Henry was satisfied with Felicia's personality. She was willing to take risks for the opportunities he gave her and understood her limits when it was beyond her capabilities.
This kind of personality would take her far.
She wasn't greedy.
Though, Henry had an idea why. It might be because of the commoner life she had lived in the past. She knew what it was like to have nothing, so she was okay with anything.
"I'm your son, too. I don't want my mother to die when it's unnecessary," Henry added.
Felicia's heart warmed at his words.
"Thank you, Dear. I've already received enough."
She was happy he still saw her as his mother and at his concern.
"You should be able to reach the next class with this."
Henry gave her his share of the mana crystals.
Felicia was stunned.
"You don't want it?"
"I have a better idea."
Henry smiled and didn't elaborate.
He then spent half the day explaining what she needed to do to reach the next class. He did so in detail based on the memories he could remember.
After Henry was done, he left her alone in the apartment.
Henry eyed the mana mine below the magic circuit. There was a great accumulation of mana in there. If he could access them, he would be able to step into the next class.
He arrived at the Magic Circuit Maintenance Building. He saw Trago teaching the students the new blueprints after Henry modified them.
"Henry?"
Trago immediately noticed him and stopped.
"Mr. Trago, I need exclusive access to the defensive magic circuit. I have another idea I want to try."
It was a lie. Henry was not planning on modifying the magic circuit. Instead, he planned on exploring the area to see if he could create an opening or incite it to release pure liquid mana.
"Hmm… I'm afraid that's not possible. You need someone to be there with you."
As much as Trago wanted to trust Henry, letting him have the magic circuit for himself for a whole day was impossible. It concerned the security of the academy.
"Ah. Too bad. I have an idea that will add another feature to the magic circuit…" Henry sighed loudly.
He made sure Trago heard his words.
Trago's face twitched. He realized what Henry was trying to do.
"Er… How about I accompany you?"
Trago couldn't help but be enticed by the idea. If Henry could add another feature, it would mean that the academy would have more up their sleeves during times of invasion.
If this were a peaceful time, Trago would have immediately said no.
But the danger of invasion loomed over their heads now that the emperor was close to the end of his lifespan. It gave Trago enough reason to allow Henry.
"Deal!"
Henry hurriedly agreed. It was better than nothing.
Trago knew there was more to this because Henry wouldn't improve the magic circuit for no return. Last time, he did it for access to the Principal's library.
Trago told the students he would come back. He then entered the magic circuit with Henry.
"Why?"
Trago didn't beat around the bush. He asked as soon as they entered.
"In exchange, I want to receive as much mana as I need in order to advance to the next class!"
Henry's demand was astonishing.
Trago knew the history of the academy. There was never a case of someone using the mana mine as a mana source to improve their magus class.
Henry would be the first if he agreed.
"What is this feature first?" Trago asked.
He needed to weigh the pros and cons. He didn't own the academy. He would need to explain to the Principal later; if it were insufficient, he would be punished.
"The ability to self-destruct!" Henry thought of it on the spot.
"Crazy!"
Trago's body shook in disbelief. Putting such a feature in the magic circuit would be insanely dangerous.
Henry got this idea from the crude magic circuit Felicia made. However, it wasn't exactly hers as he made some modifications that increased its efficiency.
"Think about it. If the academy is at its last leg, you can threaten the enemy with mutual destruction!"
Henry's words made Trago pause.
He furrowed his eyebrows and seriously thought if that would be a good idea.
A few minutes later, he nodded his head.
"Fine! I've been to the Empire. Their defensive magic circuit there has a self-destruct feature."
If Trago didn't know the Empire had it, he wouldn't have agreed as he couldn't understand its use at the moment.
But he knew the Empire.
It was a behemoth that stood for tens of thousands of years. There must be a reason its defensive magic circuit had a self-destruct feature.
Something like what Henry said made sense. They could use it to threaten mutual destruction if they ever came to their last breath.
"Do I need the Principal's approval?"
"No need. The Principal has informed me to let you do as you please as long as it's within reason and would benefit the academy."
The Principal saw Henry's potential and wanted to use him to improve the academy. Thus, he gave express permission to Trago after he learned that Henry modified the magic circuit for the better.
"Thank you."
Henry was happy. The Principal was smart and knew how to strike the iron while it was hot.
Trago ordered the students inside the building to leave.
That left him and Henry.
He silently watched as Henry walked around and drew lines all over the magic circuit. Same as before, they didn't make sense to Trago.
He used a method he couldn't understand.
It allowed him to draw without causing the magic circuit to react yet.
And with a final stroke of the chalk, the magic circuit changed once more. Lines shifted and crossed into different paths.
They glowed with astonishing light. The mana they contained increased twofold. Trago could sense a faint feeling of danger coming from the magic circuit.
It wasn't a normal defensive magic circuit anymore. It was now also capable of offense, which was the self-destruct feature.
Ignoring the changes, Henry walked to the center. He drew a circle and a bunch more lines and shapes.
Within the drawn circle, a torrent of liquid mana floated out and swirled into a huge ball. This mana ball surged with energy, and the seven elements manifested at its surface, forming and dissolving.
"T-the purest mana capable of transmuting to the seven elements without a catalyst…"
Trago's throat was parched in disbelief.