Alaric’s life had already settled into a rhythm. Mornings were spent on the field with Hargan, afternoons in lectures, and evenings... evenings were for research.
But the research was hitting a wall.
Alaric sat at his desk in the library, staring at a small glass vial filled with water. His notebook was open to a page covered in aggressive scribbles and calculations.
The Problem: Retention.
He had improved the binding circle. With Lucia’s help, he had refined the geometry to a point where he could bind 60% of his input mana into the liquid. If he poured 100 units of mana into the process, 60 units stayed in the water.
That was acceptable. The problem was what happened after.
Water was a terrible medium. It had no magical lattice to hold the energy.
Day 1: 60% charge. Day 2: 50% dissipation loss. Remaining charge: 30%. Day 3: Another 50% loss. Remaining charge: 15%.
By the end of the week, a potent mana potion would turn back into a vial of slightly bitter tap water. It was useless for commerce, and useless for long expeditions.
He sighed, rubbing his temples.
A shadow fell over his table. Alaric didn't flinch; he knew who it was. They had a silent agreement now.
Lucia Thorne pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down. She placed a heavy book on the table.
"You look frustrated," she said softly.
"I am," Alaric admitted. "The water leaks mana like a faucet. I can put it in, but I can't make it stay."
Lucia nodded sympathetically. "That is the nature of water. It doesn't hold."
They fell into their usual routine, small talk masked as academic discussion.
"How is your study going?" Alaric asked, gesturing to her book.
"Difficult," Lucia admitted. "Summoning Magic is a branch of Null Magic, but unlike the instant spells you use, summoning requires a stable anchor to pull a creature from across space. It's too complex to speak. It must be written."
"So you have to draw the circle every time?"
"Yes," Lucia traced a finger over the cover of her book. "That is why I studied Magic Circle theory so intensely. If I get a single scripture wrong, the summon fails. I've become... quite good at writing them."
She is not wrong.. she is the one who helped me to improve the mana binding circle efficiency from 50% to 60% Alaric thought to himself
Alaric looked at the vial, then at her book. "We know that a Magic Circle can bind mana to something... but I don't know how to keep it contained."
Lucia frowned, tapping her chin. "Binding is one thing. Containment is another."
Alaric stared at the water. A thought sparked in his mind.
"Lucia," Alaric started, leaning forward. "If water has bad retention, why don't we just make a magic circle that manipulates the mana so it doesn't get out of the bottle?"
Lucia tilted her head. "How?"
"Think about the structure of a spell," Alaric explained, his hands moving as he spoke. "For example, when we write a Magic Circle for a specific spell... first, we write down the Creo plus the Element part, right? To create the substance."
"Yes," Lucia nodded.
"And then," Alaric continued, "we write the manipulation of that created element via the spell in written format. Correct?"
"Correct," Lucia said slowly, following his logic.
"So," Alaric concluded, his eyes lighting up, "it means there is a distinct part of the written spell that specifically handles Mana Manipulation. Magic Circles….magic in a written format can manipulate mana."
He grabbed his quill. "So we just have to use the written format to manipulate mana... and then apply it on the vials themselves. It will force the mana, which is trying to seep out from the water, to actually stay contained inside."
Lucia looked shocked. Her mouth opened slightly. "I... I never thought about it like that. Isolating the manipulation component..."
"We don't need to create anything," Alaric said, grinning. "We just need the written command to push back."
They immediately started writing. They designed a Magic Circle that did nothing but repel mana inwards.
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But when they finished the design, they hit a snag.
"It's huge," Alaric noted, looking at the parchment. The circle was intricate. "And the potion vial is the size of a fist at best."
Alaric frowned. "Do we shrink it? No, the lines would bleed together."
Lucia looked at the paper, then at the bottle. A thoughtful look crossed her face.
"Wait," she said. “Why don’t we just fold the paper?"
Alaric understood immediately.
He took the paper with the written Magic Circle. Carefully, he folded it, pleating the edges so the intricate lines weren't broken, just condensed to fit the surface area.
He took the bottle of mana water he had prepared earlier. He applied a thin layer of glue to the glass.
He wrapped the folded paper around the vial.
"Now we wait," Alaric said, setting the wrapped bottle on the table.
He looked at Lucia. "Thank you. I wouldn't have figured this out without you helping me break down the circle structure."
Lucia looked down, her cheeks turning a faint pink. "You thank me too much, Alaric."
"It's true though," he smiled.
They waved each other off as the library bell tolled. Alaric grabbed his experiment and headed for the dorms.
Room 204 was noisy when Alaric entered.
Jarik was arm-wrestling Darsia, while Silan watched from his bed.
"You're back late," Jarik grunted, slamming Darsia’s hand down. "Winner!"
He looked up and saw the paper-wrapped bottle in Alaric's hand. "What's that? Lunch?"
"Research," Alaric said, placing it carefully in his drawer. "Do not touch it."
Jarik leaned back, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Speaking of research... I heard a rumor today."
Alaric paused. "What rumor?"
"Is it true?" Jarik wiggled his eyebrows. "That you and the Saintess are always talking in the library? Like, every day?"
Alaric felt a spike of surprise but kept his face neutral. "We study at the same table. It's the library. It's public space."
"Public space," Jarik mocked. "Man, I'm jealous. Do you know how many nobles would kill just to have her look at them? And you're getting private study sessions."
"It's not like that," Alaric said, taking off his boots.
"How good is she?" Silan asked from the top bunk. His voice was calm, focused purely on ability. "In magic."
"She's..." Alaric thought about her precise drawings and her deep knowledge of theory. "She's incredible. Better than me at theory."
"Introduce us!" Darsia laughed, rubbing his sore wrist. "Come on, Alaric. Don't hog the divine connections."
"She's shy," Alaric muttered, turning away to hide his expression. The boys laughed, teasing him until lights out.
Another day passed.
The waiting was agonizing. Alaric went through his classes on autopilot. When the afternoon bell finally rang, he rushed to his room, grabbed the vial from the drawer, and sprinted to the library.
Lucia was already there. She looked as nervous as he felt. She was twisting a lock of silver hair around her finger.
Alaric sat down, placing the vial between them.
"It's been twenty-four hours," Alaric said. "Normally, it would have lost half its potency by now."
Lucia leaned in. "Open it."
Alaric carefully peeled away the glued paper. The glass underneath was cool to the touch. The liquid inside looked clear, just like water.
"Here goes," Alaric whispered.
He needed to test the potency. He knew exactly how much mana he had spent to make it. If 60% remained, he would feel a specific surge.
He uncorked the vial and downed the contents in one gulp.
He waited.
One second. Two seconds.
Lucia stared at him, her hands clenched in her lap, her eyes wide with anxiety. "Alaric?"
Alaric didn't answer. He closed his eyes, feeling the circuits in his stomach flare.
It wasn't a trickle. It was a rush.
The mana flooded his system, vibrant and strong. It hadn't faded. It felt exactly as potent as the moment he cast it.
Alaric opened his eyes. A massive grin broke across his face.
"I think it works," he said, his voice thick with relief. "I can feel it. It's almost exactly sixty percent. There was zero dissipation."
"Really?" Lucia gasped.
"Really."
"We did it!"
Lucia jumped up from her chair. In a burst of pure, unfiltered excitement, she reached across the table and grabbed both of Alaric's hands. She squeezed them tight, laughing a bright, musical sound that seemed to silence the gloomy library.
"We actually did it!" she beamed, shaking his hands up and down.
Alaric froze.
He looked at their joined hands. Her skin was soft, warm. He looked up at her face, she was glowing with happiness, her guard completely down. It was the first time he had seen her act her age, not like a Saintess or a noble, but just a girl who solved a puzzle.
He felt the heat rise in his neck. He was shocked, and suddenly, painfully embarrassed.
Lucia stopped.
She looked down at her hands gripping his. She looked at Alaric’s stunned, blushing face.
The realization hit her like a bucket of ice water.
She snatched her hands back as if he were on fire.
"I..." She took a step back, her face turning a violent shade of crimson. "I... I am so sorry! I was... I was just very excited. I didn't mean to..."
"It... it's okay," Alaric stammered, rubbing his hands where she had held them. "It wouldn't have been possible without you. Thank you."
"I..." Lucia couldn't meet his eyes. She grabbed her book, hugging it to her chest like a shield. "I have to go!"
She turned and ran. She didn't walk gracefully; she practically fled, her dress swishing around the corner of the bookshelf as she disappeared.
Lucia’s POV
Lucia ran until she reached the corridor outside the library. She pressed her back against the cold stone wall, sliding down until she was crouching, hiding her face in her hands.
Her heart was beating so fast she thought it might explode.
"What have I done?" she whispered into her palms. Her face felt like it was burning.
She replayed the moment in her head, the way she had grabbed him, the way she had jumped up and down like a child.
I touched him. I just grabbed his hands!
"He must think I'm crazy," she moaned. "Or weird. A Saintess candidate acting like... like that."
She peeked through her fingers, staring at nothing.
Maybe he will think of me differently now. Maybe he will hate me for being so forward. I shouldn't have done it. I was just so happy that we succeeded... that he succeeded.
"Ahhhhh..." She buried her face in her knees, curling into a ball of mortification. "I feel so embarrassed. How can I face him tomorrow?"
? AUTHOR'S NOTE ?
Dear Beloved Readers,
GRATITUDE to each and every one of you for taking the time to read my humble work. Your presence on this journey means more to me than words could ever express.
?? YOUR VOICE MATTERS ??
REVIEW my novel and share your thoughts
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precious gift that helps me improve and create a better story for you. Don't hesitate to point out any issues — your honesty is invaluable to me.
Thank You Once Again
Please stay with me on this journey until the very end ?
The Author