After a long talk with Gifa, the ancient little witch tapped her staff against the floor. The sound rang out clearly, and the tall bookshelves surrounding Zareen began to tremble as though something unseen was shifting.
“From this moment forward, you will study at the Magic Academy,” Gifa declared firmly. “Step outside from here, and you’ll find yourself in front of the administration building. Look for the one with the rhino crest. That’s where you’ll register.”
Zareen still couldn’t quite wrap his head around what was happening. Moments ago, he had been sleeping in his school library—now he was standing in some otherworldly place, being told to enroll in a school of magic. He was too tired to argue.
“So… where am I supposed to live?” he asked with a yawn.
“In the dormitory,” Gifa replied matter-of-factly. “All students live there. Food, clothing, and a bed will be provided. But you’ll be expected to study hard—and help with academy duties.”
Zareen lowered his head in surrender. “Well… it’s not like I have much of a choice.”
---
Registration
The moment he stepped out of Gifa’s library, Zareen found himself standing before a magnificent building with a carved rhino head above the door—just as Gifa had described.
“This has to be the place,” he muttered, glancing at the black card in his hand.
He pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped inside hesitantly. A clerk in a pale-blue robe greeted him with a warm smile.
“Welcome. Are you here to register as a student?”
Zareen nodded awkwardly. “Uh, yes. How do I do that?”
“Please present your identification card.”
Zareen obediently handed over his black card. The clerk froze, his hands trembling as he took it. His eyes widened in disbelief.
“A-a Black Identification Card…?” he whispered under his breath.
Zareen tilted his head. “Is there a problem?”
The clerk straightened his back quickly. “No, no! It’s just that this kind of card is extremely rare. Its holder is usually… someone very important.”
“Someone important?” Zareen scratched his head. “But I’m just a regular student.”
The clerk swallowed hard. “I see. Do you want to enroll in the regular class or the special class?”
“What’s the difference?” Zareen asked.
“In the regular class, students are required to help with academy work after lessons. In the special class, there are extra lessons, better facilities, and more intensive training—but all students live in the dormitory regardless.”
Zareen considered it. Special class sounds exhausting. I just barely survived my math exams back home.
“I’ll take the regular class,” he said firmly.
The clerk hesitated. “Are you sure? With a Black Card, you could access every facility without additional duties…”
“But my teacher told me I should follow the rules and help out here,” Zareen interrupted quickly.
The clerk smiled faintly. “Very well. The registration fee is ten rahat.”
Zareen dug into his pocket and produced a handful of gold coins that Gifa had given him. “Uh… is this enough?”
The clerk’s jaw dropped. “This is way too much!”
“Oh… sorry. I still don’t really understand this world’s currency,” Zareen admitted sheepishly.
Chuckling, the clerk scribbled in a large logbook and handed Zareen a handbook along with a brass key. “No problem. Here’s your student guide and your dorm room key. Make sure you read the rules.”
Relieved, Zareen nodded. “Thank you.”
---
The Dormitory
The dormitory was located on the east side of the academy. From the outside, the building looked large but somewhat old. Moss covered parts of the stone walls, and the wooden window frames had started to fade, giving it a rustic feel.
“So this is where I’ll be staying?” Zareen muttered, a mix of curiosity and anxiety in his voice.
He knocked on the heavy door, and the dorm supervisor appeared. “Yes?”
“I’m a new student. Here’s my ID card and my letter of recommendation,” Zareen explained.
The supervisor’s expression changed instantly at the sight of the Black Card. “Oh… understood. Come, I’ll show you to your room.”
The hallway stretched long, lit by dim magical torches. At last, they stopped in front of a plain wooden door.
“This room already has a resident. You’ll be sharing it with him,” the supervisor said.
“Alright. Thank you.”
Zareen stepped inside and found a spacious room with two beds, two desks, and a pair of wooden wardrobes. The room was empty.
“Hello?” he called. Silence.
Exhausted, he dropped onto the unoccupied bed and fell asleep almost immediately.
---
Meeting Gino
Near nightfall, the door creaked open. A young man with a sturdy build walked in, his steps light but confident. His black hair was slightly messy, and his sharp eyes burned with energy.
When he spotted Zareen sleeping on the bed, he leapt forward instinctively, pinning Zareen’s arms against the mattress.
“Who are you?! A thief?!”
Zareen jolted awake, panic-stricken. “Wait, wait! I’m a new student! I was assigned to this room!”
“Proof?” the young man demanded.
Fumbling, Zareen pulled out his ID card and letter.
The boy froze when he saw the Black Card. His grip loosened. “You… you’re the new Black Card holder?”
Zareen nodded nervously. “Yeah… so can you let me go now?”
The boy quickly released him. “My bad. I thought you were a burglar. I’m Gino—the academy’s top student.”
Zareen rubbed his sore wrist. “I’m Zareen. Nice to meet you.”
Gino’s eyes lingered on the Black Card in awe. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen a real one. I thought they were just a myth. They say the heroes who once sealed away mankind’s evil carried cards like these.”
“Heroes?” Zareen frowned. “Gifa mentioned something like that…”
Gino’s gaze sharpened. “Then you must be one of those summoned from another world.”
Zareen hesitated, then nodded. “You could say that.”
“No wonder you’re different from the rest of us,” Gino said confidently. “Your mission must be to seal the failed hero—the one who became the dragon.”
Zareen swallowed hard. “Yeah… but is sealing that dragon really that difficult?”
“It’s nearly impossible,” Gino said grimly. “Many outsiders have been summoned before, but none have succeeded. We natives can’t fight directly—if we come into contact with monsters, we risk being corrupted and turning into one ourselves. Most of those creatures were born from humanity’s negative energy.”
Zareen fell silent, deep in thought.
So this world isn’t so different from mine. Human malice always breeds disaster.
---
That night, in the simple dorm room, two young men from different worlds exchanged stories. Gino spoke passionately about his dreams and ambitions, while Zareen shared his confusion and doubts.
Neither of them knew it yet, but the first seeds of friendship—and rivalry—had just been planted.
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