Spell Master

Lucian clipped the papers he had written his answers on and walked up to the desk where Grand Mage Beltharion sat, his expression unreadable.

As Lucian approached, Beltharion raised an eyebrow. “What? Is there a question confusing you?”

Cassian couldn’t help but let out a snicker from his seat, the mockery in his tone clear.

Lucian said nothing. He placed his paper gently on the desk and asked, “I’ve completed the paper. When can I expect the results?”

There was a moment of stunned silence. Beltharion blinked, clearly not expecting someone to finish so early, and Cassian chuckled again, louder this time. Around the room, other candidates looked at Lucian—some in awe, others in confusion.

“You’re certain?” Beltharion asked again. “These papers go directly to the Grand Chancellor, you know. She’ll be grading them herself.”

“I am certain,” Lucian replied calmly. “Again, when can I expect the results?”

Beltharion studied him for a moment before answering. “The Grand Chancellor is here, in the administrative building. I believe the results should be out by evening.”

He picked up Lucian’s paper, removed the clip, and with a flick of his finger, the stack folded itself into a paper swallow. The enchanted bird fluttered up and zipped out of the nearby window.

“Very well,” Lucian nodded. “I’ll wait in the lobby.”

Without another word, he turned and descended the spiral staircase. The lobby was nearly empty, likely because most students were still in the middle of their examinations.

In one corner, he noticed a small group gathered. At the center stood a figure wearing an elegant, dark purple hooded mage cloak.

That’s a little excessive for daylight… though perhaps it’s enchanted. Some mages do enjoy the flair, Lucian thought to himself.

The rest of the group consisted of women dressed in knightly attire, armed with blades—swords, rapiers, and daggers. It was a wholly female escort.

Suddenly, the cloaked mage turned toward him. Perhaps she’d noticed the sound of his leather shoes against the marble floor, or maybe it was his gaze. Either way, her reaction was immediate.

“Ah! Good morning, Master Lucian!” she chirped. “I was hoping to find you. I’m delighted to see you here. Are you—are you a professor at the Academy?”

Lucian immediately recognized the voice. Airy, excited, unmistakably familiar—it was the airheaded mage he’d saved the day before.

“Miss Audrey. I’m glad to see you’re well. As for your question—I’ve applied for the position, yes.”

“Really? That’s fantastic!” she said, her smile blooming like a flower in spring.

As Lucian stepped closer, one of the knights moved in front of Audrey protectively. But Audrey quickly interjected, “He’s the one who saved my life yesterday.” At that, the knight stepped aside, though she remained wary.

“I also took the entrance exam today!” Audrey added, turning her attention back to Lucian. “If I get in, I’d be thrilled to have you as my professor!”

“That’s great to hear, Miss Audrey. Have you finished your exam already?”

“Yes, I have. The questions were a little trickier than I expected, but I managed to finish in about forty minutes.”

Lucian blinked.

I had to literally invent an enhanced [Parallel Thoughts] spell and still took forty minutes. Sigh… some people are just born brilliant.

“That’s impressive, Miss Audrey,” he said, forcing a smile.

Just then, a voice called out behind him. But Lucian had already sensed the approaching presence.

“Grand Mage Lucian,” said the woman in a professional tone, “the Grand Chancellor would like to meet you.”

Audrey gasped, eyes wide. “The Grand Chancellor? She’s here? Can I come too?”

The secretary-like woman, dressed in a long skirt and fitted blouse, smiled politely. “She will address all new students during orientation.”

“Master Lucian, please follow me.”

Lucian gave Audrey a nod and followed the woman back up the staircase and through a long corridor. The administrative building, newly constructed, exuded modernity and sophistication—marble floors, arched ceilings, gilded trims. It was clearly designed to impress.

After a few minutes, they reached the end of the corridor. The woman stopped in front of a modest wooden door.

“She’s expecting you. I’ll wait here.”

“Thank you,” Lucian replied.

There was no need to knock. An Archmage with a Domain would be aware of every motion within her sphere. If Lucian hadn’t been permitted to enter, the door would not have budged in the first place.

Come to think of it, my [Atomic Soul] spell functions somewhat like a Domain too, Lucian mused as he opened the door and stepped inside.

The room was vast, resembling an elegant study. A large desk stood beside tall glass windows on the right that let in generous sunlight. Behind it sat a young woman, her gaze fixed on a stack of papers.

She raised her head. “Lucian Grey, the Spell Copier.”

Lucian took a moment to observe her. She looked barely twenty—platinum blonde hair tied into an intricate bun, emerald green eyes, sapphire earrings, and a soft, round face that somehow managed to look both delicate and commanding.

Despite her youthful appearance, Lucian knew better. Archmages lived for centuries. And this Archmage hadn’t even crossed a hundred yet. Biologically, she was still in her teens.

“It’s been a while since someone’s used that name,” Lucian said.

She smiled, stood up, and walked toward the tall window at her side. Lucian followed her gaze.

Below, Grand Mage Cassian, who had also finished the written exam at some point, was speaking with Audrey near the front porch.

“You disappeared for nearly fifty years,” she said softly.

Lucian remained silent, his eyes still fixed on the porch.

A moment later, a young man—common-looking, perhaps a poor student—walked out of the examination hall. Audrey excused herself from Cassian and ran up to him with surprising enthusiasm and began asking questions animatedly.

“I heard you saved the only daughter of the Duke of Westmoor,” the Chancellor continued. “From the reports, you instantly shattered the hostile spell.”

Lucian still said nothing. Cassian, meanwhile, was visibly annoyed by Audrey’s sudden shift in attention.

“From the Spell Copier… to the Spell Breaker,” the Chancellor mused, a smile playing on her lips. “It seems your secluded research has borne fruit.”

She turned to him fully now, eyes sparkling. “Welcome back, Lucian the Spell Master.”

Lucian raised an eyebrow. “That’s quite the lofty new title, Pale Witch.”

“Not at all,” she said, still smiling.

And for a brief moment, the weight of titles, ranks, and expectations melted into quiet understanding between two mages who had long walked their separate paths—only to meet again.