"Where...?"

When the young woman awoke, she found herself in an unfamiliar room.

White walls, windows draped in pale pink curtains, an antique desk and armoire, hand-sewn stuffed animals...

The room was undoubtedly for a little girl. Yet sleeping on the bed was Kurihara Misato, an eighteen-year-old―no, that was wrong. She was Adele von Ascham, ten years old.

Wait. What? I'm... Kurihara Misato, ten years old, the eldest daughter of the Ascham family... N-no, wait! That's not right. What's going on? My... my head is killing me...

The girl must have fallen unconscious because the next time she opened her eyes, the pain in her head had vanished, and she remembered everything.

"Ah... So that's what happened."

She had died. Ten years ago.

Kurihara Misato was born to an ordinary family. Her parents were both honest, kind people, and she was the eldest of their two daughters. The younger, her junior by two years, wasn't perfect, but she was a cheerful girl with a lively disposition. Misato herself proved different: a wunderkind with talents beyond those of other children her age.

From the moment she was born, glimpses of her gifts could be seen.

She learned language early, and from the moment she could stand on two feet she was walking, much sooner than the average child.

Studies. Sports. Art. Shogi.

In kindergarten and grade school, she displayed, again and again, signs of this unusual intelligence, and as the years passed, everyone had high hopes for Misato. Much too high.

Grandparents and other relatives flitted about her. "This girl is a genius," they proclaimed. "She's going to be famous one day!"

One side of Misato's family had once been well-known in the country, and the other descended from a noble line. By now, however, both had been reduced to common folk, rich only in pride. Soon, a battle began between the two sides, each eager to name Misato as their heir and lay claim to her intellect. As Misato's grandparents vied for her attention, they pitted her against her cousins ― and even her sister ― with no thought for how difficult this must be for the girl herself.

Discord spread throughout the family, and Misato's only salvation was that her parents, unconcerned with such things, raised their children as normally as they could. Her younger sister was jealous of the attention Misato commanded but grew into a fine, happy child.

Yet while Misato was granted a reprieve at home, predictably, she stood out at school. She was never bullied, but neither was there anyone she could call a close friend. Everyone treated her as though she were special.

Furthermore, this unhappiness was an area in which Misato was by no means a "genius".

When it came to loneliness, Misato's giftedness was no help. Perhaps, if she truly had been a genius ― the sort of person for whom ideas and innovations are more valuable than companionship or support ― perhaps then, her life would have been a little bit easier. But Misato wasn't like that.

In many ways, Misato was completely average. She was quick-witted and highly logical. Because she loved to read, she was knowledgeable about many things. But beyond that, she was just an ordinary girl with a high IQ and excellent test scores.

For Misato, living with such extravagant expectations ― always being thought of as someone extraordinary ― was painful. All she wanted was to be able to gossip after school and swoon over boys, just like her classmates.

She was surrounded by others, but simultaneously, she was all alone.

This continued even through high school. Misato, who had no friends to go out with, was left with little to do in her downtime besides playing games, reading, and studying. Perhaps because of this, she was eventually admitted to Japan's most prestigious university, just as everyone had hoped.

And then came graduation day. After delivering a flawless valedictorian speech, Misato left high school behind. At university, I should be able to live more freely, she thought. Finally, I'll be surrounded by other people who think just like me. But just as she finished this thought...

Most of the people walking along the street were other graduates, flooding out from the school. The rest of the students had yet to be dismissed.

These students ― no, former students ― were giddy with freedom, talking and goofing around as they walked. Among them, one girl was swinging her bag as she chatted with her friends. A little girl around ten years old cycled by them on the edge of the road. The bag hit her as she passed, sending her tumbling off her bike and into the street.

An enormous vehicle came bearing down. Perhaps the driver had taken his eyes off the road or had been unable to react quickly enough ― whatever the reason, it looked as if he wouldn't be able to brake in time.

By the time she realized what was happening, Misato's body moved on its own, flying into the roadway toward the little girl.

Why am I doing this...? she thought. Someone standing closer should've had more than enough time to save her. Why didn't anyone move? I'm not going to make it in time...

No one else moved to act; they only stood, their eyes on Misato.

"That girl is so brave!"
"She's going to save her, isn't she?"

Just as Misato scooped the girl's body up and flung her onto the sidewalk, there was a resounding screech. The vehicle, which had just begun to brake, struck Misato's body, shoving her to the ground.

"So, you have awakened, Miss Misato Kurihara."

When Misato returned to consciousness, she was lying on the ground. A young man of about twenty stood nearby, looking down at her.

"I-I was struck by a car, wasn't I...?" Misato muttered, coming to.

The young man made a troubled face and spoke.

"Yes. And then you perished."
"Wh..."

What on earth are you saying? That was what she wanted to say, but on a certain level, it made sense. There was no way she could have possibly survived the accident. Besides, as she became aware of her surroundings, she saw that everything in the room was white. The floor, the ceiling ― even the robes the young man wore. What's going on?

While Misato sat, confused, the young man politely explained the situation.

"This place is what is known, in the common parlance of the populace, as 'Heaven'. And I suppose, by that same token, I would be called 'God'. Though, I'm not entirely sure that is an accurate description..."

According to the young man, this was the state of things :

The world was governed by the laws of increasing entropy.

Entropy was defined in thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, information theory, and elsewhere, as a quantity of disarray.

Within a closed system, without external interference, entropy would always tend to increase.

If one placed a cup filled with hot water and another filled with cold water next to each other, touching, they would eventually become the same temperature. In contrast, if one placed two cups filled with lukewarm water side by side, they would not turn into hot and cold water. Strictly speaking, that assertion could not be confirmed within the theory ― but still, it was usually a safe assumption to make.

For the most part, natural phenomena and the elements of life existed because of an inherent imbalance of matter and energy. If everything were to be mixed equally, it would be a world without any variations in energy. In other words, it would be a world where nothing changed: a world of sleep, or death.

Everything in the world trended toward death.

This was not the work of the Devil. It was wrought by the hand of the absolute god known as the Laws of Physics.

However, there was one thing that opposed all this: life.

By separating that which had been mixed, one could produce items that possessed regularity: cold water, and hot water. This was an activity that gave the appearance of reducing entropy. In truth, when viewed through a wider lens, it could be said that the reverse was true. To separate matter and create new things, energy had to be consumed ― and with that consumption came the increase of entropy.

It came as no surprise, then, that once the activities of life evolved into civilization, they would ― in many cases ― eventually fall to ruin. Indeed, the probability of that greatly exceeded the theoretical probability value of the event.

And yet, there was a certain beauty to that frenetic activity, and sometimes it seemed as though the Laws of the World had a will of their own.

When a civilization reached dangerous levels, these Laws interrupted the Laws of Physics ― offering only the smallest reprieve in the most serious cases. The Laws were subtle: They granted only hints, and suggestions planted in individual dreams and visions. But there was a twist, for nearly always, the recipients of these hints died at an exceedingly high rate. Even the Laws themselves didn't understand the reason for this. No matter how much it was studied, no explanation could be found.

Which left only a question: Would the balance of life crumble in an instant? Or was there a will in the world that would save humankind?

"Huh?" Misato's head was spinning. "You're saying that my suffering ― my death ― those are all your doing...?"
"That is incorrect."
"What, then?!"
"The one I aided was the little girl whom you saved. You weren't involved in this plan. Your suffering is entirely your fault."
"My own...?" Misato fell forward, her hands planted on the ground.

So this had been her fate from the beginning.

"To tell you the truth, the reason I summoned you to this place was to offer you my thanks."
"Huh...?"
"Despite my watchfulness, the little girl should have died there. I kept a sufficient lookout for accidents and illnesses, yet somehow that fall occurred ― and somehow, there happened to be a car whose driver was distracted by his cell phone. My short-term predictions never accounted for such an event! I still don't understand how it could have happened."
" At the moment, I searched for something to protect the girl, but nothing suitable turned up. The people nearby didn't react in the slightest. Why? It was as if that girl's death was determined from the start, determined as a part of the world's preordained harmony."
"And then, just as I was about to give up, thinking that all the hardships I had faced in preparing this girl had come to nothing... you appeared. You were so far away that I was sure you would never make it in time. There were others far closer ― you shouldn't have felt any reason to move. You were completely outside of the scope of both my desperate search and my short-term predictions."
"You are but a normal human being, and yet you flew in the face of that preordained harmony, escaping the view of my predictions, making a martyr of yourself and saving that little girl."
"Did you know? One day, that little girl is going to form the foundations of the theories that will allow humanity to travel to other star systems..."

And so, it became clear. Even though I never accomplished anything myself, Misato thought. I was still able to make a difference. My life, my existence, does still have a meaning. With the knowledge that her life hadn't been for nothing, Misato felt a sense of quiet satisfaction.

"With the deepest gratitude in my heart, I would like the chance to grant you a new life. That is to say: You will be reborn, with your memories intact."
"H-huh?!" Misato was shocked. This was just like those games she used to play when she took breaks from studying. Although if this is a game, Misato thought. there will be more coming...
"So that you mean live unhindered in the world whose society is somewhat behind your own, I would like to grant you some manner of enhanced abilities. I will offer you a choice: What sort of abilities do you desire?"

There it is.

Misato's reply was immediate.

"Please, make my abilities average!"
"Excuse me?" At Misato's reply, the young man known as God appeared dumbfounded. I don't think you understand me. The world into which you will be reborn is far less societally developed than your own. It is a world of swords and sorcery ― lawless and overrun with bandits and monsters. Do you see? Without some sort of enhanced ability, the odds of you living a peaceful life are...

Despite God's concerns, Misato's mind was made up.

"I don't care. This rebirth means that I will live as a human, right? When I am reborn, I want my abilities and appearance to be completely average by my new world's standards. Please. I want to achieve happiness through my efforts. As long as I retain the knowledge that I have right now, I think that should be enough of an advantage for me."

Seeing that Misato's decision could not be swayed, God nodded.

"I understand. Now, regarding this world: We have been interfering with this place on something of a large scale, as a test case, which has caused it to become a world where magic is usable. We have disseminated several nanomachines, which multiply automatically until they have reached a fixed density. These react to the will of living things, which causes a variety of phenomena to occur. Chemical changes, physical changes, etc... Well, for someone like you, I suppose it could only be regarded as 'magic'."
"In truth, this world has collapsed several times, leaving only a scant number of survivors with meager skills. To offer relief measures, and to conduct an experiment, we decided to interfere on a scale beyond what we would normally attempt. However, the pseudo-magic that arose from these nanomachines proliferated far more than we hoped it might. As a result, the progress of the civilization's renaissance has stagnated."
"For that reason, this world has been judged an enormous failure. Recently, it's been left to its own devices, with no one to look after it. Although there are those among us who feel guilty about all this, the people of the world in question have been content to continue living their lives regardless. You might say it's not such a bad place, after all ― however, progress is minimal, security is weak, and dangers abound. Death is both common and swift..."

Wait just a second ― this is what he calls "not such a bad place"?

That was Misato's first thought, but then as she mused further on the matter, she began to reconsider. Wasn't it likely that the dangers God described could be avoided, particularly if one were born a woman and stayed close to home, avoiding travel?

Because she wouldn't be returning to her previous form, but rather, was going to be born anew as an infant in that world, there was no need for Misato to hear all the details about life on the other side. It would be best, she thought, to take her time and learn as a normal child would. So rather than asking questions, she only listened vaguely as God explained the basics of this new world and how she would come to enter it.

"Let us begin with the process of rebirth: The couple who will be your new mother and father were destined not to conceive, so there's no concern of displacing the soul of a child who should have been born otherwise. A newly fertilized egg has been prepared specially for you. As for me, I'll be praying that you live a happy life. Even if it is strange to hear a prayer from a so-called 'god' such as myself."
"In the meantime, I thank you truly, from the bottom of my heart. Because of you, I believe that the day will come when the people of your former world will be able to rise and achieve a higher order of being. Please, have a good life..."

And then, Misato was Adele von Ascham, age ten, the only child of the noble Ascham family ― or at least, she should have been.

Something, however, was off.

Her memories returned when she was ten years old ― that was fine. It seemed rather late for such a thing to happen, but accepting the spirit of an eighteen-year-old would have been a huge burden for a baby. She would have had to feign childish behavior, and it would have been bothersome if she already knew how to speak. It was probably a boon that she did not remember her former life until she had grown older.

However, as Misato ruminated on her memories, she found that she had a great deal to ponder.

It had happened two years ago.

Adele's parents had been scheduled to attend a party at the estate of a neighboring lord, but on the day in question, her father had suddenly fallen ill. The family arranged Adele's grandfather to attend instead, but on the return trip, brigands attacked the duo, and both Adele's grandfather and mother perished.

The family's lands were relatively secure ― bandits had not been seen for some years ― but somehow, on this one occasion, they had appeared.

The day after the funeral, a woman was brought into the Viscount's home, bringing along with her a girl the same age as Adele. From then on, Adele's father attended parties with this woman, introducing the girl, whose name was Prissy, as his only daughter. Adele was left behind.

In time, most of the staff members of the residence were also replaced, and before long, those in the kitchen were all who remained of the old guard.

It was a familiar story, but an ironic one, for in her previous life, Misato's parents and sister were the only people whom she truly loved, and in this world, the three people who fulfilled those same roles were her greatest enemies. Her parents, and her new stepsister, who in all honesty was most likely her father's own child, born of an affair... All three had spent the last two years ridiculing Adele, bullying her, or else pretending that she didn't exist at all.

Now, however, only three days of that life remained.

Perhaps to wash their hands of her, the Viscount and his new wife had decided to send Adele away to a boarding school in the capital. She was scheduled to depart in three days, and for Misato ― or rather, for Adele ― this was an enormous relief.

Three days passed, and without so much as a word of farewell from her family, Adele boarded a carriage bound for the capital.

True to form, the Viscount hadn't even provided one of his carriages. Thus, Adele carried little luggage: only a few changes of clothes, some toiletries, and a few other scant personal items.

She was on her way to Eckland Academy. It was a school primarily for the children of lesser-ranking nobility and middle-class merchants ― though exceptionally talented commoners occasionally attended on scholarship. There was another academy in the capital as well, but this school was attended by only the very upper classes: royals and other aristocrats, the heirs to the wealthiest merchants, and the like.

Of course, her stepsister ― or, in truth, her half-sister ― was set to attend this more prestigious academy. Prissy would arrive there the following week, no doubt in one of the Viscount's stately carriages, accompanied by both their parents. And even once she began at school, Adele knew, Prissy would return home often.

With nothing else to do, Adele passed the long carriage ride thinking about her situation, and how eager her family had been to sweep her under the rug. It seemed now that she was nothing but a bother to them, an awkward reminder of her mother, with no place in her father's new life.

It made sense, after all. With Adele around, people couldn’t help but deduce that any daughter of her same age must have been born out of wedlock. But with her gone, they could call Prissy a stepdaughter, with no connection to the Viscount’s bloodline. That way, there could be no scandal, and Prissy might be adopted by the Viscount, thus becoming his heir.

For them, Adele thought, it’s simple. They have to send me away so that Prissy can take my place. Even when enrolling at the academy, Adele’s parents forbade her from using the Ascham name.

It was possible, she supposed, that they would have a son at some point, and he might inherit. But either way, Adele would be no part in any of it.

She told herself it could have been worse. At least she wouldn’t be killed ― she’d just been set aside. Perhaps someday, she would be called back on a rainy day, when her father might marry her off for money or power. Or perhaps they simply think that killing me would attract too much attention.

In any event, Adele had her plans: She would spend the next three years at the academy, learning about the world, and then, on the day of her graduation, she would vanish in the dark of night. It was clear already that she had no future in the Viscount’s household, where the best possible outcome would be a political marriage: human trafficking under the guise of society matchmaking.

So she made her decision. Somehow or other, she would gather her wits, amass some funds, and escape. That would be her true goal for the next three years, regardless of her father’s wishes.

Why? Adele asked herself. Why did I have to be born into a noble family? I asked for my abilities and appearance and everything to be average, so why… why this?

That was the question Adele had kept returning to over the last three days, ever since her memories had returned, and finally, in the carriage, the answer came to her.

Royalty, Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount.

Slave, Peasant, Knight, Baron, Viscount.

The fifth from the bottom. The fifth from the top. Her family was exactly in the middle.

But something wasn’t right, for that didn’t account for the numbers ― for the fact that there were many more peasants than there were dukes.

Not only was Adele’s status not the average, it wasn’t even the median. The median, she remembered, was derived by taking the center point of all available items, not simply the center category.

And even if that had not been true, it really should have been the mode, or most commonly occurring value, that was used.

By all accounts, whether you looked for the mean, median, or mode, Misato should have been a commoner! There was no reason that this should have been her position.

Eventually, she grew weary of thinking about all of it, and on the second day of her travels, Adele found other ways to occupy herself, such as carving dolls out of twigs. In her previous life, she had been quite dexterous and had thus acquired many such hobbies.

The knife she used was a tiny thing, the sort that a nobleman’s daughter might be expected to keep on her person. In other words, it was a knife that might be used to end one’s own life, should one come under attack from a robber ― or some other man ― and face the threat of defilement.

That’s ridiculous, she thought to herself as she carved. Rather than killing one’s self, would it not be preferable to use the knife to attack one’s assailant, even if the blade in question was not truly suited to such things?

It was strange, she observed, that a knife like this cut wood as easily as if it were butter. Was it a particularly good knife? Or a particularly soft wood?

Stranger still, the doll that she was carving had an uncanny quality to it. It was less like a rustic toy and more like a figurine.

The other passengers in the carriage were uneasy, watching the little girl with the knife, worried with every cut that she might cut off one of her fingers.

It was the second night of the journey to the capital.

The carriage ride wasn’t exactly a luxurious way to travel. The sort of people who took a shared carriage ride were not the sort who could afford to shell out more money just for a place to sleep, and so, Adele and the others were resting in a meadow by the side of the highway.

As a gentlemanly act, the male passengers had offered the carriage to the women, while they themselves slept out on the grass. They indicated to Adele that she, too, should sleep inside the carriage, but after a long day squished like a sardine inside the tiny interior, she disembarked to join them in the meadow instead. She knew that, if any of the women were restless sleepers or heavy snorers, such cramped quarters would be unbearable.

Lying there in the meadow, Adele suddenly recalled something that her father had told her. The exam.

In order for commoners to enroll in the academy, they had to pass an entrance exam. Nobles were not required to do this; however, as Adele currently was unable to carry her family name, she typically would have needed to take the exam as a commoner. Yet, perhaps to save money or avoid the extra bother of additional trip to the capital, her father had made alternative arrangements. He’d written to the dean, revealing her nobility to guarantee her position but demanding the school’s discretion:

"The fact that she is a noble, as well as her family name, must be kept a secret. She must be treated the same as the commoners’ children."

Her father’s plan ensured that Adele could not use failing the exam as a reason to return home.

The noble students also took an exam, a placement test to assess students’ current abilities. Thus, although the academy had agreed that she was to be treated as a commoner, Adele nonetheless had a test she would have to take upon her arrival at the school.

Adele worried that, if she took this assessment along with the other nobles, her fellow students would be able to determine her status. However, none of the adults seemed particularly worried.

In any event, thinking about it would not do her much good. Adele decided to focus instead on practicing her magic.

Magic.

The word itself was exciting.

For Misato, who’d never had any friends, magic was something that appeared in the cartoons she watched as a child, and in the games that she would play, every now and then, while taking a break from her studies. In the world she was now in, magic was a reality ― and she could use it. Just the sound of the word made her heart race! Magic!

But of course, she had known all that.

In this world, there were plenty of people who could use magic, just like the kind she had seen in cartoons so long ago. There were court magicians, magical societies, and casters associated with both the wizards’ guild and hunters’ guild…

However, she was but a child of ten years old.

According to Adele’s memories from the time before knowledge of her past life had returned to her, her own magical abilities were average ― or at least, she had an “average” aptitude for a ten-year-old girl, which was to say that her talents were fairly underwhelming.

Currently, she could only make enough of a spark to light a campfire and produce enough water to fill a single basin.

Still, this was actually quite useful. The fact that she would never have to worry about water while traveling meant that she could get away with carrying far less luggage than most. Complaining of her abilities among those who could not use magic at all would have been downright sinful.

Strictly speaking, she could be considering slightly above average in magical ability, but Adele wasn’t about to issue a complaint to God in that regard.

Besides, she supposed, in the average between “people who can use magic” and “people who cannot”, someone who can use magic a little bit would be right in the middle.

While the world’s magic could generally be divided up into categories such as “water magic” and “fire magic”, typically speaking, magicians themselves weren’t classified according to such distinctions: One would never hear of a “fire-user” or “water-user”.

This made sense, as the different kinds of magic were not derived from a “spirit of fire” or “spirit of water”. Instead, all magic found its origins in a singular type of nanomachine. Thus, using it was dependent on whether or not one could assert one’s own will onto the nanomachines to create a magical phenomenon.

This talent depended on a variety of factors: whether or not one’s will could be concentrated into a pulse, whether or not that pulse could be received and interpreted by a nanomachine, and whether or not the contents of that pulse were something that could be made reality. Also, the image of what one hoped to create had to be clear in one’s imagination. Whether or not the intended effect was something that would be classified as “forbidden interference” was another factor.

As a result, it was impossible to break magic up into separate areas of study by type, though it was entirely possible to have strengths and weaknesses. Problems arose most often around the “image” portion of the magical equation. After all, people living in the desert would be hard-pressed to visualize the image of water or lakes.

Yet, in general, skilled magicians were skilled in every type of magic. Magicians whose abilities were less impressive ― well, that remained true no matter what type of magic they used.

As the means to use magic resided solely within her memories, Misato ― now Adele ― hadn’t used magic once since the memories of her past life had returned. To avoid any accidents, she’d been forbidden to use magic within the family’s mansion. So, she thought, it would be wise to practice at least once before she reached the capital.

With that in mind, Adele decided to try producing water. She settled against using fire at night, as that would draw too much attention and ― in the vent that something unexpected happened ― it would be dangerous, as well. Water, at least, would be safe. Not only that but it could be used to wash up, so it was quite handy, too. Their route was far from the river, and the small quantity of water the carriage was able to carry was intended for drinking, not bathing.

It would have been kind to offer water to the others, but as she had few attachments to people, as either Adele or Misato, the thought did not so much as occur to her.

Adele took a towel out of her bag, which she’d brought down from the carriage, and moved into the tree line, just a short way away and up a mild incline.

It was the first time she’d used magic since recovering her memories of her life as Misato, so Adele decided to try appealing to the nanomachines, which she had heard about from God. She thought back to the times when she had used magic before her memories returned, and stretched out her palms, reciting an incantation.

"Gather, oh water, and come to me! Aqua Ball Generation!"

Nanomachines, she thought, don’t let me down!

"... Understood."
"Huh? I swear I just heard somethi…"

Splash!

"Gaaaahh!!"

A great flood of water came pouring out of the sky in a single mass, washing Adele down the slope.

"Ugh! Ubb-glugg! Grk ugh blugg… I’m drowniiing!"

Adele flailed, swallowed up by the sudden torrent, fighting for her life as water rushed into her lungs.

It was not until sometime after that she was discovered face down at the bottom of the slope by some of the other passengers, who had rushed over to see what was happening.

I don’t understand. Why did all that water…?

Once she had a chance to calm herself, Adele sat pondering this question. The other passengers helped her change and wring out her clothes; one older woman even lent her a baggy garment to wear until her garments were dry enough to put back on again.

Adele knew that she had said the words correctly. But clearly, something had gone wrong. Was that a problem, though? After all, she had been able to summon a huge amount of water from a botched spell. Or was what had just happened an indication of a new, powerful magic that she had somehow uncovered?

Have my magical abilities increased? Did regaining my memories impact my magic?

It certainly seemed that this was the case; however, that didn’t change the fact that Adele’s magical ability was supposed to be “average”. Up until her current journey, Adele had rarely left the mansion, but she had read books and studied a great deal. From what she knew, there was no way that a ten-year-old child could possess the magical strength to produce the amount of water she had. Even if it were just another confusion of terminology, between “median” and “mode”…

This is bad, she thought.

Tomorrow she would arrive in the capital, and then, the academy. There was no more time to practice, and even if there had been, it would have been unfair to upset the other passengers again.

Later, she could determine the cause of all this. For now, she would simply have to see what happened.

The following afternoon, when the carriage arrived in the Kingdom of Brandel’s royal capital, Adele collected her luggage and headed straight for the academy. She carried only one bag, and it wasn’t heavy.

Ardleigh Academy, the school Prissy was to attend, was located near the King’s castle in the center of the capital. Eckland Academy, Adele’s school, was located on the outskirts near the capital’s northern gates. The main gates of the city were to the south, and the difference between the two school locations would have been clear to anyone.

The carriage station was located in the central square, but after a long walk, Adele reached Eckland Academy. She showed her entrance permit at the gate and then followed the gatekeeper’s directions to the girls’ dormitory.

Would their matron be kind? Or would they be more like a strict warden? For the next three years, Adele’s fate would be determined by this individual. Grimly, she knocked on the caretaker’s door.

A bespectacled elderly woman answered, her eyes harsh. A warden.

At Adele’s greeting, she simply glared and then handed over the keys to the girl’s room.

"Is that your only luggage?"
"Y-yes..."
"What’s inside?"
"A change of underclothes, some toiletries, and writing implements."
"That’s all?"
"Yes."
"I see..."

After a long pause, the warden continued.

"If you would like to do any work on the weekend, come and speak to me."

Well, Adele thought, perhaps she’s not such a bad person after all. With this thought, Adele climbed the stairs to the second floor in search of the room assigned to her.

Upon opening the door, she found herself in a private room: her very own little palace for the next three years. The room was about eight feet square. The bed took up roughly half the space, and the rest was filled with a desk, chair, and armoire.

It was, Adele supposed, a typical school dormitory. She was fortunate enough to have her room, so she could not say she was dissatisfied. At the very least, it would be far more pleasant than living back at home.

Unpacking her things took her all of forty seconds. She placed her toiletries on top of the armoire, her spare undergarments inside, and her stationery on the desk, and was then done unpacking.

If she ever had to flee in an emergency, and was given only forty seconds to gather her belongings, she could more than likely manage it with ease.

The entrance ceremony was in four days. In two, she would take her placement test along with the other nobles, and in three, she would receive her uniform and other supplies and begin to prepare for the entrance ceremony. The next day would be her last day of freedom.

Adele laid flat on her bed and fell deep into thought once again.

What was the source of that water magic?

Where could so much water have come from?

Adele pondered this as she rested.

If she thought about what she knew of how the world worked, if she thought about God’s explanations of magic ― what conclusions could she draw?

Option one: Her magical ability had grown, and accordingly, the intensity of the pulse she generated had been greater…

But weren’t her magical abilities supposed to be “average”?

Option two: Her powers of visualization were particularly strong, and therefore, their conversion to magic was especially efficient.

This was certainly possible, Adele acknowledged ― her knowledge of the modern world might, after all, have some kind of impact on things. However, it seemed far-fetched to imagine that visualizations alone could confer the kind of strength she had summoned.

Which brought her to…

Option three: An external force.

What had she done differently? Something besides reciting the spell…

Oh.

Nanomachines, don’t let me down!

That’s what she had thought.

Could the water have been the nanomachines’ reply? No way, she thought.

Although these were nanomachines, seeded by godlike beings. They couldn’t be compared to the sorts of machines that had existed in Misato’s old world. Unsurprising, then, to know that every one of them possessed their own sort of artificial intelligence. A machine of more singular function would never be capable of receiving and implementing people’s thoughts in such a way.

What if these beings were to receive the pulse of a spell one normally would not cast, judge it to be a request, and actualize it? What would happen if someone were to call upon them by name?

It was a possibility.

However, there was no time for Adele to test this theory.

Practicing in her room was out of the question, as there was too great a danger of destroying something. As for a practice room, well ― she could hardly borrow one before she was fully enrolled. Even if she could have, people would see her and ask questions.

"If only I could just ask the nanomachines…"
"If you have a query, we shall answer it."

The voice rang in Adele’s ears, startling her and causing her to thump her head against the wall.

"Gaaaahh!!"

She groaned and curled forward, clutching her head.

"If you have a query, we shall answer it."

The mysterious voice persisted!

There was no one in the room besides Adele. Who else could the voice be speaking to?

Gingerly, Adele called out.

"Hello? Nanomachines?"
"Yes. That is the name our creator has given us."

On Earth, Adele knew, nanomachine research was already underway. The computer had transformed, within a matter of decades, from something the size of a building to a machine that could fit in the palm of your hand.

With that in mind, it was impossible to image the capabilities of nanomachines that had come into existence well before humanity, designed by godlike beings rather than scientists and engineers.

Even Adele could see that merely accepting humans’ requests and answering them would be a fairly simple matter. What she couldn’t predict was whether the nanomachines were merely responding with the words indicated by their programming or whether they possessed a will and personality of their own.

This was the perfect opportunity to learn the answers to these questions.

"What I’d like to know is this: Why is my magical power suddenly so great?"
"Please wait a moment…"

After several seconds’ pause, the nanomachines replied.

"Our data indicate that the instructions you provided during your last magical exercise increased the efficacy of the procedure beyond normal levels."

So she had been right about that much. That was a relief. But Adele still had questions.

"By how much did the result increase?"
"Roughly 3.27 times."
"Hmmm…"

That was too small an increase to explain the phenomenon entirely.

"Why else was my power stronger than an average ten-year-old’s?"
"That is simple. Your thought pulse was strong, and the image in your mind was clear and concrete. To be specific, your thought pulse possessed roughly half the strength of that which may be produced by an elder dragon, the most powerful creature in this world."

Adele couldn’t believe her ears.

"Um, sorry. You said half of… what?"

The nanomachines spoke slowly and clearly.

"The. Strength. Of. Your. Thought. Pulse. Is. Roughly. Half. That. Of. An. Elder. Dragon’s."
"A-and what about compared to a human?"
"It is roughly six thousand, eight hundred times stronger than that of the average magic-wielding human."
"S-six thousand…"
"Six thousand, eight hundred times."

Whap!

Adele smacked her head against the wall.

Fwoomf.

She collapsed onto the bed.

"Wh-why…?"

After taking some time to recover, Adele had more questions for the nanomachines.

Thinking that she would have plenty of time to learn later, she had neglected to ask God very much about the details of magic, but now, the stakes were higher. If she made a mistake, she might cause a disaster, so she needed to get a firm grasp of the situation as soon as she could.

The nanomachines were full of explanations.

"In effect, what you refer to as a human’s magical strength is a combination of the strength, endurance, and clarity of the thought pulse the individual can produce. To compare it to a voice, it is akin to volume, stamina, and clarity of vocalization. The clarity of the image is not a matter of magical strength but is instead dependent on the level of technique. It is a skill acquired through training, not an innate property."
"So, you’re saying that I’m proficient at all of that? The reason I can attain such a clear image is because of my previous knowledge, but as for the rest… Oh, no."

Suddenly, it was all clear to her.

The nanomachines spoke the words anyway.

"The strength of your thought pulse is half of that of an elder dragon, which is the strongest force in this world."

It was exactly as she had calculated. Between those in this world with the least and most magical strength, she was directly in the middle.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Adele slammed her head against the wall again.

"This is wrong! This is all wrong! That isn’t how you calculate an average! All… all I wanted was to live life as a NORMAL GIRL!!!"

Once again, she hadn’t even been placed at the median.

Certainly, it would be troublesome to compare the powers of all creatures in existence, but shouldn’t dealing with numbers of such magnitude be a small feat for a god?

Or had God done this on purpose? An attempted favor out of concern for Misato’s safety in this world?

After taking some time to calm herself, Adele continued her interrogation.

"Has anyone ever asked you all these questions before?"
"Never before has there been a human who was aware of our existence and addressed us directly. Moreover, we are not permitted to respond to anyone with less than a level three authorization."
"Authorization?"
"Only those at level three have the authority to call upon our power. Typical creatures, including humans, are initialized at level one authorization. Elder dragons begin at level two and occasionally level three. In the past, there have been humans who have reached level three, but it is an extraordinarily rare occurrence."
"Such humans have been very elderly, reaching level three only shortly before their deaths. Furthermore, they considered us merely to be the spirits who control magic. Those who have heard us appear never to have conferred this information to anyone else."
"For our forms to be conveyed directly to these humans’ brains, we had to stimulate their retinas and form our voices by creating resonance in their tympanic membranes…"
"Huh? So, what you’re saying is…"
"To other people, we appear to be nothing more than visual and auditory illusions. To others, you would now appear as a lunatic, having a conversation with yourself."
"Eep!"
"Worry not. Currently, there is no one in either of the adjacent rooms."

The nanomachines continued, while Adele looked frantically at the walls to her left and right.

"If you desire, we can create vibrations in the air so that others may hear us and bend the light waves so that our forms are visible…"
"No, no! You can stay as you are."

After all, she was just a normal, average girl. She did not need magical spirit friends.

Now was the only time she intended to question them. Unless something else pressing came up, she wouldn’t be speaking to them again.

Adele thought back.

"So, the reason you can answer my questions is because I’m level three?"
"Our creators, who have the highest possible authorization level, are level 10. You are level 5."

Of course. The average, dead center between 0 and 10.

"Can you explain what counts as prohibited interference?"
"There are certain cases where limits have been imposed on the type of magic that can be invoked to prevent the infinite production of bacteria and viruses, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, radiation, and any actions relating to our existence."
"I suppose that’s to be expected."

As Adele continued asking questions, she hit upon something else that interested her: inventories.

She asked whether there existed magic that could access other dimensions, ones where the passage of time and progression of decay didn’t exist, and the nanomachines answered that amongst the infinite dimensions, there were worlds where the space-time continuum had ruptured. There, the concepts of time ceased to exist; if one were to open a dimensional rift to one of these locations and place an item inside, the results would be an inventory or something similar. Moreover, because this inventory would occupy a pre-existing dimension, no additional energy would be required to maintain it. The nanomachines would be more than capable of storing and retrieving items in this way.

Some magicians were capable of using so-called “storage” magic, which was very useful if hindered by both space constraints and the fact that time continued to pass within the “storage” space. If Adele feigned this sort of magic, then she could use an inventory even in front of others, who would assume that she was simply using “storage” magic rather than calling on the power of the nanomachines.

After another series of questions meant to ascertain how she might lower the magical output to that of a normal human, Adele was through.

"Thank you, she said. With this information, I think I should be able to proceed as a normal girl."
"Are you… a normal girl?"

It sounded like a loaded question. Adele puffed out her cheeks.

"I am going to be a normal girl, live a normal life, and achieve normal happiness!"
"We pray that you fare well."

Upon finishing her conversation with the nanomachines, Adele felt a sudden sense of dread. She had never felt particularly strong before now, but in the wake of all that had happened, she began to wonder…

A coin would have been most useful, but at the moment she hadn’t a penny.

As she searched for something else to use, her gaze landed on the metal handles of the doors to the wardrobe. Seeing no better option, she gripped one with her fingers and gave just the tiniest squeeze ―

Crack.

So, even her physical strength was half of an elder dragon’s?

What garbage!

Adele was so absorbed in her thoughts that she ended up missing dinner.

Already accustomed to skipping meals, this was hardly cause for concern. What worried her more was what she was going to do moving forward.

She was currently penniless. Her parents hadn’t provided her with a single coin.

Her tuition had been paid for, though, including her meals. At least getting three meals a day wouldn’t be a problem. She could simply eat at the school cafeteria. On the other hand, buying snacks or eating out would be impossible, and she wouldn’t be able to purchase anything else, either. No clothes, no undergarments, no soap… No journals, no pens, no ink…

What was she supposed to do?

Honestly, what had her father and stepmother been thinking?

As she laid in bed pondering her dilemma, Adele decided to go the next day and pay a visit to the matrons’ office. She had no other choice.

Adele nestled under her covers.

This time, she was going to live as a normal person. She’d had it with being seen as someone special, with being burdened with heavy expectations.

She was going to be equal in status to everyone else, have normal conversations, and then ― then, maybe she could make friends…

"Please give me a job!"
"What are you doing here at this hour? The matron said, then sighed. I suppose I did tell you when you arrived to come see me if you were interested in work…"
"I currently have no funds and only two spare changes of underwear! The assessment is tomorrow, so if I don’t begin today, I won’t have another chance until the coming weekend, and that will put me in quite a bind!"

The matron rubbed her temples, brows furrowed.

"Have you ever worked before?"
"I’m afraid not."

Even in her previous life, Adele had never held a job.

"Come with me."

Adele followed the matron to a humble-looking bakery.

"Mr. Aaron, I’ve bought you a new counter girl. What do you think?"

The matron explained the situation frankly to the bakery’s owner: Adele was a penniless student with no prior work experience who wished to work only on her days off from school.

"Hmm. Well, I suppose if she’s one of yours, then there’s no problem. The bakery owner turned to Adele. Here, we do the important work of putting food on everyone’s tables, so we can’t take even a single day off. I’ve been thinking for some time now that it would be nice if, one day a week, I might take a little break once the day’s baking is finished."
"With that in mind, we’ve been looking for someone to come in and sell bread once a week, from morning to evening. What do you think? If that sounds good, why don’t you come and try working for us? If it doesn’t work out, you’re welcome to quit at any point."

It seemed like the perfect job for Adele.

Even a ten-year-old girl could easily remember the prices of bread, and the baked goods there couldn’t be all that different from what they sold in Japan… In any case, this was Adele. Even if there were a mountain of loaves, she could surely memorize their prices quickly enough for the baker.

Besides, the job was only once a week ― how difficult could it be?

"I’m in if you’ll have me!"

And all at once, it seemed Adele would be able to live the life of a normal student after all.

In this world, each week was six days, with six weeks in each month. Thirty-six days in a month and ten months in a year. So, 360 days. The weeks and months were easily divisible, as well as numerous, so this was convenient in several ways.

On top of this, at the end of the year, there were two “Days on Which We Mourn the Departing Year and Offer Our Thanks,” as well as the “Changing of the Year Day,” and the “Day on Which We Welcome the New Year and Celebrate.” This last was two days, which made five extra days altogether, for a total of 365 days a year.

Each week, one of the six days was generally a rest day for everyone, including the academy, so this was the day when Adele would work at the bakery.

Of course, this meant that she had no days off, but that couldn’t be helped. In any case, Adele thought, a school intended for children aged ten to thirteen couldn’t possibly be all that difficult for her, so she didn’t imagine there would be any problems arising as far as homework was concerned. Though many students would surely study independently after returning to their dorms, that was unlikely to be necessary for Adele.

Today wasn’t a rest day, but to give her proper training, the baker decided Adele would work the remainder of the day for practice. And so, the matron left Adele there and returned to the dorm.

Adele’s training was a success.

In her previous life, Misato had had few acquaintances, but that hadn’t been for lack of desiring them. In truth, it was less that she was awkward or uncomfortable in the company of others, but more that few ever reached out to her.

Armed with her memories of Japanese hospitality, it was simple for Adele to play the role of a young shopkeeper, and immediately the customers took a liking to her.

And so, that evening, Adele headed back to the academy’s dormitory, two silver coins clasped firmly in her hand.

The fruits of my labor! My very own earnings! Money that I can use however I like! Adele was walking on air.

However, a sense of unease quickly overtook her elation.

What happens if I lose my coins? What if they get stolen?

Few thieves would stoop so low as to target a ten-year-old, but Adele couldn’t convince herself to calm down. After all, there remained a part of her brain that was still eighteen years old, fully aware of the world’s dangers.

Suddenly, she remembered ― the inventories!

If she stored her coins in an inventory, they could never be lost or stolen.

At the thought of this, Adele relaxed and cast a silent spell with her thoughts alone. At once, the coins in her hand disappeared.

Next, she tried retrieving them. In seconds, the sensation of metal returned to her palm. She stored the coins away again at once.

For a moment, Adele’s heart swelled with pride at her success, but suddenly, something else occurred to her, and her face paled.

If the spell had gone wrong, she realized, she could have lost all her hard-earned money. Why hadn’t she tested it on a pebble first before experimenting with the coins? She’d been an idiot.

Well, she reflected as she plodded on, at least I didn’t lose the coins. Everything was fine, but she would have to be more careful going forward.

To compare the currency of modern-day Japan with that of Adele’s world, a single copper coin was worth roughly 10 yen. A half-silver was worth 100, a silver worth 1 000, a half-gold worth 10 000, and a full gold worth 100 000.

Fruits and vegetables were cheap, meat and other luxury items expensive, and tools and jewelry an exorbitant price by Japanese standards, meaning a simple monetary conversion would have been pointless. However, judged in terms of what might be required to maintain the average person’s standard of living, Adele’s wage was quite reasonable.

Typically speaking, the average craftsman with a family took home a salary of around 3 gold pieces a month. Minus rest days, a person worked 30 days a month, for a converted salary of about 10 000 yen per day.

By contrast, Adele’s salary was two silver a day, or roughly 2 000 yen, which worked out to about 250 yen per hour. Though it might not have seemed like much, it was a perfectly adequate wage for a child. A monthly salary of 12 silver pieces, or roughly 12 000 yen, would be more than enough to cover her daily necessities. Most likely, she wouldn’t be able to purchase any clothing, but as her school uniform was provided, Adele would get by.

To maintain appearances, the school provided mending services and allowed students to exchange outgrown garments free of charge. All things considered, though all that was said to be free, in truth, such things were paid for out of the students’ tuition.

She would have to deal with her undergarments herself, but at this point, Adele did not need anything on her top half. While the eighteen-year-old in her did not exactly consider this to be fortunate, for now, it was one less thing to worry about, and she was grateful for that.

In any case, it seemed as though her money troubles had been solved.

From then on, on the days Adele worked, the baker continued to come in before dawn to begin the breads. The locals dropped by to purchase fresh-baked bread for their breakfasts, and those who worked on rest days would pop in at noon to get something to carry them through the day, just like always. In the afternoon, however, the baker left the shop under the care of his counter girl, taking advantage of the chance to get out and enjoy some rest for the sake of his health or spend time with his wife and children.

The following day was the examination when all the noble children came together to take placement tests and be sorted into classes.

Of course, truly noble children like Prissy would be attending the far superior Ardleigh Academy. Those at Eckland were the children of far lesser aristocrats ― those who had only the dimmest hopes of inheriting, those who would not even prove useful as paws in a political marriage ― those who were, to put it simply, mediocre. Their prospects were hardly better than those of a merchant’s child.

The other students were those very children of merchants, including daughters from families without sons, sent to make connections that might help them marry into more influential merchant families.

All this was a great deal for a ten-year-old to comprehend, especially a ten-year-old noble raised in privilege, told since birth that he or she was different from mere commoners. And yet, amidst all of this, Adele breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t stand out from the others present at the examination as much as she had expected. Though her clothing was of a far lower quality than what Prissy was granted, Adele’s garments were in fact of a noble’s daughter, and despite being quite rumpled from the carriage ride, she found that her appearance was not too different from that of, say, the youngest child of a low-ranking noble. The fact that her clothes had been soaked and had then wrinkled as they dried further aided in the illusion.

The day began with a written exam.

This test covered basic history, the names of the King and other influential figures, facts about neighboring countries, etiquette, basic logic, and a variety of other topics.

Alienated as she was by her family, Adele found little to do besides study. As a result, Adele’s intelligence had already been considerable even before her memories returned, and now, armed with her new perspective, she mastered the exam easily.

The mathematics section was similar. Compared to what she knew from her previous life, these calculations were child’s play, and Adele worked the problems with all her might. If she didn’t end up in the highest-ranking class, she knew that she would be bored to tears. And besides, the concept of a girl who had an aptitude for studying was a fairly ordinary one. It was natural for someone to be at the top when it came to exams.

As it happened, most class placements were made according to the results of the written exam. To carry on lectures and the like, it was necessary to group students by level, for if the school were to mix students of vastly differing abilities, it would have been difficult to settle on a curriculum that could be completed by all.

Yet this approach wasn’t practical in all cases. It would be incredibly difficult for teachers to manage a class filled with geniuses or the opposite. Everyone would require the same amount of attention, after all.

By mixing students of an advanced and beginner level, teachers could leave the more advanced children to their own devices and focus on the students who were in greater need of their guidance. And, should any students show themselves to be at a higher level than even the instructors, various methods of independent study might be employed.

Specifically, when it came to magic and physical education, it was more convenient not to divide the students by ability. While this made things a breeze for the more skilled children, some complained that it meant that they didn’t have much chance to improve.

Similarly, even those who couldn’t use magic were required to take magic classes. After all, in the future, one might become employed as the assistant or secretary to a magician ― or, should one become a soldier, one might have to fight against magic users someday. Thus, even if one couldn’t use magic oneself, having a basic knowledge of the magical arts was vital.

A physical assessment came after the written exam.

No one was expected to enter the school as an athlete. They only needed to show that they were relatively healthy and fit enough that they could participate in the school’s physical education class.

Adele performed each exercise precisely as directed. She couldn’t afford to display any abnormalities in this area. She was, after all, a “completely normal, average girl”.

So, accounting for the number of children lined up in front of her, she tried her best to adjust her performance to what appeared to be an average level.

They were divided into teams of five and directed to complete various exercises in succession. Adele had been placed in the number two spot on her team, leaving only one child ahead of her as a reference.

She made calculations in her head. The student ahead of her was a boy, but at this age, Adele estimated it wouldn’t be too strange for a girl to perform at the same level. Didn’t they say that girls grew faster than boys when they were young, anyway?

In any event, as long as she stayed within the average range, it didn’t matter if she did well or poorly. As long as she didn’t stand out.

In every event ― sprinting, running, long jump, chin-ups, push-ups, and javelin ― Adele strove to receive the same marks as the young man ahead of her.

This way, even if she appeared to be slightly gifted for a girl, she could still be counted as a “normal” child.

Finally, they came to magic.

In this world, about thirty percent of all people have some magical ability. Among those, perhaps another third had a knack for it. This meant that true magic users were around ten percent of the total population. Everyone else was only able to complete simple, practical tasks such as lighting a furnace or summoning enough water to quench a mild thirst.

Before her reawakening, it wasn’t clear whether Adele would have been able to scrape her way into that top ten percent, even with training. However, she had at least always been one of the thirty percent. If a carriage traveling through the desert happened upon some trouble, with Adele on board, their chances of survival would have been slightly higher.

But now…

To be safe, it would be better for Adele not to use magic at all. She knew that much.

Unfortunately, this strategy was impractical. Because she was able to use magic, it would have been a shame not to allow herself to try, just a little. Pretending not to be able to use magic could cause trouble later; if there were ever a time when the circumstances called for it, Adele did not want to be unprepared.

So, just as with the physical exam, she planned to adjust her level to resemble that of the other magically-capable students.

Just like the previous time, Adele carefully studied the others who used magic before her, and when her turn came, she calculated her efforts accordingly.

The average human had about 1/6 800 of her magical strength, so if she suppressed her powers to about 1/10 000 of the greatest strength, the effects would be equal to that of the child immediately in front of her.

Poof.

A fireball of just the right size came flying out, and Adele breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t a combat-worthy spell, just a dinky little flame.

But everyone, including the instructors, was staring at Adele, mouths agape.

"Sh-she didn’t use an incantation…"

Adele felt her stomach fall. She had forgotten to recite the incantation.

Of course, in reality, an incantation was not required to expel a thought pulse. However, for most humans, who were unable to instantaneously conjure the necessary image or the molecular movements and chemical reactions involved, it was necessary to facilitate the image and thought pulse formation by using a spell: “O, flames! Swirl and gather to me, and dash my enemies!”

The easiest way to actualize this was to recite it aloud, and although not impossible to do silently, it was more difficult, the sort of technique used mostly when a sneak attack was necessary. If one chose not to articulate a spell aloud, the power of its magic would diminish considerably, even if one took the same amount of time to think the appropriate words.

However, Adele visualized and enacted this phenomenon without her expression even changing. At the same strength as the child before her. Though this also counted as “silent casting”, in terms of power, it was so great that the people of this world could not fully appreciate what she had done.

Fortunately for Adele, even the adults watching didn’t comprehend the magnitude of her casting ― though it was obvious to all that her magical abilities were far beyond what would be expected for a child of her age.

Inwardly panicking, Adele strove to justify her mistake. There must, she told herself, be plenty of people who can cast without incantations. It’s just that most people don’t choose to do so. I’m just a normal girl who happens to be particularly skilled in fire magic. That’s it!

The new students had yet to introduce themselves to one another. So, while under other circumstances the room might have filled with whispers, silence reigned. Despite their obvious shock, the instructors decided to carry on the test as planned. There would be plenty of time to ask questions later.

The class sorting concluded without other incidents, and when the students were dismissed from the training grounds, Adele headed back to her room.

Only one boy remained on the grounds: Kelvin von Bellium, the fifth son of an impoverished baron.

The Bellium family was poor. Despite this, the charming Baron, after being blessed with three sons and a daughter by his wife, had relations with her lady’s maid and acquired two more sons, as well as another daughter.

The Baron wasn’t some immoral philanderer. He provided richly for the maid who had granted him these offspring. He allowed her children to live in the mansion and raised them as his own. His wife and her children were never cruel to them, treasuring them as family would.

And yet, the maid’s family still wanted for money.

Originally, the Baron had planned for his wife’s sons to attend Ardleigh Academy, but this would have left no tuition money for the sons of the lady’s maid.

The eldest son was the Baron’s heir, and the second, his spare should something happen to the first son. The third would, God willing, become a knight or a guardsman, or else a high-ranking bureaucrat. If he were lucky, he could marry into the family of a baron or viscount with no male heirs of his own.

Normally, all three girls would have been sent to Eckland Academy, whose tuition was one-tenth that of Ardleigh’s. However, with the necessary assets, there was the possibility that they might be able to wed themselves to the heir of an aristocrat or the son of a prominent merchant, thus raising the family’s fortunes. To give his daughters a better chance of finding eligible spouses, the Baron needed to send them to Ardleigh, even if it meant overextending the family’s meager accounts. Such were the gambles a poor noble’s family had to make in the hopes of being freed from their hardships.

As it turned out, the maid’s daughter was a beauty. So much so that, even as the illegitimate daughter of a baron, she was sure to marry well. With the maid’s daughter set to attend the more prestigious school, the Baron couldn't send his eldest daughter, the Baroness’, to the lesser academy. If he did, people might wonder whether something was wrong with the girl, thus destroying any chance she had of making a good marriage. Therefore, though it was beyond the means of the poor baron’s family, both of the daughters were sent to Ardleigh Academy, and the family prayed for the younger’s beauty to bring them a fortune at long last.

Thus, it came to be that the Baron’s fourth son ― his first with the maid ― and the fifth son, named Kelvin, were set to attend Eckland Academy. That is how it would be.

Yet, the fourth son had a magical talent. It was just enough that the boy would be able to make a living on the road ― or even, depending on the circumstances, become a court magician or enter the wizards’ guild.

His parents were elated, and at the last minute, it was decided that he too would be sent to Ardleigh, leaving only Kelvin, the fifth son, to attend the Eckland Academy all on his own.

Out of seven children, he was the only one.

How? Why? Kelvin railed against the injustices of the world, even though, deep in his heart, he knew that it couldn’t be helped. Sending one’s children to a prestigious academy was no small burden for the family of an impoverished noble.

Even after the high entrance fees, there were three years’ worth of tuition, textbooks, food, lodging, uniform fees, and more to account for. Multiply that times seven, and there was simply no way the Baron’s family could manage it. The unexpected cost of the fourth son’s tuition had already put them in quite a bind. They even sold some of the wife’s jewelry and took on loans. It was a huge gamble to take on the child of a lady’s maid.

Rather than complaining at the cost of educating her maid’s children, the Baron’s wife apologized profusely. If only there had been money for Kelvin to attend Ardleigh with his siblings ― but there was none.

And so Kelvin arrived at Eckland Academy, which was when all was said and done, one-tenth of the cost of an Ardleigh education. He was the fifth son, born to a maid, and although he was physically strong, unlike his brother, he had no magical abilities.

Yet Kelvin was determined to make the best of his situation.

If I’m going to be stuck in this place, he thought, I may as well shoot for the stars! He dreamt of becoming Eckland’s top student, excelling far beyond the upper-crust sons and daughters at Ardleigh. He would graduate to great fortune, paying back his mother, his father, and the Baroness for all they had done for him.

Thanks to the time Kelvin spent with his older brothers, he knew his body was strong, and he looked forward eagerly to the physical portion of the placement test.

Right away, I’ll show them who’s boss, Kelvin had thought.

But then, just after he had shown off his very fastest sprint, the girl behind him provided the same display.

He had pushed himself to his limits when it came to chin-ups, but yet again, the girl stared at him and then completed the same number. Worse still, he could tell that she only pretended to grow tired, stopping at precisely the same number as him even though she could have carried on much longer.

It was the same with the javelin. And long jump. And push-ups.

She stopped when she matched his record in every one, even though she still had more in her.

And on top of all of that, she could even use magic.

Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!

She was tormenting him, but next time, Kelvin resolved, he would beat her.

Kelvin von Bellium, the Baron’s fifth son. That was the moment his goal for the next three years was decided.

It was the day after the assessment: the long-awaited textbook distribution day.

In truth, Adele was not particularly excited about receiving her course materials. What she wanted was clothing, which was distributed at the same time.

There were two uniforms, one for summer and one for winter, as well as two gym uniforms for the same, along with a variety of shoes and stockings.

Finally, she would have fresh clothes to wear, and as long as she was in uniform, no one would notice if she wore the same thing every day. Even better, if she outgrew her uniform or gym clothes, or if either were seriously damaged, she would be able to exchange them. If there were too many exchanges, she might receive used items that other students had outgrown, but that prospect didn’t particularly concern her.

Her new possessions were too numerous to carry in one load, so after several trips to the supply room, Adele changed into her uniform. She had been given one that was slightly too large, in anticipation of a growth spurt, but this gave off a very “average” sort of feeling, which she relished. Her single item of personal clothing had grown somewhat tattered from being worn for so many days running, and to keep it safe, Adele decided to store it inside her inventory.

Facing the mirror, she took in her appearance.

I hope I make a hundred friends! Adele, who had yet to make friends in this life or her last one, beamed with hope.

That afternoon, she went down to the announcement board to find that the class rosters had been posted.

Later that afternoon, they would be lining up according to these rosters to practice for the entrance ceremony. Tomorrow would be the entrance ceremony itself, followed by self-introductions. Classes would begin the following week, after the rest day.

As she expected, Adele had been placed into Class A.

In truth, this was not the “A” from the alphabet of Misato’s world ― but as it was typically the first character taught in that country’s writing system, “A” made a good substitute.

The entrance ceremony practice, and the actual ceremony the following day, went off without a hitch. Some of the children’s families were in attendance, but in many cases, their homes were too far for them to make the journey. In addition, although there were more than a few lower-class noble families who lived in the vicinity, Eckland’s entrance ceremony took place at the same time as Ardleigh’s. If parents had children at both academies, they invariably attended the festivities at the higher-ranking of the two schools.

Those children from poor families and those who had been sent to Eckland to get them out of their parents’ way were also alone, and as one might expect, Adele was amongst them.

Following the ceremony, teachers showed the students to their classrooms.

After having little time to converse with one another, it was finally time for the children to get to know their classmates. Adele’s heart was roiling with anticipation and anxiety. Would she be able to make friends easily? Or would she be no good at it, ending up as lonely as she’d been in her past life?

The homeroom teacher for Class A was a man of solid build, around thirty years old.

"I am Abe von Burgess, the homeroom teacher for Class A. I will be responsible for each one of you this year. I plan to be the second-year Class A teacher also, so I will likely be seeing some of you next year, as well. That being said, at the end of the term, the class sorting may change depending on your grades, so I will be saying farewell to anyone who fails to keep up their performance."

Mr. Burgess sounded less like a teacher and more like a slightly aged ruffian, the sort who would be a mid-rank hunter in the local guild. Yet the “von” in his name indicated that he was an aristocrat, and it was clear that he meant to warn any particularly thick-skulled noble children that their status would be no substitute for hard work.

"Now then, let’s start with introductions. Why don’t we go down the line, beginning with you?"
"Y-yessir! The boy at the front of the far left row began his introductions, as directed. I’m Marcus, the third son of the Buick family. I’m from the capital. My strengths are…"

The class was made up of twelve boys and eighteen girls ― thirty students, all told ― and each gave their names, hometowns, strengths, interests, hopes for the future, and the like: a fairly standard introduction.

It was only natural that the girls outnumbered the boys in this class. To start, there was a higher proportion of girls at the academy in total, as the sons of lower-class nobles and merchant families were more likely to attend the superior school, while any girls not likely to make an advantageous marriage were sent to the lesser school. Beyond this, many boys put their efforts into athletics rather than their studies, meaning that their grades weren’t as sharp as the girls’ were.

Adele had always struggled to remember faces, but as she was determined to make friends, doing so would be an absolute necessity. As each student gave their introduction, she stared intently, memorizing their features. Those who noticed this strange behavior began to grow flustered, their cheeks burning red, yet Adele hadn’t the slightest notion she was doing anything wrong.

"I am Kelvin von Bellium, an aspiring knight. My specialty is swordplay. It is also my hobby. My goal while at Eckland is to become as strong as I can!"

Kelvin’s declaration, so different from the rote introductions that had come before, couldn’t help but pique Adele’s interest. Of course, it scarcely occurred to her that this was the same boy she’d shadowed so closely during the physical assessment earlier that week… Nor did she notice the glare that Kelvin flashed her way as she looked toward him.

The introductions continued down the line until finally, it was Adele’s turn.

"I am Adele. I have no special abilities. No matter how you look at it, I am a completely normal, average girl."

Everyone in the classroom, other than Adele, had the same thought at once.

She’s lying.

They were in total agreement. This girl, who could casually cast combat spells at the same level as those incanted by those of the greatest magical ability, who precisely matched the physical achievements of a noble son in peak form, when she clearly could have gone further ― she had to be lying. Perhaps she had meant to help the boy save face, but in truth, she had done him a disservice ― though she didn’t seem to realize that that was the case.

Was that her true nature? Or some kind of act? Since the moment the placement exams had ended, whispers such as these had been circulating amongst the noble children in the common areas and the dining hall.

"This is my first time in the capital, Adele went on. My interests are reading and eating delicious things. I haven’t had many friends before now, so I hope to get along well with all of you. She smiled."

She’d done it, she thought. A perfect introduction by a perfectly normal girl. This was the beginning of her new “average” life at Eckland Academy.

Adele, however, had no idea that the other children had seen so easily through her act during the physical assessment, nor did she realize that she’d had the bad luck of copying only the children at the top of each field. There was more: Despite claiming that she was a commoner, she had taken the assessment along with the children of nobles. Furthermore, she’d made the outlandish statement that her interests were “reading and eating delicious things”, despite the unlikelihood of a commoner having access to expensive books or tasty morsels. Stranger still was her declaration that she’d reached the age of ten friendless.

Yet Adele truly believed that she would fit in as a completely average student. She had no idea what her classmates truly thought.

After the introductions came orientation. Mr. Burgess explained the layout of the school, its routines and regulations, and the lessons that would begin at the start of the next week. Then, the students were dismissed. It was only a half-day, and he instructed them to use that afternoon and the following rest day to take care of any necessary shopping to prepare for the week to come.

Adele’s situation was different. The next day, the baker would be expecting her, and besides, she still didn’t have any money with which to shop. Purchasing her absolute necessities, such as soap, notebooks, and ink, would easily use up the coins she had made on her first day in the bakery. As those were all considered luxury goods, they were expensive. Her existing funds would barely be enough.

It would be best, Adele determined, to set aside tomorrow’s pay for something equally important. She would’ve liked to purchase two more changes of undergarments at the very least, but that would have to wait for another occasion.

As she stood pondering her dilemma, Adele found herself surrounded by a knot of boys.

"Adele, would you like to go shopping with me?"
"No, come with me! I grew up in the capital, so I know all the best shops!"
"No, I do!"

Adele withdrew reflexively. And yet…

Although the boys had surprised her, they didn’t seem to have bad intentions. Did this mean she was… popular?

Adele stood for a moment, perplexed. As Misato, she’d been gorgeous. Despite being born to parents who were utterly plain in appearance, Misato was a classic beauty, with sharp features, the kind one might expect to be pursued by talent scouts and modeling agencies. Still, she had never been the slightest bit popular in school. Because everyone assumed she was out of their league, no one had ever dared to ask her to spend time with them.

While Adele had a nice, symmetrical face, her appearance was otherwise unremarkable. She was not glamorous or striking: rather, she had the sort of pleasant appearance that tended to put people at ―

Wait.

At that moment, Adele remembered a TV program she’d seen many years before. The presenter had explained that, if one could average the features of hundreds of human faces, the result would be “universal beauty” ― not standout looks, but a pleasant appearance, one that made people feel at ease.

If one could average the features. If one could average…

No. When she’d said she wanted an “average” appearance, she had meant average as in normal, generic ― just another face in the crowd. Not average as in universally beautiful!

"I-I’m sorry. Adele stuttered. I’ve already finished my shopping!"

Seeing Adele flustered and blushing, the boys only pressed harder, the competition turning fierce.

"Boys! Settle down!"

A girl with the air of a council chairman scattered them with a roar. Adele offered her thanks and fled the room, her mind swirling.

Until now, whether in her life as Adele or Misato, the boys in her class had never said a word to her beyond “Lemme see your homework!”

Upon returning to the dormitory, she slipped into the washroom and examined herself in the mirror, which was little more than a polished piece of metal.

She was slightly shorter than the norm. She had odd, silver hair, inherited from her mother. She didn’t exude beauty in the way that Misato had, but her face was well arranged, and it did, she supposed, give off a sense of equilibrium.

Am I attractive?

A bubble of laughter rose in her chest.

Walking by the washroom door, the other girls averted their eyes at the sight of Adele’s strange expression.

It was all wrong, anyway. She wasn’t supposed to be attractive. She was an average girl, and she certainly didn’t need a pack of suitors ― especially not before she was grown up.

Yet as Adele shook her head at herself in the mirror, another thought occurred to her.

It was strange, wasn’t it, that at age ten, she had barely begun to develop? In this world, the more precocious girls began to hit puberty around seven or eight years of age. Misato herself had started to develop as an eight-year-old, and by the time she hit eighteen, her bust size had been slightly above average. Adele, on the other hand, showed no signs of any kind of development. There were already plenty of girls in her class with noticeable breasts, but this was one area in which Adele was nowhere near “average”.

Why was that?

It was true that she hadn’t eaten much in the two years after the death of her mother and grandfather. Perhaps that had stunted her growth?

Adele sighed. She looked like an elf or a dwarf…

Oh my God. Adele was aghast as a horrible thought occurred to her.

Together, humans, elves, and dwarves made up the class called “humanoids”. However, if God considered them all to be a single race…

She should have been an average height, but in fact, she was shorter. Her chest was almost entirely flat.

No no no no no no no!

There were far fewer dwarves and elves than humans. Including them in a calculation of the average should scarcely have had any effect… under any normal circumstances.

But in a special circumstance… it would have been a bother to calculate an average based on the entirety of the world’s population, so what if one were to simply look at an “average human”, an “average dwarf”, and an “average elf” for ease of comparison?

And what if a certain idiot assumed that these three individuals could make for an accurate average?

Wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait!

Adele looked around her room frantically. It shouldn’t be. It couldn’t be.

At least orcs and goblins weren’t considered humanoids…

Bang bang bang bang bang!

A few minutes later, Adele’s classmates found her smacking her head against the wall of the dorm hallway.