Ustos pov (around the end of the first year)

I open my eyes, awakening from my slumber. I still see the weary dorm that has been taken from me by unjust hands. I don’t know how long I have been stuck here, tied down by that ungodly man.

Speaking of that man, I look over to one of the corners of the small dorm the academy gives each student. There he lies sleeping on a comfortable-looking bed. Oh, how I wish my hands weren’t tied down so I could finally end that scourge on existence.

But sadly, I’m tied down, restricted to a mundane chair. The possible months of sitting have brought great pain to my back; it feels as if I’m in constant pain. The man doesn’t even let me loose for a little so I could at least stretch my body. As Father said, typical commoners, don’t know how a body even functions. How can he expect me to obey him if I am in constant pain?

I tilt my head up and sigh inwardly at the stupid situation I am in, captured by the lowest class in the whole empire. Although I can’t really call him that, can I? The man knows a concerning amount of knowledge no commoner should; it’s odd.

Back when I first got captured, the man forced me to write for him. At first, I assumed that it was some sick joke, dangling my potential academy life right in front of me for his entertainment. But then I realized that as a commoner, he likely didn’t know how to read or write. However, the things he told me to write weren’t anything commoners should know about and understand, such as the brain stem or the spinal cord. The only real theory I could make up is that he is some spy of a neighboring kingdom. But why would anyone need to infiltrate the Eloureth's academy? The only knowledge stored here is the basics of becoming a wizard. Well, maybe I’m wrong. There might be some secret spell or ritual hidden in the academy.

Though, whilst writing, I, of course, wasn’t just forgetting; I tried to memorize everything the man told me to write. Unfortunately, such knowledge did not end up helping me escape. Apparently, gaining control of your mana requires rituals and items, neither of which I am able to use bound to my chair. Apparently, he has learned how to write because he has not asked me for any of my writing capabilities for around a month already.

Whilst in my contemplations, the man woke up and sat up from his bed. Looking at his face, I take another sigh inwardly of course, If he catches me actually sighing at him, he may decide to do another skin-peeling session. I can still feel the painful burning sensation on my shoulders.

Noticing me looking at him, he gazes back with a disgusted and grimaced glare. I feel annoyance bubble up; the only person who should be cursed with such a look is the one who’s showing it off.

I bend my head down so his shallow ego doesn’t get damaged. After keeping his gaze on me for a bit longer, he got up and got dressed. After that, he left the dorm, likely heading for the cafeteria.

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Whilst he's gone, I start practicing the only real thing I can: walking around with a chair. It’s quite hard while having my whole body tied down to the chair itself. The only way I can move around is by tilting around. I have gotten quite good at it over the months I have been stuck here. I am glad to say that I haven’t fallen once onto the wooden floor over the whole last month or so. Thankfully, my captor either doesn’t care or doesn’t know about my chair-walking skills.

Whilst in the middle of my practice, the door opens, and the man walks in with a half-eaten meal and a glass of water.

The man shoves the food and water down my gullet, not even mindful of my comforts, and leaves as always in a hurry.

The day passed like all the others, sitting in a chair and jittering around. This is getting quite demotivating. I miss my family, my little sister. Unfortunately, I don’t see myself getting out of here soon, but no matter. I’m sure the gods wouldn’t just leave me with such a fate. Like my father said, the gods might be harsh, but they are also fair. If you follow their teachings and persist, there will always be a way. So I shall.

And as the moon appeared, and the calm of dark took over the skies, my despised roommate didn’t appear. I got quite excited. Maybe he finally got caught, or maybe he died. At this point, anything will do. Although, the fact that he hasn’t come back means I am still left starving.

Sadly, a couple of hours later, my grand hopes were dashed. The man walked back into my dorm, scowl on face, of course. I wonder if he goes around in the academy scowling like that. I doubt so. I don’t think I made such a bad impression on my fellow students for that not to go unnoticed.

He walks into the dorm, not even acknowledging me, and places a ring next to me on a table. After that, he walks past and goes straight to sleep.

I look at the ring. Thanks to the dark of the night, I can’t notice many of its details, but I don’t need to see anything to realize what that ring is. I’ve seen it before; the man puts it on and starts meditating with it every night. At first, it was quite odd to see, but then I recalled the things the heartless man made me write. I remember that the ring is probably the beginning step of becoming a mage.

If I acquire it, it may assist in some way in breaking away from the currently sleeping lunatic. I can’t grab it now. My chair-moving technique makes quite the ruckus, and I doubt he would like to be woken up.

So it’s better to wait for tomorrow, when he will be gone.

With a plan in place, I close my eyes and let the sweet embrace of sleep hit me.

I suddenly awake with a slap. Looking around, dazed, I realize that it’s morning. Looking up, I see the man holding the morning food in his hands.

Ah, it seems I have slept in. After shoving food down my throat, the man leaves. I wait for a while just in case. After an hour passes, I start approaching the table. The ring still laid upon it. Now with the lovely light of the day, I can see the engraved runes filling the surface of the ring.

With a great amount of effort, I approach the table as close as possible. I look at the ring on the table. Of course, I can’t grab the ring with my hands because they are tied behind my back. But, there is always a way. I bend over, balancing on the front two legs of the chair. I stretch over to the ring, barely biting down on it with my teeth and possibly damaging my already pained back.

I regain my balance and take a deep breath. Now, how to get the ring out of my mouth and into my hands at my back. Whilst pondering, I play with the ring inside my mouth, moving it around and putting my tongue through it. Suddenly, when I was thinking about whether I could spit the ring over my shoulders and into my awaiting palms, I felt something weird in my chest, like another heart pumping blood into other organs. In confusion, the ring slipped off my tongue, and the feeling faded.