"To my beloved Father and Mother,"
The pen scratched across the page.
"Is all well at home? Father, if the newspaper is too dull, consider subscribing to something livelier—perhaps a fiction weekly. Mother, please eat more meat and eggs; don't let your love for vegetables leave you undernourished."
"The teachers here are excellent, and my classmates are a fascinating bunch. I've made close friends: Hale Wesley from Mirror Lake District, a quiet local girl named Sophia Reed, and Elina Fox, a second-year and Sophia's neighbor. All wonderful people—I'll invite them over if the chance arises."
"The coursework is heavier than expected, but I'm managing easily—even with energy to spare. The subjects are enthralling, perfectly suited to my tastes. I'm grateful I chose magic and arcana over literature or art after primary school. This path lets me glimpse the world's most wondrous sights."
"Following your example, I've taken a campus job at the library. The pay is modest, but it aids my studies. Mrs. Linus, the librarian, remembers you both fondly and sends greetings to 'those two rascals from back then.'"
"Regarding your wish for me to 'find a daughter-in-law early'—I'm twelve. A child. Let's revisit this in a few years."
"P.S. Funds are low. Please send more. The more, the merrier."
A pause. Then he added:
"Also, tell Steward that Beta is thriving—happy, popular, and in good spirits."
"Your loving son—Lanen Banneray."
After checking for errors, Lanen capped his pen and let the ink dry. He folded the letter into a brown envelope, addressing it neatly:
Mr. Borant Banneray
1 Banneray Street, Olive District
Lavender City
A Month in Review
Time had flown. Nearly a month had passed since Lanen's arrival at the academy.
The school organized monthly letter deliveries for first-years—free postage, a privilege he'd waited for to save on stamps. His wallet, perpetually anemic, demanded such frugality.
Life had been rich. His bond with the squad deepened; they attended classes, studied, and dined together.
Thanks to Elina's notes, Lanen raced ahead in his studies. His magical progress was even more startling. Despite mediocre aptitude, his nightly Universal Meditation sessions had boosted his mana reserves to nearly 35 æther units—a leap that impressed even his instructor.
"On the path of magic," the teacher had told the class, "diligence outweighs talent. With the Universal Method, there are no plateaus—only accumulation." Lanen became the poster child for this mantra.
Every other evening and Saturday afternoons, he reported to the library. As coursework intensified, student demand for books grew, keeping him busy—but not too busy to devour knowledge. Astronomy, geography, magic, arcana, flora and fauna, history, literature, sociology—he read voraciously, piecing together the world's contours.
The rest of his time was spent excavating Allen Mathison's foundational papers on computability, hunting down references like Alonzo Church's "Church's Thesis" and works by Kleene, Gödel, and Herbrand on recursive functions. Each text teased loose another fragment of his otherworldly memories.
The Study Pact
"Your pace is astounding, but you're still not ready for first-year exams," Elina remarked as Lanen scribbled notes beside her.
"No worries. I've got a secret method to accelerate comprehension. You're welcome to join," Lanen said, waving his pen without looking up.
"Oh? Do tell," Elina leaned in. Hale and Sophia perked up.
"It's not easy," Lanen cautioned. "But it builds an ironclad foundation—deep, holistic understanding. If you're in, no backing out."
Unaware of what they were signing up for, the trio agreed eagerly.