Aurora's Thoughts

As Alex ventured into the wilderness, Aurora found herself adrift and struggling.

After millennia of isolation, Alex marked the first person to acknowledge her existence, which left her yearning for his presence.

She admitted, "It's only been three hours, and I'm already feeling this anxious. His presence is like a drug to me now."

Unfortunately, there was no one around to hear her ponderings. Aurora couldn't help but reminisce about her solitary existence, spanning thousands of years.

Prior to her entrapment, she led a secluded life, not necessarily because she was introverted, but due to her circumstances. She was also on the run from a certain group, necessitating minimal attention.

Her memories were hazy before the academy's founder discovered this place and the treasure that helped establish the academy. She had been in a semi-conscious state, oblivious to her surroundings.

Aurora let out an audible sigh as she recalled those early days. The first few centuries passed like a breeze, with her in a state of unconsciousness. 

Gradually, she became more aware of her surroundings, but life in this barren land, teeming with monsters and devoid of sentient beings, remained uneventful.

Then came the founder of Star Shine Academy. She barely remembered anything about him, having lived a long and isolated life that made her forgetful. 

"Uhh" she muttered, grappling with the painful effort to recall those memories she wished to forget.

Aurora eventually found solace in observing students attend their classes, peeking into the lives of the teachers, and witnessing the school drama unfold.

She bore witness to a spectrum of events, from romances and fights to the secretive affair of two married teachers, which sparked a whirlwind of commotion and chaos.

Regrettably, she couldn't witness the aftermath firsthand, but rumors and hushed conversations among the academy's staff and students provided enough insight.

As time passed, she grew tired of the never-ending drama and, in peaceful silence, took up residence in the old dormitory, where Alex now resided. Her life had become colorless and seemingly eternal.

But her world brightened when she met Alex. A smile crept onto her face as she mused, "Who would have thought I'd meet someone like him, an otherworldly being. At first, I was unsure, but he truly is one."

Unaware that Alex hailed from Earth, she was guided by her intuition, noting the distinctiveness of his soul compared to others.

Normally, seeing or feeling one's soul was was completely a absurd notion even in this world full of magic. It was almost impossible, even within the boundaries of this magical realm.

As for Aurora, her unique ability to perceive souls was attributed to her current existence in the form of a soul.

This sensitivity allowed her to distinctly feel the aura emanating from Alex's soul, which stood apart from any she had encountered thus far.

Initially, she considered him to be of a different race, but his frail form and lack of mana negated that theory. She suspected him to be a rare, mixed breed or a unique case.

Driven by curiosity, she observed Alex closely, leading to unexpected discoveries. "He's a prodigy in magic, and that 'system' of his shatters my understanding of reality."

Aurora continued to be astounded by Alex, especially when he pulled a vial of potion seemingly out of thin air. Each new revelation pushed the boundaries of what she thought was possible, and she couldn't help but sigh at the never-ending surprises.

The most remarkable of these surprises was his sudden affinity for the SS-ranked Dark element, a feat she deemed impossible. She anticipated more extraordinary achievements in his future.

But that wasn't all; what truly astounded Aurora was the incredible speed at which Alex learned a magic spell.

The heart of casting any magic spell lay in the precision of the magic circle. Even the slightest error in its configuration could render the spell ineffective.

The intricacy of magic circles lay in the fact that they were composed of runes, a natural language within the magic circle. These runes had a unique quality, a natural phenomenon that made them difficult to commit to memory.

Talent in magic was a critical factor because individuals with greater talent could memorize spells more rapidly.

Aurora was renowned for having the highest level of magical talent. On her first attempt at learning a Tier-1 magic spell, she mastered it in a mere five minutes.

However, when it came to Alex, the impossible happened. It didn't take him five minutes, not even five seconds; he grasped the spell instantaneously and cast it flawlessly on his very first try. This remarkable feat left Aurora utterly speechless.

"I can't wait to see all the impossible things he's going to achieve." She thought eagerly, acknowledging that only time would unveil the full extent of his potential.

"Haahaha"

Recalling their first encounter, Aurora couldn't contain her laughter. The memory of Alex's terrified expression when he first laid eyes on her, causing him to jump in fright and stumble backward, was truly amusing.

But that wasn't the end of it. He had initially pretended not to see her, attempting to devise an escape plan.

They quickly formed a close bond, and Aurora couldn't remember the last time she had so much fun.

Her days were now occupied with teaching him about magic, attempting to distract him during classes, and sharing stories from his past life and his previous world. The past month with Alex had been the happiest time she had ever experienced.

'Will he abandon me...?'

But there was a lingering fear within her. She pondered how he would react when he learned the truth about her, the prospect of abandonment haunting her thoughts.

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While Aurora floated aimlessly in her thoughts, a pink-haired woman donning glasses and a white lab coat made her way toward the dorm. In her hand, she held a peculiar circular device, the needle of which was pointed in this direction.

"Hmm, this should be the place, but I don't sense anything out of the ordinary. Does anyone even stay in this old, rundown building? I'll need to recalibrate this device. And here I thought I had stumbled upon something interesting."

With those words, the woman glanced around briefly with her device but soon departed, having failed to find what she was searching for.

Aurora observed the woman's actions and followed her, but upon seeing her leave, she decided not to pursue the matter further.

◆　◇　◆　◇　◆　◇　◆　◇　◆

In the forest, Alex moved swiftly towards the city gates, determined to return before nightfall to avoid any further encounters with terrifying monsters.

The confrontation with the monstrous wolf had been a stark reminder of his vulnerability and powerlessness in the face of genuine danger.

He understood that a simple mistake in this perilous realm could have easily cost him his life. It was a Tier-1 spell, cast today, that had saved him from the brink of death.

As he continued his journey, he remained enveloped in the afterglow of the day's events, his heart still racing from the adrenaline and excitement.

Unbeknownst to him, significant and relentless challenges loomed on the horizon.

Despite the uncertainties and potential perils ahead, these experiences served as a constant reminder of the incredible second chance at life he had been granted.