Last Update: April 6, 2023
Translations are…translations. Duh.
For the stuff, we want to hack apart into English. (Until an official release happens or something. Whenever that is. ._.)
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CREDITS
Author: Taro Hituji
Illustrator: Kurone Mishima
Translated By: Max
Edited By: Anonymous Editor (Requested for privacy reasons), A Plant (Not a joke, name Redacted for privacy reasons)
Quick Notes
This is a prequel, from an entry gift novel given at a Fantasia Bunko event back in 2017. There are no illustrations for this story, only text.
Story Starts Here
Long before Sistine and everyone else met Glenn, this is the story of the day they enrolled at the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy.
Under the brilliant blue sky’s pure white clouds.
Where warm sunlight reflected off the phantasmal Sky Castle hovering along the sky.
As a calm gentle breeze drifted its way through the town below.
Bright golden daffodils lined the street with their presence, blooming within their flower bed gardens outside of people’s houses.
While the town’s cherry blossom trees joined the clouds above as their pink flowers bloomed along the wind, forming pinkish clouds along the sky.
Not one to be obscured by their cherry blossom brethren, the elegant magnolia trees now took their turn to bloom alongside their peers, contrasting the pink clouds slowly taking form in the skies.
This time of blooming flowers heralds the arrival of spring.
A familiar scene that plays out yearly across the streets of Fejite…
“It’s finally the day.”
“Yeah, it is.”
Two young girls, clad in their Alzano Imperial Magic Academy uniforms, proudly made their way to their predetermined destination.
The two girls were Sistine & Rumia.
After a grueling amount of studying to pass the Academy’s rigorous entrance exams, the pair had earned the prestige of enrolling at the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy as its students.
And today, they were now making their way to attend the Academy’s Orientation Day for new students.
“I’m going to do my best! Studying at the Academy means I can finally catch up with Grandpa…and I’ll become the one to solve the mystery of that Sky Castle!”
Sistine looked up towards the sky, where her gaze met the phantasmal reflection of the Sky Castle hovering above, whose emerald structure reflected back in her eyes.
“Fu fu, you can do it Sisti…”
Looking at Sistine, Rumia gave a blooming smile.
“By the way, not to change the subject or anything but…what do you think about the uniform Sisti?”
Suddenly, Rumia clung onto the side of her uniform, blushing with a wry smile.
“It looks cute but…it looks a little bit too embarrassing to wear…”
“What are you talking about, Rumia?!”
In response to Rumia’s words, Sistine snapped back with a long lecture.
“As of now, our underdeveloped Magical powers are in a state of growth! In order to tap into the natural mana around us, we need to expose our skin to it as much as possible! It’s also been magically proven that females have larger mana capacities than males, who in turn have a higher affinity with the natural mana around us. As such, the uniform is logically designed to facilitate our growth, and it’s a mistake to be embarrassed about wearing it! There’s nothing to be ashamed of! Yep! Nothing at all!”
Despite Sistine trying to justify the uniform design with the various Magic Theories she’d studied…her face turned beet red with shame.
(Ah I see…I guess Sisti is embarrassed about it too…)
Rumia softly chuckled to herself as Sistine continued.
“Anyways, maybe everyone else’s embarrassed about the uniforms too…or not! Regardless, we should get a move on before we’re late for the opening ceremony!”
“Ah…right, let’s go!”
And with that.
The pair hurriedly made their way toward the Academy.
The pair soon arrived safely at the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy, they were sorted amongst the crowd of new students gathered in front of its gates, with each person sorted to their respective class.
A student council member then led each group into the Academy’s Auditorium, filling the large hall with each class of students. As the last group assembled within the Auditorium, the natural lights overhead dimmed as the opening ceremony began.
Students were made to sing the Empire’s national anthem, which was then followed by the headmaster’s welcoming speech for the new students, whilst announcing the name of every new student enrolled into the Academy. Depending on who you asked, everyone’s experience during the ceremony was a mixed reception of both excitement and boredom.
Until.
“And now, welcome on stage, the Academy’s new student representative, Ms. Sistine Fibel.”
“It’s time…”
It was now time for the oath-taking ceremony, which would be conducted by the Academy’s newest student representative. It was also the Academy’s tradition to bestow this role upon the student who topped the entrance exam.
Sistine left her position and silently made her way to the stage.
And at that moment.
“So she’s the rumored girl…”
“The top of the 399th batch…”
“It’s quite the achievement for a freshman to set that new record…”
“Whoa…she looks so cool from here…”
“A high-achieving freshman huh? Guess that doesn’t apply to her bust size…”
“…as expected, coming from the prestigious Fibel Family…”
Whispers began circulating from both new and old students huddling around the venue.
Eventually, Sistine reached the stage and walked onto the podium, as she began the oath-taking ceremony.
“We, the new students, will strive to improve ourselves every day, as self-aware mages, all for the progress of Magic, and the future of the Empi-”
Just as she began reciting the initial parts of the oath handed to her by the headmaster…this happened…
“Uuuuuoooooooooo! Sistiiiii! You’re doing so well!!!!!”
A bizarre squeal echoed from the seating area for parents.
“I, your father, am so proud of you Sisti! Rumia too! Congrats on getting into the Academy! You both make me so proud!”
The ceremony had been interrupted by this sudden outburst.
“Do your best Sisti! As your father, I’ll always be rooting for you! Oh speaking of, I should also take a photo of thi-”
“Oh, honey…”
Suddenly, the strange sound of something snapping echoed across the hall…as silence befell the venue.
“…”
The distinct sound of silence followed for a while until Sistine continued where she left off.
“A-, anyways…and the future of the Empire. On behalf of all new students, I vow to uphold this oath on this day, the 4th of Carnet (April)…”
With sweat pouring across her forehead like a raging waterfall, Sistine managed to finish reciting the oath.
(Father…mother…why the heck are you two here?! I thought you two were so busy with work at the Ministry Of Sorcery that you couldn’t make it back from the capital city!)
In all honesty…will this country turn out alright?
The Alzano Empire, the world-famous superpower of Magic.
By the end, Sistine had a bad feeling about the rest of her day.
Despite that minor interference, the ceremony continued without trouble.
Sir Edward, a member of the Empire’s highest authority figures, the “Imperial Round Table”, attended the ceremony in place of Her Majesty, the Queen. As his long boredom-inducing address congratulating the new students concluded, the opening ceremony had finally come to an end.
Following that, all new students were ushered into the Academy’s Multi-Purpose Hall, decorated with gorgeous flowers, brightly lit candlesticks and chandeliers overhead, and tables for each class were lavishly filled with large quantities of food and drinks.
It was the Student Council’s welcoming party for new students.
“This place looks amazing…”
“It is…”
Sistine & Rumia were in awe of their surroundings, a sentiment shared by their fellow peers all around them.
“Everyone, it’s time to start the welcoming party for all you freshmen. Regardless of which class you belong to, or if you’re a senior, you’re all welcome to interact with one another! Make friends for your 4-year-long journey ahead, whilst sharing in one another’s ups and downs! With that, here’s a toast!”
A female member of the Student Council, Rize Filmer, made the declaration, kicking off the freshman’s welcoming party.
The lively party was styled like a buffet, with the tables sorted by class. Granted, it was possible for partygoers to mingle with students from other classes or their fellow seniors participating in the party.
Currently, Sistine & Rumia sat by a table reserved for students of Class 2, whilst chatting to themselves about what lies ahead.
“Ah! You must be Sistine Fibel!”
A twin-tailed female student declared from behind the pair.
“Ah, hello…and you are…?”
“Wendy Nablesse, the next heir to the prestigious Nablesse family!”
“It’s nice to meet you, Wendy. I’m Rumia Tingel.”
Rumia politely introduced herself to Wendy with a smile, but…
“…Tingel? Huh…”
Wendy briefly glanced at Rumia and returned her attention to Sistine instead.
“…eh?”
“By the way Sistine, I see you’re taking things easy aren’t you?”
Sistine widened her eyes at Wendy’s sudden hostility.
“I heard the rumors that you were the top freshman for the entrance exam, who set a new record for the Academy…even the faculty was talking about you!”
“Um…I guess you could say that…though it doesn’t really feel like it…”
Sistine scratched her head in embarrassment.
“Of course, that’s expected from the prestigious Fibel Family, It’s only natural that you don’t hold back!”
Wendy’s praise sounded like someone trying to conceal their resentment, as she point a finger at Sistine.
“I’ll admit that I’ve lost to you for now! But someday, I’ll surpass you in the name of the Nablesse Family!”
“You’ll…wha-…?”
Sistine & Rumia blinked their eyes at Wendy’s declaration, looking at one another trying to understand what just happened.
“Ufufu…sorry about that, you two.”
At that moment, a gentle matured looking girl around their age approached the trio.
“My name’s Teresa Lady, I’m Wendy’s friend.”
“Ah I see, it’s nice to meet you, Teresa”.
“Lady…from the Lady Company? The heirs of the Nablesse and Lady family…to think there are so many amazing students here…”
In response to Rumia’s awe, Teresa chuckled and continued speaking.
“I should explain. Before enrolling at the Academy, Wendy was all ‘I’m likely the best freshman at the Academy’ until Sistine’s results dampened her overconfidence.”
“Hmph…that’s true…”
“But, Wendy’s an amazing girl. I thought that she’d come out on top too, but I suppose there’s always someone better in the world. Regardless, I’m glad that both of us were able to enroll in the Academy.”
“Uuu…regardless, I won’t give up! Someday, I’ll surpass you Sistine, I also hereby recognize you as my rival!”
In the face of Teresa’s gentle smile after finishing her explanation, the teary-eyed Wendy let out a stomp on the ground.
All the while, Sistine & Rumia were struggling to hold back their laughter…
“Hey there ladies, mind if we tag along?”
At that moment, a large confident looking boy approached the group’s table, accompanied by a petite-looking boy, and a small glasses-wearing girl.”
“Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Kash Winger, and this is Cecil, the first friend I made at the Academy!”
“Ah ha ha…nice to meet you all. I’m Cecil Clayton.”
“Nice to meet you too! We’re…”
As Sistine & co took turns introducing themselves to the two male students…
“Hmph, I’ve never heard of those family names before. Sorry, but I’m not interested in commoners.”
Wendy turned away whilst crossing her arms as though there was nothing of interest to her, which reflected her reaction towards Rumia, Kash, and Cecil.
(Um, Teresa? Is it just me or is Wendy a bit…)
(She is…unfortunately her parents aren’t nice people, and for that reason, she’s more like those old-fashioned aristocrats…)
Teresa nodded in shame over Sistine’s whispers.
(…I see, though, surely she’ll get better the more time she spends with everyone right? She doesn’t seem like a bad person.)
(For sure. I just hope she doesn’t make too many enemies in the process…)
Teresa casually voiced her concerns to Sistine, who remained assured of her belief about Wendy.
In contrast to their secret conversation, Kash wasn’t too offended by Wendy’s remarks and continued smiling confidently.
“Ah I get it, you’re a noble lady, so naturally, you would have high standards to begin with! But you’re right, I’m actually from a farming town in the countryside, sent by my grandpa to enroll at the Academy! After completing my studies, I intend to join the Imperial Army and achieve great things in the name of my hometown!”
“Fu fu…I suppose it’s good to have a grand ambition, regardless of where you come from…”
Wendy couldn’t hide her blushing at Kash, whose demeanor wasn’t affected by her clear-cut critique of his background.
“That said, unlike us commoners who probably have it easy, you nobles sure have a lot on your plate, right? I can respect that, it’s the duty of nobles after all. The lord of my hometown was also a great person too, nobles are cool—”
“Oh? For a commoner, you do understand us nobles after all. That’s why I’ve come to this Academy in the first place, to learn the ropes of becoming a noble that uphold their duties properly.”
Kash’s flattery had shifted Wendy into a good mood, causing her to begin gushing about her nobility…
“All that said, I do have a request to ask of you, O Noble One.”
Kash brought forward the small glassing-wearing girl hiding behind him.
“Ah…ooh…I…um…”
The girl with the ponytail appeared to be shivering in shyness, like a timid animal.
“This little lady here is Rin. You said so yourself right, as a noble who’d uphold their duty, surely you could befriend this girl in need!”
“Huh?! What the hell are you asking?!”
Wendy became startled at Kash’s sudden request.
“I should explain. See, I saw Rin sitting alone by the corner earlier, we couldn’t just leave her alone like that! That’s why I asked if you could befriend her, Wendy. We’ll be your friends too of course!”
“Um…Kash…you don’t have to ask her so bluntly…even if it’s technically not wrong…”
The teary-eyed Rin responded with concern over Kash’s straightforward request.
“What the hell are you asking from me?! I-, I’ll have you know that the only people allowed to befriend me are those who are on my lev-”
Being forced to eat her words, Wendy began objecting to Kash’s request.
“Aaaaaahh! But my duty as a noble!”
“Hey, come on.”
With that, Kash closed in for the kill.
“Purge the strong, protect the weak! I thought you proud nobles don’t discriminate against those who need help?! Surely you wouldn’t abandon Rin, this adorable little lady, to her cruel fate of solitude?”
“N, no! It’s nothing like that!”
“Hey everyone, did you hear that? Here’s a proud noble who’s all talk about their responsibilities without acting on it! Maybe they’re delusional or something!”
“Aaaaaaaaaah! I get it already! I’ll help you out, just give me a break!”
Sistine, Rumia, and Teresa watch the commotion unfolding before them in astonishment.
And at that moment.
“Tch, what a farce.”
Those ice-cold words were picked up by Sistine & co’s ears, as they turned towards where the voice came from.
Leaning against the wall, with his arms crossed, was a glasses-wearing boy coldly watching the commotion unfolding before him.
“Friends? Comrades? These are just adversaries in the way after graduation, right? Just another obstacle in the way…”
(Um…who is he?)
Sistine whispered into Teresa’s ear.
(He’s Gibul Wisdan. Although he’s a commoner, his grades are on par with us high-achiever nobles. He’s not as famous as you, but he’s quite known among the Academy’s faculty.)
(Oh…I see.)
(In short, he’s the complete opposite of Wendy.)
Teresa turned to answer Sistine’s inquiry.
“Hmm? What are you looking at, Fibel? You nobles don’t like it when someone like me enrolls in the Academy?”
Gibul pushed up his glasses upon noticing Sistine’s gaze, whilst glaring at the group before him.
“You can continue looking down on us as much as you like now. But once I’ve completed my Magic studies at the Academy, I’ll show you my true power. In short, I look forward to the day I make a fool out of you arrogant nobles as payback for looking down on us commoners…”
“He’s that kind of guy huh…”
“There are all sorts of people in the world, lady.”
Sistine’s cheek twitched at Gibul’s snark, as though a rebellious spirit had met its hungry ghost counterpart.
And at that moment.
“Eh?!”
“Hey man, cut the main-character monologue fellow commoner, let’s get to know each other instead!”
“Hey! Let me go! Ah, my glasses!”
Kash and Wendy came up to Gibul.
“Oh, so you’re the runner-up to Sistine?! We should team up to take her down together! After all, we’re all friends here right?!”
“Wa-, wait a second! Why am I being dragged into this mess as your meatshield?!”
At this one corner of the party, it’d become a rowdy gathering of students.
“There are so many different classmates…I was worried about meeting you all but…”
Looking at her classmates expressing themselves to one another, Sistine muttered to herself.
“But…I’m sure things will turn out alright.”
“You’re right…I’m sure everyone will get along soon enough.”
Sistine shrugged her concerns aside as Rumia gave a smile.
Just as they continued minding their business.
“Hey! You must be the famous Sistine Fibel right?!”
“The one from the prestigious Fibel family!”
“The rumors are true, she’s the most talented student to ever enroll at the Academy!”
“Can I have your signature, please?!”
A large horde of new students brushed past Rumia to approach Sistine.
“Eh?! What the hell is all this?!”
‘Can I please shake your hand, Sistine?!”
“What did you study to achieve those grades?!”
“Could you use Magic already?!”
“Me? I, uh…I can…kind of…”
“Kyaaaaaa!”
“Please show us!”
Through the encouragement of her fellow freshmen, Sistine caved into their demands.
“Alright…[Thunder sprites, pay heed, and strike with your electric shock.]”
Facing the wall, Sistine recited the chant to cash the Black Magic spell, Shock Bolt.
“Whoaaaaaaaaaa!”
The surrounding crowd of students applauded in excitement upon seeing the purple lightning emerge from Sistine’s fingertips to strike the wall.
“That’s amazing!”
“As expected from the top student!”
“She’s so cool!”
“I…guess…”
Sistine was embarrassed at the endless stream of praise from her peers.
Meanwhile, a figure was observing Sistine from afar.
“That’s quite the show, freshman. So, what are you really here for…?”
In the distance, the malicious gaze of several figures kept watch over their target.
Shortly after that commotion.
Kash, Wendy, Gibul, and the others were able to get together and share a table at the party.
Amidst the chaos, Sistine managed to sneak out of the venue along with Rumia.
“Sorry for dragging you along with me…”
Sistime apologized to Rumia as the pair walked down a hallway along the Academy’s main building.
“It’s no problem.”
Rumia replied with a smile.
“Although, why did you want to leave? We’re missing out on meeting our classmates…”
“Actually…there’s someone I wanted to meet here, but she’s not at the party…”
Sistine replied with a sigh.
“And who might that be?”
‘Professor Celica Arfonia. The Empire’s renowned Septende-ranked Mage. It’s said that her achievements in Magic are timeless, to the point of her being a living legend…”
“Oh, Professor Arfonia…”
Upon hearing that name, Rumia felt a little nervous.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea, Sisti?”
Rumia added, starting to worry about their little detour.
Meeting a legendary figure that’s said to have lived for 400 years.
The great Celica Arfonia is a great mage who continues to make great strides in the history of magic.
However, while many praise her brilliance in the field of Magic…
There were rumors that she was involved with the massacre of thousands of invading soldiers, and conducting a sacrificial ritual involving a whole town’s population…the truth behind these anecdotes remains a mystery to this day.
Essentially, Celica Arfonia was a person both worshipped and feared at the same time.
“I am. Besides, Grandpa once said that Profesor Arfonia was someone he highly respected.”
Sistine’s smiling reply gave way to reassure Rumia’s anxiety.
‘Your Grandpa…the one who passed away a few years ago?”
“Yeah. Regardless, I’ll follow in his footsteps to solve the mystery behind the Melgalius Sky Castle…but I have to meet Professor Arfonia to do that. She’s been to many ancient ruins on her own and is currently dealing with the S-Class ‘Underground Labyrinth’ ruins too. In order to rise up to the challenge, I should get to know my seniors in the field too right?”
“Ah ha ha…that sounds like a good idea, Sisti.”
“Though…fu fu…I wonder what kind of person is Professor Arfonia. Since Grandpa respects her a lot, she must be this super-cool person…”
And so.
“Hmm, according to the map, her office should be around here…”
Sistine & Rumia had arrived before the doorway into Celica Arfonia’s Research Lab.
“Yeah…this is it…”
Sistine took a gulp, and braced herself to knock on the door…
Until…
“The first time you decide to visit me after all these years, and the only thing you do is ask me for an allowance?! Goddammit, Glenn!”
“Kyaaaaa!!!”
Behind the door, the squeal of a man and a woman’s outrage could be heard.
“Wh-, what the heck?”
The pair were now reluctant to knock or open the door, as they both gave one another a nod and placed their ears by the door to satisfy their curiosity.
Within the room, they could hear the presence of several people partaking in the following conversation.
“Come on Celica, calm down! I’m just in a bit of a bind this month, that’s all! What are friends for right? Just loan me a little bit of dough, please?”
“Hah? Like hell! What the hell happened to the honest naive little you from before, you bastard?! Oh wait, I know! Get over here, I’ll fix you up good!”
“Uwa! Celica, please calm down!”
“Don’t try to stop me, Sara!”
“GYAAAAAH!”
The death-like squeal was in response to the sound of an explosion that went off.
(Just what the hell is going on in there…?)
Sistine began nervously sweating whilst continuing to eavesdrop.
“Oh come on, you she-devil! You went through this whole charade of wanting me, your adorable little son, to ask his mother figure for an allowance, only to disappoint him by sending him packing!”
“Oh? Do you really want to die this time? That can be arranged, I’ll make sure there’s nothing left of you to salvage from this world. [Return thyself to the cycle of providence-]:
“Oh no…don’t you cast [Extinction Ray] in here!”
“Then quit slacking off you lazy bum, and get back to work as Sir Edward’s escort!”
“Okay okay, I’m going, Master!”
*Craaaaash*
Sistine & Rumia pulled back upon hearing the sound of breaking glass, as its piercing screech forced them back from the door.
(Sisti, what do we do…?)
(We should probably come back later…)
Whilst whispering to themselves, the pair then resumed eavesdropping on the door.
“Um…Celica, about Glenn…”
A gentle voice as clear as a bell could be heard from within the room.
“Don’t say it…I know…”
Followed by a sorrowful sigh from the other woman.
“I’m such an idiot…of course, I’m worried about him…:
“Celica…”
“I had a hunch that Glenn would eventually find the reality of Magic to be overbearing…all because I wanted to help him achieve his dream of becoming this Mage Of Justice…despite knowing for a fact that he could never achieve it…”
“Yes but, truth be told, he hasn’t given up on it.”
“If that is the case then…I still can’t do it…I can’t just tell him to face reality and give up on his dream…I can’t say something that cruel to him…”
“…”
“In the end…I wonder if it’s all my fault. At the time, I was so happy that he’d found people who appreciated him, and I’m proud of his success. As a result, that’s probably why I didn’t think too much about pushing him onward…and now…I’m sure it’s my fault for his suffering…”
The woman’s monologue continues, with her anguish slowly causing her to burst into tears.
“Either way…it’s my responsibility to put an end to his dream…”
However.
“That’s not true! Glenn’s nothing like that! Regardless of what happened, I’m certain that Glenn has chosen his own dream now.”
The other womanly voice interrupted the self-deprecating woman’s voice.
“Sara…?”
“It’s true, even though things aren’t exactly how Glenn thought it would be…but he still believes in becoming a Mage Of Justice. Even though he knows the truth about himself, he’s still been able to protect many people, in the process of walking towards his own dream….he’s a strong young man Celica, please believe in him!”
For a brief moment, silence befell the room.
“You’re right…I should believe in him…”
“Thank you…Celica…”
“Yeah…Sara…you should stay by his side…that way, I’m sure that Glenn will turn out fine…I’m not sure how else to say this…”
“But…um, I’m always sort of dragging him down…”
“Your humility is appreciated, Princess of the Silvers Clan. I trust you to take care of him from now on…please stand alongside him, as the wind beneath his wings.”
In response to the woman’s plea…
“I-, I understand! Leave it to me, Mother-In-Law!”
…the other woman cheerfully replied.
At that moment, a deathly chill froze the air within the room.
“Who. Are. You. Calling. MOTHER. IN. LAW?!”
“Ah…I-, I uh…th-, that was a slip of my tongue…!”
“While I entrust you to look after him, that does not mean I acknowledge you as someone worthy of him yet!”
“Ah…that’s a bummer…”
“On second thought, it’s probably dangerous to leave such a misunderstood horny companion by Glenn’s side…one wrong slip up will be a disaster…alright, I’ve changed my mind, time to clear you ou-”
“U-, uh…oh look at the time, I’ll see you around Celica!”
*Crash*
This time, another glass window broke, followed by the violent swirling of wind in the distance.
(Good god…what the heck was all that about…)
(Um…)
Sistine & Rumia were confused as to what they’d just eavesdropped upon.
“Hey, you two. The ones behind the door, sorry you had to hear all that. Give me a moment to tidy up, I’ll be with you shortly.”
The woman within the room casually explained herself, as a single snap of the finger, could be heard shortly after.
“That’ll do. Okay, you can come in now.”
It would seem that the woman behind the door now turned her attention towards her new visitors.
Hesitant to leave, Sistine & Rumia gazed upon each other and opened the door in fear.
“Hello? We’re sorry for…huh?”
To their surprise, they noticed that the room was in pristine condition.
All four corners were filled with shelves housing various magic tomes unburnt by a supposed explosion, coupled with windowed glass that remained untouched.
The room was a calm well-kept office, almost as though nothing had happened in there.
(Was it just a hallucination…?)
Sitting on the office desk was a beautiful woman, with blonde hair and wide eyes, as Sistine couldn’t help but gaze upon the figure before her.
“…fu fu, do you need me for something, freshmen?”
At that moment, Celica noticed Rumia and widened her gaze.
“…you…”
“Um…did I do something wrong?”
Celica continued observing Rumia in contemplation for a while.
“…my apologies, it’s nothing. Anyways, is there something you wanted to talk about?”
“Um…hi! My name is Sistine Fibel, this here is Rumia Tingel, a member of my family!”
Whilst Rumia blinked her eyes in awe, Sistine began introducing herself nervously.
“We’re both part of the 399th batch that enrolled at the Academy today! I wanted to come by to say hello to you at least, that’s why we came by to visit you.”
“Hmm…say hello to me? That’s an interesting reason.”
Looking at Sistine bowing, Celica chuckled at the children before her.
“Everyone in the Academy has a good reason to fear me, causing them to keep their distance. And yet, you’ve got a lot of courage to visit me…surely you must be afraid of me?”
“Not at all! My grandpa, Redolf, always said that you were a great mage that he’d always respected-”
“Redolf!”
Upon hearing that name, Celica leaped off the desk she was sitting on.
To her surprise, she came up to Sistine & gazed upon her face.
“Fibel…of course! You must be Mr. Redolf’s granddaughter.”
“So you do know my grandpa?”
“Of course, I’ve always been a frequent patron of his various Magic Thesis, and he’s one of the few mages I respect…unfortunately, I heard that he’d passed away several years ago…I would like to express my condolences to you. His death is a great loss to the world of Magic.”
Celica closed her eyes and silently prayed to remember the deceased.
Upon seeing Celica’s gesture, Sistine was holding herself back from tearing up.
Sistine’s grandfather, Redolf, was unable to earn the respect of his peers in Magic Society as he grew older, causing him to be cast aside by those who unfairly downplayed his achievements.
Despite that, with the acknowledgment of the world-famous Mage that is Celica Arfonia, who respected her grandfather, that was more than anything Sistine could ask for.
“Ah, thank you Professor Arfonia…if you could say something like that about him, I’m sure that grandpa’s smiling from the heavens above…”
“I suppose so…come along you two, have a seat. I’ve got some nice tea leaves in the pantry. Let me boil a batch, and let’s talk for a bit.”
“Of course!”
“Thank you for your generosity, professor.”
And so, the trio spent some time chatting around a warm batch of tea in Celica’s lab.
Meanwhile, back at the party, where the crowd remained as lively as ever.
“Say, have you heard?”
“About that Sistine Fibel girl?”
“Yeah, apparently she went up to Celica Arfonia’s Research Lab to pay her a visit…”
“For real…? That’s amazing!”
“Guess this year’s student representative is really different from us all…”
“That’s expected from the daughter of the Fibel Family…
The rumors spread like wildfire amongst both freshmen and their seniors, with many praising Sistine’s recent actions regardless of whether it was true.
…while a small band of students narrowed their eyebrows in disgust upon hearing those words.
After their little chat with Celica, Sistine, and Rumia had returned to the party.
At the table where their classmates gathered, they spent the rest of the day getting to know one another.
As though it was a brief pleasant dream that lasted briefly, it was now near dusk.
The party came to its inevitable end, as students reluctantly disbanded and headed their own way.
“We’ll see you tomorrow alright, let’s all work hard together!”
“It can’t be helped then…see yall around!”
“Yeah…”
Regardless of their background, Kash, Wendy, and Gibul were able to expunge their differences from interacting with one another, despite there still being some lingering ill thoughts about certain things.
As for how their friendship will turn out, that’ll all depend on how they spend their time at the Academy.
“In any case, see you around, Sistine.”
“We’ll all be classmates for the next 4-years after all, let’s do our best!’
“I-, I wanted to say a few things…but for now…thank you for your help…”
“It’s nice to meet you all, see you again!”
Just as Sistine gave her farewells to Teresa, Cecil, and Rin with a smile, she was about to take her to leave until she realized something.
“That’s weird…”
Rumia was nowhere to be seen.
“…I could’ve sworn she was with us the whole time.”
Just as Sistine pondered to herself.
“Do you have a moment? Sistine Fibel?”
An ice-cold callout from behind caught her attention.
Turning around, Sistine was met with the sight of a smiling female student, wearing a green colored ribbon around her neck. In contrast, freshmen were assigned to wear red ribbons, an indication that this student was her senior.
“Hello…and you are?”
“Fu fu…my name’s Karen Nasir, a second-year at the Academy. There’s no need to be so formal with me.”
“Right…Ms. Karen, do you need something from me?”
“Just to confirm the rumors. I heard that you’re rather talented for a freshman. A prospective newcomer who decided to enroll at the Academy, even setting an unprecedented new record for those who took the entrance exam…”
“…?!”
Sistine frowned at the strange discomfort her senior was causing. Despite her praise, there was something off about her delivery.
“As your senior, I’m delighted to have such a talented freshman join us at the Academy. That said, I would like to offer you some ‘special guidance’ as your senior, as a welcoming gift to someone with such a promising future.”
“I-, I’m sorry, but I have to look for my friend. Maybe next time.”
Sistine could sense the red flags coming from her senior’s words and began turning tail to retreat until…
“Oh, how unfortunate. Perhaps we could give your friend this ‘special guidance’ instead? Unless you decide to change your mind.”
Karen’s blunt words stabbed Sistine in the back just as she was about to leave.
“What did you do to Rumia, Ms. Karen?”
Sistine turned back to face Karen, with a hint of hostility at her words. In response, Karen met Sistine’s hostile glare with a smirk.
“I want you to play along, Sistine Fibel.”
“…”
“So, what will it be? Do you accept my ‘special guidance’?”
Facing Karen’s ice-cold smirk hiding her inner rage, Sistine reluctantly agreed to her senior’s ultimatum.
As she silently followed Karen obediently.
Following Karen, Sistine found herself in the grassy courtyard behind the Academy’s main building, dyed red by the setting sun in the distance.
In the time since the party had concluded, the Academy was mostly deserted at this point.
However, three shadowy figures awaited their arrival.
“Sisti!”
Rumia let out a terrified sequel, whilst two second-year students alongside held her arms, holding her hostage. The duo was, presumably, Karen’s entourage.
“Sisti, please don’t worry about me and save yourself!!”
Hearing Rumia’s assurance in the distance, Sistine turned towards Karen to confront her.
“Karen…would you care to explain this ‘special guidance’ of yours?”
“Fu fu…did you forget? It’s just a welcoming gift.”
Karen chuckled at Sistine’s harmless glare.
“But I’ll be honest, freshman…you’re just such an eyesore to have around.”
“…?!”
“An up-and-coming freshman who decided to enroll at the Academy? Setting a new record on the entrance exam? And the heir to the prestigious Fibel Family? You must enjoy getting carried away with everyone praising your achievements.”
“What…I, I didn’t mean to…”
Sistine attempted to explain herself, only to be met by Karen brushing her hair aside, ignoring her junior’s reply.
“As your senior, it’s my job to admonish my juniors who get carried away…that’s why, my little freshman, I’m going to give you some ‘special guidance’ in a mock Magic Duel. You must be overjoyed to have me of all people teach you this lesson, right? Heh heh…”
Karen’s chuckle caused Sistine to tremble at the idea.
“That’s disappointing… that the glorious Alzano Imperial Magic Academy has despicable people like you…”
“Wow, I like that strong will of yours. Let’s see how long it lasts.”
“Just so we’re clear. If I partake in your ‘special guidance’, will you let Rumia go?”
“Of course, I will. You’re the only one I have a problem with.”
And so, the terms of the duel had been set by both parties.
“Sisti no! Don’t do i-…mmph!”
Just as Rumia cried out, her two captors kept her mouth shut.
“…then it’s settled. I’ll take you on, Karen.”
“That’s exactly what you should do.”
And so, the pair now face off in this mock Magic Duel.
(Sisti…)
All the while, Rumia watched with concerned eyes.
“Tch…”
While Sistine could feel the pressure of standing against her senior…
“Fu fu…”
In contrast, Karen glared back with her relaxed confidence.
“Come on, Sistine. Take as many shots as you want.”
Karen struck first by provoking Sistine to make her move.
In response, Sistine took a deep breath, and calmly assessed her situation.
Heartbeat thumping from the adrenaline, her knees shaking, with cold sweat dripping down her forehead.
In truth, Sistine was afraid, and she wanted to run away.
But thanks to her extensive studies, her father had taught her some basic Magic…but this was the first time she had to fight someone with it.
And so.
“[Thunder sprites, pay heed-]”
Sistine decided to cast this one spell, the Black Magic spell, [Shock Bolt]. It is a non-lethal self-defense spell that shoots an electric beam, enough to paralyze and incapacitate an opponent.
“[And strike with your electric sho-]”
Just as Sistine was about to finish casting her spell.
“[Thunder sprites, shock.]”
Karen had already cast her version of the spell, as her [Shock Bolt] flew towards Sistine.
“!”
Taken aback by Karen’s spell, the purple lightning bolt came upon Sistine.
“Kyaaaaaaaaaa!”
As it mercilessly shocked her.
The lightning bit into her body with a cackle on impact, as a numbing pain spread across her senses.
Causing Sisitne to fall onto her knees.
Upon seeing this, Rumia became enraged and tried to force herself free from her captors, but to no avail.
“Ahh…that…hurt…”
Looking at the fallen Sistine, Karen proudly postulated.
“So, do you know your place now? Freshman?”
“Tch…”
“So long as you apologize by saying, ‘I’m sorry for getting carried away, I’ll not do so again…’ while kneeling before me, I’ll conclude today’s lesson. So, how about it?”
“…”
Sistine gathered her trembling knees and staggered back onto her feet.
All the while, bracing for Karen’s next attack.
“Hmm…guess you still need more ‘special guidance’. Okay, round two then. Come at me.”
“Hah…[Thunder sprites, pay heed-]”
Sistine once again pointed her palm towards Karen, trying to cast her spell.
“[Thunder sprites, shock.]”
As Karen countered with her faster spell again.
“Gyaaaaaaaaah!”
Once again, the electrical sting struck Sistine into a squeal.
At the moment, there was no chance for Sistine to win.
So long as Sistine needed to cast her spell with 3-verses, Karen would always counter with her 1-verse chant. The difference in speed of activating spells was clear as night and day. However, so long as Sistine continued her studies, she would eventually be able to cast spells using a 1-verse chant.
But as it stands now, as a freshman experiencing her first day at the Academy, that wasn’t an option.
In this battle, the difference in experience favored Karen above all else.
“Now then, are you ready to apologize?”
Karen happily looked down upon the fallen Sistine.
“…guh…hah…”
Like before, Sistine had managed to endure the pain and stood up once again without responding.
Glaring at Karen with her teary eyes, she again pointed her palm at her senior.
“Hmph…are you for real?”
Karen was slightly astonished at what she was witnessing and sighed in disappointment.
“Even though I gave you an out, you still chose to do this instead…this year’s new student representative sure is a moron…”
In response to that.
“Like hell, if I’m kidding around!”
The silent Sistine sharply retorted back.
“?!”
As Karen became startled at her junior’s sudden callout.
“…I didn’t do anything wrong to you! I can’t apologize for something so insincere! Doing so would mean throwing my family name and grandpa’s legacy into the mud!”
“You…little wretch…”
“I came to this Academy…to continue my grandfather’s dream in the name of the Fibel Family, and to become a great magician by my name! And there’s no way I’m going to lose to someone like you!”
With her words, Sistine mustered the last of her stamina to stand against Karen.
“…so come at me!”
In response, Karen could only glare at Sistine.
(Just who the hell is this kid…if that’s what she wants, I’ll give it to her straight!)
Regardless of her intentions, Karen would gladly oblige her childish junior.
“[Thunder sprites-]”
Sistine began casting her spell once again.
“[Pay heed-]”
All the while, Karen sneered at Sistine’s futile attempt with her calm confidence.
(So long as she takes that long to cast her spell, I’ll wipe the floor with her face.)
As she cast her 1-verse chant.
“[Thunder sprites, shock!]”
With the chant, it was faster than Sistine’s 3-verse chant.
“Sisti!”
Just as Rumia managed to brush one of her captors aside.
“Wha…?”
From Karen’s left palm, there was no sign of any electrical bolt flying out.
“What…the hell? Why isn’t the spell working?!”
Karen’s eyes widened in shock.
“[And strike with your electric shock!]”
Just as Sistine finished her 3-verse chant.
Sistine’s electrical bolt flew from her left palm toward Karen, who was still stunned at what had transpired.
“Kyaaaaaaaaaa!”
The crackling purple lightning struck Karen’s body, and her nerves slowly received the lightning bolt’s energy.
The illusion of being struck by lightning had paralyzed Karen’s senses, causing her to bend on her knees, leading to her eventually collapsing onto the ground.
“Ugh….what kind of disgusting power was that…”
And so.
Karen’s consciousness had sunk into the darkness as she remained motionless.
“Ah! Karen!”
“You little punk, how did you beat her?!”
The two minions angrily gripped onto Rumia, dragging her along as they approached the exhausted Sistine, intending to pin her down…until…
“Hey! Just what the hell are you doing with those freshmen?”
A female student rushed onto the scene, putting herself before the two students in front of Sistine. Her dignified glare caught the attention of the two students.
“Ah! It’s Rize from the Student Council!”
“Eek! W-, we’re not involved with this duel! We were just leaving!”
The two girls quickly dropped Rumia aside to pick up Karen’s unconscious body by their shoulders and swiftly retreated.
“Damn troublemakers, on Orientation Day of all ti-…oh? You must be the new freshman…Sistine was it? Hmm…lemme guess what happened; someone got jealous over a freshman who threatens their position of power, causing them to pull something like this, and scurry off like a rat…all for a petty reason.”
The newly arrived female student who’d managed to piece together the series of events that had transpired exhaled, in disappointment. She is known as Rize=Filmer.
“Anyways, are you girls alright?”
“I’m fine. But, Sisti, are you…?”
“I’m alright, Rumia, don’t worry about it. Although it stings a bit, at least it was a non-lethal spell.”
Sistine gave the teary-eyed Rumia an assured smile.
“What a pain…I’ll have to deal with those three punks later.”
Rize smilingly declared.
“Rest assured, those three won’t be causing any trouble to you two again. You have my apologies for what happened.”
“Ah…there’s no need for you to bow, Ms. Rize…”
“Thank you for helping Sisti, Ms. Rize…”
“Ms…huh? So that’s how it feels like to be a senior to you newbies… that’s a nice feeling to have.”
Rize gave a blushing smile as she lifted herself.
“That said Sistine, you sure live up to your reputation.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Despite your opponent’s carelessness, you were still able to take down a senior. The difference between such a freshman and an experienced senior is clear. I look forward to seeing great things from you, okay?”
“B, but…ah, don’t pressure me!”
The trio shared a moment of chuckles, as one last thought crossed Sistine’s mind.
(…I wonder why did Karen’s last spell not work…)
The more she thought about it, the more it made no sense.
Meanwhile on the Academy rooftop, overlooking the courtyard below.
“…”
A young man wearing the standard-issue uniform of the Imperial Court Mage Corps leaned idly by the metal grates surrounding the rooftop.
He rested his head on the fence’s metallic surface, whilst gazing toward the town of Fejite.
While his hand held onto an Arcana card between his fingers.
“Glenn…what did you do?”
Standing behind the young man was another youth wearing the same Mage Corps uniform, with an ice-cool demeanor to compliment his long black hair that rustled with the wind. His gaze also resembled that of a sharp-eyed hawk.
“Just watching a boring scuffle play out for a bit…”
The young man then brought up his Arcana card.
With the image of ‘The Fool’ on it, tainted with bloodied letters across its surface.
“Though, by adjusting the spell’s parameters, I could tweak it to only affect that little lady down there…but that’s about it.”
“Ah ha ha…that sounds just like the kind of thing you’d do, Glenn.”
A silver-haired girl snuggled right next to the young man, with a cheeky smile upon her arrival.
“Hmph…I thought I told you to not get too involved…”
“Hey, come on man…”
The young man replied as such to the long-haired youth.
“Anyways, the Royal Guard will take over as Sir Edward’s escort back to the capital. In the meantime, we deploy for our next mission effective immediately.”
“It’s about looking for Jatice isn’t it? Who’s gone missing recently…?”
“That crazy nutjob? Maybe he went off to die in a ditch or something.”
“This is still our mission, don’t let your personal feelings get in the way of it.”
“Tch…fine, but he’s still a disgusting whackjob.”
“Ah ha ha…come on you two, let’s play nice now.”
Before the young man and long-haired youth could continue their scuffle, the silver-haired girl managed to alleviate the situation, as the trio slowly departed the rooftops.
On their way to leave, however.
“Say, Glenn, this Academy’s quite the interesting place isn’t it?”
“Really? How so?”
The silver-haired girl’s words caught Glenn by surprise.
“There are so many adorable little kids enrolled as students…it almost makes me want to become a teacher and take care of them as this older sister figure to them!”
“Oh hell no, becoming a teacher and taking care of kids is a pain in the ass, there’s no way in hell I am going to walk down that career path.”
“Eh? But…I think you of all people would make a great teacher…”
And that same moment, the silver-haired girl cheekily smiled as though she’d just made an interesting revelation.
“Hey, Glenn?”
“What is it?”
“That girl you helped out earlier, come to think of it, she looks kind of like me doesn’t she?”
“Huh…? Is that so? She was so far away I can’t tell what she looked like…”
“I had a hunch that you couldn’t stand watching her get bullied…is that why you decided to help her out, Glenn?”
“What are you talking about?! I did it just because I wanted to! There’s nothing more to it, you White Dog!”
“Hey! Did you just call me White Dog again?! You know I hate it when you do that!”
“Why are you two always this noisy…”
As their conversation continued…
The presence of the trio slowly faded away into the wind…as though they were never there…
Walking along the streets of Fejite, Sistine & Rumia were making their way home beneath the crimson setting sun into the early indigo-colored sky of the evening.
“Are you really alright, Sisti…?”
“Ah ha ha…sorry for worrying you, Rumia.”
Sistine attempted to assure Rumia’s slightly angry voice.
“It’s just that, I can’t just run away from a fight…not from those people who held you, hostage…”
“Ah…”
Upon hearing those words, Rumia lowered her head in guilt.
“…right…you did that for my sake…if only I’d been more careful…”
“Hey, don’t worry about it. Those girls were the worst, but things worked out in the end. As a bonus, I even got to meet Rize! Who turned out to be a reliable person we can count on to take care of this.”
Sistine hurriedly changed the subject.
“Still…a lot of things happened today huh? Meeting new people…some scary experiences…it was still a fun Orientation Day right?”
“Yeah…it was.”
Staring into each other’s gaze, the pair gave one another a silent nod of approval.
Of course, they had a fun experience today.
Despite their tussle with a bad apple, the pair had many new experiences just from this one day at the Academy…that was a fact.
“That said…I wonder what will life at the Academy be like moving forward…?”
“I’m not too sure…but I have a feeling that for the next 4 years here, it’ll be one of the most treasured years of our lives.”
“You’re right…let’s do our best, Sisti!”
“Yeah!”
With those words, the pair rested their foreheads on one another, with a blooming smile forming across their lips.
As they excitedly returned home to the Fibel Residence together.
End Transmission.
Afterword
Nobody reads the cringe down here.
Find more at the Translations List.
Check out the series’ Subreddit, Twitter, Facebook, or Discord for more.
Or the plan to push for the license in English. (And here, upvote the first post.)
We’re just doing a stand-in ‘job’ until it’s over.
Notes
To those who give a crap about this stuff.
1, Lore Stuff
This story is the 3rd-last story that takes place before Volume 1 of the main series.
In the time when this story was distributed, it was shortly before the anime broadcast in 2017, and the promotional material status of the novel meant that this was the kind of thing most people would almost never get to read about unless they found a copy from someone in Japan. Or well you know, Mercari/Yahoo Auctions.
As such, it’s unlikely this story would ever find a way to English officially, since the red tape surrounding novels released for promotional Japan-only events are annoying as heck to deal with, even for Publishers working DIRECTLY UNDER the company.
2, Translating Senpai (先輩) in text
This one was a Senpai-n in the ass to decide how to approach.
On one hand, you have this series that’s based on a Western medieval setting, where such honorifics only exist because the author is Japanese. This was easy since I was advised to drop the use of the term since well…it makes no sense to keep it around in a setting like this.
On the other hand, there was the pickle where Sistine addresses her seniors formally when they first meet. For this, we just kept the ‘Ms’ address for the first time she meets Karen & Rize respectively until the former character loses their ‘Ms’ status after revealing her true colors.
This is a minor gripe, but it’s interesting how the dynamics of keeping this simple term of ‘Senpai’ has so many hoops to think about.
Also, how stupid does the phrase ‘Senior <Insert name here>’ sound to read? Let alone speak out loud for recording. ._.
3, Karen’s ‘Special Guidance’ (指導)
The kanji used here coincidentally has ties with the term ‘Shido’, which involves disciplinary action for a minor infringement, specifically in Judo. (For some reason.)
In context, it makes sense, but calling it special discipline or something close to that is tricky, because how would it make sense to phrase something like this without making it sound like a trip to the dungeon downstairs?
Maybe this is right, prolly not. Either way, would you accept some senpai’s ‘Special Guidance’?
S.I.R We Read Stuff Here 