??>>..My name is Taika Zeit, 14 years old, Ive been helping my family since I was a little. My mother suddenly got sick when iwas 6 years old and my father died because of overusing magic.
Taika didn't give up and continue working. She clean her neighbors front yard, clean houses and get payed. She manages to find a family that she can live in and became their maid at the same time. She served her new family for 2 years.
It was going well until...
Someone knocked.
"Is Ms. Taika here?", the old man asked from the other side of the door.
Taika pov-
I was confused.
Who could it possible be?..
I reached out the doorknob.
My hands flinched.
I hesitated.
I gently opened the door and the old man was standing there and waiting.
Then I saw it.
A paper that said: Galdur academy scholarship.
The old man started to the explain his reasons.
?? : [I am here to invite your maid, Taika Zeit, to our prestigious Galdur academy to study their.]
It was so sudden.
I'm struggling to comprehend the words he just said.
Then I asked.
" what is this scholarship thing..."
He replied almost immediately.
??: [Ms.Taika, a scholarship is to help you pay for your education. You see, you have a potential to become the modern magical genius and you didn't know it. That potential shouldn't be waste.]
I can't believe what he just said.
Me?, a magical genius?, all i know is how to cook rice..
Then he added.
??: [...There will be dormitories that is also included in your scholarship, foods aren't, but, the education is high class, you'll never get this invitation again...]
Since childhood. One of my dreams is to learn magic. Not just learn but use it to help others. But now, here he is. The light to my dark future.
This is only a one time chance.
Then I look at my Mr. Cid. My master and the father of the family I'm taking care of. I nodded as an agreement.
Mr. Cid:[She's yours now.]
He signed the papers.
I also signed the papers.
The old man stood up and say one thing.
?? : [thank you. You can come to our beloved academy at any time so I can tour you there.]
He walks towards the door. Opened it and leave.
The following day. I started packing my belongings. Everything except the memories and other close friends.
The horseman was waiting to pick me up.
He has some kind of emblem on his back and at the horse's saddle.
Maybe it's the academy offering me a ride.
Then finally. I saw my family one last time.
Thy gave me a hug. And a smile that said, "you can do it!".
The door closes behind me.
The sunlight was hurting my soft skin.
The wind send shiver down my body.
The horseman offers me to give him my bags.
So I did.
He offered me a ride.
So I did.
The horse shifted beneath me as I climbed onto the saddle.
It was higher than I expected.
For a moment, I felt small again,like when I first left home to work, carrying nothing but borrowed clothes and borrowed courage.
The horseman adjusted my seat without a word, steady and practiced.
Then, with a soft pull of the reins, we began to move.
The sound of hooves echoed down the dirt road.
Each step felt like it was carrying me farther from the life I knew.
I looked back.
The house grew smaller.
The doorway where I had stood so many mornings, broom in hand.
The place where I learned how to endure.
I clenched my hands in my lap.
Don't cry.
If I cried now, I might never stop.
The wind brushed against my face, cool and sharp. Fields stretched endlessly on both sides, golden under the sun.
I had never gone this far before. My world had always been small—measured in chores, meals, and days that repeated themselves.
Now, everything was changing.
"Excuse me," I finally spoke, my voice barely louder than the wind.
"Sir… may I ask something?"
The horseman glanced back slightly.
"You may."
"Why… me?"
The words escaped before I could stop them.
There were so many others. Children born into magic. Children trained since they could walk. I was just a maid who burned her hands trying to light a candle spell.
The horseman was silent for a while.
Then he said, "Because you kept moving forward, even when magic took everything from you."
My breath caught.
"My father," I whispered, "he died because of magic."
"I know."
"And my body…" I hesitated. "It doesn't respond well to it."
"That too."
I tightened my grip on my skirt.
"Then why would Galdur Academy want someone like me?"
This time, the horseman smiled,just a little.
"Because magic has learned to grow complacent," he said. "And the academy needs someone who will question it."
The road curved upward.
Far ahead, beyond the hills, something shimmered against the sky.
At first, I thought it was a mirage.
But as we drew closer, I saw it clearly.
Towering spires carved from pale stone. Floating platforms suspended by glowing runes. Rings of light rotating slowly in the air, like thoughts given form.
My heart skipped.
"Is that…" I breathed.
"Yes," the horseman said.
"Galdur Academy."
It was beautiful.
And terrifying.
I swallowed.
This is it, Taika.
No turning back.
The horse continued forward, carrying me toward a place where geniuses were born,
And where I would have to prove that I belonged.
Then I saw the main building.
It was bigger than Mr. Cid's mansion.
I can see 16 windows from lift to right.
The training grounds looks empty.
We arrived at the horseyard.
I climbed down te horse by jumping.
It's not a great idea.
I fell.
Horseman helped me get up and leads me to the 2nd building. It was the students Hall.
Inside, it's wide. Like a training ground.
Rigel:[... [This is just the students training facility for practical sessions.]
Rigel. That was his name. The horseman.
He leads me outside again, this time. It was in the opposite side. The dormitory district.
It's two buildings, for separated genders. Male at the left. And female at the right.
Alright, continuing in the same simple, anime-novel POV, keeping the pacing gentle and visual.
The female dormitory stood tall and quiet.
It wasn't as grand as the main building, but it felt… heavy. Like the weight of countless lives that had passed through its doors before me.
Rigel stopped in front of the entrance.
"This will be your residence for the next eight years," he said calmly.
Eight years.
The number echoed in my head.
I nodded, even though my chest felt tight.
Inside, the air was cool and clean. The hallway stretched far ahead, lined with identical wooden doors. Each door had a small metal plate with a name carved into it. Some were scratched. Some were polished. All of them felt distant—like they belonged to people far greater than me.
Rigel walked ahead, his footsteps steady.
"You will be assigned a room on the second floor," he said.
"Scholarship students share rooms. You'll meet your roommate soon."
I swallowed.
Sharing a room with someone from Galdur Academy…
Someone who probably grew up casting spells instead of scrubbing floors.
We climbed the stairs.
My legs still ached from the fall earlier, but I forced myself to keep up.
Rigel stopped in front of a door near the end of the corridor.
He handed me a small, cold object.
A key.
"This is yours," he said. "Room 214."
I stared at it.
So small.
Yet it felt heavier than any coin I had ever held.
Before I could say anything, Rigel spoke again.
"Orientation begins tomorrow morning. Attendance is mandatory."
"Your uniform, books, and class schedule will be delivered tonight."
I nodded again.
"Ms. Taika," he added, his voice lowering slightly.
"Galdur Academy does not measure worth by birth."
I looked up at him.
"But it does measure results."
Then he stepped back.
"Rest well."
Rigel turned and walked away, his figure disappearing down the hallway.
I stood there alone.
Slowly, I unlocked the door.
The room was modest. Two beds. Two desks. A large window that overlooked the academy grounds. Sunlight poured in, bathing the floor in gold.
I placed my bag beside the bed closest to the window.
Then I sat down.
For a long moment, I did nothing.
I really made it here…
My hands trembled.
I pressed them against my lap, took a deep breath, and whispered.
"Galdur Academy…"
Tomorrow, my new life would begin.
And I was terrified.
Got it. Continuing Taika POV, calm but meaningful, with clear uniform details woven naturally into the scene.
A soft knock broke the silence.
I flinched.
"Y–yes?" I answered.
The door opened just enough for a woman in academy staff robes to peek inside. She smiled politely and held out a neatly stacked bundle.
"Uniform delivery for Room 214," she said. "Taika Zeit."
"That's me."
She stepped in and placed everything carefully on the desk, as if the fabric itself was important.
"Orientation attire," she added. "Please be prepared by morning."
With a small bow, she left as quietly as she came.
The door clicked shut.
I stared at the bundle.
Slowly, I reached out and unfolded it.
First, the blazer.
It was dark navy, almost black, with clean lines and silver buttons engraved with the Galdur Academy emblem. The fabric felt smooth beneath my fingers—firm, but light. A red trim ran along the collar and cuffs, subtle but proud.
Under it was a crisp white shirt, neatly pressed.
Then the skirt.
There were two options.
One was a knee-length skirt, modest and formal.
The other was a shorter skirt, stopping just above the knees—lighter, freer.
I hesitated.
After a moment, I chose the longer one.
Old habits.
Beneath that was a thin black belt, simple but sturdy, and a red-accented ribbon meant to be worn at the collar.
At the bottom of the bundle were the shoes.
Plain black leather, polished to a soft shine.
They were heavier than the sandals I was used to. Shoes meant for long halls… and longer days.
I imagined the boys' uniforms for a moment ,structured school suits, belts fastened tight, deep red trousers standing out against dark jackets. Everyone wearing the same colors, the same symbols.
Equal on the outside.
Not on the inside.
I stood and carefully changed.
The blazer fit perfectly, as if it had been measured just for me. When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized the girl staring back.
She looked… official.
Like she belonged somewhere important.
I touched the emblem on my chest.
Galdur Academy.
My reflection didn't look strong.
But she looked determined.
Tomorrow, everyone would see me like thisnot as a maid, not as a charity case.
But as a student.
I sat on the bed, uniform neatly folded for the morning.
Sleep didn't come easily.
My heart was already walking the halls of Galdur Academy.
Afraid of the stares.
Afraid of failure.
And afraid of how much I wanted to succeed.
My heart skipped.
Did I forget something?
Was the uniform wrong?
I stood up and walked to the door.
I gently opened it..
And froze.
A girl stood there.
Long pink hair flowed past her shoulders, catching the hallway light. Her navy blue eyes were calm and bright, like the surface of a quiet lake. She was already wearing the academy uniform,the blazer fit her perfectly, as if she had been born into it.
In her left hand was a small travel bag.
In her right, a mage staff, polished and well-kept, its crystal faintly glowing.
She blinked when she saw me.
Then she smiled.
"Um… hello," she said softly.
"I think this is Room 214?"
I nodded quickly.
"Y–yes. It is."
Her expression brightened.
"Oh, good!" She let out a small laugh. "I was worried I got lost already."
She bowed slightly, polite and warm.
"My name is Maya Sieg," she said.
"I'll be your roommate."
Roommate.
The word echoed in my head.
Before I could stop myself, I glanced at her staff… then at my own empty hands.
"I–I'm Taika Zeit," I replied. "Nice to meet you."
Maya stepped inside, careful not to bump into anything. She set her bag down and leaned her staff gently against the wall, treating it like a precious companion.
"This place is amazing, isn't it?" she said, looking around the room. "I can't believe we're really here."
I nodded.
"Yes…"
She turned to me, her eyes curious—not judging. Just interested.
"So," she asked, smiling,
"Are you nervous about tomorrow too?"
I hesitated.
Then, for the first time since arriving at Galdur Academy, I felt something ease in my chest.
"…Very."
Maya laughed softly.
"Me too."
And just like that, the room felt a little less lonely.
Taika's mind-
"Get out of here!"
"You're worthless!"
"Why someone like her got invited to our school."
"Yeah, I think te school officials made a mistake."
"Seriously? How can a poor girl like her is able to get a scholarship?"
"Is this a joke, Teacher?"
"...."
Those words..
Was stuck in my head for five hours straight.
Just sitting in my bed. Alone. Maya was in her own bed and see prefer not to talk to me for now.
To be honest, it's my fault that she avoided me instead of cheering me up right now.
But it's all true.
All they said was right.
I never deserved a life like this.
Not in the slightest.
Taika pov-
Before it all happened, lets have a flashback of what happened before the humiliation and my first depression.
It was a very normal morning of my second day in the academy. Maya woke me up. This Is the orientation day. Where the students gathered in one place and officially open the first semester. Introducing the school educational system, discipline, and school environment.
Maya: [Wake up!, it's time to get up and clean yourself!]
I looked at her half asleep.
Maya: [Do you even hear me??]
She stopped and said.
"I can't believe a girl like her still exist."
That was cruel.
Is waking up late is a problem in our generation that I'm not aware?
I replied.
Taika: [I'm sorry, I didn't get enough sleep last night..]
Maya: [you kidding me?, fine, but don't blame me if we got late fr the orientation at eight.]
I quickly realized.
I immediately rushed towards the bathroom and splash my face with water.
After a few minutes, I was done bathing.and finally proceeds to wear my uniform. I smooth my hair with Maya's comb.
The mirror reflected a girl trying too hard not to look afraid.
My blazer was neat.
My skirt straight.
The emblem on my chest still felt unfamiliar.
"Let's go," Maya said, already by the door.
I nodded and followed her.
The orientation hall was massive.
Rows upon rows of seats filled with students in identical uniforms—dark blazers, red accents, polished black shoes. Some sat casually. Some confidently. Others whispered among themselves, eyes sharp with curiosity.
I felt them the moment we stepped inside.
Whispers.
Not loud.
But sharp enough to cut.
"That's her."
"The scholarship girl."
"She doesn't look special."
I lowered my head and walked faster.
Maya sat beside me, adjusting her ribbon calmly. She looked like she belonged here—like the hall itself welcomed her.
I kept my hands folded on my lap.
The head instructor stepped onto the podium. His presence alone silenced the room.
"Welcome," he began, "to Galdur Academy."
He spoke of discipline.
Of excellence.
Of how only those who prove themselves deserve to remain.
Then came the introductions.
"New students," he said, "will undergo a basic magical comprehension evaluation."
My heart dropped.
Evaluation… already?
Names were called.
One by one, students stood, demonstrated simple magic, and sat down again,light forming effortlessly in their palms, mana flowing like breath.
Then—
"Taika Zeit."
The room shifted.
I stood.
My legs felt heavy as I walked forward.
I could feel it.
The stares.
The doubt.
"Demonstrate basic mana output," the instructor said calmly.
I nodded.
I raised my hand.
Focused.
Just a spark.
I tried to circulate mana the way the books described.
Pain.
Sharp. Sudden.
My fingers trembled. The air distorted slightly,but no light formed.
A murmur spread through the hall.
I pushed harder.
Bad idea.
A wave of nausea hit me, my vision blurring. I staggered back a step.
"That's enough," the instructor said.
Silence.
Then—
Laughter.
Not everyone.
But enough.
"Is this a joke, Teacher?"
"She can't even do that?"
"A waste of a slot."
My ears rang.
"Get out of here."
"You're worthless."
I couldn't breathe.
The instructor cleared his throat. "You may return to your seat."
I turned around.
Every step back felt longer than the last.
I sat down.
Didn't look up.
Didn't say a word.
Now-
I was back in my bed.
Five hours had passed.
The same words played over and over in my head.
They're right.
Maya lay on her bed, facing the wall. She hadn't spoken since we returned.
And I didn't blame her.
Who would want to associate with someone like me?
I stared at the ceiling.
"I never deserved a life like this," I whispered.
My chest felt hollow.
For the first time since coming to Galdur Academy...
I wondered if accepting that scholarship had been a mistake.
For the whole next day, I isolated myself.
I didn't go out unless I had to.
I didn't speak unless spoken to.
I sat at my desk, books stacked high ,Thaumatology, basic mana theory, magical circulation. Page after page. Diagram after diagram.
I read.
And reread.
And read again.
Nothing stuck.
The words blurred together.
Mana flows like breath.
Intent shapes output.
The body is the vessel.
I closed the book.
Failed.
I leaned back against the chair, staring at the ceiling.
I can't understand a thing.
My chest tightened.
Should I ask Maya?
The thought lingered.
Then..
No.
I shook my head.
She'll probably humiliate me too.
I wrapped my arms around myself and lowered my gaze back to the pages.
The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
Outside, I could hear laughter. Footsteps. Life moving forward without me.
And I was stuck.
Still.
Trying to understand magic..
While magic refused to understand me.
The letters wouldn't stay still.
No matter how many times I read the same sentence, it slipped away from me, like water through my fingers.
"…Mana responds to intent…"
I shut the book.
The sound echoed louder than I expected.
My hands were shaking.
I pressed them against the desk, trying to steady myself,but the trembling only spread, crawling up my arms, into my chest.
Why?
Why couldn't I understand something so basic?
Others did it without thinking. Like breathing. Like walking.
I stood up too fast.
The chair scraped against the floor, and the noise made my heart jump. My vision blurred for a moment, and I had to grab the edge of the desk to keep myself from falling.
"…Get it together," I whispered.
But my voice cracked.
I slid down against the wall, my back hitting the cold stone. The book slipped from my hands and fell open beside me, pages splayed like it had given up on me too.
I pulled my knees to my chest.
My breath came out wrong,too fast, too shallow.
You're worthless.
The words came back.
Uninvited.
They were right.
I pressed my forehead against my knees.
"I tried," I whispered, barely loud enough to hear myself.
"I really tried…"
My throat burned.
Tears fell before I realized I was crying.
I covered my mouth with my hand, biting down hard, trying to keep the sound in. I didn't want Maya to hear. I didn't want anyone to hear.
My shoulders shook anyway.
What was I even doing here?
I wasn't strong.
I wasn't talented.
I wasn't special.
Just a poor girl who cleaned houses and dreamed too much.
"I don't belong here…" I choked.
The room felt too big. Too empty.
I stayed there on the floor, crying silently until my chest hurt and my eyes burned, until even the thoughts grew tired.
When the tears finally stopped, I didn't feel better.
Just… empty.
I wiped my face with my sleeve and slowly stood up.
The book was still open on the floor.
I stared at the diagrams of mana circulation.
Then I whispered, not angry,just tired-
"…What am I missing?"
The room didn't answer.
But somewhere deep inside me, something refused to disappear completely.
Not yet.
"It's not true!"
The words shattered the silence.
I gasped.
Before I could turn around—
Smack.
A sharp sting exploded across my cheek.
I froze.
My head snapped to the side, skin burning, heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst. I tasted salt—tears I didn't remember falling.
"M–Maya…?" I whispered.
She was standing there.
Her hands were clenched. Her chest rose and fell too fast, like she'd been running. Her eyes—those calm navy-blue eyes—were shaking.
"Stop it," she said, her voice trembling.
"Stop filling your mind with thoughts that will not help you."
I couldn't even be angry.
I couldn't feel anything.
"I heard everything," she continued. "Every word you said to yourself."
She took a step closer.
"Listen—"
She stopped.
Her mouth opened… then closed again.
The anger in her face faded, replaced by something softer. Something uncertain.
She looked away, rubbing her sleeve against her eyes.
"…No. That came out wrong."
The room went quiet again.
Then she sighed.
Slow. Deep.
She knelt in front of me so we were eye level.
"I don't know how to say this nicely," she admitted. "I'm not good at pretty words."
She met my gaze.
"But you're wrong."
I shook my head weakly. "You saw what happened. I couldn't even—"
"So what?" she cut in. "You failed. So did half the people here at something."
"That's different—"
"No, it's not."
Her voice wasn't loud this time. It was firm.
"You think everyone here is confident? You think they don't break down when no one's looking?"
She pointed at the open book on the floor.
"You're the only one I've seen who keeps studying even after being humiliated."
I swallowed.
"You're the only one who cried after trying," she said quietly.
"Not before."
My chest tightened.
Maya looked down at her hands.
"I avoided you earlier because I didn't know what to say," she confessed. "I was scared I'd make it worse."
Then she looked back up.
"But don't you dare decide your worth based on people who don't even know your name."
Silence hung between us.
She reached out, hesitated—
Then gently placed her hand over mine.
"You don't understand magic yet," she said.
"That doesn't mean you never will."
Her grip tightened slightly.
"So stop calling yourself worthless."
My vision blurred again.
This time, I didn't look away.
Night fell quietly over the dormitory.
The lamps outside cast long shadows across the floor, stretching toward the window like reaching hands. Maya had fallen asleep on her bed, her breathing slow and even, her mage staff resting beside her.
I sat at my desk.
The books were still there.
Unmoved.
Unsolved.
But they didn't feel as heavy anymore.
I stared at the diagram of mana circulation again.. the arrows looping neatly through the human body. Perfect. Clean. Ideal.
Too ideal.
I raised my hand slowly.
Closed my eyes.
I didn't force anything this time.
Didn't push.
Didn't imagine power.
I just… listened.
To my breath.
To the ache that always appeared when I tried to use magic.
To the resistance I had always treated as failure.
What if…
What if my body isn't rejecting magic?
A thought surfaced.
What if it's resisting the way it's being forced?
My fingers trembled.
Not from pain.
From something unfamiliar.
I opened my eyes.
Nothing happened.
No light.
No spark.
But...
For the first time...
It didn't hurt.
I let out a shaky breath.
That was enough.
I looked down at my hand and whispered, barely audible..
"…I'm not broken."
Outside, the academy towers stood silent beneath the stars.
Tomorrow, the world would still doubt me.
Tomorrow, magic would still be difficult.
But tonight...
For the first time since stepping into Galdur Academy...
I believed I might be able to move forward.
Even if it was just one step at a time.