"We greet Your Majesty," Sol and Josh bowed.
"Hmm... I have something to tell you regarding your training as mages," the king said.
"What is it, Your Majesty?"
"I have selected a mentor for you two. She is considered one of the Sixth Heavenly Conjurors in the Magic Society and has played a crucial part in building our kingdom into what it is today," the king stated. "She has been my friend for many years. I hope you treat her well."
"Of course, Your Majesty," the two replied.
"Come out and meet your students," the king declared.
Suddenly, a dark cloud manifested beside the king's throne, swirling like a whirlpool. A slender hand emerged from the darkness, pressing against the air as if it were a solid wall. Then, a woman stepped forward. She was beautiful, with silver-white hair and a dark coat that draped over her body like a cape, covering her from shoulders to legs.
The two boys' faces contorted in confusion.
The elf slave from before! Sol and Josh thought.
"She doesn't look old at all..." Josh muttered. Her face looked more like a teenager's than an old woman's.
"Haha. Indeed, she doesn't," the king laughed.
"That... is quite rude, child," the woman said.
"You two have crossed paths before. She was in the slave district on a mission," the king explained. "This is Lilith, your new mentor. Although this is her first time taking students, with her vast knowledge, I'm sure she can teach you well."
"Is that your way of saying I'm old?" Lilith retorted.
"Anyway, there's no time to waste. We shall get going." She snapped her fingers, and in a flash of light, Lilith and the two disappeared before the king.
"Wait!..." the old king screamed, reaching out as if to stop them.
They should be alright, right? I'm worried...
Somewhere on a seemingly endless grassy plain, where the cold breeze carried the scent of wet grass and soil, the blades of grass swayed peacefully—until...
"Whirl!"
The three suddenly appeared in a flash of light.
"Aahhh... Uh, oh!" With his eyes clenched shut, Josh panicked before eventually calming down.
"I thought I was gonna die," Sol gasped.
"A mere teleportation spell won't kill you..." Lilith stood before them, blocking the sunlight. The wind fluttered her silver-white hair as she smiled.
Without much thought, she immediately started to teach them.
"I'll start by explaining what magic is," Lilith stated. "Magic is a supernatural force that allows us to defy the laws of nature. It is one of the known legacies of Arman, passed down to us. To wield magic, we must harness the mana around us. First, we gather it into our Primordial Core."
She clasped her hands together, and a white light emerged from her stomach. Sol and Josh gaped.
"This is my Primordial Core. As you can see, it's quite large—almost filled to the brim with mana..."
The two were enthralled, their hearts racing with excitement.
They're more focused than I expected. Normally, children can't concentrate for more than ten minutes... The king might be right about their potential.
"To recover mana, you need immense focus, control, and meditation. I'll teach you breathing techniques to make it easier. But don't rush—overloading yourself could make you explode."
Lilith moved behind Sol and Josh, sitting them down. She placed her palms on their backs, channeling her own mana into them to guide their absorption. After some trial and error, they finally grasped the technique by afternoon.
Next, Lilith taught them a basic spell, like fireballs. Josh learned it quickly but was still lacking, while Sol struggled until sunset.
He has great theoretical understanding but struggles in execution. A shame. If not for his Rank E limitation, he might surpass even me.
Lilith was a Rank-A, 4th-Circle magician—a height few could reach.
"Alright, that's enough for today. We'll continue tomorrow. Rest now."
*Thud!*
Sol punched the ground in frustration. "Damn it! My rank is holding me back!"
"You have great talent. I'm sure you'll achieve whatever you set your mind to," Lilith reassured him. Then, turning to Josh, who was gasping for breath on the side, she added, "And you, Joshua, you underestimate yourself too much. That mindset will hinder your progress."
Josh glanced down to his palms.
"That's it for today, time to return." She snapped her fingers, and they reappeared at their estate, Sol and Josh still couldn't get used to the spell and stumbled around.
The other two hadn't arrived yet.
"Reflect on what you've learned today. Tomorrow will be tougher," Lilith said.
"Well then—"
"Wait!" Sol shouted after regaining his balance. "I just wanted to say... thank you, Master."
For a brief moment, Lilith's eyes widened her pointy ears twitched.
"No need for thanks. I'm just doing my duty." She snapped her fingers and vanished in a flash.
"She's quite cold, huh?" Josh remarked.
Just then, the other two stumbled in, looking like zombies—hair disheveled, reeking of sweat, and utterly drained.
"Hey boys," They ignored Josh, going straight into their bedrooms and collapsed in exhaustion.
"Good thing I'm a mage," Josh sighed, watching Simon snore deeply.
Meanwhile, in the castle...
After reporting to the king, Lilith walked down the big moonlit hallway of the castle.
"Lilith..."
A figure clad in pristine white robes appeared—the first prince. Unlike his two younger siblings who typically had blonde hair and blue eyes like their father, the first prince had white hair and blood red eyes.
"Young Lord," Lilith bowed. "Do you require something?"
"You already know, don't you?" the prince asked, smiling.
"I'm afraid I'll remain neutral," Lilith replied.
"You're wasting your potential, Lilith. Stop training those... dogs and join my faction. Together, we could become an unstoppable force—one that could seize this kingdom. Don't you want that?" The first prince clenched his fist, raising it in the air.
"I am content with what I have, Young Lord. Now, if you'll excuse me..." She snapped her fingers and disappeared.
"That bitch... Still playing hard to get," the prince scowled.
"Haha... I'll make sure you regret refusing me!"