I will turn back time to just after I met Kelton.
Kelton took one look at my scruffy appearance and ordered me to wash up.
After obediently washing and coming out, he muttered under his breath.
“Looks like one of your ancestors was a fairy.”
“I do have the kind of looks that nobles would drool over and buy.”
I silently stared into the full-length mirror in the room.
Platinum-colored hair that seemed to hold the starlight of the night sky, vibrant light green eyes, and the pale white skin beneath them.
The skin was especially fascinating.
Even though I hadn’t been beaten by my father, I had still done all the household chores, yet my hands were unscathed, and my skin never tanned.
It really was suspicious, just like Kelton said—maybe I did have some fairy blood in me.
“If you have fairy blood, you should be good at learning magic.”
“That sounds great.”
Magic.
The one thing I longed for so much that I ran away from home at the young age of ten, venturing into the dangerous world outside the village.
Magic is a secret art.
It wasn’t something just anyone could learn.
That’s why, the moment I sensed I was about to be sold off to a noble family, I wasted no time in running away.
No noble would ever teach magic to a mere maid working in their household.
Ah, by the way, when I say ‘sold off,’ don’t misunderstand—this world doesn’t have slavery.
A cool and sexy isekai like this would never adopt such outdated and barbaric laws.
Nobles here merely ‘hire people for long-term employment.’
That’s all.
And those who were ‘hired’ could regain their freedom anytime as long as they paid back their contract price.
Of course, if a commoner family managed to get their pretty daughter a ‘long-term employment’ position, they’d earn money that a regular peasant wouldn’t be able to make even after decades of hard work.
But let’s just shove that minor detail to the side for now.
If you’re wondering why they didn’t just refuse the contract—well, in this medieval happy-land, children are considered their parents’ property.
And who listens to the opinions of property?
No one.
It was the same for me—no one cared what I wanted.
So, in the end, it was a win-win transaction for everyone.
From the nobles’ perspective, they got a maid who was good at housework and, occasionally, good in bed, for a dirt-cheap price.
And from the commoners’ perspective, they gained enough money to turn their lives around.
The child being ‘sold’?
Like I said, property.
They don’t count in this deal.
Which is why I quietly removed myself from the situation.
You abandoned me, so I abandoned you.
That’s fair, isn’t it?
Before teaching me magic, Kelton rummaged through a storage room full of junk.
I looked around the room and spoke up.
“This place is kind of a mess, huh?”
“This isn’t a storage room.
It’s my workshop.”
“You’re at that age where moving around gets tiresome, huh?”
Since maintaining the workshop was now added to my list of tasks, I fixed my gaze on Kelton.
He pulled out something from the pile of junk—it looked like a disc-shaped tool.
“What’s this?”
“Hold it.”
I did as he said and took the disc.
Kelton puffed on his pipe.
What is this thing?
I examined it closely.
Inside the disc, there were dozens of tiny beads.
Each was a different color, and intricate engravings covered the surface, making it look quite beautiful.
As I tilted the disc, the beads rolled around.
Then, it happened.
Clatter.
One of the beads rolled along a groove inside the disc.
Then it dropped into a basket-like compartment at the bottom.
Kelton took the disc back from me and checked the basket.
“Red, huh?”
The bead that had fallen was red.
As he placed it back into the disc, Kelton spoke.
“I bet you’re wondering what this is. This—”
“It’s probably something that determines elemental affinity, right?
Since it’s red, does that mean I have a fire attribute?”
“…Yeah, that’s right.
Where did you learn about magic?”
“I didn’t.”
I had just guessed.
I didn’t actually have any prior knowledge of magic in this world.
Kelton replaced the tobacco in his pipe and continued calmly.
“Like you said, this is a magical tool that determines elemental affinity.
In your case, you’re suited for fire magic.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“There’s no such thing as a good or bad affinity.
But fire isn’t a rare attribute.
The four primary elements are common, after all.”
“Well, having solid fundamentals is important.”
Fundamentals are the foundation of everything.
They matter the most.
Which meant I had the most important elemental affinity.
“You only hear what you want to hear, don’t you?”
“So, does that mean I can learn magic?”
“Since you have an elemental affinity, of course, you can.”
“Yay.”
Kelton put the disc back into the pile of junk and walked out of the workshop.
I followed after him and struck up a conversation.
“Still, you must’ve wanted to take on a disciple, huh?
Since you even have a tool specifically for testing apprentices.”
“That was given to me by my master.
Can’t you tell from the dust on it?
I never actually planned on taking on a disciple.”
“Treat your master’s belongings with more care.”
In my words, Kelton seemed lost in thought, reminiscing about the past.
Curious, I asked,
“What kind of person was your master, Kelton?”
“A strange one.”
“In what way?”
“It’s not normal for a Grand Mage to take in just anyone as a disciple and teach them magic, is it?’”
“That certainly is unusual.”
Teaching secret magic to just anyone—it was an incredibly rare mindset.
Still, I could understand Kelton’s master.
Magic should be spread for everyone to use.
“Are you their only disciple, Kelton?”
“My master had more disciples than I can count.
I’m just one of many.”
“That many?
Sounds almost like a cartel.”
“There’s some truth to that, but becoming part of the ‘cartel’ only happens once you reach the level of a high-ranking mage.
If you can’t even obtain your own unique magic, calling yourself my master’s disciple will only earn you mockery.”
“Yikes.”
As we talked, one particular term caught my attention.
“So unique magic is what separates high-ranking mages from low-ranking ones?”
“You’ve got a decent head on your shoulders.”
“Can I obtain a unique magic too?”
“That’s what we’re about to find out.”
Kelton had me sit down and began his explanation.
“This world is built upon four fundamental elements—fire, water, wind, and earth.
While there are many special elements beyond these, most mages are born attuned to one of the four.”
“And I have an affinity for fire.”
“Magic is based on understanding.
Only those who deeply understand their element—and ultimately, the world itself—can reach the realm of high-ranking mages.
Now, focus.”
Kelton ignited a flame at his fingertip.
The flickering light mesmerized me.
Magic.
This was real magic.
I reached out, dazed, desperate to grasp it with my own hands.
“What are you doing?”
Kelton extinguished the flame immediately.
It was as if I had snapped out of a trance.
“What was that just now?
Some kind of mind control magic?”
“Just a basic ignition spell.
I’ll show you again, but this time, don’t touch it—just focus.”
Kelton lit the flame once more.
I followed his instructions, eyes wide, staring intently at the fire.
“Do you sense anything?”
“…It looks warm.”
“Anything else?
Nothing comes to mind?”
“Fire’s fundamental nature is expansion.
It consumes and grows in size.
Since burning involves destruction, maybe it also has a connection to purification?”
Kelton seemed a little surprised at my words.
“You actually sensed that?”
“Not really.
I just thought about it.”
“So you didn’t feel it.
Stop thinking and just focus.
What do you sense?”
I emptied my mind and concentrated on the flames.
Fire.
Fire itself.
Now that I wasn’t thinking—
This fire… it’s hotter than I expected?
Whoosh.
I gasped and looked at my hand.
A small flame had ignited at the tip of my index finger.
“Fire!”
“Magic!”
“You succeeded in feeling it.
That’s the foundation—remember it well.”
I immediately shoved my finger into my mouth, flame and all.
“Ow!
Hot!”
“What the hell are you doing?!”
Kelton yanked my hand out of my mouth and checked inside.
After confirming that I hadn’t burned myself, he slowly shook his head.
“In all my years, I’ve never seen someone try to swallow fire magic.”
“Am I the first human in history to do it?”
“I’m sure some idiot has tried before, but this is a first for me.
Why the hell did you do that?”
“I wanted to feel magic with my whole body.
But why didn’t it feel hot on my finger, yet burned when I put it in my mouth?”
“Your control is weak.
Mages who burn themselves with their own magic are considered third-rate or worse, so be careful.”
So my idea wasn’t necessarily wrong, but my skill wasn’t up to par.
If I wanted to eat magic, I needed to improve.
Another reason to master it.
“…You’re really going to try and swallow it again, aren’t you?”
“So what do I do next?”
“Right now, you’re at ‘Zero Rank’—a ‘No-Class Mage.’
You’ve only just managed to sense an element, but you can’t actually do anything with it.
Your first step is to move past that.”
“How do I do that?”
“I already told you—magic is based on understanding.
Understand the element.
Understand fire.
Once you do, your level will naturally rise.”
I diligently followed Kelton’s magic training regimen.
Every day, I poured my efforts into understanding my element.
And after a full week of training…
Nothing changed.
Absolutely nothing.
“You don’t have much talent, do you?”
“…Huh?”
“You lack talent for magic.
You have the necessary aptitude, but as for actual ability…
I don’t see anything worth calling ‘talent.'”
And that was why Kelton had said what he did.
I scratched my cheek.
“So… are you throwing me away?”
“…No.
Someone has to pick up the slack.
If nothing else, you’re a disciple that perfectly suits your master.
Go clean something.”
“That’s classic Kelton.”
At least I wasn’t getting abandoned.
But still…
As I pulled out a broom, I muttered to myself.
No matter what the reason, the idea that there exists magic I can’t master—
That’s something I just can’t accept.