Prologue: Transported to Another World
I died.
In the hazy state where not only my bodily sensations but also my thoughts and consciousness were unclear, I perceived this fact.
I don’t know why. I just understand that I have died.
In my vague consciousness, as if drifting in the sea, I faintly felt something like a shadow weighing on my heart.
This shadow gradually grew heavier, deeper, and wider, making its form clearly recognizable to me.
This is sorrow and regret.
I never became the best in Japan at kendo. After my mother passed away, making me the best in Japan was all my father had left.
Having lost my own goal, I became a school teacher to carry on my father’s will. I had always aimed to be a teacher, but that desire seemed to eat away at me like a curse. However, although I tried to raise my students to be ideal swordsmen in my place, it didn’t go well. The more desperate I became, the more resistance I faced from the students. Conflicts with other teachers were also troublesome, and as a new teacher, I was overwhelmed by unreasonable demands from seniors and difficult parents.
Above all, the fact that I couldn’t live up to my father’s expectations. This regret is deeper and heavier than anything else.
If only I could start over… If only I could become the ideal self I wish to be…
The moment I thought this, with feelings that made me want to cry, my consciousness faded and blurred like it was dissolving and thinning out.
When I woke up, I was looking up at a ceiling of lined logs, like a log cabin.
The ceiling was lit red, with deep shadows falling here and there. I could hear the sound of crackling fire and smell the sweet scent of wood. There was also a slightly wild smell of leather.
I didn’t have much sensation in my body. Looking around with just my eyes, I realized I was lying on something like white fur. I seemed to be in a room about the size of six tatami mats, with walls made of stacked logs, the middle part hollowed out to serve as a window.
The sky I could barely see was dark, indicating it was night.
“…Hmm, you’re awake.”
Suddenly hearing a voice, I turned my eyes to the side. From beyond a simple door appeared a person wearing a large robe.
They were tall and slender. Wearing an oversized white robe, they approached me, dragging the hem.
The hood was pulled low over their eyes, but as they came closer and took it off, the face that appeared could only be described as beautiful.
However, I couldn’t tell their gender. They looked like they could be either male or female. With hair long enough to reach their back, they appeared even more androgynous. The beautiful, glossy white hair and green eyes were impossible to ignore.
But what caught my attention most were the long, pointed ears.
“…Is your consciousness clear? How about speech?”
Hearing the voice, I finally realized this person was male. But even when asked, I couldn’t produce a sound.
“…Hmm, it seems you don’t understand the situation either. I found you collapsed in a field near my house. It’s a prairie far from any village or even a main road. The grass was as high as my waist, so finding you collapsed there was truly a coincidence.”
After saying this, the young man sat cross-legged next to me and looked down at me.
“I am Owen-Millers, the sage of the forest. I don’t know why a young child like you was in such a place, but I’ll take care of you for a while.”
The young man who introduced himself as Owen-Millers said something strange along with his self-introduction.
Who did he mean by “young child”? No, more importantly, this Owen doesn’t seem to be an ordinary human. If those aren’t accessory ears, could he possibly be an elf, a creature of fantasy? Like in stories, are elves so long-lived that someone my age would still be considered a child to them?
“Your name?”
Suddenly asked, I answered unconsciously.
“Konominato, Aoi…”
“Konominato, Aoi… hmm, an unusual name. Could you be…”
I felt like he said something more, but my vision blurred and I could no longer hear any sound.
I was unbearably sleepy.
Various questions floated and disappeared vaguely in my mind as my consciousness gradually faded away.
Twelve years have passed since then.
My physical age has now surpassed twenty. I never imagined I had truly become younger. I was twenty-four when I died, so I still haven’t reached my original age.
I learned that this is not Earth, and I have been transported to another world. There were various conflicts. I’m still not satisfied with myself as a teacher who ended without accomplishing anything while still immature. Above all, I’m worried about my father whom I left behind. However, continuing to dwell on these thoughts doesn’t change anything. The situation doesn’t improve. So, I decided to learn about this world, even if it’s to find a way back to my original world.
Owen, who calls me a “traveler,” seems to have had his curiosity greatly stimulated. He has given me various magical knowledge and made me study it.
Apparently, those who possess knowledge from another world, appearing only once every few hundred years or so, are called “travelers.” It’s said that they have brought about major reforms in countries, cultures, academics, and magic in the past.
Perhaps because of this, even though Owen lives alone in the forest, he leads a surprisingly modern life.
First, there’s a refrigerator. It seems to emit cold air from an ice magic stone, but its purpose is the same. Similarly, there’s a fanless electric fan using a wind magic stone, and if you place ice or fire magic stones in a box inside, it becomes an air conditioner.
That alone was surprising, but at the end of the second floor, there are storage tanks for cold and hot water, allowing us to take baths without difficulty.
There are also slightly orange-tinted lights, a stove, and a flush toilet, all collectively called “magical tools.”
Owen seems to be a magical tool enthusiast, apparently owning all sorts of magical tools. It’s like being a home appliance geek in Japan.
For now, I try to show little interest in magical tools, as it’s annoying when he becomes talkative if I bring up the topic of magical appliances.
By the way, Owen is beautiful like a sculpture, but he’s unexpectedly quiet and particular about details. When I cook, he mutters a single complaint like “the taste is too bland.” Even if I tell him not to eat it then, he silently finishes everything. In the worst case, he might even ask for seconds.
His contrary nature is like that of a mischievous child.
However, when teaching magic, Owen is careful. Well, maybe it’s because of his particular nature that even small inconsistencies bother him.
“No, Aoi. If you’re using advanced magic, mana control is crucial. It’s not about output. Concentrate more. No, don’t reduce the amount of mana you’re infusing while concentrating. It’s like taking a mana rod thinner than a needle and kneading more mana into it, making it harder and harder without changing its thickness…”
“Hey, be quiet… I’m trying to concentrate…!”
“…Indeed, when using magic, are you always in a quiet environment conducive to concentration? No. Such situations are rare. In most cases, when the need to use magic arises in crucial moments…”
“Ah, enough…!”
It’s fine that he becomes talkative about magic too, but it’s annoying.
This is just repeating what Owen said, but I understand magic as the process of drawing a magic circle in your mind. Breaking down how to create this magic circle and speaking each step out loud becomes what’s called incantation.
In other words, it’s the blueprint for magic and an important ritual for its manifestation, but Owen is obsessed with omitting this incantation process.
In ancient magic, which is said to have died out two hundred years ago, there was apparently magic that actually drew magic circles. Owen investigated and researched this alone, eventually unraveling it. It’s said to be a feat that goes beyond genius to abnormal for ordinary magicians, but Owen wasn’t satisfied with just that. While understanding the method of drawing magic circles and infusing appropriate amounts of mana, he eliminated the trouble of drawing by flowing mana into already drawn magic circles.
When flowing mana into an already drawn magic circle, the path for mana to flow is already established, so mana control becomes extremely precise.
If it’s even slightly too much, it explodes, and if it’s not enough, the mana is lost and nothing happens.
However, Owen has indeed succeeded in making magic incantation-less without drawing magic circles. For now, only Owen and I can use this.
When he first started this research, everyone apparently looked at Owen with suspicion. Because of this, Owen continued his research all alone. What a waste.
“…Alright, it’s done. The gem in this ring has a three-dimensional magic circle for fire magic engraved in it. Even if you fail, it won’t burn out.”
“Wasn’t a three-dimensional magic circle supposed to be above special class?”
“That’s right. I’m probably the only one in the world who can compress magic circles to this extent.”
“…That’s amazing, but you might not want to say that about yourself.”
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“It seems like this blue gem is easier to work with.”
“…Hmm, I see. Recordite, is it? It has a high magical conductivity rate. However, it’s not very hard.”
“Why don’t we make it into a sphere to prevent it from breaking easily, and attach it to the inside of rings or armor? It doesn’t need to be exposed, right?”
“…Was Aoi a genius all along…?”
As we conversed like this, I realized I had mastered almost all the magic, magical tools, and non-verbal secret techniques that Owen had taught me.
Now, rather than teaching me, Owen felt like he was collaborating with me on magical research.
One day, after finishing dinner and settling into his favorite comfortable chair, Owen quietly began to speak.
“…Twelve years. Just twelve years. In that short time, you’ve made my hundred years of knowledge your own.”
Murmuring this, Owen narrowed his eyes and gazed into the distance.
“…You can’t compare yourself, who researched everything from scratch alone, with me, who just learned the finished results from you, can you?”
Thinking he might be feeling down, I tried to reassure him, but Owen brought a glass of wine to his lips and took a small sip.
“I’m not feeling down. I just find it uninteresting.”
“See, you’re sulking.”
When I pointed this out with a troubled look, Owen snorted and gently swirled his glass.
“No, I’m not. What I find uninteresting is the stagnation of Aoi’s growth. If I could keep teaching new things, I wonder how powerful a magician Aoi would become… Perhaps she might even truly master magic and reach the abyss of sorcery.”
Owen spoke with a slightly excited demeanor.
The abyss of sorcery. This is a term that appears in ancient magic books. It’s said that by mastering magic, one can completely unravel the source of magical power and the theories behind magic circles and incantations needed to use it.
However, since no one has ever reached it, most people probably think it’s just a made-up story.
But Owen claims to have discovered the possibility of reaching the abyss of sorcery during his research on magic circles for non-verbal magic.
“…This central continent is said to be superior in both civilization and magic compared to the western and eastern continents. The world’s largest magic academy, created jointly by the six great nations of this central continent… that’s the Fidic Magic Academy.”
“…What are you talking about? Don’t tell me, I’m going to…?”
When I asked this, Owen exhaled through his nose.
“Of course, teachers and students from many countries gather at the academy from the six great nations. Among them, there must certainly be magic that even I don’t know about. Moreover, magical research is actively conducted within the academy, and there’s even a saying that new magic is born from Fidic Academy.”
“So, there’s still more for me to learn there, right?”
When I asked for confirmation, Owen gave a slight nod.
“Whether you’ll encounter new magic or not, we won’t know until you go. But at Fidic Academy, I happen to have a friend. Things should move quickly.”
Hearing this, I was momentarily stunned. Owen tilted his head at my reaction.
“What’s wrong?”
“…Owen has a friend…?”
“Are you making fun of me?”
When I voiced my doubt, Owen’s face contorted.
“Ah, sorry. It’s just that Owen, you’ve been living alone in this forest for thirty years…”
“…Indeed, I hadn’t considered whether he was still alive. Well, he’s the kind of guy who wouldn’t die even if you tried to kill him. He’s probably fine.”
Owen sighed with a troubled face and muttered.
“So, what’s this friend’s name?”
“Hm, Glen. He should be the head of the academy. He’s a half-elf, but he’s only about 130 years old. He should still be alive and well.”
Owen said casually.
“…The head of the academy. Then he should indeed be fine. So, I just need to ask him to become a student, right?”
When I answered, Owen burst out laughing.
“What are you talking about? There’s no point in you being a student learning basic and applied magic. Instead, it would be better for you to become a faculty member, get to know teachers from various countries, and learn the magic they’re independently researching.”
Owen said this as if it was nothing out of the ordinary, which made me furrow my brow involuntarily. In Japan, I only have bitter memories of myself as a teacher. Due to my inexperience, I often faced unreasonable demands from senior teachers and students’ parents.
“Wouldn’t Owen be more suited to being a teacher? I’ll go with you as an assistant.”
“I can’t be bothered with such troublesome things. I left civilization because I disliked being told what to do from the sidelines.”
He replied with disgust. How unreasonable.
“…Still, becoming a teacher so suddenly…”
When I voiced this concern, Owen closed his eyes as if thinking for a few seconds, then tilted his glass.
“…It should be fine. Aoi, you’re well-suited to teaching others. Besides, what students learn is the basics and applications of incantation magic. We’ve thoroughly dissected and examined these when creating magic circles. It’ll be too easy for you.”
Owen said this while chuckling.
The sight of him laughing with narrowed eyes and shaking shoulders was somehow reminiscent of his age.
“…Alright. But how do we get to the academy?”
When I asked, Owen replied nonchalantly.
“I’ll guide you to the main road. If you go straight through the forest, you’ll reach it in about two days. After that, just follow the road.”
“On foot?”
“If someone use flight magic near this forest, we might be attacked by dragons. One would be fine, but two or three might be tough even for Aoi. Well, I could handle five with ease.”
“I didn’t ask about that.”
I sharply retorted to Owen’s subtle boast and let out a small sigh.
“…So, we keep walking even after reaching the main road? I guess there’s no convenient magic like teleportation, huh?”
When I said this with a sigh, he looked at me with a startled expression.
“…Teleportation? You mean moving through magic? What a thing. Such magic… no, there’s definitely a possibility. There’s magic that creates spirits out of nothing. When the magic ends, the spirits disappear… This could mean they’re being summoned from another space and then returned… Which means…”
I had said something unnecessary. Before I knew it, Owen had completely entered research mode and had forgotten all about me going to the academy.
We walked through the forest for two days, taking breaks along the way, and then continued south along the main road.
“The magical beasts are strong here, and the security is poor. You won’t easily encounter normal horse-drawn carriages.”
“Why do you live in such a place?”
I replied in exasperation as we continued along the road together.
We defeated magical beasts when they appeared and drove away bandits when they showed up. While it would normally be a harsh journey, it wasn’t particularly difficult for the two of us.
And so, we finally arrived at the trading city of Highwood.
The townscape, reminiscent of Eastern Europe, was interesting, and I felt excited seeing a big city for the first time. Owen’s house was, in a sense, too modern to be impressive. Also, the fact that Owen himself was a disappointing elf obsessed with research and magical tools was a significant factor.
“…You’re thinking something disrespectful, aren’t you?”
“It’s your imagination.”
After this exchange, Owen shrugged and spoke.
“Well, this is where we part. I’ve put thirty gold coins and thirty silver coins in here. It’s enough for you to travel leisurely for several months. Go to that merchant guild and ask to join a group of merchants heading to Fidic Academy.”
“Are you going back already? You could at least stay for one night.”
“I have a new challenge of researching teleportation magic…”
“Alright, that’s enough.”
I smiled wryly at Owen’s typical response and then let my gaze wander for a few seconds.
Owen isn’t a parent, and it’s hard to call him a friend. The relationship that fits best would be that of a master and disciple, or research partners.
So, I wondered what to say as a farewell greeting.
“…Thank you for everything up until now. I’ll do my best.”
That’s why I said this with a smile.
I thought this was the most fitting for us.
However, Owen nodded expressionlessly and placed one hand on my head.
“The same goes for me. It might be presumptuous, but I think of Aoi as my only daughter. If anything happens, come back.”
Those words, spoken with an awkward but sincere voice and attitude, resonated deeply in my heart.
I realized for the first time that Owen’s body heat was gently transmitted through his palm as he patted my head.
Tears welled up naturally, and my nose stung.
“…When you gain knowledge that might be useful for research, come back immediately.”
“…You idiot.”
In the end, we said our farewells with Owen’s usual words.
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