At first, Lucy thought it was just a momentary impulse, but nearly a month had passed, and the excitement and restlessness that the wind wing magic brought to her heart had not cooled down. She wasn't joking; she really wanted to learn!
"Alright then, I'll think of a way," Bruce said without saying much more.
"Dad, I found a temporary job at Mr. Jess's magic high school, taking care of the library. I start the day after tomorrow," Lucy said.
Since she had decided to learn magic, Lucy had no intention of giving up just because she was academically challenged. Whether she could get into the magic high school and seize the opportunity to awaken as a magician depended on her dad. She knew that her lack of knowledge needed to be filled through her own efforts, so even though she was fully aware that she had little hope of getting into the magic high school, Lucy had already found this job in advance.
The pay was almost nothing, just room and board, but it was really important to Lucy. In the library, she could find so many things she needed to catch up on.
Bruce was taken aback; he didn't know what had changed his son's mind. But since Lucy was determined to learn magic, what was there not to be happy about? After all, in this society, only magicians held true status. No matter how successful one was in business, owning a house and a car could never compare to the value and respect that came with being a graduate of a magic school.
"Let's go home and talk," Bruce nodded, saying no more. To Bruce, there was nothing to worry about with his son; although he wasn't yet sixteen, in his heart, he was already an adult.
They lived in a residential area built around a half-mountain. Following the road with iron railings, walking all the way to the end of the path led to Lucy's home.
It was a small, one-and-a-half-story building, its exterior paint peeling to reveal red bricks, surrounded by a lot of clutter.
Most of the neighboring houses had three and a half stories, looking more like homes after renovations, while Lucy's house, being in the corner and low, appeared particularly shabby and old.
"Lucy, you're back... I have good news for you," a boy who looked like a muddy monkey jumped out as soon as they reached the door, his face full of joy.
This muddy monkey was Alastor, a child from the old neighborhood who had grown up with Lucy.
"What good news?" Lucy asked.
"The little princess is back! I saw her at the mountain villa today. Wow, you wouldn't believe how beautiful she is now; she's like a little angel," Alastor said, a bit excited.
Lucy glanced at the mountain villa facing the street. The villa was surrounded by exquisite greenery that made the entire city envious, with every inch of land's flowers and trees meticulously sculpted to reach the level of a true garden.
However, this beautiful mountain garden was now enclosed by high-speed railings.
She remembered that when she was young, there were no iron railings, and she often brought the neighborhood kids to play in the villa.
At the highest point of the villa, there were several very exquisite European-style villas, which looked like castles from fairy tales in the eyes of these mischievous kids. And indeed, there lived a princess inside the castle, so beautiful that it took one's breath away, around their age. Lucy often led a group of kids to sneak the princess out to play...
But at some point, the villa had added iron railings, and the adults in the neighborhood no longer allowed the children to venture into the villa. The princess, who used to play with everyone, had truly become a princess of the castle, becoming increasingly distant with age, and they saw her less and less.
"Did you know? I heard the little princess is now a top student at a prestigious magic school in New York, with an innate ability for ice magic that others can't compare to. She can already cast ice magic at just 15 years old," Alastor said mysteriously.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Lucy was taken aback. If Alastor had told her that the little princess had won some national competition, she would have felt nothing. But if it was about being an ice magician, that was truly remarkable!
The vast majority of people only awaken and gain their first magic at 16, which is when they enter their first year of high school.
Gaining that ability doesn't mean you are a magician; you still need to undergo a long period of training, obtain magic books, and practice diligently to be able to cast a spell. This little princess was truly impressive, becoming a real magician at just 15!
Could this be what they called a prodigy? A prodigy in the magic world!
"Lucy, I feel so sorry for you. If only you had tried a bit harder back then, you might have won over the innocent little princess. With both talent and looks, tsk tsk... we envy you so much," Alastor raised his eyebrows and said.
"That was just childish nonsense; don't bring it up," Lucy dismissed him.
Bruce, listening to the two boys talk, coughed and took Lucy home.
As soon as they got home, old Bruce said, "I’ll be out for a while. Nancy is staying at Auntie's, so she shouldn't be back."
"Okay, I got it."
...
Bruce hurriedly left, and Lucy walked around the house, noticing that there really hadn't been any changes; it was still bare walls.
The world had changed, but the family's poverty had not changed at all. Why couldn't her family swap places with that family in the villa? God really went to great lengths to turn science into magic; couldn't he have taken care of this little matter too?
The only thing she was grateful for was that her appearance hadn't changed; she was still charming and handsome!
Sitting at home was boring; there was nothing to do. Lucy, feeling bored, went out for a stroll to see if anything else had changed.
Following a rarely traveled mossy path, just as she was about to turn onto the main street, Lucy spotted her dad's old pickup truck.
Her dad was a driver; he used to drive for the old master of the villa, but she didn't know how he ended up in logistics, mainly helping the people at the villa with their purchases. Since then, their family's situation had drastically declined.
"Bruce, your request is a bit rude. You should know I was never unkind to you. Your son did something like that, and I still left a procurement job for him. If it were someone else, I would have kicked him out immediately," a slow, deliberate voice came from a middle-aged man.
"Mr. Jess, consider this my last request for your help. Getting into Tianlan Magic High School costs too much money, and you know my family's situation; we really can't afford it," Bruce's voice sounded somewhat humble.
"Why are you doing this for your useless son? If he can't get into magic high school on his own, let him fend for himself. He's almost 16. Besides, even if I help you this time and get him into magic high school, with his nature, he will definitely still be aimless and won't become a real magician. Becoming a magician isn't easy; it requires both innate talent and hard work. Moreover, can your family afford those magic books, magic tools, and magical equipment? Without these aids, he won't even be able to become a beginner magician..." The man named Jess spoke in a serious tone, but all Lucy heard was arrogance.
"He really wants to learn this time. Mr. Jess, if you agree to help me this time, regarding the matter of the Wilson family head asking us to move out of the village, we will move out immediately. This will also put the Wilson family head's mind at ease, and I guarantee that the brat won't go looking for Miss Aishi again," Bruce's voice came through.
"Oh, that's something to consider."
Upon hearing that they were willing to move away, the man named Jess seemed interested in continuing the conversation.
...
Against the wall, a boy leaned against it, feeling an incredibly complex mix of emotions as he listened to this conversation.
He thought the world had changed, that many terrifying relationships would also change, but it turned out... nothing had changed at all.
The wealthy Wilson family, like rulers, still looked down from above, while his father continued to struggle at the bottom, needing to beg for help everywhere. This Jess was the chairman behind Tianlan Magic High School; with just one word, he could get Lucy into the magic high school.
But upon hearing his dad Bruce mention the willingness to move out of the village, Jess seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and quickly agreed.
In the end, the conversation concluded with old Bruce repeatedly thanking Jess, who then drove away in his luxury car, leaving behind the lonely, old pickup truck that looked worn and dusty, just like her dad Bruce.
Was this a dream?
It was as cruel as reality. Leaning against the wall, Lucy felt the weight of her breath, clearly realizing that her family's situation had not changed one bit, and her humble status remained unchanged.
The old titles of master and miss, which belonged to a bygone era, had not truly ended in contemporary society. Certain historically rooted families still occupied positions of power, even though those who served them were no longer called servants but workers. Although they no longer needed to bow or kneel, the fates of these lower-class people were still tightly held in the hands of the wealthy and influential, who could manipulate them at will.
He was born into such a lower class, dominated by a family called Wilson.
Something seemed to surge violently within her, and her fists clenched tightly, striking heavily against the greenish wall.