[Feb. 14. 2023.
Afternoon. I return to my flat heartbroken, but not overly bitter about it. I decide to move on. It is not a big deal anyway. I tell myself that being magic-less should not be so bad. There are other career pathways I can take in the future. I guess, I just envy the mages for being able to wield supernatural powers. They just look so fancy, and interesting.]
"So a childish dream, huh?" Hans comments as he finishes reading the entry for February 14.
He understands what the initial Hans's thought process is like. For someone, the idea of being able to wield magic is such an enviable thing. The powers to command the elements, perform supernatural phenomena, and delve into the secrets of the universe— just by hearing them alone, a person will inevitably think how dreamy all of this sounds.
"Trust me, bro, you dodged a bullet this time…."
Hans lies on his chair comfortably as he looks at the ceiling above him.
"Magic, huh? It really is tempting, but I know better…"
The magic in this world has a unique system of its own. Once an individual awakens their magic powers, their soul will undergo evolution, and as a physical manifestation, a 'tattoo' will emerge from the said individual's random body party— this tattoo is the Geass which is proof of a mage's awakening.
Geass serves as the restriction of the mage's powers, and similarly, an anchor point for the soul, mana, and magic traits. This world is definitely wacky as instead of the staple 'mana' as an energy resource that is usually the setting in a magical fantasy world, the mages of this world refer to 'mana' as the positive emotions that dwell in the human psyche.
The mages of this world basically rely on the power of love to perform magic.
For Hans who is a very pessimistic person, the idea of learning magic in this world is just blasphemy to his own principles. On top of being an overly cynical person, he lacks a great deal of trust in women.
"I don't need to learn magic… I just have to pick up my old profession. I see my future as a novelist to be very bright in this world. It isn't so bad… Maybe I will get lucky…"
Hans returns to reading the journal of the old Hans. He should not neglect his identity unless he wants trouble suddenly knocking on his door while he remains unaware.
[Feb. 15. 2023. I awakened my magic.]
"…"
Hans rubs his nose bridge feeling his sinusitis.
"Like man, what is your problem?"
Hans returns to reading the Journal of a H*rny Boy.
[I don't know how, but I think it happened yesterday. After I wake up to wash my face and brush my teeth, I suddenly realize there is a tattoo on my tongue. I believe this is a Geass. I immediately send an email to the Bureau of Magic to report my awakening, so that I may learn what my restrictions are lest I accidentally die for violating my Geass.]
That is the end of the Journal Entry.
The old Hans is a really interesting character. To think he is using a Word document as a diary journal is interesting enough, but for him to be so eager to become a mage, the current Hans cannot help but feel a sense of betrayal.
"What is your problem!?"
Hans pulls his hair in tarnation. He rather prefers being an unregistered mage though it is against the law, it is better than the possibility of associating with the characters of the novel, especially the main heroine. Hans doesn't want to suddenly intermix with the plot and end up either being cannon fodder, the heroine's capture target, or simply just dead.
Registering after all means the enforcement of 'Compulsory Education' which will end up on him whether he likes it or not enrolling at the Academy of Magic where the main plot will occur.
Even if Hans actively evades the characters of the novel, he will not be able to avoid the 'troubles' that will be ever-present haunting the academy.
Hans checks his Geass by the mirror. It is kind of difficult to see because of the angle. Thankfully, the mirror is big enough for him to see what the Geass looks like. The Geass looks like a grotesque beating heart with deep blue flames enveloping it.
"For now, my priority is survival."
With renewed purpose, Hans comes to accept his current situation and concludes that only through 'survival' can he find closure. He promises himself that he will survive the academy, and succeed in his dreams of becoming a famous author.
"It will not hurt to be more careful, since I have come to a decision that I must survive…"
Getting a basin of water, Hans prepares for a divination ritual to appraise his Geass.
Usually, the normal process after informing the Magic Bureau of the awakening is for a Magic Inspector to visit him, and perform a checkup on him which, the inspector will identify the restrictions of the Geass.
The Magic Inspector will only arrive tomorrow, so Hans can choose to wait. But Hans has his own considerations.
Hans feels that it will not hurt to be careful just in case, since there are times that a Geass has a time constraint. For example, one of the heroine's capture targets in the novel will transform into a werewolf if it is the full moon. There is also a villain in the novel who will suddenly fall into a coma if she doesn't perform an awkward act. There are not so many time-limited Geass restrictions as they are rare.
"But just what if... What if I have a time-limited restriction?"
Trusting his cautious pessimistic side, Hans proceeds to his divination ritual. There are many magical methods as how to perceive information. The ritual that Hans is preparing is one of the most cost-efficient and accurate appraisal methods in the novel— something that the heroine uses on the daily basis for checking her own stats as if she is some game character.
A basin of water, a lit candle in his hand, and a blindfold to cover his eyes— these are the necessary items for the ritual. They are simple materials, but the divination ritual itself is infinitely profound. In the novel, only the main heroine knows of this particular art. Something she inherits from her heritage.
Hans performs the ritual piously. He visualizes the questions in his heart, and in short incantations, he splatters the liquefied candle wax from the candle he carries. The candle wax drops into the cold water of the basin.
"Reveal~ reaveal~" He chants.
"Reveal~ reveal~" He repeats.
Five minutes later, Hans hears ringing in his ears signifying the completion of the ritual. Hans declares the final incantations with a sonorous bellow as the ritual requires of him.
"I peer to thyself and learn of myself. Reveal to me which I wish to learn, the oh fading mirror of clarity!"
Hans removes the blindfold in his eyes, and in the basin of water is the forming liquefied wax arranging themselves into a series of letters, and combining themselves, they result into words. Finally, Hans finds the answers he desires.
"Just what are my restrictions?"
[The restrictions of your Geass are—
(1) You must not lie, or else, you cannot speak for 24 hours.
(2) You must compliment a woman every 24 hours, or else, you lose your tongue.
(3) You must kiss a woman every 24 hours, or else, you die.]
"Hey, hey~! What do you mean that I should kiss a girl every 24 hours, or else, I will die!?"
Today, Hans learns to fear the words 'Or Else,' with great vigor.