The duo came back from the arena, walking toward the spectators.
“Anyway, Herr Halwen,” Albrecht said calmly, “what was that Eidrecht you were about to cast?”
“Eidrecht 95: Nachstellung.”
Albrecht’s brows lifted. Every Eidrecht spells was lethal if used the correct way, but above ninety was considered overkill.
The fact that Halwen could run the entire incantation flawlessly, in his head, while in the middle of a melee was impressive enough. But the greater shock was knowing that the spell could possibly killed him.
“You really want to kill me, huh?” Albrecht laughed.
"You would be able to handle it."
“Come on Herr Halwen, you put too much faith in me haha..” Albrecht added.
“No. The Hauptmann of the 3rd Division wouldn’t fall to a petty spell from an old scientist. It wouldn’t even knock you out. There was no killing intent.”
“Haha, whatever you said, Old man~”Somehow, that didn’t convince Albrecht. Perhaps he really should be more careful about teasing Lina in the future.
Before they reached the edge, the girls met them halfway.
“Nice duel, Herr Halwen, Herr Albrecht.” The maid said while greeting her master.
“Thank you, although I heard someone calling me a pervert. Was that you, Lisa?”
“Must be your imagination, Herr Albrecht.” Lisa said it lightly, but her eyes betrayed her words.
Albrecht just laughed. “Well, Lina, Vierna, did you learn anything from that?”
Lina hesitated. “Uhhhh…”
Vierna stepped forward. “Well, I have a few questions, Alb. Do you mind?”
“By all means, shoot.”
And those were probably the only words Albrecht would regret for the rest of his life. Vierna’s questions came in a relentless barrage, her list of notes as thick as the Reich’s civil code.
After a while, both Albrecht and Halwen began nudging Lina to ask something. The question she finally came up with caught them both off guard.
“If Uncle is that strong, then why are you posted in a supply depot? Shouldn’t you be at the front line?”
“Lina, a duel and a siege are entirely different things." Halwen answered, "In a duel, it’s clear who your opponent is, one person in front of you. But in a siege? You don’t know how long it will last. You need to conserve your mana so you can keep fighting. That’s why General Berbaris didn’t cast spells like Alb and I just did.”
“Besides,” Halwen crossed his arm, “the Arkmarschall sees me more as a scientist than a warrior, and in a peculiar way, he’s right. That’s why, when deploying me, he always keeps in mind that I’m a scientist first, and places me where I’m most appropriately used.”
Lina and Vierna nodded. In a way, the explanation gave them a solid basis for understanding how soldiers and duelists differed.
“Anyway, let’s dive into something practical for the girls. Albrecht, what do you have in mind?”
“Well, I usually start by finding their elemental compatibility. After all, every mage has different strengths and weaknesses.”
“It’s in my report. You can check it.”
“Without disrespect, Herr Halwen, I have my own method for gauging compatibility.”
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Hoh? You don’t trust the Manakreis Aptitude Index?”
“Well… maybe only halfway. The battlefield’s constantly changing, no? I once saw a pyromancer fire a water spell in a pinch. Sure, they can learn it, but the speed of that reflex? Clear proof the test got it wrong.”
“So, what are you suggesting for the girls?”
“You’ll see. Vierna, Lina, follow me. You too Lisa, it’s for your references.”
They arrived at a training chamber. It was medium-sized, just enough for practicing simple spells. A lone training dummy stood at the far edge, the room itself neat and free from the unnecessary decorations that cluttered the hallways and nearly every other room. Clearly, Albrecht took training seriously.
Halwen settled into a nearby chair behind a panel of runic glass, likely protection in case a spell misfired. Lina, Lisa, Vierna and Albrecht stepped fully inside.
“Now, Lina, Vierna, I want you to focus and fire any elemental spell that comes to mind first,” Albrecht said.
Lina went first. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them with focus. Stepping forward, she thrust her arm out as if punching the air.
A red sigil flared into existence. Its outer ring was marked with jagged triangles like tongues of flame, the inner circle swirling in constant motion as if stirred by unseen heat. Yellow and red fire roared from her palm, arcing toward the training dummy in front of her.
Vierna watched Lina’s spell. It was an unnamed spell, basic fire manipulation, but she knew that if it hit someone, they would definitely be burned. She felt glad for her friend, yet a twinge of envy crept in. The best she had managed before was a small amount of water, and now she wasn’t even sure if she could make it reach the dummy.
Albrecht studied the fading embers of Lina’s spell, then glanced at the file Halwen had given him.
“Herr Halwen, forgive me, but the Grace experiment with Lina—you said it was a failure.”
Halwen stepped into the glass room. “It was.”
“But that fire magic… that’s not only mana. There’s Grace in it too,” Albrecht said.
“What do you mean?” Lina’s voice rose slightly.
“When you’ve cast fire spells before, were they always that big?”
“Well… no.”
“It’s clear that fire wasn’t pure mana,” Halwen added. “From the color alone, we can tell. In a way, Lina, your Grace has started to integrate into your spirit.”
“Which means… I can use the kind of power the Imperium has?”
“Yes. And it’s even overcoming your Faintborn condition. With that level of firepower, you’re on par with a normal mage your age.”
“Good for you, Lina. I’m glad.” Vierna stepped forward and hugged her. Her smile was warm, there was something in her eyes. Beneath the relief was a small, unshakable sting, the kind that came from wishing she could share in the same triumph.
“However,” Albrecht added, “this phenomenon may have never been seen in history. You’re one of a kind, Lina. Being able to do this will be a challenge, especially balancing Grace and mana. I’ll probably need someone experienced in handling Grace to assist me.”
He turned to Halwen. “Herr Halwen, make sure Lina gets every book you have on Grace. Since you’ve experimented on it, I’m sure you know far more than what the public does.”
Halwen nodded and pulled a small notebook from his coat. His pen scratched quickly across the page, apparently a list of books Lina would need to study. She leaned over for a peek and froze, her face paling at the sheer length of the titles.
“Now, Vierna,” Albrecht said, turning his attention. “Your turn. Show me what you’ve got.”
A knot formed in her chest. The images of the earlier duel flashed in her mind. Spells cast in overwhelming volume, raw power tearing through the arena. Even Lina, who had once shared her Faintborn’s condition, now had a way to work around it through the power of Grace. That thought left Vierna feeling truly alone again.
Doubt swelled and tangled with her thoughts. What if Alb decided she wasn’t worth training? What if she couldn’t cast anything at all? What if all she did was confirm everyone’s unspoken suspicion—that she didn’t belong here? The weight of those questions pressed heavier than any spell she could muster.
“Alb,” Vierna said, “I never—”
“Vierna,” Albrecht cut in, “the real path to magic starts with confidence. If you don’t believe in it, it won’t happen. So give me your best shot, and let me determine the rest.”
Vierna took a step forward, forcing herself to steady her breathing. She remembered the frustration of not even being able to nudge a weight with her magic.
But things had changed now… hadn’t they? They had to. Her determination, her acceptance, Albrecht, Halwen, even the Arkmarschall’s confidence in her, and the procedure she’d gone through at the facility, if all that didn’t change something inside her spirit, then what would?
If magic was the spirit made action, then these things should change how her spirit moved. She told herself she knew what to do, just a single, controlled burst of mana, enough to reach the dummy.
She raised her arm, hoping for the best. A magic circle flared into existence, its outer ring etched with flowing, wave-like patterns that curled inward toward a tightly woven central knot. A moment later, the spell fired.
It was a simple water manipulation, but it arced cleanly through the air and splashed against the dummy. The impact left no damage, only a damp patch spreading across its surface.
Vierna was surprised. Back then she could only create a small trickle of water, but now the spell had flown nearly five drath and the volume had increased as well. Her eyes grew teary, her hands shook. For the first time, magic had truly responded to her. And maybe, just maybe, she was trainable.
“Water, huh,” Albrecht murmured, running a hand along his chin.
“Vierna, I hate to say this to you, but your affinity… it’s the worst luck you can have.”
Should i keep with water? or change to something else?
