Max gave him a puzzled look as she handed over the bookcase.
âYou think I came out because I hated the World Tower, donât you?â He was able to discern her thoughts.
âI didnât like the discipline, but I didnât hate it by itself. In fact, thereâs no other place in the world where hundreds of great wizards can gather to hone their skills like in that place,â he said in a faint longing voice.
Maxâs curiosity had been piqued. Nornui was an unknown island with very limited access to outsiders. Only the wizards were allowed to enter and leave the tower while the merchants from the south and west were busy at the port. To and from knowledge had to go through the proper channels.
Without a doubt, this forbidden place exuded a mysterious aura. Countless minstrels had spread songs about the mysterious Nornui all over the continent, fascinated and enchanted by its secrecy.
Itâs no wonder that Lady Calypse was enthralled by the tale of the runaway wizard. Since listening to the tales skillfully sung by singers, she had been lost in strange dreams about the World Tower for a long time. And now that she was in the company of someone best acquainted, she decided to learn everything she could.
âD-do all wi-wizards study at the W-World Tower?â Her eyes glimmered with curiosity as she inquired.
âWhat do you mean-do you want to study magic by yourself at Anatol?â Ruth shook his head as if telling her not to ask stupid questions.
âIn order to master the magicâs properties, you must go into the World Tower and train. However, you donât have to go too far to learn the universal magic you want to learn. Most of the wandering wizards in the mercenary corps are these non-affiliated wizards.â
Ruth scratched the back of his head as she tilted her head at the unfamiliar words, wondering if he had explained it yet.
âAs mentioned in the introduction to wizardry, Mana is wind, water, earth, fire, light and darkness⌠There are a total of 6 attributes. Mana has these six kinds of energy in perfect balance⌠The very pure mana accumulated in the body by extracting only one attribute is called speed mana, and the advantage of this pure mana is the âmagic attributeâ. On the other hand, the âuniversal magicâ that we want to learn right now is not one attribute of mana, but an attribute of various attributes that we accumulate and use in our body.â
âWouldnât the various elements be better? I think itâs better to collect all the elements in the same amount,â he continued.
âNo, the more unstable your mana is, the more powerful it becomes. The mana that is focused on only one attribute has 10 times the power of normal mana. Letâs say you have 6 bricks here. Isnât it difficult to spread evenly on the floor? Thatâs for sure. However, you can simply knock them down by stacking bricks. As I said earlier, magic creates these dissonances in nature. Itâs magic that breaks the balance and affects a well-calculated mess.â
Max nodded and recalled the explanation of the difference between âspellâ and âmanaâ she had heard last time. Spells were against the laws of nature, but mana followed them.
âIn the past, it was thought that if the bodyâs accumulated mana was inclined to a certain trait, the magical power would be greater as well.â Ruth revealed the inside of his wrist by rolling up his sleeves.
She smiled wide as if she was happy to understand. On the white skin with veins, a small enchantment, drawn in red ink, was inscribed.
âIn order to master the attributes of magic, you need to be awarded this by the World Tower. Me.. Through this magic, Iâm accumulating pure wind-like mana in my body.â
âWell, I-I donât think soâŚâ Max said, looking down at her wrist with a touch of anticipation. âWouldnât it be e-easier to learn ma-magic if you engraved it on your b-body?â
âThe only people who can engrave this magic are the senior wizards who live atop the World Tower, and in order for them to be given the attribute magic, they have to live and be educated in the World Tower for atleast four years. They canât get out of Nornui during that time.â
Max drooped her shoulders with a disappointed look. Ruth clicked his tongue as though he wanted to laugh as he looked down at the figure.
âWhat do these attributes mean for a new chick who has just started studying the theory of magic?⌠Youâre worried about learning the basics arenât you?â
âW-well, itâs just⌠ah! I only asked one question.â Max grumbled burying her nose into the book hiding her embarrassed face.
Ruth smiled and moved a few books beside Max before rising from his seat to light the fire. The sky was cloudy and a dim shadow hung over the library, despite the fact that it was still early.
With tongs, he removed small embers from the furnace and lit them on a candlestick and lamp. Max rubbed her tired eyes and kept reading before rising just in time; it was already evening.
âAre you going to the dining hall for dinner?â When he saw her packed books and parchment, Ruth asked mischievously.
Max shook her head. She couldnât face the knights last night because she was too humiliated by her tipsy self.
âI-Iâm going to e-eat in my room. I-I want to st-stay there re-reading all these books.â
âCalm down, Max. You havenât made that big of a mistake. I donât think youâve ever seen a real drunkard, much less hear he gibberish they spew.â Ruth, who immediately saw through her excuse, spat out. He then went on to suggest.
âOh, why donât you take this chance to build friendship with the knights? Everyone seems to think itâs funnyâŚâ
âW-well.. I-I donât want to be fu-funnyâŚâ
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!