Morning. The station was bustling with life: countless people scurried about, waiting for their trains. Among the crowd, a young man with chestnut hair sat on a bench, his hands folded as if in prayer.

  — Please, let nothing go wrong, please, let nothing go wrong, — I repeated these words like a mantra in my head.

  I was scared. No, not just scared—I was terrified. Having died once under a train, I had developed a phobia of them. If it weren’t the only way to get to the academy, I wouldn’t have come within a kilometer of the station.

  On my lap lay a brown suitcase containing 20 million galls. This money was my entrance fee. After all, they wouldn’t just let a commoner into the academy.

  “Too bad for anyone who tries to steal my money,” I thought, looking at the suitcase.

  — Attention! The train “Fenor — Galas” is arriving at the station! — an announcement rang out.

  I stood up and headed to the platform, but I didn’t get too close. I had no desire to end up on the tracks again.

  The train arrived, and people began boarding. Finding my seat, I finally relaxed.

  “Now all that’s left is to get to Galas and pass the entrance exam,” I thought, gazing out the window. Galas was the cultural capital of the Kingdom of Dagen and home to the best magical and military academy at the moment.

  Though, calling it the “best” might be a stretch. The academy could easily lose its top spot. One reason was the leakage of talented students. Other academies were poaching promising students. With the appearance of the main heroine’s gift for light magic, relations with other academies would sour. Everyone would want to acquire such a rare talent, but only Nymphis Academy would succeed.

  — Kid, what’s this miracle wagon that moves so fast? — Ais Mor’s sudden question brought me back to reality.

  — You mean the train? — I replied. It was somewhat lucky that there were few people around me, so I could answer the curious old man in a half-whisper.

  — It’s a vehicle that can reach incredible speeds thanks to air and fire magic. I don’t really understand how it works either, — I satisfied the old man’s curiosity and went back to staring out the window, watching the passing scenery.

  — Oh, and what’s this thing... — Ais Mor started, but I had already tuned out, lost in my thoughts.

  Four hours later, I finally arrived in Galas. The entire journey, the old man Ais Mor had pestered me with questions, though it would’ve been foolish to scold him for it—after all, he’d spent 800 years in that ring, cut off from the world.

  Deciding to postpone exploring the city, I headed straight for the academy. To my surprise, there were quite a few people like me, coming to take the entrance exam.

  — Hey, idiot, hurry up! — an annoyed male voice came from the side. — If you don’t hurry, you’ll be fired!

  Turning my head, I saw a blond man yelling at his maid. His clothing made it clear he was the son of some aristocrat.

  “Yeah, this is about what I expected to see here,” I thought, stopping my observation of the scene and heading toward the administration building.

  As I walked through the academy grounds, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the beauty of the building. High arches adorned with carvings, stained glass windows letting in sunlight, and statues depicting great mages of the past—all of it created an atmosphere of grandeur and mystery.

  When I entered the building, I was immediately asked to pay the entrance fee, or else I’d be thrown out. This annoyed me a bit, but I paid, after which I was led to one of the offices.

  Inside sat a beautiful woman with long white hair tied into an elegant braid. Her skin was pale, almost porcelain-like, and her eyes were a bright green, like emeralds. She sat at a desk cluttered with papers and, after giving me a quick glance, gestured for me to sit on the couch. Finishing the documents, she sat down across from me.

  — So, your name is Ark, 16 years old, a commoner, with a father, mother, and younger brother, and you have a B-rank in the adventurer’s guild. Good, — she said, scanning the sheet in her hand.

  — Uh... Yes, — I replied cautiously.

  It unnerved me that she knew all this, even though I hadn’t said anything about myself, especially about my rank. The thing is, after obtaining my C-rank, I had started hiding my identity behind an ice mask, and not many people knew about my identity as an adventurer.

  — Relax, I learned all this from the spirits, — she said calmly, still looking at the sheet.

  Until she mentioned spirits, I hadn’t noticed, but she had long, pointed ears. She was an elf. I just couldn’t recall her—probably because I had only written down events important for preventing the bad ending.

  — What can you do? — the elf asked, looking up from the sheet.

  — I... I can use mana to create an ice sword, — I said, demonstrating it. — But I can’t use spells, so that’s it.

  — Unusual. You can create weapons but can’t use spells. Are you lying to me? — her gaze became more hostile, but she soon calmed down. — Doesn’t matter, you can use mana—that’s the main thing. Here, take this.

  She handed me a few sheets with questions.

  — The entrance exam begins. You have 30 minutes for all the questions, — she said, flipping the hourglass.

  “What? What the hell? Why now?” — I was extremely displeased with this unexpected turn of events. I looked at the questions, and my indignation quickly subsided. Reading the first question, I thought it was some kind of joke. “Which organ is responsible for breathing in humans? What are tree roots for? Solve simple equations. In what year was the Kingdom of Dagen founded?” The tasks were at a fifth-grade level for an entrance exam. A small tear slid down my cheek—I remembered how I had suffered taking exams and applying to college in my past life.

  After solving all the problems, I handed the sheets back to the elf. She was surprised that almost all the answers were correct. I got 92 out of 100, making only a few mistakes in history-related questions, though that didn’t bother me much.

  The elf narrowed her eyes slightly but soon exhaled.

  — Alright, you passed, — she said, returning to her seat. — If you have no questions, you can go. You’ll receive a letter before the start of the school year, so don’t forget.

  — No questions, then I’ll go, — I said, hastily leaving the office.

  As I walked down the hallway, I heard Ais Mor’s voice:

  — Kid, you should be careful with people like that woman.

  — Careful? Sure, I could feel she was very strong, but she didn’t exert pressure like Gilbert, the head of the capital’s guild, — I said, recalling my first meeting with him.

  — Well, I wouldn’t advise you to mess with her. You’ll just get more trouble, — the old man said.

  — Oh, are you jealous? Don’t worry, old man, I won’t trade you for someone else just because she’s a sexy elf.

  — You know, I was quite handsome in my youth!

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  — Sure, sure, — I chuckled, continuing down the hallway.

  In the headmaster’s office of Nymphis Academy, silence reigned, broken only by the soft crackling of the fireplace in the corner. The white-haired elf, Headmistress Laura Barrel, sat at her massive oak desk, on which stood a small golden plaque with her name. Her green eyes, deep and thoughtful, were fixed on the door through which the strange young man had just left.

  “Strange... He’s definitely hiding something, — Laura thought, tapping her long fingers on the desk. — And then there’s Gilbert with his strange request for me to screen commoners. Although this year, a girl with a rare gift for light magic is expected to appear... I’ll have to ask that gray-haired idiot about this boy.”

  She leaned back in her chair, her white hair, tied in an elegant braid, softly shimmering in the firelight. Her thoughts were occupied not only by this young man but also by the upcoming school year. Nymphis Academy had always been renowned for its talented students, but lately, competition with other academies had become increasingly fierce. Talent leakage, intrigue, pressure from the aristocracy—all of this created additional challenges.

  — This year promises to be quite interesting, — she whispered, and a faint, barely noticeable smile appeared on her face.

  She picked up a pen from the desk and began writing a letter. The address was familiar—Gilbert, the head of the capital’s adventurer guild. Laura knew he hadn’t asked her to pay attention to commoners for no reason. Perhaps this young man was one of those he considered special.

  “Gilbert, you’ve always been a master at finding strange talents, — she thought, sealing the letter. — But what are you hiding this time?”

  She rang a small silver bell, and a servant entered the office moments later.

  — Deliver this letter to the head of the capital’s adventurer guild, — she ordered, handing over the envelope. — And tell him not to keep me waiting for a reply.

  The servant bowed and left, and Laura sank back into her thoughts. She walked over to the window, which offered a view of the academy grounds.

  — Interesting times are coming, — she said to herself, gazing at the horizon. — And I must be ready for anything.

  Her green eyes flashed with determination. Laura Barrel wouldn’t be the headmistress of one of the best academies if she couldn’t handle challenges. And this year, no matter how difficult it might be, would become another chapter in the history of Nymphis Academy.

  After leaving the academy, I still had a few hours before my train arrived, so I decided to take a walk around Galas. Though, to be honest, the main initiator of this walk was Ais Mor, who really wanted to see the city.

  Galas truly was a beautiful city, with traces of ancient Greek architecture preserved. Tall columns, marble statues, wide squares—all of it created an atmosphere of grandeur and history. Even the huge Coliseum, where annual games between academies were held, was part of the city. On regular days, it was an arena where tournaments took place, though unlike its real-life counterpart, they weren’t deadly.

  Galas definitely deserved its title as the cultural capital of the kingdom. Unlike some other “cultural capitals” I knew, the locals here didn’t overuse salt but instead enjoyed art, music, and theater.

  As I walked, several people tried to discreetly steal the ring from my hand, which amused me greatly.

  Halfway to the station, something unexpected happened.

  — Waaah! — a sudden child’s cry rang out in the middle of the road.

  It was a little boy who had fallen and hurt his knee. Of course, I felt sorry for him, but I didn’t really want to help. Not because I’m a heartless jerk, but because I don’t know how to handle kids. I was about to just walk past when I heard a woman’s voice.

  — Hey, little one, don’t cry. Show me where it hurts, — a calm and gentle voice addressed the boy.

  The owner of this voice was a cute girl with chestnut hair tied into two small ponytails.

  “Maria?!” — I recognized her immediately. The main heroine of “The Story of Orsta’s Five Flowers.”

  The girl placed her hand on the boy’s injured knee, and a bright light from her palm momentarily blinded everyone around. When the light faded, everyone saw that the wound was gone.

  — There, all better? — Maria asked the boy, who had stopped crying.

  — Uh-huh, thank you, sis! — the boy said happily.

  Quickly getting up, he thanked the girl again and ran off. She waved after him with a smile.

  Maria was a very good girl. She didn’t have any particularly twisted traits—just kind and sweet. If she were the heroine of a dating sim, her type would be “Deredere,” the choice of an average player. No wonder so many characters in the game fell in love with her.

  “Time to use my years of dating sim experience.”

  — Hi, — I said cautiously, approaching her. — You just did something amazing.

  Maria turned to me, her eyes shining with kindness.

  — Oh, it was just a little healing, — she replied modestly. — I just can’t walk past someone who’s suffering.

  — That’s wonderful, — I said, trying to sound sincere. — My name’s Ark. And you?

  — Maria De Lanier, — she smiled. — Nice to meet you, Ark.

  We started talking, and I felt how easy and pleasant it was to communicate with her. She was so open and sincere that even I, accustomed to caution, began to relax.

  — Are you studying at the Academy? — she asked, looking at me curiously.

  — Yes, I just took the entrance exam, — I replied. — And you?

  — I... — Maria began but paused for a second, as if choosing her words. — I... Got lost? — she asked, slightly embarrassed.

  — No! I’m not lost! — she quickly corrected herself, but then her voice became quieter. — I was heading to Nymphis Academy but got a little sidetracked and wandered off the path... Okay, I’m lost.

  Actually, I knew she really was lost because in the game, she told the prince about this day.

  — But how did you know I needed to go to the academy? — she asked, her eyes expressing genuine curiosity.

  — Even an idiot would understand that the academy would try to recruit someone with your talent, — I replied with a slight smirk.

  — Want me to walk you to the academy? It’s no trouble, — I offered.

  — Really? That would be great. I was afraid I wouldn’t find my way there, — Maria’s mood quickly lifted, and she looked like a happy puppy.

  We talked the whole way. She told me more about her magic. Though I already knew almost everything about her, when she talked about it, Maria literally glowed with joy. I was once again convinced of how charming she was.

  “Bam” — I slapped myself in the face with my palm, snapping out of it.

  “The charm of the main heroine is a scary thing.”

  — Are you okay? — Maria asked, slightly concerned.

  — Ah, I’m fine, just some bad thoughts creeping in, — I replied. — Anyway, we’re here now. You can take it from here.

  — Thank you, Ark. I’m afraid I wouldn’t have made it without you. Now I’m worried, will they accept me?

  — Don’t be dramatic, — I said, not hiding my smile. — With your abilities, they’ll snatch you up in a heartbeat. See you at the academy.

  Turning around, I started walking away from the academy.

  — See you at the academy, Ark! — Maria shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth.

  Without turning around, I waved my hand and left.

  — And what was that? Some scene from a cheap romance novel? — the old man’s voice echoed in my head.

  — Shut up, I just always wanted to do something like that, — I replied sheepishly to Ais Mor.

  — Alright, whatever. Was that the girl you decided to enroll in this academy for?

  — Yes, Maria is the main heroine, around whom a story will unfold that you’ve never seen in your entire life.

  — Intriguing, kid. But don’t fall behind either, after all, you’re my student now. I feel like you’re going to entertain me quite a bit, — the old man laughed in anticipation of what might happen in the future.

  — I almost forgot. While watching you, I noticed a strange change in your behavior. You’re not in love with her, are you? — Ais Mor unexpectedly asked.

  — What? Old coot, don’t make things up. She’s a sweet and kind girl, but she’s not my type, — I replied, slightly annoyed by the question.

  — Oh, and who is your type?

  — That’s none of your business!

  — Ah, youth...

  Continuing to chat with the old man in my head, I made it to the station. After calming my panic and fear of trains a bit, I managed to safely reach the royal capital.

  A month passed. Waking up early in the morning, I put on my school uniform. In the past, just the thought of it would’ve made me break out in a cold sweat, but now everything was different. This uniform was beautiful—custom-made, it fit me perfectly, accentuating every line. I couldn’t get enough of it, as if it weren’t just a piece of clothing but something more, a symbol of a new stage in my life.

  “Damn, I’m acting like a girl who just bought herself a new purse,” — I caught myself thinking this and immediately tried to regain a more serious expression.

  My gaze fell on the letter lying on the windowsill. It was addressed to me. It had been delivered yesterday morning, and since then, I’d reread it several times. The letter announced the upcoming start of classes and invited me to the admission ceremony. These lines filled me with both excitement and anticipation.

  — Ark, come say goodbye to us before you leave, — my mother’s soft voice came from the next room.

  — Coming, Mom! — I called back, taking one last look around my room, as if trying to memorize it.

  Outside, my whole family was waiting for me. The sun was just beginning to rise, and its rays softly illuminated their faces. I couldn’t help but smile as I looked at them.

  — Son, — my mother approached me first, her eyes glistening with tears, but she tried to hold it together. — I’m so happy we have you. Make sure to visit as soon as you have time.

  — Of course, Mom, — I hugged her, feeling her warmth and care. — I’m endlessly happy to have you too.

  My father stood a little further away, his stern face softening as he approached me.

  — Ark, take care of yourself, — his voice was firm, but there was deep concern in it. — Know that I’ll always help you, no matter the cost.

  These words echoed deeply within me, reminding me of my late father. I nodded, trying not to show how much they moved me.

  — Big bro, come back soon! — my younger brother’s quiet voice rang out like a gentle bell. He looked at me with his big eyes, full of trust and adoration.

  — Of course, big bro will be back soon, — I crouched down to his level and patted his head. — And you help Mom and Dad while I’m gone, okay?

  He nodded, trying to look more grown-up than he was.

  After saying goodbye to everyone, I took one last look at the house where I’d spent my childhood, at the faces of my family watching me go. My heart ached with a slight sadness, but at the same time, I felt a growing determination.

  With a heavy but hopeful heart, I set off for the Academy, ready to meet the next chapter of my life.