I walked into the library and looked around for Gordon. "Miss," someone called, and I turned. He was sitting closest to the shelves and was waving at me. I walked to the table and took my seat.
"You were right. Yesterday I felt so heavy I could barely move," he said as soon as I sat down. "You look fine to me."
"It's normal when your magic is forced out like that," I replied.
"So, have you thought about it?" he asked. "Will you take me as your apprentice?"
"Oh, that," I exclaimed. Isn't he supposed to give me more time? "Well, I need to think about it a bit more," I said, and he nodded.
"Take your time," he replied, lowering his head.
"I… I will," I said. "Uh…" This is weird for me.
"I looked for some books and studied them last night," he said, showing me a book. He seems diligent, so he might not be a bad apprentice.
"Studying the theory first is important, so I'd advise you focus on that until your body gets used to having magic," I said, and he nodded.
"I can't wait to start learning," he replied, smiling.
"I'd recommend some books that helped me grasp things faster," I said, standing up. I picked the books I used when I studied healing magic and placed them on the table. He took one and skimmed through it before his expression changed.
"Miss Faina," he said, looking at me. "This is an advanced level. Are you sure this is the right one?" he asked. I took the book and looked at it.
"Yes, this is it. I had no idea it was advanced," I replied, feeling remorseful.
"As expected of a professor," he smiled. "Can you please explain it to me?" he asked, and I nodded. Anything to keep me from that dark mountain.
"Okay," I replied, picking up the first note.
When I was teaching in front of many students, I was so nervous I could barely speak. But teaching Gordon wasn't that bad. He listened attentively and let me finish before asking questions.
"I think I understand it better now, but should I use this same technique for serious injuries?" he asked.
"It depends on the magic status and the situation you find yourself in," I replied. "You're a gold, so I wouldn't advise this technique for serious injuries. For higher statuses, it can be effective, but it's not advisable," I said, and he nodded.
"What's your magic status, Miss?"
"I'm a platinum ranker," I replied, flipping to the next page.
"Platinum?" he asked, and I looked up. I shouldn't have mentioned it casually; being a platinum ranker is a big deal.
"Yes," I replied.
"Wow, whoa," he exclaimed, using his hand to fan his face. "That means this technique works well for you," he said, and I shook my head.
"Not in all situations. Having a high magic status is good, but we must adhere to the rules to avoid putting someone in danger," I replied, and he nodded.
"I understand," he said, relaxing in his seat. It was already getting dark outside. "Now I want to be your apprentice even more," he said.
"..."
"Let's continue," he said, and I nodded.
We studied until it was dark, then packed up and left.
Teaching Gordon also helped me revisit parts I had missed in the past. It wasn't a complete waste. I just hoped I could find what I've been looking for in the process.
…
I walked into the library again and looked around. Gordon was nowhere to be seen, so I took a seat and started studying while I waited.
"Miss," said Gordon, who was sitting in front of me with an exhausted expression. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Sorry I'm late; we had a practical study today," he said, and I nodded.
"Would you like to rest?" I asked, and he shook his head.
"No, I'm fine. I don't have time to rest," he said.
"Okay," I replied, bringing out the books I was using to teach him.
We studied for hours again before leaving. He was getting more acquainted with the topic, and I knew it was time to learn the practical aspect. His background knowledge helped a lot, but moving forward without practice would definitely affect his progress.
I spent the night drafting out the easy practices and fell asleep in the process. I woke up and looked outside; it was already morning. I cleaned up and decided to wear trousers instead of a dress.
I walked out, planning to read in the archive before going to the library but was intercepted by a student, a Scarlet.
"Good morning, Miss Faina. I was told to summon you," she said, and I nodded. As I took a few steps, I stopped and looked back. I still felt a bit hostile towards other dorms even though I've graduated.
"I'm a good Azure," I said to myself as I walked to the Principal's office.
I knocked and walked in after he responded. I saw him going through some files. He looked up and smiled, as always.
"You're here. Please have a seat," he said, putting the files aside. "I thought you didn't want an apprentice," he said.
"Yes," I replied.
"But I heard you have an apprentice now," he continued.
"I don't. I'm just helping him with his studies, but I am considering the apprenticeship," I replied, and he smiled.
"But the kid is a dormant. I could recommend more students for you, some special grades as well," he said.
"He's not a dormant," I replied. The Principal looked surprised but nodded and schooled his expression.
"How is that possible?" he asked.
"He touched a magic crystal again and awakened his magic a few days ago," I replied.
"Just touching it doesn't help, Faina," he said. I know that; after helping Gordon, I checked and found out it doesn't help.
"I used healing magic to stabilize his magic flow," I replied.
"That makes sense, but is that even possible?" he asked, though it didn't sound like he was speaking to me. "Well, our young professor has done another thing," he smiled. "We'll deal with this later. As you know, the school has been locked out from the outside world," he said, and I nodded.
"Yes, but it seems the students have no idea," I replied.
"We don't want to cause a panic," he explained. If the students knew, they might start overreacting and asking the school to let them go back home. "But you'll have to leave," he said.
"Huh?"
"You've been summoned to Alden. A few vassals will be leaving as well," he said. Did something happen?
"Okay, when am I leaving?"
"As soon as possible. That should be tomorrow," he replied, and I nodded. "I've contacted some people to get everything ready. Your people will be here in the morning," he said.
"Thank you, Principal," I replied. I'm really grateful to the Principal. He always looks out for me. That's his job, but I'm still grateful.
"When you return, we'll talk about the apprenticeship," he said, and I nodded.
"When I come back," I said, standing up. What could I possibly teach them? I graduated early, and even though I could become a physician, my main focus has been on Large Worms for a long time now.
I walked to the archive to study a bit before going to the library.
"Miss Faina," Gordon said, but he wasn't as loud as usual. Someone must have said something. "I finished early today, so I came here to study a bit," he said, and I nodded.
"We're not studying today. I'll show you the basics, and then you'll do the rest by yourself," I said, and his expression changed.
"Are you going to stop teaching me? Is it because I wasn't good enough? I'll do better," he said hurriedly.
"No, no, that's not it. I'm going somewhere for a few weeks, that's all," I said, and he sighed.
"Then will you take me as your apprentice?" What do you think 'take your time' means?
"When I come back, I'll tell you my decision," I replied, and he nodded. "Let's go. We can't do it here," I said, standing up.
"Okay," he said, packing his books.
"We'll use a plant for now since it's your first time," I said, and he nodded.
We went to the garden and took two small pots with the gardener's permission. He didn't really care, so it was fine.
"Can we stay here?" I asked him, and he waved at me.
"Do what you want," he said and left.
"Okay," I said, turning to look at Gordon. "Shall we?"
There were tables in the middle of the garden with different flower pots on them, so we went to one.
"I'll show you how it works, then you'll do it," I said, and he nodded. "First, focus your magic energy on one point and release it slowly," I said, and he nodded. I raised my hand above the small pot and did as I explained. The seed started germinating slowly, then it blossomed.
"Wow."
"Next, to heal," I said, breaking the stem. "Do the same but at a slower pace," I said, touching it. The broken stem joined back together and stood tall as if it had never been broken.
"It's best if you learn how to grow the plant first so that you'll be able to control your flow," I said, and he nodded.
"I'll have perfected it by the time you return," he said.
"You'll be able to understand how to use magic with concoctions if you grasp how the flow helps the plant," I said, and he nodded.