Chapter 3 - Pink Hair

When Basara saw that castle on the horizon from his bedroom window that morning, he would never have guessed that it was a magic academy, or rather the Ortigia Academy, as it was officially called.

That world, which had been created by that being, was called Nexus. There were no great nations or kingdoms. No internet or cell phone either. There were airships and combustion trains, although they were rare to see because the railways were scarce. In other words, it was a much wilder world than his.

However, in Basara's original world, he was raised in the Village of Heroes, a place exiled from most of normal civilization. So, he didn't find the idea of not having access to some benefits of the modern world so bothersome.

Sure, it was frustrating not to go to a convenience store at three in the morning to buy some tasty ultra-processed food, but at least people actually looked at each other instead of focusing on their cell phone screens all the time.

This Ortigia Academy was that ancient castle surrounded by the town he was in. Jin had told him that the city around the academy was known as the City of Academic Magic because of that ancient castle.

Inside this academic city, only students, teachers, scholars and other staff were allowed to live. Jin had been hired as a wall guard, so he could buy a house in the city.

Even with such restricted access, the City of Academic Magic still had everything you would expect from a large ordinary city, as some Merchant Companies were allowed to operate there. There were stores, taverns and even inns for travelers who received special permits to enter the city.

That morning, as he left with Jin, Basara could see from afar the walls on which his father would soon begin work. Jin had explained that he could only come home once or twice a week.

'There are certain things that don't change even in other realities, right? He was always the kind of father who traveled for long periods,' thought Basara, as they walked along the sidewalks with their hands in their pockets.

The city was big, but a little different from what he was used to. It didn't have that modern hustle and bustle with cars and horns; it was noisy, with many carriages and wagons pulled by large lizards or horses.

On every corner, Basara came across spells being used for small everyday jobs, such as lighting lamps or making fruit fly into customers' bags. For him, who had always had to hide his abilities, seeing people casually using magic still caused a bit of discomfort, but it also brought relief.

Before they even approached the World Academy, Basara saw students like himself, identifiable by their uniforms. The girls wore red skirts, white blouses and dark vests with the Academy crest. The boys wore black uniforms with short cloaks that also bore the crest of a crossed sword and staff.

From a distance, the students looked almost indistinguishable, with few features that differentiated them from humans - and some, in fact, were just humans like him. However, in that school, there were also demons, vampires, angels and other races. He was curious to know how they all lived together.

When he stood in front of the gates of the Ortigia Academy for the first time, Basara would confess that his heart was racing a little.

Jin accompanied him there just to support him, and placed a hand on the top of his son's head, shaking his hair a little.

"Hey! Don't do that in front of everyone," said Basara, with a slightly irritated tone.

"Are you ready for this, Basara?" Jin asked, looking seriously at the gates, just as the boy had done moments before.

Basara looked ahead again and thought that it couldn't be that bad. It seemed like a calmer world than his, where at least there was a union of races, and the only major goal was to become strong enough to defeat that crazy entity. However, before thinking about that, he wanted to see some people with his own eyes.

Mio, Maria, Chisato, Yuki... were they all okay?

"I... don't know if I'm ready. But I'll do my best so you don't have to worry about me, Dad," Basara answered honestly.

Jin smiled, and that smile made him feel comfortable. "We all start from somewhere. Magic is a skill that grows with time and practice. You have the potential, you just need to believe in yourself."

And with a slight nod, Jin pushed him forward, making Basara take the first step into the unknown.

"Go on! See you in a week!" Jin waved, encouraging Basara.

The push his father gave him was all the impetus Basara needed. With that, he walked to the gates and crossed them without a problem.

The courtyard was full of students who already seemed to have settled in, and he felt like a fish out of water. Then he remembered what Jin had told him before they left home:

"If you feel lost, use the letter you received from school yesterday to guide you."

With a sigh, Basara reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an ordinary paper letter. There was nothing extraordinary about its appearance - at least at first glance. But as he opened it, a soft light emanated from the paper, and the words on the surface, previously illegible, rearranged themselves.

"Welcome to the World Magic Academy, Basara! Your classroom is located in the West Wing, near the Lute Board. If in doubt, shout 'direction' for help."

He stared at the letter in disbelief.

"Shout 'direction'?" he muttered, shaking his head. "Who would be shameless enough to do that on the very first day? Ridiculous..."

No one would want to attract so much attention on the first day of school.

Suddenly, amid his reverie, someone bumped into him, bringing him back to reality. Although Basara wasn't moved by the bump, the person who collided with him wasn't so lucky. They went down with a soft thud. As he turned to see who it was and perhaps offer to help her up, he was a little surprised by the girl's beauty.

She had light pink hair and gray eyes. She was wearing the Academy's women's uniform, which seemed a little larger than necessary. And there she was, sitting on the floor, still a little dazed from the fall, and holding a letter in her hand.

However, honestly, that wasn't what Basara immediately focused on. Without realizing it, the girl had her legs slightly spread, and he, also without realizing it, was staring at the white panties that were showing.

[You looked at Moka Akashiya's underwear.]

[+10 Naughty Point!]

'Naughty Points? That's about... This isn't the time, Basara!' he thought to himself.

Bending down quickly, he held out his hand to help her.

"Ah... I'm sorry!" he muttered, looking away to avoid any further embarrassment.

The girl seemed to be in a momentary state of shock until she raised her face, revealing a slight blush on her cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't see you there." She said.

"Let me help." Basara insisted, still holding out his hand. She accepted, and with a firm tug, he helped her up.

When she was finally on her feet, she seemed a little calmer. She held the letter against her chest, as if it were an amulet, and straightened her uniform with her free hand.

"I'm Basara Toujou, a new student here."

"Nice to meet you, Basara-san. I'm Moka Akashiya," she replied, giving him a shy smile.

"My pleasure, Moka-san," he replied with a friendly nod.