When I was a kid, I was a member of boy scouts at the local school. One time, we did an outdoor excursion and we were taught how to make our own tents. Good thing I could easily understand the instructor’s teachings and made it easier to build a tent. I almost thought of wanting to live in the forest alone because of that.

***

Roof tiles, brick walls, iron fences, an iron gate, and a very fancy looking lawn that could be mistaken as a small forest. I thought this place was a mansion after thinking about fantasy. But I was wrong, this place is the one my mother calls, “Magic School.” And a very large one too…

“Please go straight to the building at the center of the academy. There, you’ll see a man that looks like a butler. Give the letter to him and he’ll do the rest.”

“Thanks, Ghena. I appreciate that.”

After saying so, Ghena ran to a direction to the left building of the academy… it’s still too hard to absorb this fantasy all at once.

My head hurts.

I started walking towards the direction Ghena pointed.

It’s pretty far.

It’s the first time I’ve walked alone in a place which I’ve never once been to before. Moreover, a fantasy world! Surely, I’ll easily get lost if it weren’t for Ghena guiding me here.

While walking, I’m feeling a little cold feeling on my back. It’s probably my imagination.

I turned to where my senses were telling me, but there was nobody was there.

But, I saw a black smoke disappearing under a tree shade.

“Come on… It’s not a ghost, is it?”

I continued on while feeling a little chilly with that thought.

I wish this place isn’t haunted. I’m not good with supernatural—wait, fantasy is supernatural.

***

When I arrived at the front of the (probably) main building, I saw no butler waiting here.

“Did I get lost along the way?”

--Probably not. I followed the path that led directly here. Although it’s not possible that I got lost since this world is a Fantasy world where magic exists.

Just when I tried to turn a heel, a voice suddenly called out to me.

“Apologies, sir noble, there was a slight problem which delayed me for a few seconds.”

I got startled by a butler-like old man suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

Seriously! Just where did he come from?

“I see. Then--”

I gave him the letter I’m holding under the robe.

“—you’re probably the one who’ll help me about this.”

The old man received the letter while looking closely at the red wax seal.

“Hmm, I see. Then please follow me.”

Before he fully turned towards the big door, he suddenly looked on my foot.

“Noble sir, is it possible to hide your shoes? It may attract unnecessary attention from the students inside.”

--I guess a neon green shoe would get everyone’s attention.

But it’s impossible though.

“I’m sorry. I can’t make this robe longer. Moreover, it’ll be hard for me to walk because I’ll end up stepping on it.”

The butler suddenly bowed to me.

“Apologies, I didn’t quite take that into consideration.”

“No worries. Anyhow, the day isn’t going to be all day. I’d like to meet with the headmaster before dark.”

“Understood, Please follow me.”

Without even touching the giant doors of the building, it opened up wide enough for us to enter.

As expected of a fantasy world.

Inside the hallway, I could hear sounds of students inside their classes.

Good thing they are having a class now. Having many people looking at me would feel embarrassing.

After walking for several minutes, we arrived at a certain red door.

“Sir, you have a visitor.” he called out from this side.

However, there was no answer.

After a few seconds, the door opened without anyone touching it.

What’s the use of a doorknob if you don’t twist it?

Magic sure makes people lazy around here.

“Please enter the office. The headmaster will meet you.”

“Oh, ok.”

I stepped into the room alone.

It’s not cliché because the room is not dark. Instead, it’s very messy and has very small space for walking on.

The door slowly closed and the papers and books that are lying around moved to the sides and made a path.

At least file the books and papers.

“Young man, what’s your name?”

A voice suddenly spoke inside the room.

But it didn’t surprise me. I mean, it’s very common in movies, especially with the genre Fantasy.

“Key Godfre—(What is it again? oh)--Chardelier”

Some books went flying around and went to the shelves, although some papers were brought and got crumpled by it.

It cleared the front desk and showed an old man with long beard.

This is the first time I’ve seen a beard half a meter long.

“Are you perhaps, the grandson of Godfre?”

--Uhg! It sounds weird hearing my own name.

“Yes, I think.”

“?”

“I only knew about it only recently before I got transported here by my mother.”

While listening to my explanation, the old man suddenly giggled.

“Is there anything funny?”

“No, no. I just remembered something about your mother, that’s all. Her vagueness in explaining never changes.”

“You know my mother?”

“Of course, Crystal is one of my best alumni.”

I walked towards him while my interest about my mother grows.

“Alumni, did she go to this school?”

“She did. In fact, she was a genius just like her father.”

The old man stood from his seat while keeping eye contact.

“And I expect you to be also.”

--wait? Isn’t that too much of an expectation?

He then offered his hand to me while giving off a welcoming atmosphere.

“My name is Vrethar Balerishk, the current headmaster of the Magic School, Half Moon Academy.”

After a few words of introduction, he explained to me what will happen to me before and after enrolling in the Magic School.

First, before getting officially enrolled, a student will have to go to a ceremony called [God Selection]. According to the headmaster, there are two almighty high gods in this world, Helius and Darkus. I thought it was light and dark, but I was mistaken.

The academy employed oracles for each god to bestow the blessing to newly enrolled students. There is a benefit in getting from either god, however once their spirit is compatible with the god that bestowed them their power, they must reside with the same students because of special reasons. Although there are events where a spirit of one person could accept both blessings at the same time, but it’s quite a rare case.

After the ceremony, the student is officially enrolled.

Here, I will learn and discover countless magic which can help me with my life here in Marzenthura.

The headmaster told me that this school is one of the special institutes because of one extracurricular activity. It is called [Questing] like the ones in games. The students can go questing only by officially receiving it at a Guild Office. After finishing a quest, the ones that took the quest can take the rewards, although the Guild Office will have to take 10% from it.

“—do you have some questions regarding what I just told you?”

So far so good, I don’t have any questions about it.

“There is, but it’s not related though.”

“You’re free to ask me anything. After all, your grandfather is one of the benefactors of this academy. One question about anything wouldn’t hurt.” He said while writing something on a piece of paper.

“If magic exist in this world, are magic weapons real?”

I’m fascinated by it since I was a little boy. If it’s real, I would like to get ahold of one. I think I’m still interested in it despite my age.

“It’s real. There are many magical weapons in this world, not to mention that a handful of them are very powerful.”

“How powerful are they?”

“Powerful enough to overturn a country--”

I don’t really know how big a country is, but it’s probably very powerful. I couldn’t imagine.

“But it’s already in the hands of trustworthy people around the world. So there’s no danger regarding those.”

“Hmm… So that means that there are heroes in this world.”

“Yes, there is.”

While talking, I noticed that the sun was already setting.

Good thing that this planet revolves slowly.

“I have another question. Since everything is all too sudden, I didn’t have the chance to ask my mother where I would live in this world.”

He then looked at me like he just realized something.

“Good heavens, I almost forgot about it, I must be getting old.”

--Uhm…. You are old.

He opened the drawer of his office table then closed it and then opened another one. I think he’s looking for something.

“Found it.”

He put a small iron box on the wooden table. The box has a very fancy design which you could mistake it as a jewel instead of a jewel box.

“What’s this?”

“It’s something your grandfather left me. He said that if ever his first grandson comes to me, I must give it to him.”

--Another one of his last wishes huh.

“So what does this box have to do anything about me?”

*THIRTY MINUTES LATER*

“This is your grandfather’s mansion.”

I am currently speechless while looking out of a carriage window.

The Headmaster is standing outside the gate of a large mansion which he claimed to be my grandfather’s mansion.

It’s too large to be called a mansion only. This is a villa!

Red roof tiles, sparkling clean windows, expensive looking door, green well groomed plants with a small fountain in the middle, and the whole lot is as big as a football field. I think it even has a large backyard.

He looked at me while laughing.

“It seems that you really don’t know what you and your family is, young man.”

“Yes, yes I don’t.”

Just what does my grandfather do for a living?

He seems to be filthy rich.

The content of the jewel-like iron box was an expensive-looking golden bracer. It also had a rolled paper together with it. It turns out that the bracer serves as the key to his mansion and can only be used by the Chardelier Household bloodline.

The activation requirement is not too shabby.

I exited the carriage and walked towards the gate while looking at top of it.

I could see the same crest on the gate as the design.

The moment I touched the gate, the gem of the bracer on my left arm glowed and the gates opened while making creaking sounds.

It could use a little oiling.

“Hmm…. I haven’t been here since 16 years ago. It hasn’t changed much, literally.”

The Headmaster looked around the lawn in awe while we walk towards the main building.

Also, I am in awe too, although it has a different meaning.

“Is somebody home?”

I called out from outside the door. Sadly, no one answered.

“There’s not a single person around here because this place is already abandoned.”

“That’s absurd. If this place is abandoned, why are the plants on the lawn have a clean cut? Not to mention, freshly cut.”

Yeah. While walking towards the door, I could smell the plants around. You can easily tell that it just got cut just by the smell of it.

“He probably created a maintenance magic system in this house. The barrier around the villa is a proof of it.”

--I knew it! This place is a villa!

“However, it mystifies me. How could the barrier remain with no signs of Mana source?”

After asking himself that, he let out a sigh while smiling.

“Even after death, you never fail to surprise me Godfre.”

--Uhm…. I’m still here you know.

Although I know it’s my grandfather, but still…

“If things like these often happen in this world, I doubt that I would get bored.”

After saying that, I showed my bracer to the door.

Of course in style! My childish side slowly awakens.

A line of light went into the glass door knob. After that, I could hear numerous clicking sounds from the door. It’s probably the lock.

“I felt ten released spells from the door.”

The Headmaster seemed fascinated by the mansion’s door.

Seriously, you’re a Headmaster of a Magic School. Isn’t this supposed to be your forte?

“Then, should we enter?”

I invited him in so that if ever unexpected things suddenly happen, he could do something about it.

Also, it feels like the whole mansion is haunted.

While walking towards the living room, the headmaster suddenly stopped and went to a shelf with some pictures.

So pictures exist in this world huh.

“You’re probably at peace with Flourensha, Godfre.”

He picked up a photo which had three people on it. No matter how you look at it, I could see a person grieving.

“So you were pretty close to gramps huh. Are you his best friend?”

He returned the picture and gave me a wry smile.

“He wasn’t just my friend, he was my rival.”

--Over grandmother?

“He was the smarter one and I was the reckless in our pursuit in learning magic.”

--Oh… in academics. I was wrong.

“But what makes you and him rivals?”

He went to a soft looking chair and sat down and relaxed his back. Not to mention, without asking.

“As far as I remember, he was a very weak mage when we first met.”

“Weak?”

“Yes, weak. In fact, he’s the weakest of our generation. Yet, he became the wealthiest, truly surprising.”

--That last remark sounds a little off.

“The way you say it... you make it sound like he cheated.”

After saying that, the old man let out a laugh.

“Cheated? No. Despite him being weak, he was a rare type of mage. Also, he was a genius in magic formations and scripts which compensated for his weak self.”

Ohhhh… So like father like daughter kind of stuff eh.

“You mentioned ‘rare type’. Does that mean he was able to accept the blessings of both gods? It makes me kind of feel honored as a member of the family just by thinking about it.”

“Sorry to break it to you but it’s not that.”

He flat out said it to me while looking at me seriously.

“What do you mean?”

“How do I say this? He attended the Magic Academy, but he didn’t receive any blessing from both gods.”

“Huh-?”

“To be more accurate, he was rejected by the gods.”

To explain further, Godfre, my grandfather, was a rare case because he was not able to receive blessing which made him weak. Unable to use the god’s power, grandfather turned to other sources of power. He researched, hunted, and collected many weapons and spell books related to magic.

Before graduating, he challenged the masters of each of the god’s strongest mages in a two to one duel. Not the students, but the guardians.

“What happened after that?”

He looked straight directly at me without blinking or making any expression.

Is there something on my face?

“He singlehandedly won.”

I’m not sure if I should feel proud, or scared.

The old man is gazing at me like he is looking at an enemy, and not flinching.

“Then, what happened to the ones he defeated?”

He suddenly let out a sigh then leaned his back on the sofa.

“They’re alive, although the other one became his wife.”

What’s with that development?

Wait, that’s not the problem.

“Does that mean his wife is my grandmother?”

“That is correct.”

“Then that would mean-”

“The other one he defeated was me.”

I guessed it correct.

I noticed that look when he was looking at the photo. That was the look of a rival. Not romantically okay?

“Well anyways, the contents of the will said that all of his wealth and possession will be in yours. That includes the house and his workshop.”

Oh yeah, it did say that he had a workshop next to the mansion. I wonder what they used to make there.

“Before you leave-”

I called out to the Headmaster who immediately got up and went straight towards the hall.

“Can I ask one last question? It’s quite important for me to know.”

“Of course-”

“What is this world’s currency? Since you brought up the wealth and possession thing, I was wondering if it’s the same with my world where we use paper as money.”

Seriously, this is the most important thing I need to know. No matter how rich a person is, if he doesn’t know how to use his money, he’ll die of starvation.

The Headmaster picked inside his pocked and made clinging sounds.

Are those Coins?

He opened his palm and showed me some small copper, large copper, silver, and gold coins.

No matter how I look at it, I could easily tell that they’re all real.

According to him, five small copper coins is equal to one large copper coin, twenty large copper coins are equal to one silver coin, and twenty silver coins are equal to one gold coin.

The value of gold in this world is the same with mine huh. I wonder if diamonds exists in this world.

“Is that all you want to ask?”

“Ah! Yes.”

I see the Headmaster off with his carriage and into the capital’s street.

I myself am staying alone in my own house—I mean mansion, which is unfamiliar to me.

To be honest, I’m not scared.

I kind of like this because I have some privacy. Not like Earth where my sister, mother, or father would come barging into my room without knocking. I hate it, especially when they leave and forget to close the door.

Just thinking about it annoys me.

Well either way, I got to say. This world sure is peaceful.

I might actually like it here.