Misha von Ritual is the daughter of a viscount ruling a small, snowy territory in the kingdom's far north. She has dutifully accepted her engagement to a man who was meant to help secure her family's future, until he arrives with shocking news: he has gotten her cousin pregnant. He intends to marry the cousin, but still expects Misha to become his second wife, using her dowry and labor to support the child who will eventually inherit the territory. He adds insult to injury by stating he has no plans to share a bed with her.

Misha's response is immediate and physical. She punches him. After her parents expel the disgraced fiancé and his new lover from the kingdom, they offer their daughter anything she desires as recompense. Misha, who possesses secret memories of a past life in Japan where she read novels about magical schools, makes her choice: she wants to attend the central kingdom's prestigious magic academy.

The path to enrollment is not simple. The application process takes an entire year and involves multiple difficult tests. Coming from a family with a relative who dropped out, Misha faces an automatic disadvantage that prevents her from receiving a full scholarship. She nearly fails to gain admission until she impresses an examiner with her exceptional knowledge of herbs, a skill developed in her northern homeland. This earns her a place at the school, but she must work to pay her own tuition.

Once admitted, Misha finds herself in a world of magical study, new friendships, and unexpected creatures. She forms a bond with a slime familiar that is revealed to be an incredibly powerful spirit capable of assisting her in countless ways. Among her classmates is a girl named Alice, who initially appears to be haughty and arrogant but is actually deeply awkward and struggles with an intimidating resting expression. Misha also encounters a potential romantic interest, a young man who initially seems to be a teacher but is later revealed to be a fellow student.

The narrative follows Misha as she navigates her new life, balancing rigorous magical education with the freedom of having escaped a terrible engagement. She faces challenges related to her scholarship status and proves her quiet competence through her herbology skills and growing magical abilities. The tone balances lighthearted school adventures with the satisfaction of watching a capable protagonist thrive after escaping a toxic relationship. The first volume concludes with Misha settled into her new path, having found friendship, a powerful familiar, and the promise of a much brighter future than the one she left behind.