GRADUATION

Ever since I came to this world, I’ve never left the house.
That awareness alone makes me afraid of the outside.
All my life, I’ve wanted to go out and see the world I glimpse from my window—but I can't bring myself to take that one step.
My legs are trembling.

Deep down, I’m scared that all of this is just a dream. That if I step outside this house, I’ll wake up… and return to that moment.
That moment when I was trapped behind a wall.

No. This isn’t a dream.
How could a dream feel so real?
This has to be reality.
I keep telling myself that—over and over.
This is real. This is not a dream.

And even though I understand that on a rational level, I still can’t take that first step.
No matter how much I steel my heart, my body won’t move.

I made a vow with my lips—to live on earnestly.
But my body won’t follow that promise.
I really want to cry.

The graduation test is going to be held outside of town.
When Selene told me that, I let out a weak groan.

“Outside?”

“Yup. The horse is ready.”

“Can’t we do it here? At home?” I asked.

“No.”

My heart knows it. I have to step outside the gates.
But my body is refusing.

“What’s wrong?” Selene asked.

“N-No… I just… think I’m a little tired.”

Selene looked surprised. I’ve been making excuses like this the whole time.

“Why, Sparkle? Don’t tell me you’re actually afraid of going outside?”

“Mmm… yes.” I nodded.

Selene was shocked at first, then laughed.

“Haha. I kind of forgot—you’re still just a kid.”

After she stopped laughing, she reached out her hand.

“Oh well. It can’t be helped. Here.”

When she saw that I still wouldn’t move, she suddenly lifted me onto her shoulders.

“Wha—!?”

I didn’t resist.
My heart was wavering, and I thought maybe… it was okay to just trust her.

Selene set me on the saddle, climbed up behind me, and took the reins.
The horse began to trot forward.

This was the first time I had left the castle since arriving in this world.
My body was tense.

As soon as we passed through the gates, I saw them—so many different races: Humans, Dwarves, Dark Elves, Beastfolk.
They all looked on in awe as the royal family passed by.

Even though I wasn’t sticking my head out, I could still feel the breeze against my face.

I saw streetlamps, retro televisions, even someone listening to a vintage radio.
A blimp floated by.
A ship was docking.
A high-speed train zipped past.

“Wow… the outside world is amazing.”

This fantasy world was so advanced.

Even though there’s discrimination between races, I couldn’t help but admire the beauty of Novaterra.

Bit by bit, I started to feel comfortable.

What exactly was I so afraid of?

“Still scared?” she asked.

I shook my head. “No. I’m fine now.”

“See? Just like I said,” Selene replied with a smile.

The two of us sat quietly, taking in the view.

After about an hour, we were no longer surrounded by buildings or fields.
We had arrived in a vast, untouched grassland.

The land stretched out all the way to the horizon.
In the distance, I could just barely see a faint outline of mountains.

"This should be far enough."

Selene directs the horse to a lone tree and ties the reins onto it.

Then she carries me down from the horse.

“This place is perfect for your final test” Selene said.

We stood face to face.

“What kind of test are we doing?” I asked.

Selene summoned her chronosphere staff.

“We fight.”

My brain stalled.
“Sorry—could you repeat that?”

Without warning, Selene cast a stream of water straight at me.

“Whoa—!”

I twisted sideways, boots skidding against the dirt, and summoned my chronosphere.

Selene stood calm, staff lazily balanced on her shoulder.

“The test’s simple,” she said, her tone casual. “Show me your Gift. That’s it. Then we go home.”

She didn’t wait for a reply—lightning cracked from her fingertips.

Snap!

The air lit up, and she was already dashing in. smacked me right across the head with the blunt end of her staff.

She then use her staff to swing low sweep my legs out.

I quickly planted my hand as I was falling and did a spin kick catching her mid-rib. She grunted and stumbled back, boots sliding a few inches.

(Huh. That mana training actually worked. I manage to activate passively.)

“What are you doing, Sparkle?” she shouted. “This is a fight!”

She snapped her fingers and a gust of wind slammed toward me. I jammed the chronosphere into the ground and cast Earth Wall—stone cracked upward just in time to take the blow.

Dust exploded everywhere.

I switched to gun mode. Click-chhk.
Five Light Aether crystals in the chamber.

Selene uses her lightning spell again.

I turned, firing
BLAM!

light flared, catching her square in the face.

“Gah—!” Selene staggered.

Using that opening, I uppercut her while casting a wind spell.
Then, switching my chronosphere to sword mode, I launched myself into the air and sent a wind slash down at her.

I brought the blade down with a wind slash, the force slamming her into the ground.

Her mana shield shattered like glass.

She then pulled a rope made out of water in her hand.

I looked where the rope attached to it was my leg.

Before I could do anything I was smashed to the ground and my mana shield shattered.

Selene shot a water and lightning fusion attack.

I manage to dodge it but when I look where the attack will land toward the horse

For instance, my chronosphere glowed and my body moved itself.

I became a gust of wind leaving a trail of leaves behind me.

As I arrive I cut the rope tied to the horse and try to use my gift to carry it but the horse is too heavy for me to carry it.

I use all my mana I have left and cast fire to stop the attack.

(It work!)

But I overuse my mana just to block that attack.

I lie down exhausted

Selene came over and pointed her staff at me.

“If this was a real fight you lose” She smirked

“Well, good thing it wasn’t a real fight. I almost beat you,” I said, which made her bonk me on the head.

“Speed, huh. Didn’t think you’d get that,” she said, which got me curious.

“Why is that so surprising?” I asked.

“You know the chronosphere’s appearance reflects the user’s personality. That applies to your Gift as well,” she said.

That made me wonder.
“What’s your Gift, Master?” I asked.

She motioned for me to come close.
As I did, she blasted my face with water.

We laughed.

On the second day, Selene packed her things and stood in front of the gates.

“Have you packed everything?” I asked.
“Yes, mom,” she said sarcastically.
“Try not to get wasted anymore, okay?”
“Can’t promise that,” she replied.

We both laughed.

I smiled. She seemed to be in a much better headspace than when we first met.
I was glad she had found some positivity in life.

“Do you have to leave?”
“Sorry, Sparkle. I’ve been absent from my job as a Guardian long enough. Time to get back to work. Besides, I have to keep my reputation. How else are you going to brag about being trained by the best Guardian ever?”

“One day, Master, when I become a Guardian… you’ll be bragging about me being your student.”

She smiled. “Is that so?”

Then she seemed to remember something.
“By the way, I haven’t given you your graduation gift. Close your eyes.”

I closed my eyes, and I felt something wrap around my neck.
When I opened them, I saw Selene’s necklace hanging around me.

“Congratulations on passing, Caelum,” she said with a warm smile.

“This is…?”
“I’m going to leave this to you. Give it to me when you finally surpass me.”

She smiled at the very end… and then set off.

The me who had never achieved anything in life had finally accomplished something.
A strange sensation seemed to spread across my abdomen.
I knew this feeling.
It was a sense of fulfillment.

I don’t know when my tears started to fall.

She really gave me a lot.
Knowledge, experience, technique…
And most importantly, she brought me out.

To the outside world.

Merely that—
Selene brought me out.

This event carries an important meaning.
It’s undeniable that she dispelled the shadow in my heart.

I took another step outside the gates.

There was only the ground.
The normal ground.
I wasn’t shivering.

I was finally free from the wall that once trapped me.