Chapter 19

Magic power is undeniably the cornerstone of a mage's potential. Roxy's magical talents were remarkable, but her limited mana capacity capped her at the level of a Water Saint-tier mage. That limitation, combined with the quiet discouragement she felt around two geniuses and a prodigy, fostered a subtle sense of inferiority deep within her.

She had initially taken this job expecting a straightforward, uneventful stint as a tutor to earn some extra coin. She never imagined the unexpected gifts it would bring.

Feeling the magic seed in her chest pulse with a steady rhythm, mana began to flow endlessly within her.

That mana—dark yet pristine—was tied to Roya Greyrat's own power. Whenever she drew close, she could sense the boy's presence, like a thread connecting them.

When she looked at Roya again, her cheeks flushed without warning. The young boy in front of her suddenly seemed oddly captivating. Though she didn't hold the power over life and death that Roya had hinted at, she felt an unshakable pull—something that made it hard to imagine refusing him anything.

Noticing Roxy's rosy cheeks, Roya tilted his head in confusion. Why is she blushing again?

Roxy took a deep breath, catching a faint, refined scent.

Roya's scent.

It hadn't stood out to her before, but now it struck her like a solitary bloom in a barren winter—alluring and irresistible. Though it carried a hint of danger, she found herself drawn to it all the same.

She tried to steady her mind, but her thoughts only spiraled further.

Damn it!

Roxy pressed her hands to her burning cheeks and bolted from the room.

For the next few days, she avoided Roya, her evasiveness leaving him feeling uneasy. It was just a kiss, wasn't it? Just a bit of harmless teasing—did she really need to react like this? Roya muttered to himself. Her strange behavior threw him off, and he wasn't sure how to handle it.

Even at night, she stayed quiet as they slept. Only when she slipped into deep sleep, guided by some unconscious urge, did her hands roam over him restlessly. Worse, she clung to him tighter than ever, often waking him in the dead of night with her grip.

Roya found himself torn between discomfort and a strange thrill.

Time marched on relentlessly, slipping through their fingers no matter how much they wanted to hold it back.

On this day, after teaching the Water Saint-tier magic, Roxy prepared to leave, ready to embark on a new journey.

Bathed in the morning sunlight, she gazed at the sparrows chirping in the distance and murmured, "The last day."

She turned back with a smile to look at everyone. Roya yawned, his face blank, while Rudeus teased Sylphie with a playful grin.

After two years together, they'd all grown.

The small, youthful boy who once barely reached her waist now stood level with her chest. In time, she was sure, he'd grow taller, more striking, and far more powerful.

Mana pulsed in time with Roxy's heartbeat, its vast energy spreading steadily through her veins and into every corner of her body.

In the end, parting was unavoidable. She had to go.

She had nothing left to teach him.

Looking at Roya's calm face, Roxy let out a quiet sigh.

How she wished she could stay by his side and guide him for a few more years—but it would be meaningless, for both him and herself.

Taking a deep breath, she savored the last hint of his faint, elegant scent—a fragrance she'd inhaled countless times, one that had woven itself into her memory.

With a serious look, she said, "Today is the final lesson. I'll teach you the Water Saint-tier spell 'Thunderstorm Cumulonimbus.' I'll only show it once, so you'd better learn it, Roya."

Her voice wavered slightly despite her composed expression.

Roya went quiet. The day had finally arrived. Without a word, he nodded.

They stepped outside into a pastoral scene. A winding path stretched ahead, cutting through golden fields of grain and leading into a wide expanse of grassland. Scattered trees with sturdy trunks and thick branches dotted the horizon.

A soft breeze stirred the grass, carrying the delicate scent of wildflowers that brushed against their clothes.

"You have to learn this—I'll only demonstrate it once!" Roxy repeated, her tone firm.

Roya stepped forward, his mana surging. The dark energy gathered into a massive circular shield, enveloping Rudeus and Sylphie in a protective barrier.

Roxy raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised, but said nothing. She exhaled gently to center herself and took a step forward.

"[O great spirits of water,]

[Rise, children of the Thunder Emperor,]

[Fulfill my wish.]"

Her voice was quiet yet carried clearly across the open field. As she spoke, her staff glowed with a vivid azure light. Mana flowed into the staff, shaping the elements into place.

Dark clouds rolled in, swallowing the blue sky above. The sunlight dimmed.

Rain began to fall.

Droplets tapped down from the heavens.

A fine mist settled over the land, the raindrops falling in a steady rhythm.

The rain streaked across Roxy's cheeks, her blue hair swaying in the wind. Her ever-present mage's robe flapped loudly in the gusts.

"[Bring forth your ferocious blessing,]

[Display your mighty power to these humble beings.]"

The wind grew wild, whipping fiercely. Thunder growled as purple lightning flared with devastating brilliance within the clouds.

No matter how you looked at it, lightning was nature's most awe-inspiring force.

For a fleeting moment, Roya recalled stories from his past life about warriors facing trials of thunder. Now he understood why—lightning might just be the most fearsome power in the natural world.

"[Let the hammer of the gods strike the anvil, revealing your awe-inspiring might,]

[May floodwaters drown the earth,]

[O torrential rain,]

[Sweep away and purge all in your path!]

[Cumulonimbus!]"

As Roxy finished her incantation, her staff erupted in a dazzling blue glow.

Rain poured down in torrents, the wind howling across the land.

A colossal bolt of lightning slammed into the ground, followed by a flood of water. In an instant, the grassland ahead was blasted into a wide, smoldering crater.

The spell's power was striking—worthy of its Water Saint-tier rank—but to Roya, it was just that: worthy. It still didn't measure up to his expectations.

Roxy's clothes were drenched, though her robe, crafted from some mysterious material, kept her inner layers untouched despite the soaking. While a caster wouldn't be harmed by their own magic, such a broad surge of mana inevitably left its mark.

The misty rain lingered outside, but every droplet was turned aside by the invisible barrier Roya had raised, sliding off to soak into the earth on either side.

Roxy adjusted her wind-tossed hat and walked toward Roya.

Rudeus and Sylphie stood wide-eyed, marveling at the spell's strength. A technique of that caliber could reshape the land on a small scale.