Chapter 108…
Nilit let out a low groan as he sensed Ellie’s mana.
Just as Ellie had said, the mana he felt was far calmer than before. Moreover, the amount of mana was comparable to that of an adult—no, it surpassed it.
By any measure, Ellie was far beyond ordinary.
“I need to get really, really strong!”
“I want to become strong enough to protect Ellie too!”
Clears, who was nearby, shouted along with her.
“…You too?”
“I’ll protect Ellie from danger!”
“I need magic I can use to threaten people so I don’t end up in danger!”
Both of their resolves were firm.
Their reasons for wanting to learn magic were clear.
Given the extraordinary circumstances, it wasn’t something Nilit could brush off with a simple, ‘You’re too young.’
After some deliberation, Nilit made his decision.
First, he needed to placate the children who were waiting right in front of him for an answer.
“…All right, I understand both of your intentions.”
“Yay!”
“But don’t forget—this is only the first interview.”
“…Huh…?”
The cheers from Ellie and Clears faded.
“The second one requires the Magic Tower’s approval.”
And with that, he passed the problem on to his master if he couldn’t handle it himself—a fine example of a responsible adult.
Nilit’s master, known to Ellie by the title Black Robe.
One of the greatest archmages of the Magic Tower, Black Robe once again flew to the royal palace of Nerendis.
“You want to learn magic right away?”
As the second interview began immediately, Ellie tensed up and recalled the answers she had prepared in advance.
“Yeah! It’s hot!”
“…Huh?”
“I heard there’s a spell that lowers the temperature with cooling magic! Archmage Nilit said he can’t teach it because he only knows fire magic!”
“…Ah, that.”
After hearing that her master from the Magic Tower would be coming for the second interview, Ellie had put her heads together with Clears to prepare likely answers.
Now that she knew they wouldn’t teach magic just because she was young, she couldn’t simply throw a tantrum.
She needed a more strategic approach.
‘His eyes wavered when you mentioned threats.’
‘Then let’s ask for an easier spell first!’
‘It’d be even better if we have a reason.’
‘Then this is it!’
That was how this plan was born.
‘Cooling magic was taught by the Magic Tower in the first place!’
Surely they couldn’t refuse to teach it now!
And it was a spell Ellie genuinely needed right away.
Even now, she was practically melting in real time.
“Ugh… I really need this spell right now!”
Instead of a fan, Ellie fluttered her bangs, hoping to cool the sweat on her forehead even a little.
At first, she’d nearly collapsed from the heat, but now she’d adapted enough to stay conscious.
Still, adapting didn’t mean she was used to it.
‘Just because I can endure it doesn’t mean it’s okay!’
The heat only grew worse with each passing day.
Feeling like her whole body was on fire, Ellie sagged limply.
What had started as an interview excuse had turned into a desperate necessity.
Threats or not—she had to survive first.
‘Don’t you feel even a little sorry for me, melting like this?!’
Even mages should have some compassion!
“Hmmm… Well, I suppose it’s fine. You’re already using defensive magic anyway.”
Black Robe nodded without much hesitation.
She’d even prepared more arguments, but she’d passed in one go!
Ellie’s face brightened.
“Teach me right now!”
“Ah, sure. It’s not particularly difficult, but…”
Black Robe extended a hand toward Ellie.
“What will you give me?”
“What do you want?”
Ellie shot back confidently.
She already knew that learning magic was never free.
“What? Hey now, you little bean-sized brat…!”
Black Robe burst out laughing, completely unguarded.
“Well, I suppose you need to be this bold to rule as a king.”
He nodded to himself, seemingly satisfied.
“Right. Since you really are a king, I guess you can give me anything.”
“Yeah!”
Ellie was the only child in the world who could say ‘I can give you anything’ without bluffing.
“Name it!”
“Hmmm…”
Black Robe pondered happily.
What should he demand from a disciple who truly could give him anything, so people would say he’d made a good deal?
“I don’t need money or jewels.”
He already had more than enough of those.
Nilit and others like him apparently enjoyed filling entire treasure vaults, but that wasn’t Black Robe’s style.
As long as he could live and conduct research, anything more was pointless.
“I don’t need titles or positions either.”
Among mages, belonging to the Magic Tower was the highest status there was.
Worldly ranks meant nothing to him.
“Hm. Then perhaps I’ll take magic instead.”
“Magic?”
“If you ever create your own spell, teach it to me for free.”
“…?”
Ellie didn’t understand what that meant.
But Nilit understood immediately.
Ellie was clearly destined to become a great mage.
She could already move mana without formal training; once she became skilled, she might endlessly create spells of her own.
A new spell was something worth far more than mere money.
Honestly, Master…
He still had a knack for squeezing benefits out of things while pretending not to.
Nilit shook his head.
“One of my spells for one of yours. How about it?”
“Umm… any spell?”
“Yes. Anything I didn’t teach you.”
It wasn’t a bad deal for Ellie either.
“Okay! But, um…”
“Yes?”
“What if you can’t learn it even if I teach you?”
“…….”
For a moment, a heavy silence fell.
They hadn’t even activated the cooling spell yet, but an icy chill seemed to freeze the air.
Nilit’s stiff neck slowly turned toward his master.
“…What did you say?”
At the words that slowly escaped his master’s lips, Nilit swallowed dryly in tension.
Ellie, however, still felt none of the chill and answered innocently.
“Archmage Nilit said he can only use fire magic. So maybe there’s magic even you can’t do, Mr. Black Robe?”
“…Haha. So you’re saying, little bean, that I might not be able to use the magic you create?”
“Yeah!”
By now, Clears had grasped the atmosphere.
She knew how painful a blow to one’s pride could be—she’d experienced it herself.
If this went any further, that Black Robe mage might explode.
“Um, Ellie, maybe saying he can’t do it is a bit—”
“Why? Mages are people too. There might be things they can’t do, right?”
Ellie’s unbiased remark froze everyone in place.
Those words carved a massive wound into Black Robe’s pride.
“Haha… little bean, you should know that I am regarded as the greatest genius archmage in the entire history of the Magic Tower since its founding.”
Ellie gaped at the title.
Nilit was an archmage.
Brother Ruden was a genius archmage.
But Black Robe was ‘the greatest genius archmage in the history of the Magic Tower since its founding.’
“That’s long!”
Ellie marveled at the length of the title.
No, that wasn’t what she was supposed to be impressed by.
Black Robe’s pride cracked yet again with an audible crack.
Greed for wealth: none.
Desire for honor: none.
Thirst for knowledge: abundant.
Pride: overflowing.
Those were Black Robe’s traits.
“So, kindly fold up that worry that I might not be able to use the magic you create, and store it away nicely.”
“Uh… okay!”
She hadn’t meant to jab at his pride, so accepting his words wasn’t difficult.
Ellie didn’t realize that her attitude might look like, ‘Go ahead and try, then.’
Black Robe resolved to teach her harshly.
No matter how young she was, a mage was a mage.
‘You have to firmly establish hierarchy and discipline early, or they’ll cause trouble later!’
…That was half an excuse.
The bigger reason was that the pride of the greatest genius archmage in history had been thoroughly scratched.
Either way, the hierarchy had to be made clear.
“You already know the basics of moving mana, so we’ll go straight into spell formulas.”
In an educational setting, the best way to assert hierarchy was to start with something difficult.
It worked especially well on those who wanted flashy, grand spells right from the start.
‘If you want to call down a meteor shower, you should at least know how to light a candle!’
No amount of explanation would make them understand.
But if you taught them how to summon meteors right away, they’d realize: Ah. I’m just a runt who can’t even light incense, and behave themselves.
Cooling magic was a complex spell that combined air circulation, lowering temperature, creating ice, and more.
Normally, you’d teach those components separately…
“Now, I’ll demonstrate. Watch carefully and try to follow.”
“Okay!”
Black Robe immediately cast the cooling spell.
He told her to watch and follow, but he moved his mana at such an expert speed that it was impossible to copy after seeing it just once.
As the spell activated, cool air spread instantly.
“Woooow!”
Ellie cheered and hopped up and down.
“Well? Cool enough?”
“It feels amazing! So cool!”
“This is the ultimate cooling magic.”
“It’s the best! Ultimate magic!”
At Ellie’s enthusiastic praise, Black Robe’s shoulders puffed up proudly.
Even a taciturn mage could be made to dance by her admiration.
“An archmage should find this level of magic hardly difficult—”
That should be enough to show a master’s dignity.
Now, learn diligently with reverence.
…That was what Black Robe thought, but the moment didn’t last long.
“So… like this?”
“…?!”
