I’m not really sure what is currently happening.

The kitchen walls are glowing in deep green. I tried to turn the door knob behind me, but it won’t even budge like it is wielded into place.

A person is standing in front of me is pointing her finger towards me like holding a gun. Moreover, this person is my mother.

I could feel my cheek bleeding and I felt some slight pain.

My knees also can’t move because I’m too scared to do so.

“Ahhh!”

“Now you understand? Listen to your mother and sit.”

Before this happened, let’s go back 30 minutes before this.

*THIRTY MINUTES AGO*

I just woke up from my long sleep.

I just recovered from a very agonizing headache last night that made me skip dinner and made my mother and little sister worry. I was so painful that I almost lost consciousness just by walking up the stairs.

Suddenly, someone is knocking on my door.

“Key, is your head okay?”

Don’t say it like it’s the same with stomach, idiot.

“I’m fine. I think I was just anaemic.”

The one calling from the other side of the door is my little sister, Louise. Her name may sound like a guy’s, but I don’t really care.

“Mom just asked if you’re okay. Since you sound like it, I guess you are.”

I could hear my little sister’s heavy footsteps going down the stairs.

One of these days you’ll get into an accident if you’re not careful. But that thought didn’t came out.

I got off of my bed and opened the curtains. For some reason, the light getting inside the window is not in its usual color. To be accurate, the sunlight’s color is deeper than orange.

Of course, I’m not some idiot who’ll look straight into the sun. I just ignored it since it would probably disappear in a few minutes.

****

I just finished taking a shower and started eating breakfast wearing only my jeans. Since today is Sunday, I want to go out with my friends.

“Geez, Key! Wear your shirt already. It’s rude in front of the food.”

“Shut up.”

“Listen to your little sister, Godfre.”

Louise complained while stabbing the bacon with her fork with strong force. Mom seemed to be on her side. However, it’s weird. It’s rare for her to call me by my second name.

“You seem to be in a good mood mom. Is dad coming home?”

“Did you say something?”

Mom was humming while cleaning the dish. When I popped the question, she looked at me while smiling, however, her eyes weren’t. She pulled out a kitchen knife from the dishes for me to see.

Come on dad, make up with mom already! She’s scary!

I didn’t show her that I got scared by that, but I couldn’t stop my cold sweat from coming down from my head.

“Seriously, why are you in a good mood? You’re even humming.”

I asked her again because I want to divert the frightening aura.

Mom stopped showing me the sharp kitchen knife and continued washing the dishes.

“It’s about you, Key.”

About me, is she talking about my grades or something? Oh wait, I almost failed. So that’s not it.

Mom called Louise and told her to go to the living room for us to talk privately.

You’re making me nervous mom.

She sat on the chair in front of me while smiling broadly.

“Yesterday, when you suddenly got a headache, I felt some good omen.”

--A headache which feels like your head is being split open is a good omen. Mom’s unexpectedly a huge sadist.

“Good omen.”

“Yes, a good omen.”

Mom put her hand on her chest and calmed down her heart. She’s probably going to say something to me. I could tell how excited she is just by looking at her face.

“Yesterday, you turned 19, right?”

“Yeah, I know. Dad and I went out drinking last night which gave me a headache.”

When I mentioned the word “Dad”, mom slammed the table and smiled at me again.

Seriously, Dad, Say sorry to mom.

I faked a cough to let her proceed.

“I am 19, so, what?”

“Yes you are 19, but your real age is only 16.”

“…….. What?”

--Brain unable to work, executing Restart.exe.

I couldn’t gasp what mom just said. I just sat on the table, stared straight to her eyes, and didn’t say anything. And for some reason, I forgot to breathe too.

“I know it’s quite shocking. You are 19, but at the same time, you are only 16. You may not believe it at first, but I’m telling the truth. Your (Damned) Father and I were keeping this a secret from you and your sister for a long time. Since you are already of age, I will have to confess even without your (Playboy) father around.”

I know I’m having a serious conversation with mom, but I could hear her cursing father along the way. I feel pity on Dad.

Well… it was his fault for flirting with another woman in front of mom though.

“You are not just any mere human, Key. You, me, and probably your little sister, are people who are not of this world.”

I didn’t know what to think. To be more precise, I can’t think of anything at all. I don’t understand what mom is saying.

“Are you joking mom, because if you are, you ain’t funny.”

“I’m not joking nor lying at all.”

Mom stood up from her chair and went towards the kitchen. I could see her crouching and is looking for something under the drawers.

When she found what she was looking for, she came back.

“This is my proof.”

She dropped a 33mm thick old book. Because she slammed it, some dust particles were blown to my face making me sneeze.

I’ve seen this book before, but I wasn’t able to see its contents because it has a lock.

“Isn’t that the book you always hide from us?”

“Yes, I know. And you always manage to find it.”

Such an unnecessary remark…

“Then why-”

“Since you are already 16, I’m showing it to you.”

I understood. However, the book had an iron lock. I tried looking for the key myself, but I never found it.

Suddenly, mom closed her eyes and put her hand on the book.

“####### ### #### ##### >”

I didn’t understand what she said. More like, it sounded like some kind of chant.

The next moment, the gem-like thing on the center of the book sparkled and emitted green light. The air around the book swirled and the dust was dispersed. After that, I could hear the lock Click and the pages of the book loosened.

“What the heck was that?!”

I, on the other hand, am in shock of the spectacle that came from nowhere.

“It’s called by many names, but in short, it’s called [Magic].”

I could see a prideful smile on mom’s face like she was boasting about it.

Still, I could not believe it just like that.

“It’s some kind of trick, isn’t it?”

I stood up from my chair and slowly stepped back away from mom. Before I knew it, I started running towards the door to the living room.

But mom was faster to react.

“#### ## >”

The door slammed closed before I could reach it and immediately locked me from the other side.

“###### ## ##### # >”

I tried to slam the door. However, it felt like I’m hitting steel which hurt my hands.

“It’s no use Key—no, Godfre. I’ve put a high level barrier around the dining room, no matter how hard you punch or kick the door, it will never budge.”

I’m scared. I’m scared of my own mother. This is too surreal. I think I’m still dreaming.

“You’re not dreaming. Still need a proof? #### # ## >”

Mom pointed my like she’s pointing a gun. It was too fast for my eyes to see, but I saw a green sparkles gathering to mother’s finger and flew towards me. Before I knew it, my left cheek was left with a shallow cut and bled.

“Ahhh!”

“Now you understand? Listen to your mother and sit.”

Mother stopped smiling and let out a pressure that a normal human wouldn’t possibly possess. And of course, I followed what she said.

*BACK TO THE PRESENT*

After calming myself down and had my left cheek healed by her with her [Light Healing] magic, I listened to her explanation.

On the other hand, mom kept apologizing when she realized her personality changed and targeted me with her magic.

“I’m really sorry, Key.”

“I should be the one apologizing. I didn’t try to listen to you and acted like a rat that had seen a cat.”

No matter how you flip the coin, a mother is still a mother. It’s obvious that I was in the wrong because of my thoughtless actions and I didn’t bother to listen further to her explanation.

Mom continued her explanation from before.

“I was supposed to tell you this before deploying the [Isolation Barrier], but because you tried to run, I used it.”

“I understand. But why did you have to shoot me?”

“Well, it was part of my combo back in the days.”

Combo, huh… Is this some kind of game?

Mom made a clumsy smile while continuing on her explanation.

“The reason why your still 16 is because our former world has 14 months in a year, if you multiply your current age with the number of months of the year on earth, then divide it with the months of our former world, that’s how you get your actual age.”

“I see… but what does this have to do with Magic? Don’t tell me, I’m going to that world.”

“Apparently, you guessed it right.”

What!? This is too much!

“That’s stupid! I’m not going to leave---!!!”

Just after I finished my sentence, mother pulled my cheek upwards. Because it was just healed, it hurt a lot.

“You can’t stay here—no, you shouldn’t stay here. It’s too dangerous for you to stay here. You just awakened your [True Sight], if I can’t send you to the other world, it will be useless.”

“The heck is [True Sight]? Never mind that, I don’t care if that thing you just mention becomes useless. I don’t want to leave! I don’t want to leave my home or my friends.”

Mom pulled my cheek stronger than before.

“Don’t be selfish! I’m doing this for your own good. Moreover, I’m already planning to return back to our former home. What you’re planning is already useless from the start.”

“You’re the one that’s selfish! You this kind of thing from us and suddenly telling me to go to a world I neither have known nor heard once about.”

“I told you! There’s a reason for it. I only told this to you because things have changed.”

The word “changed” rang in my head. For some reason, that part weighed heavy.

Because of that, I managed to calm myself down and so did mom.

“Tell me the truth. What are we?”

“What kind of question is that?”

“Just answer me.”

Mom picked up the book on the table and flipped on its pages. After that, she showed me a part of it but I wasn’t able to understand it because it wasn’t written in English.

“What is that?”

“Oh right, I forgot. ### ##### ## ### # >”

A strong force suddenly invaded my head and felt like something was flipped inside. The next moment, I could read the things that are written on the book.

“What I used is a combination of [Force Magic] and [Mind Magic]. You should be able to read it now.”

She pointed a part of the page to let me read.

What was written was like this:

[And the Humans came to Earth to imprison the evil mages and strip them off of their magic and forced to live their lives powerless]

I didn’t understand the meaning of it, but I was able to somehow understand some parts.

“So you’re telling me, that humans aren’t from earth?”

“That’s correct.”

“It says here that they were stripped off their powers, but you have one.”

“That is because I wasn’t thrown in this realm. I was given the duty by the Supreme Magic Council as a warden of this world.”

I tilted my head due to my curiosity.

“Warden, a prison warden, is that it?”

“I may not look much like it, but I am.”

“What work do you do?”

“The same as prison warden do. The only difference is that, I’m on a lookout on humans that manages to retain their power and take it away again.”

But I don’t really see her get out much from the house though. Is she really doing her work?

Mom shook her head and slammed the table.

“No, no, no. This is not about me. This is about you going to magic school.”

‘’A Magic School--”

Apparently, magic school is where young humans like me are sent to. We have to learn how to control our power and let this help us in our daily lives.

“But I have school. I’m about to graduate to college already.”

“Don’t mind the trivial things. We’ll be leaving Earth anyway.”

“Leaving earth?”

“But it’s still in the middle of deciding. If Louise manages to awaken to her [True Sight], then we’ll have to depart.”

With a single snap from her fingers, the barrier-like thing around the room disappeared.

She probably dispelled it.

“Pack your things from your room. You’ll be leaving for Marzenthura today.”

“…Marzenthura?”

“Oh right, I forgot. Our world’s name is Marzenthura. There are a lot of things I need to tell you about that world, but I’ll tell you some things about it.”

According to what mom said, Marzenthura is world where fantasy is real. The number of months in a year goes up to 14 and the concept of monthly names doesn’t exist. A month has 28 days or 4 weeks. The seasons are like the earth, and like earth, climates varies on each places. Dwarves, Elves, Magic entities, and even Demons exist. I thought that it was dangerous, but mom said, “Humans are more dangerous because of their greed.”

“I wish I could tell you more, but time is ticking.”

****

I went to my room and started packing my stuff, reluctantly.

Of course I’m reluctant. I have my life here.

After a few minutes, I finished packing my clothes.

Mom said, “Don’t bring too much for the trip.” And then she added, “Don’t bring any gadgets” when she saw me trying to fit my PSP under my clothes.

“Are you done?”

“I think so.”

Mom gave me an envelope with a wax seal which I have never seen before.

It looks very important.

“When you arrive at the academy, give this to the Headmaster.”

“What is this?”

“It’s a letter for you to get enrolled in the academy.”

I received the letter and put it inside my pocket.

She added, “Don’t lose it” afterwards.

Then she showed me a silver earing with a small mysterious logo as its design.

“I know your right ear is pierced, so I made this for you a few months ago.”

I stared at the silver earing to confirm if it’s really the real deal.

“Is this pure silver?”

Mom made a chuckle when I asked her.

“It’s not just any silver. It’s [True Silver]. It has a magical circuit inside it which translates any language to English and send it directly to your brain. It’s a perfect departure gift because the Marzenthurian language is totally different from English. Sorry I didn’t teach you. I didn’t get any chance because I was too busy with work.”

Fancy, this function could be sold to a high price.

Imagine watching foreign movies without subtitles with this.

Because I was too busy admiring such an item, I didn’t notice mom apologizing.

“Also, the design of that earing is the emblem of our House.”

“House--”

Mom looked a little sad before she continued her words.

“If you don’t want to say it, I’m fine with it.”

“No, Key. You have the right to know. Since you’re the only male in your generation, you have the highest right.”

If she says it like that, it must be something big.

“You have the blood of a noble, an aristocrat. You are the First and only Grandson of the late Baron Godfre Chardelier of the Chardelier Household.”

Godfre, isn’t that my name?

“Mom--”

“I got your name from your grandfather—no, he had me name you told by his last will.”

Mom then made a smile while looking at my cramped reaction.

Gramps... If you were alive, I could slap you back and forth you know that, because your name sucks.

*****

Mom closed the door of my room and made sure to close the windows shut.

Wait… is this, what I think it is?

“#### # ##### #### ## ### ###”

“Uhm… mom? Am i--”

“## ### ###### ## # #### #”

“Going to--”

“##### >”

“Tele--!!!!”

Before I could finish my sentence, a hole above suddenly opened.

I tried to struggle, but the hole has its own gravity which exceeds falling.

“Say hi to the Headmaster for me.”

After saying that to me, my vision turned black.