”
Grandpa nodded.
“Use them wisely.”
Rayan stored all five scrolls in his shadow space.
The scrolls disappeared into his shadow, leaving no visible trace behind.
Ran watched the process with fascination.
“Your shadow space is really convenient.”
Rayan smiled.
“Indeed.”
“Can you store snacks in it?”
“Yes.”
“Can you store my snacks in it?”
“No.”
Ran immediately looked at Grandpa.
“Grandpa, Rayan is refusing to help his fellow student.”
Grandpa replied without hesitation.
“Then you should learn the technique yourself.”
Ran looked at Rayan.
Rayan looked at Ran.
Then he smiled.
“See? Grandpa believes in self-improvement.”
Ran turned away.
“One day, I will become powerful enough to steal all your snacks.”
Rayan's smile froze.
This girl is becoming dangerous.
The Royal Necromancer Academy
After the scrolls had been safely stored, Ran leaned toward Grandpa.
“Grandpa, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Have you studied at the Royal Necromancer Academy too?”
Grandpa smiled.
“Yes.”
Ran's eyes widened.
“Really?”
Rayan turned toward him as well.
“You never told us much about your time there.”
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“Because I wanted you to experience the academy yourselves.”
Ran leaned forward.
“Tell us something about it!”
Grandpa looked through the carriage window at the passing countryside.
For a moment, his expression became distant.
“I studied there many years ago,” he began. “It was a place filled with exceptionally talented people. The students came from powerful families, old bloodlines, and regions where necromancy had been practised for generations.”
He paused.
“But talent alone was never enough.”
Rayan listened carefully.
Grandpa continued.
“Students were expected to improve continuously. The instructors did not care whether you had once been considered a genius in your hometown. Once you entered the academy, everyone was judged by their performance.”
Ran nodded.
“That sounds fair.”
Grandpa smiled faintly.
“I was expelled during my second year, in the fourth semester.”
The carriage became silent.
Rayan stared at him.
Ran stared at him.
Even the driver seemed to become more attentive.
Finally, Ran spoke.
“Grandpa... you were expelled?”
“Yes.”
“From the Royal Necromancer Academy?”
“Yes.”
“In your second year?” Visit g.com for the full chapter.
“Fourth semester.”
Ran slowly turned toward Rayan.
Rayan slowly turned toward Ran.
They exchanged the same expression.
Our grandfather was expelled?
Grandpa looked at them.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Rayan immediately straightened.
“No reason, Grandpa.”
Ran nodded quickly.
“Absolutely no reason!”
Grandpa narrowed his eyes.
“You both look as if you have discovered that I used to steal vegetables from the market.”
Rayan nearly choked.
“Grandpa! Why would you steal vegetables?”
“Exactly. So stop looking at me like that.”
Ran pressed her lips together, desperately trying not to laugh.
Grandpa sighed.
“Listen. The academy is not an ordinary school. Every year, thousands of students may be admitted through its entrance process. More than five thousand students can begin their studies in a typical intake, depending on the academy's selection and available places.”
He paused before continuing.
“But graduation is another matter. The academy maintains extremely high standards. Students who fail to meet the required level of progress can be expelled.”
Rayan's expression became serious.
“How many actually graduate?”
“Usually no more than a hundred or so from an intake, sometimes a little more. The exact number changes from year to year.”
Ran's mouth fell open.
“Out of more than five thousand?”
Grandpa nodded.
“That's why you must not assume that passing the entrance examination means your future is secured.”
The atmosphere inside the carriage changed.
Until now, the academy had seemed like the destination of a long and exciting journey.
Now, Rayan understood that admission was only the first gate.
Beyond it lay a place where even talented students could fail.
He glanced at the five scrolls stored in his shadow space.
Grandpa was expelled from the academy.
And he still became an exceptionally powerful necromancer.
The thought was strangely comforting.
But it also raised another question.
“Grandpa,” Rayan said, “if you were expelled, how did you become so powerful?”
Grandpa smiled.
“By continuing to learn after the academy stopped teaching me.”
Rayan became quiet.
For once, he understood the lesson without needing it to be explained.
The Witch of Death
Ran was still processing Grandpa's revelation.
“Then who runs the academy now?”
“The Necromancer Alliance oversees it,” Grandpa answered. “The Alliance maintains the institution, establishes its rules, and manages many of its affairs.”
“And the principal?”
Grandpa's smile became more mysterious.
“The principal is also the leader of the Necromancer Alliance.”
Rayan leaned forward.
“Who is it?”
Grandpa answered with a name that made his voice sound unusually serious.
“The Witch of Death.”
Ran blinked.
“The Witch of Death?”
Rayan's expression changed.
He had heard many impressive titles in his new life, but this one carried a weight that was difficult to ignore.
“Who is she?” he asked.
Grandpa looked at the two children.
“She is currently regarded as the most powerful necromancer in the world.”
Ran swallowed.
“The most powerful?”
“Among those whose abilities and achievements are known, yes.”
Rayan considered the wording.
Grandpa had deliberately avoided saying that nobody could ever surpass her.
That alone was interesting.
Grandpa continued.
“She possesses an unusual innate ability connected to time.”
For a moment, Rayan forgot about the carriage.
An ability connected to time.
He remembered the strange image that had haunted the edges of his memories: a woman who seemed capable of controlling both light and darkness, a power that felt fundamentally different from the Jet Black he had come to understand.
His fingers tightened slightly.
Time?
Divinity?
Could those things be connected?
Ran, meanwhile, was staring at Grandpa in awe.
“Can she control time itself?”
“Don't assume you understand an ability merely because you know its category,” Grandpa replied. “An innate ability can have conditions, limitations, and applications that are not obvious to outsiders.”
Rayan slowly nodded.
That was true.
He knew very little about the world's most extraordinary powers.
And he was beginning to suspect that the Royal Necromancer Academy would teach him far more than the ordinary foundations of necromancy.
What Is an Innate Ability?
Rayan looked at Grandpa.
“You said the Witch of Death has an innate ability. What exactly is an innate ability?”
Grandpa nodded, apparently pleased that Rayan had asked a serious question.
“This is a vast world, Rayan. Some people are born with exceptional gifts. Their bodies, souls, or bloodlines allow them to perform things that ordinary people cannot do without extensive training—or cannot do at all.”
He gestured toward Rayan.
“You are an example. Your shadow has an unusual relationship with your power, and you have learned to manipulate it in ways that most people cannot.”
Rayan listened closely.
Grandpa continued.
“Your family's bloodline has a strong affinity with darkness and shadow. Our ancestors discovered that this affinity allowed them to separate their shadows from their bodies and develop techniques based on that separation.”
He paused.
“But do not misunderstand the matter. Our family did not receive every technique fully formed from our ancestors. They were developed through research, experimentation, and the work of many generations.”
Ran tilted her head.
“So the shadow techniques are not simply powers everyone in the family automatically knows?”
“Correct. Our bloodline provides the foundation. Our ancestors developed the methods.”
Rayan thought about that.
It explained why Grandpa was so strict about practice.
Even a special bloodline did not remove the need for knowledge and effort.
Grandpa continued.
“Over generations, our family developed four major shadow techniques. Each requires different levels of understanding and control. They are not simple tricks that can be copied after watching someone perform them.”
Rayan remembered the technique he had learned and the difficulty he had faced while developing his shadow space.
He had assumed that his family's ability was special because of its rarity.
Now he understood that its true value came from the combination of bloodline affinity and accumulated knowledge.
Ran suddenly raised her hand.
“Grandpa, if our bloodline is so special, can someone outside the family learn these techniques?”
Grandpa did not answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at Rayan.
Then he looked at Ran.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“Rayan.”
“Yes, Grandpa?”
“Have you tried to awaken Ran's shadow?”
The carriage became very quiet.
Rayan froze.
Ran froze.
For several seconds, neither child spoke.
Grandpa looked from one to the other.
Then he sighed.
“So you have.”
Rayan scratched his cheek.
Ran looked out of the window.
Grandpa leaned back in his seat.
“Don't worry. I'm not going to scold you simply for trying to help her.”
Both children turned toward him.
“Really?” Ran asked.
Grandpa nodded.
“Ran is close to our family. If she could successfully develop the technique, I would have no objection to helping her.”
Ran's face brightened.
Rayan felt relieved for an entirely different reason.
Grandpa understands. Excellent.
He glanced at Ran.
Don't worry, Grandpa. She's practically family.
His thoughts continued in a direction that would have earned him a very long lecture if anyone could hear them.
And if she can learn the technique, perhaps she'll have an easier time staying by my side. A useful ally...
He paused.
And maybe, someday, a beautiful—
“Rayan.”
He nearly jumped.
“Yes, Grandpa?”
“Why are you smiling?”
“I'm happy that you aren't angry.”
Grandpa studied him for a moment.
Then he returned his attention to the road.
Rayan quietly wiped the imaginary sweat from his forehead.
Danger narrowly avoided.
Ran, who had no idea what had been passing through his mind, smiled happily.
“So Grandpa, can I really learn it?”
“We need to understand your affinity first.”
The Limit of Shadow
Grandpa explained that he had considered the possibility of Ran learning the technique before.
He had tried to understand whether someone outside the bloodline could develop the necessary control.
But the results had been inconsistent. This chapter is updated first at novelping.com.
“The shadow techniques rely on a strong affinity with darkness,” he explained. “A person may possess talent in other areas but still struggle to separate their shadow. Without the necessary affinity, the process becomes extremely difficult.”
Ran nodded.
“I understand.”
“Also, the person teaching the technique must have mastered at least one of the four major shadow techniques. Otherwise, they may not understand enough to guide another person safely.”
Rayan glanced toward his grandfather.
That condition made sense.
He had only mastered the basics of his own technique. Even if he wanted to help Ran, his understanding might not be sufficient.
Grandpa looked at him.
“Try it again.”
Rayan blinked.
“Now?”
“Unless you have suddenly forgotten how.”
Ran immediately sat straight.
Rayan took a breath.
He focused on his shadow and began guiding the technique through the steps he had learned.
The process required careful control and a clear understanding of the relationship between shadow and mental energy.
He tried to guide Ran through the initial stage.
Ran followed his instructions.
For a moment, the shadow beneath her seemed to respond.
Then nothing happened.
Rayan tried again.
Still nothing.
He adjusted the flow of energy, changed the angle of his own shadow, and carefully repeated the process.
The result remained the same.
After several attempts, Grandpa raised his hand.
“Enough.”
Rayan stopped.
Ran looked disappointed, although she tried to hide it.
Grandpa spoke calmly.
“This does not mean you can never learn it, Ran. It means your affinity may not be sufficient for this particular technique. We should not force the result.”
Ran nodded.
She had never been particularly interested in mastering every shadow technique in the first place.
Still, she appreciated that Grandpa had allowed them to try.
Then Grandpa turned to her.
“Listen carefully. When you enter the academy, I do not recommend choosing curse studies or summoning studies as your main field.”
Ran blinked.
“Why?”
“Those fields are likely to place you at a disadvantage if your affinity does not support their foundational requirements. You should consider blood arts, poison studies, spirit studies, or spirit-and-soul studies instead.”
Ran thought about the possibilities.
She had always been more interested in learning how different kinds of power worked than in specializing in curses or summoning.
“Then I'll explore those fields first,” she said.
“Good. But do not make your final decision based solely on my advice. Study the subjects, learn their requirements, and discover what suits you best.”
Ran nodded firmly.
Rayan smiled at her.
“Spirit studies sound interesting.”
“So do blood arts,” Ran replied.
“Poison studies might be useful.”
Ran gave him a suspicious look.
“Why are you suddenly interested in poison?”
“Because knowledge is power.”
“You just want to know which poison would work on Grandpa.”
Grandpa's voice came from the front.
“I heard that.”
Rayan looked at Ran.
Ran looked at Rayan.
Together, they replied, “We were discussing theoretical knowledge!”
Grandpa sighed.
“The academy cannot begin soon enough.”
A Warning About the Shadow Techniques
As the carriage rolled onward, Grandpa became serious once more.
“Rayan, there is something you must remember.”
Rayan straightened.
“What is it?”
“Do not casually teach our family's shadow techniques to outsiders.”
Rayan nodded.
“I understand.”
“Your ability is not merely a convenient trick. It is the result of generations of research, and some of its principles could be dangerous in the wrong hands.”
Grandpa's gaze sharpened.
“Never teach it simply because someone asks. Never reveal the deeper principles merely to impress others. And do not assume that a person who appears friendly has harmless intentions.”
Rayan considered this carefully.
He had no intention of giving away the family's techniques without thought.
But he also understood that the world was larger than his village. At the academy, he would meet people with different abilities, backgrounds, and ambitions.
He would have to learn when to trust others.
“Right, Grandpa.”
Grandpa nodded.
“Good.”
Rayan waited a moment.
Then he asked, “Can you tell us more about the Royal Necromancer Academy?”
Grandpa smiled.
“You already know some things about it. The rest, you should experience yourselves.”
Rayan sighed.
There it is again.
The ancient technique of refusing to answer questions.
Ran giggled.
Grandpa continued looking toward the road.
“Just remember that the academy is a place where you will meet people far more talented than yourselves. Some will become your friends. Others may become rivals. A few may be people you would be better off avoiding.”
He paused.
“Do not judge someone only by their background or reputation. Watch their actions.”
Rayan stored those words away in his mind.
He had a feeling he would need them.
Divinity and Jet Black
The carriage continued through the countryside.
For a while, Rayan remained quiet.
Grandpa's words about innate abilities had stirred something inside him.
He remembered the mysterious woman from his strange memory.
The woman who seemed to command both light and darkness.
The image had never fully made sense to him.
But now he had learned about a powerful necromancer with an ability related to time, and about people born with powers that ordinary training could not easily reproduce.
He needed to ask.
There was a chance Grandpa would dismiss the question.
There was also a chance he might reveal something important.
Rayan took a breath.
“Grandpa?”
“Hm?”
“Can a person use both Divinity and Jet Black?”
Grandpa's expression changed slightly.
Ran looked toward Rayan.
Even the atmosphere in the carriage seemed to grow quieter.
Grandpa did not answer immediately.
Then he shook his head.
“No. Under the principles we currently understand, Divinity and Jet Black are fundamentally incompatible. Their natures conflict with each other.”
Rayan's heart sank a little.
“So nobody can use both?”
“Not according to the established knowledge.”
The distinction did not escape Rayan.
Not according to established knowledge.
Grandpa looked at him carefully.
“Why are you asking?”
Rayan hesitated.
He could not explain the full image he had seen. He did not even understand what it meant himself.
“I was just curious,” he replied.
Grandpa studied him for a moment.
Then, unexpectedly, he smiled.
“Curiosity is useful. But do not accept the first answer you hear as the final truth. If you truly want to understand something, research it. Examine the evidence. Ask questions. And be prepared to discover that your assumptions were wrong.”
Rayan stared at him.
“Does that mean it's possible?”
“I did not say that.”
“Then—”
“I said you should do more research.”
Rayan fell silent.
Grandpa turned his attention back to the road.
Ran leaned toward Rayan and whispered, “I think Grandpa knows something.”
Rayan whispered back, “I think Grandpa enjoys making people curious.”
“Perhaps both are true.”
Rayan looked through the window.
The sun was beginning to set over the distant hills.
The Royal Necromancer Academy was still several days away, and the mysteries surrounding it had already begun to multiply.
The Witch of Death.
The strange nature of innate abilities.
The secrets of his family's shadow techniques.
And the question of whether Divinity and Jet Black could ever exist within the same person.
Rayan closed his eyes.
I came here hoping for a peaceful second life.
He opened one eye.
Perhaps I should have asked for a refund.
Ran burst into laughter.
Grandpa glanced back.
“What are you two laughing about?”
“Nothing!” they answered together.
The carriage rolled onward toward the port city.
Five scrolls rested safely inside Rayan's shadow space.
A new world of knowledge awaited them.
And somewhere beyond the mainland, surrounded by the sea, stood the Royal Necromancer Academy.
Rayan had a feeling that once he reached that island, his questions would only become more dangerous.