Chapter 89 : Chapter 89
During the free time after lunch, Ryan fulfilled his earlier promise—to teach Cosette the basics of magic theory. It served as a light post-meal activity, even though teaching magical resonance was by no means an easy task.
Mana, this elemental energy that pervades the natural world, is mysterious and elusive.
The first step in learning was to break the mind free from the shackles of the body and attempt to sense, capture, and eventually try to manipulate that omnipresent but hard-to-grasp energy flow.
Countless dreamers are blocked at this initial threshold, unable to perceive mana even once in their lifetime—this is the brutal divide created by talent.
Even for those who can sense it, the clarity and intensity of that perception varies from person to person, directly determining the possible achievements in the magical path that lies ahead.
Because of this, the legend of the Elves, a race that naturally resonates deeply with all the magic of the world, seems so terrifying and filled with a gap that inspires despair.
Ryan used as simple and clear language as possible to describe to Cosette the essentials of sensing mana and the mindset required, avoiding the obscure metaphors commonly found in textbooks.
The little maid listened with rapt attention, her hazel eyes fixed on him, as though trying to engrave every word into her mind.
Once the explanation was over, Ryan signaled for Cosette to try.
For the first time, the girl closed her eyes and focused intently for a long while. Her face became slightly flushed, and she eventually opened her eyes in confusion, shaking her head.
“It’s okay, relax, don’t force it.”
Cosette nodded, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes again.
This time, she seemed to empty her mind more, her breathing gradually becoming steady and long.
Time passed quietly, and just as Ryan thought a third attempt might be necessary, Cosette’s body suddenly trembled lightly.
She opened her eyes wide, and a faint white glow flashed in her pupils, as if something intangible had been reflected within them.
“Master, I... I think I felt something... cool, yet warm, floating around me...” Her voice trembled with excitement.
Ryan was momentarily stunned.
Twice? Even with his body’s commendable talent, it had taken him an entire afternoon to vaguely capture such a sensation when he first tried.
This little maid...
“Well done.” He suppressed his surprise and maintained a calm tone, “Remember this feeling. Now, try to guide the most gentle and common energy you’ve felt—light. Imagine gathering it into the palm of your hand.”
He then proceeded to teach her the most basic light element guiding incantation and the simple concept of mana shaping, which was essential for casting minor spells like Light.
Cosette seemed to grasp it only partially, but the excitement in her eyes grew brighter.
She closed her eyes again, carefully following Ryan’s instructions.
Several minutes passed in the quiet room.
Suddenly, above her open palm, the air twisted slightly, and a faint, pure milky-white halo quietly appeared, like a miniature bud blooming in the air. It emitted a steady, soft glow.
“I did it, I did it!” Cosette gasped, her eyes wide, staring intently at the small light in her palm as if she had discovered the most magical treasure in the world.
She tried to make the light brighter or dimmer, and the halo obediently changed accordingly, making her even more excited, like a child playing with a new and fascinating toy.
Ryan watched her pure joy, and silently let out a breath of relief.
Teaching a future witch magic felt like playing with fire next to a bomb—he had some unease deep inside.
But at least, for now, Cosette’s performance seemed more like that of an ordinary girl with unexpectedly good talent, immersed in the joy of mastering a new ability. Her eyes were clear, without any oddities.
Perhaps, for now, there was no need to worry excessively?
After a brief rest, Ryan watched as Cosette practiced some basic light element control, until she began to sweat and clearly showed signs of fatigue. Then, he instructed her to stop.
He asked her to clean up the dishes and review what she had learned today. Afterward, Ryan changed into more comfortable, dark-colored casual clothes, ready to move, and left Silver Fir House.
The afternoon sunlight was perfect, but Ryan’s destination was not the Magi-Engineering Department building.
There were no professional or general courses for him this afternoon. He walked through the shaded path and the central square, heading toward the eastern side of the academy, eventually stopping in front of a massive building constructed from thick, gray-white stone.
The Rockhold Training Hall.
This was the main venue for the Magic-Martial Integration program and various combat skill courses. The heavy stone doors were wide open, and faint sounds of shouting, clashing weapons, and heavy blows could be heard from within.
As Ryan stepped inside, the air felt denser, the ground covered in special energy-absorbing and anti-magic stone slabs that felt solid underfoot. The high dome was reinforced with protective barriers, and all around were weapon racks and training dummies.
Several students were already practicing inside, either dueling with each other or honing their combat skills alone. The air was filled with the smell of sweat and steel.
Ryan’s presence drew some attention. After all, his face was quite recognizable around the academy, and appearing here felt a little out of place.
Soon, a towering figure walked over from the depths of the hall.
The person was exceptionally muscular, his body bulging with muscles that stretched the simple training vest tightly. A scar crossed his brow, and it was none other than the instructor who had led the Magic-Martial Integration class, Instructor Barton.
“Velt?” Barton’s voice was as deep as thunder, his copper-like eyes scanning Ryan up and down. “A rare guest. What, finally figured out that relying on those delicate trinkets isn’t enough power for you?”
Ryan remembered that after the practice session where his reputation took a hit, Instructor Barton had expressed admiration for his unorthodox but effective combat style. He had also mentioned that if Ryan was interested in practical combat skills, he could always come to him.
Not just Barton, but the Summoning and Magi-Theory departments had also vaguely extended olive branches back then.
However, at that time, Ryan had too many practical considerations.
One’s energy was limited, and he had chosen the Magi-Engineering Application major, which was most aligned with his current needs and had relatively lower initial resource costs.
Learning Magic-Martial Integration or Summoning would require large amounts of time for physical training, battle simulations, or familiarizing himself with summoned beings.
That would inevitably cut into the time needed for studying and creating magic tools, which was his primary way of earning income to afford his study materials.
Moreover, high-intensity physical training meant increased food consumption, and the academy cafeteria had fixed meal times. If he missed them or needed more, he would have to buy from expensive off-campus restaurants, which cost a lot of gold coins.
Saving money—or rather, surviving—had been his top priority back then.
But now, the situation was different. The princess’s sponsorship was like timely rain, solving the most pressing issues of funds and basic resources.
The heavy bag of gold coins and the daily delivery of lavish meals had lifted the heaviest economic shackles off his shoulders.
And now, the approaching Whispering Forest Selection Tournament and the even more unpredictable Starfall Ruins exploration seemed like a sword hanging above his head, reminding him that relying solely on his expertise in magic tools and his passively triggered Eye of Probability might not be enough to handle all the dangers.