Wistoria LN Chapter 2 Translation Part 1

Whew I'm finally done with Chapter 2, it's basically like twice as as long as Chapter 1 so
enjoy! Gonna split these in different posts as Chapter 2 is just that long.

I was dreaming.

A precious dream of the past, when we became a family.

Will Serfort has memories from when he was a baby.

Two infants left on the doorstep of an orphanage, and a single book.

A girl and a boy,sucking on a baby bottle or crying their lungs out.

It’s strange, but I remember scenes as if I were looking through Father’s eyes.

In the not-so-big Serfort Orphanage, Elfi and I were always together.

We were both abandoned children, left on the doorstep together despite not being related by
blood.

The day Father picked us up and held us in his arms became our shared birthday.

Like brother and sister, or maybe like sister and brother.

In some ways, it was only natural that our bond deepened.

“Will! Look! Bah–uun!”

Elfi could use magic better than any of the other children at the orphanage.

She might have even been better than our foster father, who was an adult.

I was always captivated by the beautiful ice flowers Elfi created and the sparkling snow that
danced in the air.

“Will-nii, you’re worse at magic than Claire and me!”

“Will-nii’s better at cleaning up, but when it comes to magic, we’re way better!”

On the other hand, I couldn’t use magic at all.

Even my younger sisters and brothers would always make fun of me.

I couldn’t light a lamp by waving a wand. I couldn’t lift objects either.

No matter how many books I read or how much I tried to imitate Elfi, I could never grasp the
magic I wished for.

“If we become Magia Vander, maybe we can see the sunset!”

But there was no time to sulk.

When we were five, Elfi and I made a promise.

To go see the *sunset* together, I had no right to give up.

I did everything I could to keep that important promise.

With Father always watching over us.

“Hey, Will? Everyone’s in trouble, what do you think we should do?”

At some point, Elfi started to rely on me.

Before that, she’d chase away the teasing younger kids and always pulled me along by the
hand.

But at some point, I realized that Elfi, who had been in front of me, protecting me, was now
standing by my side.

The small back that had been in front of me became the shoulder that pressed against mine.

“Will, are you okay?! Are you hurt?! Do you recognize me?!”

At the same time, I think she became a bit overprotective.

It might have seemed contradictory to be relying on me yet wanting to protect me, but Elfi
couldn’t stand to see me hurt.

For example, when I put myself in harm’s way to protect my younger foster brothers from
getting hurt.

Or when I defended my sisters from being bullied by the neighborhood kids.

Elfi would come flying from nowhere, always concerned for my well-being.

Of course, she’d scold the mischievous younger brothers, and she’d deal out punishments
that left the bullies trembling.

Even though Elfi started to rely on me, she seemed to have stopped spending any time
away from my side.

When did Elfi start to look up to me? What was the trigger?
Like light reflecting on a pond at night, memories surfaced and disappeared as I wondered
about this while gazing into the mirror of my recollections.

But no answers came. Nothing came to mind.

As I tilted my head and peered into the pool of memories, time sped forward in a blur.

It was around the time I’d grown increasingly worried about not being able to use magic.

From the magic academy I thought I’d never be able to attend—a recommendation letter
arrived!

Even though I still couldn’t use any magic!

“Will Serfort. The Magic Academy eagerly awaits your arrival.”

The one who personally delivered the letter of recommendation was a man named Evan-
sensei.

The letter, which Evan-sensei handed to me with a smile, looked like a ticket to my dreams.

I was so happy I could hardly keep from trembling, and I hurried to tell Father and the others.

My younger brothers took each other’s hands and celebrated.

One of my younger sisters cried because they didn’t want to be separated from me.

Elfi had received the same letter, and she nodded to me.

We decided to go to Rigarden Magic Academy.

With Father’s secret savings, we bought our own wands and the necessary tools.

We filled out the academy’s enrollment forms together.

Rigarden Magic Academy Enrollment Form

Please fill in the following details:

* Age (to be filled in using the Magic Calendar):

* Race (if you are an Elf, please provide royal permission. Absolutely required.):
* Place of Origin (refer to the map issued by the Magic Capital, Urbus Rigarden):
* Ancestral Bloodline (as far as you know):
* Known Magical Attributes (for people that are Multos, list all attributes):
* Number of times you’ve caught a cold (be as detailed as possible):

There were some strange questions on the form, but we managed to fill them all in.
For Elfi’s known magical attribute, it was “ice,” while for me, it was “unknown.”

In the section about colds, Elfi wrote “many,” while I, with my sturdy body, wrote “none.”

Seeing our opposite responses, we looked at each other and laughed.

Then, on the day of our departure, with everyone seeing us off, we left the Serfort
Orphanage.

We rode in the carriage Evan-sensei had arranged for us, swaying along the long journey.

I’ll never forget the moment we arrived at the center of the world where the magic academy
is located—Urbus Rigarden.

A grand city surrounded by multiple layers of enormous walls.

Above all, the tallest tower in the world that Elfi and I were aiming for— Mercedes Caulis.

Up close, the white giant tower was so tall it made our necks ache just looking at it, and it
was majestic.

With Elfi by my side, our cheeks flushed with excitement, we renewed our promise—

“...Mm.”

Slowly, I woke up.

The first thing I saw in my blurry vision was silky, smooth sky-blue hair.

Elfi was still asleep, clinging to my chest.

Her small breaths brushed against my neck, tickling me.

I wonder if Elfi is dreaming too.

“Will... where are you?”

Suddenly, a single jewel-like tear slid from her closed eyelid and trailed down her cheek.

“Where are you, Will...? Don’t go...”

“...I’m right here.”

To chase away the bad dreams, I wrapped my arms around her small body.

I’m right here. So, don’t worry.

Hoping my feelings would reach her, I held her tight yet gently.

Still asleep, Elfi, who had been crying, raised the corners of her lips slightly and snuggled
closer into my embrace,

After holding my clingy childhood friend tightly for a while, I gently moved to get up, trying not
to wake her.

Through the gap in the curtains, a faint light that could be called early morning was shining
in.

I narrowed my eyes while still holding Elfi’s small hand, so she wouldn’t feel lonely.

Suddenly, a blue light swayed at my chest.

The Blue Tear Pendant that my dear friend had given me.

I pinched it with my fingers, rolling it lovingly before smiling at Elfi.

“Let’s do our best from today, Elfi.”

Our real life at the academy was about to begin today.

After waking up late, I hurriedly got my sleepy childhood friend ready.

Elfi somehow managed to switch places with her clone from the girls’ dorm, and the first
classroom we entered was… underground.

“There’s no need for morning greetings. After all, you received so many words of welcome
yesterday that you must have been driven to a deep, endless desire for learning, as dark as
the abyss itself.”

Any excitement or nervousness that I or the other students had felt was blown away.

The ominous atmosphere of the underground classroom and the presence of the teacher
waiting for us did that.

“If you’re not feeling that desire, then I’ll simply inform the headmistress that this year’s crop
is a failure, and I’ll be forced to resentfully endure these six years as if I were in prison… Ah,
how utterly dreadful.”

He had hair as black as if darkness itself had been boiled down in a pot.

In stark contrast to Workner-sensei from yesterday, his cold expression held not a hint of
friendliness.

His narrow, slitted eyes were as sharp as a snake’s.

To be blunt here… just his presence was terrifying!

“I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Edward Serfence, and I’ll be teaching Dark Magic
and History of Magical Origins. I hope these six years with you all will be fruitful.”

In just under a minute, Edward-sensei had swallowed the classroom’s atmosphere, leaving
the students sweating and fearful.

As for me, my face was drained of blood, partly because Elfi was still half-asleep.

Desperately shaking her shoulder to wake her up, I listened as Edward-sensei continued to
speak.

“Time is finite, so let’s begin immediately… Today’s task is nothing special—just a simple
Attribute Assessment.”

At the mention of a “Attribute Assessment,” I stopped shaking Elfi’s shoulder and was taken
aback.

“At Rigarden Magic Academy, we encourage each student to excel in their individual
attribute magic. Understanding this comes first, followed by lessons in Writing, Spellwork,
and Praxis. That’s the usual practice.”

In this world, there are seven magical attributes: Light, Fire, Wind, Earth, Thunder, Water,
and Darkness.

Technically, there’s also magic exclusive to the Elves, but I’ll leave that aside for now.

It’s said that, apart from common magic, the Lyzance typically wield just one attribute.

“This is also a measure to identify the rare Multos—those with multiple attributes. Even those
from noble backgrounds who have already studied magic and know their own attributes will
undergo this assessment. There are no exceptions.”

Multos are those who can use two or more magical attributes.

In other words, what we’re about to start is an aptitude test.

Probably, the new students who couldn’t fit into this classroom are undergoing the same
attribute assessment in other classrooms.

It’s said that class placements change based on magical attributes, so this is undoubtedly an
important ritual.

However...

(*What kind of magic can I even use…?*)

Elfi, for instance, is skilled in Ice Magic, which falls under the Water attribute.

But I’ve never been able to use magic at all. Not attribute magic, not even common magic.

What if I don’t even have an attribute? As the scary thought raced through my mind, my
heart pounded...

“Why do we have such a scary teacher for something as simple as an attribute

assessment...?”

I heard someone mutter those words somewhere in the large classroom.

Edward-sensei’s sharp ears caught it instantly.

“A good question, Palm Snokk. You should make it a habit to voice any doubts you have
throughout your academic life. Each time you do, I’ll be sure to correct your ignorance and
insolence through personal ‘discipline.’”

“Huh... Wh-why...”

The boy named Palm Snokk,, who probably hadn’t expected to be caught, turned pale when
Edward-sensei said his name.

“Why, of all things, would a practitioner of Dark Magic handle the attribute assessment?

I’m sure not only Snokk but many of you are wondering the same.

Oh, you don’t need to say anything. It’s written all over your faces. No need to hide it.

The answer is simple. Dark Magic is the origin, the primal attribute of all magic.

“These days, many mistakenly believe that the Great Barrier covering the sky and Light
Magic is the original magic…That is incorrect. It’s because people blindly worship the so-
called Magia Vander. There are even those who claim, without any evidence, that Darkness
is inferior to Light or the other five attributes. Ah, how utterly lamentable.”

Edward-sensei walked slowly between the rows of seats, his shoes clicking on the floor.

Faced with this sudden lecture, all we could do was bow our heads, beads of sweat forming
on our brows.

And even now, Elfi was still sleeping right next to me!

“There might be someone in this classroom who is blessed with Dark Magic.

People like that will have to deal with unfounded slander. I know that all too well, for I have
experienced it myself.
Words like ‘sinister,’ ‘malicious,’ ‘full of darkness,’ even ‘potential criminal’…

Indeed, if you unravel history, you’ll find that many mages of Dark Magic were eccentric and
obsessed.

But that has nothing to do with us living in the present. To generalize like that is nothing
short of ignorant.

…To those comrades of the Dark attribute, here’s what you should tell those foolish people:

‘Darkness is the beginning of everything, and those who wield Darkness are more tenacious
than anything,’”

Edward-sensei said as he returned to the podium, narrowing his eyes and glaring at us.

A chill ran down my spine.

(*He’s so sinister!*)

(*He’s totally creepy!*)

(*This teacher is terrifying!!*)

(*He’s proving just how dangerous Dark Magic is!*)

(*Please, please let my attribute not be Dark Magic! Not Dark Magic!*)

(*He’s like a snake! A real snake!*)

I could almost hear the thoughts of the other students.

Even Sion, who was a couple seats ahead, looked so boastful yesterday but now had a look
of fear on his face.

I wonder if Edward-sensei was just venting his frustrations from his own school days.

“Well then… let’s move on to the main topic.”

Now that no one dared to oppose him, Edward-sensei took something out.

It resembled a portable lantern commonly used by the Dwarves.

It was crafted with black ornaments and currently, no light was coming from its lamp portion.

Edward-sensei held the handle at the top and gently channeled his power into it—

A black light flickered on.

“ ‘The Lantern of Guidance,’ he said. “When a mage channels their mana into it, it will emit a
light corresponding to their attribute. We will use this to determine your attributes. Stand up
and form a line.”

With a flick of his wand, three more lanterns appeared on the table.

The students who looked like commoners approached hesitantly, while the noble kids
stepped forward confidently, forming lines.

As I pulled on Elfi’s arm, she finally woke up with a sleepy “Huh?”

“Red light… that’s Fire!”

“I got blue! Looks like I'm a Water attribute!”

“Whoa, I got Earth… Earth magic seems so plain…”

“Just as my grandfather said, I'm a Thunder attribute. So, I’m not a Multos after all.”

“So far, no one’s gotten Light yet. It’s supposed to be really rare, maybe there’s no one with
it in our year?”

The students took turns picking up the Lantern of Guidance, their reactions swinging
between joy and disappointment.

Green for Wind, orange for Earth, golden for Thunder... various colors lit up the classroom.

I could understand why their reactions were so varied. This attribute test basically
determined a person’s future path.

For example, the Magia Vander.

In every era, the five most powerful mages are chosen as representatives of five of the
seven attributes, plus the magic of the Elves.

Currently, the Magia Vander consists of Light, Fire, Thunder, Ice, and Fairy.

The Wand of the Light Sovereign, Masterias Noah.

The Wand of the Flame Emperor, Instia Barham.

The Wand of the Thunder Lord Thorzeus Fudge.

The Wand of the Ice Maiden, Albis Vina.

The Wand of the Sacred Fairy, Elleaf Canaan.

These five wands are the most renowned and admired in our time.
It seemed like the attributes currently held by the Magia Vander were the ones everyone
hoped to have.

“Sion has the Fire attribute, just as expected.”

“So cool…”

“Well, of course. I’m the heir of the Ulster family, after all!”

Sion, with his Fire attribute, looked somewhat proud. The others gazed at him with envy.

In contrast, Earth and Wind attributes didn’t seem very popular. And Darkness... well, that
was obviously out of the question.

As Edward-sensei glared, the students quickly stopped their idle chatter… and it was my
turn.

“Hey... look. It’s his turn.”

“He’s a commoner, but isn’t he from the same place as Elfaria?”

“Do you think he’s amazing too? Maybe he's a Light attribute...”

“He might be a Multos. Let’s keep a close eye on him.”

Whispers spread around the room, and everyone’s eyes were on me.

Having been recognized as Elfi’s sidekick after the amazing magic she showed yesterday, I
had drawn the attention of the entire class.

As the attention on me increased, so did my nervousness.

It would be fine if the result was ordinary. But what if it turned out to be something
extraordinary?

The inferiority complex I had developed at the orphanage made my steps feel heavy, and
before I knew it, I was the last one left to take the attribute assessment.

Just then, Elfi, who had just finished her assessment and gotten a blue light, turned to face
me.

“You’ll be fine, Will.”

“…Huh?”

“It’ll go well, I’m sure of it.”

Peering into my face, Elfi whispered in a voice only I could hear.

Startled, I soon smiled back and nodded.

Even if I couldn’t believe in myself, I could believe in anything Elfi said.

Silently thanking her in my heart, I placed my right hand on the Lantern of Guidance that was
resting on the table.

The other students held their breath. Edward-sensei watched coldly.

I gripped the lantern’s handle tightly and shut my eyes.

(*Mage Queen, please, let this go well!*)

I prayed to the great, original witch as I channeled my strength into the lantern.

At that moment—something *hot* flared up in my chest.

“!!”

I felt a flow of energy I had never experienced before surge from my chest down to my right
arm. Or at least, it felt that way.

My body jerked with a spasm. My shoulders rose and fell awkwardly. And then, murmurs
filled the room.

With my eyes still closed, I sensed something bright… cautiously, I opened my eyes.

And then—

“A blue light… it’s Water attribute!”

One of the students voiced my own astonishment.

The Lantern of Guidance was glowing blue! The same color as Elfi’s!

Will Serfort was a Water mage!

“Y-Yes! I did it!”

“Amazing, Will!”

I held the lantern in both hands, crying out in joy.

Elfi immediately hugged me from behind, but I didn’t feel like telling her of this time!

I was happy! Really happy!! Now, I could definitely fulfill our promise together!!
We could both hone our magic and aim for the *sunset*!

“So, he’s just a Water attribute…”

“Kind of an anti-climax.”

“Everyone was expecting too much. He’s just a commoner. It’s Elfaria-san who’s special.”

While Elfi and I were celebrating, the other students looked relieved, as if the tension had
snapped.

Some seemed disappointed, others looked relieved.

But I didn’t care, now that I knew I could use Water magic!

“…?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Edward-sensei frowning.

He was staring intently at me, looking with a puzzled face...

As I tilted my head in confusion, Edward-sensei shook off his unease and spoke up.

“With this, the attribute assessment is concluded. Everyone, proceed to your next class
without delay.”

“We did it, Will!”

“Yeah!”

Elfi and I walked down the hallway, bathed in the morning light streaming through the large
windows.

Even after leaving the underground classroom, our excitement hadn’t cooled down.

Most of the other students had already headed to their next class, leaving us alone to share
in our joy.

“I’ll work hard to be able to use magic like you, Elfi!”

“Hehe. Once we can both use the same magic, let’s have a contest!”

Dreaming about the future we hadn’t been able to imagine back at the orphanage, our hopes
soared.

As we wandered the hallway, which was now empty except for us, a man approached us
from the other end.
“Good morning, Elfaria-san, Will-kun.”

“Ah, Evan-sensei!”

I recognized the man with a friendly smile on his face.

It was Evan-sensei, who had come all the way to the Serfort Orphanage to deliver our letters
of recommendation.

The fact that we were now at the academy and that I had discovered I could use Water
magic was all thanks to him.

I approached him with a smile.

“It seems the attribute assessment is finished. Judging by your expressions, the results were
favorable?”

“Yes! I have the same Water attribute as Elfi! Maybe I can use Ice magic too!”

“That’s wonderful. Keep striving for excellence. If you do, it will only further validate my
decision to invite you both to the academy.”

Evan-sensei smiled warmly, his slightly purple-tinted hair swaying.

He directed his smile at the girl behind me.

“Isn’t that right, Elfaria-san?”

“…”

At some point, Elfi had stopped smiling and was now silently staring back at Evan-sensei.

Her eyes seemed almost cold.

“…Let’s go, Will.”

“Huh? E-Elfi?”

She grabbed my hand and pulled me, leading us past Evan-sensei.

I had been about to thank him for bringing us to the academy, but now I could only blink in
confusion.

We quickly rounded the corner of the hallway, and Evan-sensei’s watchful gaze disappeared
from view.

“W-what’s wrong, Elfi?”

It was clear something was off, and as she pulled me along, I couldn’t help but ask.

Elfi kept her eyes forward, as if trying to get as far away from that spot as possible.

“…I want to be the cute girl in front of you, Will, and I don’t want you to think I’m a mean girl,
but…”

She didn’t look back, so I couldn’t see what kind of expression she had.

But then Elfi said it clearly:

“I hate him.”

Her strong rejection, so unlike her, left me nothing but surprised.