My Life Was Ruined From the First Meeting
My life was ruined from the first meeting.
Rattle, rattle—
This was the hour I should have been lying in bed. Rattle, rattle—
I had planned to send Serian off and savor the peaceful life that remained.
“Oppa, now we can enjoy academy life together! Isn’t it great?”
“...Yeah. So much fun….”
Why was I riding in a carriage with the sister who should have been the one suffering instead of me?
Lumian. Is something the matter?
Anemoi’s voice echoed inside my head. In the end I had contracted with her after all. I ultimately surrendered to Serian’s threats.
Couldn’t I have just ignored her? Without Serian the novel wouldn’t progress at all. While the heroine and her male leads were busy falling in love, who would stop the dungeon erosion? Who would defeat the Demon King?
No matter how desperately I wanted a quiet life, the world still needed saving if I hoped to live in it. So with the bitter resolve of swallowing mustard while crying, I boarded the carriage bound for the academy.
Since it had come to this, I would steer as far away from the novel’s plot as possible. If I could graduate quietly with thoroughly average grades, I probably wouldn’t have many chances to grow close to the story’s main characters.
“Lumian, we’re nearly there. Prepare yourself.”
“Yes…”
What a miserable life. I had ended up here after all.
I had thrown such a tantrum about not coming, yet here I was. Staring at that colossal building, a sigh slipped out on its own.
It was far too extravagant to call it mere medieval architecture. Carriages lined up for the entrance exam, each one adorned with dazzling crests.
When the line of carriages began moving through the gate and our turn finally arrived—
Knock, knock—
“Honored guests of the Cardion family! Please open the door so we may verify the number of passengers!”
The guard tapped lightly on the carriage door. He must have memorized the families taking the exam. But was that all right? I was an uninvited guest.
The door opened and the guard began checking heads.
“Serian Cardion confirmed. Professor Ophelia confirmed. Um…”
After verifying the two of them, the guard’s gaze landed on me. His face flooded with confusion.
“May I ask who you might be…?”
Before I could speak, Ophelia explained the situation for me.
“Lumian Cardion. He is an additional enrollee.”
“An additional enrollee…? But our academy has no such—”
Of course it didn’t. Kronesia Academy, with its long and noble tradition, definitely shouldn’t have one.
“It is special admission.”
“The clause written in the school regulations…?”
“Correct. If you understand, step aside quickly.”
“Yes! All passengers confirmed!”
So the clause really existed.
Once the gate opened and we passed through, I could see the academy in greater detail. The sight made everything sink in. Until we arrived I had tried to stay optimistic, telling myself it would somehow work out, but now that I stood here I wanted nothing more than to turn around and go home.
“Lumian, you get off here with me.”
“Pardon? Me?”
“Obviously. Did you honestly think you would take the ordinary entrance exam?”
Then where exactly was I supposed to go? Special-admission students never appeared in the novel, so of course I had no idea.
“Then where am I supposed to go?”
“Come with me to the headmaster’s office.”
“...Pardon?”
Being sent to the headmaster’s office on the very day of admission made me feel as if I had committed some terrible crime.
“You want me to wait here?”
“I’ll speak with the headmaster and return. Stay here until then.”
Understood. It wasn’t even in front of the office—why make me wait in the academy park? Still, when told to obey, I had no choice.
Ophelia left me behind and headed for the headmaster’s office. Normally the academy park would be crowded with students, but everyone was currently taking the entrance exam. In other words, there was no one around.
“Lady Anemoi.”
What is it?
“Could you blow me a breeze?”
Ha… Lumian. Even so, calling upon me for such a trivial purpose is troubling.
Anemoi grumbled, yet the wind that brushed past me soon carried the scent of spring. It was fortunate she was useful for even this. In truth her power was not particularly strong. She possessed the special nature of a spirit, but it was hardly enough to justify special admission. If the headmaster appeared and asked me to demonstrate the reason for my special admission, what could I possibly show him?
In the original novel, Anemoi’s ability amounted to nothing more than granting a sword the power of wind—neither more nor less. It had never been portrayed as especially remarkable. My swordsmanship was below average, I possessed zero talent for magic, and even my spirit arts were mediocre. At this rate, wouldn’t my admission be revoked?
If so, not even Serian or Ophelia could do anything about it. The examiners would simply say my skills fell short. Suddenly my mood improved.
Has something good happened?
“It’s nothing. I just suddenly felt better.”
If you are in a pleasant mood, then so am I.
If I went straight back home like this, she would never have to leave the spirit realm, so she might as well enjoy the feeling while it lasted. I sprawled out on the park lawn exactly as I would on the surface of a lake. Yes. This was life. Even at the academy, one should savor moments of leisure.
“Um… excuse me…”
At this rate my admission was already hanging by a thread anyway—what would I even do if I went home?
“Excuse me! I’m trying to ask for directions!”
Lumian, someone is calling you.
I knew that. I didn’t know who it was, but I squeezed my eyes shut and pretended to be fast asleep. Anyone asking for directions here was obviously lost. Probably some academy applicant who had taken a wrong turn. If I kept pretending to sleep, she would leave on her own.
“Ha… what should I do… I need to hurry and take the entrance exam…”
Instead of sighing here, why not just look for the way?
“Mom told me to do well… if I go back without even taking the test, what will I tell her…”
I don’t know the way either. Please just go bother someone else.
“Uuu…”
The nameless stranger finally squatted down and began to cry.
Why cry right here of all places?
You are not entirely kind either. To think you would drive a stranger to tears.
That’s right. I’m not kind. So could you please cancel our contract?
That cannot be. I did not form our contract merely because you are kind.
What a shame. I shed inward tears at Anemoi’s words, yet the person beside me remained seated. I really couldn’t endure it any longer. I would simply tell her I didn’t know the way and send her off.
“Is something wrong?”
“Ah…!”
She must have seen me sit up, because she lifted her deeply bowed head.
“Sob… I’m sorry for disturbing your rest. The truth is, I wanted to ask for directions…”
Light pink bobbed hair too luxurious for a commoner, an expression on the verge of tears. No—she was already crying. A petite frame around 150 centimeters tall. And an unfortunate family background.
This novel’s heroine, Eloa, was sitting beside me weeping.
Why on earth are you here?
But I don’t know the way either.
“Eloa. You must succeed.”
“Yes, Mother. Don’t worry.”
“You absolutely… you must.”
“Yes…”
Her name was Eloa. As a commoner she had no family name. From childhood she had been told how beautiful her hair was.
“Big Sister Eloa, I want to be pretty like you.”
“What are you saying? Our Rona is incredibly pretty too.”
Because of that, her hair never grew long for even a single day. Letting it grow even a little felt like a waste of time. The moment those lovely locks reached her shoulders, she cut them and sold them. She had to help her family. Such merely pretty hair was nothing compared to her family’s needs.
“You… possess talent.”
“I do?”
After many ordinary days like that, she had stepped in when children were playing dangerously with a sword belonging to a knight from the village. She had instinctively deflected their wild swings using a fallen scabbard. From that day onward the knight uncle taught her the sword every single day.
At first she enjoyed it too. But once the knight explained her talent to her mother, Eloa’s daily life changed completely.
“Eloa, how would you like to try attending the academy?”
“The academy? How could I go there? Isn’t that a place only for nobles?”
“From what I heard, it isn’t necessarily so. Why not give it a try?”
Eloa had answered lightly. Yet as the entrance exam period drew nearer, her mother began cornering her. The more her mother drove her, the clearer Eloa understood the intention. Succeed at the academy. Simply enrolling and graduating would make it easy to become a knight for a noble house. After hearing this from the village knight, her mother’s attitude had shifted overnight.
From then on Eloa helped with every chore and spent every spare moment swinging a sword. How many years had she done so?
“It’s tomorrow, Eloa.”
“Yes…”
The day of the academy entrance exam arrived, along with their last meal together at home. The table was quieter than usual. Clink, clink—only the sound of utensils echoed.
“Do well. I’m counting on you.”
“Yes… don’t worry.”
Thus Eloa headed to the academy amid her family’s farewells on the day of the test. Countless carriages stood in line. She trudged along beside them. Passing the splendid carriages made her body instinctively shrink. Still, she could win with skill. With that thought, Eloa reached the gate.
“Eloa?”
“Yes! I’m here to take the exam on Mr. Paeson’s recommendation!”
“Hmm…”
The guard gave her a quick glance. Eloa shrank slightly under that gaze. The stares of the nobles behind her stung. The sound of their murmuring pierced her ears and made her heart pound violently.
The guard who read Paeson’s letter of introduction pointed in a direction different from the main gate.
“Commoners go that way.”
“Pardon? I wasn’t told that…”
“What?”
“Eek…!”
Mocking voices of nobles drifted from behind. Eloa hurriedly walked the path the guard had indicated. It probably wasn’t a lie. Yet even after walking for some time she saw no one—only empty buildings and trees. Repeating to herself that there must be few commoner applicants, she continued onward, but all she found was an empty park.
“Ha…”
The guard must have lied to her. She had heard such stories before. Discrimination against commoners still lingered at the academy. Mr. Paeson had warned her about it. She hadn’t expected it on the very first day, but she needed to find the right path quickly. She looked around for anyone who might give directions, yet the surroundings were utterly silent.
While searching, she finally spotted someone lying on the grass in the park.
‘Like a fairy…’
As expected of the academy—people like him came here. Gorgeous golden hair, eyes she could not see yet somehow felt. They must be as deep as the ocean. He looked exactly like the wonderful noble youth from the stories in her head. He seemed a little older than most academy students, yet the word “old” did not fit. Mature, perhaps. His expression held a composure that boys her own age never possessed. Could he be a member of the academy staff?
“Um…”
Was he deeply asleep? She should move closer and speak.
“Excuse me! I’m trying to ask for directions!”
But he gave no answer. Why had she bothered someone sleeping so soundly? Eloa sank down beside him. The tears she had been holding back finally threatened to spill. A warm breeze like spring brushed her cheek, and the tears she had endured for so long finally fell.
“Ha… what should I do… I need to hurry and take the entrance exam…”
Someone like me never should have come.
“Mom told me to do well… if I return without even taking the test, what will I say to her…”
Eloa began to regret everything she had done until now. If she had known it would be like this, she should have stayed home from the beginning and never picked up a sword. Just as regret threatened to drown her—
“Is something wrong?”
The sleeping fairy opened his eyes and looked at her.