Random Orphan Pov. 

Ron had been living in this city for a few months now. At first, he was just an orphan in the slums of a random village. But he, along with quite a few others, were taken and given the opportunity of new life. They were all young orphans who had nowhere else to go and were offered the choice of a better life. Some refused, but some accepted. Ron was one of those that accepted. 

At seven years of age, Ron was brought out of abject poverty and started attending school along with a medley of other children who also didn’t understand the first thing about reading and writing. But Ron learnt something special about himself.

‘I’m a very quick learner.’ I was proud of that. 

As one of the more precocious children, he was grouped in with those who could learn roughly at the same speed as him and they were taught many different things. From language, to basic mathematics and even beginner magical theory and formulation for the really smart children. 

Ron was part of the really smart children. 

Then, a few months ago, something changed. They started teaching us to access our own magic then gave us a ‘book’ that we were to inject with mana. It made us go to a colourful space and access our magic easier. We were told that we should soon be able to go to that space without the use of the book if we are serious and I decided to be serious, so I practiced hard. I was the first to get to that point and was allowed access to other ‘chapters’ of the book.

This changed my life. 

Thinking was easier, remembering was easier. Doing different things at the same time was easier and accessing and controlling my mana was easier. More people eventually joined my success but no one could ever really reach my level of success. Things were easy. I was happy. I was content.

And I was the best.

‘I made the right decision coming here.’ I smiled to myself. 

“What are ya smiling about?” Someone interrupted my musing and I scowled immediately.

‘Tsk, him.’ 

Slate. Course red hair, golden eyes and brown skin with a somewhat handsome face and strong build as opposed to my brown hair, brown eyes and fair skin. 

If I was the best in the brain side of things, then this person was the best in the physical side of things. He was the fastest, strongest, and he had an unfair martial talent. It seemed like he just had to look at something once to copy how it was done down to every detail. Like I had begun to access my mana, he had begun to access his aura before anyone else. 

I wasn’t really good at the physical stuff, and I had tried, but I would never be the best there. I had put in more effort than even him, I think, but still to no avail. So I swore that I would just get so good at what I was good at to be able to topple any achievements he would make in his speciality.

I wanted to hate him. Really, I did. But he was just so….nice. Too nice, and many people liked him for it. If I behaved in any way that would make it seem like I might hurt their little genius, I might get in trouble and get kicked out. 

‘I don’t want to get kicked out.’ So I just grit my teeth and bore his attention when it landed on me. I put a stained smile on my face. 

“Nothing really. I was just happy to advance in what I was doing.” 

“Really! That’s so cool! I advanced too. I just entered the first tier of aura! Can you feel it?” He then released his aura for me to feel. 

‘Already?! Was it supposed to be this quick? I’m starting to lag behind.’

“That’s great, man.” I smiled at him.

“Hey, a few of the other kids and me are going to the inner garden to see if we can spot the little people that are appearing, wanna come?” He asked me with eyes shining. 

‘No you idiot, I have to train.’

“Sorry, I have a few things I have to do. I’ll join you later.”

“Aww man, later then.” He left me to my thoughts and left. 

‘Shit.’ 

Random School Teacher Pov.

Sometimes, I wonder how I got so lucky. I was here, in this new territory, teaching young children easy material (for me to teach anyway) and making substantial amounts of money doing it. When I first got the call from my previous job I couldn’t really believe it. Then I came over here and we were given a curriculum to follow for the different levels we teach. It was difficult at first to follow, but with time things got easier. 

Then I got my first check. 

It was bigger than anything I had ever gotten, anything I had ever expected because it went over the agreed upon salary. Apparently, we were getting bonuses every month for some reason I didn’t really know. Some of the other teachers speculated it was dependent on how well we teach but I didn’t know. 

In my time teaching here, I was only in charge of mundane subjects. Well, one mundane subject, specifically maths. I was in charge of the smartest of the group that had already started doing some type of magic things I did not understand and didn’t want to. Apparently, it makes it easier for them to learn but I didn’t know anything about that. 

All I knew was that the children I was specifically in charge of were smart and life here was easy. I could actually raise a family with the money I’m earning now, something I couldn’t have imagined doing before. I felt so free.

‘Now I just have to find a wife.’