As those nearby watched the couple’s uneasy state, unsure what to do, a gentle breeze swept through the hall—soft and soothing, like a balm upon the soul. Tension melted away, and calm returned; even Daov and his wife visibly regained their composure.

  Regila slowly lowered her raised hand and said quietly, “Are you feeling better now, Daov?”

  Supported by those beside him, Daov exchanged a weary glance with his wife and gave a strained smile. “You must forgive me, Lady Regila. What just occurred has shaken the very foundations of the truths I’ve upheld for over a century. For a moment, I thought I was on the verge of losing myself.”

  “I felt the same,” murmured Mayka, rubbing her temples.

  So, in this world’s magical doctrine, Light and Darkness were considered utterly incompatible—that must be why Daov reacted so strongly, Glenn thought in silence.

  “I knew this revelation would startle you,” Regila said softly, “but I hadn’t expected the shock to be quite so great. If I had, I would have approached it with more care.”

  Daov shook his head, still smiling wryly. “No, the fault lies in my own frailty of mind. What we’ve witnessed today would be enough to drive many a mage into madness.”

  Then, curiosity flickered in his eyes. “Did you already know Mr. Glenn was… unique? You can see into the hearts of others, Regila. What did you perceive in his soul that led you to such an impossible conclusion?”

  Regila’s gaze drifted toward Glenn, who met her eyes steadily. “I have looked into the hearts of many,” she said softly. “Hearts filled with light, with darkness, with filth, distortion, or madness. Yet every one of them—no matter how pure or wicked—was a tangle of both light and shadow. The difference lies only in which outweighs the other. But…”

  Her eyes brightened then, just as they had when she and Glenn first met. “Never before have I seen a heart where light and darkness stand so distinctly apart.”

  “So that is why you believed he might be different?” Daov asked. “I merely had a suspicion,” Regila admitted, shaking her head. “I’ve noticed that many mages’ affinities with Light and Dark mirror the balance I glimpse within their souls.”

  Her words left the room steeped in contemplation. Daov lowered his gaze, deep in thought, before murmuring, “Perhaps it’s time I revisit what our magical scholars have long deemed absolute truth.”

  He was, of course, referring to the so-called incompatibility between Light and Darkness.

  Tia tugged gently at Glenn’s sleeve. When he glanced down, he found her gazing at him with wide, admiring eyes. “What is it?” Glenn asked. “Mr. Glenn, you’re amazing!” she declared with perfect seriousness. Glenn chuckled lightly in response.

  At that moment, Regila’s eyes flicked toward Glenn, then to the bearded mage. “Daov,” she said evenly, “you know as well as I do that if word of Mr. Glenn’s uniqueness spreads, it will cause an uproar among the mage circles. Many minds are not as strong as yours—some would surely fall into corruption. That’s something we must prevent. Mr. Glenn is deeply interested in magic. As a friend, I hope you will help him.”

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  “Lady Regila…” Glenn began, bowing deeply as she turned toward him. “You have my deepest gratitude.”

  It was all he could offer for now. He had been shown much kindness, and he intended to repay it—sooner rather than later.

  Regila smiled warmly and inclined her head.

  Daov stroked his beard thoughtfully, shared a brief glance with his wife, then nodded. “It would be my honor—and my duty—to guide him.”

  Regila’s smile softened further, her pale face seeming to regain its glow of life. Glenn finally understood what the Black Raven had meant when he once said that his wife had been beautiful. He could see it now—it had never been an exaggeration.

  “Daov is a fifth-tier mage,” Regila explained. “Wherever you go, that places him among the most elite. He’s more than qualified to be your teacher.”

  To put it in perspective, Deva—himself a fourth-tier mage—was already the chief of a major city’s magic spire. A fifth-tier mage commanded honors even from the royal court.

  Glenn nodded, stepped forward, clasped his hands, and gave a respectful bow. “This is how we in my homeland pay respect to a master. I look forward to your guidance, teacher.”

  Daov gently patted Glenn’s hand, his expression kind and fatherly. “Good. I’ll do all I can—but in the end, true mastery depends on you.”

  “I understand. A teacher opens the door; the disciple must walk the path alone,” Glenn replied—a saying from his past life.

  His words drew surprised looks all around. “Well said, my boy,” Daov chuckled. “A teacher opens the door, but cultivation lies with the student.”

  Now that the bond of master and pupil had been sealed, Daov no longer regarded Glenn as an equal, but as a disciple.

  The Black Raven and Regila, though vastly his elders, still treated Glenn as a peer—partly because he had befriended the Raven as an equal from the start, and partly because the couple had long since grown accustomed to treating younger souls as their equals.

  “Since you are now my apprentice,” Daov said, “allow me, before all present, to awaken your magical perception.”

  He raised a slender, timeworn hand and pressed it lightly to Glenn’s forehead.

  Awaken my magical perception? Glenn thought, puzzled, but held his silence.

  Fortunately, Tia voiced the question for him. “Hey, Little Tree Spirit,” she whispered, poking the tiny creature at her feet. “What does it mean to awaken magical perception?”

  The small dryad smiled. “It’s the first step to becoming a mage. A proper mage must awaken your senses to the elements so you can feel and draw upon them. Once awakened, you’ll perceive the flow of mana around you—without it, no spell can ever be cast.”

  Tia nodded as though half-understanding, while Glenn, listening intently, finally grasped the idea.

  Warmth spread from Daov’s hand across his forehead—a faint, tingling current that made his senses hum. Slowly, subtly, something within him shifted.

  After only a few minutes, Daov withdrew his hand. For a fifth-tier mage, such a task was child’s play. Lesser mages—second or third-tier—would have needed hours at least.

  Glenn touched his brow, then closed his eyes. He could feel a faint difference now, an invisible texture to the air—but could not yet discern its shape or rhythm.

  “The effects will be slight at first,” Daov explained with a gentle smile. “In time, through practice, you’ll learn to stir the elements themselves—and one day, your own mana will awaken in kind.”

  Then, with a flick of his wrist, a worn old book appeared in his palm. He handed it to Glenn. “This contains basic spells and exercises for elemental control. Your task now is to absorb it completely.”

  Glenn accepted the book with gratitude and immediately turned to the first page. The contents were simple, yet several parts eluded his understanding.

  Daov, seeing this, began to patiently explain each concept in clear, accessible terms.

  Glenn listened with rapt attention, his heart alight with fascination—marveling, once again, at the boundless wonder of magic.