[In the end, Vivian became Sakura Tohsaka's magic instructor.]
[During the time the two sisters were visiting the Clock Tower, she would guide Sakura Tohsaka's magical studies.]
In the corridors of the Clock Tower.
Vivian and Sakura Tohsaka were walking side by side. Their figures, one tall and one small, created a rather harmonious scene.
"Sakura." Vivian called out gently.
"Yes!" Sakura replied promptly, standing a little straighter.
"...You don't need to be so nervous." Vivian took Sakura Tohsaka's hand. "We're here to learn magecraft, not to listen to scary stories." Vivian's reassuring tone aimed to ease Sakura's apprehension.
"Y-yes, ma'am!" Sakura replied, feeling a little less tense as she felt the warmth of Vivian's hand.
Then, she cautiously asked the question that was most important to her and that she was most concerned about.
"Um—Vivian-Sensei, what will we be learning?" Sakura inquired, her curiosity getting the better of her nervousness.
Vivian didn't mind Sakura Tohsaka's change in address and began to explain patiently. She appreciated the respect.
"Well, of course, it will be something very powerful." Vivian stated with a hint of mystery.
"Something very powerful?" Sakura repeated, her eyes widening with anticipation.
"Yes." Vivian nodded. "I'm the only one in the entire Clock Tower who knows it." Vivian revealed the exclusivity of her knowledge.
"Wow~"
Sakura Tohsaka exclaimed in surprise. Her admiration for her new teacher grew.
She recalled her sister's instructions from the previous night—"Follow Vivian-San's instructions carefully; that person is definitely very powerful, so don't waste this opportunity." Luvia's words echoed in her mind.
Now it seemed that what her sister had said was indeed true. Vivian's aura of knowledge was undeniable.
However, Sakura Tohsaka hadn't been happy for long before she started to worry again. Her insecurities resurfaced.
"Vivian-Sensei… someone like me, will I be able to understand something so powerful?" Sakura asked, her voice filled with doubt.
"..."
Vivian stopped ahead and turned back. She noticed Sakura's worried expression.
She crouched down, bringing her gaze to the same level as Sakura Tohsaka's. Vivian wanted to connect with her student.
"Listen, Sakura," Vivian said gently but firmly.
"If you think you can't understand this, then you're actually doubting my ability to teach you." Vivian pointed out the implication of Sakura's words.
"You—are you really going to think that way?" Vivian's gaze was direct and encouraging.
"No, no!" Sakura Tohsaka waved her hands repeatedly. "I've always thought Vivian-Sensei was very amazing!" She quickly dispelled any notion of doubt in her teacher.
"That's good then."
Vivian's finger lightly touched Sakura Tohsaka's forehead. It was a gentle gesture of reassurance.
"Since you think I'm amazing, you're not allowed to say you can't learn anymore." Vivian's tone was firm but kind.
"Otherwise, I'll be very angry." Vivian added playfully, but with a hint of seriousness.
"Yes, ma'am! I understand!"
The small Sakura Tohsaka nodded, her heart filled with anticipation. She was eager to learn.
[Vivian's magical instruction continued.]
[She led Sakura Tohsaka along the corridors inside the Clock Tower.]
[But the two of them soon deviated from the normal path, heading towards directions that Sakura Tohsaka had never even considered before.]
[Finally, Sakura Tohsaka followed Vivian to the front of a room.]
It was a room that looked quite mysterious. Its aura was different from the rest of the Clock Tower.
Its decorative style was so unique that even a small child like Sakura Tohsaka could easily see its difference from the other buildings in the Clock Tower. She had never seen anything like it.
She was certain she had never been here before. This place felt special and hidden.
No. It felt like no one else had been here either, not even her adopted sister. This room held an air of profound secrecy.
"Vivian-Sensei,"
Sakura Tohsaka reached out and grabbed the hem of the older woman's clothes. She felt a sense of unease mixed with curiosity.
"Where is this place?" Sakura asked softly.
"A magic workshop." Vivian replied quickly. "Considering the current way of thinking, it might be better to call it a 'territory'." Vivian offered an alternative term.
"..."
Sakura Tohsaka blinked her eyes, becoming even more curious. She wondered about the purpose of this place.
"Then—Vivian-Sensei, what is it used for?" Sakura inquired.
"Maintaining secrecy."
Vivian's gaze fell on the unique door in front of her, as if recalling many things from the past. A nostalgic look crossed her face.
"Sakura, there are no true friendships between magi." Vivian stated somberly.
"There are many things that must absolutely not be known to each other." Vivian emphasized the importance of secrecy in their world.
"Even between relatives, sometimes a certain degree of avoidance is necessary." Vivian spoke from experience.
"Under these circumstances—"
Vivian reached out and touched the door. Her hand rested gently on the surface.
Light blue halos began to rotate on her hand, echoing countless sharp edges. Magic began to emanate from her.
"There must be a place that prevents others from entering." Vivian's voice held a hint of power.
"This is 'Territory Creation'." Vivian explained the magical concept.
"Can you understand what I'm saying?" Vivian looked at Sakura expectantly.
"..."
Sakura Tohsaka thought for a moment, then very honestly shook her head. She didn't want to pretend to understand.
"Vivian-Sensei, I still don't quite understand." Sakura admitted.
"But… it's probably like having your own room, right? Can I think of it that way?" Sakura offered her simple interpretation.
"There's nothing wrong with thinking of it that way." Vivian conceded with a small smile.
Vivian gently rotated the halos on her hand.
With a soft click, the door opened. The magical seals disengaged.
"Let's go inside first." Vivian invited Sakura in.
"Okay~"
Sakura Tohsaka nodded, then took Vivian's hand, and together they entered the room. She felt a sense of trust in her teacher.
But what she didn't know was that after the two of them went in, the door outside disappeared in an instant. It vanished without a trace.
Everything returned to its original state, as if nothing had ever appeared there. The secrecy was absolute.
[Sakura Tohsaka followed Vivian into the mysterious room.]
[And you took this opportunity to clearly see the situation in the room.]
[You found yourself feeling a little concerned.]
[Because you were clearly entering this place for the first time, just like Sakura Tohsaka.]
[But you felt very familiar with it.]
[You felt like you had been here before—and had also been brought in by someone.]
[This couldn't help but make you a little puzzled.]
[However, considering that Sakura Tohsaka needed Vivian's guidance, you didn't say anything.]
[After all, if she lost the opportunity to learn magecraft because of you.]
[Not to mention Luvia would probably try to kill you, your conscience wouldn't be able to handle it either.]
"Sakura," Vivian's voice broke the silence, "have you really not had any contact with magecraft at all?" Vivian wanted to gauge Sakura's prior knowledge.
"Not even knowing any related books?" Vivian pressed further.
"..."
Sakura Tohsaka recalled for a moment, first nodding and then shaking her head. She was trying to remember.
"Um…"
"Vivian-Sensei, I saw some books with strange writing at Papa's place before." Sakura shared a vague memory.
"Would that… count as having been exposed to books related to magecraft?" Sakura asked for clarification.
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Vivian seemed to have some ideas. She began to search through the bookshelves.
She started looking through the shelves, finally taking out a book, opening it to a certain page, and placing it in front of Sakura Tohsaka.
"Is it a book like this?" Vivian inquired, showing Sakura an example.
The little girl looked at it seriously for a moment, then shook her head. She was trying to recall the specific books she had seen.
"It's not this kind." Sakura replied.
"But—it's a little bit similar!" Sakura added, trying to be more precise.
"A little bit similar, huh?" Vivian nodded thoughtfully. She seemed to be piecing things together.
Her expression remained confident, showing that she already had a plan in mind. Vivian was sure she could guide Sakura.
"Then—"
Vivian's gaze wandered across the bookshelf again, finally stopping on a certain book. She seemed to have found what she was looking for.
She took it down, then once again opened it to a certain page, and placed it in front of Sakura Tohsaka.
"How about this one?" Vivian asked expectantly.
"..."
Memories of the past in her own mansion flooded into Sakura Tohsaka's mind. She vividly remembered her father's study.
Among them were the books in her father's study. The images were clear in her memory.
Exactly the same! The book in front of her was identical to the ones she had seen.
"Wow—!" Sakura Tohsaka pointed at the book in front of her with a small finger, looking very excited. Recognition lit up her face.
"It's very similar!"
"Papa's books are very similar to this one!" Sakura exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over.
"..."
Hearing this, Vivian seemed to make some kind of judgment. Her eyes narrowed slightly in thought.
She muttered softly to herself.
"Magecraft from over a hundred years ago?" Vivian pondered aloud.
"Why would he show a child something like this?" Vivian wondered about Tohsaka Tokiomi's intentions.
"But… it's not anything particularly powerful though." Vivian dismissed it as outdated.
Vivian's muttering was noticed by Sakura Tohsaka. She saw the slight change in her teacher's expression.
She was a little worried if her "stupidity" had offended her teacher, so she asked softly. Sakura didn't want to disappoint Vivian.
"Um…"
"Vivian-Sensei, should I have been able to understand it?" Sakura asked hesitantly.
Realizing that her words had made Sakura Tohsaka a little worried, Vivian quickly shook her head with a smile. She wanted to reassure her student.
"No, nothing like that." Vivian said kindly.
"At your age, it's very normal not to understand the contents." Vivian explained patiently.
"After all, if you could understand it… you'd probably be as amazing as that person called Aoko before." Vivian made a comparison to a powerful magus.
"However—"
Vivian's gaze fell on the book in Sakura Tohsaka's hands. She was curious about Sakura's understanding.
"I still want to know to what extent you roughly understand it." Vivian pressed gently.
"Or to put it another way, how much did you understand?" Vivian rephrased her question.
"You can tell me about either this book or the previous one." Vivian gave her options.
"..."
Sakura Tohsaka thought for a moment, then shook her head again. She was trying to recall her understanding.
"Um, Vivian-Sensei, I don't understand them at all." Sakura admitted honestly.
"But—I memorized a lot of it." Sakura revealed her efforts.
"Memorized a lot of it?" A rare look of surprise flashed across Vivian's eyes. She was impressed.
"Yes!" Sakura Tohsaka looked at her teacher with a serious expression. She had been diligent.
"Because I couldn't really understand it, but I really wanted to know more about Papa, so I could only memorize it." Sakura explained her motivation.
"..."
The corners of Vivian's lips curled up slightly. It was the prelude to approval. She was pleased with Sakura's dedication.
"Very good." Vivian praised her student.
"Having this kind of thought shows that you truly want to learn magecraft in your heart." Vivian recognized Sakura's genuine desire.
"Then—since you've already memorized a lot, let's skip the memorization part and let me explain it to you one by one directly." Vivian offered a more effective approach.
"Eh—?!"
Two red blushes appeared on Sakura Tohsaka's cheeks. It was the reaction she had when she was happy.
"Thank you, Vivian-Sensei~" Sakura said gratefully, her voice filled with joy.
[In the following time, Vivian began to patiently explain the contents of the book to her student, Sakura Tohsaka.]
[She didn't notice your presence.]
[And you thus became another hidden "student."]
[But you soon realized that something was a little off.]
[You were actually able to understand most of what Vivian mentioned.]
[You were very surprised, but also very fortunate.]
[After all, you knew that if you could understand it, you could slightly remind Sakura Tohsaka later when she got confused.]
[However, the thing you were worried about didn't happen.]
[Although Sakura Tohsaka always thought she was slow, she wasn't actually foolish; she just lacked someone who could teach her properly.]
[Now, Vivian's appearance had perfectly filled this void.]
"To touch the 'Root'?"
Sakura Tohsaka recalled Vivian's explanation just now, repeating it thoughtfully. She was processing the information.
"That's right."
Vivian looked at the books in the room, as if she had already seen through everything. Her gaze was knowing.
"As long as you can touch and use the 'Root', you can cast all sorts of magecraft." Vivian explained the fundamental concept.
"Up until now, any form, any time, any level of magecraft teaching books have only been expanded explanations based on this." Vivian clarified the core principle.
"This is also why the Clock Tower has two versions of the instruction manual—they are essentially the same, just one is simplified and the other is complex." Vivian revealed an interesting fact about the institution.
"Sakura, do you understand what I'm saying?" Vivian looked at her student expectantly.
"I can roughly understand." Sakura Tohsaka nodded. "Then Vivian-Sensei, how can I touch the 'Root'?" Sakura asked the crucial question.
"By yourself." Vivian replied simply.
"Everyone's way to the 'Root' is different, and the feedback obtained from the 'Root' is also different." Vivian explained the individuality of the process.
"This is why there are many types of magic circuits." Vivian revealed the reason for the diversity in magical abilities.
"So—Sakura, if you want to use magecraft, you must find your own way to touch the 'Root'." Vivian emphasized the personal journey of a magus.
Saying this, Vivian once again reached out and gently tapped Sakura Tohsaka's forehead, as if adding some kind of special spell for her.
"Alright."
"Now, let's start trying… go find the way that suits you to touch the 'Root'." Vivian encouraged her student to begin her search.
Holding absolute trust in her teacher, Sakura Tohsaka closed her eyes and began to vaguely search for a way to touch the "Root." It was an act of faith.
This was a very abstract and difficult process to understand. The concept was elusive.
The little girl felt a little confused. The task seemed daunting.
But fortunately—her Ghost-San was by her side. You were always there to support her.
Under your encouragement, Sakura Tohsaka gradually detached herself from the state of "closed" and began to move towards the direction of "existence." You guided her gently.
The little girl's magic circuits, which had not yet fully opened, welcomed the state of flow for the first time at this moment. A new world was opening up for her.
For Sakura Tohsaka, it was a feeling akin to tasting something sweet. A sense of wonder filled her.
—Flow—
—Image—
—Externalization—
Her body began to "produce" an indescribable substance. It was something new and exciting.
That was something called "mana." The magical energy within her was awakening.
A hint of blue light flashed in Vivian's eyes, and the corners of her lips curled up slightly. She observed Sakura's progress with satisfaction.
Because she knew that the teaching and the spell from just now had taken effect—Sakura Tohsaka was about to find her own way to touch the "Root." Her guidance had been successful.
And judging from her current state, after further training, she might be able to become a top-tier modern magus. Her potential was evident.
If she worked harder, she might even be able to inherit some ancient magecraft. The possibilities were vast.
However—that was about the extent of it. Vivian's expectations were realistic.
Vivian wasn't surprised by this—she was merely happy for her student. Sakura's initial progress was commendable.
For her, this was only "third-rate" level. Her own standards were incredibly high.
No. It shouldn't even be called "third-rate" level; it was only worth a glance. Her own abilities far surpassed this.
After all, her real name wasn't the current Vivian, but Morgan, the former new queen of Britain. Her true identity was far more significant.
Having lived from that time until now, she had already witnessed countless magi far more powerful than this. Her experience was vast.
The birth of the Clock Tower was also inextricably linked to her. Her influence on the magical world was undeniable.
But… all of this couldn't lead her to where he was. Her ultimate goal remained elusive.
The man she hadn't had time to tell she loved seemed impossible to see again. A deep sadness washed over her.
Thinking of this, Vivian couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow. Her longing for him was ever-present.
Just at this moment, Sakura Tohsaka completely opened her magic circuits. A significant milestone had been reached.
An unexpected thing happened.
The mana released by Sakura Tohsaka gathered around her for some reason. The magical energy seemed to coalesce.
A familiar phantom image was reflected in Vivian's beautiful eyes. Her gaze was fixed on the apparition.
That was—Ian, the one she longed for day and night? A vision of him appeared before her.