At 9:30, Elna decided it was time to leave. After bidding farewell to Leo's family, he followed her outside.
"It's late—I'll walk with you," Leo said.
"There's no need," she tried to refuse.
"I don't feel right letting you go alone. I'll come with you at least for a while—it's my duty as a paladin, after all," he added, giving her an easy way to decline if she didn't want him knowing where she lived.
Having no reason to refuse, she simply nodded, and they walked together toward Bush Street. Leo, unsure of the way, kept a step behind her, letting her lead. Neither of them spoke during the walk.
Once they reached Bush Street, Elna finally turned to him.
"Thank you. My house is just a few alleys away," she said.
Leo nodded. "Alright. See you in class, then."
She gave a small nod before they parted ways, each heading in their own direction.
As she walked, Elna found her thoughts lingering on him. He was the first ordinary person to show her kindness.
Remembering Leo's flustered reaction brought a small smile on her lips.
…
Leo stood behind the door, the key in his hand.
'I don't want to go in… Maybe I should wait until they're asleep.'
He knew that wasn't the right thing to do. With a long sigh, he slid the key into the lock and turned it.
The moment he stepped inside, he turned to find Rosie standing in front of him, arms crossed, her face filled with indignation.
"Why didn't you tell me you have a girlfriend?"
Leo's expression stiffened before shifting into an awkward smile.
"Because I don't? She's just a classmate… and a friend."
Lisa walked up next, a knowing smirk on her face.
"Do you want her to be your girlfriend?" she asked, her voice laced with amusement.
"No… maybe."
The last word slipped out before he could stop himself. Leo immediately covered his face with his palm.
Lisa's smirk widened, while Rosie's jaw dropped.
In the corner, Eliza sat quietly, listening intently. Her small face was scrunched up in what looked like mild discontent.
"I'll be in my room," Leo muttered, desperate for an escape. Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked off.
Once inside, he shut the door and collapsed onto his bed, staring at the ceiling.
'Do I really like her?'
Minutes passed. Then an hour.
No matter how much he tried to think about something else, his thoughts kept circling back to Elna.
One word slipped from his lips.
"Damn."
…
Since Friday was the designated rest day of the week here, Saturday marked the start of a new week. It was also an odd-numbered day, and on odd days, Leo had Advanced Illusion. That meant he would see her again today.
Before heading to the Grand Cathedral, he made a stop at the association and went straight to the library. Samuel wasn't there, but someone else was cleaning the shelves. With a single glance, Leo recognized him—it was Liam Hans.
Hearing footsteps, Liam turned around.
"Leo? Don't you have class at the Grand Cathedral?"
"You're well-informed! I do, but it starts in an hour." Leo's gaze shifted to the familiar cleaning supplies in Liam's hands. "So, the captain put you on library duty too?"
"You were assigned here as well?"
"Yeah, I started in this very spot. If you clean fast, you get to read more—it's a good place to begin."
"But I've already read most of the books I can."
"Then you should train instead." Leo stroked his chin in thought. "Have you learned how to feel your mana yet?"
Liam nodded. "Of course."
"What about casting a spell?"
"No."
"Alright, help me find a book on magic circles, and I'll teach you a spell."
"What? Really?"
"Don't get too excited—it's a simple one, but it'll help you increase your mana capacity."
Liam nodded eagerly and started searching the shelves. After about fifteen minutes, they found a D rank book. Flipping through the pages, Leo noted that it also covered some basics of two circles diagrams.
"This will do. Let's go sit over there."
Liam followed him to a table, and they both sat down.
"The spell is called Light Ball." Leo raised his hand, and a small orb of light formed in his palm. "But before I teach you, you need to promise me something."
"What?"
"More than the spell itself, you need to focus on your mana. If it drops too low or nearly runs out, stop immediately."
"What happens if I don't?"
"You'll die."
Liam's eyebrows shot up. "Die? Why?"
"You'll learn the full explanation later in class."
Leo's gaze turned serious.
"Can you promise that?"
"Yes, I don't want to die."
Leo nodded.
"What's your mana score?"
"Eighty-seven."
"That's good, and enough for this spell. Now, raise your hand and imagine an empty sphere in your palm. Then, try to fill it with your mana—that's all you need to do."
"That's it?"
"Just remember to stay aware of your mana at all times."
Liam nodded and lifted his hand. He closed his eyes and focused, but nothing happened. Opening his eyes, he looked at Leo with curiosity.
"You didn't think you'd get it on the first try, did you?"
Leo smirked. "Keep practicing. Start with a small ball—don't try to make it bigger or move it yet. And… don't die, please."
"Don't worry. I may not know any spells, but I'm good at sensing my mana."
Leo nodded, stood up, placed the book in his bag, and headed toward the Grand Cathedral.
On the way to class, Leo flipped through his book, using the Blur effect on it once again. His eyes moved over the text, but his mind was only half-engaged—his focus drifting elsewhere. When he reached the classroom, he immediately noticed Elna was already there.
For a few seconds, they just looked at each other, neither speaking. Then, without a word, Leo moved to his usual seat.
He was so focused on Elna that he completely forgot about Ray and Jerald, who were also in the room.
The lesson with Edgareth that day was mostly review. They spent the session practicing previously learned abilities, refining their techniques rather than learning anything new.
"Train a little more on your own time," Edgareth said as the class wrapped up. "Next week, I'll teach you a new ability." With that, he left the room.
As soon as he was gone, Ray and Jerald made their way over to Leo.
"Hey, Leo, when do you have time?" Ray asked. "Let's go somewhere and have some fun."
Leo barely glanced at them. "Sorry, my schedule is full."
As he spoke, his eyes flickered toward Elna. Without further explanation, he excused himself and walked straight toward her, completely ignoring Ray and Jerald's reactions.
"Hello," he greeted.
"Hi," Elna replied simply.
Ray and Jerald exchanged glances, their expressions shifting from confusion to surprise.
"You made good progress yesterday. If you'd like to continue training, feel free to contact me" Leo offered.
"Contact you? How?"
"Don't you have a telepathy ring?"
Elna shook her head.
Leo thought for a moment. "Okay. Do you have anything to do now?"
"No."
"I have a little time before my enchanting class starts. Let's go to a magic shop."
Elna nodded and stood up, ready to follow.
As they passed by Ray and Jerald, Leo gave them a casual wave. "See you guys later."
Without waiting for a response, he continued walking, with Elna right behind him.
Once they stepped outside the cathedral, Leo pointed toward the street ahead.
"There's a magic shop nearby. Let's go there."
It took them only three minutes to reach their destination. As they stepped inside, Elna's eyes widened with wonder. The shop was filled with shelves stacked with all sorts of magical items—enchanted scrolls, glowing potions, items with intricate carvings, and even a few floating artifacts that hummed softly with latent energy. Her gaze darted from one display to another, fascinated by the sheer variety of magic-infused objects.
After browsing for a little while, they finally found the section with Telepathy Rings.
Elna's excitement faded the moment she saw the price tags. Her face grew tense as she scanned them. The cheapest rings, which had a limited coverage of only 50 meters, were priced at 25 silver coins, while the most expensive ones, offering extended range and clarity, went as high as 5 gold coins.
Gazing at the rings, Leo decided it was time to replace his own.
He didn't hesitate. He grabbed two communication rings, each priced at one gold coin. Their enchantments allowed for a direct one-to-one connection within a range of 500 meters or a broader group connection spanning 50 meters—a practical balance between affordability and functionality.
When he turned back to Elna, he noticed the hesitant look on her face. She was clearly uneasy about the cost.
8*
He smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, it's on me."
Elna immediately shook her head. "I can't accept that."
"Then how about this?" Leo proposed. "Take it as a gift. And in the future, if I ever need help with something, you help me out." Seeing that she was still unsure, he added with a playful smirk, "Of course, nothing illegal. Don't worry, I am a paladin."
Elna glanced between the ring and Leo, her brows furrowed in deep thought. After a moment of silence, she finally let out a small sigh and nodded. "Alright."
With the rings purchased, they stepped outside the shop.
Leo took off his old ring and slid the new one onto his finger, then handed the second one to Elna. "Alright, now inject your mana into the ring to activate it. Once it's linked to you, try imagining me in your mind. You'll feel a connection—it's easy, don't worry."
Elna followed his instructions. As soon as she channeled her mana into the ring, she closed her eyes, concentrating.
A minute later, something clicked in her mind. A strange sensation formed—like an invisible thread linking her to a presence beyond herself.
Then, suddenly, Leo's voice echoed in her mind.
"Hello."
Elna's eyes snapped open in surprise.
"Hi," she responded, and her voice resounded in his mind this time.
Leo grinned. "Now you can contact me whenever you want."
He then glanced at his watch and frowned slightly. "Ah, I need to go. My class starts in five minutes."
Elna simply nodded. "Okay." But then, as if she were struggling with something, she hesitated. Her posture shifted slightly, and she lowered her head.
Leo raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"
Instead of answering aloud, her voice echoed in his mind again.
"Thank you."
As soon as she said it, she turned around and quickly walked away, her face slightly flushed.
Leo smiled, watching her for a second. "You're welcome. See you later." His voice resonated in her mind as he responded through the ring.
With that, he turned and headed back toward the Grand Cathedral.
He spent the rest of the afternoon in Enchanting Class, practicing the art of binding spells to crystals and learning how to properly fill crystals with mana.
…
With all his duties for the day completed, Leo finally had some time to himself.
The first thing he did was read up on the trap mechanism he had discovered the day before. Seated in the basement of his workshop—a space he had recently decided to name simply The Workshop—he carefully studied its structure and function, making sure to understand every detail.
Once he was confident in his knowledge, he set the book aside and began meticulously drawing the trap's magic circle onto the stone floor. He took his time, ensuring each line was precise and every rune properly placed. The process required intense focus; even the slightest mistake could compromise the entire digram's formation.
With the final stroke completed, Leo carefully bound the circle to the last crystal he had purchased, feeling the faint hum of mana as the enchantment settled into place. However, he knew there was one more thing to do—the trap needed to be connected to another spell to function properly. Without that, it would activate the moment someone stepped on it, which could lead to unintended consequences.
So, Leo made the decision not to activate it just yet. He left the trap inactive, intending to return to it once he had learned how to properly use the Lock Enchantment spell. That way, he could ensure the trap only triggered when he wanted it to, keeping it under control until then.
Satisfied with his work, Leo finally left the workshop and headed home.
The evening was spent with his family, sharing a warm meal and catching up on the day. However, as expected, the conversation quickly turned into a teasing session about Elna. His Sister and Mother, didn't hold back, throwing playful remarks.
Leo endured it with a straight face, though internally, he was already planning his escape.
Eventually, when the teasing died down, he returned to his room, shutting the door behind him with a sigh.
With a quiet chuckle, he picked up his magic circle book and settled into bed, continuing his reading late into the night.
The book explained the role of the circle surrounding the symbol—it acted as both a container and a stabilizer, holding mana inside to assist in activating the spell.
Most of the information was already familiar to Leo, but he continued reading.
Each Word of Power had its own effect, but as more were added within a single circle, the structure would eventually reach its limit. If the circle couldn't contain their combined power, the spell would fail. The limit varied depending on the symbol. For instance, the Illusion symbol could hold up to four—five at most—while Enchanting could sustain ten Words of Power within a single circle.
When the need arose to include more words, a scholar proposed the theory of using a second circle. This second circle primarily functioned as an additional container, reinforcing the spell's structure without requiring Words of Power to be placed within it. However, depending on the spell's complexity, it could also be divided into sections using lines to enhance its function.
The book only covered the use of up to two Words of Power in the second circle—anything beyond that fell into ranks higher than D.
The book also mentioned an interesting piece of information—if a small circle was placed on the line dividing the second circle and a Word of Power was inscribed inside it, the effect would apply to the symbol within the main circle. However, if the word was placed directly inside the second circle instead of the smaller one, it would influence the circles themselves.
As Leo continued reading, his eyes grew heavy. He knew that trying to absorb everything while exhausted would only lead to misunderstandings, and he might overlook something important. Deciding to continue later, he closed the book and went to sleep.