Inside a small room in a small hut in a small village, a fairly tall, eighteen-year-old young man with short black hair, aquamarine eyes, and a rather toned body that would turn the heads of young women his age sat on his wooden cot, staring at the ground in suppressed frustration and endless disappointment.

"Wait for the good news, Mom. You know how I've always felt I'm destined for greatness, right? Heh, even Korren and the others think so! I'll definitely be one of those 'diamonds in the rough!'"

Those were Hal's claims before he and seven others his age from Poporo Village left for the nearest city to try their hand at overturning their bland fate by taking the Grand Magic Academy's examination.

In his generation, he had always been the leader, the trailblazer, the problem solver, and whatever other positive term one could think of.

Hal was the bona fide, acknowledged, blessed one of his bunch, and for good reason.

He always helped people in his village whenever he could, accomplishing things others thought were impossible or had already given up on.

Above all, his personality was as warm and bright as the sun above, and his confidence was unshakeable.

At least it had been…

He had all the makings of a "diamond in the rough," as the entire empire called the talented ones among the common folk.

Hal was poised to be "him".

But then...

==

Mana Affinity: 1%

==

...came the devastating results of his mana affinity test.

One percent out of a hundred, to be exact.

He had an affinity for mana and met the very basic requirements to be admitted into the Grand Magic Academy, but his talent as a wizard turned out to be the lowest it could possibly be.

Nevertheless, he did have an affinity for mana, others didn't.

*BANG!*

Hal slammed his fist into his small room's bamboo partition in utter frustration.

More than the embarrassment, it was the thought of not being capable enough to bring his mother out of the sticks that broke his heart.

Living in the cities was obviously expensive, and it would take a decently high position as a wizard, regardless of specialization, to earn enough to sustain such a life.

While Hal's mana affinity was better than nothing, it was still far from enough to carve a path out of poverty.

'Damn it!!'

It was then that the makeshift door to his room creaked open, and a middle-aged woman with a few wrinkles stepped inside, carrying a plate of boiled roots and bread along with a small cup of tea.

"Hal? Dear, why are you so down? You still qualified for the academy, did you not? And I even prepared celebratory food for you! Here, eat!"

Hal knew his mother well.

She was simply trying to cheer him up.

Of course, he wasn't an ungrateful wretch.

He took the plate of food and the cup of tea from her hands, though he couldn't find the right words to respond with.

It was only after a brief moment of silence that Hal found the courage to speak:

"Mom, I still plan to go to the academy… Maybe the mana-bound item I would obtain from the Arcane Repository can turn things around. My promise still stands. I will bring you to live in the safety of the cities one day…" Hal vowed, making his mom chuckle.

"Hahaha, you truly are like your father…" Helena said, giving her son a tap on the back before turning to leave.

Her voice echoed from farther away as she headed toward the back of the hut to get things done:

"Go and do your thing. I'll take good care of myself so that when the day we live in the city comes, I'll still be strong and healthy enough to enjoy those fancy restaurants."

Hal's gaze turned sharp at his mother's words, the uncertainty clouding his heart vanishing like shadows chased away by light.

He would find a way.

As long as he remained relentless and kept on working hard, the gods would surely show him a path he could take.

Finally managing to find peace an hour later, Hal snuffed out the wax candle illuminating his humble room and drifted off to sleep.

Tomorrow, he would begin his long journey to the eastern borders of the Arcanum Imperium to enroll at the Grand Magic Academy as a one-star student—the lowest of the low.

The rather somber but peaceful night eventually passed.

Woken up by the loud crows of their neighbor's rooster, Hal stretched and stood up, already recovered from yesterday's devastation.

The flames in his heart might have been the smallest they had ever been, but he would never let them die.

Ever.

Exiting his room, Hal prepared and ate a rather heavy breakfast of four sweet potatoes, three boiled eggs, and a warm cup of commonroot tea.

He couldn't help but glance toward the door of his mother's closed room.

There was a note on their modest dining table, held down by a small sack of copper coins with a single silver coin inside.

"Don't wake me up. I stayed up late last night and would like to rest. Take care on your journey, and make sure to visit whenever you can. I promise to stay healthy and strong while you're away so don't worry about me too much and focus on yourself."

There was much more to be said between them, but Hal knew his mother well.

She hated goodbyes and would rather wake up to find that he had already left.

And so, with a heart slightly heavier for not even being able to glance at his loving mother's face, Hal left with nothing but a huge sack, his relentless determination, and a dream.

He headed straight to the village's modest wooden gates, where his friends were supposed to be waiting for him.

But his friends—the ones he had grown up with, took the mana affinity test with, and was supposed to travel to the City of Aeloria with—weren't there.

They'd apparently left an hour ago.