Congratulations, Rosenhart Estate
The air in the Rosenhart Estate was heavier than ever. Beneath the dazzling chandelier in the head of the family’s study, only silence prevailed. Breaking that stillness, Yustia’s report echoed softly. Her voice trembled, yet the hopeful answer she had received from the academy lent it a strange certainty. “How is the possibility, Professor?” Lord Rosenhart asked in his heavy, low tone. His gaze remained fixed on the documents without a flicker of movement. “If intelligence and physical strength are at perfect levels, special enrollment should be more than possible. The special admissions at Aethernoa Academy actually have rather lenient standards.” Professor Lifedimer adjusted his glasses and declared it confidently. His eyes were analytical and cold. “Hoo…” A long sigh escaped the lord’s lips. It was a mixture of concern for his daughter, the family’s honor, and an indescribable sense of relief. The taut bowstring had finally loosened. Yustia watched the scene and pressed her lips together. She was clearly itching to jump for joy right then, but before her father’s dignity, she forced a shy smile and managed her expression. “How fortunate. I’m grateful to Taesan as well. Honestly, it exceeded my expectations.” The lord raised his head and looked at me. His eyes had changed from when we first met. Instead of suspicion and caution, recognition and respect filled them. “No, I just… I have to pay my share of the bill.” “No. When I first summoned him, I thought he was just an ordinary human with no mana at all, but I never imagined he would achieve something so astonishing.” The lord shook his head in admiration. “It’s surprising. Truly surprising. Just because he was born and raised in a place with heavier gravity, humans can become this strong. It’s amazing. Really amazing.” A pure sense of awe filled his voice. ‘Well, by my standards, this place actually has abnormally light gravity.’ “Taesan, would you mind stepping out for a moment? I have something personal to discuss with Yustia.” Lord Rosenhart’s courteous dismissal made me nod. The atmosphere suggested a deep mother-daughter conversation was about to unfold. I gave a light bow and left the study. Walking down the hallway, I headed toward the room I had used until the entrance exam. When I opened the door, I saw a familiar back view. Yurika. She was slapping the bed sheets and dusting them off. “You’re back?” Sensing my presence, she turned her head with a bright smile. “Yes. What were you doing?” “Tidying up the room. Since Miss has about a month left until enrollment, I prepared it so she could live comfortably in the meantime.” She surveyed the room with satisfaction. “Ah, thank you. Thank you for going to so much trouble…” I stepped inside pretending to be grateful. But something felt off. That oversized, fluffy cushion beside the bed—what was it? And that wooden structure standing in the corner… “Um, Yurika.” “Yes?” “Is that cat tower by the window?” I pointed at the three-tier wooden tower with my trembling finger. At the very top, a feather toy dangled. “Oh, you have good eyesight! That’s right. It’s a specially ordered top-quality wood tower. What do you think? It looks sturdy, doesn’t it?” Yurika answered with perfect cheerfulness, completely unfazed. “No, am I a cat? Please take that away.” “Aww, Taesan. That thing is expensive. You can’t get a refund, so just use it. You like high places, don’t you?” “People catch them on the bed. And I have a fear of heights.” “Liar. I saw you sleeping on the top of the garden trees during training last time?” She winked mischievously. “That was just for exercise…” I trailed off and pressed a hand to my forehead. Even though she recognized me as human, she seemed to have made teasing me in this subtle way her hobby. “Ah, and I prepared this too.” Yurika pulled out a large ball from under the bed. It was a gym ball the size of an adult man’s upper body. No, upon closer look, it had bumpy protrusions on the surface—clearly a large-dog toy. “What is this?” “For stress relief. You can chew it, throw it, and roll it around. It’s made of tough material so it won’t leave tooth marks.” “…Um, Yurika. I’m human, you know? Homo sapiens. I use tools, I make fire, I speak language.” “Mhm, I know. You’re a talking intelligent summoner, after all. But sometimes it’s nice to indulge your instincts, isn’t it?” She giggled and poked my shoulder. “Honestly, I bought this because I wanted to, but I didn’t want to throw it away, so I just set it aside?” When I hit the nail on the head, Yurika’s pupils flickered slightly. “Oh no, I was caught. I bought it before you summoned Taesan, but the return period passed, so I just thought of it as an interior decoration item. Please use it, okay?” She clasped her hands together and gave the world’s saddest expression. “It’s too precious to throw away. It’s all top-tier material.” “Haa…” I let out a deep sigh and plopped down onto the bed. The fluffy cushion enveloped my back. ‘…But this is actually comfortable.’ Without realizing it, I leaned into the cushion and murmured to myself. Damn, if I keep this up, I’ll really turn into a beast, won’t I? “Ah, right. How about meals?” Yurika asked, eyes sparkling. “Would you like me to bring some dried meat? This time I prepared the highest-grade Wagyu.” “Just… give me regular rice. Rice. The kind you scoop with a spoon.” I waved my hands. “Got it. Human food.” She giggled and left the room. Just before the door closed, she peeked her head in again. “If you get bored, why don’t you roll it around? It might turn out to be fun?” “I won’t!” As my shout followed me out, the door shut. *** “That summon was really lucky. Or maybe it was your luck.” Lord Rosenhart set his teacup down and said quietly. His voice held both recognition of the human summoner’s abilities and a coldness that still viewed him as nothing more than a simple tool. “Yes. Among this year’s enrollment exam participants, only six individuals achieved perfect scores in any one subject. Taesan is one of them.” Yustia added, nodding in agreement with her father. “Among them, only one achieved a perfect score in physical strength. The others used mana, but this person did it with pure physical ability alone.” She wore a proud expression, as if boasting about a masterpiece weapon. When Taesan was around, she addressed him with “Taesan-nim” and respect, but in family conversations it naturally slipped into possessive and individual terms. “Yes, but it’s still too early to relax.” The lord shook his head and warned, “By the time of enrollment, other summoners will have adapted their harmony with their summons to some degree. Relying only on summoners with poor mana control could lead to disaster. You’ll have to work even harder.” “I know. I’ll research methods to assist him with my own mana, without relying solely on Taesan’s abilities. As long as I can perfectly control his movements, I won’t lose to anyone.” Yustia clenched her fists with resolve. Ambition burned in her eyes. Lord Rosenhart gave his daughter a faint smile at her spirited figure. But he quickly returned to a serious expression and asked, “That said, what will you do about the next summon?” “Because I lack mana, I can’t take an advanced summon this time. This semester, I plan to bring two stable mid-tier summons for lessons.” Yustia stated her plan calmly. Now that she had an irregular power like Taesan in hand, there was no need to force an advanced summon that would drain mana excessively. Rather, she desperately needed a summon with support or utility abilities to bolster his overwhelming physical power. “Yes, a wise decision.” The lord nodded and lifted his teacup. Trust in his daughter shone in the reflection of his eyes within the teacup. “With a certain window gained, you’ll need a shield or scout to ensure that window doesn’t wobble. The way you’re crafting a strategy that matches your bowl without greed is admirable.” “Thank you, Father. I will definitely prove it. I will make those who once laughed at me for having a human summoner kneel before my summon’s overwhelming power.” Cool light gleamed in Yustia’s eyes. In her mind, a picture was already drawn of Taesan shattering other noble youths’ summons in the academy tournament. Lord Rosenhart smiled faintly at his daughter’s ambitious gaze, satisfied. “I look forward to it. So that the name Rosenhart will ring across the continent once again.” “Yes. I will make it happen.” Yustia stood up and bowed respectfully. Beneath the chandelier’s light, the shadow of mother and daughter stretched long. Within that massive shadow, Taesan existed as the “powerful racehorse” who must run at the front for the glory of the Rosenhart family.