In front of me stood a pitch-black beast on all fours.
The crescent moon shape of white fur on its chest revealed it to be an Asian black bear.
As a child, watching TV shows about bears made me think, “Bears are scary.” But now, all I could think was, “It’s smaller than I imagined.”
Nevertheless, it was still a bear.
Most people would either run away in fear or play dead.
But I chose neither.
“Come on!”
Lowering my center of gravity, I stared down the bear. The bear reared up on its hind legs, swinging its massive arms that could easily kill a person.
I didn’t bother dodging; instead, I raised my left arm to block.
“Heavy…”
The impact on my left arm was greater than expected. However, my body didn’t waver in the slightest.
The bear hesitated as if contemplating a retreat but couldn’t move away since I had a firm grip on its arm.
“Take this!”
While still gripping the bear’s arm, I kicked its exposed abdomen.
“Ugh!”
The bear groaned and fell forward. I kicked its descending face. The bear stumbled and fell flat on its back, remaining completely still.
“Hmph… That’s all you’ve got…”
My movements and strength are not that of an ordinary person. Normally, defeating a bear with bare hands is impossible.
But I am not an ordinary person.
Magic.
A word that only appears in comics or games, but it actually exists in reality.
I used this magic, or rather magic power, to enhance my physical abilities and defeated the bear. Otherwise, I would’ve been taken out by the bear’s first attack.
“Tsukasa, did you bring down the boar… Wait, that’s a bear!?”
A voice called out from behind. Turning around, I saw my white-haired grandfather in a gi, staring in surprise at the bear.
“Grandpa, you should’ve said there’d be bears…”
“Are you telling me you didn’t know bears live in Japanese mountains? What kind of education did you have?”
I didn’t know…
We never learned that in school.
“I’m from the city.”
“A city boy, eh?”
City?
No, ward…
Whatever, it doesn’t matter.
“I encountered it while looking for boar. Can you eat bear?”
I’m here in the mountains because Grandpa tasked me with bringing back something edible.
“Maybe? I don’t know. It might upset your stomach, so better not.”
“So no dinner then?”
No way.
I’m a 16-year-old at the peak of my growth spurt.
“Hmm… How about some instant curry then?”
“If you had that from the start, it would’ve been fine!”
I love curry!
“I wanted to teach my grandson how delicious boar is. Well, no help for it. Let’s head back to the cabin.”
As I thought about setting my own traps to hunt or go myself another day, hunger hit, and I followed Grandpa obediently back to the cabin.
There waiting for us were instant supermarket curry and rice. We began eating.
“Good, isn’t it?”
It tastes better than what we usually eat at home.
“Having a meal in nature is quite the experience, isn’t it? It’d be even better with some boar meat added…”
Ah…
“Grandpa, have you always lived like this?”
I had run away from home for a certain reason and found myself in the mountains with my grandfather.
“Around half the week. The other half I live in the city in a condominium.”
You have a place in town too?
“Let me stay there then.”
That way, I can commute to the mountains.
“Forget it. Go home. Makoto and Giselle have been worried about you.”
Makoto is my father’s name, and Giselle is my mother.
“Worried? When did you get a message?”
“Just now.”
Saying this, Grandpa took out his smartphone.
“Huh? Grandpa, you have a smartphone?”
“Of course. There’s WiFi too.”
When I checked my own phone, sure enough, it had signal.
“I was planning to isolate myself from the world…”
“You fool… Just because you failed the high school entrance exam, you think you can become a hermit? At least shut in at home if you can’t live up to expectations.”
“I can’t do that. My room doesn’t have a lock, and the neighbors might think our family has a hikikomori.”
That would be embarrassing.
And pitiful.
“Well, study for a year and try again or find work.”
“Eh… I don’t want to be a schoolmate or junior to the current high school students. And I don’t want to be left with only a middle school education.”
“You’ve always been a spoilt child. Why did you fail the entrance exams anyway?”
“I’ve never been a great student.”
Just a bit.
“Your father and I always said your grades were terrible.”
Shut up…
“That’s beside the point. They said they’d send you to a prestigious private school, but you couldn’t possibly keep up, and you wouldn’t have gotten in anyway.”
“Yeah…”
“Then you lowered the target school’s rank, didn’t you? A lot…”
“Right…”
“Had safety schools as your main targets and slacked off, failing even them, didn’t you?”
Yeah… kinda…
“You could say that…”
“You idiot… Such a fool… Toko is so brilliant but…”
Toko is my twin sister, or maybe older sister, though I’m not sure.
“Don’t mention her. She’s taken everything good from me.”
Especially intelligence.
“Is that so? Your parents always praised Toko for working hard.”
“Grandpa… You need talent to work hard. I get headaches every time I sit down at my desk.”
I get dizzy reading textbooks.
“Such a failure… So you came here?”
“Yep. To become a wizard at your place. I can take down bears after all.”
I just did.
“You fool… That’s not a wizard; it’s a mountain man or a hunter.”
“If I can’t use proper magic, it can’t be helped. I’m confident in my physical strength.”
Even though I have considerable magical power, the only magic I can use is the one that boosts physical abilities. I can’t use regular magic because it’s too difficult.
“You… Didn’t you say you’d live normally since you lacked magical talent?”
As a child, I quickly gave up on magic lessons from my parents because I failed to understand them.
“Since normal life didn’t work out, I’m switching my class to wizard.”
“Can’t even use fire magic, can you?”
“There are many forms, and everyone has strengths.”
Right…
“You’re only good point is being positive. Though it feels more like you’re just good at excuses…”
“Doesn’t matter. Anyway, see you around.”
“Go home.”
Eh…
Isn’t this where I should nod and agree, saying it can’t be helped?
“Why?”
“I understand you want to become a wizard. If that’s the case, go home and tell your parents.”
“I’ve run away, though…”
It was late April, and people were celebrating Golden Week. Because both my parents and sister were off from work and school, the house felt awkward, so I left home.
“Did you leave a note saying you were going to visit grandpa?”
That’s running away.
“Exactly. Running away. Dinnertime is like sitting on pins and needles. Recently, father even suggested playing catch.”
Am I such a kid?
“A complete swelling…”
“Yeah, so let me stay here until Golden Week is over.”
“No. I have some work abroad…”
Huh?
“Is it wizard work?”
“Sort of.”
Ah…
“Can I help?”
“Not combat though?”
Then I don’t want to. Besides, I can’t be useful in other ways.
“Am I alone here?”
“No, go home…”
“No way. Honestly, there’s nothing to do…”
The other day, watching educational TV during the day made me nearly cry.
“Truly a spoilt grandson… Can’t help it. I’ll deal with it somehow.”
“Deal with what?”
Tsukasa… Do you really want to be a wizard?”
“Yeah.”
“Becoming a wizard is tough and harsh. Living normally is far easier. Actually, your father chose the ordinary path.”
Father can use magic but works as a regular office employee.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure? No regrets?”
“Nope.”
“Hmm… Then I’ll give you this.”
Saying this, Grandpa handed me a shining golden bracelet.
“What’s this?”
“This will guide you into the magical world.”
Ah…
Expensive looking bracelet. Does it suit me?
“If you really want to become a wizard, then wear it… Listen until the end!”
I had already slipped it onto my left wrist.
“What? Shouldn’t I wear it? Oh! I can’t take it off! Uh!? Is it cursed!?”
I couldn’t remove it no matter what.
“Idiot… Are you really from the prestigious wizard family La Folle?”
La Folle is my mother’s maiden name. My sister is becoming a wizard from the La Folle family, calling herself Toko La Folle.
Rather middle-school fantasy-like, isn’t she?
“Don’t care about some chocolate or wine-sounding family. What about this?”
“Ah… That bracelet will turn you into a wizard. Once worn, you can’t remove it. If you only half-heartedly desire to be a wizard, stop now. If you have the strong will to become a wizard, then wear it and face the hardships ahead. This is your crossroads in life.”
“You should’ve said that earlier!”
I’ve already put it on.
“Even as my cute grandson, I’ll hit you…”
Sorry…
“I will become a wizard… But wearing this, what? It’s just an unremovable bracelet, right?”
I don’t feel any magical power.
Even I can tell that much.
“Sigh… You can stay here tonight, but go home tomorrow. Then you’ll understand.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. There will be hardships and difficulties. But if anyone can do it, it’s you. You may be clumsy and not talented with magic, but you have powerful magic reserves. I believe there isn’t anyone better than you at wielding magic.”
Really?
True, I’m confident in my magical power reserves.
Though I can’t use it properly…
“Well whatever. Grandpa, do you have a charger? Got time to kill, gonna watch some videos.”
It’s only 6 PM, too early to sleep.
“Listen… You modern kids. There’s a tablet for videos. I’ve been into anime lately.”
You’re a modern grandpa too.
—
“Um?”
I awoke feeling a chill. The sunlight streaming through the cabin window told me it was morning.
“Grandpa, what time is it?”
While still bundled in my futon, I asked, but no one replied.
“Hmm?”
My early rising grandpa certainly wouldn’t still be asleep without answering. So I got up. The cabin was empty.
“9 AM… Did he go out?”
Checking my phone’s clock and looking around the cabin, I spotted a folded piece of paper on the cushion where Grandpa had sat.
“Maybe a note?”
Getting out of bed and moving to the cushion, I examined the paper.
[To Tsukasa. I’ve gone to work. After you wake up, go home quickly.]
Looks like Grandpa had already left.
“He didn’t even wake me up…”
Muttering this, the white space on the paper continued to write more text.
[By the way, I did try to wake you up. The one who said he was too sleepy to get up was you.]
Ah, a wizard’s doing…
“Ah… I’ll go home then…”
I threw the paper aside, changed clothes, and left the cabin. Walking down the mountain trail, I took the train and arrived at the station closest to my house.
Returning home, what’s going to happen?
I might as well show this bracelet to Mother and have her dispel any curse…
Honestly, it’s just getting in the way…
I absentmindedly touched the bracelet on my left wrist then started walking toward home slowly. I soon arrived at my house to find an unfamiliar black car parked in front.
“Huh?”
Are we having guests?
Don’t want to appear as a NEET, so I should pass some time somewhere…
Just as I thought this, Mother, who has blonde hair from her foreign origins, came rushing out of the entrance.
“Tsukasa!”
Mother called my name and waved to me.
“What’s up? Oh, I’m home.”
“Where have you been!?”
Eh?
“I left a note saying I was going to grandpa’s place. Didn’t you also contact him yesterday?”
“Where’s grandfather!?”
Is she listening to me?
This conversation doesn’t make any sense.
“Grandpa said he was going somewhere for work. That’s why I returned.”
“…”
Mother looked down.
What’s really going on?
“- Excuse me, are you Tsukasa?”
A strange grandpa with an impressive white beard emerged from our entrance.
“Who are you? Do I know you?”
I confirmed with Mother.
“Tsukasa, just go inside for now.”
This is confusing…
“Alright…”
Answering, I entered the house. Mother and the strange grandpa followed suit.
“Put your things down and come to the living room.”
“Okay…”
Though I didn’t understand, I obeyed when I noticed Mother’s usual smiling face was serious, and headed upstairs.
On the second floor corridor, there was a girl with shoulder-length black hair looking worried.
My twin sister, Toko.
She looked entirely Japanese, unlike the La Folle surname she bore.
“Hey.”
“Brother, did you do something?”
“I dunno. I just came back from grandpa’s place. Who’s that grandpa? Do you know?”
“That’s the principal of the Magic Academy.”
Magic Academy?
What’s that?
“Meaningless…”
What are you talking about?
“Tsukasaa! Hurry up!”
Mother’s urging voice came from downstairs.
“What? Seriously…”
I said while handing over my bag to Toko.
“Could you put it in my room?”
Saying that, I headed downstairs toward the living room.
In the living room, not only Mother and the strange grandpa but Father were also sitting at the table.
“Eh? I want to take a bath…”
I said while taking my seat.
“Tsukasa, let’s start with introductions. I am Gustav Lindenberg, principal of Magic Academy.”
The strange grandpa introduced himself with a bow.
“Hello. I’m Nagase Tsukasa… err… what’s this Magic Academy?”
I asked and the strange grandpa showed a surprised expression.
“Wasn’t he told?”
The strange grandpa looked at my parents.
“Since Tsukasa wasn’t interested in becoming a wizard…”
“He didn’t show much interest in theoretical studies…”
My parents answered somewhat awkwardly.
“I see…”
What is this conversation?
I’m being left out here…
“Ah, but I’ve decided to become a wizard!”
“Huh?”
“Really?”
My parents looked at me.
“He’s done nothing but complain about it until now.”
People change.
“So, what is this Magic Academy? Never heard of it.”
“Is it a school?”
“Tsukasa, you know there are wizards in this world, right?”
The strange grandpa asked me.
“Of course. My parents and sister are wizards… oh, Father isn’t?”
“In the broader sense, he is.”
Ah…
“Though I’m not sure about the details, I know there are wizards. I can use enhancement magic too.”
“I see… then this is simple. As you know, there is magic in this world and people who use it. Wizards scattered worldwide to escape from the witch hunts of the past.”
Witch hunts? Never heard of them.
“So what?”
“Actually, those wizards created a different world in another dimension to escape from the witch hunts.”
Another dimension?
“What do you mean?”
“They created another world separate from this one and migrated there.”
Migrated… ?
“Huh…?”
“There they live. Naturally, there are schools to teach magic. That’s the Magic Academy.”
“So you’re the principal of that school?”
“That’s correct.”
Ah…
“Never heard of it.”
“I’m quite surprised. Your sister Toko attends that school.”
Eh? Really?
Ah, that’s right, Toko did know that this person is the principal of the Magic Academy…
“Never heard of it… Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
I looked at my parents.
“Because Tsukasa… Ah, well…”
“Um…”
Ah, it’s because I failed the high school entrance exam and became a NEET. There was no way they could talk about my twin sister’s school while the atmosphere was so awkward between us.
“Sorry…”
The living room’s atmosphere became heavier.
“Ah, what happened?”
The principal, who didn’t know anything, looked at our depressed expressions with concern.
“Uh, so what is the principal here for? Should we call Toko?”
Why am I here?
Has Toko done something wrong?
“The matter is yet to come. Tsukasa, you were with Kiyoshi-sama… wasn’t it?”
Kiyoshi is Grandpa’s name.
“Yes, I was with him in the mountains until yesterday.”
“Where is he now?”
“He said something about going abroad for work. I woke up this morning to find only a note and then returned home.”
“I see…”
The principal began to think while stroking his long beard.
“Is something wrong?”
“Hmm… You don’t know anything, do you?”
“Know what?”
A lot of things were discussed…
Essentially, it was about being an idiot…
“Do you know anything about the bracelet?”
Bracelet?
“This one?”
I showed my golden bracelet by rolling up my sleeve.
“………..Hmm…”
“Ah…”
“……”
Staring at my bracelet, the three of them looked up at the ceiling.
Why? What?
Thank you for reading!
If you found this story ‘fun’ or ‘makes me want to read more’, registering it as a bookmark or rating it ‘★★★★★’ instead of ‘☆☆☆☆☆’ would greatly encourage the author’s efforts.
I sincerely appreciate your support.
Also, I’d be fortunate if you could read other works as well. (There’s a link below)
