Sain understood Tianti's little schemes all too well. Yet from beginning to end, he never publicly acknowledged anything. As for how long Tianti could keep up this facade, that depended entirely on her own luck and abilities. If trouble ever came knocking on Sain's doorstep in the future, not only would he refuse to admit any involvement, but he would also turn hostile without hesitation. The Black Magic Academy wasn't exactly a breeding ground for good-hearted souls. Sain was no saint either—he merely had his own moral boundaries. But if someone tried to exploit those boundaries to harm his interests, Sain would use magical flames to teach them the true meaning of cruelty.
Aside from his mentor, Moses, who inadvertently made Sain the center of attention in class, there was another formal black magician in the shared lectures who seemed particularly interested in him—Diers. In Sain's eyes, she was the most beautiful formal black magician in the academy. She had repeatedly singled him out for questions during class. Sain didn't believe her attention stemmed from his proximity to her disciple, Meili. He suspected it had more to do with his mentor, Moses. Though Sain had been visiting Moses less frequently lately, on the few occasions he did, he noticed Diers paying visits as well. Were these two formal black magicians in regular contact? Or was there some special relationship between this female magician and his mentor? Sain couldn't help but wonder.
Despite her beauty, Diers' methods were every bit as ruthless as one would expect from a black magician. Sain had witnessed her publicly using several novice apprentices as "test subjects" for potions in class. Some were lucky—emerging unscathed or even gaining minor benefits. But most weren't so fortunate. Mere physical pain or lingering side effects were considered mild. Sain had once seen an apprentice explode into a bloody mist on the spot, splattering the entire classroom. The crimson smirk on Diers' lips had been unforgettable. Whether Meili's apprenticeship under her was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.
The shared lectures had kept Sain busy and intellectually stimulated for some time. But even amidst his studies, he hadn't forgotten his goal of mastering a few intermediate spells. This was already his fourth visit to the public library this month. The hundred academy points he'd earned from the grade assessment were enough to exchange for knowledge on two intermediate spells.
In truth, two of the five spellbooks gifted by his mentor—The Shaping Properties of Fire Elements and Annotations of Angada—each contained an intermediate spell: Flame Hand and Telekinesis. Flame Hand was a distinctly offensive spell, boasting a larger attack range and greater precision than Lesser Fireball. A massive hand of fire would materialize to the caster's chant, seizing enemies with a crushing grip and even a faint locking effect. Telekinesis, on the other hand, was a utility spell. Its primary use wasn't combat but assisting apprentices in daily life and magical experiments—whether commanding a broom to sweep a room or levitating beakers for reagent preparation. Despite its lack of combat prowess, nearly every advanced apprentice and even formal black magicians made a point of learning it, frequently showcasing the skill in labs and lectures.
Lately, Sain had focused on mastering Flame Hand, as his mandatory academy mission was fast approaching. He had no interest in mundane guard or patrol duties within the city walls—he wanted to venture outside, testing his capabilities as a newly promoted intermediate apprentice. Meanwhile, Annotations of Angada, which contained Telekinesis, had been perused more often by Lina.
Magicians guarded their knowledge and traditions fiercely. If Mentor Moses discovered Sain had shared his spellbooks with someone else, he'd likely discipline him personally. But Moses didn't know—and given Sain and Lina's closeness, he saw no taboo in sharing. Just as Lina had once taught him Fireball and other spells, Sain never hesitated to share his gains with her. Perhaps it was this very trait that had gradually thawed the heart of this so-called "madwoman," binding them together as true partners in life and struggle.
Mastering Flame Hand alone wasn't enough. After numerous battles and witnessing a duel between formal black magicians, Sain felt compelled to learn a defensive spell. Magicians' close-combat weaknesses and frail physiques left them vulnerable once their defenses were breached or enemies closed in. Unlike his mentor, Sain lacked an arsenal of magical gear. Nor did he, as a mere intermediate apprentice, possess the resources or knowledge to craft puppet shields. Thus, he had to find another way—using magic itself as his safeguard.
"According to Lina, most shield-type spells are models only advanced apprentices or higher can master," Sain mused. "The few lower-tier ones offer pitiful protection while demanding absurd amounts of mana and focus. Unlike one-off attack spells, shields require sustained output. Those low-level shields aren't worth learning. So what spell can provide decent defense?"
Walking among towering bookshelves on the library's third floor, Sain's fingers finally settled on a crimson-bound tome—Fundamental Model Construction of Fire Wall. Strictly speaking, Fire Wall was an offensive spell, conjuring a wall of flames to advance forward. In terms of coverage, it surpassed Flame Hand, barely qualifying as an area-of-effect spell. But its precision and lethality fell short of both Flame Hand and even Sain's enhanced Lesser Fireball. This further proved the value of Moses' selections—Flame Hand alone was worth at least twice the Fire Wall available in the public library.
Yet after careful consideration, Sain chose to exchange for Fire Wall. Not for its offensive merits, but because, under the right circumstances, it could double as a defensive barrier, intercepting attacks from a specific direction. Moreover, its model complexity and mana costs fell well within Sain's acceptable range.