A gigantic auditorium spread out. Seats were filled to the brim with students and their parents. Mother’s presence was a soothing balm. Her and Janie were the remedy to my increasing heart rate. There were so many people that the air had become stuffy, and we waited for the last ones to file in. The stage welcomed a new person.

The spotlight followed them to the podium. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The man was at most my height, and he was rotund. Mouse ears perked on top of his head. His whiskers twitched in the light before some magic microphone. His voice came out as squeaky as I had imagined.

“Thanks for gathering here today. Welcome to Messa Magic Academy.” A few isolated claps erupted before his hand silenced them. “This will be the shortest orientation you’ve likely ever had.” He nodded self-assuredly. “Mhm, I am Principal Evansworth. From today on, your life will be altered in ways unimaginable, so let’s all have a magical time...Together!”

I stared blankly at the mouse man before wordlessly turning to stare at Mother. I pulled on the sleeve of her dress.

“Don’t worry, En. This man likes to put on airs. Rest assured, nothing will happen to you. Because if it did….” visible streaks of mana colored the air from her clenched fists. Her narrowed eyes scared me, even though she was smiling. “Ah, forgive me. There have been no deaths or permanent injuries in this academy for centuries. I have assigned Yumi and Adelisa to make sure nothing happens.”

Before I could say anything, the mouse spoke into the microphone once more. “At this time, all non-students are asked to leave.”

Mother placed a kiss on my forehead. Her tender hands gripped my shoulders as her red jewels stared into my eyes. “Be very careful.”

“Mother, you are worrying me more! You’re making everything sound so ominous!”

“Fufu, I guess you are right. Well, I am also worried.”

“You are?”

“Of course, I love you very much. If it was my choice, I would have locked you in the castle, but I understand that’s not reasonable.”

She gave me another kiss goodbye. Several other families left the auditorium as well. It kept going until only us children were left. After they all left there was a strange hum.

Eventually, golems began floating down from the ceiling. Hundreds of golems floated in. Each one moved in front of a person. I looked at the golem before me holding a box.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

The microphone broadcast again. Though this time, it was someone else’s voice. “Inside of each box, you will find the school uniform. In approximately ten seconds you will be transported. Put on the uniform at that time, and open the door.”

Wait, what? Transported!? A clock ticked above the stage counting down from 7, 6, 5… I shook my head and quickly grabbed the box… 3, 2, 1.

A bright flash of white light seemed to burn my retinas. I clenched my eyes tight. When I finally opened them, I was inside of a small box—a changing room.

There was a small speaker on the wall, and a voice entered. “This is the first exam. Class assignments will be registered based off of performance. There are golden scrolls in this forest…”

Forest? I remembered I was supposed to be changing, and I quickly slid into the school uniform. The top was a grey and white vest, and the bottom was a dark blue skirt. The moment I slipped them on, the changing room around me fell into the ground.

The voice projected the last message. “Once obtaining the scroll, pour mana into it, and your entry will be complete.”

Fear gripped me as I stared at massive trees. The canopy was so high up that I was sure no tree like these could exist on Earth. A strange indescribably ambiance penetrated the air. Surely it wasn’t normal to dump kids into a forest, right?

I suddenly felt so small. I looked around in a circle, but there was no one. No maid came to say, “hey, little princess.” There was no butler to run into. The tender voice of my mother wouldn’t come, and even Janie’s bubbly self wasn’t there to ask me if I wanted to play.

The realization that I was alone for the first time ever since reincarnation made my heart thump. I smacked my cheeks, attempting to calm myself like those characters in manga.

It did work surprisingly well to ground me. I remembered my task. Achieve the scroll. Fill it with mana. How hard could it be?

image [https://i.imgur.com/egXC7OT.png]Ilisif wondered daily how her life could come to this. Once she was a denizen of a mountain, striking fear into the hearts of men. Now, some old grandpa made her recoil in fear. She had no way to defy him, but she no longer wished to do so. She had resigned.

Not only had she resigned, but she began to feel guilt for the first time in centuries. She wasn’t complicit in attacking every human, but her cult had done its damage. She did wonder what her brothers and sisters thought of her now.

“What are you zoning out for?” End asked. “This is an important opportunity for you.”

“Do you really think earning forgiveness will be something so simple?” Ilisef sighed as they pulled to the gate of the magic capital. “Isn’t that girl going to be attending here?”

“Disrespecting my dearest granddaughter is quite bold.”

Ilisef froze, but she saw no killing intent coming from the man. She slumped in her seat.

The man released a breath himself. “Those families will never forgive you, but that’s not important.”

“It’s not?”

End wiggled his finger to and fro. “You may not ever be forgiven, but you can atone.”

“And you think serving at the magic academy will be an atonement? How?”

The old-young man smiled, showing his perfect fangs. None of his face really seemed to be weathered by age. “It may not, but it will be a start.”