CHAPTER 46: THE BRACELET

The First Weekend at the Academy

Though it was the weekend, I couldn’t leave campus. Not that I really wanted to—there was something far more important to do.

As soon as the early morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, I opened my eyes and sat up immediately, my body moving on its own. No hesitation, no grogginess.

Today, I had something to confirm.

Sitting at my desk, I carefully placed two items in front of me—the bracelet and the Bookmark. Both had been obtained from that dungeon... and both were shrouded in mystery.

First things first. The bracelet.

Before doing anything reckless, I decided to test it using the bookmark. If there was even a small chance it could harm me, I needed to know before wearing it.

I slid the bookmark into an open book, waited for it to hum softly, and asked, "Is there any possibility that the bracelet in my hand could cause harm to its wearer?"

For a few seconds, there was silence. Then, glowing letters began to appear above the page.

—None.

"...Phew."

Relief washed over me. I hadn’t realized how tense I was until that moment. At least I wouldn’t end up cursed, poisoned, or exploded by accident.

The bookmark’s glow dimmed after giving its answer, signaling that it had gone dormant again.

With that assurance, I picked up the bracelet and examined it more closely.

It was a thin, silver band—so finely crafted it almost looked like a strip of polished metal rather than jewelry. There were faint engravings along its surface, the kind that shimmered subtly when tilted under light.

Simple, elegant, and mysterious.

I hesitated for a moment before slipping it onto my left wrist.

The moment the cool metal touched my skin—

Woooong

A faint vibration pulsed through my arm, spreading warmth that quickly turned into a refreshing chill running through my body.

"...Huh."

I could feel it.

My mana. It was flowing more smoothly—stronger, denser. My entire body felt lighter, as if my circuits had been unclogged.

It wasn’t some dramatic power-up, but the difference was clear.

From being a one-shot glass cannon... I was now, maybe, a two or three-shot glass cannon.

"Still fragile, but hey, progress is progress."

For an average cadet, this kind of mana boost wouldn’t be anything special. But for me? It was a huge step forward.

I’d gone into that dungeon half-prepared and nearly died for this, but... at least it wasn’t for nothing.

As I continued focusing on the bracelet, I suddenly noticed something unusual.

Mana wasn’t just flowing through it—it was being absorbed.

"Huh... wait a minute."

I gathered a small amount of mana and pushed it into the bracelet. It accepted it smoothly, storing it within itself like water filling a cup.

Then, when I willed it, the mana flowed back into me instantly.

"...It can store mana."

My eyes widened in realization.

It wasn’t just a mana amplifier—it was a mana battery.

Something that could hold spare mana for later use.

I leaned back in my chair, a grin tugging at the corner of my lips.

"Now that’s what I call a reward."

For someone like me—whose mana pool was pitifully small—this bracelet was more valuable than any sword or legendary artifact I could’ve ever hoped for.

It was my trump card.

A last resort I could rely on when all else failed.

But then a thought hit me.

"...Wait."

Could this be why the golem’s energy surged after my attack?

That thing had absorbed my lightning strike and charged itself, almost like it was feeding on the energy I released. But this bracelet couldn’t possibly store that much mana. Its size and structure alone made that impossible.

Maybe it could only store a limited reserve—a backup supply of sorts.

Then that would mean the real trick wasn’t in the bracelet’s storage at all, but in something else.

The golem’s mana circuit.

"Could it have had special properties...?" I muttered under my breath.

Ordinary mana circuits were simple conduits—channels that allowed energy to flow and be utilized. But that golem’s circuit... it had been intricate. Far more advanced than anything I’d seen before.

Was it a variant circuit? A hybrid design that not only regulated mana but transformed it?

The thought sent a spark of excitement through me.

"Since it’s the weekend," I murmured, glancing toward the window, "I might as well check it out."

The image of the circuit was still vivid in my mind, etched there by the intensity of the battle. I’d seen enough of it to replicate the pattern—or at least analyze it with the right materials.

So, that was the plan.

Today, I’d visit the library and dig into everything I could find about mana circuit designs—especially ones related to autonomous constructs.

But before that...

Wooooong—

The bracelet suddenly began to hum softly under my touch, resonating like a faint heartbeat.

"...What the—?"

Light rippled across its surface, and before I could even react, something small and translucent flickered into existence in front of me.

A small distortion in the air, like a bubble of warped light.

My eyes widened. "No way... Is this...?"

A spatial pocket.

The realization hit instantly.

A mini-dimension—a pocket of space separate from the physical world.

I’d seen plenty of these in fantasy novels and webtoons, but to actually see one up close... it felt unreal.

Usually, these were treated like storage spaces for adventurers or high-ranking mages—an invisible backpack for keeping equipment, gold, or even food.

And yet, here I was... holding one in my hand.

In this world, spatial or temporal magic was considered the pinnacle of arcane mastery—something only the most gifted nobles or ancient magi could wield. Creating or even maintaining a spatial pocket required both immense mana and exceptional control.

Which meant this bracelet wasn’t just rare—it was priceless.

"...Was all that suffering yesterday actually worth it?"

I laughed quietly to myself, a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction bubbling in my chest.

This little bracelet had already done more than I expected. It increased my mana capacity, stored small reserves, and now—it gave me a personal spatial pocket.

I couldn’t help but grin.

"Alright, let’s see what kind of treasures you’re hiding."

I reached my hand toward the glowing distortion, anticipation bubbling up inside me. Maybe there was something inside—a hidden item, a relic, or even a note from whoever created this thing.

"Come on, don’t disappoint me..."

But contrary to my expectations, the spatial pocket was completely empty.

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Author Note:-

Thanks for reading the novel.