Foundation [1]

Walking out of the cabin I felt the cold once again embrace me. With a confused mind, full of relief and anxiety, I once more focused my eyes on the macho man in front of the house. Leaning against a wall he stood tall, clad in his black suit with his body full of muscles. Looking up at the man, I could only envy the man.

"Hey Mike, we are done talking now. The principal told me you were gonna help me with some other stuff as well?"

"Oh, there you are kiddo. Yea I was told I was gonna be in charge of your living expenses, as well as provide you with the basic living necessities."

With a bright smile, he looked down upon me.

"First things first, you have to get your academy clock."

"Academy clock?"

Shrugging his shoulders, he threw me what seemed to be an ordinary arm clock.

"It's pretty much just a digital arm clock connected to the academy's internal database. It keeps track of where you are as well as your vital signs in case you would ever be in danger. As you know the academy isn't all fun and games."

'Oh yes, I am well aware Sir...'

"It will also help you keep track of your classes. Not only does it tell you when they start but it also shows you via GPS where they will be located. Most often your theoretical classes will be in the same classroom, your homeroom which is in the freshman school building, but practical classes will vary depending on the content of the course. Oh, it's also a storage artifact. When you imbue it with your personal mana signature it will bind itself to you and let you store up to 10 square meters of stuff. It also functions as a communicative device which you can send texts and call from."

Putting the clock on my tiny wrist it seemed way too large for me.

.....

"Oh, erm... It will recalibrate its size to fit you when you imbue it with your mana."

*Sighhh*

Letting out a deep breath I let go of my dark thoughts and instead started to inspect the digital device on my arm.

[Personal Kirkegaard digital device]

Description: A modern, mana-based artifact in the shape of a digital clock. Binds itself upon first being imbued by the user's mana. Has a storage space of 10 square meters.]

Seems like the descriptions only pointed out the mana-related effects of objects. This meant that while the device had a lot of other functions they would not be stated in the description of the artifact. Although it was weird that I wasn't surprised about the fact that blue glowing text suddenly appeared on the clock when I was thinking about looking at it closer I regarded it as a side effect of the memory merge.

*Tap, tap, tap*

Tapping his foot restlessly on the ground Mike started talking again.

"Now what are you waiting for? Imbue it with your mana so we can get going!"

"Yes, absolutely, you are completely right... But Mike.."

"What?"

"How do you imbue it with mana?"

*SMACK*

Facepalming hard Mike looked at me as if I were an alien entity who had no common knowledge. Even though this could be said to be somewhat true, I still had my earlier memories of this world and at no instance did someone instruct me or teach me about artifacts. From my previous world, I think I could recall something along the lines of the heroes getting personal artifacts in the form of personal weapons and armors, but I had no means any knowledge about the process of binding.

"Just circulate your mana through it, you stupid kid!"

'Ouch, why did he have to be so mean..?'

Disregarding Mikel's hurtful words I closed my eyes and tried to recall the feeling of when I put my hand on the mana orb. Although it took some time the first time I tried to find my little seed of mana, this time it didn't take long at all. Feeling the ever-flowing swirl inside of me I started to gently guide it around my body, more specifically into my left arm where I had put my personal device.

As the mana started to bundle up in my wrist below the clock the device started to lightly glow. Suddenly it started to creep in towards my skin and, after a couple of seconds, the previously way too big watchband was fitted snugly against my wrist.

"See, why are you wasting so much time doing something obvious? Now let's go, I don't want to waste more time babysitting anymore when there are fine ladies out there waiting for their knight."

In a low voice, I whispered back.

"-What knight... aren't you just a gorilla in a suit?"

"What did you say?"

Staring down at me with fierce eyes, Mike had turned around at my little rambling and stood right in front of me.

'Shit, that bastard truly is huge.'

"Nothing Sir! I was just thanking you for being patient with this little runt of a man!"

*Tch!*

Sneering, he turned around once more and walked with me back toward my living quarter. Walking around the academy the grounds had was bustling with activity. Students with uniforms walked around with what seemed like the heights of basketball players.

'Why does everyone look so beautiful?'

A silly thought crept up in my mind but it was nonetheless an accurate observation. Everyone was stunning. Girls with bountiful yet athletic bodies and clear skin, as if blemishes were no more than myths, almost glowing when they walked around. Guys ranging from looking like professional swimmers, slim but athletic to guys who looked like they ate roids for breakfast. They as well had such incredibly clear skin and sculpted jawlines that they seemed to be shining.

As I observed my surroundings I started to pick up the talks of other students.

"-Wait, did Mike have a kid? Who would ever fall for that ogre?!"

"-No way, isn't it just his nephew or something."

"-Oh, but he is really cute isn't he? How could they be blood-related at all, one looking like an ogre and the other looking like a small animal?'

*Pok*

I could feel my blood pressure rising.

'It seems like the last thing they could consider was that I was in truth a 16-year old who is gonna be officially attending from the next semester. Fuck... But I will show them! I am BOUNDLESS! HAHAHA!'

With an inner monologue, saturated by the maturity equal to the age they assumed me to be, I kept walking behind Mike with steady steps.

'I really did change didn't I?'

Thinking back at all my silly thoughts and reactions, I couldn't help but recall the feeling from earlier. I felt more complete than ever. As if the pieces I had lacked in my earlier life had finally been put into place.

Walking together up the stairs to the apartment block with the big man I couldn't help but ask.

"So how many are living in this apartment block? It seems to be able to accommodate quite a number with its two-floor and relatively small living spaces."

Stopping, making me bump into him, Mike looked down at me with a gigantic grin.

"Other students living here? Hahahaha, sorry kiddo. You are the only one living in this entire apartment block! What kind of elite student would live in a shabby place like this?"

Surprised by the sudden change in volume I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows in confusion.

"No, you are the only one living in this building. The other students are most often either elites who come from big, wealthy families or geniuses who get everything paid for them. You are the only one who fulfills none of these criteria."

"What! But you were supposed to give me the basic necessities?! You are supposed to give me the money needed to live here! Shouldn't it at least be enough for me to change into a slightly better living quarter?!"

'Alteast start singing a song you big bear!'

"Haha, no way you brat. When the principal said minimum he meant the minimum. What that means is that you will have to eat in the public cafeteria near the auditorium and as such, you won't even get money for food."

Standing outside of the door to my apartment he gave me a black credit card with gold engravings.

[Kirkegaard Student ID]

Description: A personal student ID given to students at the Kirkegaard academy. Functions both as a credit card as well as a student ID. Imbuing your mana into the card will activate its function to transfer money, as well as to receive money.

[Current Balance: 400 crowns]

"There you go! Just so you know, 400 crowns should at least be able to pay for your student materials, such as books and training accessories. Oh, if you have a preferred weapon you can just call me via your academy device and we will sort it out."

Looking up at what could only be called the devil, tears started to form in the corners of my eyes.

Suddenly the digital device on Mike's arm started to vibrate.

"Oh, that's my queue. Well, I have to get going. Make sure you don't suddenly die out here, I am after all responsible for you now. It would be a pain to have to listen to the nagging geezers from the school administration or the principal. See you around kiddo!"

And with that, he left.

Staring down at my new phone[?] and student ID I couldn't help but let out a deep sigh.

*Haaaaa*

'This isn't going to be all that easy, is it?"

With that thought in mind, I entered my shabby apartment with a slight smile on my face.