Ten days later—
Sora entered the Mission Hall of the Divine Sanctum, her stride measured and resonant against the pale marble. The chamber was bathed in soft luminescence, filtered through devotional sigils etched into the high windows. The air was a crisp blend of aged parchment, liturgical incense, and the static hum of residual mana.
Clerics processed requests with clinical efficiency, their robes whispering like dry leaves. The Radiant Guard stood watch near the hall's perimeter, their presence unobtrusive but reassuring. Along the central nave, enchanted task-boards displayed freshly posted assignments, the parchments fluttering as if stirred by the breath of the Sanctum itself.
Sora was midway to the mission board when a familiar presence tugged at her awareness.
Null stood near the perimeter of the postings, slightly removed from the crowd. He held a small stack of mission-slips, his eyes scanning the text with a quiet, focused intensity.
Compared to ten days ago, his physical appearance had not changed much. His posture was the same, his expression as unreadable as ever. Yet, his aura had shifted.
There was a weight to him now—a steady, restrained pressure like a blade kept in its sheath. Mana no longer bypassed him; it circulated, responding to his breath. He had finally begun to synchronize with the world's weave.
Sora moved toward him. Null sensed her approach and turned, his eyes lighting up with a flicker of recognition.
"Hey," he greeted, casual as ever. "Saintess Sora."
The title had lost its edge of formality, becoming more of a shared shorthand. Sora smiled, stopping beside him.
"Null-san, why are you here? Have you already finished today's training regimen?."
"Well… sort of,"
She tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
Sora had visited him nearly every day—to monitor his progress, his condition, and admittedly, his well-being. By now, she knew his schedule intimately. At this hour, he should have been sparring under the watchful eye of Commander Dhomnac of the Radiant Guards.
Null offered a dry cough. "Apparently, the Commander thinks I've already internalized the foundational weapon-arts."
Sora blinked. "…Already? It's only been ten days."
"His words, not mine," Null said. "He told me I lack practical application. So, I'm here to find a low-risk trial and test my training in real conditions. If I handle that well, I advance to the next tier of his regimen."
"Exceptional," Sora murmured. "Mastering every basic weapon art in ten days? Even at Eden Academy, I've never seen anyone with such an aptitude for pure weaponship."."
"Eden Academy?" Null's eyes shone brightly when he heard that term.
Despite being perplexed at his unusual reaction, she answered. "You wouldn't know of it, of course. In Elpis, we have numerous institutions for cultivating the younger generation. Eden Academy is humanity's apex crucible."
Null's expression remained composed, but internally, his mind was a storm.
'Fantasy Omniscience-san,' he thought urgently. 'Why am I just now hearing about an academy? Isn't this supposed to be a standard isekai plot? Wake up, train, fight monsters, maybe overthrow a demon lord—Where did 'humanity's best school' come from?'
A familiar, clinical voice resonated in his mind.
[Query acknowledged. Providing contextual data.]
[[ Eden Academy ]]
• Classification: Apex Educational Institution.
• Affiliation: Utopia-Human Coalition / Divine Accord.
• Function: Cultivation of elite combatants, scholars, and thaumaturges.
• Admission Difficulty: Extreme.
Null's eye twitched. 'Fantasy Omniscience-san, I didn't ask for a brochure. I asked for confirmation.'
The presence in his mind responded with its usual infuriating calm.
[Correction acknowledged.]
[Providing confirmation.]
[The academy system exists.]
Null adjusted the mission slip in his hand, 'That's it? No hesitation? No ambiguity?'
'You're telling me this world just casually runs a millennium-old academic-industrial cultivation complex and the tutorial skipped mentioning it to me?'
[Additional context available.]
'You always preface lore bombs with that exact phrase.'
[The academy framework has been operational for approximately 1,037 years. Initial purpose: Standardization of supernatural education and the prevention of 'Hero Singularities' destabilizing the geopolitical balance.]
'They built schools… to nerf protagonists? What the?!'. Null thought flatly. 'Who, pray tell, introduced this wonderfully sensible, trope-destroying concept?'
[Historical attribution: **'Pioneer from the Mortal Plane.'**]
Null froze. 'You mean someone who got isekai'd before me?'
[Affirmative.]
'Instead of speedrunning divinehood or conquering continents, they pursued systemic reform?'
Null felt something deep and profound stir within him.
Respect.
'Is this Pioneer a saint? Aren't typical Isekai protagonists supposed to be collecting harems? Yet they—'
[They founded syllabi,] the voice confirmed. [They saw magic and demanded regulation. They saw miracles and instituted prerequisites. They looked at a world of chaos and said, 'This needs a curriculum.']
Null exhaled slowly.
'Fantasy Omniscience-san. If I ever meet that pioneer, I'm buying them a drink.'
***
"Null-san?" Sora's voice broke his internal monologue. "Are you okay?"
He blinked, refocusing. "Yeah. Just… processing. It seems this world has far more interesting 'fantasy features' than I expected."
Sora smiled faintly, amused but still curious. "Shouldn't that be a good thing?"
"Oh, it's great," Null said. "For everyone except the 'chosen' ones."
The moment passed, Sora's attention drifted to the mission-slips in his hand. Both bore the blue sigil of Novice-Rank assignments. Her expression tightened as she read the details.
"Subjugation of residual mana-beasts at the eastern aqueducts," she read. "And a missing supply caravan investigation." She looked up, concern bleeding through her composure. "You were going to take these alone?"
"Well," he said mildly, "That was the working theory."
"You've only been in this world for a dozen days," Sora said, her voice firm. "You're still adapting to mana circulation and combat instincts. Growth is not a substitute for experience."
"You're saying I'm fragile."
"I'm saying you're inexperienced," she corrected. "There's a difference."
"Ah," Null nodded. "One wounds the pride, the other wounds the body. Noted."
Sora shot him a sharp look. "This isn't a joke,"
"Disagree," Null pointed at her forehead. "If it wasn't, you wouldn't be standing this close."
She froze, suddenly aware of their intense proximity. His mana brushed against her senses in a steady, rhythmic hum. She is so close, stepping back now would feel conspicuous.
Thus, she continued while acting oblivious. "Null-san. 'Low-risk' often becomes an unexpected catastrophe in the field." Even she isn't sure what she is saying anymore.
Null hummed thoughtfully. "So, I'm speedrunning rookie mistakes?"
"Yes," she said, then added softly, "Unintentionally."
Null smiled. "In my defense, I have a Saintess checking on me daily. It builds a dangerous level of confidence."
Sora's cheeks warmed. "I check on you because it is my responsibility."
"And here I thought it was because you missed me."
Sora's composure almost slipped. "You're teasing me on purpose."
"Of course," Null said easily. "You look less worried when you're flustered."
Sora exhaled, steadying herself. "You shouldn't go alone. Not yet."
Null studied her. "And if I say I'll be careful?"
She met his gaze, unwavering, "I'd say being careful doesn't replace having someone watch your back."
The silence was gentle, shared. Then Sora straightened, making up her mind. She reached past him and plucked a parchment from the board. The seal glowed a deep indigo.
Mid-Rank Assignment.
"I was about to take a mission myself," she said. "It's in a region I know well." She hesitated. "…You could come with me."
Null's interest piqued. "You're inviting me?"
"I'm providing tactical supervision," she corrected, though her tone was warm. "It counts as practical experience, and I'll be there to intervene if things escalate."
"So, less 'reckless solo debut' and more 'Saintess-approved field training'?"
"You can think of it that way."
Null smiled, warmer this time. "Well, who am I to refuse such attentive mentorship? Lead the way, Saintess Sora."
For some reason, her lips curved despite herself, "Let's go."