"My name is Yoshirata Shuzushi. As a kid, I lost both my parents at an early age. My grandpa took me in, raised me as his own. Every night, I would lie awake, staring at the ceiling, my chest heavy with the ache of missing them. I'd cry softly, hoping no one could hear. My grandpa,Keimoto, noticed, though. He'd come to my room, sit beside me, and tell me tales of our ancestors to soothe me, stories meant to lift me from my sorrow.
Grandpa would speak of our lineage, the mighty beast tamers who stood as legends in the ancient war between humans and monsters. His voice would grow deep with pride as he described how the strongest among us could control dragons, the most powerful creatures in the world. He'd tell me about the dragons' supreme magic and how they wielded high-tier spells as easily as breathing. "A single dragon's power," he'd say, "could rival an entire kingdom." Those stories painted my imagination with dreams of strength and greatness. I was just a kid, but I'd lie awake, dreaming of one day taming a dragon myself, becoming the strongest tamer the world had ever known.
But reality has a way of dimming dreams. Grandpa would always end the stories with a sigh, explaining that centuries had passed since the great war. Over time, our family lost the ancient ability to control beasts. Rumors claimed the dragons had gone extinct, others that they'd retreated to some higher realm. Without the power of taming, our family had faded into the ordinary, living as humble farmers. All the glory of our past was lost, our heritage nothing but whispers from old tales.
Today, though, there was a spark of hope. Grandpa had worked hard to save up enough money to send me to the Academy in the distant city of magic and research. It was a place where young talents were groomed to protect humanity from threats beyond our village's quiet fields. The Academy only admitted first-year students who were fifteen, as that's when most children began to awaken any special abilities they might have. And lucky for me, I had received an acceptance letter.
The letter itself was strange, though, a mystery even Grandpa couldn't explain. Only those with potential received it. But who decided that? And how did they know? I asked Grandpa once, but he just shook his head and smiled, not knowing the answer himself. I didn't dwell on it, though. I was this close to reaching my dreams.
"Hey, Yoshirata!" Grandpa called out, his voice pulling me from my thoughts.
"Yes, Grandpa?" I turned to him, a big smile breaking out on my face.
"Have you bought all the equipment and supplies you'll need for the Academy tomorrow?" Grandpa asked, a gentle seriousness in his eyes.
"What equipment? I didn't get any list or instructions." I looked at him, feeling a bit lost.
"Silly child," Grandpa chuckled, shaking his head. He walked over to the table where I'd left the acceptance letter and picked it up, turning it over. I watched in surprise as strange, shimmering words started appearing on the back of the paper, almost as if they were being written by an invisible hand.
"Wow! Grandpa, is this magic?" I gasped, my eyes lighting up in wonder. The letters glowed faintly before settling into readable text, revealing a list of items.
Grandpa laughed warmly, ruffling my hair. "Magic is amazing, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is!" I replied, a grin spreading across my face. I had seen little of magic firsthand, as no one in our village had the talent. In our town, magic was rare, a thing of tales and distant places. To see it now, even in such a small form, felt like a dream.
"Yoshirata, don't waste any time now. Go get what you need for school. A carriage will be here tomorrow to pick you up, and you need to be ready," Grandpa said, his tone affectionate but firm.
"Okay, Grandpa!" I said, already turning toward the door. But just as I reached it, I spun back around, running to him and throwing my arms around his shoulders. "Thank you, Grandpa. I'll make you proud. I'll bring back the honor of our ancestors. I promise." Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes, and I quickly brushed them away.
"I know you will, kid," Grandpa said, his hand resting gently on my head. "Now, hurry up. The day's almost over."
I gave him one last smile, then dashed out the door, my heart racing with excitement and a newfound determination.
As I walked through the village, my mind buzzed with anticipation, and I greeted everyone with a smile. I spotted Victor, one of my friends, coming toward me, his face curious.
"Yoshirata! Is it true you're going to the Academy tomorrow?" he asked, eyes wide.
"Yes, I am!" I replied, trying to keep my face serious, though I couldn't resist a little smug look.
Victor snickered. "But you're way too slow to be admitted to the Academy!" he teased, and the other kids around us burst into laughter.
"Oh, you're in for it now!" I yelled, pretending to chase him down the road, though I stopped as I neared the blacksmith's shop.
I glanced back to see Victor, who had stopped at a safe distance, grinning at me. "You're lucky I have things to do. Otherwise, you'd be answering to my fist!" I called out, crossing my arms.
Victor just laughed. "Your fists? Please! You're the weakest kid in the village. You wouldn't be able to catch me!" he taunted, his laugh echoing down the street.
I clenched my fists, my face heating up as I glared at him. But before I could say anything else, the kids around Victor shouted, "Run! You made him even angrier!" and they all scattered, laughing as they ran.
My anger faded, and I relaxed my fists, looking down at them with a soft sigh. "I know I'm not strong," I murmured, just to myself. It was true,I didn't have much physical strength, and I'd always been one of the weaker kids. But I didn't care. Soon, at the Academy, I'd have my chance to prove myself in ways that went beyond just strength.
With that thought, I turned and stepped into the blacksmith's shop, my heart brimming with hope.