The beautiful flow of his magic stole my heart at first sight.

The magic of a mage who has trained diligently flows evenly throughout the body.

If I had to compare it to something, it would be like a quiet stream, and I had always believed that was what beautiful magic looked like.

However, when I first saw Ray-kun’s magic, I realized something.

That the wild magic surging from the culmination of relentless effort was far more beautiful than any polished talent.

* * *

“Magnificent magic power levels. Eleanor will undoubtedly become an exceptional mage.”

When I turned ten years old, I underwent the ceremonial rite used to measure one’s future potential.

Apparently, among the children, I possessed remarkable talent as a mage.

The surrounding nobles cheered with delight, and my parents waved at me proudly.

I smiled and waved back.

…It made me want to vomit.

“Eleanor, starting tomorrow we will increase the number of tutors. You will wake at five instead of six. Lack of sleep is unacceptable.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“No matter how high your magic power values are, arrogance will not be tolerated. Be careful how you spend your time. There is not much time left before your enrollment.”

I was born the eldest daughter of a viscount’s family.

My father was an entrepreneur who had risen through the carriage industry, and my mother was a mage.

The two married for political convenience and had me.

Unfortunately, I was not male, so my uncle and aunt were deeply disappointed.

Even worse, my mother’s health was weak and she could not bear a second child.

I learned that fact much later.

When I finally understood why my father had always been cold toward me, I remember feeling strangely relieved.

I believe my mother loved me, but she became obsessed with educating me into a useful person.

It is said that increasing magical power should begin after the age of ten.

Just like physical development, if you train too early while the body’s magic channels are immature, it can cause problems in growth.

Yet from the moment I became aware of the world, my mother had already been training me to increase my magic power values.

In other words, that ceremonial rite was fabricated, and I knew better than anyone that my future was not as bright as they believed.

“Eleanor, you are wonderful.”

Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—it seemed I possessed the talent for increasing my magic power through effort.

Whether that was thanks to my mother or not I cannot say, but I steadily grew while being called a genius by everyone around me.

The strictest expectations were placed on my studies.

Magic is treated much like athletics. Even if you can use magic, if your intellect is poor you will be mocked within noble society.

Because of that, I spent nearly all of my time studying except when sleeping.

At thirteen, I was able to enroll in a prestigious academy for nobles.

I became the top student in both magic and academics, and my mother looked happier than I had ever seen.

Even my father seemed immensely proud of the achievement.

From that point onward he began encouraging me, telling me to keep up the good work.

It is often said that entering a noble academy is difficult, but graduating is easy.

While many students breathed in relief, for me it was only the beginning of another hell.

You must always remain first place. The moment you become second, Eleanor, your value will fall to nothing.

At the time I believed my mother’s words and endured.

No matter how painful it was, I thought the future would surely be bright. Just for now, just for now.

School lessons were all things I had already learned from tutors.

For me they were boring and a waste of time.

Because after returning home, more academic study awaited me.

Even more exhausting was maintaining social relationships.

“You must absolutely become friends with the child of the Golder family.”

My mother compiled lists of children from influential political families and created a checklist of tasks I had to accomplish within the academy.

Fortunately, I was good at smiling.

People tend to like someone who greets them warmly. They open their hearts to a smile and assume a child without hostility is a good person.

However, you must not be too submissive.

You show humility without sounding sarcastic and exchange light jokes.

Everything I did was what I had learned in psychology lessons.

The only moment of peace I had was when sleeping.

No one could interfere then, and I could empty my mind.

My mind was always spinning with thoughts.

It felt as if someone else was controlling me, and sometimes I felt like screaming.

And yet every person I met praised me.

I hated myself.

Eventually someone started calling me something.

Never angry. Always smiling. A soothing presence.

—Angel Eleanor.

A title born from the contrast with the ugly, muddy emotions inside me.

I was friendly with many people, but that was only because I faithfully followed the instructions my mother had given me.

More than anything, I felt sorry for those who trusted me.

For those innocent hearts that called someone as ugly as me an angel.

After graduating safely from the noble academy, I used the accelerated advancement system to become an apprentice court mage.

I was delighted to finally stand on my own.

It was also my mother’s lifelong wish fulfilled.

But even that was merely the beginning of something new.

“So you’re Eleanor? I heard your magic is amazing… though your mother, well.”

My mother was not as skilled in maneuvering through society as I was.

After becoming connected to the court mage society, she tried too aggressively to promote me within noble circles and failed.

Complaints about parents eventually spread to their children.

My position became unstable, and no one spoke to me anymore.

This led my mother to fall ill with a mental disorder, and she gradually stopped speaking to me altogether.

But by then I had already gone too far to return.

“Mother, what should I do next?”

I had lost the ability to think for myself.

Whom to befriend, what to speak about, what goals to pursue.

My father cared for my mother, and I spent my days alone and isolated.

My grades steadily declined.

I became a failure and could not even become a court mage.

However, because I had accumulated knowledge since childhood, I was able to obtain the position known as a court instructor.

It was a profession where one teaches magical knowledge, history, and many subjects to promising children.

Similar to a teaching license, except rather than teaching at the noble academy, it functioned more like private tutoring.

You guide each student individually and help develop their particular talents.

Yet it seemed this work suited me well, and many people liked me.

Naturally, that was because I could understand the children’s perspective better than anyone.

After all, I understood the mindset of overly strict parents better than anyone else.

…

One day, my mother took her own life.

As her illness began to improve, she realized that I had become a court instructor and concluded that it was her failure as an educator.

“Eleanor, this is your fault.”

My father directed all his anger toward me.

He claimed my mother died because I had become a failure.

Ironically, my reputation as a court instructor continued to rise.

The children I taught entered prestigious noble academies one after another, and before long my name became more well-known than my father’s.

But I understood the truth.

Why those children became exceptional.

“Your mother would surely be proud.”

“Let’s prove your father wrong.”

“I’m proud of you too.”

It was because I skillfully encouraged them with words.

In other words, I had become just like my mother when I was young.

Several years passed.

I resigned from my teaching position. Seeing the children’s bright smiles made me hate myself.

I drifted apart from my father and lost hope for the future.

Eventually I reached a conclusion.

I wanted to erase my existence from this world.

While gazing at the calm sky, I made that decision.

I was aware that my emotions had grown faint.

I had been taught that controlling emotions was important, so I no longer understood what I truly felt.

There was a lake nearby. I decided to end my life there.

I stood and walked toward the lake.

Just as the cold water touched my feet, I heard a voice.

“Bathing this time of year? Are you maybe a mermaid?”

A boy in his late teens stood there, speaking to me with an innocent face.

“You figured it out. I was just about to return to my own world.”

“Oh really? Mind if I come along?”

“If you can swim well.”

“I might manage in shallow water.”

Though we had only just met, he spoke with me as if it were perfectly natural.

I could not continue walking into the lake, so we talked instead.

He said he was an adventurer and had simply happened to pass by.

Then he added that he spoke to me because I looked like someone with a dead expression.

Apparently he had noticed everything.

“As long as you’re alive, good things can happen.”

“You speak very bluntly.”

“Do I? Eat something delicious and move your body.”

“Fufu, I may not have eaten anything delicious in quite a while.”

“Then how about this?”

He smoothly pulled something out.

It was a fruit sandwich, something I had loved when I was a child.

…I had completely forgotten about it.

Suddenly I felt an overwhelming urge to eat it and brought it to my mouth.

“…It’s delicious.”

“Right? I never thought I’d get to eat this either, so I’m really happy.”

“…Never thought you’d eat a fruit sandwich?”

“Ah, well… I grew up in the countryside.”

“I see?”

His name was Ray.

Sometimes he said strange things, but I quickly realized he was not a bad person.

From that day on, talking in the park became part of our daily routine.

One day I arrived earlier than our meeting time and found Ray practicing magic training.

He was drenched in sweat, covered in mud, and his magic was terribly unstable.

The children I taught were all overflowing with talent.

Children whose magical power values had been high since childhood and were said to possess limitless potential.

But with Ray, I knew at a glance that his magic was not born from talent but polished through effort so intense it could draw blood.

“…Beautiful.”

The beautiful flow of his magic stole my heart instantly.

“Magic is said to flow most efficiently from the heart to the limbs. However, concentrating it in specific areas actually wastes less energy. That’s my personal theory.”

“Really… that’s different from the strategy guide.”

“…Strategy guide?”

“Nothing.”

I decided to teach Ray everything I knew.

At first I simply wanted to be praised for my knowledge, but Ray listened with genuine joy.

Thinking back now, he must have already made up his mind at that time.

About the future that lay ahead.

Without realizing it, I had helped steal that future from him.

I spoke endlessly without being asked, happily watching him work so hard.

“I think each eye of a Majin has its own will. If you exploit that opening, you might be able to get close. Though of course… defeating one would be impossible.”

Because of the appearance of a Majin, the country of Dolga was destroyed in a single night.

The number of casualties exceeded one hundred thousand, and almost no one escaped.

They appear suddenly and take everything just as suddenly.

A common enemy of the entire world.

Through his relentless effort, I realized Ray intended to fight that Majin.

He was completely serious.

Until then, I had never had a purpose in life.

But I found one.

I would follow Ray.

And help him.

No matter how difficult it might be, simply being beside him would make me happy.

So I waited for Ray, who was secretly planning to leave on a journey.

“Eh, Eleanor!? Why are you here?”

“Where are you going? Today’s lesson isn’t finished yet.”

“…Uh, well…”

“To be honest, I’ve always wanted to travel. You’re an adventurer, right? I’ll go with you. This is already decided. In the meantime I’ll teach you magic. See? I’m a convenient companion.”

Ray looked extremely reluctant.

Even so, he eventually gave in to my insistence.

“Alright… but as your student. Please don’t do anything dangerous.”

“Yes, Ray.”

He saved my life and taught me how joyful living could be.

That the world is filled with happiness.

Soon we began traveling together with Lesley and Sophia as well.

Strong, reliable companions.

What surprised me was that both of them felt the same way I did.

“I used to believe talent was everything. But Ray made me realize something. What matters is conviction. That boy can continue looking forward with pure effort. He doesn’t understand how incredible that is. One day Ray will surpass my swordsmanship.”

“I agree with Lesley. I’ve been teaching him healing magic. Normally it can only be used by those born with the talent. But he practices every day, and though the light is small, he can now heal wounds. I haven’t told anyone, but this is a historic event that overturns common sense. I’m sure he will change the world. Eleanor, you think so too, don’t you?”

Of course.

Ray will surely become an extraordinary person.

Not just his personality, but his swordsmanship and magic as well.

And yet…

And yet, and yet, and yet, and yet, and yet, and yet, and yet, and yet, and yet, and yet, and yet, and yet…

I took it away.

* * *

“Ray, I’ll wipe your body now.”

“Th-thank you.”

He defeated the Majin without caring about his own life.

I was simply happy to be beside him and never considered anything else.

I spoke about knowledge and led him into danger.

I was the one who caused this.

But please rest assured.

From now on, I will protect your future.

“Ray, from now on I’ll do anything for you. If there’s anything troubling you, tell me.”

You don’t need to worry about anything.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“Alright then, I’ll bring your clothes, Ray.”

Eleanor closed the door with a bright smile.

Gyaaaaaaaaaaa.

Th-this is embarrassing.

Just now Eleanor carefully wiped my ‘thing.’

I thought nothing could surpass the suffering of majinification, but I never imagined I’d experience humiliation like this.

Damn DWS. You really do torment me in every possible way.

Still… Eleanor really is kind.

When we first met, there was that additional content DLC episode, the Eleanor Drowning Ending, and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest.

If I had arrived just a few minutes later, that would’ve happened.

Sigh… why was a DLC episode an ending anyway?

The community site exploded with outrage back then. The developers even apologized and removed the episode. But still, why did it exist!?

It must be because the original protagonist isn’t here.

Sigh… thanks to everyone’s devoted care, the pain has gradually lessened. But that’s frightening too.

It probably means the majinification is progressing.

…Should I end it? My life.

It was something I intended to throw away anyway.

Lesley is searching for a healer through underground connections, but as far as I know there’s no one more skilled than Sophia.

Eleanor looks like she’s ready to ship me off to a deserted island. If that happens, I’ll probably become a Majin and wander forever. Then the three of them would become guardians watching over me. That’s way too much of a bad ending!

Sigh…

I scratched my head while thinking about it.

Then suddenly I realized something terrifying.

I had just scratched my head with my right arm. It moved naturally.

Before now, the curse mark made the pain so intense that moving it even slightly would make me scream.

Yet suddenly, as if everything had disappeared, the pain was gone.

I roughly tore off the bandages around my right arm.

“…Hey, what the hell is this?”

The curse mark was writhing like a snake.

Startled by the sudden change, I swung my arm as if trying to shake it off.

There was a chair in the path. The chair Eleanor had been sitting on earlier.

It brushed it lightly. Just lightly. I thought maybe it would tip over.

The next moment—

BOOOOOOM!!!

A thunderous explosion rang out.

The chair didn’t just break. It exploded into splinters as if packed with explosives and embedded itself into the wall.

…You’ve got to be kidding me.

And the one who witnessed the entire scene was Eleanor, who had just opened the door carrying my clothes.

She looked back and forth between the shattered chair stuck in the wall and my right arm.

“It’s alright. Please don’t worry. Ray, you don’t need to worry about anything. Let’s make sure you wear warm clothes so you don’t catch a cold. Should we bring motion sickness medicine too?”

…I wonder if a deserted island has fruit.