Chapter 3

"…This is the Fidic Academy."

I looked up at the building that could be mistaken for a massive castle and muttered. Stone walls and spires lined up, and in the center stood a Gothic-style building so large it took my breath away. A river flowed in front, dividing to the left and right, and including the spires, the vastness of the grounds was hard to fathom.

I had never seen such a building, even on Earth.

Feeling genuinely amazed, I walked down the stone-paved path.

Looking around, I saw people with animal ears on their heads, tails, long ears, and some who were as short as children but had full beards.

Their clothing varied widely, but most notably, there were those in armor, full-body armor, and robes that hid their entire bodies.

It was a scene that seemed like a joke, but I had already gotten used to seeing sub-humans, beastmen, and elves. In a large city, it was normal to see a diverse range of races.

The rare ones were giants, merfolk, and fairies, but they were said to exist somewhere in the world.

Looking up at the imposing and majestic gate that exuded a sense of authority, I sighed and took a step forward.

At that moment, a voice suddenly called out from inside the gate.

"…Excuse me, sir. This is the Fidic Academy, known as the best magic academy in the world. We have not received any information about a transfer at this time. What is your business here?"

The voice was as smooth and graceful as if singing a gentle song.

Looking up, I saw a strikingly handsome young man with blue hair standing there. He was wearing a design that was a mix between a military uniform and a business suit, favored by nobles. The overall black tone was interspersed with silver embroidery, and it was clear even from a distance that it was of high quality.

"…I was told to work here. I would like to be introduced to Chancellor Glen."

Upon hearing this, the young man smiled gently and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but do you have an identity card or a letter of introduction from someone of similar status that would make your story credible? As you know, the Chancellor, who rose to the rank of Marquis through his overwhelming magical power and various achievements, is not someone easily accessible."

With a scrutinizing gaze, he added, and I frowned.

"That's a problem. I am a commoner and do not have an identity card to prove my status. However, I do have a Guild Card from the Mage Guild…"

Upon hearing this, the young man's expression clearly lost interest.

"…Then, please leave. I will take my leave as well."

He turned on his heel and started to walk away. I called out to him.

"Could you at least deliver the letter?"

The young man quietly turned back, crossed his arms, and tilted his head.

"…A letter, huh?"

With a suspicious tone, he said this, and I took a white sheet of paper from my shoulder bag. It was not sealed with wax or anything; it was just a single sheet of paper folded into thirds. Seeing this, the young man's interest was slightly rekindled.

"What is this letter?"

"It's like a greeting card. Of course, there are no tricks or anything. If there are no issues, I would like to deliver it to Chancellor Glen."

"Deliver it? That decision should be up to us…"

While speaking as if mocking me, the young man took the letter from my hand.

He held the folded letter in his palm and narrowed his eyes slightly. A shadow fell on his handsome face, and his long eyelashes trembled. His picturesque appearance made me slightly irritated.

"Indeed… there doesn't seem to be any magical traps. The content, however, is another matter…"

The moment he said this, I activated a Void Hand, a non-elemental magic.

Without incantation and with the minimum amount of magic power, the Void Hand was undetectable even to the high-level mage, and I snatched the letter back.

"To save you the trouble, I will deliver it myself."

With that, I activated a new magic.

As if to say there would be no second time, the young man quickly moved to cast a defensive spell.

"White swan."

I whispered, and the letter floated up and flew toward the top floor of the castle. The young man looked up, half-stunned.

It's troublesome, and I'll escape while he's not paying attention.

With that thought, I left the scene with a nonchalant expression.

---

【Blue-haired Man: Speyside】

She was a strange woman. A girl with lustrous black hair and black eyes, quite rare in this area. She looked to be in her late teens, but her demeanor seemed more mature than mine.

She was slender but had a sharp gaze, and her posture was like that of a soldier.

She was so dignified that I mistook her for a noble despite her not being in a carriage. However, she turned out to be a commoner.

The academy is open to anyone who takes the entrance exam, and the same applies to faculty, regardless of their background.

However, realistically, since it is the highest-level academy for mages, most students are from noble families. The faculty consists of top-tier mages, and the majority are from Marquis or Count families.

Therefore, it was unheard of for a commoner to request a meeting with the Chancellor outside of the enrollment period.

I thought she might be a fraudster or a madwoman, and while talking to her, I tried to brush her off and send her away. But in a desperate attempt, she produced a strange piece of paper.

It was a pure white sheet of paper, of such high quality that I had almost never seen it before, and I couldn't help but be interested.

While my attention was on the paper, she cast a spell and snatched it back from my hand.

When did she chant? What spell did she cast?

More importantly, I had never failed to notice a spell being cast, not even once.

My mind was in chaos, and my heart rate skyrocketed.

My relaxed alertness instantly tightened. I lowered my center of gravity and began the incantation for a defensive spell.

"To save you the trouble, I will deliver it myself."

In an instant, she cast another spell I had never seen before and sent the letter flying into the sky.

Even the second time, I couldn't detect the preparation or the moment of activation.

It couldn't be that she cast a spell without incantation.

Then, it must be an incantation with the chant reduced to the extreme. I, too, can use a few shortened incantations for water magic.

But even so, it was too fast, too undetectable.

"Y-You… who are you…?"

After staring blankly at the sky, I lowered my gaze and searched for the woman.

But all I saw were the familiar stone-paved paths and stone walls.

The woman had vanished without a trace.