I want to become a Wizard

Ten years have passed since I was reincarnated in the magical world and learned about its wonders. As an Earth person, I had only seen glimpses of this realm in movies and books. The magical world appeared vibrant and colorful, with fairies fluttering around with their enchanted wands and a profusion of glittering objects. However, upon closer observation, I noticed that this world resembled Earth, albeit in a somewhat deteriorated state. Back in the year I came from, 2060, technology had thrived with the aid of artificial intelligence. Here, technology was significantly less advanced, and people relied on one another for various tasks.

The magical world consisted of five countries or continents, and I belonged to the Water Continent. The inhabitants of the Water Continent primarily practiced water magic, although there were a few exceptions who could use cooking magic, wind magic, fire magic, and the exceedingly rare ground magic. The other four continents specialized in fire magic, wind magic, ground magic, and wood magic, respectively. Each country harbored animosity toward the others. In this world, people were unable to cook or set things on fire; their magic was restricted to water-based attacks and defense. This world closely resembled our Earth, and I could discern almost a 97% similarity.

According to a prevalent legend among the inhabitants, their evolution followed a unique path. They believed that gods had planted a colossal tree, capable of sheltering the entire planet, with its branches spanning across the globe. Then, one day, beautiful gods with flowing hair arrived on our planet, Kuro. They buried seeds underground, and it is believed that humans emerged from the ground, sprouting forth from these seeds. This legend was widely embraced throughout the world. However, I found it difficult to believe. Similarly, the concept of magic seemed far-fetched. I developed a theory that perhaps these people had evolved from dogs, as there were striking resemblances, such as their strong noses and the presence of tails, suggesting a potential evolutionary connection to a specific breed of dogs.

My mother in this world was a sweetheart who loved me dearly, and the same went for my father. I anticipated joining school once I turned twelve years old. I wondered what Christy, my dear friend, was up to and longed to see her again. The last time I had laid eyes on her was ten years ago. If I continued following a similar timeline, she might be forty-two, but if time operated differently here, she could be older than forty-four. Christy used to playfully tease me about being older than me, which I found both endearing and bothersome. I yearned to witness her hilarious expression when her theories were debunked—an adorable face she made by sticking out her tongue and playfully biting it, causing a rush of blood somewhere. I resolved to employ my magic and return to Earth, if only to see her one last time.

Just then, a loud voice echoed from the other room, exclaiming, "Otho!! It's time for your checkup... Let's go to the magician and see how strong you really are." This appeared to be a ritual performed to gauge a person's magical power and their potential for improvement through training. Venturing outside my house for the first time, I had thus far only seen this world through books and drawings. Now, I realized that it resembled a world from the 1700s, with structures predominantly made of wood. Each house bore a number, and there were no advertisements or banners proclaiming the purpose of specific places, such as indicating the presence of doctors or other professions.

I noticed the same cook working for every house. People here lacked culinary skills and were unfamiliar with farming. The roads were in a poor state, and the houses were built by the local magicians, while mages prepared the food. These people seemed unable to accomplish much on their own, and only a few mages possessed the ability to fly. They relied on their neighbors for fire. At this pace, progress seemed unattainable. In contrast, my parents provided water for daily use and were responsible for cleaning the palace.

Finally, we arrived at the fortune teller's abode. He sat before a spherical glass ball, which appeared rather ordinary. Unlike the typical image of an elderly fortune teller, this man was quite young and exuded an air of vitality. Contrary to my expectations, he was cleanly shaven. Incidentally, people in this world shaved and cut their hair with the aid of water—a fascinating technique that required considerable training. I briefly pondered why they didn't simply use scissors, but then I realized that the concept of scissors might be relatively new to them. They had instead enhanced their magical tools for everyday living. Returning to the topic of the fortune teller, his glass ball purportedly revealed the magical energy and aptitude of a person. He reached out, touched my tail, and plucked a hair from it. Although not particularly long, he placed it on the spherical ball. After a brief pause, his expression said it all—he appeared despondent. Normally, a white spot would indicate magical power, with the size of the spot representing its strength. However, the ball turned pitch black. He conveyed to my parents, "We grieve... He possesses no power. That was the issue. I had never encountered anyone on Kuro with a pitch-black result.”

My parents were deeply saddened by this revelation. As we made our way home, my mother rushed to embrace me, assuring me, "Don't worry, we will enroll you in school, and you will qualify. I believe in you." On that day, I realized I was considered a failure even in this world. Nonetheless, I resolved to do my utmost to alleviate my mother's distress. Such unconditional love was something I had never experienced before. I couldn't help but feel a warmth enveloping me, perhaps brought on by her hug or the sheer affection I had always yearned for.

The highest-ranking mage in this world held the title of Wizard, with each continent having only one. I aspired to become a Wizard and return home to reunite with Christy.

To be continued...