" Congratulations on completing middle school!"
" Thanks, everyone!"
Grandpa Alex came to our house, not only to congratulate me for completing middle school, but for some other purpose.
" I'm so proud of you, Yuichi, for completing middle school successfully."
" Thanks, grandpa!"
" I brought with me today the admission application for the entrance exam."
Grandpa Alex handed me the admission form and I looked it through. While looking it up, he explained to me that I only needed to fill out the admission form as the entrance exam would be more of a trial, which I didn't quite get.
" Once the admission form is received by the board of directors, the entrance exam will officially start."
" Isn't the entrance exam supposed to be a written exam?"
Aya asked grandpa explicitly, who answered her with a firm response.
" Kaitou Academy isn't like any other school in the prefecture. There's no written exam for the entrance exam."
" There's no written exam?"
" How is Yuichi supposed to be enrolled, then?"
" There are three steps for the entrance exam in Kaitou Academy, which are as followed:"
Kaitou Academy is an institution, more than it is a school. The school serves as an underground operation base for missions of all kinds. The entrance exam is as follows:
First: Once the admission application form is received, one of the board of directors will test you individually to determine your aptitude for battle. This first step serves as the trial period or the preliminary phase.
Second: The students who had passed the preliminary round will head to Kaitou Academy for the second round.
Third and last: Once enrolled, the student will join a general classroom, awaiting their ranking, which will determine what classroom they'll be assigned to.
Grandpa Alex explained the enrolled process to me, but I didn't quite get the last part of it. When I asked him for clarification, he just said that it'll all be explained at the school.
" I'll be graded for my performance, right?"
" That's right!"
" How much time do I have before the preliminary round of the entrance exam?"
Grandpa Alex stared at me with a serious gaze. By his expression, I guessed that I might not have time for preparation, but I was wrong. Grandpa Alex was simply playing a prank on me.
" You have three months ahead of you until the entrance exam officially commences. In that time frame, you may prepare however you want."
(Three months? That's not much time to prepare.)
" Don't stress yourself, Yuichi! We know you'll do great. We believe in you."
…
" Would you need more time for the admission form, or are you ready to fill it so that I can return it to the school?"
" I'll fill it out right now so that I'll have more time for training."
It took me about a minute to fill out the whole form and give it back to my grandpa.
" I'll return your form to Kaitou Academy asap."
Grandpa Alex left our home soon after. In the mix of all that, I forgot to ask him how he knew the enrollment process so explicitly.
" How are you planning on training for the entrance exam?"
" Do you have something figured out?"
…
" I have no strategic plan as to how my training will go from here on out. What I do know is that I have to figure out how this grimoire works, foremost."
With that, I was finally ready to start my intensive training regimen, but before that, there was something I needed to do.
" We're so sad to see you go. Do you really have to go?"
" Unfortunately, yes! The school I'm going to is very far from here, and I won't be able to maintain the job even if I didn't resign."
" In that case, I'll give you your final payment."
Before starting my intensive training regimen, I had to resign from my part-time job, foremost before anything.
My final payment was given to me by the manager. All the staff were sad that I had to resign all of a sudden, but they understood and accepted my decision, although they didn't approve it.
" Good luck wherever you're going!"
" Thanks!"
On my way home, I stopped to observe the landscape. It was of a natural color, a very clear one.
(Once I go from here, will I get to appreciate such a beautiful landscape?)
Somewhere far away in the city of Jade, there is a school about the size of a building and approximately fifteen to thirty meters tall. The school's called "Kaitou Academy!"
" There are many admission forms this year around."
" How much in total?"
" Eight hundred applicants."
" We'll have to narrow these eight hundred applicants to half at least."
" You know what to do, right?"
" Yes, director!"
Several kilometers back in the city of Yoshu, Yuichi had begun training for the upcoming entrance exam that was to start in three months.
(I have to know how this grimoire works, but how do I proceed?)
I examined the golden ring on my finger and then looked at the dark golden grimoire in my hand. They were of the same color and yet slightly different.
(Whenever there was any danger occurring somewhere in the city or someone was in need of help or danger, both the grimoire and the ring would flash at the same time, depending on the situation. What could it signify?)
I looked at the ring on my finger once more and then this sudden idea crossed my mind and I decided to check my suspicions.
I opened the grimoire and chanted one of the spells written inside to see what would happen. My surprise was wide when the spell worked.
(As I thought. At that time, too, the spell worked because I had that ring on. So to understand, as long as I'm wearing this ring, not only can I gain access to magic, but I can also be warned of any impending danger no matter the location.)
Having understood how the grimoire works, Yuichi established his training regimen according to his understanding and findings.
(To be able to use this grimoire efficiently, I need to train my body.)
From that day on, I would run every day, do push-ups, and do any other activity that might help with the training. From time to time, I would also train with my cards. My training went on until one day------------------
" You're applying your cards in the wrong way."
" Grandpa?"
It's been a month since my intensive training started, and I last saw my grandfather.
" What do you mean, grandpa? What am I doing incorrectly?"
" The appliance with your cards is wrong. Your concentration isn't firm enough."
…
My grandpa showed me a demonstration of what he meant. By concentrating on his thoughts and making one with nature, Grandpa Alex was able to illustrate with his cards alone, a garden full of roses.
" Wow! Magnificent!"
The trick lasted for an entire five minutes before disappearing out of thin air.
" This trick I did just now could have lasted more if I wanted to. Not to mention that I didn't use an ounce of magical power in its visualization."
" Magic wasn't involved, then how could it last an entire five minutes, while mine only lasts a few seconds?"
I then remembered the grand entrée on my birthday and wondered whether the show on that day too was based on tricks alone.
…
" What's your secret, grandfather?"
" When creating an illusion, what matters is the mind and body. You mustn't think of anything other than the trick you want to pull on your audience."
…
" Your thoughts mustn't be stranded by anything or else, your visualization will be imperfect and incorrect."
" Thanks for the advice! I'll consider that when doing my tricks from now on."
With the two months remaining, I trained my hardest and took into account grandpa's advice, which made my tricks more and more accurate. The only thing I couldn't quite improve on was the time limit, which didn't change from thirty seconds.
(What am I doing wrong?)
" Yu, how's your training coming along?"
…
" What's the matter? Is it not going well?"
…
I shared my concerns with my elder sister. I told her about the inefficient time limit and then, she told me----------------
" This is part of your growth. If you were to succeed at everything from the get-go, where would be the fun in that?"
Aya's words made me regain confidence in myself, and I was able to keep up with my training. Only two weeks were left until the official commencement of the entrance examination.
" How's your training going, Yuichi? Do you need any help?"
" No, thanks, dad! My training is going great."
" I'm sure you'll do great on the entrance exam. I believe in you."
" I know you do. I'll do my best."
When there was just one week left until the entrance examination, Asa came to visit.
" Sorry for showing up unannounced!"
" You're always welcome!"
" I'm here to see Yu. Is he in his room?"
Upon coming to see me, Asa met with my sister, Aya. Unfortunately, I wasn't at home at that time.
" Yu isn't at home at the moment."
…
" Where can I find him? I must see him."
…