All my ears were buzzing about cousins of the third or fourth water and their potential success in the magic of the firmament even in early childhood. As soon as I visited Dustrasse’s relatives, they immediately began to drag my mother’s face into the mud, until my father forbade her to take me to visit my grandparents.

I also didn’t like the pitying glances or the sympathetic sighs. And especially the moments when every relative I met tried to express condolences to my mother. As if I was not born a dummy, but completely dead, forgive the Mother of All That Is! But, perhaps, the most disgusting thing was when, sympathizing with my mother, my relatives began to praise their cousins right in front of me. In general, visiting relatives turned into an unpleasant duty, so my father’s ban did not upset me at all.

And now those same Dustrasse twins, my competitors for the attention of my maternal relatives, stood in front of me and smiled. I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, I wanted to punch them on the nose with the fact that I was no longer a dummy, and at the same time I was simply scared. I don’t know what exactly? Is it possible that I won’t be able to meet the high standards of Dustrasse? Or that I will remain a dummy in their tea-brown eyes?

But this wasn’t the first time I had to face my own fears, and this time I didn’t look away.

“Introduce yourself properly, eshsheri,” Uncle Alan called the sisters to order.

– I'm Willde. This means wild.

– And I’m Volde. This means a rule.

This sounded somewhat defiant. The girls in the stagecoach looked at each other and also began to introduce themselves. Even Ada deigned to wake up for such an occasion. It was my turn and, having overcome my inner turmoil, I smiled wryly.

– And I’m Mirre. Mirrae Blackrock. “It means fair, reasonable,” she added in tone with her cousins.

It sounded strange, but Dustrasse really had such a tradition.

“And also brave and selfless, don’t even doubt it,” Ada suddenly added additional meanings to my name.

Vilde stared at me incredulously.

– Come on! Are you the same Mirre? – she said in amazement.

– But you’re empty! – Volde blurted out bluntly.

– What stupidity! Would a dummy be invited to the academy? – Khvoyana noted innocently.

– Girls, don’t you think that for boarding school girls, you are all a little… ill-mannered? – Lisel noted.

– What did I say? – Vilde took it personally.

– In your opinion, is it polite to call a relative empty in front of unfamiliar people? – Khvoyana, who had just distinguished herself, chuckled.

– It wasn’t me who called it, it was you and Volde! – Vilde was indignant.

– But it's true! Everyone knows that Mirre Blackrock was born without magic…” Volde tried to justify herself, batting her long, thick eyelashes.

“Then how did I end up on this stagecoach?” – I pretended to think, barely restraining myself from anger.

Here we go again! As soon as someone from Dustrasse is nearby, they start pestering me!

– Well… Maybe your father set it up? – Vilde suggested in all seriousness, lowering her voice.

– Who is your father, Mirre? – Khvoyana suddenly asked.

– Duke of Blackrock! – Volde responded innocently. – He serves as dean at the academy. He could have pulled it off in such a way that Mirre was taken.

The envious girls at the boarding school said the same thing, but for some reason it was the cousins’ words that touched me. I even jumped out of my seat and blurted out:

– What nonsense! I have the highest score on testing! Yes, our Grymza signed me up as a combat magician!

I came to my senses when Ada persistently pulled my hand. It turns out that I was standing over my sisters, clenching my fists and wheezing like an angry yak.

The Dustrasse sisters looked at each other.

– Yes cold!

– Can't be!

– Show me!

– What can you do?

They demanded vying with each other.

– Yes, girls! Stop! Mirre will not demonstrate his skills to you, if only because this is prohibited for first-year adepts,” Uncle Alan stood up for me. – Sit down, and let's move on. We should be at the crossing already an hour ago. There we will change to a vehicle more suitable for traveling across the steppe, and several days of travel await us. I advise you to find a common language during this time.

Having thrown the twins' bags into the luggage compartment on the roof, Uncle Alan joined the driver on the box. It seems he spent the whole night there. The Dustrasse cousins took seats opposite me and began to look at me without a twinge of conscience.

– Mirre, how did it happen that you finally got magic? – Vilde asked a question.

– No, really! It is interesting to us. After all, they said that…” Wolde joined her, but her sister elbowed her in the side.

I realized that questions could not be avoided, and I decided that it would be better to tell them my version. In addition, the other girls watched us with curiosity. Even Yumi, who never said a word except her name.