I was still slumped over my desk like a tragic relic from a fallen civilization, quietly regretting all my life choices, when Valeria clapped her hands.
"Let's review."
Mariette leaned closer to whisper, "You're doing great. I'm cheering for you, silently. So no one sees."
That actually helped more than I expected.
Valeria drew a quick diagram on the chalkboard—an overly dramatic swirl labeled "Mana Core" in the center, with branching lines stretching out like veins.
"When your affinity is fire," she began, pointing to the center, "you draw mana from your core and channel it outward. Fire is fast and volatile—it responds well to emotion and instinct, but that also makes it hard to control."
Seraphina raised her hand with the poise of someone who probably got perfect marks in every subject. "What happens if the mana pool is unstable?"
"Then the spell misfires," Valeria said plainly. "Or you set yourself on fire. Possibly both."
I coughed. "Hypothetically, how often does that… happen?"
Valeria's eyes flicked toward me. "More often than you think. Especially with young mages trying to look dramatic."
Mariette subtly moved her chair half an inch away from me.
Valeria continued, drawing several overlapping circles. "Single-element mages usually learn by syncing their emotional state with the flow of mana. Multi-element mages, however, must learn to compartmentalize—like sorting stubborn pets into their own boxes before they bite each other."
The class murmured. Even the upper noble kids scattered throughout the room started to perk up. One girl with icy-blue hair leaned forward. "Is it possible to influence spell size or intensity?"
"Yes," Valeria said. "If your fire affinity is strong, and your core is stable, you can increase the scale or power of your spell by controlling the flow rate. More mana equals more power—but also more risk."
"Can you stack it?" I asked. "Like... concentrate the mana in one area for a big burst?"
Valeria raised a brow. "You can, but doing so without proper control is reckless."
"Sounds like a yes to me."
Seraphina looked at me like I'd just asked if jumping into a volcano counted as a bath.
Valeria pressed on. "Tomorrow, we'll begin with basic fire casting—single-affinity techniques only. Even those of you with multiple affinities need a strong foundation in one before branching out."
Mariette scribbled notes in her neat, careful handwriting, while I doodled a little flame symbol with a smiley face on it.
"Remember," Valeria added, "magic is more than power. It is intent, control, and execution. Without all three, you'll cause more harm than good."
The bell at the estate chimed faintly from the west wing.
Valeria turned to face the class, her expression stern but calm. "That concludes today's theory. Tomorrow, we begin practical magic casting. Wear something you don't mind getting burned."
A quiet groan passed through the students—mine was the loudest.
Valeria gestured toward the board again. "Most mages align with one elemental affinity—fire, water, air, or earth. These are the base elements."
She let the chalk hover. "Then come the rare affinities. Lightning, ice, and others—difficult to master, but not unheard of."
Then her tone shifted, quieter, more careful.
"And finally, two elements that stand apart. The most powerful, and the most dangerous: Light and Dark."
"Light magic," Valeria continued, "is more than healing or illumination. At its core, it judges. It burns brighter in the presence of corruption or malicious intent. Against those with evil in their hearts, its power multiplies. It can purify, but it can also destroy."
A small silence fell over the room.
"Dark magic," she said, "is equally complex. It grows stronger when the caster is overwhelmed with negativity—fear, anger, grief. Or when the environment is heavy with dark thoughts. It thrives in shadows, both literal and emotional."
I stopped doodling in the corner of my notes.
"So... you're saying if I have a mental breakdown, my magic levels up?"
Valeria gave me a flat look. "That's an oversimplification."
Mariette whispered, "That's also deeply on brand for you."
Valeria gave the room a moment to absorb that before adding, "Dark magic is not evil. And Light magic is not inherently good. They are forces. What matters is the heart of the person who uses them."
That line hit harder than I expected.
I glanced sideways. Seraphina looked troubled, though she masked it well. If she really was multi-elemental like me—and just didn't know it yet—then the idea of losing herself to her own magic probably didn't sit well.
Valeria didn't blink. "Only if they don't learn control."
"Great," I muttered. "So I'm halfway to becoming a final boss already."
Mariette elbowed me gently. "You'll be fine. Probably. I'm cheering for you again—this time mentally and emotionally."
"Appreciated," I whispered back.
Valeria tapped the chalk against the board one last time. "We'll start with fire tomorrow because it's the most commonly manifested and the most immediately dangerous if mishandled. Even those of you with different affinities will benefit from the basics."
She glanced my way. "Then you'll learn how to resist fire," she added with a faint smirk. "Because I assure you—someone else will have it."
Several groans echoed through the room. I tried not to look directly at Seraphina, who I already knew could turn a field into cinders.
As the lesson came to a close, Valeria folded her arms. "Tomorrow, we begin casting. No more theory. No more chalkboards. Just mana and flame."
The air in the room shifted.
I was visibly nervous—sweaty palms, heart doing the cha-cha. Seraphina's eyes, on the other hand, gleamed with excitement like someone had just handed her permission to explode things. Mariette calmly flipped her notebook shut, already prepared for whatever came next.
Seraphina's posture didn't change—but there was something in her eyes now. Anticipation. Or maybe challenge.
I, meanwhile, was mentally calculating all the ways this could go wrong and wondering if faking the flu overnight would be too obvious.
Valeria scanned the room with sharp, assessing eyes. Then she said, "Wear something you're not attached to. And if you have any mana-stabilizing gloves or rings, bring them."
Her gaze landed directly on me. Then on Seraphina.
Then—surprisingly—on Mariette.
"Tomorrow, we'll see how much you three have learned."
Mariette blinked. "Three? Wait… am I included?"
Valeria gave her a pointed look. "Yes. Since you're here."
Mariette sighed like she'd just been told to babysit a rampaging dragon. "Okay."
A quiet hum of tension settled in the room like smoke.
Class dismissed.