Chapter 1: Miscalculations Galore at the Academy of Magical Arts Entrance Ceremony

I had a clear vision of the path I should take. I couldn't miss the path to the Academy of Magic. 

Magic was my pride and joy, and it would also benefit the Crow family and its people. I will enter the National Academy of Magic and learn more advanced magic. 

When I graduate, I'm not going to work at the Royal Palace, but I'm going to try to get a job at the Baral Magic Branch, which is the union of magicians in Baral Province. That way, I won't have to worry about food for the rest of my life, but rather I can help my grandfather and my younger brother who will take over the family in the future.

The problem was the difference in level between the two institutes. Royal schools have higher tuition fees but are easier to enter than national schools. 

So, if I wanted to aim for the national school, I would have to study hard and score grades higher than the last time. 

I diligently put my efforts into refining my magic. 

I was more interested in magic books than eating my three daily meals.

There is no limit to the amount of magic that can be used at once. The amount of magic that can be used increases with training, but as a child, I still have a limited amount of magic power I could use. 

Whenever I use magic, I have to be aware of the "Maximum limit". For example, when I use my magic power to create endless water butterflies and make them fly continuously, I may feel the power of the water that was in my body diminishing as if I were running out of fuel. 

Even so, if I continue to perform the magic, till my fingertips become numb. This is a sign that I’m approaching what magicians call the "Maximum limit". 

it’s said that if one pushes oneself beyond the maximum limit point, one will faint. If this happens, even after the person wakes up, they’ll temporarily lose control of their magic and won’t be able to use it for several days. 

That's why all magicians are always conscious of manipulating their magic power so as not to exceed this maximum limit.

I’ll put all my energy into raising my magical power. I’ll go to a different institute and change my life. 

I don't want to die at the age of 20 so I have no choice but to do my best. 

Then, in the spring of my 13th year, I got a letter of admission to the National Academy of Magic on the outskirts of the royal capital. This way, I wouldn't have to become a stain on the Crown Prince's sword.

Although the National Academy of Magic was close to the royal capital, it was located in a quiet place surrounded by nature.

 It had a brick school building with a tall tower and a large schoolyard. It was surrounded by a forest. (It's more spacious than the Royal Academy of Magic and has a wonderful atmosphere! I'm so happy...!) 

This is where 70 students, first through fifth grade, from all over the country with the best magic power gather to study while living in a dormitory. 

The day of the entrance ceremony quickly arrived. It was my second entrance ceremony, but I was very nervous. After all, it was a different school from the last time. 

Dressed in a long gray robe, I joined the other new students in the auditorium for the ceremony to begin. I could hear the female students gossiping in high-pitched voices.

"Hey, I heard there's a Gideon Lancaster in our school!"

"No way! The Duke of Lancaster?"

"How lucky I am! I'm going to be schoolmates with the nobleman Gideon."

(No way!)

I scream in my mind. No, that can't be. Because if I remember correctly, Gideon is not a graduate of the Academy of Magic. 

The children of the four most prestigious families among the nobility, traditionally don’t study at the Academy of Magic, even if they have magic power, but invite equivalent teachers to their homes as tutors to learn magic. So why in the world did he enroll in this school?

It wasn’t the Royal Academy of Magic, but the National Academy of Magic. I can't believe it. 

There was a light panic in my brain at the thought of these things that weren’t supposed to happen, things had changed too much.

 My heartbeat intensified and my breathing quickened even though I was doing nothing but sitting down. I didn't hear any of the principal's congratulatory speech at all.

(Gideon! Why do I have such a connection with you this time?)

After the entrance ceremony, I felt a little dizzy due to an even more unexpected situation. To my surprise, Gideon and I were in the same class. As I stood there at the entrance of the classroom, someone gently tapped me on the shoulder.

"Oh, um. Are you okay? You look a little pale."

The girl who approached me with concern was very fair and mature-looking, with brown hair and brown eyes.

"Yes, thank you. I’m a little nervous."

"Are you in the first class?"

The school had two classes per grade, and students were placed in the first class according to their grades. The attendance numbers were also in order of grade.

"It seems so. My ID number is four."

"Fourth! How amazing. I'm number thirty-five."

Apparently, she was the last in this class.

"I'm Liesel Crow. I'm from Baral. You can call me Liesel."

"I'm Cynthia Smith. I'm from Sherne. I'm a commoner and I'm embarrassed to be in a place with so many aristocrats..."

Cynthia smiles shyly as she strokes her long brown hair. The Royal Academy was full of aristocrats, but the National Academy, where tuition was a little cheaper, had some commoners here and there. If anything, I'm at the bottom of the aristocracy, so I'm probably more comfortable here. Suddenly, a male student came from behind and poked Cynthia.

"What are you talking about, you coward? Status doesn't matter at this school!"

Cynthia turns around.

"Mac, are you part of this group?"

Judging by their familiarity, they seemed to know each other. As I stared at them alternately in confusion, Cynthia explained.

"Mac..., Maximilian, is a kid from a bookstore in the next town over from mine. My father is a book lover and we’re childhood friends..."

"Cynthia, your family’s wealthy. You're much richer than the poor aristocrats around here."

Oh, I wonder if they're talking about my family.

"- No, that's not true."

"A commoner is a person like me."

Maximilian's attendance number was number two. His eyes, as blue as the sky, were glittering with ambition and rebelliousness, saying, "I'm not going to be defeated by a nobleman." And Gideon's attendance number was, surprisingly, number one.

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