The Hidden Depths of Magic

Gideon gestured toward the group, his expression serious yet intrigued. "There is another type of magic—one that is more widespread than elemental magic but remains an enigma even to scholars." He paused for effect. "This magic… is known as Clair Magic."

The children straightened, their attention fully on him.

"Clair Magic appears in far more people than elemental magic," Gideon continued, "but it's also the most difficult to understand. It has a wider range of applications than any other type, making it hard to classify."

Seraphina's brows furrowed. "Why? What makes it so difficult to study?"

Gideon chuckled, clearly enjoying the discussion. "Because Clair Magic defies logic. It does not conform to the standard elemental framework. Some Clair-based skills seem completely intangible, while others create something physically real." He pointed at Seraphina. "Take your skill, for example—mind control. Tell me, what elemental magic could possibly govern the mind?"

Silence fell over the group. The children tried to think of an answer, but none came to mind.

Seraphina hesitated before speaking. "…Skills that don't have a physical form must be fueled by Clair Magic, right?"

Gideon nodded. "That's a good way to look at it, but—" he suddenly raised his hand, and a gleaming knife materialized out of thin air.

The children gasped.

Seraphina frowned. "Wait. But that's physical."

Gideon smirked. "Exactly. My magic is also Clair Magic, yet it created something tangible." He handed the knife to Seraphina. "Examine it."

Seraphina turned it over in her hands, feeling its weight. Lucian, beside her, narrowed his eyes. "Can this knife exist on its own if you stop fueling it with mana?"

Gideon shook his head. "No. It will vanish in an hour. Unless I keep pouring mana into it, it will eventually fade away."

Rose snapped her fingers. "Then it's not truly physical! It just… looks and feels that way for a while."

Gideon grinned. "Exactly! And that brings me to an important point—nothing in this world exists permanently. Everything is in a state of change. Even something that seems solid today may fade tomorrow. And Clair Magic embodies that ever-changing nature."

He turned to the twins. "Alaric, you can enhance your body, correct?"

Alaric nodded.

Gideon then looked at Adrian. "And you can create shields?"

Adrian hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah… but why?"

"Show them," Gideon instructed.

Adrian raised his hand, and a curved, greenish barrier shimmered into existence in front of him. It glowed faintly, translucent yet firm.

Gideon gestured toward it. "Now, tell me—what is this shield made of?"

The children leaned in, inspecting its glowing surface.

"…We don't know," Seraphina admitted.

Gideon smiled. "Exactly. Just like my knife, Adrian's shield has no identifiable material. It's something that exists purely through mana."

His tone turned serious. "Clair Magic is responsible for some of the rarest and most powerful abilities. Skills like enchanting, healing, and, of course, Seraphina's mind control all stem from Clair Magic."

A brief pause. Then, Gideon suddenly pointed at Seraphina. "Step forward."

Seraphina hesitated. "Why?"

"Try to control Lucian."

Her frown deepened. "What? Why?"

Gideon didn't answer, only giving her a knowing look.

With a sigh, she activated her power, focusing on Lucian's mind. She willed him to submit to her control.

…Nothing.

Her brows knitted together. That's strange. It didn't feel the same as before. She pushed harder, pouring more magic into it—

Still nothing.

Seraphina's frustration grew. Why wasn't it working? It had worked before!

Beside her, Gideon watched intently. He muttered to himself, "Just as I thought…"

He sighed. "You can sit back down."

Seraphina turned to him, irritation flickering in her eyes. "What's wrong with my ability? Why can't I use it?"

Gideon folded his arms. "Because skills aren't absolute. They have limitations, conditions."

Seraphina's heart pounded. Conditions?

"Think back," Gideon said. "When you used your ability in the slums, what was the mental state of the people you controlled?"

Seraphina's breath hitched as the memory resurfaced. They were terrified.

The gang members had been mentally shaken after she killed their leader. They were vulnerable.

A realization struck her. Her power wasn't absolute—it required mental instability, fear, or some form of weakness to take hold.

Gideon's tone was firm. "At the early stages of Awakening, skills have activation requirements. If you don't understand them, you can't use them effectively."

Seraphina clenched her fists. So… she wasn't strong enough yet.

Gideon clapped his hands, drawing their attention. "Now that you understand the nature of your abilities, let's discuss the five levels of skill mastery."

His gaze swept over them.

"Awakening. Refinement. Proficiency. Mastery. Transcendence."

He nodded toward them. "Right now, you are all at the Awakening level. You barely know how your own skills work. You don't even know their names."

Seraphina blinked. "Skills… have names?"

Gideon nodded. "Yes. The moment you reach Refinement, a name will surface in your mind. That's when you will truly be considered skill-holders."

Rose frowned. "But why do skills have names?"

Gideon smirked. "Because at a certain point, your skill will know you as much as you know it."

He then turned to Lucian. "Attack me."

Lucian didn't hesitate. In a blink, he formed a dark-elemental dagger and launched it at Gideon's heart.

The children gasped—

But the next second, a shimmering shield appeared on its own, blocking the attack.

Gideon tapped the barrier. "As you see, I didn't summon this myself. My skill reacted instinctively." He looked at them. "That is what happens when you reach Mastery. Your skill becomes an extension of yourself."

His gaze darkened slightly. "But beware… few ever reach that level. And even fewer ever reach the final stage—Transcendence."

Seraphina's mind was still spinning when Gideon clapped his hands. "That's all for today. Starting tomorrow, we will focus on training your abilities specifically."

The children exchanged glances, excitement and unease bubbling in equal measure.