The capital of the Wind Empire, Taeusan.

In a secluded alleyway, where people rarely set foot, the air rippled into the shape of a sphere before expelling more than a dozen young boys and girls.

These were the first-year students of Stella Academy, who had just returned from the Persona Gate.

“Phew, this practice session was mentally exhausting…”

Bandiyon, who relaxed as soon as they exited the gate, shook her hair loose and fanned herself with her hand. The sweat running down her neck showed just how tense she had been.

She turned around and checked to see if all the first-year students had made it out safely.

All 12 students. No issues.

‘I thought something was bound to happen…’

The mission itself had been an exceedingly ordinary 3-risk level Persona Gate.

No unexpected variables, and in fact, it was one of the easier ones among the 3-risk levels.

But the ending had been the problem.

‘A human…?’

A girl was asleep on Baek Yuseol’s back. She looked to be about middle school age—this cute child, found inside the Persona Gate, was an actual person and, surprisingly, someone Baek Yuseol knew.

It was shocking enough that an outsider had appeared inside the Persona Gate as a boss monster, but to be someone familiar to him?

“Um… senior?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“We… we almost killed a living person…” 

One of the first-year students approached Bandiyon with a trembling voice, eyes brimming with tears.

Bandiyon softened her expression and approached him.

“It’s okay. Calm down and listen.”

“Huh?”

“You did nothing wrong. And I’m not just saying that to comfort you.”

“But…”

“I was a bit surprised too, but this kind of thing isn’t unheard of.”

“Huh?”

Although it wasn’t in their textbooks, cases like this were not unheard of. There were stories of allies being completely taken over by a Persona and becoming boss monsters.

Mages often had to fight back tears and kill their comrades with their own hands, leaving them deeply scarred.

“Persona Gates are known for being extremely challenging but highly rewarding. And the Mage Association credits them as major achievements. Do you know why?”

“I… I don’t know…”

“It’s because of the mental stress. Monster hunting and dark mage hunting aren’t any easier, but why do senior mages avoid Persona Gates despite the rewards?”

The junior shook his head, and Bandiyon patted his shoulder.

“It’s because it’s not just physically hard—it’s mentally exhausting.”

“Does it happen often?”

Bandiyon shook her head.

“Not often. But Persona Gates have many elements that mentally torment us, and that’s what makes them tough.”

Mages had to enter and act as characters in an artificially constructed ‘story’ within the Persona Gate.

Many suffered from mental wounds, some to the point of quitting. That was why the position of ‘Persona Hunter’ existed.

“I’m heading to the hospital.”

“Alright. I’ll handle the evaluation, so go ahead.”

Bandiyon watched as Baek Yuseol, carrying Anella, ran off.

Although she hadn’t seen him act during the mission, it was perhaps for the best. Baek Yuseol only acted seriously when things were dire.

“Something feels lacking.”

“Huh? What does?” 

Ryuderic, with a furrowed brow, spoke up.

“That guy. He’s no ordinary student. I kept my distance while observing him, and he moved faster than a professional Persona Hunter. I still don’t know why he kept circling without going directly to the final destination, but he’s definitely unusual.”

Bandiyon laughed softly at Ryuderic’s discovery.

“Is that so?”

“Are you doubting my judgment? That guy isn’t just any first-year—”

“Yes, you’re right.”

“Hey!”

Ignoring him, she led the first-year students out of the alley.

Though they had expected it to take about a week, the mission had ended early in just three days. A day of sightseeing wouldn’t hurt.

A soft breeze carrying the scent of flowers rustled her hair. Holding her hair in place, she recalled childhood memories of her mother in a white dress waving to her.

‘Anella, come and eat.’

Their house had been small and shabby, but it had everything they needed for a happy life. Though her father wasn’t around, her mother was strong and faced the world alone, loved by everyone in the village.

‘The Valkamic Kingdom.’

Once founded by a descendant of the Twelve Disciples of the Archmage, it had thrived in ancient times but was now a small, hidden kingdom.

But what did it matter if the kingdom was large or small? Yesterday, she had been happy. Today, she was happy, and tomorrow, she would be happy too.

Anella had never doubted that she would live her life that way.

Holding her mother’s hand, not wealthy but not lacking, growing up beautifully.

She believed she would grow up that way.

‘Mother…?’

The world turned red.

That night, even the sky screamed.

Their small house, once their haven of happiness, was engulfed in flames and collapsed.

It was no longer a place of joy. It had become a shackle, a harbinger of her mother’s suffering.

‘Anella…’

Her mother, half-crushed under a fallen pillar, reached out to her, groaning in pain.

‘Anella, remember. Don’t look back. Run.’

‘Mom, what about you?!’

‘I’ll be right behind you. Now, go!’

For the first time, Anella saw her mother shout. She stood up, tears streaming down her face.

‘Hurry… run…’

Stupidly, she must have cried so much that she couldn’t remember her mother’s final expression—whether she was smiling or crying. It was all blurred by her tears.

Anella ran.

The invasion of the Black Mages. The fall of the Valkamic Kingdom.

She kept running.

She had to be the good child who obeyed her mother’s last wish.

…To survive.

When Anella opened her eyes, tears were brimming at the corners. Why did those memories resurface now? She had buried them deep after becoming a dark mage, never to be remembered. She had sealed them away.

“Aah…”

A white ceiling.

Lights swayed softly, not too bright, and sunlight filtered in.

She blinked a few times, then cautiously tried to push herself up.

Pain shot through her waist, making it impossible to rise. It felt like she hadn’t used her muscles in a long time.

“Ugh…”

Weakness washed over her, and she collapsed back onto the bed. Anella suddenly felt the strangeness of the situation.

‘A bed?’

When had she last slept in a bed? Probably when she had infiltrated Stella as an exchange student during the summer.

Though it wasn’t as soft as the Stella dorm beds, it was comfortable enough. In fact, it felt more peaceful.

“What’s going on…”

Anella hurried to sit up, pushing herself hard. Though it was difficult, she managed to sit up and even get her feet down on the floor.

Clatter!

The door opened, and a nurse entered.

“Oh, no! You shouldn’t be up yet! You’re suffering from mana exhaustion! Please lie down!”

“Huh? Mana exhaustion… Ugh!”

She had just managed to stand when the nurse gently pushed her back down. The effort to get up had been so draining that Anella felt like she would never move again.

Feeling suddenly dejected, Anella buried her face in the pillow. The nurse came over to check her temperature and attached a device to her forehead, which annoyed her enough to lift her head.

“What’s going on…”

She started to yell but was silenced by the fierce look in the nurse’s eyes, which made her heart shrink.

“Don’t you remember? Your friends said you forced your mana and collapsed. You can’t do that! If you use up all your mana, you might lose the ability to use magic permanently.”

“…Mana exhaustion?”

“How can you not know that as a mage? It’s what happens when you deplete even the minimal amount of mana needed for basic functions. It’s very dangerous, so be careful.”

“Wait.”

This didn’t make sense.

Anella wasn’t a mage.

As a dark mage, mana exhaustion shouldn’t have affected her.

Even if she used dark magic, she couldn’t experience the specific conditions that only affected mages.

But…

The nurse spoke to her as if she were a human mage.

“Mana exhaustion, for me?”

“Yes.”

“No, that’s impossible.”

The nurse pursed her lips and shook her head.

“The director himself diagnosed you. Saying it’s false won’t change anything. Are you implying that the director of Furyeong University Hospital is wrong?”

“Wait, Furyeong University? Are you saying this is…”

“Yes. Furyeong University Hospital.”

“Oh my god…”

Furyeong University was known as one of the world’s top medical schools.

It was a place Anella couldn’t even dream of visiting, let alone afford. And the director’s diagnosis was unlikely to be wrong.

“If another patient had said that, the director wouldn’t have stayed silent. But since you’re a special guest of the Star Cloud Trading Company… well, it’s possible.”

Anella couldn’t make sense of anything. Why was the name of the Star Cloud Trading Company being mentioned now?

“Stay put, alright?”

The nurse connected various sensors to her body for examinations before finally leaving.

Anella, who had been staring blankly at the door, placed her hand on her chest.

Thump, thump!

‘…What?’

She didn’t feel it.

The dark mana that had shackled her heart.

It was always there, ready to activate at the Black Kingdom’s will and

 crush her heart. But now, that dark seed was completely gone.

‘How… is this possible?’

She couldn’t sense any dark mana. Even her unique power that delved into people’s psyches and triggered trauma was gone.

She clenched and unclenched her fists, punching the air, but all that came was the feeble strength of a teenage girl.

Her abilities.

Her power.

They were completely gone.

Instead…

All the oppressive dark mana had vanished, and her heart was now filled with a clean, blue mana.

“I… I really am…”

Clatter!

As she stared at the air in shock, the door opened again, and someone entered.

This time, it was Baek Yuseol.

He was holding a chart, smiling brightly as if in a good mood.

“You’re awake.”

“Ba-Baek Yuseol…”

“I skimmed through the chart. You’re completely human now. The complex suppression and control spells engraved on your heart are gone, and the seed has disappeared too.”

“D-disappeared…?”

“Your physical age is about sixteen or seventeen. I don’t know your real age, but isn’t that great? You’ve gotten younger.”

“Sixteen? I’m not that young…”

“That’s just your physical age. You need to work out, though. Your muscles are weak. Your mana is almost at a regular person’s level. But you won’t need to train from scratch. With your experience of controlling dark mana, you’ll quickly grasp white mana training. You’re lucky. Because you turned back into a human from a dark mage, you’ve been blessed with ‘Mana’s Blessing.’ And also…”

Baek Yuseol started explaining various things from the chart, but Anella couldn’t hear him properly.

‘I’m… human?’

Was it true?

Was it not a dream?

It felt so blissful that she feared the Black Kingdom might suddenly grip her heart and wake her up, threatening her life. Out of sudden fear, she slapped her cheek hard.

Slap!

“Ouch!”

It hurt. Enough to bring tears to her eyes.

But it wasn’t enough.

She lifted her other hand to slap herself again but hesitated, trembling because she was scared of the pain.

“…What are you doing? Want me to do it for you?”

Baek Yuseol spoke as if looking at a fool, and Anella nodded with all her might.

As he approached with a smile, Anella tightly shut her eyes.

Expecting the impact on her cheek, she braced herself, but instead, he placed his hand on her head as if putting down a toy.

It wasn’t a gentle stroke but just a weight placed there.

“Huh?”

“It’s not a dream.”

Baek Yuseol held Anella’s head like a ball and gently moved it side to side.

“Congratulations. You’re truly human now.”

“T-thank you. It’s because of you…”

“No. I didn’t do anything. I just talked. In the end, it’s because you had the resolve that this happened.”

“Still…”

“You’re completely free from the Black Kingdom. You’re free. How does it feel?”

When Baek Yuseol asked this, Anella blankly turned to look out the window.

“Aah…”

The view was undoubtedly the same as yesterday, but today, the sky looked clearer and brighter than ever.

Everything seemed more beautiful, and even the smallest details appeared lovely.

This was how the world looked through the eyes of a human. It was a warm emotion she hadn’t felt in a long time.

“I’m… happy…”

Anella said without realizing it, and Baek Yuseol smiled along with her.

“I’m glad. That you’re happy.”

Then.

Before Anella could fully savor her happiness, he pulled an envelope out of his bag.

“If you’re happy, it’s time to work hard.”

“Huh?”

“It’s an application for special admission to Stella. It’s not something given to just anyone. This opportunity came up just once, and now… you need to become a Stella student. Or at least acquire the skills to match.”

“W-why?”

“Do you want to stay like this? Now that you’re human, you can’t live the same way you did before. And your former boss won’t just let you be. It’s best to live under Stella’s protection. Although, it does have its own gaps.”

Anella took the envelope and stared at it blankly.

“Can I… really do this?”

“Why not? You’re human, just like me, and a commoner. Stella is fair. Anyone with ability can join.”

A human, just like everyone else.

The resonance of those words was so moving that Anella nearly burst into tears.

“Yes! I’ll do my best!”

“‘Doing your best’ is enough. Just make sure you do it well.”

“Got it!”

Anella hugged the envelope Baek Yuseol handed her tightly to her chest.

Becoming human and living as one had been her goal. But the end was not an end—it was a new beginning.

‘Stella admission.’

A new direction for her life was set.

It was her first life goal as a human, not as a dark mage.