"You're awake."
An unfamiliar female voice reached her ears. What came into view was a cascade of golden hair, fair skin, and long, pointed ears. Her golden pupils held a cuteness that paradoxically contained an air of majesty.
Splash.
By the edge of the flower field, Serie had her head tilted, watching Yuna, while her bare feet paddled in the water of the pond.
As she lifted a foot, crystal-clear water droplets slid between her pink-and-white toes, dripping onto the pond's surface and sending out a layer of ripples.
"Flowers?"
A faint floral fragrance drifted into her nose. Yuna propped herself up with one hand on the ground and slowly stood up. Seeing the staff she was hugging tightly in her arms, Yuna breathed a sigh of relief.
The mana within her, which had been dried up, had recovered by more than half. Although her legs were still a bit numb, there were no major issues.
All around was a blooming field of flowers. They were merely a few different colors of unknown blossoms, yet when combined, they became incredibly magnificent and colorful.
So beautiful.
Yuna stared blankly for a moment, feeling healed in both body and mind.
"You were too reckless."
A voice from the side interrupted Yuna's immersion.
Serie walked over from the pond's edge, her loose white robes draping down. She extended a finger, pointing at Yuna.
Up close, Serie's height was even shorter than Yuna's; she had to look up slightly when facing her.
Even smaller than Lady Nanoda, Yuna thought.
Serie frowned. "Are you thinking something rude?"
"Ugh... No... um... Lady Serie?"
Yuna hurriedly waved her hands and shook her head, her loose green hair swaying back and forth. She had already roughly guessed this person's identity.
"Yes, that is me." Serie nodded slightly and continued.
"You have been unconscious for a whole day. Before this, I transferred some mana to you, so it seems there are no major issues now. You cannot do this next time; you not only exhausted your mana but also overdrew your physical body."
"Ehehe..." Yuna scratched her head, feeling a bit embarrassed. She had indeed been a bit reckless this time, mainly because seeing Lerne's arrogant appearance made her feel somewhat unconvinced and defiant.
"Also, did you learn that magic yourself?"
"No... a person I respect very much taught me."
Serie immediately curled her lips, her tone displeased.
"What reckless magic. Randomly compressing mana to release it—even if the killing power is decent, in terms of mana usage, it is simply a waste. The guy who taught you this move is simply following a crooked path!"
*
Just as Serie finished speaking, as if their minds were connected—
"Achoo!" Nanoda sneezed out of nowhere. She frowned slightly.
"Who is badmouthing me?"
Thinking it over, Nanoda couldn't figure it out. With her current body, getting sick was almost impossible; she was a Great Demon, after all.
Just then, a commotion came from the doorway. Someone was knocking rapidly on the door.
*
"I do not agree with your view!" Yuna immediately retorted.
"Is that so? In my view, the killing power displayed by that slash of yours could be replicated by me using half the mana. Through the variation and amplification of the spell formula—that is true magic."
"Even so, I still do not agree with your view." Yuna gritted her teeth.
This was the magic Lady Nanoda taught her. She did not want this magic to be defiled casually.
"Stubborn child. Magic is something for the talented to wield. A true Mage does not need such crude magic; you should learn some better magic."
When the originally lazy and casual Serie spoke these words, she revealed absolute majesty.
It was strong. When Serie got serious, the sense of oppression she brought to Yuna was unprecedented.
For some reason, Yuna once again thought of Nanoda, that lazy and affectionate existence.
"Now, I can give you a chance. My name is Serie, an Elf Mage from the Mythical Era. I can give you the magic you desire, provided you become my disciple."
"With your talent, under my guidance, surpassing Lerne and becoming humanity's first First-Class Mage ahead of others is not impossible!"
Serie revealed the tip of the iceberg of her suppressed mana for the first time. The white pillar of mana shook violently, becoming almost substantial.
Meeting those golden pupils, Yuna's intuition told her that the existence before her was not just an elf, but an existence like an ancient behemoth—a level of power she could never touch in her entire life.
"No, I don't want to be your apprentice! I already have a master! My master is called Nanoda!"
Yuna's pretty face flushed as she shouted loudly at Serie.
Her memory returned to the past.
The moment Father threw her to Aaron.
Herself falling into the mud after running wildly.
The dissipating Red Mirror Dragon.
The somewhat cold embrace.
And that sentence, "It's alright, it is over now."
Scene after scene flashed by.
It was that Demon with a broken horn who gave her salvation.
"I will prove that her magic is not bad! I will only be her disciple!"
Her emerald green eyes shone with light, revealing her determination.
Yuna was very nervous. Her behavior was completely defying Serie, but she did not regret missing out on Serie's guidance like this.
Serie was surprised. She had almost never been refused when taking an apprentice. Everyone wanted to learn the magic she taught.
Because she was nearly a living magic tome of all magic in human history, the Mage on this land closest to the omniscient and omnipotent Goddess.
Even if she had been silent for a long time and her name had been forgotten by the world, any Mage who came to the Continental Magic Association and met her would be subdued by her existence and strength.
The girl before her was somewhat special, as if her heart already belonged somewhere else.
"＜(⌯ ̫⌯)＞"
Looking at Yuna's determined eyes, Serie revealed an expression like this. She suppressed all the released mana and waved her hand helplessly.
"Is that so... I see... I won't force you. You may go. After training for a few more years, come here to attempt the First-Class Mage exam. I will provide the Mage who achieves the rank of First-Class with a spell they desire."
Contrary to Yuna's expectations, aside from being a bit disappointed, Serie was not angry at all.
The tense atmosphere vanished without a trace in an instant.
"Um... sorry... and... thank you for taking care of me. Farewell."
After speaking, Yuna hugged her staff, bowed, and left in a hurry.
Watching Yuna's retreating figure, Serie felt it was a pity. If she were under her tutelage, this child's path in magic could have gone much further.
"Nanoda, is it...? I have noted it."
Her expression returned to normal, and Serie felt curious for the first time in a long while.
Nanoda—she had never heard of this Mage's name.
Both that magic and the staff in Yuna's hand, which emitted an ominous aura, made Serie very concerned.
She decided to secretly investigate this existence called Nanoda.
____
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