According to Eun Hee-Jin, the main protagonists of this world had no knowledge of the story.
But what if she was wrong?
What if one of them did?
What if Seraphina Corven did?
---
It's been 6,274 days since I arrived in this world. Yeah, the world of [Ashes of Arcana]. A world I once despise.
Because of how inefficient the story progressed. Illogical decisions. Missed opportunities. Characters wasted.
Now that I've been given the chance to change the story with my own hands, I will do it better.
Much better.
"Next!" the Arcane Ship's guard called out.
"Here," I said, handing him my acceptance letter.
"Ooh, another Lumen Academy freshman, huh? Board on," he replied, handing it back.
I nodded politely and stepped inside the ship.
Another one? I thought, slightly furrowing my brows. I was supposed to be the only one boarding from this city.
A small butterfly effect, maybe. Nothing too concerning. For now.
The ship was already crowded. Mostly nobles, judging by their clothing. It is work hour after all.
I glanced around, and then I found an empty seat by the window. One that just happened to be beside a girl with short black hair and crimson eyes.
I sat down without a word.
Back then, I didn't know. I couldn't have known.
That the girl sitting next to me on the Arcane Ship would be the one to go blow for blow with Caelan Valemont.
---
Now, watching it unfold before me, I could hardly believe my eyes.
Caelan, brilliant and as brutal as always. He was locked in a fast-paced duel. But his opponent? An extra. A girl who shouldn't even have a footnote in the story.
Ellen Ymara.
That wasn't something an extra could do.
I narrowed my eyes.
"[Truth]," I murmured under my breath.
[Yes, Master?]
"That girl. Ellen Ymara. Give me every information you can find."
[Understood.]
The book on my lap glowed faintly, flipping its pages on its own until it landed on a freshly inked profile.
[Ellen Ymara]
My brow furrowed. "That's impossible... She was supposed to be dead a week ago?"
A minor characer. An unfortunate soul written only to add background flavor. She was never meant to make it past the opening act.
I massaged my temple.
"[Truth], are you sure about this?"
[99% certainty.]
I shut the book with a soft thud.
But right now, she's not just alive, she's thriving. Fighting Caelan and winning exchanges. Another butterfly effect?
"There goes the unexpected variable," I muttered, while watching her matched Caelan's fighting spirit.
I closed my eyes. I had my own exam to pass. I'd deal with this later.
---
Ellen Ymara, the so-called 'unexpected variable,' was sprawled out on a soft bed, completely at peace.
A woman with a hesitant voice. "U-Um, Miss... the announcement for the test results is about to start."
Ellen stirred, blinking slowly at the nurse. "Already...?"
She stretched, letting out a yawn. "That's too bad. I was really enjoying this nap. I think I'll come here more often."
"Ahaha..." The nurse let out a nervous laugh, unsure how to respond.
Ellen got to her feet, slipping her boots on. But as she exited the infirmary—
"Ah."
Three voices echoed in unison.
She find both Caelan Valemont and Seraphina Corven waiting outside the door.
"You two?" Ellen blinked. "Why are you here?"
Caelan smiled brightly. "We thought you might have a hard time walking to the hall. I figured I'd help."
Ellen raised a brow. "I can see that from you, sure. But you?" She looked pointedly at Seraphina.
The girl shrugged with that same unreadable poise. "Is it that strange? We helped each other back on the Arcane Ship. I'd say we're acquaintances, if not friends."
Ellen gave a small nod. "You know what? That makes sense."
She stepped forward, slipping between the two of them with a confident smirk.
"Let's go, then."
---
We arrived just as the hall quieted. The headmaster stood on stage, smiling confidently.
"Now then," he said, raising a hand. "The results are in."
With a wave, a giant blackboard materialized behind him. Names etched themselves onto the surface in golden letters, one by one. A list of the students and their class placements: Class A, Class B, and so on.
I scanned the board immediately.
There. My name: Ellen Ymara – Class A.
A small smile crept up my lips. Just as I expected.
More importantly—
Excluding Seraphina and the brown haired girl earlier. Four out of the five main protagonists. All of them made it to Class A.
Except for one.
Sylva – Class B.
But I wasn't disappointed. If anything, I was relieved.
Because Sylva was the easiest protagonist to move up to class A.
Timid. Polite. Kind-hearted to a fault. And most importantly, gifted with absurd potential.
The only reason she didn't make it was because of Ludger's nitpicky judgment. To him, she seemed too soft, too hesitant. Not Class A material.
But Ludger's rules were clear.
Ludger stepped into the stage. "If you believe you were misjudged, you may request a re-evaluation." He said with a stern tone.
The problem?
Sylva would never ask. Not on her own.
She was a commoner. Shy. And lack self-confidence. Probably blaming herself for the outcome even now.
So, the solution was simple. I would ask for the re-evaluation in her place.
All I needed to do was prove to Ludger that Sylva belonged in Class A. And once that happened, all the pieces would fall perfectly into place.
"Sir!" I raised my voice, wearing a smile.
"Yes?" Ludger responded with his usual apathetic tone.
"I believe there's been a misjudgment."
He narrowed his eyes. "You're already placed in Class A. What more do you want?"
"Oh, it's not about me. I'm referring to another student. Sylva, to be precise."
Ludger crossed his arms. "...Continue."
I walked toward Sylva, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. "Someone like her doesn't belong in Class B. That would be a waste of talent."
Sylva blinked up at me, completely dumbfounded.
"Surely, Professor Ludger is aware of her abilities. Or... are you placing her in B because she's a commoner?"
The students gasped. Ludger, on the other hand, burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! You dare throw that accusation at me? I would never discriminate, not as long as I live."
His laughter faded as his tone dropped low. "I know her capabilities well. But power alone doesn't determine class placement. Her mindset, her hesitation—they disqualify her as a proper mage. Hence, Class B suits her."
Then he looked at me with sharp eyes. "You understand this, don't you? You, who once walked the mage's path before turning away."
"You're not wrong," I replied. "But genius always comes with a flaw or two. Sylva happens to be that kind of genius. Want proof? Let me show you."
I nudged Sylva forward gently, then handed her a staff I'd nabbed earlier.
"W-Wait! That's my staff—!"
"Silence," Ludger said, and the murmurs died.
"W-What are you doing?!" Sylva stammered.
"Hey," I said calmly, crouching to meet her eyes. "Are you really satisfied with Class B? I know what you're capable of. Don't hide it."
Her grip trembled. I leaned in.
"The Great Mage Alma... you were his disciple, weren't you? He never shut up about you. Even before he died."
That was a lie, of course.
Her breath hitched. "Y-You knew him...?"
"Knew him well. And he believed you were one of the greatest mages of this generation."
Her expression softened, resolve beginning to flicker in her eyes.
"Say... don't you want to make him proud?"
"Of course I do...!"
"Then start here. Prove yourself. Get into Class A."
She took the staff with a shaking hand.
I turned back toward the stage. "Headmaster! You'll be her opponent, right?"
Johan Hemsworth raised a brow. "Oh? Are you challenging me?"
"Something like that."
Excitement rippled through the hall.
Johan grinned as he looked at Sylva. "Don't worry. No matter what spell you cast, I promise I won't get hurt."
Reassured, Sylva nodded and stepped forward.
She began to chant.
Most modern mages had developed techniques to cast without incantations or focus tools. But Sylva still used a staff. That meant one of two things:
Either her mana pool was absurdly large, or her magic was simply too overwhelming to control without one.
In Sylva's case... it was the latter.
Ten seconds into her chant, the ground began to shake. She rose slowly into the air, her voice echoing unnaturally throughout the dome.
A massive magic circle formed above, growing brighter by the second. The air thickened with mana so dense it made it hard to breathe.
Ludger took a step back, impressed. "Well, this is beyond what I anticipated."
He turned to Johan. "Can you handle it?"
Johan grinned. "Did you forget who I am?"
Ludger gave a rare smile. "Try not to let us all die."
The magic circle spun wildly as Sylva opened her eyes, her voice resounding with terrifying clarity:
"With this incantation, I call forth the truth of destruction! Grand Magic: Condensed Explosion!"
She swung the staff downward. Light condensed into a single beam from the circle in the sky. And the spell was unleashed.
A beam of condensed mana surged forth, crackling with blinding intensity, bearing down toward the stage where the Headmaster stood.
Many students screamed and instinctively ducked. A few shielded themselves with basic defensive spells out of pure panic. The sheer pressure of the mana swept everyone like a wave.
And yet, Johan Hemsworth didn't move. Not an inch.
With a snap of his fingers, a ripple of space distorted in front of him. A small void. Black, dense, and swirling, opened in the air. A black hole.
The beam met the void.
WHUUMMMM—
The mana collided with the black hole and vanished without a trace. Not a flicker, not a flare. The entire spell was consumed. Johan's coat fluttered from the remaining shockwave.
A few heartbeats passed. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he redirected the absorbed energy upward. A thin slit in space opened high on the sky.
BOOM!!
The sky lit up in brilliant hues as a laser-like explosion erupted far above the academy. A thunderous sound boomed across the academy. The ground trembled underfoot. The shockwave shattered a few distant clouds.
Everyone stood stunned.
Johan dusted off his sleeves. Then, with a casual tone, he said, "With this kind of spell, even if she has a bad attitude as a mage, it wouldn't be a problem."
Ludger stared at the dissipating magic in the sky, then slowly nodded. "...Agreed."
All eyes shifted to Sylva. She was still floating slightly, clutching the staff tightly, her face pale as she exhausted her mana.
"From now on," Ludger announced, "Sylva will be moved to Class A."
No cheers erupted. No applause followed.
The hall remained wrapped in stunned silence, everyone still shaken by the scene they had just witnessed.
In the back, Ellen stood with her hands tucked into her pockets, her expression calm. A small, knowing smile tugged at her lips.
And just like that… another piece of the board had fallen into place.