I should have listened when they were talking about it in class. Maybe then I wouldn't be sitting here, feeling utterly lost in a sea of incomprehensible symbols and spells. But alas, here I am, staring at these pages as if they hold the secrets to the universe, when in reality, they might as well be written in a language from another planet.
With a resigned sigh, I carefully place the books back on their respective shelves, each one a testament to my failure to grasp the intricacies of magic. As I walk away from the shelves, I can't shake the feeling of disappointment in myself.
The journey home feels longer than usual, each step weighted with the burden of my own incompetence. I walk slowly, lost in thought, my mind replaying the events of the day over and over again. The city seems to hum with a quiet energy, oblivious to my internal turmoil.
When I finally reach home, exhaustion washes over me like a tidal wave. I head straight to the shower, the hot water soothing my aching muscles and washing away the remnants of the day. The steam fills the room, cocooning me in a comforting embrace as I let myself relax for the first time in what feels like forever.
After my shower, I make my way downstairs to find my mother has left a bowl of soup on the table for me. "Thank you, mom," I say gratefully, sinking into the chair and savoring the warmth of the broth as it fills me from the inside out.
Once I've finished eating, I retreat to my room, the familiar comfort of my bed calling to me like a siren's song. I lie down, the soft mattress cradling me as I close my eyes and let the exhaustion wash over me.
"I feel like I'm never going to become one of the strongest mages," I murmur to myself, the words heavy with resignation. Despite my best efforts, it seems like magic will always be just out of reach, a tantalizing dream that I'll never quite be able to grasp.
And with that thought weighing heavily on my mind, I drift off into a restless sleep, the events of the day fading into the darkness as dreams take hold, offering a temporary escape from the harsh reality of my own limitations.
The morning light crept through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. I stirred, feeling the warmth of the sun on my face, and stretched my arms above my head. But as I moved to sit up, I felt nothing beneath me.
My eyes snapped open just in time to see my bed vanish into thin air, and I tumbled to the floor with a thud.
"Shitty system," I grumbled, rubbing the sore spot on my back. I pushed myself up, still half-asleep.
Just then, a hologram flickered into existence before me, its ethereal glow piercing the dimness of dawn. "Good morning, daily mission: Walk 5 km and study a bit of magic," it announced cheerfully before vanishing.
I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the grogginess of sleep, and headed towards the shower. The warm water cascaded over me, washing away the remnants of fatigue and preparing me for the challenge ahead. I dressed in a sports outfit, feeling a sense of determination mixed with reluctance, and grabbed a bottle of water before venturing outside.
The city greeted me with its usual hustle and bustle, but today everything seemed magnified, as if the world was conspiring against me. The streets stretched out endlessly before me, each step feeling heavier than the last. My muscles protested, and my breaths came in shallow gasps as I struggled to keep pace.
As I trudged along, the city seemed to mock my efforts. Passersby glanced at me with pitying looks, and I could almost hear their silent judgments. "She's so slow," I imagined them whispering behind my back.
But I pushed on, determined to complete the task at hand. Hours passed like an eternity as I fought against my own limitations, the 5 kilometers feeling more like a marathon. Finally, with aching limbs and a weary spirit, I reached the end of my journey.
Crawling back to my room, I could hear the faint sound of my parents' voices drifting from downstairs. "She's back already?" my mother exclaimed, her tone tinged with disbelief.
My father's voice followed, dripping with sarcasm. "Looks like our little princess couldn't handle a simple walk."
I gritted my teeth, suppressing the urge to snap back. Instead, I dragged myself to my feet and made my way to my room, collapsing onto the floor with a heavy sigh. "Studying magic on my own is too complicated," I muttered to myself, feeling the weight of my own inadequacy pressing down on me.
My eyes wandered around the room, searching for some shred of hope amidst the chaos of my thoughts. And then I saw it: a poster of the University of Clovice, the prestigious magic school that had always seemed like a distant dream.
The poster was a beautiful design, with the grand, ivy-covered buildings of the university rising majestically against a backdrop of a starry sky. The best mages in the world had walked those halls, their faces etched with determination and power.
"Anyone can enroll, as long as they can pay the enrollment fee of 900 gold coins."
I read the words over and over again, feeling a spark of hope ignite within me. Maybe this was the opportunity I had been waiting for, a chance to prove myself and escape the confines of my own limitations.
But reality came crashing down on me like a ton of bricks. I needed a job, and fast, if I was ever going to afford the enrollment fee. With renewed determination, I made a mental note to start my job search first thing in the morning.
As I lay there on the floor, the weight of my exhaustion pulling me into a restless sleep, I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of excitement amidst the uncertainty. The road ahead would be difficult, but for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was finally moving forward.
"I need to find a job," I said firmly, a new sense of purpose igniting within me