Mikael nodded, already planning as much. "To be honest, I'm more of a warrior than a mage. Do you have any advice for a beginner mage like me?"
Emily paused for a moment, thinking. "I'd say there are two important things. First, work on your mana control. Not only will it make your rank-ups more effective, as you learned in the Ranker Path course, but it will also help you learn new spells more quickly. Second, don't rush to learn higher-circle magic. Focus on mastering the spells you've already learned before moving on."
"I'll keep that in mind! But I have one more question: how do you silent-cast?"
Emily chuckled. "You're certainly curious, aren't you?"
Mikael grinned. "I'm just making efficient use of my resources by asking questions!"
Emily gave him an approving look. "Well said. At the Academy, you need to use every resource available to stay ahead. That's especially true for commoners like us."
Mikael raised an eyebrow. "You're a commoner?"
Emily seemed slightly surprised by the question. "Yes, of course. My family name is Auror—it's not a noble name."
"Oh, I didn't know that. But you can't expect me to memorize every noble family name, can you?"
Emily chuckled. "Fair enough. There are far too many to keep track of."
"But back to your question about silent casting," she continued. "To silent-cast, you need to be highly proficient with magic in general and even more so with the specific spell you're using. To understand silent casting, you first need a good grasp of chanting. I don't know if another teacher has explained this yet, but I'll share my understanding."
"When you cast a spell, you manipulate your mana—giving it form, properties, and so on. A chant simplifies this process. For example, when you say, 'Gale winds, heed my call, sweep forth and appear before me!' for the Gale spell, you don't need to think about every detail of what the spell does—the chant handles that for you. All you need to do is control your mana."
"When you're skilled enough, you can cast the spell by reciting the chant in your head, which is harder but still provides some guidance. With enough proficiency, you can gradually shorten the chant until you no longer need it at all. At that point, you're doing all the manipulation yourself."
"Do you have any questions?"
"No, that was pretty clear. Thanks!" Mikael said as he stood, ready to leave.
Emily walked with him to the door, locking it behind them after they exited.
Mikael gave her a polite nod of farewell and departed.
He made his way through the Academy until he reached the library designated for first-year students. As he stepped inside, he was greeted by the grandeur of the space and the serene atmosphere. Only a handful of students were scattered quietly among the aisles and study tables. Despite the impressive sight, Mikael showed little reaction, already accustomed to such environments.
At the entrance of the library, a board displayed a list of rules:
Library Rules:
Do not speak loudly.
You may read books for free as long as you remain in the library.
You can rent books for credits, with payments due weekly. A person may rent a maximum of five books.
He took note of the rules before stepping further into the building and approaching the counter. Behind it sat a beautiful girl with purple hair streaked with red and striking violet eyes. She had a petite frame and appeared drowsy, with a half-closed book resting on the counter in front of her.
"Excuse me, miss," Mikael said as he reached the counter.
The girl lifted her head, letting out a small, sleepy "Yes? Can I help you?"
Mikael offered her a charming smile, which, coupled with his handsome features, caught her attention and seemed to wake her up slightly. "Sorry to bother you, but are you a librarian?" he asked.
"Kinda… I'm a third-year student working part-time as an assistant librarian. If you have questions, feel free to ask," she replied, patting her small chest with a confident expression. However, her sleepy demeanor undermined her attempt at looking self-assured.
"Thanks. Actually, I'm looking for some books you'd recommend for a beginner mage," Mikael explained.
The girl thought for a moment before responding, "Books that might help? Hmm… Mage Theory, Spellcasting for Beginners, and a easy spellbook that matches your affinity. That way, you can practice applying what you've learned instead of just focusing on theory."
"Sounds good. I'll follow your suggestions," Mikael said gratefully before heading off.
The assistant librarian replied with a sleepy "Hmm," resting her head back on the counter but keeping an eye on Mikael from the corner of her eyes as he browsed.
Mikael wandered through the aisles of bookshelves and, after a short search, found the two books she recommended. Then, he located the section for wind spells and picked up the 1st circle spellbook, Gale.
Once he had gathered the books, he returned to the counter. Seeing him approach, the girl sluggishly raised her head and gave him a questioning look.
He answered her unspoken query by placing the three books on the counter. Understanding his intent, she asked just to confirm, in her usual sleepy voice, "You want to rent these?"
"Yeah," Mikael replied.
She nodded and began scanning the books. When she reached the Gale spellbook, she hesitated. "You're taking the Gale spellbook? It's one of the simplest and weakest spells out there. Why would you want to learn it?" she asked, curious.
"It's simple," Mikael replied. "I'm a complete beginner when it comes to magic, so I want to start with something easy to learn before moving on to more challenging spells."
She seemed mildly convinced by his explanation. "I guess that makes sense… but to be such a beginner? You shouldn't have been able to pass the entrance exam if that's the case. Or is it because you're extremely talented that your pratical results don't matter?" she asked. Realizing her tone sounded too inquisitive, she quickly added, "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry. I was just curious."
He waved away her concerns. "Don't worry; it's always a pleasure to talk to a beautiful lady."
A faint blush spread across her face at his words. She wasn't used to people daring to flirt with her, especially not someone as handsome as Mikael.
"A-A-Anyway, you wanted to rent these books, right? Oh, I'll need your name to register the rental," she stammered, half-embarrassed and half-surprised by the sudden flirt.
"I'm Mikael Angelini."
"Mikael Angelini, huh..." she repeated his name as if committing it to memory before introducing herself. "I'm Lyra Mystoria. Nice to meet you!" she declared, her sleepy demeanor replaced by a more awake expression.
"Mystoria? Like the royal family?" Mikael asked, raising an eyebrow.
Lyra gave a small, affirmative nod, watching him curiously, as if gauging his reaction.
"Damn," he muttered under his breath, surprised, before brushing it off and continuing, "So, Miss Lyra, if you're part of the royal family, why are you working as an assistant librarian?"
Her expression tightened slightly, and her tone cooled. "That's personal, and I'd rather not talk about it. It's intrusive."
Realizing his mistake, Mikael quickly corrected himself. "If you found that question intrusive, how about I balance the scales? I'll answer your earlier unasked question about why I'm a beginner in magic despite passing the entrance exam. That way, it's one invasive question each."
Lyra's frown melted into a small, intrigued smile. Now fully engaged, she leaned forward. "Fair enough, but you go first."
"Sure. The reason I'm such a newbie in magic is that I'm a dual-talent type. My awakening wasn't long ago, so I only had time to train as a warrior before the entrance exam. Now, I want to focus on learning magic—after all, not doing so would mean wasting half of my potential."
She nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. Being both a warrior and a mage is incredibly powerful, but it requires hard work and smart training." She seemed genuinely excited as she rummaged under the counter, pulling out a book.
"This book is about combining the warrior and mage paths to become more powerful. It might help you." Her enthusiasm was palpable, her love for books shining through.
Seeing her like this, Mikael couldn't help but find this 'princess' rather endearing. "Thanks for the suggestion, but could you hold onto it for now? I'm still a total beginner mage—probably one of the worst first-years. I'm not ready to combine paths yet."
Lyra's excitement dimmed slightly, but she nodded and returned the book under the counter. "Alright. My turn, then. The reason I work as an assistant librarian, even though I'm part of the royal family, is simple—I love books. Working here lets me read as much as I want."
"Oh, so you're the go-to person for any library-related questions. You probably know this place like the back of your hand," Mikael said with a grin.
"Yeah, but don't tell your friends," Lyra replied with mock seriousness. "I don't want to be disturbed all the time. I like my peace and quiet... and the occasional nap."
Mikael raised an eyebrow at her words, giving her a playful look. Realizing how her statement might sound, Lyra quickly clarified, "I don't mean you! I just don't want to be overwhelmed by people constantly bothering me."
"Got it. Now, can I rent these books?"
Seeing that he was changing the subject and preparing to leave, Lyra felt a twinge of disappointment but didn't let it show. She nodded and scanned the three books, allowing Mikael to use his bracelet to pay for the rentals.
"Thanks for your help," Mikael said before turning to leave.
Lyra watched him go, her mood souring as she rested her head on the counter. Internally, she berated herself, 'I was finally talking to someone, and I made him leave... I'm not used to this. I prefer books, but I wish I could have friends too... and I ruined it.'
A nearby student, who had witnessed the conversation and found the princess approachable, mustered his courage and approached her. "Excuse me, could you help me find a book?"
Still grumpy, Lyra didn't even look up. Annoyed at being disturbed, she replied sharply, "No, I'm not in the mood."
The boy froze, confused by her abruptness. Not daring to press further the princess, he quietly left.
Meanwhile, Mikael, carrying the three books, reflected on the interaction. 'Flirting is harder than I thought. I've never really done it before, but I figured it would be easier... And what are the odds? The cute librarian I was flirting with turns out to be from the royal family. Although, she didn't actually say she's a princess...'
He let out a quiet chuckle. 'This feels like something straight out of a story. Honestly, I'm tempted to go back and flirt with her again—it was surprisingly enjoyable.' He shook his head, brushing the thought aside. 'No, I need to focus on my training. Priorities first.'
After a short walk, during which he was lost in thought, Mikael arrived at his dormitory. Unlocking the door, he stepped into his room.
He settled onto the couch and began reading the Mage Theory book.
"Fwoosh."
He flipped through the pages at a faster-than-expected pace, quickly absorbing the information. He couldn't help but marvel, 'I can really feel the difference in my brain compared to before the Records. Not only am I reading faster, but I'm also understanding the text more deeply, and my memorization has improved significantly!'
Encouraged by this realization, he continued his reading. Throughout the night, he alternated between Mage Theory and Spellcasting for Beginners. The process was lengthy, but it solidified his foundational knowledge of magic, ensuring he would have an easier time learning spells in the future.
After a sleepless and foodless night, Mikael prepared himself a hearty breakfast. Feeling refreshed, he left his dormitory room, ready to face the day.