‘Overexcited, I couldn’t control the amount of mana flowing into the runes. It’s my mistake, my naivety.’
Yuric tasted the bitterness of failure as soon as he opened his eyes. But this failure was not despair; rather, it was hope.
He saw the path he needed to take from yesterday’s magic. His concept expanded from a narrow place to a broader one.
He had found his own method, but he felt there was an ambiguous corner between runes and magic, like there was something deeper hidden in addition and subtraction.
Yuric opened the window to ventilate the room and his mind. After breathing the cool morning air for a while, he returned to reality from his reverie.
‘I have caused trouble for Master.’
Although it was an unforeseen accident, it was still an accident triggered by him. He left the room prepared to hear some scolding from his master.
“You’re awake. Come eat breakfast.”
Master Hene had personally prepared breakfast for her fainted student today. Yuric sat down on a chair apologetically.
“I’m sorry.”
“For your first time, you couldn’t have anticipated it. This can happen at this stage. Magic is like that. Magic you used to use effortlessly your whole life until yesterday might be different today. Magic is never predictable. Keep this in mind.”
“Yes, I will definitely remember.”
The master quietly watched her student eating across from her.
Though she spoke calmly, she couldn’t sleep all night thinking about the magic he had cast yesterday.
‘…Just an apprentice who has barely entered…’
To think he could find his own method just by hearing a single piece of advice.
She was still a child who didn’t even know how to create mana circuits or break down runes more finely. Hene’s hands trembled slightly imagining the unbelievable talent of her student.
What kind of being did she touch?
Hene had certainly been called a genius, her talent recognized by the Grandmother herself. …But this student in front of her was different.
What was leading him like this? Was the universe favoring him?
It couldn’t be. The universe is fair. It is fair to everyone. To the universe, they are all just parts of itself.
…Maybe Yuric himself was a plea to the universe.
Master Hene pondered how to proceed.
A master has the responsibility to guide their student onto a better path. She wanted to help his development and growth, not needing her petty pride. She was ready to do anything for her student, for Yuric.
“Yuric.”
“Yes, Master?”
“Let’s learn about mana circuits.”
The reason Yuric collapsed after casting a reckless spell yesterday was due to his inability to handle mana circuits properly. Because of this, the mana inside his body poured out uncontrollably and evaporated.
Following the textbook, the magic was already in a state where the mana circuit was somewhat controlled. But if he found his own method, he would need to learn how to handle it himself. Although the process jumped ahead, learning to control mana circuits early wasn’t bad at all. In fact, many mages learned from the mana circuit before mastering the textbook.
However, there is a more specialized person in this field than Hene. A Great Witch who has studied a single mana circuit for decades.
Great Witch Ingris.
Of course, Hene has enough skill to teach mana circuits, but she didn’t want to confine her student’s potential within her limits.
“Eat and prepare to go out.”
“Understood.”
After finishing his meal and washing up, Yuric followed his master Hene, who was dressed in her outerwear.
The mansion of Great Witch Ingris was located right in the heart of Arphenheim. Ingris came to the entrance herself to greet her junior Hene.
“The sun must have risen in the west. What brings you here? To find me?”
“I have something I’d like to ask you.”
“Ask?”
Ingris heard the word “ask” from Hene for the first time. Her expression changed instantly.
“Come in then.”
Yuric felt the gaze directed at him and quickly bowed in greeting. However, Ingris, who showed little interest in anything unrelated to her, barely acknowledged his greeting.
The three of them entered the reception room. Before them stood the young Somawitch Monica, serving tea.
“By the way, you want to ask something? What is it?”
Hene placed her hand on Yuric’s shoulder beside her and looked at his side profile.
“I wonder if you could teach my student about mana circuits.”
Ingris’s eyes widened in surprise. Hene, despite not being particularly knowledgeable about mana circuits, was one of the Grandmother’s masterpieces!
“Do you really need to? Me?”
“There’s no one who can catch up with you regarding mana circuits.”
Is such expertise necessary? Ingris looked anew at Hene’s student.
She had heard he was talented, but this seemed overly considerate.
…But.
This is her beloved junior’s first request.
‘This kid must have his reasons.’
Moreover, Hene is a Great Witch recognized by the Grandmother. There must be a reason for her judgment.
“Alright, I’ll do it.”
“Thank you, Senior.”
“Thank you, Elder!”
“No need for Elder. Call me Senior.”
“Yes, Senior.”
Ingris felt too old hearing the word “Elder.” In reality, she was only about ten years older than Hene!
Since she was here, she decided to start teaching today. After Hene thanked her again, she left Yuric with her and returned to her hut.
Great Witch Ingris took Yuric to her research room. The walls were covered with intricate diagrams. Seeing this, Yuric couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.
She was a Great Witch. How could he possibly gauge the depth of this research?
“In fact, runes are standardized mana circuits. They are like pre-agreed symbols. Of course, you can perform excellent magic with just these, but once you enter a unique magical system, you may feel a lack when relying solely on runes.”
“Yes.”
“Mana circuits are fundamental. In a sense, they are what you should learn first when studying magic. However, the theory is so vast and complex that beginners often struggle at this stage. They might even lose interest. That’s why mages have spent centuries standardizing circuits.”
Yuric was almost overwhelmed by the depth of magic.
Such a history behind a minor rune!
“There are five elements that make up a circuit. Using these five elements, we usually create six types of circuits: amplification, oscillation, modulation, demodulation, filtering, and logic.”
Ingris showed Yuric the five elements that made up the circuits and the six types of circuits created from them.
“It’s complex, but this is just the basics. When these are connected, they form a rune. A single rune contains at least three to four circuits.”
It was very complex, yet Yuric found it oddly familiar. …Could it be due to past-life memories?
“First, understand how each element works, and then understand how they function together in a set. Here, take this.”
Ingris handed Yuric a thick book titled ‘Basics of Mana Circuits.’ Even reading the title sent chills down his spine. Yet, Yuric felt an unusual excitement.
‘To be able to dissect magic so thoroughly!’
There couldn’t be a more thrilling experience!
Though he hadn’t experienced it yet, the joy of completing a spell by creating his own circuit would be indescribable.
“You’ll learn this from now on. Open the book.”
“Yes, Senior!”
Having finished the introduction, Ingris began the actual education.
…
‘…Look at this guy?’
For every one taught, he understood two or three, and eventually started figuring out four or five on his own.
It sounded absurd, but he felt as if Yuric had been familiar with this theory all along. Even her outstanding students took over ten days to understand this theory, but he grasped it in a glance.
Ingris couldn’t help but get excited.
“How about this? Can you understand this?”
Moving from basics to advanced.
But it didn’t stop at advanced; he went as far as creating his own circuits.
“What if I do this?”
He mixed amplification and modulation circuits, inserted a logic circuit, and then split it with oscillation and demodulation circuits.
Such complex combinations formed a larger circuit combination, which was combined again.
He even created complex logic circuits she had never taught him, selecting conditions on his own. He even mixed amplification with logic, creating a unique circuit to prevent mana overflow caused by amplification. Though it was an outdated theory that fell out of fashion and was removed from basic textbooks, the fact that he thought of and made it himself was not just surprising but astonishing.
Lost in the circuit, Yuric studied feverishly until he suddenly regained his senses. By then, the sun was setting.
‘See my mental state.’
“Why so quiet? Are you stuck somewhere? Got any other questions? Hm?”
Half-crazed, Ingris’s eyes never left Yuric’s. She couldn’t.
“Senior, it’s getting late. I should head back.”
“…Ah, …ah?!”
Ingris finally looked outside. The sky was already dark.
‘…No!’
But she didn’t want to let him go, not at all.
“Spend the night here. Let’s study more tonight. Learn more circuits. There’s so much to learn. You enjoy it, don’t you?”
Ingris slammed the desk bell repeatedly. Soon, Somawitch Monica entered the research room.
“Yes, Master.”
“Tell Hene that I’ll keep her junior’s student here for the day. No, wait.”
The Great Witch waved her hand to cancel her statement.
“Tell her to stay for two days, no, three. Three days. Learning mana circuits takes time. Hene will understand what I mean. Do you understand?”
Ingris glared intensely at Yuric, seeking his agreement. Fearing she might kill him if he said no, Yuric nodded hastily.
Honestly, since he had just started enjoying circuits, he was a bit reluctant to end it here.
“Yuric agrees too. Go and tell her quickly.”
“Yes, Master.”
As Monica left, the atmosphere returned to a studious one.
Ingris rested her chin on her hand, staring intently at Yuric.
“Now no one will disturb us. Continue. Ask any questions you have. Understand?”
The attitude of the Great Witch had changed in half a day.
‘Now Yuric is mine.’
A prodigy in circuits.
A master of circuits wouldn’t let such a prodigy slip away, would they?
