Life at the academy returned to its familiar rhythm.
The lectures resumed and the students argued over the formulas. The mana lamps flickered along the stone corridors and the scent of ink with parchment lingered in the classrooms as if nothing in the world had shifted.
Still, Baston knew better that he had faced death not long ago.
He had survived a punishment from the old book that pressed against his soul like an executioner's hand. And yet now, he found himself doing something far more mundane.
Once again, he was eating delightfully.
The tray before him was full with roasted meat that was glazed in herbs, buttered bread, and thick soup. It was all provided without charge. The free food was served properly and plated neatly.
Rejecting it felt like a sin so he took and ate it. Eventually, Baston stared at his stomach.
"This is becoming a problem…"
The robes that once hung loosely around his frame were beginning to tighten more. He pressed his belly lightly and sighed.
Across the room, Karte stiffened. The servant had been observing carefully from near the door. The sigh from Baston made him worried apparently.
"My apologies, young noble," Karte said quickly, bowing his head, "Is the taste unsatisfactory?"
Baston blinked, "No… It's not that."
Karte's shoulders tensed further, "Then perhaps, something troubles you? If it is too personal, you need not share…"
Baston looked away because he did not know how to explain the matter that the greatest enemy at the moment for him was a roasted meat.
He coughed lightly, "I was just thinking… Is there somewhere quiet around here?"
Karte looked confused, "Quiet?"
"For training…" Baston added quickly, "Magic training to be precise."
The understanding dawned in the servant's eyes though not quite the kind Baston intended.
"I see…" Karte straightened, "You wish to avoid revealing your progress before the competition."
"Competition?"
"The academy's magic competition, young noble. Many students conceal their true strength at the moment. Training in secret is wise and surprise later is a weapon."
Baston nodded slowly, "Yes… That's true…"
He hadn't thought that far but perhaps, it was not entirely false. His purpose was to deal with greater enemy in the future.
Karte leaned closer, "I know a place. It lies outside academy grounds but the location is a bit far. At that place, there should be no prying eyes in the surrounding."
"That works too..."
"Alright, then. When my shift ends, I will guide you."
"No need to rush…" Baston replied.
However, Karte shook his head firmly, "I dare not make you wait, young noble."
The servant seemingly had his own conviction. The words of young noble had already pressed into his title.
No matter how many times Baston insisted on being called by just his name, Karte refused to do it. The servants had invisible lines they could not cross. If one appeared too close to a student, especially one that was rumored to possess high magic talent, the jealousy would soon follow.
After all, the jealousy among the servants was quieter than noble feuds but often more dangerous.
Baston could only let it go since some distances were safer if it was maintained.
*****
By noon, the academy gates were open.
Unlike his early days in this world, the students now flowed freely toward the surrounding town. The approaching magic competition had changed everything.
The competition meant the crowds, the crowds meant money, and the money meant opportunity.
The poor and commoner students had little chance of ranking highly in battle brackets since their mana reserves were weaker, their spell books were thinner, and their instructors were fewer.
Still, they had something else they could be proud of which was their labor.
Several shopkeepers had already begun preparing the inventory that was consisted of enchanted trinkets, spell-enhancing potions, commemorative banners, and festival sweets.
Temporary workers were needed and the students were more convenient at this time. They were cheap, educated, and could be employed temporary.
It was a perfect match for such urgent business.
As Baston walked beside Karte beyond the academy stone walls, he observed the undercurrent of the anticipation. Several merchants were calculating and the students were bargaining.
Everyone was preparing for something and everyone was positioning themselves.
The world did not pause for anyone's fear. Not even his worry could stop them.
*****
The small house stood beyond the busier district, past rows of modest residences and sparse farmland. Behind it, the scenery stretched wide and it was enclosed by thick trees.
The air felt cooler here and it was quieter plus almost isolated.
Karte bowed slightly, "This is the place, young noble. Few people pass by so your secret will be safe. Not to mention, the thick trees always block most sightlines."
Baston surveyed the place. It was wide enough to move and open enough to test the spells. The place was also hidden enough to avoid the questions.
"It's good," he said.
"I apologize that I cannot provide more."
"You've done enough."
Karte hesitated suddenly, "There is no food stored here nor drink. I will quickly visit the market to buy something for you."
"No, that isn't necessary…"
However, the servant insisted with his gleaming eyes.
"A wizard requires proper nourishment. I believe you need more than the others, young noble."
Baston sighed internally. In the end, he handed over his money so Karte would not pay from his own pocket.
He might shamelessly drain the noble resources but not a servant's wages.
When Karte left, the excitement was still visible in his stride. Baston shook his head lightly toward such treatment.
"He's imagining my glorious future already…"
The place fell silent and the wind brushed through the leaves. At the moment, there were no witnesses which meant the area was perfect.
*****
Originally, Baston only intended to exercise.
He intended to run for a few laps, casting minor spells while moving just to make it look more convincing that he trained his magic skill. But once he was alone, a different thought surfaced.
During the battle against the dark wizard, his flare magic had not been enough.
He had relied on puppets, on desperate measures, and on the luck. Eventually, he knew luck was unreliable.
He lifted both hands slowly and the ice was formed in his left palm with crystalline and steady output. The flare magic was also ignited in his right palm with bright and unstable power.
There were two elements, opposites of each other due to their nature. The thought soon came uninvited when he stared at them.
What would happen if they met?
His heart beat faster, thinking about the possibility. He was indeed reckless and he knew the danger, yet it did not stop him.
He soon released his four puppets into the surrounding trees. They dispersed instantly between small shadows that were hidden among the branches, acting as perimeter scouts.
Satisfied that no one approached, Baston then focused again.
The ice condensed into a compact sphere and the flare spiraled tightly into a burning orb. He moved them closer, trying to combine them.
The air trembled and the mana vibrated violently between his hands. The two spheres rejected each other. It was crackling and hissing terribly.
For a second, he almost pulled back. And then, a contact happened before the light erupted and the sound vanished. His action returned in a thunderous roar.
"BAM—!!!"
The explosion hurled Baston backward into the dirt.
The smoke spiraled upward. When his vision cleared, he stared at the chaos. The nearest tree was gone.
It was not damaged because it was gone entirely.
Its trunk had shattered into splinters and its leaves scattered like the burnt snow. The ground bore a crater that was edged in frost and char.
The heat and cold radiated simultaneously from the impact point but something else lingered.
The air did not settle immediately. Instead, it distorted faintly as if the reality itself hesitated to resume its proper shape. A thin layer of mist hovered above the crater and it shimmered strangely under the daylight.
Baston narrowed his eyes because that was not a normal aftermath of flare magic nor was it a typical residue of ice.
He extended a cautious thread of mana toward the lingering mist. The moment it touched, the sensation shot back through his nerves like a whisper that did not belong to him.
It was unfamiliar. It was not warm and it was not cold. It felt layered as if the two voices were speaking over each other in perfect synchronization.
His heartbeat quickened because another question popped up inside his head.
Had he truly fused the elements or had he torn something between them?
For a fleeting second, he thought he heard a faint crack from somewhere deeper like the glass that was fracturing behind a curtain.
By then, it vanished and the place soon returned to the silence. There was only the ruined tree remained as the proof.
Baston slowly lowered his hand, unsure whether he had just discovered a new path or stepped onto something forbidden. His breathing turned shallow.
"This…"
He had not shaped it and he had not stabilized it.
It was merely two basic spells that were forced together and the result rivaled the advanced-tier output.
The fear and the excitement mixed inside him. If controlled properly and if refined patiently, this could change everything.
He rose slowly and he tried for a second time. This time, he adjusted the mana flow.
By reducing the intensity and balanced the release timing, he created the combination of two significant element.
The second attempt detonated earlier, scattering the frost shards outward in a violent burst of steam.
The third attempt nearly froze his sleeve before igniting it.
It was unstable, volatile, and dangerous. Still, it was promising.
A fusion of contradiction from the ice that burned and flame that froze was very exciting. He laughed softly toward this discovery.
Perhaps, the survival did not require more puppets.
Perhaps, it only required more innovation.
*****
Meanwhile, Karte navigated the market. He selected cuts of meat, fresh vegetables, and fruit juices carefully.
The quantity was noticeable, making the shopkeepers exchanged the glances.
"You buy generously today," one vendor observed, "Your master must be wealthy."
Karte stiffened politely, "He is quite promising."
"Is your master a merchant or a noble?"
Karte hesitated how to answer such question.
Baston was neither but perhaps he was also both since he could order a son of the merchant and a beautiful daughter of the noble.
"He just possesses a rare talent..."
That explanation was enough. The people's eyes slowly sharpened since the rare talent somehow meant the future value.
The shopkeepers quickly leaned closer because they did not want to waste such an opportunity.
"You should introduce us sometime…"
"I will offer more discounts…"
"My restaurant will prepare superior dishes…"
The best offer flowed subtly and openly. It was enough to spark curiosity between several people.
Who was the unseen young master?
Why was a servant investing so heavily?
Why he was here outside the academy grounds?
The rumors did not need the full truths since they only required fragments that had just begun circulating.
*****
Back in the place, Baston knelt beside the crater. The steam rose faintly and his mind raced.
Two opposing elements that were forced into unity would surely create the instability. Such instability created power but the power without control was the same as suicide.
He extended his hand carefully toward the scorched frost.
The residual mana tingled against his skin. It was different from pure flare and different from pure ice. It was something new and unnamed since a chill slid down his spine.
What if this path was not meant to be walked?
The old book pulsed faintly beneath his robe. Just once and so subtle as if acknowledging something. He froze toward such reaction.
Had the book reacted or was that only his imagination?
He slowly withdrew his hand. There was no new quest text and no evaluation but the silence felt deliberate.
He felt the old book was watching, measuring, and judging. Baston swallowed, inhaling much air he could get.
Was this innovation or deviation?
The last time he deviated, the punishment nearly erased him.
Suddenly, the wind shifted through the trees. One of his puppets signaled the slight movement beyond the far tree line. It was not close but it was present.
Someone had paused briefly. Perhaps, they observed a smoke from their spot before moving on.
He stood up, thinking it was enough for today.
The power that was discovered recklessly often attracted unwanted attention. Such attention was something he could not afford.
He could not handle it yet for his current situation.
*****
When Karte returned, his arms were filled with food and drink. He looked at the yard that seemed nothing was going on. It was too ordinary for someone like Baston.
The crater was concealed beneath the scattered leaves and the loose soil. The broken tree fragments stacked discreetly. It looked nothing strange had happened here but it was just hidden from the view.
Baston wiped the dirt from his robes, getting exhausted from such dangerous trial.
"How was your training, young noble?" Karte asked eagerly.
"It's quite good..."
Karte smiled widely. He did not notice the faint burn mark on Baston's sleeve. He did not see the frost that was lingering beneath the disturbed soil.
As usual, the servant handed the food and Baston accepted the tray silently.
He had wanted to lose the weight. Instead, he might have created something far heavier.
A spell that did not belong to the tradition and a fusion that defied the structure. The ice and flare which were the opposition was forced to combine into new destruction.
If he refined this technique, he could rise rapidly in the kingdom but such rapid ascension drew many eyes. Some would be curious, some would be calculating, and some would be predatory.
He exhaled slowly since the mystery was not whether the fusion worked.
It was whether the world would allow it to exist.