4. A Recommendation for Magic School
Eight years had passed since Emma's meeting with Louis, and Emma had grown into an 11-year-old girl.
Her bright personality was reflected in her appearance, with large hazel eyes full of curiosity. Her long chestnut hair was slightly wavy, and when the wind blew, it bounced lightly.
As for Louis, he had turned 14, was much taller than Emma, and had grown into a well-proportioned body. With long lashes and deep blue eyes, his dark blue hair had a slight wave.
Louis seemed to be attending a boarding school and was usually not home. It appeared that he would be coming back today, and eager to meet him, Emma hurried home from school.
"I'm home! Is Louis back?"
When Emma opened the living room door, Louis was standing there.
"Louis, welcome back! You've grown taller again, haven't you? You should become a model!"
"I'm not a product."
"Ugh! I was complimenting you!"
In fact, Louis had been scouted as a model once. It happened when Emma and Louis were shopping on Oxford Street in central London.
When Emma looked over at the dining table, her parents were sitting there, looking at her seriously. Emma's mother, Emily, said, "Emma, can I talk to you for a moment?" and it seemed like there was something to discuss, so Emma sat down at the dining table with her.
"What's going on?"
Even though Emma asked, her parents remained silent. Then, Louis said, "I'll talk," and took an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Emma.
When Emma opened the envelope, there was a letter and a necklace that looked like a round, white natural stone inside. The letter was a recommendation for Emma to attend a magic school.
Emma looked at Louis with a suspicious gaze as she read it.
"What is this?"
"It's a copy of the recommendation letter for the Arcana Academy of Magic. The original has already been submitted."
"What!?"
"Don't worry. Whether you actually take the entrance exam is up to you. However, with a recommendation letter, you're almost guaranteed to be accepted."
"No, no, no, I can't keep up with this conversation!"
"Louis can use magic."
"What are you saying, Mom!?"
"A few years ago, when we got home, everything in the house was floating, and Louis always seemed to clean and cook with magic around the house."
Emma took a deep breath and then asked Louis.
"So, you're a wizard, and you're inviting me to a magic school, right?"
"That's right."
"But I can't use magic, and what happens after I graduate?"
Emma was an excellent student at a London elementary school, good at both studies and sports. She was even considering taking the entrance exam for a private middle school.
"Some people graduate from magic schools and continue to work in the magical world, while others blend into the human world. You don't need to worry about that. What's important is what you want to learn."
"Could it be that the magic book you've been letting me borrow..."
"It's real."
"But when I tried casting spells, nothing happened."
"Of course not. You don't have magic power, and you don't have a wand."
(What will I do at the magic school if I can't use magic!?)
Then, Louis took something out of his pocket—a magic wand.
"Raizen."
When Louis spoke, the necklace that had been lying on the table floated into the air, passed over Emma's head, and hung around her neck. The stone that was white earlier began to glow brightly and turned black.
"Black, huh."
"What, what!?"
While Emma was stunned, Louis continued talking calmly.
"If you wear that necklace, even humans can use magic. The stone is the source of the magic. At first, the magic power is small, but it can be increased with training. The color of the stone reflects the person’s natural color. In other words, the color reveals which type of magic you're naturally suited for. The color can change with training, but black, to put it simply, means a generalist—"
"Does that mean I have no talent for any kind of magic..."
Emma's father, Thomas, already knew about Louis's abilities, so he wasn't particularly surprised. Thomas asked, "Emma, what do you want to do?"
Although Emma still seemed confused about the situation, her expression quickly turned serious. Gripping the necklace, she answered in a slightly trembling voice.
"...I want to go. To the magic school."
Her parents looked surprised for a moment, but their expressions quickly softened into smiles. Emma, looking at the necklace, felt her heart racing for the journey into the magical world that was about to begin.
