Under Viseliane’s explanation, Dolores managed to produce a transparent crystal of mana in her palm on almost her first try.
Viseliane placed her hand on Dolores’s wrist, helping guide the other’s mana through her body to form the patterns.
Dolores knew she possessed [Magic Direction Adaptability] , [Wood Element Affinity] , and [Healing Magic Upper Limit] .
[Magic Direction Adaptability] gave her a special talent for interpreting and creating magic.
And while the Wood Element was mostly used in healing spells, there were plenty of other spells in that direction worth using and studying.
“Princess, can you feel the shape of the mana inside your body? Draw the pattern you sense on this paper.”
Viseliane asked, looking at the ethereal crystal in Dolores’s hand, and pushed the paper and pen in front of her.
“I can feel it—very clearly. It’s like a picture. Let me try.”
With that, Dolores picked up the pen and sketched the pattern she felt onto the paper.
Since she was originally a painter, pen control was basic skill. Soon a clear, irregular pattern appeared on the paper, with neat strokes and beautiful curves.
“Princess, your handwriting is really beautiful.” Viseliane did not hold back praise. After a careful look, she gave her conclusion.
“I didn’t expect the Princess to have such astonishing talent in magic. Using magic is essentially drawing a magic circle with mana. Being able to sense mana clearly is already the entry level of many elementary students at magic academies.”
“Is that flattery?” Dolores joked.
“No, it’s the truth.” Viseliane let go, no longer guiding the mana through Dolores’s body.
“Sensing mana, controlling mana, drawing magic circles—these are all things that beginner mages learn at magic academies.”
“An intermediate mage can already cast spells equivalent to a serious attack from Mr. Grin or me. And intermediate mages can graduate from ordinary magic academies. Advanced mages are already at about the same level as us.”
“Like Alberke at Urgrich University’s Mages Academy? But if she’s at that level, why is she still in the Art Academy?”
Dolores asked in confusion.
“She suffers from the university’s complicated procedures. Urgrich University is not a specialized magic academy. And from my observation, Miss Alberke seems not to want to stand out too much. Besides, she didn’t enroll through the magic track.”
“Of course, the main reason is that she hasn’t displayed her magic abilities at the university. Even a university wouldn’t deliberately bury someone with magical talent.”
Viseliane answered. She had done a little investigating into Alberke, since the girl had already started interacting with the Princess, so it was wise to be cautious.
Hearing this, Dolores could understand why Alberke was still in the Art Academy.
Not wanting to stand out too much—probably to avoid raising Grin’s suspicion. If not for her own appearance as a variable, Alberke might have continued playing the guide role.
Her original plan might really have been to follow Grin’s storyline while studying.
“Then how can I cast a spell that, as you said, is equivalent to a serious attack from the two of you?”
Dolores asked the question she cared about most.
—
Viseliane patted the pile of books on the table.
“Read more, write more, practice more.”
“I just checked the mana reserves on you, Princess. For an ordinary intermediate mage, that’s enough for seven or eight spells. Later you can increase your mana cap through other means.”
“Your biggest problem is that you don’t know how to draw magic circles. You have mana but don’t know how to use it.”
“A single spell is a complete pattern. Specific chants, gestures, materials, and even the symbols on your body can all cooperate to form different patterns.”
As she spoke, Viseliane opened her hand toward Dolores. A beautiful ice flower instantly appeared in her palm, then fire bloomed on top of it, and then both vanished.
“I possess the [Traveler of Chanting Magic] symbol. It can replace the magic patterns that normally require chanting or drawing, allowing me to cast simple spells instantly.”
Then Viseliane pointed at the magic items on Dolores’s body and explained:
“Those magic items on you work on the same principle. The pattern of the corresponding spell is carved into the item by special means, so it can function even without magic.”
“As for some items with level restrictions, they may themselves be complete magic circles, but for some reason the middle part is missing. They need the user’s own mana to fill the gap, hence various restrictions.”
Dolores nodded. That explained why she didn’t carry many special items—some required a certain foundation to use.
“Actually, warriors like Mr. Grin may not know the theory like we mages do, but often enough strength can bypass many complicated procedures.”
“Many warrior-type class-holders use magic crudely, but that doesn’t mean their results are bad.”
The image of Grin swinging flames back then popped into Dolores’s mind. Honestly, it was really cool. Her cheeks unconsciously flushed a little.
There was no teacher more learned than Viseliane in the entire Land Kingdom. As an elf, her long lifespan meant centuries of accumulated knowledge, allowing her to teach Dolores a complete theoretical system of magic.
“Next, I’ll demonstrate the normal process of casting this spell, Princess. It’s a performance spell, not very dangerous.”
With that, Viseliane withdrew the magic in her hand and began chanting a mysterious incantation. Three or four seconds later, the same spell appeared.
Then she took out a piece of paper and a crystal, drawing the same pattern on each.
The spell cast on paper collapsed after a few seconds when the paper caught fire.
As for the spell on the crystal, after the magic disappeared, the pattern remained etched on the crystal.
“Materials of different types can sustain different levels of magical power. The spells chanted or drawn on paper vanish quickly because those materials don’t actually bear the magic pattern.”
“For them, my mana actually drew the pattern in the air and maintained its existence through mana. Once I let go, it disappeared.”
“As for this crystal material, it can record the mana pattern. Many mages’ staves have these magic patterns carved into the crystal.”
Viseliane tapped the crystal; the pattern on it was clearly visible.
“If chanting requires saying the words ‘Fireball Spell’ to cast it, and you carve the corresponding fragment of the spell into your staff’s crystal, then you only need to chant ‘Fireball’ to release it.”
“Of course, that’s just an analogy. It’s not that simple in reality, but the theory is roughly the same.”
Dolores nodded. How should she put it?
Surprisingly easy to understand, not abstract at all. She just needed some time to get used to the abstract concept of mana.
“Generally, beginners trying to draw a magic circle often fail due to poor mana control or resistance from the circle itself, but after multiple attempts, they gradually get the hang of it.”
Suddenly, Viseliane stopped talking. She saw clumsy Dolores draw the magic circle pattern with her pen—perfectly. An ice flower appeared, then burst into sparks.
The elf maiden’s face broke into a smile. She praised:
“Princess, you really have talent.”
The firelight from the magic illuminated Dolores’s face. In her emerald eyes, curiosity and longing coexisted.
Maybe she really could learn magic in a short time. After all, her magical talent wasn’t bad.
She wanted to be faster, to stand by Grin’s side as someone who could help.
Not just as a princess.
Er what happens to the schedule?
I have fixed the order