Mages exist as a result of a supernatural force known as Magia.

With the discovery of Magia came the birth of mystic arts which could be categorized into two: Spellcasting and Runecrafting. Those who used Spells well known as Spellcasters, and the ones who chose the latter path were called Runecrafters.

These two bodies of discipline converge at a single point—that is, their usage of Magia to perform supernatural feats.

In the past, there existed a man who followed the path of any aspiring Mage.

His name… Arthur of Dan Village.

He went to a local Magus Academy, and he learned the fundamentals of the two Pillars of Magia.

However, after spending years engaged in both the literature and practice of the very mystic arts he sought after since he was a child, Arthur came to a discovery.

“Runes are better than Spells!”

Against the norms, he stuck to this belief and decided to specialize in Runecrafting despite the counsel of many not to.

“It’s too archaic!” Some said.

“Your prospects will be limited!” Others retorted.

“The practical applications are abysmal. Please reconsider!” More advised.

But this particular Mage—Apprentice at the time—stuck to his guns in pursuit of the greatness of Runecrafting.

He sought to prove them wrong and show them why his position was correct.

He failed.

In the end, every word they uttered turned out to be correct; all of them playing out in his reality.

After spending ten years in the Magus Academy, he finally graduated and headed out into the real world for his mandatory three-year service.

That was when he realized the ugly truth.

Runecrafting… was long dead.

Rather than taking one’s time to inscribe the appropriate formula to utilize Magia, practically every Mage would prefer to use the spoken words to achieve the same results.

Hence, the reason why Spellcasting was preferred.

After concluding his mandatory service, he was now nearing thirty years of age.

Arthur had no woman to call his own, no major accomplishments worthy of note.

He knew he couldn’t just return to his family after thirteen years dedicated to the dream he sold to them, having nothing to bring back.

So, he had to make a choice—the only one he could make at that point.

“I need to get a job!”

As an adult, he had to fend for himself, and also provide for the same family that supported his education throughout his stay in the Magus Academy.

Unfortunately, even that proved to be a challenge.

Employment opportunities for Runecrafters were very scarce, and the market was already saturated with those who were already experienced in their field and had long been entrenched in the business

There was no room for a newcomer like him.

Arthur searched and searched, but the results proved useless.

He thought he would never catch a break… until luck finally shone upon him.

He met an old colleague—someone he managed to befriend in his mandatory three-year service.

Denzel Sirius; the third son of a pretty powerful merchant in the area.

Apparently, he was already a Junior Professor in the Imperial Magus Academy, and he was able to hook Arthur with an opportunity.

“The Academy’s Runecrafting Lecturers are too few, and most of them are about to retire, so we’re looking for new hands. Interested?”

That was his big break!

Arthur went for the interview and landed a job as a Junior Lecturer.

He was 33 years old when this happened.

He worked his butt off for years, finally making reasonable money for himself and giving back to the family that supported him all his life.

Even as a Junior Professor, the money he earned far outweighed the amount he would have gotten from being a local Runecrafter.

This truly was his big break.

Thanks to the rewards he got for his hard work and dedication to his job, received countless promotions and shot up the ranks.

In just ten years… he was able to achieve the status of Senior Professor and was on a clear path to finally becoming Head of his Runecrafting Department.

At this point, Arthur was 43 years old.

He had no lover, and he had very few friends. He was only ever dedicated to his craft and his job, receiving a lot more money than he ever thought he could make.

Runecrafting had paid off in the end!

But, despite the wave of good things that visit a man’s life… tragedy is always waiting at the corner.

When he was 47 years old, Arthur’s parents died thanks to a plague that visited the nearby villages.

He lived in the Academic City, so nothing of the sort reached him.

The plague was quelled before it could spread to the very populated areas, but at that point it was too late.

The family he worked so hard to satisfy… it was gone.

Arthur tried to blame himself.

“If only I made them move to the city…”

But he knew he already tried. His parents loved rural life and didn’t want to leave the small town they had known all their life. Besides, he was too busy with work to properly spend time with them, so if they honored his wishes, they would have wallowed in loneliness.

“I should have been there for them more. Spent more time with them…”

Arthur knew that arrangement wouldn’t have worked either.

He had to be busy to make the kind of money that he did. If he stopped working for even a day, that would be a loss on his part.

Besides, he was working to get the position of Head of Runecrafting.

There was no way he could have slacked off.

All of Arthur’s reasons to blame himself proved useless. He had done his best as a man and as a son. It just… wasn’t enough.

After a few months, he got the position he worked so hard for and became Head of Runecrafting in the Imperial Magus Academy.

Alongside the prestige and money that came with this position, there was also more time.

He didn’t have to go for lectures—except the really important ones.

Most of his time was spent researching Runecrafting or reviewing the works of his colleagues and juniors.

As Head, he also organized lectures and seminars for the lecturers under him, as well as lecturers from other Academies.

However, these grand symposiums only happened once or twice a year, so the total number of lectures he took per month was only one—two at most.

In this free time, Arthur found himself restless.

He was making a lot more money than he could possibly spend. He had a lot more time than he knew what to use it for,

If only his family was still alive, he would have spent more time with them.

But none of them were present.

He also had no desire for women, and the nature of his profession caused him to hardly socialize with people. Even Denzel Sirius—his old friend that got him this job—had long left the Academy for the Royal Capital.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

He was all alone.

“What now…?” He asked himself several times.

Perhaps this was the time to settle down and start his own family, but Arthur found no lady he fancied enough to seriously consider doing such with.

He simply wallowed in his job and kept it up… until he turned 55 years old.

That was when something struck him—like a divine inspiration.

Arthur was reviewing a paper written by a newly appointed Mage in the Runecrafting Community—in essence, just another task

However, what struck him as particularly special was the innovative mindset that this individual had concerning Runes.

Apparently, after conducting a very detailed and thorough experiment that involved an equally skilled Runecrafter and Spellcaster, he found out the effects of the Rune were slightly better than the Spellcaster.

A similar experiment had been done in the past, so that didn’t strike Arthur as odd.

What was strange was his surprising take on the subject matter.

~… It should be noted, however, that this is not due to the Spell being inferior to the Rune, but the users. An average Runecrafter will be more in tune with Magia and its use compared to a Spellcaster of equal rank, thanks to the immense investment Runecasters have to undergo to learn and use Runes.~

When Arthur saw this, it felt like something inside his head clicked.

This was just a normal paper, which had this contrary take as the conclusion of a previously performed research, yet…

… Something resonated within him.

“He’s right.”

Arthur didn’t know when he muttered those words.

“HE’S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!!!”

At this point, a sudden surge of energy spread throughout the body of the aging man and a fresh wave of inspiration washed upon him.

Suddenly, a renewed passion for his craft came upon him.

He now wanted more from Runecrafting.

After that day, Arthur quit his position in the Imperial Academy despite only needing to wait five more years for his retirement.

If he had waited, he would be set for life with an income that many could not even fathom.

He could even be taken to the Royal Capital as a consultant of sorts.

But he threw all of that away,

Just like in his youth, he ignored the counsel of everyone around him.

“This is madness!”

“A respectable man such as yourself… adventuring?”

“Please reconsider!”

But he did not heed their words.

He decided to leave the conventional world of academia and began his journey towards enlightenment.

He was already 55 years old, but he suddenly felt young again.

He traveled the world, visited strange lands, uncovered mysteries, and advanced even further in his understanding.

Finally, after fifteen years of his search, he found the enlightenment that he sought.

The secrets of Runecrafting!

“Hahaha! I finally did it! I got it!” He cackled in whatever dirty cave he used as shelter that night.

The once-renowned Rune Instructor—turned Head of Runecrafting in the most prestigious Magus Academy—was now nothing but a dirty old man.

He had rags for clothes, long white beards that reached the sole of his feet, and saggy skin that looked like they would drop off at any point.

Anyone would look at him and think he was a creepy madman who closely courted insanity.

But Arthur had never been more sane.

Treasures, scrolls, and a lot of artifacts lay at his feet, but he cared for none of them.

“It’s complete. The gap in my knowledge. All those theories…” Scribbled on the walls were various symbols and writings in ancient runic languages.

He could finally see how they connected, and he proceeded to finish everything.

“Haha… haha… haaa…”

Finally, once he was done, Arthur collapsed to the ground and fell asleep.

Forever.

*********

[The Present]

“Alright, everyone… let’s settle down!”

A very pretty lady stood in front of the obviously excited students who sat behind their respective desks in the considerably large classroom.

The room was big enough to occupy all fifty of them, and it had steps per row, so those who sat at the back had elevated platforms to properly see the podium where their instructor was standing.

Everything about the place—from the quality of the furniture, to the grand design of the walls, ceilings, and even the stage that the woman in her late twenties stood upon—radiated luxury only befitting the greatest Magus Academy in the Southern Empire.

Every single student present was excited to be there, which made them a little bit noisy. However, once the call for decorum came, everyone fell into silence.

They all paid attention to the woman before them from that moment on.

“My name is Ketiya Lampshade, and I will be the Supervising Officer of your class—that is, all of you Year 1 Students.” Her blond hair swayed as she spoke with great flair and confidence. “Welcome once again to the Imperial Magus Academy, and this is your General Orientation.’

Her bright amber eyes radiated youthfulness, and she seemed pretty excited herself as she addressed the fifty young ones before her.

She wore a long white lab coat, with a short black gown that had gold threads embroidered on the gleamy surface, giving an air of prestige. On her coat was the badge of the Academy, gleaming with its gold, blue and red luster.

Ketiya, as she was called, also had a wizard hat that sat awkwardly on her head, though it strangely fit well with the rest of her outfit.

The students, who were expecting a much older person to be their S.O. were pleasantly surprised to see such a charming young woman instead.

Well, this was the case for almost all of them.

‘Hm? Isn’t she a little too young to be a Supervising Officer?’ Dan Nilrem, formerly known as Arthur in his past life, thought to himself as he narrowed his gaze on the woman before him.

‘A Supervising Officer is responsible for the students under their watch. They must ensure the academics of their wards are in optimal condition, and they are primarily responsible for making decisions regarding the activities that the students will be engaged in…’

Needless to say, such a person had to have a lot of experience in their particular field. They also needed to be somewhat experienced in the realm of education. It was possible for second or third-rate Academies to skirt around these requirements, but a place like the Imperial Magus Academy couldn’t bypass such standards.

… Or could they?

‘This lady seems to be no older than 27 years old, which means she is just fresh out of the Academy.’ Dan raised his eyebrow as he tried to understand what was happening. ‘It usually usually takes ten years for students to go through education here, and there’s a mandatory three-year long service as a Mage before you can even decide on a career full-time.’

That meant the minimum age that a potential Educator could be was 28 years old, since the Academy started to accept students when they became adults—in essence, at 15 years of age.

‘The previous owner of this body tried to get in last year, but he failed. After that, he worked his butt off to try again this year… and just managed to pass with my help.’ Dan sighed.

It wasn’t easy to become a Mage.

But, it was even more difficult to be an Educator of future Mages, especially in a prestigious Academy like this.

‘Something must have changed in the hundred years that I’ve been dead.’

That was Dan’s only explanation regarding the anomaly he was experiencing. He still didn’t know very much about the modern world he now found himself in, which meant there would be a lot of things that were bound to catch him by surprise.

It was no wonder he failed the Written Exams.

‘It’s unfortunate that I didn’t get the memories of the previous owner of this body. If he didn’t keep such a detailed journal about his life, I would have been completely lost.’ Dan sighed yet again.

It had been a week since he took the Exams, and ever since then he had remained in the Imperial Academy City. After a full day of getting accustomed to his new identity, he managed to navigate his way to the house of a friend of his father, who had offered to host him for the full week he would be staying in the City while waiting for his results.

Dan shuddered as he remembered their awkward interactions throughout the time they spent together.

‘I hope he didn’t figure out anything out of the ordinary.’

The bottom line was that he managed to pass, and from this point on he would be spending his time inside the Academy. Each student was mandated to live in the Dorms, and if anyone wanted to leave the Academy Grounds, they would have to get a special pass from the school. Obtaining said pass was a bothersome process, so most students never resorted to it.

Dan also didn’t plan to.

‘The owner of his body already made sure to say farewell to everyone he cares about with the resolve of passing. I also wrote a letter back to his family telling them that I successfully passed the Exams before coming here, so there is nothing left to worry about.’

At the current moment, Dan’s main priority was to get accustomed to his new life as a student, as well as change his sensibilities so he could properly fit into the modern framework that now surrounded him.

He had to figure out how much had changed and how much remained the same.

‘Because if memory serves me well, this Orientation is going to serve as the most important aspect of starting out in the Academy.’ He kept his eyes focused on Ketiya, who was still smiling at all of the students present.

“Each and every one of you will have to select the courses you want to study—both Major and Minors. Each Course has units allocated to them, and you need to fulfill the quota of 10 units minimum, and 15 units maximum to fully register.”

Every student’s face suddenly became serious, and they slowly nodded.

They all understood the implications.

“Majors such as Runecrafting and Spellcasting cost five units each, while Minors usually range from one to three points. You need to have at least one Major and two Minors to be a functioning student at the Academy. Also, once you pick a Major, you can never change it until you complete the year.” Ketiya explained even further.

Dan smiled as soon as he heard those last words. ‘She says this, but anyone who picks a certain Major will find it almost impossible to change it even after they complete the year, since they would have missed an entire year’s worth of knowledge and practice in the other Major.’

As such, even though the rules were still somewhat flexible, the reality was otherwise.

“I will now pass your Course Registration Papers, so make sure you fill out which courses you’d like to take right here and now. Don’t worry, the basic information of each course is outlined under them, so you won’t mistake them for one another.” Ketiya announced. “Still, make sure you read through each one carefully… just in case.”

Selecting the wrong Minor—while not as damning as choosing the wrong Major—was still an incredibly big deal. Minors usually changed per Year, so students only had an opportunity to learn certain Courses in a particular year.

Once they missed their chance, they couldn’t go back.

Also, there were Courses in further years—such as Year 3 and above—that needed the previous study of the fundamental ones in Year 1 and 2, so missing out on them now would be terrible, to say the least.

Despite how important these choices were, the Academy didn’t seem to care about explaining the details of each Course, or provide a trial period so the students knew what they were getting into before making a final decision.

This was because they assumed that the students within their walls must have already gotten some form of basic education before arriving at the Academy, hence they already knew what to expect.

Most—if not all—of the students already had areas of specialization that they wanted to pursue, so it would be a waste of time not to use such a direct approach.

Dan understood all of this too, so he wasn’t surprised when he heard all of this—even though the previous owner of his body was among the unlucky few who never really got any fundamental education in Magia.

As such, he didn’t currently have any area of specialization.

‘That doesn’t matter, though.’ Dan smiled as one of the Course Registration sheets was passed to him. ‘I already know the Courses I’m going to register for.’

As his eyes traced the list of courses, as well as the Units they had, his grin grew even wider.

‘Everything hinges from the choice I make at this moment.’