At exactly noon, sunlight poured through the clouds like a blessing, and the quiet of the old house was broken by soft footsteps.
Lisa, Dr Mu, Mr. Goat, and the dove arrived together, their expressions expectant. But what they saw made them stop cold.
In the middle of the courtyard, beneath the shade of the weathered tree, sat a boy and a Whisp — not just coexisting, but laughing together without words. Luna's watery body shimmered with playfulness as she poked her nose into Jimmy's shoulder. He smiled back, gently nudging her with a half-eaten fruit. The sight was surreal: a mute boy and a creature of magic, speaking volumes in silence.
Lisa exhaled slowly. "That bond… it's rare," she murmured.
Dr Mu blinked. "They're communicating without sound, without signals—just pure trust."
She pulled out a slim rectangular device from her coat — the Data Sphere, a scanning tool used by the Whisp Nexus — and pointed it gently toward Luna.
[Pet Name: Ondirael] flashed across the screen before Lisa instinctively turned it off. She glanced up. Both Luna and Jimmy were staring at her with soft, knowing smiles.
He stood up and signed with pride: 'Meet my new Whisp and my friend… Luna.'
Lisa gave a proud smile. "He's been raising her in secret. We knew… but none of us said anything."
Dr. Mu chuckled softly. "That's why her brain scan spiked. Emotional bonding on this level at such a young age? It's rare."
Nun Lisa turned to her dove. "So this is what you were hiding?" she asked pointedly.
The dove puffed out her feathers and cooed du du ddu dud udu…, as if telling a story in one long breath: It's Jimmy's Whisp. He's raised her since she was a tiny sparkle. Stole food for her. She's the one who made me fall into the pond last night. No one else came near this house because of her—not even his friends.
Mr. Goat's ears twitched. "Fatty. Why are you spilling everyth—YOW!"
He didn't get to finish. The dove, eyes flaring with fury, pecked him hard on the hand. Mr. Goat howled and jumped back, flapping his arms.
"Stop! Stop, you lunatic bird!" he yelped.
If Nun Lisa hadn't stepped between them, the dove might have broken his fingers. She scolded gently while the dove hissed and flared her wings like a warrior hen.
Dr Mu sighed and gestured to her floating bell-shaped Whisp, Belly (Carillon). "Belly, heal him, please."
Bel…bel…bel… came the sweet hum as a faint light bathed Mr. Goat's injured hand, soothing the pain.
Still chuckling, Dr Mu looked to Jimmy. "Can I check Luna's condition?"
But Luna had already darted behind Jimmy, cautious and protective.
Jimmy placed a hand behind him, making a soft gesture of reassurance. 'It's okay, come out,' he signed gently.
She peeked out, eyes unsure.
Then she stepped forward.
..............................................
After the examination, Sister Lisa gave a small nod of approval. "Alright," she said gently.
Nun Lisa stepped forward with a warm smile. "Let's go. We have to visit the Whisp Taming Centre and register your name."
Jimmy nodded, eyes calm but glittering with anticipation. He gently lifted Luna, who chirped with excitement, and placed her on his head. She nestled in proudly, her paws gently tapping his forehead in rhythm with each step as they began walking toward the centre.
As they walked through the narrow path leading down from the old house, Jimmy signed something quickly with his fingers.
Lisa glanced at him, her eyes curious, and read his hands. Then she stopped, stunned. "Two schools have accepted your applications?"
Both she and Dr Mu exchanged wide-eyed looks.
This was no ordinary news.
Jimmy — mute since early childhood — had never been to any formal school. He had no academic record, no guardianship recommendation, no papers. To the outside world, he was invisible — just another orphan surviving in the shadows.
And yet, two institutions had recognized him.
He raised two fingers and quickly traced the names in the air:
"Nymera Institute of Elemental Studies" — one of the oldest schools in the southern sector, known for training gifted children in rare taming professions.
"Veyrith Academy of Tamer Arts" — a competitive northern school with advanced Whisp-control training and codex analysis.
Dr Mu blinked in disbelief. "Veyrith and Nymera...? These aren't common names. One's elite, and the other... almost never accepts applicants without formal backgrounds."
Lisa was equally shocked. "Did you apply by yourself?"
Jimmy nodded.
It wasn't luck. He had earned it.
He had learned to read and write through second-hand books and orphanage scraps. He'd absorbed complex codex theories, Whisp system structures, and the nuances of summoning arrays by observing from the side lines. Even without a teacher, he had memorized every detail about taming, types, talents, ranks, and profession routes. He never spoke, but he listened to everything the world ignored.
Luna gave a proud little hop atop his head — as if announcing his triumph louder than any voice ever could.
Dr Mu smiled softly. "He might be mute... but his thoughts are louder than most who speak."
Lisa chuckled under her breath. "The world's finally starting to notice."
As the three of them walked on — Jimmy, Nun Lisa, and Luna — they passed through the dusty trail like a quiet procession. , still caught in the surprise of the two acceptance letters, Sister Lisa glanced sideways at Jimmy. "What about the others?"
Jimmy tilted his head.
She continued, counting on her fingers: "Midfield Whisp Tamer Academy, North Edge Preparatory, Raikiri Training Grounds. Did you hear from them?"
Jimmy paused and took out her phone again — the screen still lit from earlier. He flicked through the notifications calmly, his expression unreadable.
Then, he turned the screen toward her. One by one, the names came up with a single, grey-highlighted word next to them:Cancelled.
Lisa frowned slightly. "They rejected the application? Did not they accept it first?"
Jimmy nodded.
He raised his hand and signed with quick fingers: 'They said... no prior education, no guardian rank recommendation.'
Dr Mu's brow tightened. "Those places only look at surface records. They don't see the spark."
Lisa sighed. "Their loss. The world is slow to change, but it will catch up."
Jimmy gave a small smile. He wasn't angry. In fact, part of him was relieved.
He didn't need every door to open. Just the right ones.
And with Nymera and Veyrith standing before him — the path was already wider than it had ever been.
Luna gave a chirp and leaned her head to nuzzle his hair gently, as if to say: Don't worry. I'll walk it with you.
The morning wind carried the scent of dew and possibility. And so they went, toward the Whisp nexus — where his name would finally be written into records, not as an orphan without a voice… but as a tamer walking the road toward greatness.