After three days, the day finally arrived.
Our village, Nera, is situated in the south-east side of the Lycanthra Beastkin Federation, near the River Sylor. It's a small village with a population of around fifty to seventy people from mixed races. Humans, demi-humans, and beastkin live together here. But there isn't a single elf besides me — not in this village or even the nearby ones, as far as I know.
In the morning, Leon knocked on my door. Judging by his face, he probably didn't get a single wink of sleep last night because of excitement. Then he started shouting from outside my room.
(Leon) "Haru! Are you awake?
I told you yesterday to get up early!
If you're still sleeping, I'll leave you here and join the camp alone!
If you skip the first day, the instructors will drag you out of your room tomorrow!"
(Haru) "Okay, okay, I'm already awake…"
I walked toward the door and opened it — immediately someone grabbed my wrist and pulled me forward. Of course, it was none other than Leon.
(Leon) "Come on, hurry up!"
(Haru) "Let me eat breakfast first!"
After a few minutes, we finished eating and started walking toward the forest near Nera Village — roughly two kilometers from our land.
This is the first time I'm going to interact with strangers, and I'm super nervous. When I go to the market with Gaud, I don't need to speak to people, and I always wear a hooded cloak that covers my whole head. But today is different. Even though I'm still wearing my hood, I'll be forced to talk to people… and Leon is with me. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.
Halfway to the forest, Leon saw someone familiar and started shouting.
(Leon) "Hey!! Fenn!! Wait for us!"
Hearing him, the person stopped and turned around. When we got closer, I realized he was a demi-human with wolf ears. His face was mostly human, but his hair and ears were completely different.
(Fenn) "So it's true your old man approved your admission into the camp."
(Leon) "Yeah! Because Grandpa knows how hardworking I am."
Hard-working… that's the biggest joke I've heard this month.
After exchanging a few words, Fenn looked at me.
(Fenn) "Who's this?"
(Leon) "Oh, sorry. This is Haru."
Hearing that, Fenn's face came way too close to mine.
(Haru) "Whoa! What's your problem? Or are you interested in the same gender?"
Fenn instantly pulled his face back and stared.
(Fenn) "Are you an elf?"
(Haru) "Is there a problem?"
(Leon) "Yeah, he's an elf. He's kind of my little brother… with absolutely no manners."
(Fenn) "Damn… where did you find him?"
(Haru) "At first glance I thought you had at least some common sense. But after that question, I need to question my own eyes."
(Fenn) "Sorry for asking suddenly. But how did you two meet?"
(Leon) "My grandpa found him somewhere when I was just two years old."
Somewhere? That's why I don't consider him my brother.
(Fenn) "I've never seen an elf before! Take off your cloak and show me your ears properly!"
(Haru) "Nope."
(Fenn) "Heh?"
(Leon) "Let's move forward."
We resumed walking toward the forest. But Fenn kept staring at me the whole time, like he'd never see another elf again.
(Fenn) "Hey Haru… do your ears tickle?"
How the hell did he guess that? Actually, yes. But I'm NEVER telling him.
(Haru) "Can I tickle yours?"
(Fenn) "Yeah, they tickle a lot when someone touches them—"
Before he finished, Leon touched his ears and started tickling.
(Fenn) "Heh—wha—WHAT are you doing!?"
He punched Leon in the stomach.
(Haru) "You deserved it."
(Leon) "Ouch…!"
(Fenn) "Don't touch someone's ears without permission!"
A few minutes later, we finally reached the camp. Many people were already there — mostly demi-humans with different ears and fur types. Humans too. Beastmen also.
And me — the only elf.
I'd better not remove my cloak.
After some time, the camp filled up. Then the trainers walked out for the introduction. One of them looked terrifying — a beastman like a lizard, with a nasty gaze. Another one was a normal-looking human swordsman. And around ten more beastman and demi-human instructors.
(Erin) "Everyone listen carefully! Age below fifteen — come with me. The rest stay here until your trainers arrive."
Our trainer, Erin, was a demi-human with bunny ears. We followed her deeper into the forest.
There were twelve students including me, Leon, and Fenn.
We reached a massive tree in the center of the forest. Erin stood in front of it.
(Erin) "Now tell me why all of you joined this camp."
I was forced to join, I desperately wanted to say.
(Erin) "Hey, you. Human boy. Why did you join?"
(Boy) "I want to be a mage!"
Great. Here we go.
(Erin) "Do you know any magic?"
(Boy) "Yes, I can levitate things!"
(Erin) "Show me."
She placed a lumen coin on a rock slightly bigger than it.
(Boy) "FLOAT!"
The rock started floating… and the coin dropped to the ground.
(Erin) "Huh? What did you do? The coin is still on the ground."
Okay, we definitely got one of the strictest instructors.
She looked for the next student.
(Erin) "Raise your hand if you want to be a mage."
Four students raised their hands.
(Erin) "Raise your hand if you want to be a swordsman."
Leon, Fenn, and five others raised theirs.
(Haru) "Damn… I'm the only one left…" I murmured.
(Erin) "What about you, kid? Show me your face and tell me what you want to be."
No turning back now.
(Haru) "I was forced to come here. Sorry for the inconvenience. Can I go back and work in the fields?"
Her eyes widened, and even Leon was shocked that I said it out loud.
(Erin) "Someone forced you to come… and you accepted it?
You're the worst student I've ever met.
You don't even have the courage to say no."
My head heated up.
(Haru) "It's because there's a rule that once you submit your name, you MUST attend. Otherwise instructors drag you out of your home."
(Erin) "Gwahahahaha! What a stupid kid you are! Who said such a rule even exists?"
I turned to Leon with full killing intent. He slowly turned his back to me and started whistling.
I wanted to burn him into ashes.
(Haru) "Big brother Leon!!
Have a good training then. I pray you become an excellent swordsman… and die in your first battle."
I turned to walk away—
A hand landed on my shoulder.
(Erin) "You're not going anywhere."
She leaned in.
(Erin) "And now I can see where that strange smell came from."
(Haru) "Yeah? And now that YOU started, I can smell the nasty stink of sweat from YOU."
The other students froze.
Erin pulled down the hood of my cloak.
(Erin) "Oh-ho… so that's where the smell and ego came from.
What's your name, kid?"
Everyone stared at me.
(Haru) "Big brother… what was my name again?"
Leon panicked.
(Leon) "Don't you know your own name, Haru!?"
Erin observed me silently.
This kid's mana flow is incredibly smooth… literally flawless. But the mana signature is small. With this smoothness he could master most beginner spells easily.
If only he had a larger mana capacity, he could easily surpass even me…
(Erin) "Haru, huh… Alright. Show me what you can do apart from being rude."
She walked toward the tree.
(Erin) "If you can use any offensive magic, try to hit me."
(Haru) "Wait, I don't know any offensive magic. I can only use healing magic."
(Erin) "That's depressing.
So you're an elf… and you only know healing magic, huh?"
(Haru) "Any problem with that?"
(Erin) "YOU are the problem, don't you think?
But fine. I can pull out your potential.
Train under me, and I'll teach you how to properly use your mana."
After saying that, Erin looked toward me and gave a smile—but it looked more like an evil grin than anything else.
Then all the students split into two groups: one for physical-weapon users and the other for future mages. Both groups would also train in physical power enhancement and magic power enhancement.
One instructor named Gagra, a human, led the swordsman group. A female instructor named Luna, a fox-type beastkin, led the magic group.
But after everyone joined their own groups… once again, I was the only one left standing in the middle.
(Haru) "Fine then."
I sighed and joined the mage group.
The instructor handed everyone a wooden stick with a crystal attached on top. Then I felt someone staring at me. When I turned my head, a boy walked toward me.
(Unknown1) "Hey, Haru, what's your age?"
He looked at me with suspicious eyes, as if I was about to lie and he'd punch me the next second.
(Haru) "Why do you want to know?"
(Unknown1) "Because I'm curious. Elves usually live for thousands of years. Based on that, your age should be around 100 or even 200. Elves grow slowly to match their lifespan. So you should be at least 200 years old."
This raccoon-eared demi-human is seriously giving me scholar vibes.
(Haru) "I don't know much about my race. But I'm a 10-year-old kid."
(Unknown1) "That's impossible! If you're really just 10 years old, then—"
Before he could finish, Instructor Luna called him.
(Luna) "Sirius! Stop chatting. Come here and take your wand."
He hurried over and grabbed his wand. After that, I received mine too.
Luna began the lesson:
(Luna) "Everyone, hold your wands and aim toward the sky."
I held mine and pointed it upward. Everyone else did the same.
"Now I'm going to teach you a spell. Chant this spell with your wand aimed at the sky, holding it with both hands. While chanting, keep your eyes closed. Ready?"
I didn't know what she planned to do on the first day, but I grabbed the wand properly…
Oh wait—I forgot to close my eyes.
"You may open your eyes after chanting the spell. Understand? Then repeat after me: Elementa Manifest!"
(Haru) "Elementa Manifest!"
Right after chanting, I felt the wand heating up… hotter… and hotter.
I opened my eyes, but it didn't stop. For everyone else, the crystals glowed—mine didn't.
Instead, the entire stick heated dangerously. If I held it any longer, it would burn my hands.
I dropped it before that could happen.
The instructor hurried over.
(Luna) "What happened?"
(Haru) "I don't know. After chanting the spell, the wand just started heating up, and if I held it longer, my hands would've burned."
She used her own wand to lift mine for inspection.
(Luna) "Everything looks normal… but yes, its temperature is way too high. You'll try again with a different wand. Maybe the crystal was defective."
She turned to the rest.
(Luna) "Now, everyone, show me your crystal colours!"
Everyone's crystal had changed—white, brown, green, blue, yellow, and red.
Mine remained perfectly transparent.
Luna explained:
(Luna) "These colours represent your magical specialty.
White means potential in holy light magic, healing, and rarely spirit magic.
Brown means earth and wind magic.
Green means healing and nature magic.
Blue means water and ice magic.
Yellow means fire and lightning.
Red users can use all of these, but with low stability."
The guy I just met—Sirius—had a yellow crystal.
Then Luna handed me a new wand. I held it firmly with both hands and aimed at the sky.
(Haru) "Elementa Manifest!"
Again, it heated up.
(Haru) "Teacher Luna! It's heating up again!"
(Luna) "Hold it, and try using your healing magic to protect your hands!"
My hands were burning, but I followed her instructions. Healing magic helped—but only a little.
The pain kept increasing, and after 30 seconds—
"VOOOOM!"
The wooden stick exploded.
Everyone jumped back in shock.
Only the crystal remained in my hand. Luna picked it up—the colour still transparent—and stared at me.
(Luna) "I think you're not suitable for wand-based magic. That's… quite interesting. But it also means we still don't know your magic affinity."
She picked up the first wand, now cooled, and the crystal from the second wand.
(Luna) "I need to show these to Senior Erin. She'll find out why this is happening. Until then, you can't use a wand."
(Haru) "What should I do until then?" I asked.
(Luna) "Since you can't use wands right now, your options are limited. You can try using a staff, or you can attempt magic without a wand. But both are extremely difficult, so you'll need to focus a lot."
After she said that, the other students immediately started murmuring.
(Unknown2) "A staff? Seriously? If a mage spends years using a wand and develops their own spells, the wand eventually upgrades itself into a staff. And that alone takes at least ten years.
If you want to buy an already-upgraded wand—or a proper staff—it'll cost millions."
(Unknown3) "Wands help mages focus their mana into a single point—specifically the crystal.
Without a wand, if a mage can't concentrate enough to compress their mana into one point, all of it will just scatter and get wasted. And the mage will be completely exhausted."
Oh… so that's how it works.
But I don't think the teacher is even sure that I can use a staff in the first place.
I don't have money, and since I can't use a wand, it's practically decided that I'll never have my own staff in the future.
Which leaves me with only one option—trying magic without a wand.
(Sirius) "I knew it. There is something wrong with you, Mr. Elf. You're different from your own race."
(Haru) "That's what you call being unique."
I think Sirius might be right. But I still don't know why this is happening to me.
After that, all the other students practiced their spells with their wands under Teacher Luna's guidance.
Meanwhile, I tried using those same spells without a wand—just with my hands. Nothing worked.
When the day finally ended, I waited for Leon along the path to our home.
A few minutes later, I saw two silhouettes walking toward me.
It was none other than Leon and Fenn.
We met up and started walking home together.
(Haru) "How was your day?"
(Leon) "Great! But also very tiring.
We did a ton of physical training today—it was fun. If everything goes well, four of us will be selected to join the Lycanthra Honor Corps."
(Fenn) "Teacher Hashima said that after two months, all of us will be sent to the Lycanthra Army School, and that's where our real training will begin."
(Leon) "Haru, how was your da—"
The moment he called my name and was about to ask, I looked at him with cold eyes.
He froze and didn't finish his sentence.
Just by looking at my expression, he already understood how my day went.
(Leon) "...."
That night, Teacher Luna reported everything that happened with Haru at the training grounds to her senior, Teacher Erin.
All the instructors were staying inside the large tents they had brought from the empire.
(Luna) "What do you think? What exactly is the problem here?" she asked Erin.
Erin didn't answer immediately.
(Erin) "….."
With a short gasp, she stepped outside the tent, stood still, and looked up at the sky.
(Erin) "What is wrong with him…?" she murmured under her breath.
After dinner, the other trainers went to sleep, but Luna and Erin stayed awake, flipping through the books they had brought, searching for any clue about Haru's condition.
But they found nothing.
(Erin) "If he can't use a wand, then there's no chance he'll be able to use a staff either."
(Luna) "I think so too. Truthfully, I wanted to let him try my wand… but I was scared. If the same thing happened to my staff, it would be a huge loss. That's why I didn't show it to him."
(Erin) "Do you know he has the smoothest mana flow I've ever seen in my life?"
(Luna) "Really? I'm not good at sensing mana flow and things like that… but if you say so."
(Erin) "The strange thing is, despite having such smooth mana flow, his mana signature is extremely small."
(Luna) "Meaning he has a low amount of mana in his body?"
(Erin) "Possibly. But what's even more interesting is that despite the low mana quantity, the quality of his mana flow is extraordinary. Even our top mage lieutenant can't compare to him."
(Luna) "I don't know how to see mana flow smoothness… I only know how to see mana signatures. Explain it to me—what does it even look like? I can't visualize it."
(Erin) "It might sound silly, but… have you ever seen a waterfall?"
(Luna) "Yeah, many times."
(Erin) "Mana flow usually looks like that. A waterfall with gaps, bubbles, irregular movements. That's normal. From the time I can remember, I've been able to see the way mana moves inside people. There are always disturbances—always."
Erin paused, her expression tightening.
(Erin) "But his mana flow isn't normal. When I first saw it, I was honestly shocked. I didn't even think something like that could exist."
(Luna) "What does his look like?"
(Erin) "Like a waterfall with no bubbles, no gaps, no distortions—completely still. Smooth like glass. And the most unnatural thing… I could see the edges of it."
(Luna) "Edges…?"
(Erin) "Mana doesn't have borders. No one has borders. Mana is like smoke—free, flowing, impossible to confine into a straight shape. But his… had perfectly sharp outlines. As if something is forcing it to stay compressed."
Luna swallowed.
(Luna) "What could cause something like that?"
(Erin) "I don't know."
She exhaled slowly.
(Erin) "This is just a guess—probably impossible—but it's like his mana reservoir is much larger than what we're seeing. And some sort of barrier is suppressing it, forcing it to release only a tiny controlled amount just to keep him alive. That would explain the perfectly edged flow."
(Luna) "Is such a thing even possible…?"
(Erin) "I've never heard anything like it. It just came to mind while observing him."
Luna then asked the main question.
(Luna) "But that still doesn't explain why he can't use a wand."
(Erin) "When he chants the spell, the wand starts heating up, right?"
(Luna) "Yes."
(Erin) "I'll have to ask my own teacher about this."
With that, she turned and walked toward the sleeping quarters.
(Luna) "So… we still don't know the answer yet?"
Hearing that, Erin stopped at the doorway and glanced back.
(Erin) "Yeah. For now, we don't know the reason—and honestly, I don't want to overthink it until we have something solid."
Then she stepped inside.
Both of them finally went to their beds, leaving behind a pile of unanswered questions.
And just like that, the first day of the training camp ended—heavy with confusion, curiosity, and an unsettling sense of mystery.