Two days had passed since Lucian nearly turned himself into arcane soup.
And now?
His body felt... right. Not just physically—though his balance had improved, his posture more natural—but magically. His mana didn't fizzle at the edges anymore. It moved when he wanted it to. Flowed with him, not against.
He hadn't dared cast a single spell, but he could feel it—warm and humming beneath his skin.
Even Ellie had noticed.
Their bond had changed too. Grown into something a little too familiar. Black the Cat now stared at them like a single father raising two chaotic children. The owl statue never blinked but somehow still looked disapproving.
They were siblings now. Disaster siblings.
One night, Ellie even dragged him into one of her famous "stress-relief" drinking sessions. It ended with her attempting to challenge a tree to a duel and Lucian nearly passing out while giggling into a teacup.
Ellie, dead serious, pointed at the owl:
"You. Fight me."
Black walked away. Utterly done.
But eventually, the laughter faded. The drinks were put down. Ellie sighed, sat Lucian down at the dinner table, and looked him straight in the eye.
"There's only so much I can teach you, Lucian."
Her voice was quieter now. A little sad. A little proud.
"You're ready for the Capital. For the Academy."
Lucian nodded. He had expected this. And he wasn't afraid. Not really.
But Ellie had one last gift to give. A spell handwritten on parchment. One she didn't offer lightly.
"It's called Frangere Scriptum. Means 'Break the Script.'"
"It won't dazzle a crowd, but it'll save your life. You can cancel, override, or disrupt a spell—if you understand the spell's runic framework."
"The more you know of it, the better your chances. It's a Tier 2 spell but scales with your level. Doesn't work on spells above your tier, unless you're lucky or stupid."
Lucian's eyes had sparkled.
"That's how you saved me?"
Ellie smirked. "You're welcome, by the way."
Of course, Lucian tried it then and there. Not even a spark. Ellie burst out laughing.
"Take it as homework, oh mighty prodigy."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That evening, Lucian knocked on a familiar door one last time.
Erza opened it, wide-eyed, a hammer in one hand and sawdust in her hair.
Eyes like she wasn't sure whether to smile or panic.
Lucian held up a parchment.
"Not a love letter. Don't faint."
She stared at it. On it were basic cantrips, rune-starters, the first whispers of a magical language. The parchment was covered in floating runes and beginner cantrips — a learning path.
"Told you about your mana," Lucian said. "This is your first step."
"Also… I wanted to say goodbye. I'm leaving tomorrow morning."
Her face shifted. Smile faltered.
"Leaving?"
"Ell— My tutor says I'm ready. I'm headed to the Capital tomorrow. To the Magic Academy."
Silence.
Lucian watched her, trying to read the flicker in her eyes.
Then softened.
"But... I'll be waiting. For you. You've got something rare, Erza. Don't bury it under wood shavings and sawdust."
A beat passed.
"Care for a walk?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They walked around the town with no real destination in mind. Just drifting beneath the lanterns and stars.
Drea was glowing with quiet life — warm moonlight, laughter in the distance, petals on the wind.
Lucian walked with his hands behind his head, humming to the rhythm of Erza's light footsteps beside him.
They took the long way home.
The streets glowed under lanterns. Petals drifted down from the trees. Somewhere, a musician played a stringed instrument off-key.
Erza hummed softly beside him. Local tune. Probably old.
Eventually, they came back to her house.
When they reached the doorstep, she hesitated.
A breeze passed between them.
"You won't forget me… right?"
"I wouldn't dare."
She nodded. Then hugged him — tight and brief, like she might change her mind if she stayed too long.
"I'll miss you."
A brief moment.
Lucian chuckled softly and brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear.
"Then I guess I'll have to give you something to remember me by."
He leaned in and kissed her cheek.
Quick. Gentle. Real.
Erza's entire face went red. She blinked twice, then laughed awkwardly, sounding very much like someone unsure of what to do with her limbs.
"Th-then I'll hurry up and become a mage! W-wait for me!"
The door slammed shut before he could even tease her.
Lucian stood there a moment, smiling. Then turned, his cloak fluttering behind him, and the smile never leaving his face.
The Next Morning
Drea gathered to see him off.
Even the grumpy blacksmith gave a nod. Children threw petals. Someone even tried to hand him a chicken — which he politely declined.
Back at the crooked red house, Lucian dressed carefully.
White shirt. Navy blue coat, silver trim. Short cloak, fastened with a mage's pin Ellie had lent him — Drea's mark of respect.
He checked his bag: food, water, extra socks. Ready for a long journey.
Then he headed to the balcony, expecting Ellie to give him final instructions. Maybe summon a horse. Or a portal stone.
He found her already there.
She stood with the sunrise ahead of her, glass in hand, robe cinched at the waist. Pointed hat tilted jauntily. Her braid rested over one shoulder, glasses catching gold in the morning light. She was a real beauty.
Lucian nearly tripped.
"What's with the survival gear, adventurer?"
Lucian blinked. "I thought it was a week-long trip."
Ellie laughed.
"We're not knights, Lucian. We're mages."
She passed him her drink.
"Hold my beer."
(A/N: Literally.)
Lucian took it, utterly confused.
Then Ellie raised her wand and began to move it.
She traced runes into the air. Not just ordinary runes — but ancient, glowing, singing ones. They spiraled and layered like celestial gears. Geometry so dense it made his mind ache.
Lucian tried to track them.
Snap.
Pain lanced his temples. His breath caught. This was beyond him.
"Brace yourself!" Ellie yelled.
"What do you me—"
SNAP.
The world folded.
Space collapsed. Time twisted.
Lucian was launched forward through nothingness, a scream frozen in his throat.
And then—
BOOM.
They landed.
"What the—"
Lucian immediately knelt over, resisting the urge to throw up.
Ellie casually laughed and patted his back.
"Welcome to the Capital, genius."
Before them sprawled a massive white-stone plaza filled with robed mages and arcane vendors. Towers stabbed into the clear blue sky like the spears of gods. At the center of the city, a floating crystal hovered like a frozen moon, shedding soft light over the grounds. The air felt thick and rich with mana.
And at the far end...
A golden gate, framed by swirling wards and vine-covered pillars, bore a name in shimmering runes:
✦ Aetherion Arcanum — The Grand Academy of Magic ✦
Ellie adjusted her hat.
Her smile was wicked, brilliant and proud.
"Let's go ruin some professors."
End of Volume One.