Sefina frowned slightly as she looked at the uneven, unstable elemental balls in most of the students’ hands.
She returned to the podium and began her explanation in a cool, clear voice:
“The spell formation is merely a tool and framework to shape the form of magic. The final strength and stability of the released magic mainly depend on the caster’s own mana reserves, control, and proficiency.”
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the students below. “A quick technique to get started and enhance magical perception is to combine the caster’s own associations.”
“When releasing fire-element magic, imagine burning flames—their heat, their flicker, their all-consuming energy.”
“When releasing water-element magic, imagine flowing streams, roaring waves—their endless continuity and flexible transformations.”
“Immerse your mind in the essence of the element, not just mechanically drawing the spell formation.”
Hearing this, the students all began to try. Many closed their eyes, striving to follow Sefina’s guidance in their mental associations.
The effect was obvious. Several elemental balls in students’ hands visibly stabilized, their light growing more concentrated.
However, this scene did not surprise Ellaria much; instead, a faint sense of disappointment welled up within her.
Because this was precisely the content clearly stated in the basic textbook 《Elemental Theory》.
These students were unaware, simply relying on their good talent, without having seriously previewed and studied the material ahead of time like she had.
What she expected were novel theories overturning established knowledge like yesterday’s 【Source Code】, not this routine review of fundamentals.
The contrast made Ellaria curl her lips slightly.
Sefina paid no mind to the princess’s minor mood and continued her inspection.
She walked past row after row of seats, occasionally nodding, sometimes offering a word or two of guidance.
Until her gaze landed on a brown-haired, blue-eyed female student sitting in the corner, almost trying to shrink herself away.
“What are you doing?”
Sefina’s voice suddenly rang out, laced with a hint of confusion.
The girl’s hands were empty, seemingly having released nothing…
No, Sefina’s keen senses caught an extremely faint mana fluctuation.
She stepped closer and looked carefully. Above the girl’s slightly trembling palm floated a tiny light spot, smaller than a grain of rice, its mana so weak it was almost negligible.
This level…
It was incredible that she had passed Oserenka’s strict entrance examination.
Sefina instinctively wanted to criticize, but the words caught in her throat.
Because the girl named Kefi was bowing her head deeply, her shoulders slightly hunched, radiating an intense aura of dejection and self-doubt, those bright blue eyes shimmering with tears, as if about to cry any second.
The sharp critique Sefina almost voiced never escaped her lips.
She fell silent for a moment, her tone softening, and asked lightly:
“What’s your name?”
“K-Kefi…” The girl’s voice was as thin as a wisp of silk, almost inaudible.
Yet, this faint reply immediately stirred a small commotion and whispers among the surrounding students.
“Kefi? Isn’t she that commoner student who was specially admitted for some special reason?”
“So she’s really this bad? She can’t even stabilize the most basic Light Elemental Ball?”
“Oh no, Sefina teacher hates this kind of thing the most, she’s definitely going to be kicked out…”
“Look at her, she’s about to cry…”
The murmurs around stabbed at Kefi’s ears like needles, causing her to bury her head even lower, trembling slightly, fully prepared for severe reprimand or even expulsion.
However, Sefina did not get angry.
She thought for a moment and asked a seemingly unrelated question:
“Apart from light, can you use elemental magic of other attributes?”
Kefi shook her head timidly, her voice even smaller: “Only… a little bit of light…”
The whispering resumed below. In this world, magicians typically master two to four elemental attributes. Single-element users were very rare and often regarded as a sign of mediocre talent.
Of course, there were exceptions.
Sefina looked at the girl who seemed about to shrink into the cracks of the floor, understanding dawning in her mind.
She did not scold her but instead spoke in a noticeably gentler tone than usual:
“Keep trying to release the light ball. Relax. I’ll guide you.”
Kefi looked up in surprise, her clear blue eyes filled with disbelief.
This teacher who seemed so stern… hadn’t scolded her?
Nervously, she extended her hand again. The faint light spot reappeared in her palm, but it still flickered like a dying candle, as if ready to be extinguished at any moment.
“Increase the frequency of your mana output appropriately. Don’t be afraid. Focus your mind. Concentrate on maintaining the stability of the light ball.”
Sefina’s voice calmly guided her.
Kefi did her best to follow, and the light spot brightened just a little, though it remained unstable.
“Don’t just use your mind to think about how to release magic. Feel the light. Imagine its warmth, its brightness, its color… or recall some memories involving sunlight.”
Following the instructions, Kefi closed her eyes. Her long lashes fluttered gently.
She tried hard to recall…
Lying on the countryside grass with her little sister as a child… the afternoon sunlight filtering through the leaves, warm and cozy, like a quilt her mother had sewn with care, gently wrapping them…
Gradually, she forgot her nervousness, forgot the eyes around her, fully immersed in that warm and peaceful memory.
Suddenly, she felt the world brighten unusually before her eyes. Even with them closed, she could feel that warm light…
She slowly opened her eyes and was amazed to see that in her palm, an orb of light had somehow formed, radiating soft and pure brilliance.
The light ball was stable and warm; though its mana was not overwhelming, it was exceptionally pure.
The students who had been watching her all froze, letting out low murmurs of surprise.
Could such a stable and refined light ball really be created by a First Tier Magician who moments ago couldn’t even stabilize a rice-sized light spot?
Sefina looked at the warm light ball. Though her expression remained neutral, a faint and subtle approval flashed in her eyes.
She reached out and gently stroked Kefi’s soft hair, as if treating a child who had worked hard and made progress:
“Very good.”
Magicians who specialize in only one element are not necessarily mediocre in talent.
On the contrary, some possess an extraordinary affinity and perception for a specific element.
Like masters specialized in one path, once properly guided, they can quickly grasp the essence of that element, advancing rapidly and easily reaching the pinnacle of that elemental magic.
Sefina realized that Kefi was precisely this rare “Single-Element Specialization” genius.
This reminded her of an old acquaintance, a young lady who had mastered only ice magic but had wielded it to an astonishing level…
But that was long ago.
***
Meanwhile, Ellaria had witnessed the entire scene.
She watched Sefina’s unexpected patience and gentleness toward the commoner student, even the final gesture of patting her head in encouragement, and felt an inexplicable discomfort growing stronger within her.
She didn’t understand why Sefina treated that commoner student with such care but ignored her—the student with the best performance.
A mixture of resentment and being overlooked grew inside her.
She wanted to see if she demonstrated a mixed magic far beyond basic elemental balls, would she still be ignored like this!
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.