I woke up at 6:30 A.M. My eyes opened before my alarm even had a chance to ring. Why am I waking up so early? Is this some kind of sign? I shook my head. Whatever. I got out of bed and started my daily routine.
I had already decided not to take any part-time jobs today. My schedule was about to get very busy. Yesterday, after returning from my job, I had successfully enrolled in the Magica Academy. The registration process was surprisingly smooth. My classes would start tomorrow with the opening ceremony.
The academy had given me a stack of beginner's books since I had no magic experience. The titles were: "The Concept of Magic," "Spells," "Artifacts," "Martial Arts," "Summoning," and "The Void." They covered all the basics of the supernatural world.
I decided to skip some and focus on one I could start with right away. I picked up the book titled "The Void." I carried it to my sofa, got comfortable, and then went to the refrigerator to grab a glass of juice. A drink would make for better reading.
---
In the beginning, there was nothing. No space, no time, no light to shine. Just endless nothing, empty and deep—a silent forever where nothing could sleep.
But then, nothing began to be… a thing. A place of nothing, which difference did bring. So now there were two: the old nothing, and the new.
These two things started to fight, a great cosmic crash in the absence of light. From that mighty clash, a new thing was born: a spark of pure knowledge on a celestial morn.
This knowledge, this info, flew far and fast. It gave everything meaning, a purpose to last. From that info, a mind, a conscience, awoke. And then from the pressure, new rules and laws broke.
Out came sweet Time, a river to flow. Out came wide Space, for stars to now grow. Space and Time spread so far and so wide, making countless new worlds where life could reside.
But the old nothing stayed; it didn't go away. It hated the night and the day. It started to spread, to destroy and consume. And that's why we call it The Void, and the gloom.
And that is the story of how all began, with a fight in the dark, a most wonderful plan.
---
Hours had passed while I was lost in the book. It was amazing and very descriptive for a beginner. I had learned the origin of the Void and its terrifying purpose. The information was so grand it felt like giving a math book to a monkey—it was almost too much for my mind to grasp.
A heavy feeling settled in my chest. If this Void is so almighty, is there even a way to stop it? Do we only exist to suffer from this all-devouring phenomenon?
Why? This is such bullshit! Frustration and anger ran through my mind. Can we even stop it with all our might and power?
But then, another thought came to me. Will I be able to contribute something if I learn magic? The idea filled me with a new sense of determination and hope. Maybe I could actually learn to save people from the Void.
I started reading the other books, eager to learn more. Before I knew it, I realized it was almost 2:00 P.M. I decided to take a break and get something to eat. I stood up, picked up my keys, and left the house, making sure to lock the door behind me as always.
I went to my usual place, the bakery, to buy some sandwiches. At this time, there weren't many customers, so I was able to place my order quickly.
"Welcome, Sparx. Did you not go to work today?" Rose asked. She was used to me coming in before a shift, so she noticed something was different.
"Yeah, I kind of took the day off," I said. "I'm enrolling in the Magica Academy and start attending tomorrow." I tried to sound cool. The Magica Academy is one of the most prestigious schools. Most people don't even qualify because of a tough evaluation test that happens after registration. Tomorrow was my test, and I hoped I would pass.
"Oh," she said, her face falling a little. "I tried to enroll in it too, but my mana is too low to become a Magus." She looked sad, thinking about her past dream. She must have studied hard for it, only to fail. With nowhere else to go, she probably opened this bakery to cope.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I shouldn't have brought it up," I said quickly. I couldn't bear to see her cute face look so sad. Besides, I had read that mana isn't the only path to power. There was a book labeled "Artifacts." Couldn't a person use artifacts to become stronger without needing a lot of mana?
"Oh, don't worry, I am trying to recover from it," she said, forcing a bright smile. She was a very supportive person, always giving me advice during her shifts. I wanted to protect people like her from the Void—people who couldn't protect themselves. Seeing her pure smile warmed my heart.
She handed me the wrapped sandwiches. As I took them, I had an idea. "Hey, uhh, if you don't mind... When I become a Magus, I can teach you stuff related to artifacts. As a repayment for all your help till now." I had heard that artifacts don't need much mana to use because they are powerful on their own. I could at least teach her about them and maybe even give her one.
She was quiet for a moment, processing my words. Suddenly, her face turned slightly red. "Wh-what are you talking about!? Artifacts are very rare! I don't want you to waste them on someone like me!" She closed her eyes, her face still bright red. The combination of her cute expression and her mature body was strangely attractive.
"No, no. It's not a problem for me," I insisted. "I think I will get quite a lot of artifacts in the future. Just a hunch." Obviously, that was a lie. I had no idea how many artifacts, if any, were waiting for me. I couldn't even guarantee I'd get one.
She stared at me, her face still red, and then looked away nervously. "W-well, if you say so." She fidgeted, moving her fingers on the counter. It was both cute and hot at the same time.
Well, it was time for me to head home. I couldn't spend the whole day chatting. "Well, meet you tomorrow, Rose," I said, heading for the door. She waved back as usual, her body moving with the gesture.
Sigh, am I being hypnotized by her breasts? I wondered, shaking my head as I walked back to my house.
---
At a lonely bus stop, a girl with black hair stood waiting. She was wearing her college uniform and held a magic book in her hand. She looked around, searching for someone who wasn't there.
With a sigh, she sat on the bench, puffed out her cheeks in disappointment, and stared at the book. She had brought it for the new magic enthusiast she met yesterday, but he was nowhere to be found.
When the bus arrived, she boarded it. As usual, all eyes turned to her the moment she stepped on. She found a lone seat, but almost immediately, a man came and sat right beside her. She could feel he had bad intentions.
He pressed his leg against hers, trying to feel her out. Then he started touching her thighs. Everyone around them stared, but no one did anything, treating it like a show.
She grew more and more uncomfortable. When he started to sneak his hands toward her breasts, she'd had enough. Silently, she cast a mind-altering spell on him behind his back. As an average civilian, his mind was weak. The spell hit his mental defenses, and he instantly forgot everything, sitting there absent-minded. She calmly removed his hands and sat quietly.
The people around them looked at the now mindless man with curiosity. The girl's magic wasn't permanent; it was only temporary, and he would forget everything that happened today.
Soon, her stop arrived. She got off the bus and began walking toward a giant structure in the distance—the Magica Academy. It was so large you could see it from far away. This prestigious academy was where humans learned supernatural elements to become strong and protect themselves from the Void.
Many other students arrived in fantastic ways: on magic brooms, flying, teleporting, and using other magical transportation. But she didn't like to waste her mana on such things, so she always took the bus.
On her way, she met her class instructor, an old man with white hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He wore a professor's coat and had a big smile on his face.
"Oh, if it isn't our gifted child! You're very early today, hmm?" he said in a joking tone. It seemed his character was to always crack jokes and lighten the mood.
She looked at him and simply nodded. It felt like they didn't have the best relationship. "Um, where is Sir Victor?" she asked, her voice suddenly full of enthusiasm.
"Oh, such a fan girl for Victor, huh?" the old instructor said, sounding a little hurt. "I'm kind of as powerful as him, you know? You can come to me if you have any doubts."
"I will," she said, "but you're not as popular as he is." She stated it bluntly. The teacher in front of her wasn't specialized in combat, though he had his own specialties that he was proud of.
"Oh, geez. Alright, come on, fan girl. Victor is right this way," he said, giving up. He decided to lead her to where Victor was. The girl followed him; after all, Victor had invited her for special training today.