When the Magic Realm was created, its foundations were woven into existence by forces both ancient and unfathomable. The Evergales wove the boundary between the mortal world and the Magic Realm. Seraphina forged a path beyond, unleashing the currents of magic. The Leviathan King and Ignis steadied the breach with ocean and fire.

The delicate balance between realms had always been fragile, yet now it teetered on the edge of chaos. As the forces of magic surged, so too did the tension between those who sought to control it and those who longed for freedom. There were whispers in the winds of untold powers awakening beneath the earth’s surface, calling to those with the courage to listen.

***

"Is this what you call strength? Attacking one person like a pack of weaklings?"

At Lucian Evergale’s biting words, the air around Alena grew heavier, and the children who had been taunting her fell into silence. Their confidence wavered, and, one by one, they averted their gazes, stepping back as uncertainty took hold. Alena turned toward the voice.

Lucian stood tall and unshaken, his presence commanding even among the older students. He exuded an aura of quiet dominance, impossible to ignore. His midnight-blue cloak, embroidered with glowing silver runes, draped over him like the mantle of an ancient power.

His silver hair flowed like liquid moonlight, framing ice-blue eyes that gleamed with a chilling sharpness, as if they could pierce through the very fabric of existence. His striking features—strong jawline and high cheekbones—lent him an air of nobility, but it was the unshakable confidence surrounding him that truly left an impression.

Alena, in contrast, possessed a beauty that was ethereal, almost otherworldly, a quiet testament to the elven blood she carried from her mother’s side. Alena’s golden eyes shimmered like dawn’s first light, holding an ancient, knowing glow. Her jet-black hair cascaded weightlessly, catching the faintest glimmers of magic.

Delicate and perfectly sculpted, her features bore the unmistakable touch of elven grace—high cheekbones, a gently sloping nose, and lips that seemed to whisper of forgotten enchantments. There was a soft radiance to her, a quiet glow that lingered in the air around her, as if nature itself responded to her presence.

"He’s... dangerous," Alena thought, unable to tear her gaze away.

Despite his beauty, there was no warmth to Lucian. His very presence demanded recognition. She had noticed him before from afar, but standing so near now, she felt both wary and intrigued.

"He belongs to the ancient noble guardian family," she reminded herself, her eyes drifting toward the figures behind him. These were the famed nobles of Elandria, each with a lineage as powerful as Lucian’s, their expressions unreadable and cold. Their eyes, though mesmerizing, held a warning: to stand against Lucian Evergale was to stand against them all.

As the children finally backed away, Lucian’s lips curved into a smirk—arrogant, yet laced with an undeniable authority. Alena found herself unnerved. For a fleeting moment, their gazes met, and she felt an unspoken challenge between them.

"He’s challenging me," she realized.

Lucian’s piercing gaze seemed to probe into her very being, searching for something hidden beneath the surface. Despite the coldness in his expression, an unfamiliar connection sparked within her. She quickly understood—within the world of magic, her standing would be defined by Lucian Evergale’s regard or his indifference.

That realization unsettled her more than she cared to admit. Power in the Magic Realm was not merely about talent or lineage—it was about recognition. To be acknowledged by someone like Lucian Evergale meant being drawn into a world of prestige, expectation, and silent battles fought with glances and unspoken words.

****

Alena’s family lived deep within the forests of the human world, in an old, crumbling mansion. It was so remote that even from the small highland village, one had to climb far to reach it. Though time had left its mark on the structure, the estate remained a formidable fortress, its walls guarding secrets within.

She had always known she was different from ordinary people.

Because of her magic, she could not attend school or form friendships like the village children. She had accepted this reality.

Her father, Roland, had always warned her to conceal her abilities from outsiders. Only after she swore secrecy did he finally begin taking her beyond their land.

They would blend in with travelers, exploring the village together. Occasionally, Alena played with local children. But her mother, Lisa, never left the estate’s borders.

Lisa spent her days either with her family or tending to the greenhouse. She had an uncanny ability to nurture plants, and only later did Alena realize her mother was not entirely human. Lisa was half-elf, attuned to the spirit of nature yet unable to wield magic herself. Unlike Alena, Lisa could not hear nature’s voices, only sense its presence. Alena only understood this when Roland explained it to her.

Alena often wondered how such a profound connection to nature could exist without the power of magic. It made her question the boundaries between magic and the natural world, and why her mother, so attuned to life, could not hear the whispers Alena could. She marveled at how Lisa, despite her limitations, could cultivate such vibrant life in the greenhouse.

"Lisa can feel it—that’s all. And sometimes, that is more extraordinary than magic itself," her father had said, embracing her. Then, Roland revealed another truth—Lisa could never leave the estate or interact with outsiders.

"For your mother to stay with us, she must remain here. Lisa understands this as well."

Alena finally realized why her father tirelessly reinforced the barriers around their home.

"Isn’t there another way for Mother to be free?"

Roland hesitated before replying.

"If we move to the Magic Realm, she may have that chance."

Without a second thought, Alena exclaimed, "Father! Then let’s go to the Magic Realm! I want to experience its wonders with Mother!"

Roland Alderin’s expression darkened briefly before he spoke, his voice measured.

"To return to the Magic Realm, you must first accomplish something."

Confused, Alena looked up at him. "What do I need to do?"

"You must hear a very special sound in Lisa’s greenhouse."

"A special sound?"

"There is a presence dwelling there. You must learn to listen for its voice."

From that day on, Alena spent hours searching the greenhouse. She was determined to do whatever it took to give her mother the life she deserved.She had studied magic before—keeping a single small flower alive had been one of the hardest spells she had ever mastered, far more exhausting than other enchantments.

But maintaining a barrier around an entire forest?

"Father might be one of the most powerful magicians in the Magic Realm."

The greenhouse was teeming with life. Many plants had been cultivated by their family for generations, while others had been brought from the Magic Realm by Roland.

For a long time, the magical flora remained silent.

Then, when Alena truly listened, they began to sing. Their harmonies resonated through the forest, breathing life into the land so profoundly that even winter could not halt its bloom. Roland fought to contain the overwhelming surge of magic.

Yet among all the flourishing plants, one pot remained barren. If Alena pressed her ear against it, she sometimes caught faint whispers, but the other voices drowned them out. On the day she turned ten, after a full year of searching, the voice finally reached her.

"How much longer do you intend to ignore me?"

Startled, Alena scanned the greenhouse.

"I have been calling out to you every time you walked by. Where have you been looking?"

She glanced down at the unassuming red flowerpot beneath her chin—the one she had always suspected was empty. Leaning in, she murmured, "If you wish to grow, that is something only you can decide. I can only help a little."

"Ha! Do you think I am asking for your help to leave this pot?"

"You belittle growth? Then you still have much to learn."

Irritated, Alena shot back.

"That sly Roland Alderin made the magical plants sing their songs of life, drowning out my voice. I cannot bear this anymore. But if I were to leave now, I would destroy Lisa’s kind friends. If you were not her daughter, I would have ignored you forever."

Despite her curiosity, Alena found the voice’s words too cutting and avoided the greenhouse for days. One day, Lisa noticed.

"Why have you stopped visiting the greenhouse?"

"Because of that red flowerpot. It insulted Father, calling him sly."

Lisa’s expression turned serious.

"Alena, that pot has been in my family for generations. Your father came to the human world searching for it."

Alena ran to Roland. That night, under the full moon, Roland led her to the greenhouse.

"Do as it asks."

Following instructions, she placed her hand in the soil. A sharp sting pricked her fingers.

"Call my name, with the power of your blood."

A name surfaced in her mind—one she had always known.

"Orion."

As she spoke the name, the surrounding air shimmered, and the barren pot began to glow. A single, radiant bud emerged, its petals unfurling slowly under the moonlight.

"Welcome back, Orion," Roland whispered, his voice filled with reverence.

Alena felt a surge of energy, a connection to something ancient and powerful. It was as if the very earth beneath her feet had awakened, responding to the pulse of magic flowing through her.

Chapter 2

The vine that had held her hand tugged at Alena with even greater strength, pulling her deeper into the pot. The moment the vine gripped her tighter, a large arch made of intertwining vines and leaves rose before her, towering over the scene.

Mesmerized by the arch’s beauty and mystery, she couldn’t tear her gaze away.

As she leaned in closer, lost in its intricate design, the ground beneath her seemed to give way, and without even having a chance to scream, she fell into the large empty space, swallowed by the unknown and was falling endlessly downwards.

Alena was tossed around, her body whipped by the wind blowing from below and the force of her fall.As she struggled to maintain her balance, her body began to sweat, and after a while, she spotted a tiny seed, roughly the size of a baby’s fist, being tossed around by the wind in a similar way.

Instinctively, Alena knew that this seed was the one that had spoken to her.

Struggling through the fierce wind, Alena stretched out her hand and managed to grab the seed.

In that moment, the earth trembled with a sound like "kuku... kuku... kuku..." and a huge tree suddenly burst out of a small pot.

The tree didn't stop growing, and as it expanded, it destroyed the old mansion that had been standing for ages.The tree grew so large that Lisa’s greenhouse appeared as a small nest atop the exposed trunk. It didn’t stop there; the tree kept growing, its branches and leaves spreading beyond the borders of the realm, eventually covering the surrounding forest as well.

Roland and Lisa stood between the giant roots of the tree. While all this was happening, Lisa had buried her face in Roland's chest, only lifting her head once the ground stopped shaking. The fully grown tree illuminated the darkness with a beautiful light from its roots to the youngest leaves at the top.The vibrant energy filled with light overwhelmed Lisa, and she gazed at it in awe.

"Alena!!"

Lisa, spotting Alena’s tiny form hanging from the lowest branch, gasped and rushed towards her.The roots of the tree were so enormous that Lisa had to climb them to reach Alena. Holding Alena, who was caught on a branch as though picked up by a giant’s finger, Lisa checked to make sure she was breathing.

Thankfully, Alena was simply in a deep sleep.

Lisa felt relieved, stroked the child’s back and looked towards her husband, who had approached slowly.

Roland, reaching the base of the tree, knelt on one knee and lowered his head in silent respect, touching his forehead to the ground.

He then placed his hand on the tree, muttering something that Lisa couldn't understand. The light from the tree, which had been akin to life, began to flow down like water, coursing through the tree in veins like blood and spreading across the ground like a stream.

The light kept flowing, slowly taking shape in front of Roland. He stood up and watched as the glowing presence grew taller in front of him.The pillar of light, now towering high enough to make him tilt his head back, soon transformed into a beautiful spirit with long hair.

"You’ve acquired a name. Orion."

Roland Alderin spoke, but Orion turned away from him and directly towards Lisa.

Lisa, seeing the glowing Orion approach, politely presented the sleeping Alena in her arms.

However, Orion reached out, not for Alena, but for Lisa, gently patting her head as if touching something precious.Lisa realized then that she had been feeling the presence of this spirit for a very long time, and without realizing it, tears began to fall. Every time she returned home, the warmth that greeted her.

When surrounded by people, Lisa often grew weary in both body and mind, but whenever she entered the greenhouse, the comfort and kindness that made her forget all worries had always felt like her grandmother’s love.

"So it was you," Lisa said.

Orion began speaking with a smile, but Lisa couldn’t understand her words and only felt the air vibrating.

Seeing that Lisa didn’t understand, Orion’s face grew slightly sad, and she gestured for Roland to follow.

As the two of them walked a little away from Lisa, the air around them began to tremble.

Seeing the nearby leaves and branches shake, Lisa realized that Orion was angry with Roland.

But Roland, unfazed, calmly addressed the upset spirit.

"It was simply the right time."

Last night, thanks to the newly grown spirit tree, Roland’s barrier had expanded significantly, becoming a deep labyrinth that no human could recklessly enter. Lisa could now live more peacefully. Orion told her that she had come to the human realm long ago and had been living in the pot, protecting Lisa's family for generations.

Alena, curious, asked various questions, but the only story Orion shared was that she would be leaving before the first light of dawn to return to the spirit realm. When Orion left, the light from the spirit tree faded away. Roland, seeing Lisa looking wistfully at the tree, comforted her.

"You can feel the spirit’s concern for you, can’t you? Orion’s blessing is still rooted in the earth, holding it fast."

Roland had used his magic to instantly create a new home to replace the old mansion and Lisa’s greenhouse. It was a small, cozy house, and everyone was stunned by how quickly it had been created. Roland, who usually made things himself like a regular human, had never shown this level of magic before.

Lisa and their daughter couldn’t stop staring at both the new house and Roland. Lisa was very pleased with the manageable size and structure of the new home. When Roland used a generator he had found in the village to turn on lights, Lisa’s eyes widened in surprise, and she asked, "We’re living comfortably thanks to your magic, but suddenly, a generator? Do we really need electricity?"

Roland answered with a somewhat mysterious expression.

"Human magic is quite useful, you know. If something useful comes from the new spirit tree, I plan to start acquiring some convenient human items. After all, I can’t always rely on being a wizard."

Lisa was distracted as she opened various doors in the house, nodding absently at his words. Roland, who had been quietly watching her, whispered to Alena, who had her face pressed against his.

"Alena.. You must keep what you know about Orion a secret."

In this place, there could be no secrets between the three of them.

However, Alena didn’t understand the meaning of his words at the time.

The next morning, she would learn its meaning.

Very early in the morning, Roland’s mother, Meredith Alderin, led a group of elder wizards to Alena’s house. They knocked sharply on the wooden door of the new house. Meredith Alderin, wearing a long black cloak that almost dragged on the ground, had silver hair and blue eyes. Her sharp chin and long neck were smooth, showing no wrinkles, and she appeared to be in her early middle age.

Despite seeing her son after so long, Meredith didn’t greet him warmly, nor did Roland say a word of welcome as he stepped aside to let them in.

Meredith Alderin, looking at her son with an expression of clear disapproval, asked, "The mother of this child is alive, yet why is she not here?"

"I told her to step aside for a moment, fearing your gaze might kill her," Roland replied.

Alena, who had been watching the wizards, was surprised that Meredith looked nothing like her father, whose dark wavy hair and light blue eyes were so different, and was startled by the mention of “mother.”

"Goodness!"

Meredith was furious, but seeing the elder wizard's reactions, she sighed and stopped pressing the issue.

When the greetings between mother and son seemed to be over, the three elder wizards, seemingly uninterested in wasting time in the human realm, approached Alena.

"Is it true that you grew the spirit tree outside?"

The elderly wizard’s voice was gentler than Alena had expected, though she was still scared.

"I just put my hand in the soil as the seed instructed," she replied.

One of the elders nodded, saying, "It’s difficult even for pure-blood wizards to grow a spirit tree in the human realm. To think a child with a human and elven bloodline mother could do this."

"So this is why they said to investigate this matter quickly. It would cause an uproar if the magic realm found out."

"I don’t know how to report this. Especially since this is the time when the magic realm is selecting new students."

Meredith, who had been listening from a distance, spoke sharply, "In the days when a female witch led the Alderin family, awakening and growing the spirit tree’s seed was an essential skill. Ha! It’s been so long since a girl was born in the Alderin family."

The elders, hesitating even after witnessing this ability, seemed to shrink under Meredith’s sharp gaze and moved away to confer with each other at the far end of the room.

Though their whispering wasn’t clear enough to fully understand, it seemed likely they would accept this matter.

After a brief snort, Meredith turned her gaze to Alena.

The intense look from Meredith made Alena involuntarily shrink and cling to her father’s side.

"Straighten your shoulders. Hold your head high. Even if you are not a pure-blood wizard, as an Alderin, you must show pride."

At her grandmother’s words, Alena stiffened unconsciously.

Meredith leaned close to Roland’s ear and spoke in a low voice.

"If this child graduates from magic school properly and becomes a worthy witch, the magic realm will no longer press charges for the bloodline’s disruption and will lift the exile."

Alena was admitted to Arcanum, the most prestigious academy in the magic realm. When Roland casually mentioned the news after receiving a letter from Meredith, both Alena and Lisa assumed that Arcanum was just another magic school among many and unaware of its profound significance.

In the magic realm, children born with magic abilities receive a piece of paper stamped with the school’s emblem when they reach school age. However, no one knew exactly how students were selected for magic academies.

Even the professors teaching at these schools had no knowledge of it—only that it was said to be a grand and ancient magic. When Meredith, having returned from the human realm, submitted a petition to acknowledge Alena’s birthright, Jorin Evergale gathered the leaders of the magic realm.

In the assembly, they listened to testimonies from Meredith Alderin and the other elders who had accompanied her to the human realm. A heated debate ensued among the leaders, and after much deliberation, Jorin Evergale finally spoke.

“If magic flows within Alena, then she belongs to our world. That has been the decree of the Evergale lineage since the first of our name.”

Surveying the gathered mages in his office, Jorin Evergale continued,

“Though her father has committed grave wrongs, Alena remains a child of the magic realm. Thus, she must abide by our traditions and laws.”

The moment Jorin Evergale finished speaking, a black piece of paper fluttered onto Meredith Alderin’s palm. Everyone present knew what it meant. The black parchment sent to the leader at this time of year was none other than an admission letter from a magic school.

The moment was so dramatic that the assembled mages fell silent, watching as Meredith Alderin unfolded the letter. After carefully reading its contents, Meredith Alderin’s eyes gleamed. Lifting her chin, she held up the black parchment for all to see, revealing the golden letters embossed upon it.

“Look closely, everyone. ‘Alena Alderin’ is written here, alongside Arcanum’s seal.”

- - -

Lisa only realized later that she would not be able to see Alena again until she graduated as an adult, and she erupted in anger. For the first time, Alena saw her mother yelling at her father. Yet, she herself was shouting without even realizing it.

She cried for days, vehemently opposing Alena’s departure for the magic realm, but Roland’s unwavering stance eventually left her so exhausted that she could not even get out of bed, her voice hoarse from all the screaming.

In the end, it was Alena who convinced Lisa.

Approaching her mother, who lay curled under the blankets, Alena leaned against her back and spoke.

“Mom… You know I can’t stay here and live like an ordinary child. You remember what happened at the market, don’t you? I only laughed for a moment, and suddenly, the vegetables and fruits started growing out of control.”

Lisa, hearing Alena’s words, finally stopped hiding under the blankets and barely managed to sit up. She pushed back her disheveled hair and adjusted her appearance in silence. Though Alena’s heart ached at the sight of her mother, she wished for her mother to be able to live freely in the vast magic realm.

“I don’t want to be away from home for so long, either. I hate it, but…”

“You still want to go, don’t you?” Lisa asked softly.

“…Yeah.”

At some point, her father had approached them.

Lisa lifted her head and, with sorrowful eyes, asked Roland,

“Is this happening because of me? Is it my fault that Alena won’t be able to see us until she’s grown?”

“No,” Roland responded firmly, without hesitation. He pulled Lisa into an embrace as he sat on the bed.

“Arcanum’s training is demanding and thorough. Every student goes through the same process. That’s why parents in the magic realm feel both pride and sorrow when their children are admitted.”

Hearing her husband’s quiet, reassuring voice, Lisa began to cry again. Alena exchanged glances with her father over her mother’s head, steeling her resolve. Once Lisa accepted Alena’s departure to the magic realm, she kept herself busy preparing everything for her.

She spent days making long, narrow ribbon ties from various fabrics, saying,

“Alena, I love the way your ribbons dance when you move. They remind me of butterflies following you around.”

Alena wanted to say there were far too many ribbons for her to use, but seeing her mother find peace in such small preparations, she chose to stay silent. As the day of departure drew closer, Alena felt a mix of nervousness and anticipation that kept her restless.

She asked her father countless questions about the magic realm and the school, but his answer was always the same.

“You’ll learn everything in time. Just remember—walk with the dignity of the Alderin name, as your grandmother always said.”

- - -

Alena stood before a sheer cliff, staring blankly at it.

Atop the towering summit stood Arcanum, but there were no visible stairs or pathways leading up. She was alone on the barren ground, devoid of even a single blade of grass.

The Alderin family’s mage, who had brought her here, had turned and left without answering any of her questions. He vanished before she could even call out to him.

That morning, a glowing red magic circle had appeared in the middle of her living room. The moment she stepped onto it with her packed bag, the scenery changed, and she arrived at the gates of the Alderin estate—her father’s ancestral home.

The shift from her familiar surroundings to the grand estate was so sudden, Alena barely had time to adjust. The air seemed different here—thicker, charged with the magic force that had lingered in her family’s home for centuries.

“For heaven’s sake! What was Roland thinking, keeping you away from here until the realm itself called for you? I told him countless times—he should have sent you to the Alderin estate much sooner!”

- - -

She didn’t even get to step inside. A waiting mage whisked her away before she could hear anything else. The stern-faced mage had simply told her to enter before sunset. By now, the sun had passed its peak, and shadows had begun to lengthen. Anxiously, Alena wandered the area.

‘Where’s the entrance?’

Before her lay the cliff, and behind her stretched an empty wasteland. She stepped back, scanning her surroundings to see if she had missed anything, but the cliff stood unyielding.

‘No crevices or openings…’

Feeling the heat of the sun on her head, Alena pulled up the hood of her gray cloak. Meredith had hurriedly draped the cloak over her shoulders, like spreading a tablecloth on a dining table just before departure.

Though the cloak was long, it was surprisingly light and cool even under the blazing sun.

Just then—

People began to appear as if conjured from a mirage. Among them were children wearing identical cloaks, but unlike Alena, none had arrived alone. The new students who appeared with their families exchanged long, heartfelt farewells.

‘Good. That means the Alderin family didn’t send me to the wrong place.’

Relieved, Alena observed the others. One child stepped forward to the cliff after saying a tearful goodbye to their parents.

Though Alena couldn’t see the child’s expression, their tense shoulders made it clear they were nervous. Taking a deep breath, the child placed their hand on the cliff. A round metal ring appeared in their grasp, and an unassuming wooden door materialized.

Alena’s curiosity grew as she watched. The magic was subtle, but the precision of the process intrigued her. She wondered if there were other secret methods tied to these portals that no one had explained yet.

‘So that’s how it works?’

Back at home, after the old mansion collapsed, her father had built a humble cottage. It had a similar door. Excited by the discovery, Alena nearly shouted in joy. However, the child, instead of immediately opening the door, hesitated, glancing back at their parents as if they had committed a serious crime.

Even the parents, who had been offering words of encouragement just moments before, now looked grim and gloomy. It was only when those waiting behind coughed impatiently as if signaling for something that the child finally pulled the handle and disappeared inside. The door vanished instantly, leaving only the cliff behind.

At last, it was Alena’s turn.

Steeling herself, she stepped forward and placed her hand against the stone.

Thump, thump, thump—

Her heartbeat echoed in her ears as she felt the rough stone beneath her palm. The surface was unexpectedly warm, as if alive, pulsing with hidden energy beneath her touch.