"As a final point, let us discuss how you can actually use magic."
Relief loosened my shoulders, and I nodded gratefully.
He explained.
"Mages wield their soul-bound affinity as their primary art, and deviants are used to enhance it. Most mages remain true to their primary art, but there are exceptions, of course. Healers, for example. They focus on the world-bound affinity Lifeweave. With enough study and understanding, they can borrow a portion of it to create healing magic. Now—"
He stopped mid-sentence as he saw my confused expression.
His voice was soft as he asked, patiently.
"Is something unclear, Theodora? Don't be shy, you can ask me anything."
I took a small breath before speaking, my voice hesitant.
"Teacher... I don't understand the part about Lifeweave. I thought mages could only use their soul-bound affinities and deviants?"
"Ah!"
He let out a short gasp, as if realizing something before speaking again.
"You are right, Theodora. Thank you. I forgot to explain something important."
He slightly bowed his head in apology before continuing.
"You see, every mage is born with a soul-bound affinity and will use that and its deviant form mostly for his magic. But that doesn't mean they can't use other affinities. Everybody can use any affinity they like—of course, with a twist."
He smiled gently.
"Magic based on your soul-bound affinity will always be stronger and far easier to learn. It's already a part of you. Other affinities must be forced to listen. Any mage can, in theory, use any affinity. But when you step outside your soul-bound art, three limitations appear."
He raised his hand and lifted one finger.
"First—efficiency. Not-bound magic consumes far more mana for far weaker results. What a water mage could sustain for minutes, a flame mage may only manage for seconds."
He raised a second finger.
"Second—control. Your mana resists unfamiliar laws. Spells become unstable, slower to form, and easier to disrupt."
A third finger rose.
"And third—influence."
Then he lowered his hand and looked at me directly.
I frowned.
"Influence?"
He nodded.
"Mana remembers the soul it belongs to."
He gestured, and a faint glow formed above his palm—light.
"This is light magic. In its pure form, it is bright, clear, and cold."
The glow flickered, warming slightly.
"Now imagine a flame-bound mage attempting the same spell. The light would still form… but it would be warmer. It might even scorch instead of illuminate."
He closed his hand, the glow vanishing.
"The soul-bound affinity bleeds into everything you do. A flame mage's water will be hot. A stone mage's wind will feel heavy. A light mage's shadow will never be fully dark."
He smiled.
"This is why most mages remain true to their primary art. Deviants extend what you are. Not-bound magic fights against it."
I thought for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"So… they can do it. They're just bad at it."
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"Not a very scholarly way to put it, but yes."
He then placed both of his hands on the desk and leaned closer, blue eyes fixed on me.
"Now, let's come back to using magic again. Why must we study laws at all? Remember how I said warriors use mana only on their bodies?"
I nodded.
He lifted his hands from the table and clasped them together in a small gesture as he continued.
"Mages are different. What we do, and why we must study the laws, are closely intertwined."
Then he raised one hand forward. A small flame bloomed above his palm, burning steadily.
I flinched.
It looked like his hand was burning, but he didn't react.
He looked calm, even comfortable, as if the fire couldn't hurt him.
Master Paulus' eyes stayed on me as he spoke, the flame flickering between us.
"Now, young lady, I have a fireball in my hand. What I do now is no different from what a warrior could do. But if I want to use it as a mage, I need to launch it, don't I?"
I nodded, still uneasy about the fire clinging to his skin.
He smiled and waved his hand.
The flame rolled with the motion but never left him, stuck tight to his palm.
"Good. If we want to project this fire outward, I can't just throw it. It will cling to me. To release it, we need not force, but wisdom."
I waited for his next words, my heart drumming.
He teased, tilting his head.
"So, what do you think? What law should I add to release it?"
I blurted.
"Wind?"
He chuckled, blowing gently on the flame.
It flared a little brighter.
"As you see, wind can feed fire. But it won't launch it. To send this flame outward, we need Gravity first, to push or pull, and then Pulse, to give it an initial burst. That is the simplest recipe. Steering it and strengthening it will need finer layers. But this much is enough for now."
The moment he finished, the fireball shifted.
Whoosh.
It shot forward across the room but scattered just before reaching the shelves, breaking into glowing embers that drifted down like fiery snow.
My eyes widened.
'This is magic...'
Resolve welled in my chest.
One day, I'll be able to do the same.
I lifted one hand and made a tiny gesture with my fingers, a weak smile following.
"I think…I understand a little. But any more and I'll forget everything."
Mother and Master both laughed at that.
"Quite right. Enough for today."
He brushed chalk dust from his hands, satisfied.
"At least now you've seen what magic truly is, and how laws and affinities support your soul-bound gift."
Clap.
He made a light clap.
"Theodora, this is the path of magic. Remember as much as you can."
Relief sagged my shoulders, though I forced myself to sit straighter.
Master Paulus gave a small bow.
"Young lady, we will meet again tomorrow."
I stood and bowed in return.
"Thank you for the lesson, Master Paulus."
He smiled, then turned to Mother and bowed deeper.
"My lady, thank you for the honor. It is always a pleasure to guide a young mind on their first steps into magic."
Mother rose and returned the bow.
"Sir Paulus, I learned as much as she did. It is our honor to have you here."
He smiled, bowed once more, and left. His robe swayed around his legs as he crossed the floor.
Click.
The door closed softly behind him.
Silence returned.
I sat again, staring at the chalk marks left on the board.
My mind turned them over, failing to order them at first, then settling into something fragile.
Mother walked to me and rested a hand gently on my head.
Her voice was soft, warm.
"Good work. You don't have to understand it all at once. You only need to keep listening."
I nodded.
"I will try."
Her hand brushed through my hair once more before she drew back.
"Rest now. Tomorrow will be easier."
Her steps echoed across the library until she slipped out, the door closing behind her.
Click.
Only I remained now.
The library was quiet.
I sat a while longer, staring at the rows of shelves, repeating what I had learned.
'Sixteen primals, ten secondaries, and blocks without end.'
'If I learn this… if I truly learn this, no one will force me to marry someone, and no one will push me around. I will choose for myself.'
I drew a breath, deep and steady.
My voice came firm, etched with resolve.
"I will learn magic. I will become strong. And I will find him."