Hiko Shinoegami entered elementary school on a clear morning.
The building was plain. White stone walls. Wide windows. A bell hanging above the entrance that rang once every morning and once every afternoon. It was not a special academy, not a place meant only for geniuses or nobles. It was a normal elementary school.
And that was exactly why Hiko felt strange standing in front of it.
Children passed by him in small groups, laughing, talking about nothing important. Some argued about who was faster. Others complained about homework. A few proudly showed off the faint glow of mana around their hands, showing that their magic was starting to awaken.
Hiko touched his chest unconsciously.
The Devil's Mark was hidden beneath his uniform, but he could feel it, like always.
"Breakfast's going to get cold if you just stand there."
Hiko turned.
Ren Shinoegami stood a few steps behind him, arms crossed, wearing his usual calm expression. Airi stood beside him, smiling softly.
"You'll be fine," she said. "Just listen to your teachers. And don't skip lunch."
"I won't," Hiko replied.
Ren placed a hand on his shoulder. "If anything happens, come home."
Hiko nodded.
He stepped forward.
The classroom smelled faintly of chalk and wood.
Desks were arranged in neat rows. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, illuminating floating dust. At the front of the room stood a blackboard already covered with writing.
"Welcome to Class Three," the teacher said, clapping her hands once. "My name is Instructor Hale. I'll be teaching you math, science, and history this year. For magic lessons, you'll be working with Instructor Feld."
Hiko took his seat near the middle.
The first lesson was math.
Numbers. Problems. Simple equations.
Hiko found it easy. He wrote quietly, answering each problem without trouble. Around him, some students groaned while others whispered for help.
It felt… normal.
Science followed.
They learned about mana as a natural force—how it flowed through the world like water through soil, how different materials conducted it differently, how living beings naturally produced it.
Hiko listened carefully.
History came after lunch.
The teacher spoke about past wars, about the rise and fall of kingdoms, about how magic had shaped civilization. Hiko found himself imagining the people in those stories, wondering if any of them had been born with marks like his.
No one mentioned curses.
No one mentioned Devils.
It was just another lesson.
Magic class was held in a separate room.
The floor was reinforced stone. The walls were covered with protective runes. Wooden targets stood at the far end of the room.
Instructor Feld was tall and thin, with sharp eyes that seemed to look straight through people.
"Magic is not about power," he said. "It is about control. Today, you will only practice releasing mana. No spells."
The students spread out.
Hiko stood still.
He focused inward, feeling the quiet presence inside him. The black flame from his dream stirred faintly, but he did not let it surface.
Mana flowed.
Around him, small lights appeared. Weak sparks. Gentle glows.
Hiko's mana was darker.
Not black. Just… dim.
Instructor Feld paused as he passed by Hiko, but said nothing.
The lesson ended without incident.
During break, Hiko sat alone at his desk.
He wasn't avoiding anyone. No one was avoiding him either.
They just didn't talk.
"Hey."
Hiko looked up.
A boy stood beside his desk. He had messy dark hair and sharp eyes that looked curious rather than cautious.
"My name's Goru Oraso," the boy said. "You're Hiko, right?"
"Yes," Hiko replied.
Goru pulled out the chair beside him and sat down without asking. "You're quiet."
Hiko shrugged. "I guess."
Goru grinned. "That's fine. Quiet people are usually interesting."
Hiko blinked. "Usually?"
"Sometimes," Goru corrected.
They sat in silence for a moment.
Then Goru spoke again.
"Did your magic awaken yet?"
Hiko hesitated. "Yes."
"What is it?"
"Cursed Flame," Hiko answered simply.
Goru nodded. "Cool. Mine's Dimension magic."
Hiko turned to him. "Dimension?"
Goru lifted his hand slightly.
The air in front of his fingers split.
Not violently. Cleanly.
A thin line appeared, like a crack in glass, revealing nothing but darkness beyond. Goru closed his hand, and the line vanished.
"I can cut dimensions," Goru said. "And teleport."
Hiko stared.
"That's… amazing," he said honestly.
Goru scratched his cheek. "It's hard to control. Teachers say it's dangerous."
Hiko nodded. "They say that about cursed magic too."
Goru smiled. "Then we're the same."
Days passed.
Hiko and Goru sat together.
They studied math. They listened to history. They practiced releasing mana in magic class.
At lunch, Goru talked.
A lot.
"My teleport only works short distances right now," he said one day. "If I mess up, I end up dizzy."
"That sounds unpleasant," Hiko replied.
"It is."
Goru laughed anyway.
Hiko found himself laughing too.
After school, they walked part of the way home together.
"Hey, Hiko," Goru said. "Do you like school?"
Hiko thought about it.
The chalk dust. The lessons. The normal days.
"Yes," he said.
Goru nodded. "Me too."
They stopped at a corner.
"This is where I go," Goru said. "See you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow," Hiko replied.
He continued walking alone.
The sun was warm.
For once, fate was quiet.
And Hiko Shinoegami thought—
Maybe being normal wasn't so bad.