After lunch, Mirac retired to his room to finish the math homework he had left uhe day before.

  However, as his quill moved across the paper, his mind couldn't stay pletely focused on the numbers.

  Not that he actually wao, of course.

  At some point, tired of the torture called MATH, Mirac decided to allow himself a small distra.

  He recalled in his mind the world map he had studied with scrupulous attention, just to rex a bit and review what he had learned during the lesson.

  First of all, Mirac had noticed that, apart from the ti of Harmony, there were no other tries or tis on the ph.

  The ti of the Seven Kingdoms, which occupied the entire eastern hemisphere, had the shape of a rge broken wheel, with a gigantid at the ter known as the "Sacred Region."

  This was not a separate kingdom, but a territory uhe joint authority of the Seveies, the Seven Kingdoms, and the Seven Churches.

  The kingdoms were arranged radially around this ter, each occupying a segment of the inplete circle. The outer coasts of the ti were bordered by seas and os, while between the kingdoms and the ti of Harmony stretched a band of water that separated them.

  Starting from the north, moving clockwise, the kingdoms were: Luxendar, Noctara, Kragmar, Verdlith, Ardorya, Fonteya, aaris.

  The kingdoms mar, Verdlith, Ardorya, and Fonteya were located in the southern hemisphere, while Luxendar, Noctara, aaris were in the northern hemisphere.

  Mirac also remembered the vast expanse of water that separated Ventaris and Luxendar, f an inplete circle, and the linear "Strait of Salvation" to the south, between Ardorya and Verdlith. This strait, created by Bluest, the God of the Sea, Storms, and Sailors, served to release the powerful current that circuted around Harmony, as expined by Vi during the lesson.

  Additionally, Mirac discovered that each kingdom—besides representing one of the Seves of magid being uhe sacred prote of one of the Seveies—possessed unique characteristics, with ndscapes and climates that varied drastically.

  This was everything he had learned during the Geography lesson, before it came to an end.And given the amount of new information, Mirac felt quite satisfied.

  * * *

  Finally finishing his math homework, Mirac had some time to start the new assigs for tial Language, which sisted of writing all the definite and indefiicles five times.

  For philosophy, oher hand, Mirac had to expand his preliminary refle on another short text by Gee Rassing.

  All of these assigs had e from the three lessons after Geography.

  Fortunately, though, they were all due on Thursday, which meant Mirac still had the day to plete them.

  * * *

  At 16, just like the previous day, his training with Leonard was exhausting.

  Mirac didn't learn anything new, just reviewing the basics of sword fighting he had learhe day before, followed by the same series of physical exercises.

  Tired and worn out, he retreated to his room to rest a bit, trying to empty his mind, still crowded with the numbers whispered by "Instant ting."

  Amidst all of this, he had almost fotten about the two lessons waiting for him the day: one on the ti's religion, and the other on MAGIC!

  * * *

  { THE DAY... }

  During the sed hour of css, Vi introduced the Divine Pantheon of the ti, a topic that immediately captured Mirac's lively attention.

  ~ SEVEIES ~

  SIRIO, the God of Light and Knowledge, is the radiant guardian of Luxendar, depicted as a luminous being whose presence illuminates everything. Most of his followers are schors, teachers, and iors, while his temples, often majestic libraries, house the world's oldest writings.

  NYRA, Goddess of Darkness as, watches over Noctara, appearing as a veiled figure who ceals her features from mortal eyes. She is an enigmatic deity, worshipped by spies, assassins, and occultists who seek refuge in the shadows.

  GNEISS, Goddess of the Earth and Mountains, is depicted as a titanic figure with stone skin. She rules over Kragmar, and her power pulses in the bowels of the earth. This goddess is chiefly worshipped by miners, builders, and anyone seeking stability and strength.

  MOTHER NATURE, Goddess of Nature aility, is depicted as a female figure covered in leaves. She protects the Kingdom of Verdlith, and elves and farmers pray to her for lush forests and abundant harvests.

  KAYRO, the God of Fire, Fe, and War, is depicted as a mighty bcksmith and a fearsome warrior. He governs the Kingdom of Ardorya and is especially revered by bcksmiths, artisans, and warriors seeking strength and inspiration.

  BLUEST, God of the Sea and Storms, is depicted as a powerful man capable of hearing the a whispers of the o. In addition to proteg marine life, he also rules over Fonteya and is worshipped by sailors and fishermen to ensure safe journeys.

  ARYA, Goddess of Wind and Freedom, is ahereal figure ed in light veils blown by invisible breezes. She protects Ventaris, and travelers and explorers worship her for blessings on their journeys.

  * * *

  Later, during the fifth hour, the lesson shifted to the Seven Sacred Elements of Magid Mirac's heart lit up with ahusiasm he could not tain.

  ~ SEVEN MAGICAL ELEMENTS ~

  LIGHT: Represents purity, truth, and healing. Light mages create light, heal wounds, shape ons of light, or protect with barriers of light.

  DARKNESS: Symbolizes mystery, fear, and corruption. Dark mages manipute shadows, create illusions, or influenegative emotions.

  EARTH: Represents stability, prote, and strength. Earth mages manipute soil, roinerals.

  NATURE: Represents life, growth, and the e between all living creatures. Nature mages manipute pnts, unicate with animals, or accelerate natural healing.

  FIRE: Embodies passioru, and also creative strength. Fire mages manipute fmes, explosions, or heat.

  WATER: Symbolizes fluidity, life, and transformation. Water mages trol liquids, breathe uer, or heal.

  AIR: Symbolizes freedom, unication, and speed. Air mages trol winds, fly, or manipute sound.

  * * *

  During the st minutes of the lesson, Mirac raised his arm and, with a mix of curiosity and a shiver of ay running through his body, asked:

  "Professor Shirkenn, is it possible for someoo have magic that doesn't belong to any of these seveal categories?"

  With this question, Mirac was clearly referring to himself!

  His Sintony with Math, in fact, did not seem to fit into any way withiraditional cssification of the seves, and this deeply worried him.

  Perhaps, as he had feared from the very beginning, his Sintony with Math was truly a CURSE?!

  "Yes, young Prince," Vi replied, maintaining a serious tone. "When someone practices magic, it means they are in 'Sintony' with one of the seves. In this case, we call it 'Elemental Sintony'. If, however, someone is able to ect with multiple elements simultaneously, it is called 'Synergitony'. But besides these two types of Sintony, as you have guessed, there also exist 'Anomalous Sintonies'."

  Mirac's eyes widened in astonishment.

  "Anomalous Sintonies?" the studeed, one eyebrow slightly raised, a shadow of fusion in his gaze.

  "Exactly. Any Sintony that is not directed towards one of the seves I mentioned earlier is cssified as such. In these cases, people ma 'Specialized Magics' or even 'Unique Magics', which are magics that are difficult or even impossible to replicate by those in Sintony to one or more of the seves."

  Mirac crossed his arms, leaning batil he was fully resting against the chair's backrest.

  "I see…" he murmured thoughtfully, as his thoughts began to take shape.

  If everything Vi had expined was true—and it certainly was—then, Mirac hypothesized, his Sintony with Math had to necessarily fall into the category of those "Anomalous"!

  So, not only had he been unlucky enough to miss out on aal Sintony in favor of an Anomalous one, but it was eveo Math!

  'What were the odds of something like that happening to me?!' he wondered, sighing in frustration.

  Eager for an immediate answer, Mirac straightened up and curiously asked:

  "Professor Shirkenn… How rare are these st two types of Sintony?"

  Vi scratched his , assuming a thoughtful expression, as if he wao carefully sider his response before speaking.

  "Synergistid Anomalous Sintonies? Well, I'm not sure about the exact probabilistic pertages. What I do know for sure, however, is that Synergistitonies with two elements are extremely rare, let aloh three or more! The maximum number of Sintonies a person has ever achieved simultaneously is four. A certain Eldrick Virelith, if I'm not mistaken. As for Anomalous Sintohe only example I give you, though no one really knows what exactly she was in Sintony with, is her than the Sinner."

  Mirac's eyes widened in shock, his heart seeming to skip a beat.

  Those words struck him like lightning.

  "R-Really?!" he asked, intrigued. "But Professor, what do you mean by 'the only example' you give? Don't you know any others? Or are y to say that, after the Sinner, for over a thousand years, no one has ever had an Anomalous Sintony again?!"

  This hypothesis seemed as absurd as it was unlikely.

  But even if it had been true, just the mere thought of sharing such a urait with a figure as feared as the Sinner filled Mirac with a sense of unease and vague ay.

  Meanwhile, Vi was arranging the books in his bag, but his movements, usually clumsy, now seemed deliberately slower and more anized.

  Calmly, he closed the bag and approached Mirac, walking across the silent with measured steps.

  "No, young Prince," he finally replied, his voiusually calm and posed, as he stopped beside Mirac.

  With a smile that could have been friendly, but veyed something undefinable, Vi leaned in toward the boy's ear.

  Then, in a tohat made the air grow cold, he added:

  "We simply kill them..."