A bump sent the carriage jolting sideways when the left wheel dropped into a rut, branches scraping overhead like fingernails on slate. Each thud echoed through the floorboards after a stone struck metal, travelers gripping seat edges without speaking. Rough bark flashed past gaps in the curtains while dust curled upward from beneath worn tires, one lamp flickering at the far end of the cabin. Silence returned once the rhythm slowed, only the groan of bent axles breaking it now and then.
Whispers moved through the room like breath on glass. A hush settled where voices had been. Sounds crept low beneath the floorboards. Stillness waited just past each syllable.
Inside, people shared space without sharing words. A few murmured low, eyes down, while others stared past the window at nothing fixed. Seats jostled with every uneven stretch of road. This sort of transport drew those watching their coins closely.
There by himself, Lucas stayed still, staring forward with a flat look, pupils tight and dim. Empty was how his face seemed, like whatever went down earlier that day still held him in its grip.
[TASK – Immediately proceed to Sylvas Magic Academy.]
A second time, the words showed up on screen.
His eyebrow twitched "Tch… why does this keep showing up again and again?" he muttered under his breath, irritation clearly visible on his face. "It's starting to get really annoying."
Not wanting to pay attention, he sat on a roadside bench while going through his bag.
Then everything stopped. He could not move. What is happening?
Frozen in place, his body would not move. Stillness held him tight.
"I can't move…"
A shiver ran down his back when a new message showed up right there. The words glowed faintly, catching him off guard again. Something about the timing felt wrong, too quiet. His breath slowed without meaning to. Then - another line of text, sudden and sharp. It sat on the screen like it had always been waiting.
[Warning: Ignoring duties repeatedly leads to automatic consequences]
For a moment, nothing moved. After that silence, words showed up again on the screen.
[Penalty: Termination.]
A sudden flash crossed his face. "What in the world?!
He could move once more when the hold lifted - sharp and quick like it first arrived - but by then, the signal had taken root. Enough prodded his steps forward.
Finding himself stuck, he turned to strangers nearby, eager for clues on where to find Sylvas Magic Academy. A stroke of luck - someone mentioned a carriage bound that way would roll through before long.
Here's how he got to this point. The carriage rolled on, its rhythm smooth and unchanging, while Lucas tilted his body just a bit closer to the glass, eyes tracing the blur of trees fleeing beyond the pane.
Everything seemed nearly ordinary, just for a second.
Then -
Outside the window, eyes fixed but seeing nothing - [Staring blankly outside won't make you look any smarter.]
A small jump tugged at his eyelid. What even bothers this creature?
A quiet tightness showed at the corner of Lucas's mouth, tension creeping in each time another comment landed. His patience wore thinner with every word spoken around him.
He paused, then shifted his gaze to the person next to him, choosing instead to check one detail.
"Hey… excuse me," he said, trying to sound casual. "Can you tell me what this thing is? I mean… how does something like this even exist?"
The man looked at him, confused. "I'm sorry," he replied slowly, "but I don't understand what you're referring to."
Lucas frowned. "What? I mean this - this thing," he said, gesturing vaguely in the air in front of him. "These words, this… announcement box. Can't you see it?"
A look of worry crept across his face. After a quiet moment, he spoke - "Hey, kid… did you take a fall?" His voice softened at the end. "Getting it looked at wouldn't hurt."
His eyes fluttered open. Huh…? The glow of the hovering display pulled his stare once more.
That's right - this view belongs to you alone
[At least now you've realized. Took you long enough.]
A small jump tugged at his brow once more.
[Never seen someone so dumb as you.]
Fists half-closed at his sides, Lucas bit back a response. 'Shut it.'
Few sounds broke the calm after that - just a jolt here, there, someone murmuring down the aisle. Silence held most of it together.
Later on, the wagon started moving slower. The man up front shouted, Time to get off now.
A sharp move upward, then his hand found the little bag waiting at his side. Inside rested whatever scraps they'd let him keep when cast out by blood ties. With it stayed some coins - barely holding weight, though sufficient until tomorrow pressed too close.
Off the carriage he climbed, then passed the fare to the driver. Gone was the sound of wheels as it rolled back along the path. Silence followed where words never came.
Spinning to face whatever lay behind, Lucas found himself staring at the towering gateway of Sylvas Magic Academy. Gaping at the enormous doors, lost in their shadow, he blinked - then a known interface flickered into view right in front of his gaze.
[Congratulations on completing your first task]
[Reward – Mana Perception]
[Skill +1]
A pause came before he looked up, eyes softening just enough when interest took hold instead of annoyance.
"Mana Perception… as a skill?" he muttered, placing a hand on his chin. "What does it even do?"
A second line showed up right after that.
[Skill – Mana Perception (Passive): Allows the user to sense and visualize mana in the surroundings, including the flow, density, and structure of magical energy.]
Studying the words closely, Lucas felt a small tension form between his brows. The meaning settled slowly, pulling his gaze tighter.
He waited a moment before speaking. Well then, that seems helpful
He turned his gaze once more to the school, moving ahead as the idea settled. Then came steps - slow at first - toward the building, pulled by quiet purpose.
As he moved nearer, the building began to loom larger, harder to ignore. Rising up with quiet force were round towers, stretching far above, their walls sleek and gleaming under pale light. Up near the peak, soft bunches of luminous mist hung still - placed just so, it seemed - lending weight to the scene below. With shapes like that, it stopped feeling like any ordinary academy, instead resembling some hall built for rulers, carved for privilege.
Footsteps slow, he stared at the high ceilings - this spot felt way too costly.
Moving toward the front, a stretch of people caught his eye by one doorway. A notice close by said this queue was meant for signing up. People about his age filled the line, standing quiet, each biding time. Their faces told him everything - they'd come hoping for the same chance.
The Entrance Exam. A hush followed Lucas as he stepped into place, eyes moving from face to face. Confident stances here, shaky hands there - some didn't care at all. Yet each person stood on equal ground once the line formed.
His turn arrived, following just a brief pause.
Name? she said, eyes still down on her papers.
Lucas Ironhart," came his reply, steady as stone. A pause - then her eyes lifted, slowly meeting his. Stillness hung between them after those words left his mouth.
What do you mean by house number? her voice rose.
A small silence passed while Lucas offered the card - kept since the day they sent him away. Her fingers took it slow, eyes scanning each line without giving anything away.
She handed it back after a short pause, her lips curling gently upward.
"Thank you. Your name has been registered. You may proceed to Block 4 for the entrance test."