“First of all, Sia, I gotta turn you into a mage.”
“I’m gonna be a mage? But didn’t you say there’d be a test? Isn’t passing that test what makes someone a mage?”
“The ones taking the test aren’t you—it’s for other humans. It’s a test to see if humans can accept new knowledge.”
Encia tilted her head in confusion. What did this so-called “test” have to do with making her a mage?
“I don’t really get it…”
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand. The ones being tested aren’t you but the existing mages. This is about whether they can adapt to and embrace new knowledge—or if they’ll fail and fade away.”
Tia was still speaking in riddles.
“You, Sia, will become both the test question and its answer for the other mages.”
“Test question AND answer?”
“That’s right. If things go as I think, you’ll become a mage far beyond comparison to others. But since there’s no precedent, it won’t be easy. Are you prepared?”
“Uh… hard work isn’t my thing…”
“Well, aside from special cases like the Dragon Priestess, properly cultivating a normal mage has never been done before. Even I might make mistakes along the way. Still, your potential is solid. I think it’s worth trying.”
“Hmm… Hard work isn’t great, but if I can become a mage, I’ll give it a shot.”
Encia clenched her tiny fists with determination.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
And so Encia began following Tia’s instructions, performing mysterious tasks only she could hear.
“First, feel the magical power inside your body. Let’s start by meditating and focusing on sensing the magic within you.”
“Meditation? Sense magic?”
“You already have enough magical power in your body to cast spells. Start by closing your eyes and shutting out your senses.”
Tia’s words were hard for Encia to grasp.
“Shutting out senses? How exactly do I do that?”
“Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and focus inward instead of outward. Keep concentrating.”
“Close my eyes and concentrate? Can blocking senses really be this simple? I don’t get it…”
“It won’t be easy, but you need to try. Though if I helped you sense external magic, it might be easier… but then everyone would need help. For now, let’s aim for self-study conditions.”
“But why not just help me, Tia?”
“I could, but then other mages would also rely on external assistance. We’re aiming for independence first.”
Encia didn’t understand why Tia kept pushing her down the harder path. Nonetheless, Encia practiced meditation whenever she could. Months later, she finally managed to sense the threads of magical power flowing through her body.
“Hmm… Having loads of magic doesn’t mean much when you’ve never used it before, huh? Unlike Bibe, who instantly mastered her powers after becoming the Dragon Priestess. She’s on another level entirely.”
“Bibe? The famous Dragon Priestess?”
“Yeah. Though I did help her personally, her talent was undeniable.”
“So you’ve trained a Dragon Priestess too?”
“That’s ancient history. Enough about her. Now that you’re comfortable manipulating magic, let’s move on.”
And so Tia gave Encia various instructions on how to use her internal magic.
Training to move her magic freely, releasing it outside her body.
Transforming the released magic into basic elements.
Sometimes the magic fizzled out due to insufficient power; other times, overpowered water blasts exploded. After countless trials and errors, Encia grew more accustomed to transforming her magic into elemental forms.
“So does this mean I’m officially a mage now?”
“In terms of raw ability, you’re comparable to many instinct-driven mages, but honestly, calling yourself a mage at this stage feels a bit off.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. In my opinion, a true mage isn’t just someone who uses magic but also studies and develops it further. Those who rely solely on instinctive magic yet call themselves mages… frankly, it bothers me.”
“Bothersome?”
“You wouldn’t understand such a word yet, so don’t worry about it.”
“Alright…”
Though sometimes confused by Tia’s explanations, Encia continued training tirelessly. Using the magic inside her body, she learned to harness external magic as well.
“Magic exists everywhere—in the wind, even in rocks. Relying solely on your own magic is foolish.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. While your personal magic might suffice for simple spells, mastering advanced magic requires utilizing external magic.”
Following Tia’s guidance, Encia extended her magic outward.
“You need to use your magic to influence the surrounding magic. The stronger your will and the greater your power, the more external magic you can weave together.”
“Weave together?”
“Exactly. Whether you form your magic into a net or branch-like structures to capture natural magic, it doesn’t matter. What matters is transferring your willpower into the surrounding magic. Focus on that.”
“Hmm… sounds tough…”
“It seems difficult when explained, but once you try, it’ll be easier than you think. Give it a shot.”
Encia’s magic slowly spread out like fluffy clouds, gradually merging with the surrounding magic. Following her thoughts and her magic’s flow, the ambient magic began to resonate with hers.
“How’s it going? Not too hard, right? Getting it?”
“Nope. I totally get that Tia’s explanation skills are trash.”
“What?!?”
And so Encia started learning magic based on willpower rather than mere instinct.
“It’s about time we moved on to proper spellcasting.”
“It’s been a year since I learned to control external magic—are we finally doing this?”
“A year has passed, and now you can fully command the surrounding magic using your own. Your control has reached this level, so let’s proceed.”
“Is controlling magic really necessary?”
“Necessary. Without perfect control, you might accidentally turn the whole village into a fiery inferno.”
At Tia’s words, Encia shivered slightly. Though the village wasn’t large, turning it into an inferno sounded terrifying. Could her magic really be THAT powerful?
“Well, let’s set that aside for now. Sia, what kind of magic do you want to use?”
“What kind?”
“That’s right. What do you wish to achieve with your magic? What does your will desire? That’s the most important part. What do you want to do with your magic?”
Thinking for a moment, Encia replied:
“I want to help my parents. Help the villagers.”
“More specifically?”
“Hmmm… Oh! Lately, there hasn’t been any rain, and Mom and Dad have been worried. So… I want to make it rain.”
“Rain, huh? A rain-summoning spell. Not bad. It’ll be quite large-scale, showing both your magical strength and abilities clearly. Good choice.”
“So can I try?”
“Not here—inside the house. Let’s go outside.”
Following Tia’s instructions, Encia carefully stepped outside.
A hot, dry wind blew, harsher than usual, sucking all moisture from the air. Though this was her hometown, Encia frowned slightly at the uncomfortable heat.
“Now, release your magic fully and spread it around. Dominate the surrounding magic with your power and will. Add my assistance, and we should cover the entire village.”
“Okay, I’ll try!”
Encia poured out her maximum magical power, covering a vast area.
“What do you intend to do with your magic? Think carefully.”
“I want to make it rain.”
“To summon rain, what do you need?”
“Dark clouds. Thick storm clouds.”
“In that case, let’s summon those dark clouds.”
Gradually, Encia’s magic took shape, forming dense storm clouds filled with moisture. Slowly, droplets began falling.
One drop, then another. Soon, the rain intensified, drenching the parched village.
“Rain! It’s raining!!!”
“Suddenly dark clouds appeared… What on earth…”
“Containers! Water jars! Bring them all out! We haven’t had rain like this in ages!”
The pouring rain refreshed the drought-stricken villagers.
In this way, the people blessed the gift of rain.
“Did I help the villagers with this?”
“Of course. To those living in arid lands, nothing is as precious as falling rain.”
Thus, the silver-haired girl Encia gazed upon her magic as a true mage.
The sight was… incredibly heartwarming.
