Chapter 19 Mentor Apprentice Do you like magic?
Only after the smoke and dust from the explosion completely dissipated did Heligaluo withdraw his Star Protection, and a large patch of mithril threads on his priestly robes dimmed.
"It's alright, Cheryl is kind-hearted and won't make things too difficult for you." Having finally protected Ancia, Heligaluo breathed a sigh of relief and gently comforted her.
Ancia looked at her teacher, whose nasolabial folds were deep. Just by looking at his face, she couldn't see any of the kindness Heligalo had described.
After all, it's your own fault, so take responsibility bravely, Ancia.
The other students endured the drafty classroom until the end of get out of class, their faces showing amazement as they passed by Ancia.
"Not bad, freshman. This is much more exciting than burning parchment."
"...Thank you." If possible, I hope life isn't so exciting.
Heligalo wanted to stay and face it with Ancia, but Cheryl slowly walked to Ancia's side, reached out and pressed her shoulder. A golden light flashed, and the two disappeared from Heligalo's sight.
"Instant teleportation array." Heligaluo's lips pressed into a straight line. He lowered his eyes, carefully packed away the things that Ancia hadn't had time to take with her, and then left the Tower of Light.
In the blink of an eye, Ancia found herself in a new place.
“This is my mage tower off campus. Please sit.” Cheryl sat behind a white desk and gestured for Ancia to sit opposite her.
Ansia sat upright, obediently placing her arms crossed on the table.
Cheryl's face was serious, and behind her gold-rimmed glasses were a pair of sharp eyes. "Let's talk about the explosion you caused in class first. The materials used on the top floor of the Light Dome Tower are special magical materials. Even if restoration magic is used, the broken bricks need to be reforged. There are also magic arrays engraved on them, which also need to be re-etched. Not to mention the gold coins consumed, the repair process is time-consuming and energy-intensive."
Ancia lowered her head. "It was my fault for the accident. I'm willing to pay whatever amount of gold coins it takes to compensate you."
Cheryl's voice was stern and unapproachable. "Please explain why this serious explosion occurred, Ancia."
Ancia lowered her head even further, almost burying herself in it. "I...I discovered that there might be a connection between Starry Protection and the Damage Reflection Shield. So I had a sudden idea: based on the differences between the temporary and fixed types of Starry Protection, I wanted to try to improve the Damage Reflection Shield as well."
“But when I was thinking deeply, I didn’t notice the active light element. The lines of the magic circuit I was drawing were unstable, and it exploded directly. I will take responsibility for the loss of the Light Dome…” Ancia took a deep breath, raised her head, and was surprised to find Cheryl’s silent smile.
Ancia's words caught in her throat, her mouth slightly agape as she met Cheryl's bewildered gaze.
“In my classroom, I have an obligation to take care of all students. I should have discovered and prevented the accident before it happened. So my decision regarding this accident is that I will bear the cost of materials for the repair of the Light Dome Tower, but you will be responsible for etching the magic array on the new wall. There is no time limit.”
"That's what I have to say to you as your teacher of the Radiance Inscription class. Next, it's what the Light Mage Cheryl has to say to you."
“Ancia, if you can independently complete the etching of the magic array in the first year, would you be willing to become my apprentice? Of course, it is a two-way selection relationship, and you can also make corresponding requests to me.”
"Let me introduce myself. I became a Light Mage at the age of 23. I currently have no apprentices and probably never will."
Cheryl's words were more and more shocking than the last. Ancia was overwhelmed by the amount of information and it took her several times longer than usual to sort out her thoughts.
Good news! Ms. Cheryl doesn't need her to pay back the gold coins; she only needs her to complete the etching of the magic circle.
Even better news! Light-elemental mage Cheryl has extended an invitation to you to form a mentor-apprentice relationship.
In the Miracle Continent, the mentor-apprentice relationship is just as important as blood ties. Powerful magic professionals have longer lifespans, and coupled with the large amount of time and energy they invest in studying their chosen path, those who accompany them longer are often not their family members, but their mentors and apprentices.
Cheryl emphasized that she only intended to take Ancia as her apprentice, which was a blatant way of telling her that if the two of them formed a mentor-apprentice relationship, everything Cheryl would have in the future would be inherited by Ancia, and she would be the only legitimate heir.
The entire possessions of a young and promising mage are merely this mage tower outside the school. It is not a building that can be bought with gold coins. Only mages who have made significant contributions to the Miracle Continent and have been certified by the Mage Association can apply for the Heart of the Tower and generate the tower by watering it with magic.
Ancia didn't agree immediately. Instead, she took a deep breath to calm herself down and asked cautiously, "Why did you choose me? There are many students with higher star levels than me in class. If we take the successful drawing of the Star Protection Array as the standard, Heligalo has also done it. Our affinity for the light element is only two points apart."
Cheryl's smile faded, and she regained her usual serious expression. "Ancia, you're wrong about one thing. Mages are the class that relies most on elemental affinity. For affinity below 70 points, a 2-point difference is negligible. For affinity between 70 and 80 points, a 2-point difference can be made up for with hard work. For affinity between 80 and 95 points, a 2-point difference is an insurmountable chasm. For the rest of your life, you can only watch the gap widen."
"With an affinity of 95 points or more, a difference of 2 points determines the final destination of a mage. Before you appeared, I was the record holder for the highest affinity of light element in Gracia. I entered Gracia with an affinity of 99 points. Before receiving the admission invitation, I had only heard of the name of the staff. But in just five years, I jumped from an apprentice mage to a mage master."
“And you are 100 points, Ancia.”
Cheryl's eyes held a barely perceptible expectation. "The further I go on the path of magic, the clearer I become about my limits. That one point difference between 99 and 100 might be the line between a Magister and an Archmage. There's another point I must make. The fundamental reason I decided to take you on as my apprentice is not your perfect affinity, but the explosion you caused."
"Was it because of the explosion?" Ancia sat up straight in surprise, her eyes widening slightly.
“That’s right.” Cheryl’s lips curved into a smile, her sharp features softening slightly. “Magic is a miracle, but danger often accompanies miracles. The creation of any magic circle is accompanied by thousands of failures, and each failure could potentially take the life of a magician. Do you know why light-based magic circles are the most numerous among existing magic circles?”
Ancia shook her head.
"It's because light magic users have more ways to survive than other magic users, and the surviving magic users can eliminate more wrong options. Even knowing that they can live a long life in peace by giving up their research, countless magic users still follow in the footsteps of the mysterious magical realm, lighting the way for those who come after them."
"I hope to have an apprentice who is not afraid of failure and is always full of curiosity about magic. If I die one day from my magical research, she can take my staff, inherit my will, and walk this path in my place."
"Ancia, do you like magic?"
Cheryl's question startled Ancia for a moment, and she asked herself the same question.
Ancia, do you like magic?
Many images flashed through her mind unexpectedly. She recalled the seed planted in her heart since childhood and the disappointment of later learning that it was just a world in a book.
She recalled her computer science major, but inexplicably chose game design as her career path during her internship and graduation, hoping to get closer to the world she had imagined.
She recalled the dazzling array of game options available during her vacation, but she chose "Westlife," a game set in a magical world.
There's also the suppressed excitement and joy of battling slimes after entering the game and using your first spell.
How could I not like magic?
The confusion faded from Ancia's bright black eyes. She smiled radiantly at Cheryl and extended her hand. "I love magic! Ancia, a first-year student at Gracia and a one-star priest, requests to become your apprentice!"
Cheryl smiled gently, shook hands with Ancia solemnly, their warm hands gripping each other firmly. "Very good. From today onwards, I will be your apprentice mentor."
Ancia then realized what Heligalo had meant: that Cheryl was only serious on the outside but kind in the end, because no matter how much she talked, Cheryl listened attentively and responded.
"Mentor, mentor, although I have full affinity for light element, I can't learn attack magic. Will you look down on me?"
"No, light magic isn't just about attacking. You can study healing magic, protective magic, purification magic... No matter which direction you choose, I can give you some guidance at least in the early stages, until you surpass my level."
“Mentor, mentor, I thought that causing such a big accident would be severely punished, but it turns out that it was just repairing the Light Dome Tower. You are so kind, mentor.”
"..."
"Professor? Professor, please say something!"
"I won't punish you, but the school rules will."
"???"
"School rules stipulate that any student who intentionally or negligently damages the castle's buildings, decorations, or magical devices using the power of spells, potions, or magical creatures will be sent to the botanical garden as punishment, depending on the severity of the damage."
Ancia's fingers trembled slightly as she stiffly asked, "Mentor, what is my level...?"
Cheryl coughed lightly, somewhat unable to bear seeing her apprentice's blank stare. "Given the extent of the damage to the Light Dome, you should be going to the high-risk restricted area."
This is a legendary high-risk restricted area that can only be entered with a teacher present...
Ancia slumped back in her chair, something seeming to float out of her open mouth.
Mentor, I think my light element affinity is now only 98.6, since I already have 1.4.
A note from the author:
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