Chapter 1:
"Aw, man... That jerk really went all out this time," Tyrus grumbled, his vision clearing up.
"Seven... fifteen?" Tyrus blinked at the clock, a dazed expression on his face.
"Oh no! I'm gonna be late for class!"
Panicking over his perfect attendance being at risk, Tyrus darted out of bed and scrambled into his black and white school uniform, skipping his morning routine.
The usually bustling hallways were deserted as Tyrus hurried through, hastily fixing his appearance.
Focused on reaching class on time, Tyrus didn't notice the shocked stares from onlookers.
"Um... Did I just see Tyrus?" one person asked incredulously.
"You saw him too?"
"Wait, isn't he supposed to be dead for three months?"
"No way that's Tyrus. Must be someone who looks like him," his friend agreed.
Most people who saw Tyrus came to the same conclusion—he wasn't 'Tyrus'.
Reaching the Academy's main building, Tyrus dashed up the stairs, glancing at his watch as he reached the top.
"Three minutes... I can still make it!" Tyrus grinned, relieved.
But just as he reached the entrance, someone grabbed his collar from behind, nearly choking him.
After coughing, Tyrus turned, angry. "What was that for? Trying to kill me?!"
"Hm?" Tyrus calmed when he saw the person's face but was puzzled by the rough treatment.
It was a tall, beautiful woman with long, black hair and violet eyes, dressed like a nurse.
"Miss Victoria? Sorry, I'm late for my exam. If you need me, I'll be in the infirmary later," Tyrus said, ignoring her disbelief.
But Miss Victoria didn't let go, dragging him away without explanation.
"Wait! Where are we going? Not my classroom? What about my exam?!" Tyrus struggled, but she held firm.
"No exam today," she said, leading him to the infirmary.
"Wait, how's that possible? Did I sleep through it?" Tyrus wondered aloud.
But Miss Victoria remained silent, stripping him to his underwear and scrutinizing his body.
Tyrus felt awkward but trusted her, waiting until she finished.
"You look like Tyrus, sound like Tyrus..." Miss Victoria muttered, puzzled.
"Because I am Tyrus!" Tyrus insisted.
"No, you're not. Tyrus's dead," Miss Victoria said grimly.
Tyrus was shocked but laughed it off as a prank, but Miss Victoria's serious expression stopped him.
"Who are you? Why do you look like Tyrus?" Miss Victoria's tone turned dangerous.
Tyrus couldn't answer, nervously awaiting her next move.
"Tell me about yourself," Miss Victoria demanded.
Tyrus hesitated before giving his usual details.
"Do you remember our first meeting?" Miss Victoria asked.
Tyrus nodded, recalling their encounter after a fight.
Silent once more, Miss Victoria pondered, then dropped a bombshell...
"This isn't the Cardinal Academy, this is the Cardinal Wizardry Academy!"
Tyrus was dumbfounded.
"I believe you're from another world. A world where mana is absent."
"That's crazy! Stop messing with me."
She decided to demonstrate magic to him, she placed her hand over his face and healed his injured eye.
Tyrus stared at his reflection in the mirror, "W-What just happened?" He gasped. "How did you do that?" Tyrus asked, astonished.
"This is magic," Miss Victoria uttered creating glowing orb. "You harness the mana in the air and will it to your imagination."
"Can I touch it?" Tyrus asked eagerly.
"Sure," Miss Victoria replied, and Tyrus reached out, feeling the warm sensation from the light.
Tyrus took a moment to process his situation before asking, "How did I end up here? Can you send me back?"
"You adapt quickly, that's good," she remarked.
"I'm not sure how you got here, but since your world lacks magic, someone must've summoned you here. Unfortunately, I don't know how to send you back."
"Then who can?" Tyrus inquired.
"I don't know. While some can teleport, none have the power to cross dimensions," she explained.
Rubbing his eyes, Tyrus sighed, "What do I do now?"
"Just stay here until we find a solution," she suggested casually.
"But I'm supposed to be dead here. Won't that cause problems?" Tyrus worried. "I've seen enough movies to know what can happen with magic."
Miss Victoria thought for a moment before saying, "Since Tyrus's body was never found, we can say you survived. This isn't a movie. I'll handle it."
With no other option, Tyrus thanked her, "Thank you, Miss Victoria."
"By the way, how was your relationship with the previous Tyrus? I was close to the Miss Victoria in my world, though she might not admit it," she asked after a pause.
"The Tyrus I knew was always getting into fights, but we became close. I was more of a mentor than a friend," she replied.
"A mentor, huh? You're just like the Miss Victoria I know. I'm glad," Tyrus smiled brightly.
Miss Victoria gazed at his smile for a moment before saying, "Anyway, to survive here, you need to learn about this world."
"Have a seat," Miss Victoria gestured to a bed in the infirmary.
Tyrus automatically chose the bed by the window.
Miss Victoria inwardly smiled, noting Tyrus's choice matched the previous Tyrus's preference.
"Firstly, let's talk about this world. As you've seen, magic exists here, powered by the mana in the air. To use magic, you convert mana into energy."
"Can I use magic too?!" Tyrus's excitement was evident.
Miss Victoria pondered briefly before replying, "Probably not."
"Eh?! Why not?!" Tyrus's disappointment was palpable.
"Not everyone can use magic. In fact, about 60 percent of people here can't. Coming from a non-magical world, it's unlikely you can," Miss Victoria explained.
"And the previous Tyrus couldn't either."
Tyrus sighed, dejectedly laying back. "That's a bummer... I was really hoping..."
"Even if you can't use magic, you can use magic Magic Items infused with mana and spells. The previous Tyrus did. But they're expensive and fragile," Miss Victoria continued.
"We can discuss magic later. But another crucial aspect of this world is vampires."
Tyrus's eyes widened in shock. "Vampires? Like bloodsuckers?"
"Do you have vampires in your world too? Here, they feed on mana, not blood," Miss Victoria clarified.
Tyrus shook his head. "Vampires are just in movies where I'm from."
"In this world, they look human but with white hair and red eyes. If you encounter one, run—they hunt humans for mana."
"What happens if they drain our mana? Are people without mana safe?" Tyrus asked nervously.
"Everyone has mana, even non-magic users. Losing it results in a slow, painful death, usually caused by a vampire."
"Do vampires roam the streets?" Tyrus queried.
"No, major cities have barriers keeping vampires out. But sometimes they slip in. Staying in the city is safest," Miss Victoria assured.
"Any other questions?"
"Many..." Tyrus sighed.
"Save them for later. Now, about your situation."
"You're considered dead here, but since your body was never found, we'll say you survived. Don't reveal you're from another world, for your safety," Miss Victoria instructed.
"Why not?" Tyrus asked.
"Do you want to be locked up and experimented on?" Miss Victoria's gaze hardened.
"Of course not!"
"Then keep quiet. For now, say you have amnesia. Understand?"
"I do," Tyrus nodded earnestly.
"Good. Do you have combat experience?"
"Just some fights with bullies," Tyrus admitted.
"You'll need to learn to wield a weapon. 'Tyrus' used a sword, so that's where we'll start."
"What about magic? I want to try," Tyrus persisted.
Miss Victoria sighed. "We'll see, but even if you can, don't flaunt it. 'Tyrus' couldn't, and sudden magic use would raise questions."
"I get it," Tyrus nodded.
"One more thing. 'Tyrus' was calm and collected. You seem the opposite," Miss Victoria observed.
"I'm usually quiet, but this world is so new. And you're special to me, Miss Victoria. You remind me of someone," Tyrus explained, smiling warmly.
Miss Victoria's expression softened, though her thoughts remained hidden.
After more discussion, Miss Victoria asked, "Ready to 'come back from the dead'?"
Tyrus smiled wryly. "Couldn't you say it nicer?"
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and agreed, "Okay, I'm ready."
Miss Victoria led him to the Headmistress's quarters.
As they entered, the Headmistress froze, eyes fixed on Tyrus.
"Headmistress, before you—"
"Tyrus?!?!" she exclaimed, stunned.
Miss Victoria intervened, trying to calm the Headmistress.
"Victoria! What's going on? Why is Tyrus here?!" the Headmistress demanded.
"He's... Tyrus," Miss Victoria explained, taking a moment to compose herself.
"But Tyrus died months ago!"
"He survived somehow and just returned today. He has amnesia, so he doesn't remember anything," Miss Victoria clarified.
The Headmistress staggered back, processing the news.
Tyrus watched nervously, realizing the gravity of the situation.
"Can we trigger his memories with magic?" the Headmistress suggested.
"I've tried. It didn't work," Miss Victoria admitted.
"Then we'll have to wait."
Tyrus's heart sank, realizing the challenges ahead.
Miss Victoria offered to train him, despite her nursing duties.
After some negotiation, the Headmistress agreed.
Tyrus left the room with Miss Victoria, preparing to face the challenges of his new life.
As they approached Tyrus's classroom, the teacher recognized him, shocked.
"Tyrus?!" she exclaimed, stunned by his unexpected return.