This was an unfair world.
A world where a person's future was determined the moment they were born.
Here, the "weight of destiny" people carried was a tangible force, something measurable.
This force was known as mana.
"Mana is the power to enact one's fate!"
Those with low mana were destined to a life of mediocrity, while those with vast reserves could even bend the workings of the world.
Those with powerful mana could manifest their very souls as weapons, using mana to channel innate abilities and perform feats beyond human comprehension.
In ancient times, such people were called "sorcerers" or "witches."
Today, they were known as "Espers" or "Warriors."
Names varied from country to country.
In this country, they were collectively known as Blazers.
A Blazer's abilities defied scientific explanation, their power manifesting as visible, undeniable miracles that surpassed ordinary understanding.
Because of this, Blazers were considered strategic resources far beyond the value of tanks or missiles. A nation's strength was often measured by whether it could produce a Blazer of sufficient power.
This led countries around the world to enact laws centered around these individuals.
One such example was the Mage-Knight System.
The Mage-Knight System stipulated that Blazers must graduate from internationally certified institutions, obtaining licenses and the status of "Mage-Knight" before using their abilities legally.
In Japan, seven academies had earned international accreditation. Known collectively as the Seven Stars Academies, they were named after the stars of the Big Dipper:
Hagun, Tenro, Megrez, Phecda, Alioth, Mizar, and Alkaid.
Within these schools, young Blazers known as student knights trained daily, honing their skills, challenging one another, and growing together.
Today, a girl with amber eyes sparkling with excitement stood at the entrance of one of these Seven Stars Academies—Hagun Academy.
"Hagun Academy… Here I am, Miss Okita, as radiant as cherry blossoms dancing in summer!"
With that, Okita Souji charged straight into the academy.
Starting today, she was officially a new student here!
There was a lot to handle: uniforms, student handbooks, and, most importantly, the dorm arrangements.
Despite having gone to college before, Okita still found these things to be quite a hassle.
"I hope my roommate's easy to get along with…"
Then again, she'd been pretty lucky with past roommates in middle school, high school, and college, so she felt a bit more reassured.
"Miss Okita has always been blessed in that regard!"
However, it was likely that Okita wouldn't meet her roommate today.
Though she was a first-year student at Hagun, the term hadn't officially started. With a few days until the opening ceremony, the new students hadn't yet arrived, and most of the upperclassmen were still on break.
After wandering through the somewhat empty campus, Okita finally located the dormitories.
Hagun Academy was spacious, with a beautiful environment, and provided excellent facilities for students and teachers alike. It was one of the most highly-regarded academies among the Seven Stars, offering free tuition and housing, which eased a significant burden off Okita's shoulders.
Of course, this came at a price—the academy had very high standards for its students.
In this world, Blazer abilities were ranked, with A being the highest and F the lowest.
Hagun Academy was the only Seven Stars school with an entrance exam; if you didn't pass, you couldn't enter. Those whose abilities fell below the upper E-rank also couldn't enroll.
While other schools had their own level requirements, they didn't seem to have such stringent entrance exams.
Okita wouldn't know for sure, though; it wasn't like the other schools had anything to do with her.
Opening her dorm room door, she stepped in, her eyes widening at the sight.
Inside was a narrow wood-floored entryway with two metal doors on the right, likely the bathroom and shower. The left side held a small kitchen with a fridge, stove, and range hood, allowing students to cook if they wanted. Straight ahead was a spacious living room.
There was a rug, a couch, a TV, a desk beside the TV, an air conditioner on the wall, and a balcony door across from the main entrance.
Spacious and fully furnished—it was nothing like the dorm room Okita had pictured.
"Haha, only the bunk bed here matches the idea of a shared dorm!"
Looking at the metal bunk bed, Okita felt a pang of nostalgia.
She wasn't sure if anyone else had this habit, but whenever she arrived at a new place, she'd automatically locate all nearby power outlets.
Unpacking was quick and easy since Okita hadn't brought much with her.
She pulled out a black notebook, flipping to a specific page.
At the top of the page was the title "Chivalry of a Failed Knight," and below it were two names, "Ikki Kurogane" and "Stella." The name "Ikki Kurogane" was even circled for emphasis.
She remembered Stella's name well enough, but not her full title—just that she was a princess from a small country, one even smaller than Japan.
But it didn't matter. The TV would surely mention her name, since Stella was known worldwide for possessing an overwhelming amount of mana. In this world where one's fate was dictated by mana, a person like Stella would naturally draw the attention of countries around the world.
If she hadn't been living in a desolate, godforsaken place for the past few years, she probably would've heard Stella's name a hundred times over by now…
It wasn't that the place lacked information; it was just…
"The only person I had for company… didn't care at all about the outside world."
However, Okita's real interest lay not in the heroine, but in the male lead.
In fact, the reason she'd chosen Hagun Academy—besides being familiar with its setting as the story's core—was for the male lead.
Don't get the wrong idea; she wasn't in love with him or anything, nor did she plan on being his long-lost soul mate.
Her interest was solely in his "sword."
"The Uncrowned Sword King…"
Okita's natural, innocent expression vanished, replaced by a fierce smile as she brushed a hand against her neck.
"It's an exciting title."
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T/N: The Author posted some pics of Okita so here you go! (pics didn't get posted so post pics of Okita here! Looking at you... Penguin!)
im the one on the right teehee (LMAO THERES NO PICS IDIOT ME)