Prologue Story

The gently blowing wind brushed against my hair.

As my hair fluttered, I fiddled with it, feeling oddly conscious of the pin I had placed to keep my half-up hairstyle in place.

After confirming that the pin was securely fastened, I refocused on the book I had been reading.

Romance novels are sweet and enjoyable, especially after a while.

Well, it’s so sweet it’s almost nauseating, but it’s still fun.

But it’s still quite cringeworthy.

Maybe that’s why I find it entertaining… Honestly, I even find myself funny for thinking that way.

Not that it always works, of course.

“What’s so interesting that you’re reading it with such focus?”

Inha approached, starting a conversation as she looked at me sitting quietly with my book.

Today, Inha had her hair braided and was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt with a black pleated skirt.

Isn’t she pretty, no matter what style she’s dressed in?

I replied with a smile.

“A romance novel. This part right now is hilarious.”

“Romance? I thought you didn’t really read romance novels, Eun-ha?”

“That’s because they’re too cringey.”

Sometimes it’s so embarrassing I can barely even flip through the pages.

Honestly, my past life’s romantic experience wasn’t all that sweet, either.

Was it perhaps a bit tense instead?

No, there were some sweet moments, for sure.

If I wrote it into a novel, it might unexpectedly be quite sweet…

“Cringey? What do you mean?”

“Well… it’s like, they’re so lovey-dovey it’s hard to watch.”

“Huh.”

In mid-June, I finally changed into my summer uniform.

To be honest, I hadn’t liked short clothing even in my previous life, so I rarely wore it outside.

Moreover, at this school, we were free to wear winter uniforms even in the summer, so I’d been sticking with my transitional uniform, but around this time, it was getting too hot to keep wearing long sleeves.

So this morning, I finally decided to switch to my summer uniform.

As a compromise, I draped a thin, long-sleeved summer cardigan over my shoulders.

Aside from the sleeve length and fabric thickness, the summer uniform was identical in design to the winter one.

That was why I liked the summer uniform quite a bit, just like the winter uniform.

Although the short skirt length still bothered me, I wore shorts underneath, so it was fine.

And besides, I’m still just an elementary school student.

It’s not like anyone would look up my skirt…

“Are you reading a book again?”

Han-soo, who was sipping apple juice from a pouch, spoke up.

He’s been drinking that juice quite often lately.

I nodded.

“Yeah.”

“What’s so interesting about books anyway…?”

“They’re fun.”

I replied with a slight smile.

Seeing this, Han-soo’s eyes widened slightly, and he turned his head.

Inha frowned as she looked at Han-soo.

At that moment, Min-hee, who had been fidgeting with her student ID at the front desk, turned around and asked another question about it.

“Ah, Eun-ha! Um, do you know where the bulletin board about the student council is?”

“Why don’t you try finding it yourself for once?”

“Sorry~.”

Min-hee chuckled sheepishly at Han-soo’s scolding.

It’s fine. I’m not bothered.

I chuckled softly and directed Min-hee to the bulletin board.

Ever since she first asked me about the school map, Min-hee has always come to me with any questions related to her student ID.

Because of that, other classmates from our level I class also tend to ask me anything related to student IDs.

Following my directions, Min-hee found the student council bulletin board and smiled brightly.

Looking through it, she soon said excitedly,

“Yes! Only ten days left until Sports Day!”

“You’re happy about that?”

“Aren’t you, Han-soo? Hyun-ho was super excited about it.”

“Yeah, well, he would be. I just think it’s a hassle.”

Honestly, I agree. It does feel like a hassle.

Our school’s Sports Day is quite grand.

No wonder, considering it’s a combined event for elementary, middle, and high school students.

I couldn’t even begin to guess how large it would be.

Setting aside the competition events themselves, the matches are, of course, conducted using magic.

Since lower elementary students don’t know much magic, they don’t participate much in the games, but middle and high school seniors will be very busy.

I suddenly remembered the senior president I met a few days ago.

She seemed busy, too. Honestly, rather than excited, I feel a bit intimidated. Yeah.

But there’s one more reason I feel slightly skeptical about the timing of this Sports Day.

Exactly a week after this grand event, we’ll be taking our first term exams, the semester exams.

Although it’s not so bad when I think about the vacation coming shortly after, the thought of my first exams at a magic school does make me quite anxious.

For reference, our school only has two exams each year, one in each semester.

According to the Confidentiality Policy, practical exams are conducted individually, and the results are kept entirely confidential.

But if we accidentally expose our magic skills during Sports Day, that secrecy just goes right out the window.

Total disaster.

Of course, I heard that most of the events requiring magic will be performed by middle and high school seniors, but still, there’s something… unnerving about it.

Also, on Sports Day, we can invite people from outside, but only those we personally send invitations to are allowed inside the school.

Each student is allowed to invite up to five people.

Raising the book I was reading, I covered my mouth with it.

Well, even though it’s a hassle and somewhat nerve-wracking, I intend to participate fully since it’s happening.

That’s my philosophy.

“I wish the teacher would come quickly. Then we could check our teams, practice, and go home early! It’d be great if they announced the teams during class instead of after school.”

“It’s not time yet. We’ll just have to wait a little longer.”

I shrugged.

When dismissal time comes, the teacher will arrive and tell us which teams we’ve been assigned to.

It wasn’t long until dismissal.

“Well, I’d rather be on the same team as you, Eun-ha.”

As I checked the time, thinking about Hyun-ho, who still hadn’t returned, I blinked in slight surprise at Han-soo’s words.

What’s gotten into prickly Han-soo?

Inha looked at Han-soo with a dissatisfied expression, and he simply explained his reason.

“Because it’d be convenient.”

“Oh, right. Eun-ha does know a lot!”

“Exactly, that’s it.”

“…”

I scratched my cheek awkwardly in response.

Well, compared to you guys, of course, it would be.

I started slightly ahead of these kids.

In everything—truly, everything.

Having memories of my past life, which was only about ten years different from the present in the 21st century, naturally makes me handle things a bit quicker and know a bit more.

Of course, even though it’s the same 21st century, the world settings are different, so I do get confused whenever I encounter entirely different cultural elements from my previous life, but still.

Even so, hearing them say things like that made me feel good.

I lowered my gaze with a shy expression.

Just then, Inha stepped in front of me, blocking Han-soo’s view, as if to shield me, and spoke with a very serious look on her face.

“I’d rather be on the same team as you than Han-soo.”

“Ah! I want to be on the same team as Eun-ha and Inha, too!”

“You? You can go somewhere far away from Eun-ha!”

“What are you talking about! It’s only natural for Eun-ha and Inha to be on the same team!”

“Who says that’s natural!”

Following Inha and Han-soo, Min-hee joined in.

Watching the bickering kids, I closed my book and propped my chin on my hand.

Han-soo and Inha didn’t get along well.

Though it wasn’t like they truly hated each other, they often quarreled.

Watching these three friends bicker was endearing, and I couldn’t help but smile slightly.

Yeah. I’d definitely like to be on the same team as Inha.

Since it would be difficult to be on the same team with everyone, at least with Inha.

“Hey guys, I’m back!”

“You’re late. Where did you go?”

I asked in place of my bickering friends, and Hyun-ho, holding a brown envelope-like thing, turned to us.

“I went to buy some snacks. Were you guys at it again? For you quarrelers, ahem! Here, take it! I bought croquettes!”

At that, Min-hee raised her hand, exclaiming loudly,

“I want some!”

“In this heat? Croquettes…?”

Inha and I also took the croquettes that Hyun-ho brought.

Though he grumbled, Han-soo naturally took his own croquette.

I laughed softly and took a bite of the croquette. Yes, it’s my favorite curry croquette.

“Here, Shia.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Shia, who was sitting next to Min-hee, watching her friends just like I was, also received a croquette with a smile.

As Min-hee’s childhood friend, I suppose he’s used to situations like this.

I munched on my croquette, savoring it. Hyun-ho surprisingly enjoys taking care of others.

Not only that, but he apparently has a little sibling who’s three years younger.

I heard from Min-hee, who often visits Hyun-ho’s house despite living far away, that since their mother is always busy, he takes care of his sibling on days when there’s no school.

“When is the teacher coming?”

“There are still ten minutes until lunch break ends.”

“Ugh, I hope they hurry up with team assignments so we can be done with it.”

“I already said that earlier.”

We laughed quietly at Min-hee’s comment.

True enough.

Seeing us like that, Shia had a curious expression.

“You guys… You all seem oddly close. Is it because you’re in the same level class?”

“Yeah, that’s exactly it.”

“Because you’re similar in skill?”

Since Shia was Min-hee’s childhood friend, he knew Min-hee’s level in magic well.

As a result, he seemed to have a rough understanding of our skills, too…

We undergo something like a ‘Confidentiality’ drill twice a week.

Maybe because of that, Shia never directly asked us about it.

We nodded vaguely, knowing he wouldn’t share it with anyone.

However,

“I’m not friends with these people, okay?”

“You look close, though?”

“We’re not close!”

…Han-soo stubbornly insisted, as always.

But perhaps this sense of camaraderie, or solitude, is why we end up maintaining our somewhat bickering relationships.

There’s a strange comfort in knowing that others share similar abilities.

But despite that—perhaps because of it—I sometimes felt tormented.

‘Talent, talent, huh.’

To be honest, I was quite different from these kids.

In the current situation, yes, I am the most talented among them.

My magic power, my level of magic ability, all of it exceeded that of these kids.

But truthfully, I am fundamentally different from my friends, who have achieved excellence in magic from the start until now.

What I have isn’t so much talent as it is a more mature and flexible way of thinking, and the fortunate chance to start magic early.

So, while I might be seen as a prodigy now, I know better than anyone that this will eventually reverse.

Rather than a prodigy, I was more like a lucky mediocrity.

Some people say that luck is also a form of talent.

Well, maybe it is.

Perhaps it’s talent that I remember my past life, that I have the Pocket Dimension, that all of it came to me by a stroke of fortunate skill.

But innate talent is simply talent.

Especially when it comes to skill, the difference soon becomes visible.

I know that one day, I’ll become the outlier among these kids.

Unlike those born with a natural talent, skills gained from luck and experience eventually blend into the flow of time.

And by then, I’ll just be an ordinary magician.

Unlike these kids, who will become remarkable and powerful magicians someday.

And that thought pained me.

Even now, these kids see me as something impressive.

Just because I have more magic power and can use it more freely than they can right now.

Regardless of our friendship, I feared that one day I’d disappoint them.

I tried not to dwell on it, but that thought sometimes pricked my heart.

I propped my chin in my hand, letting my gaze lower.