Earth's Greatest Magus

"She's finally awake..."

"Her body's immunity to drugs is remarkable. I had to use three times the usual doses."

"Understandable... She's been exposed to so many drugs since she was little."

As Shinta slowly regained consciousness, she heard murmurs around her, voices of Magus Annara and Master Bob discussing her condition. Groggily, she opened her eyes to find them by her side. Her head was still spinning, but she attempted to focus.

"What happened... Auntie... Shura... Where is Shura?" she asked, her voice tinged with confusion and concern.

Annara patiently waited for Shinta to sit down and gather her bearings. As Shinta glanced around, she realized she was in a spaceship, its metallic interior gleaming under the dim lights. Annara proceeded to explain the situation briefly: the revelation that the serpent emperor sought to claim her, prompting their clandestine switch with Shura to ensure her safety and allow her to enter the Magus Academy.

"No... No... You all lied to me... You..." Shinta's words faltered as disbelief and betrayal washed over her.

Shinta's initial disbelief quickly turned into horror as she noticed something amiss with her left arm. It felt strange, unresponsive. A creeping sense of dread washed over her as she realized that it wasn't her own arm.

"What have you done?!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with fear and anger.

Annara hurriedly explained that it was a necessary measure—a complex procedure to deceive both the emissary and the academy. They had swapped their identities by switching their arms and altering the rune inscriptions on their palms.

Before Shinta could respond, Uncle Bob interjected, his voice calm but tinged with reassurance. "Don't worry, it's a temporary measure… we can grow your arm back later."

Shinta was stunned, her mind reeling from the shock of the revelation. But amidst the whirlwind of emotions, one question burned in her mind. "What is going to happen to Shura? Will she be safe?"

Annara shook her head solemnly. "We are hoping that we could fool them for at least a month… as for what happens after… you should stop worrying about her. She made her decision willingly, fully aware of the risks."

The explanation only deepened Shinta's anguish. To be thrust into such dire circumstances, to be deceived by those she trusted most, tore at her heart. It took her a moment to process everything before she spoke again, her voice trembling with determination. "We should go back… no, let's go to the capital… we can still save her… we can…"

Seeing Ananra unwilling to hear her request, she said "I am the Ouroboros princess.. You shall follow my order… it's your duty!"

Annara gave a deep sigh, finally realizing the queen's plan for her. She then said, "Unfortunately, your grandmother, the queen, has released me from my oath... I am here as a personal favor to her and to you."

"What!... she did?" Her mind raced with solutions to her predicament.

Realizing that she couldn't impose her will through authority or strength alone, Shinta shifted her approach, attempting to appeal to reason. However, she soon found that Annara, who knew her inside out, couldn't be fooled by such tactics.

As Shinta's agitation subsided, Annara explained the broader strategy: getting Shinta into the academy would offer her some protection from the emperor's influence for the next few years, especially if she achieved notable achievement. However, Shinta remained resolute.

"Auntie… I don't care about the academy. I don't care at all… the minute I have a chance, I will make my escape," she declared with determination.

Not receiving the response she hoped for, Annara took a deep breath, dismissing Bob to grant them privacy. With soft tone, she decided to reveal the truth Shinta needed to know.

"Don't you want to know about your father?"

Shinta's eyes widened in shock. "What… my father… He?"

"Yes, he is one of the academy instructors," .

The news rocked Shinta to her core, and for a moment, she was speechless. When she finally found her voice, it was filled with apprehension.

"No… I don't want to see him… I don't!... don't you hear what they say about him… NO!."

Respecting Shinta's emotional turmoil, Annara permitted her some space to process the revelation. Despite Shinta's intelligence, she was still a teenage girl grappling with complex emotions. Once Shinta had calmed down, Annara gently suggested,

"I can only say that you can see the man yourself… You can decide what kind of man he is."

Shinta's voice trembled with emotion as she spoke, each word heavy with the weight of her pain. "Even if all they said is wrong… the fact is… he doesn't want me…"

Suddenly tears welled up in Shinta's eyes as she emotionally exclaimed

"Both of them… my father and my mother… They don't want me…"

Annara watched as the usually strong-willed girl broke down, her heart aching at the sight of Shinta's anguish. Unable to bear seeing her suffer, Annara drew Shinta into a comforting embrace, offering solace as Shinta cried out in pain.

After some time, as Shinta's tears began to subside, Annara gently spoke.

"You are 15 now, and there is a limit to what I can force you to do… As for the rest, I believe you are old enough to take responsibility for your own decisions…"

Afterward, Annara once again laid out all the facts for Shinta: the precarious situation she discovered herself in, the tense dynamics between Ouroboros and the Serpent Emperor, and the complex circumstances surrounding the academy. Next, she elucidated their plan to stay in a half-blood city called Utopia.

"We will reach our destination in 3 days," Annara informed her. "Meanwhile, take this…"

Annara passed her a tiny device to attach above her ear. It was a crucial part of Shura's memories, prepared so that Shinta could effectively assume her identity.

"I hope this will help you understand her wishes."

The memories flooded Shinta's mind, each fragment disclosing the story of Shura, a simple girl from the Ouroboros clan. Shinta witnessed Shura's determination to change her fate, witnessed the countless hours she poured into training every day, and felt her joy when she received the coveted opportunity to attend the Magus Academy, a chance to fulfill her dreams. However, everything changed when Shinta crossed her path.

Shinta could not only observe but also feel Shura's genuine warmth and her sincere desire for them to be together at the academy. Despite this heartfelt wish, Shura remained steadfast in her loyalty to the queen, placing her duty above her personal aspirations. In the end, all she wished for was the princess's success, and hopefully she could fulfill the dream she could not achieve.

These heartfelt wishes, shared by a friend she had only recently come to know, ignited a newfound sense of purpose within Shinta. Giving another reason for her to succeed at the academy.