At 8 AM on the dot, his ‘official’ lesson would begin . Master Caleb Zipkin would shuffle in, grunt a hello, and make his way to the dining table, where Rina now had two full breakfasts waiting for him . After eating, he'd find his favorite chair in the training room, tip it back, and fall asleep under his straw hat .
Ray, in turn, would diligently perform for his napping audience. His weak spellcasting, with minimal growth. It was now part of a long-term performance. It was a perfect, believable arc of continual growth that would serve as his alibi.
The moment his lesson with Master Zipkin finishes, Ray would work with Rina in helping her gain control of her new umbral power.
Rina on a meditation mat, her expression a mask of pure frustration.
"I can't think of a way to make the shadow appear, young master,"
she said, her voice tight with frustration.
"It just... it doesn't listen."
Ray paused, considering Rina’s current situation. He knew she had no formal education; teaching her academically was impossible. His Eccentric Scholar chimed in first.
Scholar: "Her frustration is logical. She lacks the basic understanding of mana manipulation. We should begin by teaching her the core principles of..."
No…
Ray thought, cutting off the Eccentric Scholar.
That's useless. She's not a scholar. It would take months, and it would only frustrate her more.
Weaver: "Magic isn't a textbook, you dusty relic! It's a feeling! It's art! She needs to learn how to instinctively feel it!”
Cultivator: "The Weaver is...correct. Magic is a flow of internal energy. An instinct. She cannot learn the theory, but she can be shown the feeling. That is the key."
Ray realizes the right path to help Rina.
Teaching by feeling.
Ray sat on the mat opposite her.
"Stop thinking,"
He said gently, he closed his eyes and activated the Understudy Protocol Resonant Link feature and World Weary Healer’s ‘Calming Presence’ skill.
Rina flinched as she heard Ray’s mental voice in her mind, but this time, it was wrapped in a familiar, soothing feeling, the same wave of pure, feeling of safety he had used to pull her from her nightmare.
Don't think. Just... feel this.
Ray, activated Concurrent Partial immersion and used the Crimson Weaver's ‘Mana Weaving’ skill, and guided Rina he summoned a simple, stable wisp of his own pure white Primordial light to his fingertips. And he shared this feeling through the Resonant Link. He didn't just show her, he made her feel the entire process.
Rina gasped. It wasn't a theory, it was a pure, tactile feeling. She felt the sudden internal CLICK as he connected to his power, the focusing of his will, and the gentle pull he used to draw the energy to the surface.
She closed her own eyes, sinking into the Meditative Stillness to find that same internal place. She pushed aside her thoughts, her frustrations, and mimicked the feeling he had just shown her. She focused. She pulled.
She held out her hand, and a faint, smokey, violet wisp of her Umbral affinity, no bigger than a candle flame, flickered to life at her fingertips. It was unstable, chaotic, and beautiful. It was real.
[SKILLED APPLICATION DETECTED]
[EVENT: ARCANE INSTRUCTION (NON-THEORETICAL)]
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
[PERFORMANCE EVALUATION: INSPIRED]
[ANALYSIS: Host successfully diagnosed an ally's inability to learn via traditional academic methods. Host then synthesized a novel "teaching-by-feeling" method, combining Resonant Link Communication with Mana Weaving to transmit the somatic and internal sensations of spellcasting directly to the Understudy. This creative, empathetic, and non-verbal instruction method represents a paradigm shift in the host's ability to empower allies. Largest Mastery Gain awarded.]
[MASTERY GAIN: Mana Weaving +20%, Arcane Improvisation +15%, Calming Presence +10%.]
[INSPIRED RESULT: Your success in using the Resonant Link as a direct "teaching" conduit has unlocked a new Innate Skill: ‘Synergistic Teaching.’ You can now transmit the feeling and process of any known skill to a linked Understudy, dramatically accelerating their initial learning curve.]
The private training hall was filled with the sharp crack of ice and the low hum of Cassian's 2nd-Circle barrier spell. It was one week before the Promotion Trials, and this was their final test.
"You two are getting faster!"
Cassian shouted, forced to jump back as Eliza launched a quick, probing Ray of Frost cantrip spell.
He was no longer toying with them; he was actively on the defensive. Ray and Eliza moved like a cohesive unit, her aggressive offense perfectly complemented by Ray's chaotic, disruptive support.
Cassian deflected Eliza's spell and saw an opening. He began the somatic gestures for a 2nd-Circle Scorching Ray, intending to end the spar.
He never got the chance.
Ray, wearing his Theorist's Glove , thrust his hand forward. The silver wires and central crystal on the glove pulsed with a soft, undeniable light , the perfect prop for his ‘Engineer's Narrative’. He made a sharp, clutching motion.
"Gelu!"
A supernatural cold Frostbite cantrip spell, latched onto Cassian hands. The 4th-Circle Mage shrugged off the minor damage, but the secondary effect hit him perfectly. A sudden, agonizing numbness shot through his hands, his fingers, suddenly becoming stiff and blue, fumbling the complex gesture for his spell. He faltered .
Eliza didn't wait for a verbal cue. Through the Resonant Link , she felt Ray's intent, that cold, sharp,
Got him!
Spike of satisfaction. She instantly followed up , stabbing her index finger forward .
"Glacies!"
A thin, brilliant ray of blue-white light lanced across the room and struck Cassian's still-numb arm. A loud crack-hiss echoed as a thick crust of magical frost encased his arm from shoulder to wrist.
Cassian yelped and called the match, rubbing his now-useless, frosted arm.
"Alright, alright, I concede! By the Founders, you two are terrifying."
He looked at them, a grin of pure, impressed admiration on his face.
Later that day, the three allies gathered in the main study of Ray's suite in the Spire of Sages, the adrenaline of the spar replaced by a warm, satisfied glow. Rina was quietly serving tea, her movements calm and centered.
Cassian was beaming, his usual academic frustration completely gone.
"We've done all we can."
He declared, taking a happy gulp of tea.
"I have no doubt you'll both do well in the promotion trial. Just... don't forget to actually register."
He explained that the registration window for the Promotion Trials was only open for three more days and that they could formally register using their Scholar's Medallions .
Eliza nodded, then looked over at Rina, who was quietly refilling her cup.
"Did your 'spotter' here ever tell you what she found out about the 'Scenario'?"
Ray shook his head, his expression one of polite regret.
"Rina was not feeling well recently,"
he said, a perfect curated truth.
"I told her to focus on recovering. I didn't want to..."
"Your training was the priority, young master,"
Rina interrupted. She set the tea tray down with a quiet, firm CLICK. Her voice was no longer that of a simple servant, but of a confident operative .
"But I did not abandon my other duties."
The room fell silent. All three students, Ray , Eliza , and Cassian were now staring at Rina , who had just become the most important person in the room .
Rina stepped forward, her professional calm silencing the room.
"I couldn't get the official name; I heard something about ‘First Sage' from the staff rumors…
She ticked off the points on her fingers, her voice low and even.
"First: Master Osmin has been complaining for a week. The Arcanum college had to approve a massive, budget-draining requisition for a 'Spell-Refraction Crystal Core' and ten gallons of 'Mana-Conductive Quicksilver.' He's furious, and says it's a waste of high-grade reagents to build a glorified mirror for Initiates."
Cassian and Eliza's brows furrowed. A mirror?
"Second, the groundskeepers are still angry. They had to move some ancient 'Golems' from the deep archives to the Scenario dungeon. They said the golems have some dangerous looking 'Runes' on their chests."
Rina continued.
"Golems with runes?"
Cassian muttered.
"That could be anything. A combat test? A ward puzzle?"
"Third, a construction apprentice told me the strangest thing. They were tasked with building a small, 'pointless' hidden room behind the main entrance archway."
Rina said, delivering her final piece of intel.
Cassian and Eliza were now completely baffled, trying to connect the disparate, strange clues. A magic mirror, ancient golems, and a hidden room at the start? It made no logical sense.
Ray, however, was silent. A cold, satisfied smile touched his lips. He looked at Rina with a new, profound level of respect. She was right. The clues were vague, but he believes they are going to be critical.
She's not just an Understudy or an asset. She is my friend trying to do everything she can to help. She hasn't given us the whole playbook, but she's given us the most critical pages. The 'mirror,' the ‘golem’ and the 'hidden entrance' ... she's given us the beginning and the end. She's a true intelligence operative.
Thanks for reading!
The gamble paid off. By bypassing traditional magic theory and transmitting raw instinct, Ray has stabilized Rina’s volatile power. "Team Chimera" is assembled. The pieces are on the board.
Next Time: A weapon is useless if you don't know how to swing it. To forge this ragtag group into a unit capable of surviving the academy's "Promotion Trials," Ray initiates a "Live Fire" exercise against a target that outclasses them in every raw metric. The goal isn't just to survive, it's to execute the perfect script. The Engineer has built his engine; now, he’s going to redline it to see if it explodes.
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89B93
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Dec 31st