"I found the solution to your problem," she said, her face glowing with joy.
Elesya had burst into my room without even knocking. Her smile was infectious.
"What problem?" I asked, puzzled.
"The problem with the tuition fee, of course," Elesya replied without a hint of annoyance. "I signed you up, as the main mage, for the magical dueling tournament that will take place in two weeks. I'll be the secondary mage, and together we'll form a team."
I quickly sat on the edge of the bed, with the distinct feeling that something was seriously wrong. A tournament? Magical duels? I knew nothing about the matter, and it didn't sound good at all.
"I don't know anything about this tournament," I said sharply. "Don't you think you should tell me more?"
Without letting my tone dampen her enthusiasm, Elesya explained:
"Every year, the Academy organizes a competition between teams of mages. The duels are fought in the arena and attract a lot of spectators. The grand prize is 25,000 sesterces, plus possible donations from sponsors. Each team has two members: a main mage and a secondary mage. Anyone from the Academy can sign up if they pay a 500-sesterce fee."
"And you didn't think to ask me first?"
"There was no need. I'm sure you would have agreed. With your magic, you can surpass all the other mages studying here."
I cleared my throat, already feeling like I was choking, and asked:
"And where did you get the money for the entry fee?"
Elesya blushed slightly before answering:
"I took out, in your name, a small loan of 500 sesterces from Ribathrum. Sorry I didn't ask you, but I'm sure you would have agreed. The Sphinx said he'd lend you any sum you need, anytime, at a reduced interest rate. When we win the grand prize of 25,000 sesterces together, it'll be easy for you to repay the loan."
I leaned back and let out a deep sigh. Without meaning to, Elesya had placed me in a terrible predicament I had no idea how to get out of.
"I need to tell you a few things about me," I said. I looked into her eyes for a few moments and spoke in a low voice:
"First of all, I'm not a mage."
Elesya's face paled slightly and she asked, her voice tense:
"What do you mean?"
"I mean exactly what I said, Elesya. I'm not a mage. I wasn't born with magic in my blood, and I can't cast any spell without external help. It's true that people say I had mage parents, but it seems I didn't inherit any of their abilities at all."
"Then how have you been able to cast spells until now?"
"That's the second part of the story, Elesya. I found an old magic book with spells that can be used even by non-mages. It's called encapsulated magic. Here's the book—you can read it if you want."
I pulled Vabazon's book from the drawer and slid it toward her.
"So," I went on, "you've put me in a serious bind. Even though I can perform a limited number of spells successfully, I'm not sure I can face the best mages in the Academy. I risk being injured or killed in a duel, not to mention the chance that the audience will find out I'm not a real mage."
It was extremely hard for Elesya to accept this harsh truth about me. She had believed I was one of the most powerful mages, and now her illusions shattered in an instant.
"So you're not a real mage? This isn't a joke?" she pressed.
"No, Elesya, I'm not. And I'm not joking."
"Then why didn't you tell me until now?" she shouted. At first, her face had shown surprise and confusion, but now it had shifted to pure anger.
"I wanted to tell you, but—"
"You thought I'd betray you? That I'd tell everyone your secret?"
"That's not it," I tried to reply in a conciliatory tone—though in truth, that was exactly why I'd kept silent. "I was more afraid you might accidentally let something slip."
But Elesya didn't take kindly to my flimsy explanation.
"You don't even believe your own excuses. Admit it—you didn't trust me."
Elesya was now as furious as a wife catching her husband drunk after he had sworn just the day before never to touch a drop again.
"And how did you pass the exams? Did you cheat?" she demanded, outraged.
"Yes, in a way I cheated. I was forced by circumstances to do it, otherwise, I would have been expelled from the Academy. Put yourself in my shoes, Elesya. Would you have cheated, or would you have accepted becoming a slave with your memory erased on top of that?"
She rose to her feet, brimming with anger.
"You have no excuse! You lied to me and proved you don't trust me."
"In the world I come from, there's a saying, Elesya: let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Don't forget that you treated me with indifference before I discovered encapsulated magic. I told you I'm in a delicate situation, so don't hold it against me that I was cautious and kept certain things from you. I would have revealed them in time—you shouldn't doubt that."
But Elesya was too upset to listen to my words.
"I don't want anything to do with you anymore!" she shouted as she prepared to leave.
"As you wish," I replied, feigning indifference. "I admit I kept things from you and cheated, but think about this: without me, you wouldn't have been able to use flight magic until now. If your moral standards are so high, how come you also use encapsulated magic? And don't remind me that you use it only for fun. If you have rules, then apply them to every situation—don't look for exceptions when it's about you. So tell me, Elesya, are you ready to give up your favorite flying lessons just to uphold your principles?"
She didn't answer. She stood up and left the room, her eyes brimming with tears.
With a sigh, I collapsed onto the bed.
It was unlikely that Elesya would tell everyone my secret—in fact, I was almost certain she wouldn't. But I had lost my only ally in the Academy and my only source of information among the students. I wondered what I should do next, but no solution came to mind.