Lucy returned home, her mind filled with Jess's words. Those words, seemingly casual yet earnest, revealed too much disdain for Bruce's family and for herself.

Not even able to become a beginner mage?

Shit!!

Lucy admitted that for a while, she had been very close to the little princess, Aishi, but the young her had no idea that this would bring disaster to her impoverished family. From that day on, Lucy understood that this society still had its hierarchies.

“Lucy, hahaha, your problem is solved! I called an old friend of mine, and it turns out he’s now quite impressive—he's the director of the guidance office at Nobu Mountain High School. He said that as long as you train hard, he can get you into Nobu Mountain Magic High School and help you awaken your destined magic. This opportunity only comes once in a lifetime, so you must work hard, okay?” Bruce, with his waxy complexion, walked in with a beaming smile, patting Lucy on the shoulder.

Looking at her father's joyful expression, Lucy would usually celebrate with a drink, but knowing the truth, she could no longer believe her father's hearty laughter. It made her reluctant to accept that the father she respected had never been respected in this world.

“Really? That’s great! No wonder you’re my dad; you can handle anything, haha.” Finally, Lucy put on a smile and linked arms with her father.

“Of course! Just look at who your dad is!” Bruce felt flattered by the compliment, and his smile widened.

The two of them had a few drinks that night. During the drinking, Bruce gently said, “Lucy, you should just stay at school. I plan to rent out the house to give us a little more financial support.”

Lucy knew that this house was essentially being sold to Jess. The old place wasn’t worth much, but the land was highly valued in the city.

“Sure, go ahead and rent it out. I rarely come back anyway, just about Nancy…” Lucy pretended not to know.

“Nancy is with your aunt. To be honest, it’s not easy for two men to take care of her. That girl is sensible; we don’t have to worry too much about her,” Bruce said.

“Alright, just remember to come visit me at school,” Lucy replied.

“Got it. I’m tired now; I’ll sleep first. You head to school tomorrow,” Bruce said, finishing his last sip of alcohol and standing up a bit unsteadily.

Lucy watched him turn around, feeling a pang of guilt at his back.

With her living at school and Nancy at her aunt's, where would this middle-aged man stay?

In the end, Lucy didn’t bring it up.

In fact, Bruce was willing to make such a sacrifice as a father’s duty and honor. He wanted his son to know that he could focus on his studies, and any problems he couldn’t solve, he would help with.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Lucy also understood that bringing the matter to light would only make Bruce feel desolate and ashamed. After all, what man doesn’t want to be a father who can handle everything for his son?

Lucy couldn’t speak up; others might not respect her father, but she couldn’t!

This little broken house? If it’s not lived in, so be it. At most, three years, and once she mastered her magic, everything would be fine.

In this society, magic is paramount!

She would definitely become a respected mage!

……

The two-month summer vacation flew by, and Lucy felt like she had fallen into a sea of books.

The library at Nobu Mountain Magic High School had every kind of book, and those about magic were as complex and numerous as science, truly an endless ocean of knowledge.

However, Lucy had already gained a lot; at least she was no longer a magic novice. She had grasped the basics taught in her foundational magic education.

The first day of school was immensely significant for all magic students, as it not only marked the most important step toward becoming a mage but also determined which type of mage they would become!

Awakening, as the name suggests, was about awakening the latent powers within their bodies.

“Kid, good luck! It’d be best if you awakened a fire element; that would give you a huge advantage among magic students. Other elements are okay too, but in terms of combat power for beginner mages, fire is the best. Oh, earth is good too… wind is also acceptable…” Stephen, the head librarian, said.

Lucy acknowledged him but didn’t pay much attention; the old man could go on forever.

To be honest, Lucy hadn’t slept all night. For her, today’s awakening was not just a change of fate but an unprecedented attempt. In her previous world, magic was impossible, and today she could genuinely grasp it.

Her little heart was racing!

……

Lucy was in Class 8 of her first year of high school, with the student number 48!

There was no helping it; she had basically entered through the back door.

A lower student number meant a higher score on the magic entrance exam. It was said that such students usually awakened a certain element and would train faster than normal people because they had a comprehensive understanding of magic knowledge, making their training smoother.

Unfortunately, the number one student in Class 8 was Lucy’s old classmate—William.

William was actually from the Wilson family, seemingly a distant relative living in the manor. The reason he looked down on Lucy was that he considered himself a young master in the Wilson manor, while Lucy was just the child of a servant.

But this guy, as a distant relative, was not on the same level as a little princess like Aishi. William had tried various ways to win Aishi’s favor, but she didn’t like playing with him.

William had excellent magic grades and was likely a key training target in the Wilson family. It was said that if he awakened the family’s ice element, his training speed would increase several times, as the Wilson family had abundant resources that ordinary people couldn’t compare to.

“Students, welcome to school! I’m sure many of you have been waiting for this exciting moment. Before we begin, I have a lot to say to you,” the principal announced as the 1,500 new students were neatly lined up in twenty classes on the grand magic playground, creating a spectacular sight!

“Students, do you know why we become mages?”

“No matter what position you hold as a mage, never forget that our most important mission is to explore human development and protect humanity. Don’t forget that outside your comfortable cities, countless monsters are lurking!”

The principal spoke at length, finally reaching what everyone wanted to hear.

“Alright, the awakening begins today. I hope you can become the shining stars of magic in the future!”

As soon as the principal’s words fell, the students in the playground could no longer contain their excitement.

Who wouldn’t want to control flames filled with destructive power? Who wouldn’t want to wield ice to freeze all evil? Who wouldn’t want to ride the winds and traverse the heavens? Who wouldn’t want to manipulate earth to resist invasions?

In countless stories, videos, and movies, there were so many heroes worth their admiration, and they longed to become such mages. Today was the first step on their journey to becoming mages, whether to be proud in the beast territories outside the city or to wield supreme power in the magical metropolis…