Luna wandered through the rows of bookshelves, her fingertips brushing along the spines as if searching for something she had lost long ago.
Rey followed behind her, his steps quiet and unhurried.
"What kind of books do you like the most?" Rey asked, breaking the silence that filled the small library.
"Hm… I like books about magic and history," Luna replied while scanning the titles.
"Especially the stories about King Albert Adnan. The first king who defeated the Demon King and united humanity. My mother used to tell me about him often."
"Oh? So you like history. But you know, Luna…" Rey leaned slightly closer.
"What is it?" Luna turned her head.
"I'm actually a fan of an author named Mister Meyer… is he your father?"
Luna's steps froze.
Her body stiffened between the shelves.
"W-What? My father…?" Her voice shrank into a whisper.
"What's wrong?" Rey walked closer, confused by Luna's expression.
"My father… passed away a long time ago." Luna lowered her gaze.
Rey fell silent for a moment before smiling gently. He guided her toward a seat near the window.
From his bag, Rey pulled out an aged book.
"Take a look at this," he said, placing the book on the table. "This was written by Mister Meyer. It's… truly a remarkable piece."
Luna touched the cover lightly.
Its worn texture felt like a bridge to a distant past—and memories buried with it.
"H-How do you have… my father's book?" she whispered.
"The Torres family has always loved Meyer's works," Rey explained.
"Its title is The Forgotten Legend. But we never knew much about the Meyer family. They say members of the family always had blonde hair and blue eyes, but aside from that… everything's a mystery."
Luna opened the last page—and immediately saw a fading handwritten message.
"This world is filled with mysteries. Like numbers filling infinite space, and the endless circle of pi—its results may change at any moment.
Written by Mugata Alirena Meyer."
Luna's hands trembled. Tears fell before she could stop them.
"...Father…" she whispered, brushing her fingers over the handwriting as if trying to touch him again.
Seeing her tears, Rey lifted her chin gently. His touch was warm, his smile soft.
"You're crying? Is that really something a mage would do?" he teased lightly, voice gentle. "A mage shouldn't cry, you know?"
"S-Sorry…" Luna quickly wiped her tears. "I didn't know… they fell on their own."
Rey didn't laugh at her.
He simply smiled.
"Come on. We should get to class. The first lesson will start soon."
"O-Okay…" Luna nodded.
They left the library together.
---
In the Classroom
The first lesson began with introductions.
One by one, the students stepped forward—most from noble families, speaking confidently and proudly.
Then finally, Luna's turn came.
With shaky legs, she stood.
"M-My name is Luna Altheria Meyer. Th-thank you…"
Some students whispered among themselves, their eyes drifting to her striking blonde hair.
Luna grew even more nervous.
Their teacher—a neat man with silver-brown hair—chuckled softly.
"Aren't you adorable?" he said warmly.
"Well then, everyone, my name is Luis Antlar. I am one of the Seven Archmages of this academy, and also a former student here."
The entire class erupted.
"Seriously!? An Archmage!?"
"This is insane! I want to be just as strong as him!"
Their excitement made the room feel alive.
Luis smiled proudly.
"Then study hard. Magic doesn't come freely."
Luna swallowed.
What am I supposed to do…? Why are there so many nobles in this class…?
Luis clapped his hands once, capturing everyone's attention.
"Alright, for our first lesson, we'll head to the training grounds. I want to evaluate each of your magical abilities. After that, we'll begin polishing your skills."
"Yes, Teacher!!" the students shouted in unison.
Except for one.
Luna froze—face pale, hands ice-cold.
"I-I'm doomed…" she murmured weakly.
One by one, students were called forward.
"Teacher, I can use basic fire magic," one student said confidently.
A small fireball formed above his palm, steady and controlled.
Luis nodded calmly.
"Good. Keep improving."
But inside, Luis thought, Why is no one truly talented…?
Then, another name was called.
"Rey Torres, step forward."
Rey walked calmly to the center.
He raised his hand.
In an instant, bright blue flames flared to life—far stronger, hotter, and more stable than the previous student's.
"This is all I can do," Rey said modestly. "But I can add some… variation."
Luna watched with wide sparkling eyes, admiration radiating from her face.
Rey noticed—and for some reason, it made him nervous. A good kind of nervous.
"With this form, I can adjust its trajectory," Rey continued. "Watch."
The blue flames extended, forming the shape of a small dragon that spiraled into the air before shooting toward a wooden target.
BOOM!
The target shattered instantly.
"Awesome!!"
"He's amazing!"
Students cheered.
"Hm. Impressive. Very good," Luis praised.
Rey returned to the line, suppressing a small smile when he saw Luna still gazing at him in awe.
---
Then came the most anticipated—and feared—moment.
"Luna Altheria Meyer, step forward."
Luna turned white as paper.
Every gaze landed on her.
Her knees trembled as she walked, each step light and heavy at the same time.
What do I do…? Can I even…?
She stood in the center of the field—but did nothing.
"Come now, Luna. Show us your magic," Luis said gently.
"Eh…?" Luna blinked.
"Eh what? Show your magic," Luis repeated.
"M-Magic…?" Luna swallowed hard.
"Yes. Your magic."
Luna trembled. She slowly lifted her hand—though her face clearly showed she lacked confidence.
And then…
Without chanting a single word—
without even forming a spell—
FWUSHH—
A soft breeze encircled her body.
Dozens of silver-blue magic butterflies appeared, swirling gracefully around her. The gentle light reflected on her blonde hair, making her look like a fairy descending upon the mortal realm.
The training ground fell silent.
Every student stared, jaws dropping.
Rey forgot to breathe.
Luis's eyes widened in shock.
This… this is high-tier wind magic…? At her age?
And without a chant…?
Luis was speechless.
But Luna had no idea how extraordinary she was.
Instead, she thought she had failed.
Panicking, she dispelled the magic and ran back to her spot—
"S-Sorry, Teacher! T-That's all I can do!!"
The students exchanged confused looks.
Rey remained frozen.
Luis let out a soft sigh—and a warm smile formed on his lips.
"What a sweet child…" he whispered.
---
Far away, in the shadowy depths of a hidden cave, a demon smirked coldly.
Behind him, a massive dragon exhaled a deep fiery breath, heating the night air.
The demon looked toward the peaceful kingdom in the distance, his eyes gleaming with malice.
"A peaceful kingdom…" he rasped.
"But soon… all of you will perish."
His grin widened, savoring the chaos yet to come.