"I... I..."
Derek was going to explain himself, but he suddenly found himself unable to.
It could have been because of how sudden the question came and how nervous he was, or perhaps because he was so overcome with emotion that he didn’t know how to properly put his thoughts into words.
He also felt deeply embarrassed.
’How can I tell him that I came to the Entrance Exams without the confirmation slip that is required for entry?’
Not one of the examinees he saw had made such a stupid mistake.
These men were likely instructors.
They would instantly have the worst impression of him if he admitted to such a silly mistake.
’Unless I want to expose the internal conflict of the Lewis Family, which is something I must avoid doing...’ Derek shook his head and sighed.
Even though his family had treated him terribly, he couldn’t air its dirty laundry.
Seeing that Derek had not answered the question even after some time passed, one of the guards spoke up.
"He doesn’t have his Entrance Slip."
"Oh?"
Both the blond gentleman and dark-haired man showed surprise at this development.
It was clearly a rare phenomenon.
"Was it stolen, or...?"
"N-no..." Derek mumbled, not daring to say anything more.
Once again, the guard explained.
He told the instructors everything, including the fact that Derek was completely unaware of the existence of Entrance Slips.
Upon hearing the full story, the man with dark hair laughed loudly.
He leaned forward and slapped his knees while also patting his colleague on the shoulder.
He wasn’t at all bothered that Derek felt worse because of his actions.
"Come on, Harvey... Let’s head inside. I don’t particularly care, but I know you don’t want to be late for the meeting at this rate."
"...."
The older gentleman glanced at his amused colleague and shook his head.
His disapproving stare forced the man with black hair to stop his chuckles and finally take the matter somewhat seriously.
"Don’t be so dejected, young chap. You can try again next year, okay?" He even winked while telling Derek those words.
"Cut it out, Noren."
"I’m just trying to encourage him. He looks so sad, see?"
"Yeah, but you’re not helping matters..." This story is hosted at g.com.
Harvey approached the saddened Derek and pressed a hand on his shoulder. He gave him a warm smile and spoke with a gentle voice.
"Don’t be too dejected. In life, disappointments happen all the time. But you must never give up."
Derek felt something stir in his heart at that moment.
Seeing the bespectacled man talk to him in such an encouraging manner made him feel a surge of hope in his heart.
In that moment, a kind of confidence manifested.
It gave him the strength to open his mouth and say something even he found to be ridiculous.
"T-then... could you help me?"
"W-what?"
Harvey was stunned by the question, and his colleague, Noren, burst out laughing again once he heard it.
"See? That’s what you get for being too nice." He pointed at Derek while chuckling. "Come on, Harvey. Let’s go already."
Harvey sighed and nodded.
He closed his eyes and was about to leave Derek.
However, the latter tightly held onto his robe and didn’t let go.
"Please..." Derek whispered with a shaky voice. "I really want to become a Magus. It’s my dream. I know I can do it. I just need a chance."
Harvey saw the way Derek’s crimson eyes glowed, and he had to pause.
The strong emotions the boy displayed seemed to move him—enough to render him speechless.
"Harvey..." Noren’s voice returned at this moment.
In that moment, Harvey had to make a choice. He looked at Derek one final time before turning to Noren with a sigh.
"You should go without me. I want to help him resolve this problem."
"Seriously?!" Noren’s mouth fell wide open as he stared in disbelief. "Even though we have the staff meeting any moment from now?"
"Yes. Seriously."
"But I thought you didn’t like being tardy. It causes you to miss out on important details, remember?"
Harvey let out a soft smile and laughed for the first time.
"Then I guess I had better help this guy as quickly as possible so I don’t miss out on too much."
"You... ahh, unbelievable."
"Why don’t you come with us? You always look for an excuse to slack off anyway."
"Nah! I’d rather do something else than help some random kid. That sounds too boring!" Noren shook his head and waved before walking away. "You’re on your own, man."
"I also had a feeling you’d make this annoying choice the moment you spotted him. Some things never change..."
"...."
Harvey didn’t respond this time.
He only watched as Noren walked through the gate and vanished beyond the Academy walls.
After a few seconds of standing still, he heard Derek’s voice.
"Thank you... for choosing to help me."
Harvey turned to Derek at that moment and gave a gentle smile. Then, he asked him an unexpected question.
"Why do you want to be a Magus?"
"Huh...?"
"You said it’s your dream," He calmly continued with a steady, insightful gaze. "Why?"
"Why do I want to be a Magus...?"
Derek reflected on that question for some time. He seemed confused at times, then certain at other times. A mix of anger, sadness, excitement, and a myriad of other emotions were displayed on his face at that moment.
Harvey quietly watched this continue until Derek finally answered his question with a brilliant smile.
"Because anytime I think about it... I can look forward to living."
"Living, huh?"
"Yes," Derek simply stated. "Life for me isn’t worth it if I can’t find something that makes me look forward to it. Magecraft is the only thing that excites me in this world. It’s the only thing I enjoy. Now that I can pursue it... I want to do it with all of my strength."
Harvey nodded at this answer and smiled.
"That’s a fine response."
"Thank you!"
"Now let’s get you inside. I’ll help you find your file and have the workers there create another copy of your Entrance Slip," He said while looking at the Academy gate.
"T-that’s possible?"
"It’ll be a bit of a hassle, and those workers will definitely give us an earful, but it can definitely be done. Besides..." Harvey paused for a moment, then he placed his hand on Derek’s shoulder.
He shifted his gaze from the gate to the young boy whose expectant gaze had never left him.
"... When it comes to Magecraft, anything is possible."
Derek, at that moment, felt his heart race.
The tears he held back for so long finally cascaded down his face as he nodded in acknowledgement.
"Don’t forget that." Harvey rubbed his head and chuckled.
"Yeah..." Derek nodded emphatically.
"I won’t!"