[During those 3 years, it would be a big problem if my older sister fell for some guy and got married. If she dies now, the inheritance becomes mine, but if she marries, it becomes her husband’s property.]

I never knew until my dying moments that my younger sister was that kind of person. It’s understandable, since I was stuck in the academy for a long time and rarely met her, and whenever we did meet, she always smiled brightly at me and only said nice things.

[Sister is my pride.] [I’m happy to have you as my sister.] [I hope sister will be recognized as a magician soon.]

So I studied hard, and eventually became an archmage. I even obtained the inheritance left as a surprise gift by a distant ancestor.

The result was ultimately death.

However, there was something Diana didn’t expect – the fact that I was the magician who had researched time the most in this world.

‘It’s fortunate that I researched space-time magic.’

At the moment Diana revealed her true colors and mocked me, certain of my death, I turned back time. I had only researched it before, but this was the first time I actually reversed time on such a large scale.

The only thought in my mind was:

‘This time, I’ll run away.’

Isn’t it ridiculous that the only archmage in this country was killed by her younger sister? It happened because everyone trusted Diana. I won’t be fooled twice.

‘I’ll run away to a place so far that Diana can’t chase me even if she dies, and I’ll keep all the inheritance to myself.’

I thought a little about revenge, but in the end, me living happily while spending the inheritance lavishly would be the best revenge on Diana.

‘I won’t be deceived by you again.’

With such determination, I turned back time. To right after I became an archmage.

But I had forgotten one thing.

The fact that no matter how perfect a plan humans make, you never know what will happen in life.

My magic was successful. I accurately turned time back to the day I received my archmage certification.

Everything was the same. Diana coming to congratulate me at the ceremony, my magic department colleagues congratulating my graduation, the professors suddenly becoming polite, people being surprised at the announcement of the massive inheritance.

Except for one thing.

“What is this……”

Everyone except me.

Was it because I cast an unprecedented magic that rewound time for the entire world?

“My magical power is gone.”

The vast magical power that had blown up all the magical power measuring devices in the academy even when I was a little kid had completely disappeared.

[This is the timeline separator]

The academy, said to be the cradle of the country’s top scholars.

Among them, the Department of Magic, where only the rarest intellectuals gather.

If you pass by there, you can sometimes see professors and students of the Magic Circuit Department setting up ritual tables and bowing together amicably.

“Isn’t Magic Circuit Studies the field that requires the most empirical approach in magic studies?”

“That’s right.”

Magic circuits. It’s a field that studies the shape of how magical power flows, mainly used when creating new spells. When a spell fails, you have to examine the magic circuit.

Such a logical and meticulous field of Magic Circuit Studies, yet the professor and their students are performing rituals to pray for success?

It was so absurd that one day I asked the professor.

“Why do you perform rituals? Isn’t that superstition?”

To my question, the professor put on a face of utmost solemnity. Of course, it just looked silly because of the peacock feather stuck in his head.

“This world cannot be solved entirely by reason and logic. Sometimes the most irrational action can be the answer.”

“What does that mean?”

Isn’t it just a lack of analysis if something can’t be solved? To my objection, the professor said this:

“Praying makes your mind at ease. That’s it. If you’re lucky, things might even get resolved without you doing anything.”

“…Pardon?”

Those words I couldn’t understand then, I can finally understand now that I’ve lost all my magical power.

‘Damn it, did you have to say it so complicatedly that prayer is the only thing you can do!’

I clutched my head. In my mind, all the magical knowledge I had attained was still vividly alive.

Only one thing had changed. The disappearance of magical power.

But that was the worst. I could no longer cast spells like before, even with all the magical knowledge that earned me the title of archmage.

‘There are ways to gather magical power, but it’s impossible to gather as much as before.’

There are various tools developed to allow even those not born with magical power to cast simple spells. Among them are runes that gather magical power, and magic stones that can be filled with power and used.

But none of them can possess such a tremendous amount of magical power.

‘Then what am I supposed to do.’

I turned back time, but lost the magical power that was the strongest force to protect my body.

‘Should I run away right now?’

I thought about it, but then shook my head. I had just returned to my home, but Diana had been living here all along. If I showed any signs of trying to escape, everyone would report my movements to Diana.

“Nelly!”

“Nelly! At least listen to your aunt!”

“What aunt! I’m your great-aunt!”

The terrible relatives would follow me too.

‘Then what on earth should I do.’

I was sitting blankly. At that moment, a corner of the dark room flickered with light. I raised my head.

It was the communication crystal Grisha had given me before I left the academy.

‘He smiled and asked if it was okay to give me the world’s first one he made.’

In this isolated situation, I was so glad to receive a contact. I crawled over and placed my palm on the crystal as Grisha had explained.

A calm voice flowed from the small orb.

−Sister.

The moment I heard the voice, my heart rippled like a stone thrown into a lake.

“Grisha.”

−What’s wrong, sister?

At that moment, my heart collapsed and tears welled up in my eyes. As I sobbed, Grisha also spoke in a serious voice.

−Sister, why are you like this? What’s really wrong?

“I can’t trust humans.”

As soon as I uttered those words, tears started flowing as if they had been waiting. I wiped my tears with my sleeve and said to Grisha.

“…I want to go back to the academy.”

Ah, I never thought I’d say such words in my life.

It was only after becoming an archmage that I realized how hard it is to not be able to trust the people around you.

[This is the timeline separator]

I told Grisha the truth.

“Perhaps because I cast such a wide-ranging spell, my magical power is completely empty and I can’t use magic.”

−You can’t use magic at all?

“It’s not that. I just need time to gather magical power.”

−That’s a relief.

Grisha breathed a sigh of relief. Then he asked in a tense voice.

−No one else knows this, right?

“Of course not. You’re the first I’m telling.”

It was a strange thing. I couldn’t trust my family, but I could trust Grisha who was far away and confide in him.

After listening to what had happened to me in silence for a moment, Grisha spoke in a heavy voice.

−…I’ll come there right now.

What?

“No! No! You know if you leave now, you’ll have to start over from the beginning! They might never give you the magician qualification again!”

This was the awful thing about having to be recognized by people. If you quit halfway, you get labeled as ungrateful.

‘Grisha has struggled so much until now. I can’t let that go to waste.’

That’s why I gritted my teeth and endured at the academy despite my parents’ death and how awful it was. Because turning back meant becoming zero again.

Even as I panicked and tried to stop him, Grisha spoke in a heavy voice.

−Still, I can’t leave you alone right now.

“Then you won’t be able to become a magician! What’s the point of being able to use magic but not being recognized as a magician!”

−Then I’ll live as just your magician, that’s all.

This guy, really!

“I wouldn’t be happy at all even if you came in person. I’ll just gratefully accept your feelings. Don’t come, absolutely. If you come, I’ll never see your face again for the rest of my life.”

−Sister…

I was grateful for Grisha’s feelings, but I couldn’t let Grisha’s life be ruined because of my situation.

Grisha, who had been unable to continue speaking for a moment, sighed and said in a mournful voice.

−I know you’re saying this for my sake, but it’s too painful that I can’t do anything when you’re having such a hard time.

“I’m grateful just for you listening to me. You’re the only one in this world who truly knows my situation.”

−Sister.

I was sincere too. I was happy that Grisha was genuinely worried about me.

‘Right. Let’s cheer up.’

The fact that someone was completely on my side and was willing to rush over, abandoning years of effort to become a magician, warmed my heart. I seriously discussed with Grisha.

“How can I survive without being killed until the inheritance is passed on? Do you have any good ideas?”

The clever Grisha briefly summarized the essence of the problem.

−First, it’s important to create a reason why you shouldn’t be killed until the inheritance, or to make it unnecessary to kill you.

“Well, that’s true.”

The rights to the inheritance had already been transferred to me, and the academy was just temporarily holding it for 3 years. That was the will of the archmage who left the inheritance.

‘I can’t demand it be handed over right now. I can’t ask to postpone something that’s already been assigned for 3 years later.’

She can’t kill me, and there should be no need to kill me.

When I groaned with my chin in my hand at these conditions that were harder than expected, Grisha threw out a suggestion I hadn’t even thought of.

−How about just sleeping soundly until the inheritance?

“Sleep? For 3 years?”

−You know what my research is, right?

Grisha’s research topic was none other than the effect of magical power on the human body. To study the differences in the body according to the amount of magical power, Grisha often came to me to measure various things.

Grisha asked in a serious voice.

−How about falling into a dormant state due to magical power depletion? Since your magical power is at rock bottom, it’s an even more suitable situation.

That was a good idea.