Episode 2
I lay flat on the floor and pressed the dark circles under my eyes, which felt like they’d sunk all the way to my mouth.
“Uuuugh…”
Sometimes I collapsed because of my heart pain — but today, I was down because my brain hurt.
This isn’t something I can teach myself.
After days of nonstop studying until my book was practically worn out, that was the only conclusion I reached.
I needed to meet a real spirit mage and learn directly.
Problem is… that’s basically impossible.
There weren’t many spirit mages in the Empire.
Spirit arts were heavily controlled by the government, so naturally, the number of people teaching it was tiny as well.
The reason?
Fifteen years ago, a spirit mage lost control of their own spirit and caused a rampage.
Many people were injured, and after that, nearly all books related to spirit arts were burned.
Using spirit arts without permission was strictly forbidden.
So barely anyone taught it anymore.
There has to be some legal way to learn spirit arts…
Then something in the newspaper lying on the floor caught my eye — a small article.
[Spirit Arts Class Opens at Vensia!
The Empire’s top boys’ academy begins training spirit mages. The course instructor, Professor Breed Illenen…]
Huh?
Wait.
Isn’t this… the most legal path I could take?
Oh— right! In the original story, my sister met a spirit mage at Vensia when she became an employee…?!
I jumped up from the floor.
I think I just found the way.
Let’s go, Vensia.
From that day on, I secretly started preparing without telling my family.
First, I applied a fake name and forged a background.
Yes! My documents passed.
On the day we visited the capital together, I lied that I was going to meet a friend and secretly went to take the transfer exam.
[Expected number of accepted students: 0]
If it says zero, it usually means one… sometimes two if the admissions officer is in a good mood.
Maybe taking the staff exam like Aier did would’ve been easier…
But desperation can overcome anything.
A while later.
[Chacey Wood, you have been selected as the final transfer candidate to Vensia.
We are honored to welcome you to Vensia, and promise our full support and joy in your future.]
Thankfully, I got the acceptance letter.
Looks like they accepted a bit more this year. Lucky!
Now the last step…
I sat down in front of the mirror.
Snip.
My peach-colored hair fell in chunks.
Ah, this side is shorter.
Snip, snip.
Now this side is shorter… Let me cut a little more.
Just a bit… just a bit… just a little bit more…
“Hmm… uh…”
I stared at the mirror.
A messy-haired boy was staring back at me.
Hmm.
I smiled, satisfied.
Not bad.
“Lady Chaysha is in her room. But, um…”
Medy trailed off, as if she’d seen something she wasn’t sure she should mention.
“Thanks, Medy. Can you bring us some tea?”
“Yes, my lady!”
After sending Medy away, Aier knocked on Chaysha’s door.
“Chaysha?”
The door opened.
“Cha— huh? Who are you?”
Someone stood in Chaysha’s room — someone whose bangs were so thick they covered their entire face.
“Who are you?”
“It’s me, sis.”
The bushy hair parted like curtains, revealing her little sister’s face — peeking out like a countryside puppy greeting its owner.
Silence.
“Hehe.”
Three seconds later, Aier’s eyes rolled back.
“Aaaah!”
Chaysha yelped, pulled her sister inside, and shut the door quickly.
“Why is your hair like that!! It’s a wig, right? Right?! Tell me it’s a wig!”
With half anger and half tears in her tone, Aier tugged lightly at Chaysha’s short hair.
“Sis.”
Chaysha’s clear, steady eyes held a firm determination.
Aier felt a chill. She hurried to cover her sister’s mouth, but the girl dodged expertly.
“I’m going to Vensia. No— I have to go.”
She said it like a joke.
It had to be a joke.
As Aier tried to decide whether to laugh or cry, her gaze fell on the newspaper on the floor.
Chaysha picked it up and handed it to her.
“Spirit Arts… opening at Vensia…”
As she read the article, Aier’s eyebrows kept going up and down.
“Sis, I have to learn spirit arts or I won’t survive—”
“Chaysha.”
Aier’s voice suddenly became calm — the kind of voice you use when taming an unruly animal.
“Vensia is a boys’ school.”
“I know.”
“Chaysha, are you a boy or a girl?”
“Girl.”
“Then can you go to Vensia or not?”
“I can.”
“…Why is your conclusion like that.”
With that country-puppy haircut, Chaysha smiled brightly.
“Because I’ll go disguised as a boy!”
Aier stared at her with the deadest expression.
“…Don’t tell me you cut your hair for that?”
“Yep.”
“You’re insane.”
“Oh, come on, sis~”
Seeing her sister’s expression turn dangerous, Chaysha clung to her arm playfully.
Aier, horrified, pushed her off.
“Enough. Stop talking nonsense. We’re going to buy a wig. Before Mother and Father see you.”
“W-wait, sis! I’m not joking! I really need to become a spirit mage. That’s why I have to go!”
“What are you even talking about?! Since when did you want to be a spirit mage?!”
“I can’t explain everything, but… It’s the only way to cure my illness.”
“To… cure it?”
Aier blinked.
In Chaysha’s eyes, a look of Finally, she understands… began to form—
“Say something that makes sense. No. Absolutely not. Over my dead body!!!”
A slap of divine fury landed right on Chaysha’s back.
“Chaysha, are you awake?”
The next morning.
Aier knocked on her sister’s door.
She felt guilty for not saying anything kind last night, even though Chaysha had looked so desperate.
“Because if I disguise myself as a boy, I can go!”
Honestly… she really did look handsome like that.
Her light lavender eyes sparkled like polished crystals; her small nose and clean jawline looked perfectly neat.
Since she was little, she’d always been so pretty that people turned to stare.
She was so fragile that Aier didn’t even debut her in society, worried that strange men would bother her.
Though Chaysha herself had no idea about her own beauty.
Anyway.
Seeing her dressed like a boy, she looked more handsome than Hays or Benny.
So… maybe she wouldn’t get kicked out right away for being found out.
Still… becoming a spirit mage? Absolutely not.
Aier remembered what the prophet had told her not long ago.
“At Vensia… your sister will die.”
At the time, she thought it was nonsense. Why would Chaysha ever go to Vensia?
But now she heard that name from her sister’s mouth.
It shocked her more than she expected.
Chaysha was always gentle. Maybe a bit stubborn in her own quiet way, but never overly sensitive, and never unreasonable.
For her to speak so firmly meant she truly had a reason.
Aier sighed.
She needed to talk again.
They hadn’t told their parents yet, after all.
“Chaysha.”
Why wasn’t she answering?
Aier called a servant and broke down the door.
“Chayshaaaa!!”
The room was empty.
[It’s me, sis, I’m going on a short trip. I’ll come back completely cured, so don’t worry too much.]
Only a note remained.
Outside the window, willow branches swayed gently.
A young man with soft brown hair watched them for a moment before shifting his gaze to the documents in front of him.
“Young master, what are you looking at…?”
“A variable.”
“…Sir?”
The servant’s eyes widened when he saw the papers in the man’s hand.
[Chacey Wood (17 years old)]
Below the name was a brief description of birthplace, school record, family, etc.
Next to it was a tiny portrait of a boy with short peach-colored hair.
The man’s eyes moved lower.
[Chaysha Ludin (17 years old)]
A faint, amused smile touched his lips.
He lifted his head after a moment of thought.
“What should we do, sir?”
“What do you mean by ‘what’?”
His tone was so calm it clashed with the servant’s nervous voice.
Setting the papers down, he said,
“Why stop her? She wants to enroll.”
“But if people find out you knew and let it happen, you’ll be punished too. You could even be expelled—!”
“That’s fine.”
“Young master…!”
The man neatly crumpled the papers and handed them to the servant.
“Burn them.”
Then he walked out of the room with slow, relaxed steps.
“This is getting interesting,” he murmured to himself.
