Chương 13: Three Spells

"Self-taught?" The two words immediately piqued Bev's curiosity. In her mind, magic was synonymous with luxury. It meant expensive tutors, wealthy families, and books that burned through mountains of gold. A commoner... Teaching himself magic? That was almost unheard of. Just as she was about to ask another question, the wooden door on the right side of the hall swung open. A mage wearing a monocle beckoned to the two of them.

"You're up." The examination took place in a chamber known as the Room of Tranquility. Its walls were built from polished white stone, and at the center of the room stood a towering crystal pillar that radiated an almost sacred aura. The examining mage adjusted his monocle before speaking in a clear, authoritative voice.

"My name is Marven Coffield, Upper-tier Mage. I will be serving as your examiner today." Though the introduction was directed at both candidates, it was really meant only for Zelier. Judging by Bev's expression, she clearly knew Instructor Marven already.

"My name is Zelier." He placed a hand over his chest and gave a respectful bow. Hearing that Zelier had no family name, Marven showed the slightest hint of surprise before his expression quickly returned to normal.

"Come on, Uncle Marven, let's get started already," Bev urged impatiently. Marven shot her a helpless look.

"Bev, this is your third attempt at the mage evaluation this month. If you fail again, you'll be placed under a ninety-day waiting period before you're allowed to retest." Bev pouted.

"I'll pass this time..."

"The Apprentice Mage examination is quite straightforward," Marven explained.

"First, we'll measure your mana capacity. After that, you'll demonstrate your spellcasting ability. I'll determine whether you qualify based on your overall performance." He gestured toward the crystal pillar.

"Bev. You're first."

"Good luck," Zelier said with an encouraging smile. Bev clenched her fists and nodded enthusiastically.

"Mm!" She removed her lavender mage robe and set it aside together with her wand. Items that amplified mana were prohibited during the examination. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Taking a deep breath, she stepped before the crystal pillar, pressed her palm against it, and began channeling mana. The pillar appeared to be made from the same material as the crystal orb used by the guards outside, only far purer—capable of displaying mana strength with much greater precision.

A blue glow ignited at its base. Slowly, it climbed upward. Waist high. Bev grit her teeth and poured every last drop of mana into it. The light crept a little farther before finally stopping. Zelier estimated the height. Around four feet... maybe four and a half. Marven glanced at it.

"Not bad."

"You barely passed." Bev's lips curled into a delighted grin.

"Yes!" Last time, she hadn't even made it through the mana test. Now it was Zelier's turn. He placed his hand against the pillar. Blue light erupted from the base once again. Only this time... It climbed far faster than it had for Bev. Within moments, it had already surpassed her previous height. Bev blinked in disbelief. Even Marven's eyes narrowed with surprise. The light finally stopped just below Zelier's chest—roughly eight to ten inches higher than Bev's.

"Excellent." Marven nodded approvingly.

"Your mana reserves comfortably meet the standard for an Apprentice Mage, with room to spare."

"Thank you." Zelier withdrew his hand. With 71 Spirit, passing the Apprentice Mage standard was only natural. If he had chosen Spell Surge instead of Matrix Deduction, the crystal would probably have risen even higher.

"... You're seriously self-taught?" Bev muttered under her breath. He's actually stronger than me... Next came the spellcasting evaluation. Bev would demonstrate first. The requirements were simple. Each candidate only needed to cast spells they were proficient with while Marven evaluated their control and execution. Bev extended one hand. Mana surged through her Soul Space as she rapidly assembled a Spell Matrix. Marven narrowed his eyes, carefully observing every detail of her casting process. Whoosh!

The air twisted. A translucent jade-green blade of compressed wind shot forward, slicing through the room. Wind Blade. There were no practice dummies or targets to measure its destructive power, but Zelier could tell it carried enough force to rival a sword slash. Bev immediately began constructing another Spell Matrix. Six or seven seconds later, brilliant light bloomed above her palm. With a gentle motion of her hand, the glowing sphere floated upward, illuminating the entire chamber. Illuminate.

After taking a brief moment to recover, she began casting once more. This time, a sphere of water roughly the size of a human head condensed before her. Bang! The Water Orb blasted across the room and slammed into the stone wall. Water Orb.

"Haa..."

"Haa..." Casting three spells consecutively had clearly exhausted her. She turned toward Marven, breathing heavily.

"Well?"

"Looks like you've actually been practicing." Marven nodded with satisfaction.

"You pass, Bev."

"From this moment onward, you're officially an Apprentice Mage."

"Yes!" Bev practically jumped with excitement. She wasn't the only happy one. Zelier was grinning as well. Three new progress bars had quietly appeared beneath Matrix Deduction. Wind Blade — Analysis Progress: 2% Illuminate — Analysis Progress: 2% Water Orb — Analysis Progress: 2% This talent really is incredible. No expensive spell scrolls. No hunting down teachers. Just watching another mage cast was enough to begin reverse-engineering the spell.

Compared to the far more sophisticated Mistveil Embrace, these beginner spells analyzed much faster. They had already reached 2% the moment they entered the queue. At this pace... They'd probably be fully deciphered within a few days.

"Your turn, Zelier." Marven gestured forward. Zelier stepped ahead and slowly exhaled. The Spell Matrix for Fireball unfolded inside his mind. Mana flowed into its familiar pathways. Then— He froze. Something was... different. The Spell Matrix he'd memorized so thoroughly suddenly looked flawed. Several winding sections that had once seemed perfectly normal now appeared completely unnecessary. Instead of those long, twisting mana channels...

Straight, simplified pathways would circulate mana far more efficiently.... What's going on? Zelier frowned. He had never noticed these imperfections before. But there was no time to dwell on it. Trusting his instincts, he altered the redundant sections, reshaping the Spell Matrix into a cleaner, more streamlined form before completing the spell.