Chapter 1:

Chapter 1 – Welcome to Silvanna Magic Academy

Even in Another World, I'm Still Not the Main Character

I was jolted awake by a raspy voice shouting beside me.

“Nolan, hey! Wake up!”

The voice sounded strange for a human—so deep and gruff. There was also a weird smell in the air.

My eyes fluttered open just a little.

“AAAHHH!” I leapt to the edge of the bed.

Standing in front of me was... a half-monkey, half-human? Or maybe a human who happened to look way too much like a monkey?

His body was sturdy, upright like a human’s, and he wore what looked like a grey-and-white school uniform. But large patches of his body were covered in thick white fur—from his head and sideburns to his beard and arms. I had a strong feeling there was more under his clothes. And then...

“Is that... a tail?” I blurted out when I saw something thick like a rope swaying behind him.

“Um, yeah?” he replied, puzzled, staring at me like I was the weird one.
“Hey, what’s wrong with you? You’re acting weird this morning.”

“I thought we already talked a lot last night. You’re Nolan, right?” he asked again.

Now I was the confused one.

“Huh? No, my name’s Kevin,” I said confidently, pointing at myself.

But that confidence melted away the moment my hand touched my chest.
Why did my body feel... buffer?

“Eh? Last night you clearly said your name was Nolan. You’re changing names already?” He scratched his head. “Are you still half-asleep or something?”

He waved his hand in front of my face.
“Van to Nolan. Do you copy? Hello?”

My brain froze for a few seconds, scrambling to process everything.

“Hey! Are you listening to me?” he asked, flicking my forehead.

“Ow!”

“Oops, sorry. Thought you were still out of it.” He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. “Well, if you’re awake now, hurry up. The entrance ceremony’s about to start.”

“Huh? What ceremony?”

He sighed. “You’re really out of it, huh? Today’s the first day at the Magic Academy. The Vice Principal’s giving a speech. We’ll be late if you don’t get moving.”

He opened the door and waved. “Just kidding. I’ll wait for you outside.”

Then the door shut behind him.

That’s when I finally looked around the room.
It was definitely larger than my bedroom back home—big enough for two beds, two double-door wardrobes, and two desks with chairs. Everything looked... otherworldly. The furniture had a different texture, even the grain of the wood and the craftsmanship screamed fantasy.

There was one window in the middle of the wall opposite the door. The frame was wooden, styled like something out of a European countryside house. Wide, with two large shutters.

I opened it.

Spread before me was a breathtaking view—green fields, a wide stone wall enclosing the area, and several castle-like buildings beyond.

This definitely wasn’t my world.

I pinched my cheek just to be sure.

“Ow.”
Yep, this wasn’t a dream.

But... what was it?

I tried to recall what had happened. I was in my room. It was raining hard. Then the power went out. When the lights came back, I went to check my PC—but I tripped over my own foot and hit my head on the desk.

Did I... die?

That monkey guy earlier—he said his name was Van. He called me Nolan.
Wait a second... Nolan? Van?

That sounded very familiar.

“No way!”
I gasped at the sudden realization.

I rushed toward the only mirror in the room.

The face staring back wasn’t mine.
Not the usual disheveled, unwashed mess with pillow creases and drool stains.

No. This face was—handsome.
Even with bed hair, it was clearly well-kept. The skin looked healthy. There wasn’t a trace of gloominess.

“And since when... was I this good-looking?”

A shiver ran down my spine. What the hell was I saying? Did I just compliment myself in a stranger’s body? Is that... self-incest?

No. Focus.

This room. The names Van and Nolan.
This new, unfamiliar face in the mirror.

It all made sense now.

I’d been transported into the world of the game.
And I’d become Nolan—the very character I used to play.

oOo

How many people actually enjoy listening to old people’s lectures.

Probably not many. And apparently, that rule still applies—even in another world.

The Vice Principal of the Academy, Professor Jamund Deme, had been talking non-stop for nearly an hour. The old man droned on about his youth, his grand adventures, and life lessons you'd typically hear from an uncle who thinks he's still twenty. I glanced around—some students were yawning, a few were straight-up dozing off while sitting, and some were whispering among themselves.

We were gathered in the Grand Hall. As the name suggested, it was huge—big enough to hold all the students of Central Plain Academy. I wasn’t exactly an expert in architecture, but I was pretty sure the walls were made of marble, with tall, towering columns. At the top, between each column, were vaulted arches—if I remembered the term correctly. Large windows sat between those columns, letting sunlight flood the hall with natural light.

Silvanna Magic Academy. This was the main setting of the game. One of the most prestigious magic schools on the continent of Godean. It was founded by the Silvanna family—specifically by Lady Silvanna herself, a former member of the Hero’s Party that once defeated the Demon King. As a reward, each party member was granted one wish by the rulers of Godean.

Silvanna’s wish?

To claim an old abandoned castle at the center of the continent.

That castle was then restored and repurposed into a magic academy. After a series of renovations and some additional construction, it became the institution we were standing in now.

This year, though, was special.

For the first time ever, Silvanna Academy had opened its doors to students of *all* races. Which was why sights like elves, dwarves, and even beastfolk like Van were still rare and unusual here. You could say my year was the first truly diverse class in this academy’s history.

“...As a gesture of gratitude to the kings of the past, this year the Silvanna Academy will admit students from all races. And with that, I hope you will all build good relationships with one another…”

Or something like that.

Still, it had always seemed strange. If Silvanna had been given permission by all the rulers of Godean, why had the academy only accepted students from the Kingdom of Nasha until now—the kingdom that just happened to be mostly human?

Maybe conversations like that were what finally convinced the staff to change the rules.

Though…

“Ugh, I don’t wanna deal with them,” one student whispered.

“I heard beastfolk are supposed to be savage.”

“Look at that one. He’s not even bigger than a human kid.”

…Yeah.

Maybe it would take some time before those walls came down.

My eyes drifted to one of the teachers who had stepped out from behind the stage.

She had long blond hair braided neatly and wore glasses that slightly magnified her nervous eyes. She looked a little awkward—probably new.

She approached Professor Jamund, who was still rambling on about the importance of respect and empathy. Judging by his expression, he wasn’t too pleased about being interrupted during his "storytime."

“...Oh, I see. Alright, alright, I get it,” Prof. Jamund finally said, clearing his throat.

“Well then, students! Since it’s almost noon, I’ll bring this to a close. With this, I hereby declare you all official students of Silvanna Academy!”

Cheers erupted throughout the hall.

Some of the senior students shot small bursts of flame magic into the air like fireworks. The atmosphere quickly turned festive.

oOo

“Van! Are you done yet?” I called from outside the restroom.

“Just a sec, I’m almost done,” Van replied.

“Hurry up, we might miss our first class.”

“Go on ahead. I’m still rinsing my face.”

Ugh. This guy.

After the entrance ceremony, I—or more accurately, I dragged Van to the restroom. He had been fast asleep through most of the Vice Principal’s speech.

“We should probably hit the restroom before class starts,” I’d suggested while scouting around for the nearest toilet.

“All done,” Van said as he finally stepped out of the stall.

I let out a soft sigh. “Then let’s go.”

We walked side by side down the school corridor. From here, I could get a much better look at the academy grounds.

There was one main building that served as the central school—it was probably the old castle itself, judging by its sheer size. Around it were several smaller castle-like structures. The boys’ dormitory was on the west side, the girls’ dorm to the east. The teachers’ quarters were up north. There were also a few other buildings whose purposes I didn’t quite recognize yet.

Some of them looked familiar—this was the game I’d played, after all.

I also knew about several key events that would happen here.

And more importantly…. I was the main character now.

Interesting.

If I used this protagonist power correctly, then boom—problem solved, world saved.

And I could live a nice, comfortable life.

“Hey, what’s with that smile? What’s so funny?” Van asked, catching the small grin on my face. I quickly wiped it off.

“It’s nothing. I’m just excited to start life at this academy.”

“You sure you’re fully awake?” Van squinted suspiciously at me, scanning me from head to toe. “You seem... normal.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I huffed. “Of course I’m awake. Didn’t you feel anything when you first arrived here? This is your first time away from home, right?”

Van went quiet for a moment, clearly thinking hard—which, in his case, looked oddly unnatural. I always thought he was more of an act-first-think-later kind of guy.

“Hm… you’re not wrong. I do feel this fiery excitement bubbling inside me. I haven’t felt this pumped in a long time,” he said, clenching his fists enthusiastically.

Van. He’s the first party member who joins the player—whether you play as Alya or as Nolan. Since I always played as Nolan, I don’t know how his meeting with Alya played out. But the way I met him now? It lined up exactly with what I remembered from the game.

I also knew his backstory. But that could wait for later.

“Alright, enough talking. We’re gonna be late,” I said, starting into a light jog.

“Oho, you challenging me to a race?” Van smirked and crouched down like a runner about to sprint. Then he took off at full speed.

“Hey, you idiot! No running in the hallway!”

But of course, there was no point yelling. That idiot was already gone.

oOo

Our first class that day was Basic Magic. In the game, this section served as the tutorial where players chose their starting element and class.

Standing at the front of the class, Professor Nessira began explaining the basics of magic in this world.

“To use magic, you must first sense the flow of mana. Mana is the energy that exists within all living beings. Magic is the technique used to manipulate that mana.”

“To manipulate mana, two things are required. First, the incantation. This is the verbal command used to direct mana into forming the spell you desire.”

“Second, a medium. This can be a wand, a staff, a grimoire, or even enchanted gloves for advanced users. The medium helps to amplify and stabilize the mana. Without it, gathering and directing mana becomes extremely difficult.”

Some students were frantically scribbling notes, while others looked completely lost.

Professor Nessira smiled at our confused expressions. “I know this makes more sense when seen in action. Alright, everyone, watch closely.”

She raised her wand toward the open window. A faint rustling filled the room, as if the air itself had been pulled toward her.

“Aeris Ventus!” she chanted.

Boom.

A strong gust burst out from the wand, sweeping toward the outside.

“There, just like that.”

Several students gasped in amazement.

I was just as stunned. It was my first time experiencing something like this—actual magic.

Lowering her wand, Professor Nessira strolled around the classroom.

“First, focus your mana into your medium. You—over there, what’s your name?” she asked, pointing at an elf girl.

“My name is Sheela, Professor,” the elf replied.

“Alright, Sheela. What do you think happened when I began casting the spell?”

“There was a sound, Professor. Like energy being sucked into your wand.”

“Exactly. That’s called mana gathering. Before casting a spell, you must first gather mana into your medium. Once it’s ready, then you cast the incantation.”

She continued pacing. “And you—what’s your name?” she asked Van, who sat beside me.

Van blinked, startled. “Uh, I’m Van, Professor.”

“Very good, Van. What do you think happened after I finished casting the spell?”

“Hmm… it felt like a burst of energy exploding from your wand?” he answered, sounding unsure.

“Correct. You probably couldn’t see it clearly because my element is wind. But once I finished the chant, the mana I had gathered was released as wind magic.”

The class nodded slowly in understanding.

“We’ll go deeper into incantations tomorrow. For now, let’s talk about *attributes*.” Professor Nessira moved back to the center of the room.

“Every living being is born with a basic elemental attribute. These represent the four primary elements: fire, water, earth, and wind. In addition to those, there are two special attributes not tied to the elements: light and darkness.”

“You each have one innate attribute, and that will define your magic. You cannot choose your attribute—it’s something you’re born with. Like me, for example. I was born with wind, and wind is all I can use. If I try to cast a fire spell, the magic simply won’t form.”

“As for light and darkness, they have exceptions—which we’ll cover another time. Any questions so far?”

A dwarf girl raised her hand. Professor Nessira nodded at her.

“My name’s Kara Frostcliff. May I ask, Professor, how do we find out our attribute?”

“Good question. Most people find out through their lineage. If both your parents use fire magic, you’ll almost certainly have the fire attribute too. If one parent has water and the other has earth, your attribute will be one of those.”

“What about those without parents?” Kara asked again. “I mean—those who don’t know their parents’ magic.”

Some students chuckled at the slip-up. Professor Nessira smiled warmly.

“I understand what you mean. In those cases, we use a special crystal that reacts to mana. In fact, I intend to test all of your attributes right now. Let’s move to the next room.”

We were led into a large chamber in the middle of the castle. Inside stood a towering crystal, nearly reaching the ceiling.

“This is the Attribute Crystal,” Professor Nessira explained.

“All you need to do is channel your mana into it. Once it absorbs your mana, it will glow with the color of your element. Red for fire, blue for water, brown for earth, and…”

She placed her hand on the crystal, focusing her mana. “…green for wind.”

Excitement rippled through the students.

“Alright, please line up.”

Van looked oddly uninterested. I nudged him. “What’s with the long face?”

“Ah, you caught me,” he sighed. “I was just wondering... is there a way to change your attribute?”

“What do you mean?”

“My parents are both earth-type mages. So obviously, I’ll be earth too. But fire just looks so cool, you know?”

Right. Because being flashy fits your personality so well.

I decided to ignore the idiot beside me. I had my own curiosity to deal with.

In the game, this was the moment where players chose their magic type.

Would I get to choose mine?

If so, which element should I pick?

One by one, students discovered their attributes—wind, fire, earth, water. The distribution seemed fairly balanced.

Then it was my turn.

I stepped up to the crystal. Oddly enough, I felt nervous. And I was usually pretty laid-back about these things.

I placed my hand on the crystal and tried to channel mana.

“…Hmm? Nolan, the crystal isn’t reacting,” Professor Nessira said, puzzled. “Are you having trouble channeling your mana?”

What?

Did I mess up?

I tried again.

Still nothing.

Students began whispering to each other.

“Hold on, Nolan. May I see your hand?” Professor Nessira asked gently. I offered her my palm.

“Hmm… I see. This is rather rare,” she said softly. “I’m sorry if this comes as a shock. But I believe you are one of the few who can’t sense mana at all.”

Huh?

Does that mean… I can’t use magic?

“So…?” I asked, unable to hide the anxiety in my voice.

“Well, to put it plainly—you can’t perform magic.”

Thud. The world tilted.

What was that supposed to mean?Players are supposed to choose their attribute here. So Nolan—I—should be able to use magic.

Why couldn’t I?

I quietly stepped back from the crowd.

“You okay?” Van asked, concern in his voice.

I didn’t answer. I was too stunned.

Suddenly—

“No way!”