Dance With the Nightingale - Chapter 52

[Subsidiary State of Flenia]

[The Flenial Magic Apprentice Academy]

[Principal’s Private Room]

Four months had passed since then.

Since the day she accepted the ‘old man’ as her master.

The seasons had changed, no longer were there cool winds drifting around nor was there the sweet scent of grass lingering in the air.

Now the sky was bright, the day was hot and the winds were dry.

Carrying with them the salty smell of sweat, sweat that she shed every day.

And it was after another such a sweat inducing session that the old man declared.

“Now we are done with your theory part.”

And that declaration, confused her.

Tilting her head slightly, the girl with silver locks re-confirmed what theory meant in her head, getting more confused as she did.

‘Didn’t theory involve pens, papers, and a lot of magical formulas that I can’t remember…?’

‘How am I done with my theory part? All I remember doing is- ‘

-Learning how to take blows only to get punched in the face so hard that I outright fainted.

-Learning how to evade blows only to get encased in an ice coffin so cold that even my thoughts froze.

-Learning how to attack only to get attacked first followed by being encased in an ice coffin again.

…

..

.

‘Yeah, I only got beat up.’

She concluded after going through her series of defeats for the past four months, that usually ended with her being encased in an ice coffin.

That day four months ago, when she blew off the old man’s sleeve, her thoughts were something along the lines-

‘I am finally catching up!’

But the next day, she understood how wrong her thoughts were, and that was also the first time got encased in that damn ice coffin.

-What? You thought that you will steamroll me now?

-Naïve kid.

-The one you fought till now was a normal ice mage.

-And now, one you will fight now, is me, Chris Gus Bellat.

He said simply in a light tone, before leaving the field, leaving her, in an ice coffin as huge as a small hill.

It was only at that time, that she realized what it was to fight against a genius, a real genius, not a half-baked one-

-Chill

It was just an instant that she felt it, and it was the next, in which she moved. Jumping away, dodging in a flash, appearing in the far end of the room.

“Being lost in your own thoughts, when talking to me?”

Said the old man, looking at her, through a transparent icicle that had appeared just where she was standing. It was big enough to crucify her.

“Aren’t you being too careless, Eva?”

Had she been late, even by an instant, then, she would have been fatally injured. She knew he wouldn’t stop the attack halfway.

The old man didn’t like talking, so when he talked, it was of utmost importance that she listened.

It was almost like a unspoken rule, and now, she broke that rule.

“Or too confident, perhaps?”

He said as he dismantled the icicle, his cold eyes looking straight at her.

“Sorry.”

She said, quickly apologizing.

One of the many lessons that she learned during the past few months, included this – Never argue with Master!

A lesson which she learned, the cold way, quite literally, the cold way.

So, following her lesson, she asked, her sentences still a bit off, but conveyed what she meant.

“How my theory part is done? I am confused.”

‘Quickly apologize and then ask your question.’

That was how she handled these situations.

“So, that is your question?…”

He nodded, the dangerous atmosphere around him disappearing in an instant, as he took a pause, thinking a for bit before answering.

“Why do we learn theory Eva?”

“Why…?”

‘Isn’t it something that we just learn?’

Those were her honest thoughts.

“No, it isn’t cause we just have to learn it.”

The old man, once again reading her thoughts, denied them before she could even speak.

Still, she had no clue how he does that.

“Then why?”

She came back to where she was once standing, and asked the first thing that came in her mind.

“Eva, do you know, how to cast two spells at once?”

“Of course?”

She answered, uncertainly, not because she didn’t know how to do that, but because, it was something she did naturally.

For her, it was something like the basic of the basics.

So, she didn’t know why he was asking this.

But she did know, that if she figured out then she will get her answer.

She knew, cause it was not the first time, that her question was answered like that.

“Do you know, how to divide a big spell in many small ones?”

“Yes.”

She answered patiently.

Patience, the she didn’t have before.

“Do you know, how to prevent, total mana loss after your spell is disintegrated?”

“Yes.”

“Then, you know all the theory of your first term.”

“Huh?”

She looked at him like an idiot, as he said that.

‘I know it?, How come I do?’

Seeing her still not understanding it, Chris just shook his head before continuing.

“All the theory in the world, is made, found, or researched, only to apply it. There is no reason, other than that.”

“And you Eva, have been doing just that, applying the theory.”

“Is-is that so?”

She asked, as she understood the implications behind his statement.

Didn’t it mean, ‘That I am an idiot who didn’t understood what was written, even when I was doing it?’

Shame, another new feel that she recently learnt, rose up in her heart as her cheeks were painted red.

Looking at his disciple who had red cheeks, but still didn’t understand anything, Chris spoke in defeat.

“Eva, you may be a genius, but first and foremost you are an idiot.”

Those words hit the silver-haired-girl, as hard as her first period, which she mistakenly thought as an internal injury and went to the infirmary to seek for treatment.

The only thing that the girl got there were laughs, and some motherly advise from a nurse with red cheeks.

That was maybe the first time she felt shame.

A feeling she didn’t like one bit.

Lowering her head even more than before, the girl searched for the correct words, but even after a period of time, she remained empty mouthed.

Even though he knew his disciple’s dilemma he didn’t with much for her to say something.

Why?

Cause even if he did, others wouldn’t.

Snapping the girl out of her stupor, as even her ears were turning red, Chris spoke.

“Just like the first term, you have completed the rest of the terms. So now, you graduate.”

“I graduate?”

“Yes, you do.”

“Without an written exam…?”

“I can arrange one if you want to be tested? Do you?”

Shaking her head vehemently, Eva almost cheered.

“No~”

“Haha, then go pack your things you are leaving the Academy tomorrow.”

Completely caught off guard by the news, Eva’s pale complexion turned even paler as her cheering mood disappeared in an instant.

In a tone that was supposed to be probing, she asked

“You are kicking me out?”

“No, I am coming with you.”

The girl immediately felt relief washing over her as she heard that.

“Now that we are done with theory, it’s time you get some actual combat experience.”

“Precious experience that I don’t think you lack, but it’s always good to have more. As for our destination…hmm, we are going North, To the Fernsby Duchy.”

“Okay, then.” The girl quickly said, not minding the cold of the place they were traveling.

After being encased in the ice coffin for so long, the thing she least minded was some cold.

Also, the girl simply had enough trust in him to know that, ‘If I listen to him, then I will keep getting stronger.’

And that fact was proven and tested.

During the past 4 months the only thing that changed tremendously was her strength.

She was even stronger than before, her every aspect was stronger, brighter, tougher.

So, without questioning she just nodded and left.

A remainder, still sounding behind her.

“Don’t forget to pack warm clothes.”

“Okay.” She said, half-turning, finding it weird coming from a man who literally froze her hundreds of times.

She wanted to say something, something like a snarky remark, but as expected, she couldn’t find the words quick enough.

So, letting it be, she turned back, before leaving for real, feeling a bit bitter that she couldn’t get back at the old man.