"Mom… when I grow up, can I become a mage like you?"
I asked innocently as I looked up at the beautiful woman in front of me—my mother.
She smiled softly. Her silver hair shimmered under the evening sunlight streaming through the small window of our house.
She gently patted my head.
"Of course, dear… you'll definitely become a great mage someday."
Warmth spread through my chest at her words.
(fuu~ a soft evening breeze drifted in through the window)
My name is Alicia Seraphine, a girl from a poor baron family living on the outskirts of the kingdom.
Even though our life was simple—sometimes even lacking money—I was still happy as long as I could be with my mother.
Every day, I trained as hard as I could to form my core, hoping to become a mage just like I'd always dreamed.
Now, I'm fourteen years old.
flip flip~ the sound of turning pages
With the books my mother left in our small library, I studied everything about magic.
Elemental magic is divided into four basics: Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind.
But there are also rare elements that only a few people possess—Light, Darkness, Lightning, and Ice.
Those rare attributes hold tremendous power, yet they are extremely difficult to train.
Most mages never awaken them in their entire lives.
crackle… the candle on my desk flickered quietly
For four long years, I kept training to form my core under my mother's guidance and with the books she'd given me.
But no matter how hard I tried—
I couldn't form my core.
Every time I tried to absorb mana, my body felt heavy… as if an invisible barrier was blocking it.
(Mana is the energy of this world. Without mana, a mage cannot cast any spell or magic.)
(The Core is the container within a human body that stores mana and becomes the source of their magical power.)
(thump… thump…) my heartbeat echoed loudly in my ears.
Why… why am I the only one?
Am I truly not meant to become a mage like my mother?
I clenched my fists, staring at the thick book in front of me.
The pages once filled with beautiful theories of magic now felt distant—unreachable.
"I… won't give up…"
I whispered as I looked out at the night sky through the window.
"I will become a mage like my mother… no matter what."
But that night, I finally reached my limit.
After hours of meditation and trying to circulate mana, my head felt heavy and my vision blurred.
(haa… haa…)
"For today… that's enough…"
I muttered, collapsing onto the thin mattress in my room.
The old wooden ceiling stared back at me, and the same question kept echoing in my head.
Why can't I form my core…?
(crick… crick…) the sound of crickets outside the window
"…I will become a mage. No matter what it takes."
That was the last thing I said before my eyes slowly closed.
The next morning.
(chirp chirp~) birds chirped cheerfully outside.
"Alicia! Look at this!"
My mother's gentle voice pulled me from sleep. I rubbed my still-heavy eyes.
"Huaaam… what is it, Mom? It's still early… I studied until late last night…"
She smiled brightly, holding something in her hand—a letter sealed with blue wax bearing the emblem of a magic tower.
"Look closely, Alicia. This letter… is from an old friend of mine."
I immediately sat up. (rustle~)
She carefully broke the seal and began reading.
— To my dear friend, Kalia Seraphine.
It has been so long since we last met at the Southern Tower. Hahaha, time truly flies.
I heard that your daughter, Alicia, shares the same dream you once had—becoming a mage.
This world can be cruel to those without noble titles, but passion and determination… can sometimes surpass bloodlines.
With a few connections at the Central Tower, I managed to obtain special permission from the Tower Master.
Your daughter is now eligible to take the entrance exam for the Magic Academy—the very place we once dreamed of entering together.
May she inherit your steadfast heart, and one day, leave her name shining upon the sky of the magical world.
— Warm regards,
Evelyn Rosedale
Vice Master of the Southern Tower
Then my mother handed me another envelope.
Written in gold ink on the front:
"Magic Academy — Letter of Admission"
My hands trembled as I opened it.
Letter of Student Admission
Official Notice from the Magic Academy
To: Alicia Seraphine
Based on the formal recommendation from the Southern Magic Tower and with the approval of the Tower Master, we hereby acknowledge that you are accepted as a candidate student of the Academy.
You are required to appear at the main gate of the Academy next year during the new student reception period.
— Signed,
Ardan Levingard
Headmaster of the Academy
I froze. My hands shook as I read each line.
(thump… thump…) my heartbeat thundered.
"Mom… i-is this real?"
My mother smiled, her eyes shimmering with tears.
"Yes, Alicia… this is your chance. Your dream… is finally opening."
I stared at the letter, hardly believing what I saw.
A Magic Academy admission letter—something I thought I would only see in dreams.
But then…
Reality slowly struck me.
I had trained for four years…
Yet I still hadn't formed my core.
(thump… thump…) my chest tightened.
"B-but, Mom…"
My voice trembled as I looked at her.
"I still can't form my core. Isn't it… bad if I enter the Academy like this?"
Her body stiffened, and her joyful expression slowly faded.
"R-really, Alicia? You… can't form your core?"
Her voice quivered with worry.
I lowered my head.
"I've tried so many times, Mom… It feels like there's a huge wall blocking the mana from entering my body.
And when I manage to absorb even a little, it just… spreads throughout my body and disappears."
Mother fell silent. She sat on the edge of my bed, closing her eyes as if trying to recall something.
(silence…)
"I've never heard of such a case before, dear…"
She stroked my hair gently.
"I'm sorry I can't help you right now. But don't worry—I'll find the cause, alright?"
Her sweet smile carried warmth… but also hidden unease.
And for some reason, that alone eased my chest a little.
A few days later.
Mother called a famous alchemy doctor from the city to examine me today.
The man had gray hair, wore a long black robe, and a blue crystal pendant hung from his neck.
"I heard the young lady is having trouble forming a core?"
His voice was deep.
"Yes, please help her, Doctor," Mother said anxiously.
The doctor placed his hand on my back and closed his eyes.
(whuuum…)
A warm wave of mana spread through my body—he was tracing the mana flow inside me, gently and carefully.
But then—
(crack!)
A shock slammed through my body from within, as if something violently rejected it.
I gasped, squeezing my eyes shut in pain.
After several minutes, the doctor opened his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.
"I'm sorry, Lady Seraphine…" he said softly, giving my mother a sympathetic look.
"Your daughter suffers from a very rare condition. Her body naturally rejects magical energy."
"Rejects…?" Mother whispered.
"Yes. In magical medicine, we call this Mana Rejection Syndrome.
A body like hers cannot hold mana for long—any mana that enters immediately disperses and vanishes.
According to recorded history, there has never been a single case that recovered…
Or became a mage."
(clink…) Mother's metal pen dropped to the floor.
I could only stare blankly.
His words pierced my chest like a blade.
Before anyone could say anything, I ran out of the room.
"Alicia! Wait—!" Mother called, but I didn't stop.
My feet carried me into our small library. The room that always comforted me now felt suffocating.
I collapsed onto the chair, staring at the thick books on the shelves.
"I-I can't become a mage…?"
My lips trembled.
"Hahaha… after all that training… I'm really just a failure…"
(drip… drip…)
Tears fell onto the magic book in front of me.