May 1st
Stellar Year 9998
My mom used to tell me a story.
It was always the same one.
.............
One day, a virtuous man came crying to the God.
"O' God, creator of all the realms, just because I am poor, the rich men always discriminate against me. I want to be reborn as a rich man too with lots of money. "
The God listened to the man's plea with a smile, his eyes filled with understanding. "Very well," He said gently, "I will grant your wish."
The man was reborn into a life of immense wealth, his home now a grand estate surrounded by luxury.
Gold adorned every corner, and servants catered to his every need.
He feasted on the finest delicacies, wore the most elegant clothes, and had more money than he could ever spend.
For a time, the man was content, reveling in his newfound wealth. He was no longer discriminated against for being poor.
People respected him, not for who he was, but for what he had.
Yet, as the days passed, something still gnawed at him.
Despite all his wealth, he noticed that others avoided him.
They whispered behind his back, and women of noble birth turned away with cold disdain.
One day, overcome with frustration, he once again came crying to the God.
"O' God, why did you make me rich, but leave me with this dark skin and ugly face? Women will not come near me, and people still look at me with disgust. I want to be reborn as a handsome man, as fair and beautiful as the noblest of all."
The God listened patiently once more, His gaze steady and kind. "Very well," He said, and granted the man's wish.
The man was reborn with the most striking features, his skin now fair and radiant, his face admired by all who laid eyes on him.
He had wealth, beauty, and the charm to sway even the coldest hearts.
For a time, he was happy, admired by all and showered with attention.
But soon, the admiration became a curse.
Noblemen's wives and daughters sought him out, captivated by his beauty, and rumors spread.
The higher nobility began to despise him, envious of his popularity and the attention he drew from their own circles.
The wealthy families conspired against him, spreading lies, isolating him from social events, and tarnishing his reputation.
The admiration that had once felt so fulfilling turned to venom.
Once again, the man found himself crying before the God.
"O' God, even with beauty and wealth, people envy and conspire against me because I have no power. I want to be reborn as a king, with wealth, beauty, and the power to crush anyone who dares stand in my way."
God, still smiling, granted his wish once more.
The man was reborn as the king of a vast and prosperous kingdom.
His rule was absolute, his wealth unmatched, his beauty unparalleled.
He had everything he had ever wanted—wealth, beauty, and power.
But as time passed, he realized that power brought its own problems.
The people who had once admired him now feared him.
Courtiers plotted against him, nobles sought to overthrow him, and even his closest allies eyed his throne with greed.
Despite all his power, he was alone, surrounded by enemies.
No one loved him for who he was; they feared him for what he had become.
Once again, the man came crying to the God, his heart heavy with despair.
He asked the God to let him live different types of lives, with different positions, different social status, and different genders too.
In the end, the man, frustrated with all the discriminations he faced with all the lives he had lived, came back to the God once again.
The man stood before the God, weary from the countless lives he had lived.
His face, once filled with ambition and desire, was now marked with exhaustion and frustration.
"O' God, I have lived as a rich man, a handsome man, a powerful king, and even in different forms—yet in every life, I have faced discrimination. No matter my status, wealth, or appearance, the world always finds a way to look down upon me. Why is it that I am never truly happy?"
Finally, the benevolent God embraced the man with His large, warm hands, and patted on his head.
And then, the God -----
.............
"Fuck. That dream again?"
May 1st
Stellar Year 9998, Read the date on the digital calendar in front of my bed.
I bolted upright in bed, the faint red glow of Mars's twin moons casting eerie shadows through the cracks in the window blinds.
The same story, every night—just like my mom used to tell me when I was a kid.
Back then, it was comforting.
Now? It felt like some cosmic joke, a reminder of the shitty hand I'd been dealt.
The dim light of my worn-out apartment flickered on automatically as I threw the covers off.
The room was cramped and cold, the kind of place you get when you're barely scraping by in the slums of Central Mars.
Rusty metal walls, a broken holo-screen that flickered on the table, and a floor littered with spare parts I scavenged from the junkyards.
"Good morning, Kai," came a soft, mechanical voice.
It was Kimmy, our personal AI maid. She hovered in the corner, her holographic form glowing softly, projecting from the old bot I'd fixed up years ago.
"Yeah, morning," I muttered, rubbing my eyes.
I glanced over at my sister Medusa's room. The door was half-open, and I could hear her shallow breathing from the other side. She was still asleep—good.
Kimmy hovered closer, her voice calm.
"Another bad dream?"
"Something like that." I stood up, stretching. "Same damn thing every night. My mom's old story."
Kimmy didn't press further. She was programmed to help, but she knew when to back off.
I checked the clock.
7:40 AM, May 1st.
I was already running late.
It was my first day at high school, and the opening ceremony too.
First year students were instructed to arrive at the auditorium before sharp 8.00 AM.
And taking the commuter train to the academy would take roughly around half an hour.
I don't really care about being late.
So, I took my time to take a proper bath for the first time in a while after nearly a week.
***
"Haahhhh…... That felt great!"
After taking a bath, I changed into the academy's newly prepared uniform with my name plate on it.
"Kai, Medusa is up."
Kimmy's voice broke my line of thought, as I was contemplating over my schedule for the day.
My little sister Medusa.
After being orphaned, me and my little sister have been living in this slum area for years now, with Kimmy as our guardian.
A.I. guardians are not really allowed nowadays, but as she is an old model, her peculiar features clears the standard conditions of a guardian, set by the government.
"Got it... Ah..... Please make sure to freshen her up. I would take breakfast for her."
I replied to Kimmy, as she left nodding her head.
I made my way to the tiny kitchen area, opening up the small storage unit to grab the usual—a packet of nutrient gel.
It wasn't much, but it was the best we could afford in this part of town.
The gel was designed to provide all the essential vitamins and minerals, but it lacked flavor or satisfaction.
After adding some water to it, it looked somehow edible, and I drank it all.
Then, I looked around to see the rice porridge Kimmy made for Medusa, served in a bowl.
As I was taking it to her, the sound of her wheel chair approaching made me turn back, only to witness an unusually excited face of my little sister.
Kimmy was standing behind her.
"Medusa, you didn't need to come here. I would have brought your breakfast to your room."
Medusa smiled, her eyes brighter than they had been in weeks.
"I wanted to see you off today, Kai. It's your first day at the academy, after all. I couldn't just stay in bed."
"Okay. I am leaving now. Make sure to have your medicine on time."
"Yeah. Take care."
I said that before leaving the home, but there was something I had to do, so I stopped in my tracks.
"What happened Kai? You forgot something?" Kimmy stated her concern.
"That's right. There is a very good thing inside the fridge. I managed to get one yesterday. Give it to Medusa with her medicine." I said.
I had only seen them in photos, but through some kind of luck, I got one at very cheap price.
"What's this red thing?" Kimmy asked after looking inside the fridge.
"It's called apple. A fruit good for health. Well then, I am off."
***
I boarded the commuter train just as it was about to leave.
The door slid shut behind me with a soft hiss, and the train jolted forward, picking up speed as it left the slums behind.
I stared out the window, watching as the barren Martian landscape rushed by.
My mind wandered back to Medusa.
I hoped Kimmy would take good care of her today.
The apple should lift her spirits, but I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
I should be there for her, not wasting my time trying to fit into a world that didn't want me.
Breaking my line of thought, an announcement was made aloud.
"Arriving at Central Magic Academy..."
The academy buildings were in sight, and as I looked out of the window, the usual scene of stark contrast came into my view.
It was as if the trainline I was travelling in, was the border between the rich and the poor, with slums on one side and high rise buildings and the main city on the other side.
Then, the usual words left my mouth.
"This city is rotten."
***
The train doors opened with a mechanical hiss, and I stepped onto the platform of Central Magic Academy.
The academy itself was a 2-minute walk from here.
8 : 25 AM
I was almost half an hour late from the assigned time for the entrance ceremony.
That also meant, there was almost no student except me at the station or nearby.
The second and third years' classes start a bit early than us, and the middle school and elementary kids have classes from 9.
After looking at my wrist watch, and calculating the time it would take to complete all the formalities and speeches at the entrance ceremony, I deduced that it was almost time for the ceremony to be over.
So, I would not be in any trouble, if I just sneak into the class I am assigned to along with the other students.
And for more safety, I picked out a band aid strip from my pocket and tucked it on my forehead.
Even if someone catches me sneaking in, I would just say that I got into an accident, which caused my delay.
This plan of mine was perfect.
I made my way towards the towering gates of Central Magic Academy.
The building loomed large and pristine.
Tall, glistening spires reached into the Martian sky, their surfaces reflecting the dull red hue of the planet's atmosphere.
The academy was a symbol of privilege and status in this city.
Walking through the empty courtyard, I could already hear faint voices echoing from the grand auditorium.
The opening ceremony was still ongoing, but it would be over soon.
I passed by holographic banners welcoming the "bright future" of the first-year students, showing images of students with excited, eager faces.
Classes hadn't started yet, but as there was a hostel inside the academy premises for faraway students, and the hostelers were loitering around the cafeteria and such, I decided to blend in among them.
However, as they were not wearing their uniforms, I still stood out among them.
There was no need for me to worry though.
It's not like anyone from my class or faculty members would be outside right now.
Hence I too, loitered around the cafeteria that was close to the auditorium building, and waited until the first year students are out.
***
8 : 50 AM
It's strange.
An entrance ceremony should take 40 minutes at maximum.
Still, the students are not out yet.
So, I decided to just go to my assigned classroom and wait there until everyone arrives.
However, as I was going towards the classroom, a voice called me out from behind.
"Teacher, look. There he is."
A strangely familiar voice.
Strange because she is supposed to be inside that auditorium, giving the ending speech.
I turned around to see a female first year student and a female teacher with her.
The girl's sharp eyes locked onto mine, a small, amused smile tugging at her lips.
She had a graceful aura, her long silver hair cascading over her shoulders.
Her uniform was pristine, the kind that screamed she wasn't from the slums like me.
I narrowed my eyes, trying to place her face.
"You're late," she said, her voice as smooth as silk but laced with mockery.
I hate this world as a whole.
I hate those nobles for using the common people however they see fit.
I hate those pre established hierarchy system of the society.
I hate those noble kids too, who won't even lift a finger to have their things done.
But, if you ask me, what's the thing I hate the most, then....
"Why are you late, Kai Rayleigh? You were supposed to attend the ceremony at 8, no?" The teacher asked me.
I have attended this academy from elementary to middle school.
But I have never seen this teacher around.
I guess, she is a new teacher.
"Just a little accident from my way home. See the band-aid strip on my forehead? I had to visit a nearby clinic, that's why I am a little late, teacher."
As I said those words quite confidently, that damn girl smirked a little, and came forward to stand before me.
"What?", I asked confused by her actions.
"Hahaha...This skill is really working, teacher." She said, and stripped my band aid from my forehead, before I could even move.
"The fuck!?"
My forehead was left bare to see for the teacher.
She saw there was no wound on it, and giggled a little herself.
I felt like an idiot for being laughed at by them.
And what does 'skill' even mean?
"Aww.....Too bad. Your new excuse didn't work this time." That female student left a sarcastic remark.
That's right.
The thing I hate the most is this girl.
Selena Aurelius.
Also a first year like me.
She is the representative of first year students, having secured the highest marks in the grade promotion exam.
Moreover, unlike me, she is from a renowned noble family, Aurelius.
And, she is my enemy for life.
"That's enough. Let's get inside the auditorium for now." The teacher said as she instructed both of us to go with her.
What?
The ceremony ain't over yet?
"What are you spacing out for? Come with me." Sensing I was lost in thought for a moment, the teacher reminded me to go with her.
"But, teacher, the ceremony is over, isn't it? Moreover, I am already too late." I asked her, if there was any need for me to go now.
"The ceremony isn't over yet. Because we are making an announcement about the new curriculum introduced to your batch." She replied.
"New curriculum?" I asked stating my confusion.
The central magic academy, CMA for short, is a renowned academy even in the other planets.
I have been studying here from my childhood too, so I am aware that the curriculum is almost fixed for each class.
Moreover, there was nothing sort of a notice about this new curriculum.
The new teacher finally answered to my question.
"That's right. A new curriculum infusing a skill system with a status window for each student."