Chapter 3

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.

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