One year has passed.

Celie and I cleared 4 B tier and 2 B+ tier dungeons in the span of the year. We’ve accumulated enough coin for both of us to enroll into Whale’s Magician Academy while also having enough money to spend on ourselves for the rest of the terms.

As much as I wish I could say that I wanted to grind B+ tier dungeons until I was filthy rich, it was very tiring work to even find any dungeons.

Celie and I fought a monstrously large poisonous snake, a lot of goblin nests filled with traps, and some other creatures whom I couldn’t find the names of. One of the nameless creatures were large humanoids that had legs of horses and a wolf head with a large, man chest and hairy abs.

And as for the treasure we’ve acquired from each dungeon, I didn’t need any adults to help me exchange it into merchant guilds. The person behind the counter of the merchant guild was a really nice, young lady who gave everyone a fair deal.

“Cmon’!” Celie shouted in my ear, tugging me towards the tavern’s door.

“We’ll celebrate if you get accepted.” said Ax, waving me goodbye.

“Alright!” I shouted back, finally giving in and being dragged by Celie.

Celie drew a lot of attention by pulling me by my shirt through the streets.

I told her I could walk on my own, but she wouldn’t listen. She was practically prancing around as if she owned the city.

“Here we are!” She shouted, letting me go as I fell head-first onto a small stone building.

I rubbed my head as I stepped back and gazed at the sign above the door.

[Whale’s Second Division Magician Academy Application/Enrollment Center]

I followed Celie inside, and we were immediately greeted by a short, middle-aged dwarf who wore a rough, red, silky surcoat over his tight tunic. Two tall, young ladies followed behind him.

“Well well…” The dwarf’s eyes burned bright red as he awkwardly switched glances between Celie and me. “How might I help you?”

“We’re here to enroll into Whale’s Magician Academy.”

“Ah- of course. Stupid me.” The dwarf smacked his forehead. “Ladies! Bring out the Tavel Stone.” The ladies scurried to the back rooms.

“Excuse me, mister. What’s the difference between a Tavel Stone and one of those crystal balls?”

“Crystal balls? Are you talking about the Crystal Arbane?” I nodded to the dwarf. “The Crystal Arbane can measure only a certain amount of mana potential while Tavel Stones have endless measurability.”

So that’s why that crystal ball broke…

The ladies came back, both holding the Tavel Stone, which looked like a pitch black sphere, and gently placing it on the countertop.

“Right then… you two would know how to work it?” The dwarf’s eyebrow almost rose to his hairline as he asked us his question.

“Of course.” said Celie, stepping up immediately and placing her hands on the Tavel Stone.

The void in the Tavel Stone grew filled with a blinding navy blue light.

“Outstanding! You are quite remarkable, young lady! Say, what’s your name?” The dwarf asked.

“Ce-”

“Nora. Her name is Nora.” I interjected before Celie could finish. She turned around to strike me a furious eye which soon turned into ‘Oh! I see what you did!’

“Right then… well- next man up, please.” Celie backed away, and I was now the next-man up.

I placed my two hands on the stone and then-

“GAH!” Everyone shouted, including me.

The stone shone so bright that I swore it would have blinded the whole kingdom if it were outside.

I couldn’t withdraw my hands as if they were stuck to the stone. The blinding light soon turned into a dark, violet purple dust that exploded around the room.

Then multiple violet purple waves ran across the floor, lighting the room purple.

Everyone couldn’t even gasp, and their jaws dropped to the floor.

The stone started to shake and rattle from inside.

“What is happening?!” I shouted, but there was no response.

*crack*

Oh no…

I cracked the Tavel Stone, which may have been enough to make one of the ladies faint.

After countless attempts to let go of the Tavel Stone, the final wave of violet purple dust shot towards and through our chests, sending us all backwards.

The dust faded away, and the room went back to its normal lighting.

“What the hell are you?” the dwarf trembled, sitting against the wall, reaching for something to pull him up.

“I-”

“He broke it!” Celie shouted.

“Impossible!” The dwarf shouted.

We all turned to the stone which was now split into pieces.

“You… you’re a monster… there’s no way…” the lady cried.

“I- I’m sorry…” I stuttered.

“No! No… Just… This way…” The dwarf sat up and led us into another room with a long desk and an agreement sitting on it.

He made us sign the agreement, and we handed him the money for a term.

He showed us out of the building immediately after, telling us how he doesn’t want the young lady to wake up only to faint again at my sight. He also gave us a letter of the rest of the information we needed, like the clothing, when the terms started, school introductory, and etc.

As we walked back, I could feel Celie staring down my neck.

“You must think I’m some sort’ve monster, don’t you?” I turned to Celie who jumped immediately.

“I always have… it’s just…”

“You trust me, right? I mean, we’ve been fighting alongside each other for how many years now?”

“As if I’d trust you.” Celie gave an awkward smile.

“Cmon’, seriously. Do you?” I gave her a sincere look, which made her cringe a little, so I turned away.

“I guess… Can we keep moving?” I nodded in response.

We returned to the tavern, told everything to Ax, and read the long letter.

[Guidelines]

…

[Uniform Regulations]

…

[Classes]

…

We were to arrive at the school the very next month.

Celie begged me to take up one more mission before we left, in which I hesitated but gave in after succumbing to her relentless pouting.

[Clear Silver Wolves in Hogg Forest]

We decided to take this B tier mission because it was one of the closest forests to the west of Webb City. We haven’t done any missions to the west, so it was just something new.

We left the very next morning, and it took us a day and a half’s journey to get there.

It was an ordinary forest, nothing too different about it from the other ones we’ve ventured in.

The only difference I could make out was that it was much greener than the others.

“Why is it so quiet in this forest?” I asked, and bold Celie made her response.

“Don’t worry about it. We’ve been in plenty of quiet forests before.” Celie patted me on my back as we cautiously made our way through bushes and tall grass.

*rustle*

“Celie, stop.” I whispered, and she obliged. Before she could open her mouth, I pointed to a bush that was moving.

“Could be the silver wolf.” I whispered into her ear, and she backed away, cringing at me getting so close to her. “Grow up…” I said.

We approached the rustling bush, foot by foot…

*whiizz*

“GAHH!” I shrieked. Something struck my back.

“Ala-” Celie’s screams came to a halt as she fell on the ground beside me.

“___!” An unintelligible voice shouted.

I couldn’t move, and my head felt too heavy for me to move it in the slightest.

“___! ___!”

“ALARIC!” Celie cried as she was cuffed by two purplish men. Her cries faded as she grew further and further away from me.

“__!” A voice from behind me shouted, putting something around my wrists and picking me up.

“Ghhh!” I tried screaming, but I couldn’t. “GHHH!” I cried. I was in complete discomfort and pain.

“____!” the voice shouted, almost sounding like it was threatening me. I gave heavy pants, and it didn’t help when I saw a hand reach over my head and throw a cover over it.

I CAN’T SEE!

Unintelligible voices shouted together, but they were probably speaking another language. Understanding which language they were speaking didn’t matter to me, though.

I was scared for Celie and myself.

Was I being kidnapped?

I didn’t know, everything overwhelmed me, and before I knew it, I blacked out.