"Makoto-San."
"Hey, wake up."
"Are you okay?"
A faint voice reached his ears as he slowly opened his heavy eyelids. His vision blurred briefly, then cleared.
A girl with long, jet-black hair and deep, dark eyes looked down at him with gentle concern.
"Uh…where am I?" He asked, still feeling dazed.
"This is Delphi."
"You lost consciousness as soon as you arrived."
He looked around. Towering trees surrounded him, and morning sunlight filtered through the leaves. He raised a hand to his face and sighed.
"Reina…where do we go from here?"
"If we keep heading south, we'll reach the main city soon," she said.
He tried to push himself up, but his vision swayed, and a wave of dizziness hit him hard. His legs gave way, and he collapsed back to the ground. Reina hurried to his side and caught him before he fell completely.
"Don't push yourself! You're not used to the mana in the air yet," she said.
"I told you it's risky for someone like you to come here."
She raised her hand over his chest. A soft green glow emerged from her fingertips, spreading warmth through his body as if something invisible flowed into him.
"I came here because I wanted to," he muttered, forcing himself to his feet again. "Velmira told us to reach the main city as soon as possible, remember? Let's go."
She looked at him with concern. "That was just a minor healing spell. It won't help much."
He grinned faintly. "I'll be fine. Compared to what I went through on the way here, this is nothing."
He reached out a hand toward her. She smiled and took it, helping her up.
"If you get dizzy again, don't expect me to carry you," she teased.
"Hey, Reina," Makoto said as they started walking, "can you tell me more about mana?"
Her eyes widened slightly. "Wait, Velmira didn't explain anything to you?"
"She told me to learn from you instead. Sorry about that."
Reina chuckled softly and shook her head. "It's fine. You'll have to learn this sooner or later anyway."
She pointed at him. "Listen carefully, okay? I'll make it simple."
"Mana is the energy of all existence,"
"It flows through the air, the water, the earth, and within our bodies."
"Normally, mana looks like tiny glowing orbs, about the size of dust particles, floating around us. But only a few people can see them clearly."
She twirled her finger in the air, and tiny lights began swirling around it like a small spiral.
"Living beings can learn to control the mana within them through mind and training."
"When we focus mana into one point, that becomes what we call magic."
"The basics involve fusing that mana with one of the four elements: earth, water, wind, or fire."
As she spoke, the swirling lights transformed, solidifying into shimmering frost before she flicked them toward the ground. A faint crackle followed.
Makoto's jaw dropped. "Wait, what!? You can just create something like that!?"
He crouched down, touching the frost on the grass. It began to melt almost instantly in his palm.
"This is real magic," he whispered, eyes wide in disbelief. "It's like being trapped inside a game. Or maybe this is the dream I had as a kid coming true."
She giggled. "You really are funny, Makoto-San."
He jumped up, face red. "F-Forget what I just said! Let's just…keep moving."
She smiled knowingly but didn't tease him further.
They walked through the forest for about an hour, though it felt much longer.
"Hey, are we there yet?" he asked, panting slightly.
"Just a few more minutes."
Then, as they stepped past the last line of trees, the world opened up before them. A vast field stretched out under a blue sky, and beyond it stood a grand city, its outer walls resembled something from medieval Europe, but the inner skyline glimmered with unusual structures.
He stared, shocked. "This..isn't what I imagined at all."
"Remember," Reina said, turning serious, "don't let anyone know where you're from. If someone asks, just say you're from a countryside village."
"Yeah, yeah, I got it," he replied casually, only to freeze at her serious gaze.
"If they find out, both Velmira and I could be in big trouble."
He sighed. "She already left us here anyway. A little more trouble won't hurt…I guess?"
Reina pouted and stormed ahead.
"H-Hey, wait! I was joking! Come on, don't be mad!" He shouted, running after her.
As they entered the city, cobblestone streets stretched endlessly ahead. Stone buildings lined both sides, decorated with arching windows and carved pillars, bustling with life. Merchants shouted, customers argued, and strange glowing stones hung from stalls.
"Six silver at least! Look at the cracks, it's barely holding together!"
"I said ten silver final! Take it or leave it!"
He froze at the sound of their argument. "Wait a second, shouldn't people in another world be speaking a different language? But I can understand them perfectly. They're speaking Japanese!"
She pointed at the small crystal ring on his finger. "That's a translation ring. Velmira put it on you before sending you here."
"For real!?" He exclaimed, holding up his hand. "So it's powered by mana?"
"Correct," Reina nodded.
"Things like that are called Menia objects made or infused with mana. They're basically this world's version of electrical appliances, from simple things like mana lamps to powerful weapons or magic tools."
"But honestly, Menia are complicated things to understand. That's about as much as I can explain, really."
"So this ring must be pretty rare then," he said thoughtfully.
"Yes,"
"Custom translation Menia like this is hard to make, especially for a language like yours. It's odd, almost like you were brought here for something important."
"Huh? Me? Important?" He laughed nervously. "If I were that special, Velmira wouldn't have left us here."
"Maybe. Velmira never acts without a reason. If she left you here, it's because there's something she wants you to learn on your own."
"Learn…on my own?" he looked confused.
"Or she just didn't want to deal with you," she added jokingly, smiling wryly.
"Don't say that! You're making me feel guilty now!"
She chuckled. "Still, it's been a while since I've been back here. Feels…..nostalgic."
"You've been here before!?" He asked, surprised.
"Of course"
"How else would I know my way around? Anyway, once we reach our quarters, I'll explain more."
Makoto sighed. "At least give me a hint first…"
As they approached the city center, the scenery changed. The medieval stone houses gave way to sleek, tall structures infused with glowing circuits. Rings of blue light floated above the rooftops, spinning gently like halos. Transparent bridges connected buildings in mid-air, and people in robes walked past with staffs or Menia devices orbiting around them.
"This looks like a completely different city…"
"Delphi, the only city that blends magic and technology perfectly. It's called The Arcane Path City, the center of every magical discipline and Menea innovation."
"Then that means the magic academy is nearby?"
She nodded. "Right ahead. Eleusis Arcaneia."
They followed the main path until a grand gate came into view, its stone arch engraved with letters, incredibly.
As the two stepped through the gate, a smooth gray stone road lay ahead, leading straight toward a grand building in the distance. Smaller paths branched off to other structures, each built in a different style. Some looked modern, decorated with glowing crystals, while others appeared to be made of plain old stone. They were simple but exuded a quiet sense of dignity.
Along the way, crowds of people moved around. Students in elegant uniforms walked beside, men and women dressed in lavish clothing that looked almost noble. Yet, what caught Makoto's attention was not their clothes but their expressions. Many faces showed sorrow, with eyes full of tears, and some were quietly weeping as they passed.
"Starting to feel nervous already," He muttered, with sweat trickling down his neck.
"Don't be," Rena replied with a soft smile. "You've got me, remember?" Her calm tone eased the tension in the air, even if just a little.
At the end of the main road stood another structure that gleamed in the light. The entire building was made of pristine white stone, so clean it looked newly built. The pillars and walls featured intricate carvings of ancient magical symbols that seemed to pulse faintly with power.
They slowly pushed open the grand doors. Inside was a vast hall, illuminated by towering crystal pillars that reached the ceiling. Drapes of deep bronze hung along the walls, and above the entrance, a grand emblem shone proudly, the crest of This Academy.
Reina stepped up to the central counter where a uniformed staff member sat.
"Name, please," the woman asked politely.
"Reina Kirisaka."
The staff quickly scanned her list, then handed over a key and a white card. "Confirmed. Welcome back, Miss Kirisaka."
"Thank you." Reina turned to Makoto. "Your turn."
He hesitated. "This is surprisingly easy," he muttered, walking up to the counter.
"Makoto Kurosawa"
The woman looked at him, checked her records, and soon smiled. "Confirmed. Welcome to Eleusis Arcaneia, Mr. Makoto Kurosawa."
She handed him a silver key and a gray identification card. "Your dorm is behind the main building. Follow the signs and you'll find it easily. The first number on your key is the floor, and the next two are your room number. For first-year students, the dorm is on the left. Good luck."
"T-Thank you," Makoto replied, taking the items.
He returned to Reina, frowning. "That was way too easy. It's like they already knew I was coming."
"Of course."
"Velmira must've handled your registration in advance. The school probably knew already."
"Still… feels weird," he murmured. "I'm not really special or anything. How did I even get accepted here?"
"Hmm, that's true," Reina said, glancing at his card. "But look, your student card is different from mine."
His card was a muted gray, with his name and details engraved beside a small blank square frame.
"I've never seen one in gray before," she said curiously.
He slipped it into his pocket. "That doesn't sound reassuring."
"Don't overthink it," she said, smiling.
"Let's get you settled first."
They exited the main hall, walking through a small flower garden with a fountain at its center. The left stone path led them toward several elegant dorm buildings.
"The men's dorm is on the left," Reina said, pointing. "Once you're in your room, change into the uniform on the desk and meet me back here, okay?"
"What about you?"
"I'll check my room first. Don't worry, I'll finish before you," she said smugly.
"This isn't a race, you know…"
He sighed. "Fine, I'll hurry."
They split up. Makoto followed the left path until the courtyard opened up again. Ahead stood three symmetrical dorm buildings surrounded by manicured hedges and a neat stone walkway.
"This school has way too many gardens…" he muttered with a small laugh.
He checked his key, Room 206.
The door before him was beautifully carved, polished until it gleamed. Carefully, he turned the handle.
The hinges creaked softly as a faint floral scent drifted out.
Inside, a red carpet ran down the hallway under warm, golden light. The stone walls were decorated with glowing geometric lines that pulsed faintly.
To his left stood a small wooden counter lined with mailboxes, to his right neat rows of shoe racks.
"Definitely fancier than I expected," he thought, removing his sandals before stepping onto the carpet.
Upstairs, each step echoed quietly underneath him until he reached the second floor. Doors lined both sides of the corridor, odd numbers on the left and even on the right.
"So… this way," he muttered, turning right.
Soon, he stopped before Room 206. The brass nameplate glinted softly under the lamplight.
He inserted the key. Click.
The door swung open.
The room was calm and inviting white walls, a dark wooden desk by a large window, and a neatly made bed with a soft gray duvet.
Makoto dropped onto the bed without hesitation. The mattress was so soft he sank right into it.
"Just… a little rest," he whispered.
And within moments, he drifted off to sleep.