This happened after school, the day after the Student Council had summoned me.
Next on the list of people wanting a piece of me was a teacher. My streak of bad luck had been going strong since yesterday. Honestly, I blamed the man in black for all of it. (A totally rational conclusion, obviously.)
“Yuka, I don’t wanna go,” I whined.
Ignoring my attempt at a tantrum, Yuka approached me with her usual expressionless face. She straightened my messy collar and brushed a stray speck of dust off my shoulder.
“Refusal is not an option. I shall accompany you.”
“I’d really like to avoid a lecture, though.”
“Is it not likely for an exam? In the end, you were the only one who missed the initial test, Master Luka.”
Ah. Come to think of it, she was right.
The magical power measurement had been postponed because of the attack. In other words, today was basically a private make-up exam.
“...Now I want to go even less.”
“Please, endure it.”
I was going to go anyway since there was nowhere left to run, even if she hadn't nudged me. Resigning myself to my fate, I headed toward the wing where the teacher was waiting.
The room was the Supplementary Lecture Room.
The only person inside was the teacher in charge of the exam. I was actually quite relieved that no one else was around. Speaking of which, I hadn't seen any of the teachers who had put their lives on the line during the attack. I really hoped that didn't mean they had... you know, died.
“You’re here. Sit.”
His voice was terrifyingly stern. I took a seat in the chair while Yuka stood at attention behind me. A transparent crystal sat in the center of the desk. I hadn't been allowed to touch it during the first attempt, so this was my first time seeing it up close since the incident.
“We will conduct a basic measurement of your magical power amount. Touch the crystal and channel your magic.”
Right, I'm supposed to smash this thing into a million pieces, right? (My hearing must be failing me.)
All joking aside, let’s just get this over with. I let out a small sigh and placed my hand on the crystal. I channeled every bit of magical power I had.
I pushed it all out.
The crystal didn’t react.
...Huh? Not even a glimmer.
“...Again,” the teacher said, his voice dropping an octave.
I tried once more.
This time, the crystal emitted a faint red glow. It was a pathetic, unreliable light, like the final spark of a handheld firework. Weak and flickering, it looked like it would vanish at the slightest breeze.
Wait, isn't it even weaker than before? Is my mana pool nothing but dregs at this point?
The room fell into a heavy silence. I gave a strained laugh and tried to play it off.
“I-Is it broken, maybe?”
The teacher didn't answer. Seriously, don't just ignore me.
He looked at the crystal, then at me, then back at the crystal. Yuka remained silent behind me. She didn't look surprised at all. In fact, she looked like she had already known the result.
Finally, the teacher opened his mouth.
“...You are not suited for magic combat. No, you are unsuited for magic itself.”
He really didn't mince words. I already knew that, of course.
“I figured,” I replied with a simple nod.
It was a cold, hard fact. This wasn't the kind of deficit one could overcome through sheer effort.
“...What was your name again?”
“Luka Noctear.”
“...A joke, surely? From that prestigious house... no, well, never mind.”
I can hear you, Teach. Every word.
The teacher continued. “Your basic training will proceed as scheduled, but I do not recommend aiming for a career as a frontline mage.”
“I wasn't planning on it. Sounds dangerous.”
In the first place, I couldn't become a mage even if I wanted to. I knew that better than anyone. The teacher narrowed his eyes slightly.
“If I recall, you were listed among the seriously injured during the attack.”
“That’s right.”
“You didn't use magic.”
“Because I can’t.”
The teacher fell silent, seemingly deep in thought. “...Then how did you survive?”
That was a difficult question to answer. Though, I didn't think there was any other reason.
“Luck.”
I didn't have any flashy, hidden powers. All I had was the "protagonist correction," and I wasn't even sure if that particular reincarnator perk actually existed.
After staring at me for a long moment, the teacher put the crystal away. (Pro-tip: your luck will probably plummet if you keep touching that thing.)
“...I will exempt you from the other testing sessions. I shall take charge of this matter myself.”
“Take charge?”
“It means there is no need to speak of this result to others.”
Ah, I see. I was recently being hailed as something of a hero, and since I was a member of a Duke’s house, it would be a major headache if word got out that I had an almost non-existent mana pool.
“That would be a huge help.”
The teacher let out a short, sharp breath. “Don't do anything reckless again. Next time, you won't be so lucky.”
“I won't.”
I stood up. “Let’s go, Yuka.”
“Yes, Master Luka.”
I never had any intention of fighting in the first place. I wasn't strong. I understood that better than anyone.
—Three days ago.
The hospital room was deathly silent. White curtains swayed in the breeze. Master Luka lay in the bed, still showing no signs of waking. His breathing was regular and quiet, and his complexion had returned to normal. It wouldn't have been strange for him to open his eyes at any moment, yet he remained motionless.
Yuka sat in a chair, watching him. She wondered what kind of expression she was wearing. Even in front of Master Luka, she found it difficult to smile lately. As the thought crossed her mind, her fingertips unconsciously clenched into a fist.
The healer in charge of his care spoke up. “His life is not in danger. But... it is strange.”
“...What is?” Yuka asked.
The healer furrowed his brows. “I can hardly feel any circulation of magical power within him.”
“...”
“It isn't depletion. It was low from the start... no, it is exceptionally thin.”
At those words, Yuka lowered her eyes. She already knew. Master Luka had told her. He had mentioned how he was struggling with his magic training—that no matter how hard he worked, he couldn't grasp it like those around him.
And yet, despite that, he had stepped forward. Even though he was less capable with magic than she was, or any of the others. Even though there were countless people at the scene far stronger than he was.
The healer continued. “He is a curious child. It’s a miracle he survived that place.”
“...Yes.”
Yuka gently touched Luka’s hand. It was warm. She could feel that he was definitely, truly alive. That knowledge alone was enough to bring her peace.
“Though, well, he likely isn't suited to be a mage,” the healer remarked casually.
In that moment, for just a fleeting second, the hand touching Master Luka stopped moving.
Unsuited to be a mage. What of it?
It was true that he had almost no magical power. It was true that despite being a noble, he was not skilled in combat. And yet, even so... in that desperate moment, he was the one who had moved.
Faster than anyone. With less hesitation than anyone. He had stood in front of her.
She stood up quietly and turned toward the doctor.
“...Even so,” she said.
The healer looked back at her.
“He saved people.”
Saying only that, she returned her gaze to Luka. His sleeping face looked the same as always—a bit silly and soft. He looked as if he weren't thinking about anything at all. It was a stark contrast to his face in that moment: the calmest, most desperate expression she had ever seen.
She let out a soft breath. “Even if they cannot fight, there are people who will still step forward.”
It wasn't an affirmation or a rebuttal. It was simply a fact. It was the essence of the person known as Master Luka.
The healer shrugged his shoulders. “How peculiar.”
“...Indeed.”
Peculiar. Foolish. Reckless. Perhaps all of those descriptions were correct.
Even so...
She sat back down and whispered quietly, so low that no one could hear. “...That is simply who Master Luka is.”
She decided then that when he finally woke up, she would change. She had been right to believe in him. The fact that his magical power was low, the fact that he couldn't become a mage—all of it was trivial. He would surely just laugh and brush those things off.
In that case, she wanted to be the one person who truly understood him. She knew that people would sacrifice even their own families to survive. But he had changed her life—a life that had once been destroyed by betrayal.
So, it was her turn now. She would stand by his side for as long as he allowed it.
Outside the window, the evening sun spilled into the room. Beside the sleeping boy, a single girl waited in the silence.