Komeharu: Struggles of a Mage

CHAPTER 3

I guess I’ve made progress. I was actually able to manifest magic for the first time! Although, it wasn’t exactly how others described it—light and colorful. Instead, it felt like the air tightened around me, suffocating me the moment I tried. But I’m still proud of myself for doing it. Now, I’m lying on my bed, waiting for my father to come home so I can tell him about my day.

“I’m home.” Dad’s voice echoed softly through the midnight silence, as he arrived late as usual.

“Welcome back, dear,” my mother said, her voice full of relief.

“Father!” I called out, rushing to embrace him.

We hugged him tightly as he entered. His body was bruised and battered, but he still stood tall and tough in front of us. Mother constantly worries about him, but he always puts on a brave face.

“Guess what, Komeharu!” he said, beaming with excitement.

“Yes, father?”

With a grin, he opened his bag and pulled out a small, scarlet scarf. Its color glowed faintly under the dim light of our home.

“Dear, is this…” Mother’s voice trailed off as she realized what it meant.

“I’ve been promoted to sergeant! I did it, dear!”

Mother immediately wrapped her arms around him, her eyes glistening with joy. It was a moment of relief for all of us. If I remember correctly, that promotion means an extra 200 esabs a month—an entire Auru! That’s huge! We laughed together, feeling like a weight had been lifted off our shoulders. This was truly a blessing.

“That’s not all, Komeharu, I brought a friend!” Father said, still smiling.

I paused. Wait, something about him seems familiar…

“Father, who is he—?”

“Yo, kid. Nice to meetcha,” said the man standing beside him. His voice was gruff, his clothes tattered.

“H-him?! The shabby mage?!”

“Hey, that’s not nice, Komeharu—Wait, you know him?” Father asked, taken aback.

“Yeah! I was about to introduce you to this fraud of a mage!”

“HUH? I’m pretty sure I made your money worth, ungrateful kid,” the mage retorted with a smirk.

“YOU JUST SPLASHED ME WITH WATER AND RAMBLED ON ABOUT NONSENSE!”

“Well, I’ll break the news to ya. Are you coming?” The mage’s tone shifted as he beckoned me.

“What do you mean—?” I was confused. What was he talking about?

“Do you know there are two schools in this city?”

“Of course… there’s our common school from Lord Kairu and the Eldershire Academy,” I replied.

Common schools don’t offer much; they teach basic magic but pale in comparison to the other academies. The Eldershire Academy is decent, not too shabby, but nowhere near the level of Scholaris in the Capital, the prime magical institute on the continent. It’s not like I could ever make it into those schools, anyway.

“Precisely. And the common school opens admissions next month,” the mage said with a sudden seriousness.

True, the common school might not be the best, but the most competitive students attend. It’s do-or-die there, with only the most skilled moving on to the Capital or, better yet, Scholaris. Less than 1% of the students get admitted through scholarships or contracts. The school itself is like a wooden hut compared to grand academies, but it holds hidden potential.

“No thanks. It’d be a burden to father and mother,” I said, not wanting to add to their struggles.

Father approached me, his expression soft but determined.

“That’s not a problem you have to worry about, Komeharu.”

I looked at my mother, who stood behind him, her smile warm yet resolute. They were serious about this.

“Mother?” I asked.

She nodded gently, confirming what I feared. They wanted me to go for it.

“But there’s a problem,” James—the shabby mage—interrupted.

The room stilled as he continued, “There are only 200 slots in the common school. And 1,000 applicants are expected.”

My heart sank.

“Mistake me not, Komeharu. The common school is no joke. There’s no age limit. Anyone can apply as long as they’re 10 years old. And you’re 13.”

My thoughts swirled in doubt. Only 200 spots out of a thousand? Did I even stand a chance?

“Still, even if dad and mom can cover the costs… I haven’t learned magic properly in my entire life.”

It’s true. Father works as a guard, while mother and I manage the house. Nothing changes—day in, day out. After thirteen years, I have nothing to show for it.

“Nooo! I have a brilliant plan, Komeharu.” James suddenly handed me a piece of paper with a strange, glowing sigil.

“Do the same thing I told you yesterday. But this time, don’t limit your mana—just throw everything into this one piece of paper.”

I hesitated, taking the paper from him. My parents watched with anticipation. I wanted to speak, but James stopped me.

“Shhh, I believe in you.”

I focused. I could feel the rough surge of energy within me, like a torrent of water struggling to break free.

“Komeharu?” my mother asked, her voice laced with worry.

The room began to glow as power surged through me. My nose started bleeding, and the world around me began to blur. I was losing control. What… what is this?

Behind me, a shimmering sigil formed, casting a light that illuminated the entire room. My parents stood frozen in shock. I felt like I was on the edge of passing out.

“JAMES?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SON?!” my father shouted, grabbing James by the shoulders.

James shrugged him off and replied coolly, “Trust me. This is truly impressive. I was right—your son can handle two-layer spells. This’ll make things easy.”

Suddenly, James raised his staff, casting a barrier just before a fiery explosion roared toward my parents. It all happened in an instant—almost as if he had planned it.

“That’s enough. With this, we can cheat at the entrance exam!” James declared, his voice unsettlingly calm.

“WHAT?!” Father was utterly bewildered.

“There’s no way Komeharu will master magic in a month. But if he’s good at releasing this much mana, we can just slap a sigil on paper and let him rip through the exam,” James explained nonchalantly.

“JAMES! You’re insane!” my father shouted.

I collapsed to the ground, my mother rushing to my side, while father continued glaring at James.

“Mark,” James said firmly, “do you really want to crush your son’s dreams? This is how the world works. Are you really going to tell him not to cheat when it’s his own mana he’s using?”

“That’s not his spell, James!” Father retorted angrily.

James sighed. “The entrance exam is next month. You’ve got a month to decide. But I suggest you think carefully.”

He turned to leave, pausing briefly at the door. “You can destroy his dreams… or give him a chance.” Then, without another word, he walked out as if nothing had happened.

Mother and father did everything they could to tend to me, their faces filled with worry as they tried to comprehend what had just unfolded.

Chapter 3 end.