Chapter 36: Upheaval (4)
Chapter 36: Upheaval (4)
Jin watched as Ariel’s expression completely crumbled. Once again, the face of his teacher, the only clear memory from his past, naturally overlaid hers. And with that, Jin found himself feeling, once again, the same thing he had felt every time since the first moment he met her.
She bore an uncanny resemblance to his teacher.
* * *
Jin’s earliest memories began in a small orphanage in the village where he had spent his childhood.
He didn’t know how or why he had ended up in that village or the orphanage. Whether he had forgotten over time or had never known to begin with, he couldn’t say. But one thing was certain: in all the memories he retained, there was no trace of that journey. As a result, he had no concept, memory, or emotion connected to what it meant to have parents.
Even as a child with no formal education, Jin exuded an atmosphere that clearly set him apart from others. And because he lacked the innocence typical of children his age, he couldn’t hide it. His personality wasn’t friendly or sociable either. Back then, just like now, he was emotionally detached.
The other children in the orphanage, sensing how different he was from them, rejected him. Perhaps if they had bullied him, he might have learned something about emotions. But instead, they instinctively feared the strange aura he gave off and avoided him entirely. He was always alone and had no chance to learn what it meant to feel.
That was, until he met the wizard, Aska Elias.
Jin couldn’t recall how he came to discover his magical potential, or why a great wizard would go out of their way to visit a suspicious, guarded, reticent orphan like him. It was all a blank.
But in the present, he remembered this:
[“You’re a genius.”]
The wizard who had gently stroked his hair and spoken with such warmth.
Aska Elias had treated Jin, brittle and dry as a withered branch, with the utmost care, like handling fragile glass, as he tested the boy’s abilities.
When Jin’s magical talent finally revealed itself, the wizard’s usually sharp gaze widened in astonishment. And then, that compassionate man reached out to the desolate child without hesitation.
[“Would you like to learn magic? I’ll teach you.”]
Kneeling to meet his eye level, the gentle wizard asked softly. Their eyes met directly. Jin stared at the wizard in silence. His platinum-blond hair shimmered like sunlight in the breeze. His long, relaxed eyes held a gentle warmth in their crimson gaze.
Jin couldn’t look away from those eyes. That warmth, unlike anything he’d ever felt, wrapped around the affection-starved child like a binding charm.
It was so dazzling, so warm.
In a world that had always felt achromatic to Jin, it was the very first color to ever appear. And that color carried warmth. It reached his eyes and spread quietly, like ink diffusing in water.
He didn’t know what the feeling was called, but he knew one thing: he didn’t want to lose it. More than a desire to learn magic, what he truly wanted was to hold on to that gentle warmth, that kind gaze, and the feeling it gave him.
As if enchanted, he nodded. And in that moment, an invisible bond formed between them.
The wizard smiled deeper. And with that, the warmth and color surrounding him grew stronger.
[“I’m Aska Elias. You can call me Aska, or Teacher. Whichever feels more comfortable. What’s your name?”]
[“…Jin.”]
[“Jin?”]
Aska Elias repeated the name, as if confirming it. Jin gave a slight nod.
[“It’s nice to meet you, Jin. From now on, I’ll come see you once a week. I hope we get along well.”]
Aska reached out his hand, his eyes and lips curved gently in a soft arc. Jin hesitantly reached out and took it.
His first teacher. The first person to call his name. The smile that came with it. The warmth of their joined hands.
Jin was seven years old. And all of it became the very first light to shine in his colorless world. It was a moment so precious, its colors would never fade from his life.
* * *
Though the orphanage was always full of people, Jin had always been alone. The teachers gave him only the bare minimum of attention, and the children excluded him. His world wasn’t closed, but it was barren, a place no one dared to step into.
Into that desolate wasteland, Aska stepped for the first time.
Despite his cool exterior, Aska was a warm and gentle soul. That warmth, untouched and undistorted, seeped into the void that was Jin’s world. And because that world was empty, it accepted it completely.
Jin began to change. At first, even though he enjoyed Aska’s warmth, he had no idea how to express the happiness or excitement it brought. All he could do was silently follow Aska wherever he went. So Aska, seeing this, taught him not just magic but how to express emotions.
Jin, who had missed the time in life when one typically learns to feel, learned emotions from the gentle wizard one by one, as if painting onto a blank slate.
And with time, the lessons piled up. The more they met, the more Aska’s consistent, tender affection transformed Jin.
He gradually grew more accustomed to feeling and expressing emotions appropriate for his age. As he learned to express himself, the doll-like stillness on his face gave way to genuine liveliness, to expressions full of emotion. He even began to speak more.
Naturally, this transformation changed his atmosphere. He still had an extraordinary presence, but it was now softened by a warm, childlike glow. The children who had once feared his eerie aura no longer shunned him.
Those who had once avoided him began to grow curious, drawn not by fear, but by the talent he possessed that they did not. The same kids who once rejected him were the first to approach.
And Jin didn’t push them away. Why would he? The truth was, he had never been the one to shut others out – they had shut him out. He bore no ill will toward them and had no reason to reject their approach.
His once-lonely world gradually filled with warmth. Things he never would have imagined began to happen. Jin came to understand what happiness felt like, completely naturally.
So much had changed. And it had all begun with Aska Elias.
To Jin, Aska wasn’t someone who could be defined by the title of ‘magic teacher.’ He was the one who had taught him how to be with people, how to feel, and how to express those feelings. He was the one who had utterly transformed Jin’s world.
Aska Elias had pulled a small, feral creature, so used to solitude it didn’t even know it was alone, out from the depths of isolation and into the light.
The child who had never known spring finally understood how warm it could be.
Every day was fulfilling, but the days Aska visited were more than that. They were brimming with joy many times over. Jin shared every happiness he felt with Aska. That was how the child expressed his affection. And Aska always received it gladly, and returned it in kind.
Three years passed like that.
By then, Jin was still special, but also entirely a normal child for his age. Aska Elias remained his teacher, and they continued to meet once a week without fail.
[“Aska! Aska!”]
[“Yes, Jin. I can hear you just fine without you shouting yourself hoarse.”]
[“Look, I can do this!”]
With those words, Jin floated up into the air. No magic circle. No incantation.
[“I can do other things too. I think I can use every spell I’ve ever learned. All I have to do is think about it while saying it, and the magic just works. Is that normal?”]
The expression on Aska’s face was even more shocked than the day he first discovered Jin’s magical talent. It was the look of someone witnessing the impossible, frozen in awe.
[“That can’t be…”]
He muttered, almost dazed.
And no wonder.
Only about 1% of people across the continent had any potential for magic at all. Of those, more than 90% were ordinary mages who used drawn magic circles and incantations to cast spells. Fewer than 10% of the rest were known as Phema, those who could perform magic with just incantations and no other medium.
And beyond even them, there was a rare handful, less than a tenth of a tenth, who could use magic with no medium and no incantation. These rare beings, so rare that most didn’t even know they existed, were called Ark.
To be a Phema was already exceptional. But an Ark? That level of ability was virtually unheard of. At that time, there wasn’t a single known Ark in the entire Dantella region.
From the beginning, Jin’s magical potential had been overwhelming. His mana reservoir was dozens of times larger than the average mage’s. There was no spell in existence he couldn’t use due to lack of capacity.
But magical potential and spellcasting were two separate abilities. One didn’t guarantee the other. Yet Jin possessed both. Not just possessed – he stood at the pinnacle of each.
It was an inhuman level of talent.
* * *
A week later, Aska suggested to Jin that they travel to the capital and visit the central headquarters of the Mage Association together. Because Aska would be accompanying him, Jin didn’t hesitate. He accepted the offer immediately.
Aska felt guilty about taking such a young student on such a long journey, but Jin was simply overjoyed at the thought of spending more time with him beyond their weekly meetings.
It took four full days to return to the orphanage after undergoing a series of tests at the capital’s headquarters. They spent nearly three of those days on the train. It was a grueling trip for a child, but all Jin felt was sadness at the thought of parting with Aska again.
The test results arrived less than a week later, carried by a messenger bird. Thanks to that, Jin was able to see Aska sooner than expected.
[“The Mage Association has officially recognized your abilities and will register your name. Usually, registration requires reaching adulthood, but… well, I suppose it’s only natural in your case as an Ark… Ah, they’ve also given you the surname ‘Kreutz.’”]
Aska sat beside Jin with the messenger bird perched on his shoulder, reading the letter aloud. His usual composure was slightly shaken.
[“They say that if you move to the capital, you’ll receive training from renowned mages and full support for your living expenses. It’s a wonderful opportunity. Jin, what do you think about going to the capital?”]
[“Huh?”]
[“The capital is vast, full of people. You’ll be able to grow far more there than in a small village like this.”]
Aska added with a bright smile, clearly believing this was good news.
But for Jin, who adored Aska with a kind of blind devotion, the suggestion was nothing short of devastating. He shook his head violently, rejecting it outright.
……
T/N: Aww Jin took Aska as his own father although he doesn’t really understand what ‘family’ means 🥺
