Prologue

A prodigy without equal. A once-in-a-century genius destined for greatness, whose name will surely be carved into the pages of history. Such was the public's grand evaluation of me—Alphiria Glastonbury. Mind you, I say this not out of vanity or arrogance, but as a matter of plain, indisputable fact.

Naturally, I was blessed with innate talent, but even the finest gemstone remains nothing more than a worthless rock if left unpolished. Since early childhood, while other children frolicked and played, I subjected myself to relentless discipline and grueling magic practice. The acclaim I received was the rightful reward for my tireless dedication.

And yet, spiteful detractors endlessly gossiped, claiming the praise surrounding Alphiria Glastonbury was overblown, that I was far from supreme, or that my gifts would wither from hubris. Challenges to duels from envy-driven rivals seeking to expose me as a fraud were a daily nuisance.

“Alright...!” I whispered to myself, “The magic circle is flawless. With this, I’ll summon the ultimate familiar...!”

Inside the dimly lit, musty basement, I meticulously inspected every line of the geometric diagram and ancient runes etched into the floor to ensure not a single flaw existed. Synthesized from ancient, obscure texts, this magic circle represented the absolute pinnacle of my research.

What I was about to execute was high magic: summoning a legendary hero from another world and timeline to bind them as my familiar. Out in the wider world, however, such spellcraft was strictly forbidden as taboo magic.

The exact reason for the ban was never officially disclosed, but I deduced the truth easily enough. Spellcasters inadequate to the task likely exhausted their mana reserves and inadvertently drained their own life force, perishing before completing the invocation.

“I would never make such a clumsy blunder,” Alphiria scoffed with supreme confidence.

In all my life, I had never once depleted my vast reservoir of mana, no matter how taxing the magic. Still, taking no chances, I had arranged surrounding magic stones infused with my own stored mana to serve as an emergency reserve should any deficit arise.

“Whew... Alright. Time to begin,” Alphiria murmured, steadying herself.

I slapped my cheeks twice to focus my mind. Failure was out of the question, yet forbidden magic demanded absolute precision. Taking several deep breaths to soothe my pounding heart, I began to chant in a calm, steady cadence.

“—Hear my command.”

My incantation echoed softly through the silent chamber. This ritual marked the turning point of my career as a mage. A single misstep meant death, leaving my name remembered only as a fool’s caution. Though the crushing weight of that pressure bore down on me, I did not hesitate. I could not afford to stop.

“Kindle the flame, pour the waters, weave the winds, and bind the earth. I am the vessel, I am the gateway, I am the seeker peering into the abyss.”

The magic circle began to glow with a faint light. A surge of raw mana surged through my body like an invading entity, making my blood vessels pulse with agonizing pain. Gritting my teeth against the searing agony, I pressed on with the chant.

“Pierce the sealed boundaries, cross the starry expanse, and knit the cosmic laws together here and now.”

My vision turned a violent shade of crimson. I scattered the magic stones across the circle to assist the spell's activation as my heart began pounding uncontrollably beyond my command.

I forgot how to breathe; I could no longer tell if I was standing upright or collapsed on the floor. Pain was the only sensory perception remaining, echoing with screams from deep within my core. A horrific suction sensation washed over me, as though the mana I unleashed was being devoured by something unseen. Pushing past the terror, I directed every fiber of my concentration into the final lines.

“Turn! Overflow! Connect the four cardinal poles and drive the stake! Come forth from the rift between worlds, oh hero sleeping in eternity—!”

Sealing the incantation with a final invocation, I channeled every remaining drop of mana left in my body into the glowing spell seal.

Gales whipped through the chamber and arc lightning flashed violently. Sharp cracks rang out as the magic stones shattered into pieces one after another. Struggling even to keep my eyes open in the tempest, I watched as the magic circle reached a crescendo of blinding radiance before flashing rapidly.

The gateway connected to another world, blazing with brilliance like the sun itself, as a shadowy figure materialized from the center of the light.

Victory is mine. I was filled with absolute certainty. I had succeeded in invoking the forbidden magic. I had called forth the ultimate hero to serve as my sword and shield—or so I believed.

The scorching white glow gradually subsided, leaving the cramped basement filled with lingering magic particles and the sharp scent of scorched air. Nearly eighty percent of the magic stones I had painstakingly prepared lay pulverized into dust.

Exhaling a long breath to steady my breathing, I peered intently at the center of the magic circle. Standing there would be my supreme partner—the grand hero who would walk the path of glory alongside me.

“...Huh?” I blinked in disbelief.

The very first sound that reached my ears was neither a solemn inquiry, a heroic declaration, nor a thunderous war cry. It was the utterly bewildered voice of a young boy.

As the thick plumes of smoke parted, the figure in the center of the magic circle came into full view. Standing there was neither a warrior clad in golden armor nor a grand archmage overflowing with ancient wisdom. Instead, it was an entirely unremarkable boy dressed in a black student uniform. I was momentarily distracted by the flat, softly glowing rectangular device he held in his hand, but—

“W-Where am I?!” the boy blurted out, frantically scanning his surroundings. “Why am I in a basement?! I was just in my bedroom a second ago?!”

He looked around in utter panic. A legendary hero from another world wouldn't lose his cool over something so trivial. Had the ritual actually failed? As panic began creeping into my heart, I realized the boy was staring straight at me.

“Umm... is this... like a cosplay photoshoot or something?” the boy asked hesitantly.

“......Pardon?” I squeaked out.

Faced with his timid question, the response that slipped from my lips sounded embarrassingly dazed. I had no idea what "cosplay" meant, but one thing became instantly clear.

No matter how I looked at him, the boy before me was ordinary. Thoroughly, hopelessly, undeniably average.

“No way... This can’t be happening...!” I shrieked, stomping my feet in frustration. “My theory was flawless! The magic circle was perfect! I felt the spell take hold! I was certain I summoned the ultimate hero from another world...!”

I threw a mini-tantrum on the spot. Suppressing the urge to tear my hair out through sheer force of will, I took several deep breaths to compose my shattered nerves before taking faltering steps toward the boy.

“What is your name? Where did you come from?” I demanded, closing in on him. “What legendary feats have you accomplished? Show me your legendary sword or incredible magic!”

“Uh, well... my name is Nanatsuma Shinya, and I’m from Tokyo, Japan,” the boy answered, backing away slightly. “As for swords or magic—wait, where even is this place?! And who are you?!”

The boy—Nanatsuma Shinya—grabbed my shoulders tightly as he raised his voice. My heart skipped a beat at the sudden physical contact. No, pull yourself together! A lady of Glastonbury House must never lose her composure over something so minor. Admonishing myself, I cleared my throat before answering his question.

“Forgive my manners,” I declared, pulling myself together. “My name is Alphiria Glastonbury. I am the mage who summoned you into this world.”

“...I see,” Shinya said, nodding thoughtfully. “So basically, I’ve been summoned to another world?”

I was caught off guard. He had grasped his situation instantly despite the meager clues. Though he had been panicked moments ago, he was now entirely calm.

“I appreciate your quick understanding,” I noted with a nod. “Then let me ask again, Shinya. What power do you have? Could you demonstrate it right now?”

“......Alphiria, was it?” Shinya scratched his head, looking bewildered. “Honestly, I was hoping you could tell me whether I have any powers or not.”

“...Huh?” I uttered blankly.

It was the single most foolish sound I had ever uttered in my entire life. My face undoubtedly wore an equally brainless expression.

“In the world I come from, the standard trope when someone gets summoned is to have their stats and abilities evaluated first,” Shinya explained casually.

“Standard trope? Is that how otherworld summoning works?” I asked, tilting my head in confusion.

Shinya nodded naturally. I was astonished. My research indicated that summoned entities invariably possessed immense powers that they could wield freely the instant they arrived. I suppose every rule has its exceptions.

“Very well,” I relented. “In that case, let us begin by evaluating your capabilities—”

Just as I was about to suggest commencing the appraisal ritual, I suddenly noticed something terribly wrong.

“Alphiria?” Shinya asked, noticing my sudden silence.

My knees buckled. A sharp, searing pain tore through my head as my vision wobbled violently, making it impossible to remain standing. A terrifying feeling of emptiness washed over me, as if something vital other than blood had been siphoned from every vein in my body. Praying against all odds, I turned my awareness inward to examine my core—

“I-It’s... gone...! My mana is...!” I gasped in horror.

This wasn't mere exhaustion from casting a spell. It had vanished completely from within me. My vast reservoir of mana, which once overflowed like an endless ocean, had been drained dry to the last drop, as if swallowed by a desert.

Even more horrifyingly, my lost mana was flowing directly into Shinya, who stood right before me. The familiar rainbow-colored haze that belonged to me was now shimmering around his body. The priceless gift that defined Alphiria Glastonbury as a prodigy had been stolen.

“...You thief...!” I choked out, her voice trembling. “Give me back... my mana...!!”

I tried to scream, but only a raspy hiss escaped my throat. As my legs gave out and I collapsed, Shinya rushed forward, catching me as I wound up clinging helplessly to his arms.

“H-Hey! What’s wrong?!” Shinya cried out, holding her up. “Are you okay?!”

“D-Don’t touch me so casually...!”

Summoning the last remnants of my strength, I grabbed the lapels of his shirt tight. Right at that moment—

Thump. A sudden surge of intense heat flowed from my palms, where I touched him, rushing straight back into my body.

W-What... is this...?!

A sensation both scorching and meltingly pleasurable coursed through every vein in my body, running wild with nowhere to go.

“Kyah, hyaaa—ah?!” I squealed in shock.

BANG! Unable to withstand the explosive internal pressure, my clothes—undergarments included—burst apart and shredded right off my body.

“...Huh?” Shinya uttered, completely frozen.

“Kaaaaaah—?!” I shrieked at the top of her lungs.

Shinya’s stunned murmur and my ear-splitting screech echoed off the basement walls.

This was supposed to be the glorious day I summoned the ultimate familiar from another world and etched my name into history. How in the world had it turned into losing not only my future as a mage, but my dignity as a lady?!

“My life... is over...” I whimpered in despair.

Muttering those final desperate words as my consciousness faded into darkness, I collapsed onto the cold stone floor.

ToC