Magicapita

"Headmistress Lenolia." One student raised her hand eagerly. "How is it possible for a spell to convert magical energy into visible light that you can see and interpret?"

"Information is information," Headmistress Lenolia remarked. "Once you understand that, it just becomes a matter of converting the information that the spell obtained from scanning an area and then converting it into information that your eyes can see. The way that you do that is by using the light element along with the runes that signify the phenomenon of 'displaying' and 'seeing.' As you know, we have runes that help you convert the information that your eyes can see. You have also been made to learn these runes, so it would do all of you good to understand exactly what the runes mean and how they can be used to achieve what you desire to achieve."

She directed a sweeping gaze across the students before continuing with an instructive tone. "Runes do not represent merely elements. They can represent any discrete phenomenon that our minds understand and are able to conceptualize."

Another student raised a hand. "What kind of things does Enlight tell you about, Headmistress?"

"The most elementary version of Enlight will only give you a visual of the most basic layout of the region that you apply it to," she replied with a knowing tone. "There are higher versions of Enlight that allow you to tell color, and even more advanced versions that allow you to see through more. The spell is very fundamental and scales extremely well to much higher levels."

Several more students asked her questions that she expertly answered with clear words and simple communication. Cæ had to admit that she was a pretty good educator. Perhaps not the best that he had experienced, he still enjoyed his magiconomics professor the most, but still someone that he would appreciate a lot as an educator.

She was the no-bullshit type. One who didn't mess around when it came to delivering information while simultaneously ensuring that all her students understood the concepts that she broke down for them.

Soon enough, she had gotten through all the doubts that the students asked, nodding at all of them. "Well then, let's begin with the training. I would like all of you to take your place in the training stations. Make sure that you stand within the designated area with your magic conductors at the ready. Make sure that you remember the runes and the magi circles for the spells."

The students did as she instructed. Cæ took his place at one end of his training station with a wand at the ready.

She waved her hand, casting a spell to activate the training systems.

Suddenly, each of the training stations grew dark as the darkness enchantments extinguished any light entering the stations.

"Now, a set of objects has been placed on the other end of the training station," Headmistress Lenolia informed them. "It is your task to use Enlight to discover what they are. You are not allowed to use any other means of attempting to discern what they are. Now then, begin."

Magic circles emerged before each of the students as it triggered a powerful association, creating the image of the eidos of the spell. They then used their imagination to alter some of its parameters while activating their mana-motive force to drive mana from within their mind, converging it with the eidos in their mind.

Form and physicality became one, creating causality.

VMMM…

A wave of light magical energy washed across the entire training station, bouncing off the walls and the objects that they needed to discern, before returning to the users as they converted the information that they obtained into visible light that entered the eyes of the users.

Suddenly, they could see in the dark, allowing them to behold not just the walls of the training station that they were in, but also the designated objects that they were being tested to detect.

Cæ's stormy gray eyes lit up with a hint of amazement as he got to 'see' the items and the layout of the station. The items placed on the other end of the training station were a chair, a cube, and a cup, each stacked upon the other. It was merely the most bare basics of information, merely allowing him to perceive the structure and surface with low resolution, but that alone was enough for him to be able to navigate the entire location.

He grew excited at how marvelous the spell was. It was no wonder that there existed magitechnology that could essentially cure blindness. The enthusiasm that magic could evoke from him was rather soothing and energizing at the same time, given how much stress he had been put through the previous day.

"Now then, please state the objects that you have seen in the terminal to your left."

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Cæ quickly entered his answers before the lights turned back on.

DING

The terminal indicated his success.

He heard many vibrating noises in other training stations, indicating incorrect answers.

"It is entirely normal not to get it correct on your very first try," Headmistress Lenolia reassured them with a calming tone. "All spells are unique and have a unique feel to them. It requires time to get used to them under normal circumstances. However, it seems that we have one who got it right on the very first try."

She turned to Cæ with an acknowledging nod. "Well done, Mr. Cæ. Excellent as always. Continue practicing the spell and make sure that you get the hang of it."

"Yes, Headmistress." Cæ nodded, turning back as the lights went off once more.

He spent the rest of the training session honing his mastery of the spell as the time it took for him to cast it continued falling. He grew faster and faster with the spell, growing to be able to cast it in the blink of an eye. The growth he had with the spell was one of the most satisfying parts about learning magic. Not only did casting magic feel, well, magical, but it also felt extremely fulfilling, even more than the successes of his business ventures.

It was one of the only things that could take his mind off the pressures that had been mounted on him recently. He could feel his muscles relaxing and loosening as he continued persevering, growing better and better with magic.

The students in other training stations grew stunned at the number of 'dings' they heard from his training station. He never once made a mistake, nailing the spell on his very first try and then only getting better and better with each passing moment.

On the other hand, many students continued failing in successive tries. The better among them had begun getting a success every once in a while, but most of their attempts ended in failure. They all couldn't believe just how fast Cæ learned and even seemed to master the spell, making it his own.

Cæ even had to control himself from using pure magic instinctively. What he found to be especially difficult was suppressing the urge ever since he had used it to save Serulia from Miranda.

It was one of the most relieving, freeing, and euphoric feelings that he had ever gotten. He felt like he had been shackled to a wall and was finally allowed to go free after a long, long time.

Ever since then, the urge to use pure magic had grown stronger and stronger. It was almost as if his mind recognized exactly how much he had been holding himself back, creating a subconscious urge to go all out and stop holding back.

It was dangerous.

Cæ realized that he could slip at any time and let it slip that he was a pure mage. After all that effort that he had gone through trying to verify whether or not Serulia remembered that he had used pure magic, it would be a real shame if he simply let it slip by using pure magic in front of everybody.

He steadied his breathing as he maintained an iron grip with all his attention over his conscious mind, making sure that he never once gave in to the urges.

Headmistress Lenolia didn't merely stand and watch over them. She went over to each and every single student who practiced magic in their personal training stations. She used her deep mastery and knowledge of magic to expertly help the students spot flaws and fix them. As a divination expert, not only did she understand the magic that she was teaching extremely well, but she also had divination magic that could help her identify what the students were doing well.

By the time class was over, he was the only student who had effectively mastered the technique. The students gazed at him with a shocked gaze as they understood how he had managed to breeze through the Apprentice Program in a single year while also running a business.

"Well done, Mr. Cæ," Headmistress Lenolia praised him. "You have a bright future ahead of you as a mage."

Her gaze shifted to the others. "All of you have done well for your first class. Do not feel dejected at your own progress by comparing yourself to others. Everybody learns at different rates. The important thing is to pace yourself and make sure you have fully mastered the spell rather than simply trying to hasten the process."

She tried to steady the stunned students who couldn't help but keep stealing glances at Cæ.

"I will be occasionally stepping forth to oversee some of your training in the future," she informed them. "I look forward to witnessing your growth. Remember that all of you have the potential to be great mages in the future. Work hard to realize your potential and make it a reality."

The students wished her thundering thank you, expressing gratitude for her once the class ended.

Cæ dispersed from the class immediately, glancing at his schedule.

"Alchemy, magitechnology, combat magic, and magiconomics…" Cæ murmured as he began heading to the alchemy class with eagerness. Magicademics was his greatest passion, one that did wonders for his mood and well-being.

He spent the rest of his day in classes eagerly absorbing and assimilating the information and skills he learned. His goal was to master it as much as the very first time he learned in class so that he could minimize the amount of time he needed to spend revising it.

He could use that time more efficiently for other things on his to-do list and the many agendas that he needed to pay attention to, all while enjoying himself, cultivating magic knowledge and skill.

Unfortunately for him, it always came to an end. By the end of his day, he emerged from his final class, heading towards his dormitory room to find Serulia waiting for him.

She smiled at him as she swept her golden hair behind her ears, clearly pleased to finally see him. The bright light of the afternoon Sun illuminated her light blue eyes as her hair swayed in the gentle breeze.

"Serulia…" Cæ gazed at her with a softened expression. "How do you feel?"

"I am feeling just great, you do not have to worry about my health, the doctors and the healers have already confirmed that I haven't suffered any major injuries…" her eyes bore deeper into his, "…thanks to you."

"…I'm glad to hear that," Cæ replied, ignoring the emotion in her voice.

"I was hoping… we could go for a walk together," she asked him with a hint of embarrassment in her tone. "Maybe spend some time together. We also have to, you know… get together for our testimony training."

Cæ gazed at her, tempted to refuse her.

He recalled what Lilia had told him, however.

He heaved a relenting breath. "…Alright, let's go together then."

Her expression lit up with a hint of delight.