Fíliya's expression was calm; after all, she was already mentally prepared.
The nonexistence of "Magic to turn humans into Elves" meant that what she truly wanted, "Magic to turn humans into the Demon Race," was also impossible.
Long before today, she had poured over countless books, even reading many ancient texts written in Old Elvish.
There had never been any magic in this world that could change one's race.
That kind of magic... existed only in the System Shop inside her mind.
Huuuh... Fíliya let out a long sigh.
Confirming this was, in its own way, a gain for her.
"So it really doesn't exist... I was fantasizing about becoming an Elf and living with Lady Serie until the end of the world or something... haha."
Fíliya scratched her head awkwardly, letting out a goofy laugh.
"Then, choose another."
Serie ignored Fíliya's idle chatter.
"Please teach me the 'Magic for a peaceful sleep'."
Fíliya said with a serious expression.
...?
Serie was taken aback once more.
What was with this little one? Her wish had suddenly plummeted from a world-altering level to something on par with afternoon tea. Moreover, another First-Class Mage had once sought this very magic from her.
That was Sense.
"What do you want with such magic? Do you also have trouble sleeping at night?"
Serie was very curious.
"No, I just heard from Sense that she wasted this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on a boring spell, so I want to do the same. Yes, learning the same magic as her sounds good."
Fíliya explained with a straight face.
At this, Serie was somewhat speechless.
An opportunity that was like a dream come true for a mage was being wasted yet again.
How many times had it been?
This behavior immediately made Serie recall a white shadow from her memories.
Frieren.
That idiot dared to say to my face, to the face of the "God of Magic," that "there's no magic I want; magic is only interesting when you discover it yourself."
Hmph.
Serie clicked her tongue, then casually waved a hand. From the mountain of grimoires piled behind her stone throne, one book flew out on its own and landed in her hand.
"This is it."
Serie handed the grimoire to Fíliya with a displeased look.
Because she was reminded of that white, detestable person, her favorability toward Fíliya, who had sparked the association, also dropped a bit.
"Lernen, you and Fíliya may leave. I want to be alone for a while."
Serie said.
"As you wish."
Old man Lernen bowed slightly and prepared to lead Fíliya away.
However, Fíliya seemed to have no intention of turning, still sizing up Serie with a curious gaze.
This made Serie a little uncomfortable.
In her long life, human mages who met her typically had only one of two attitudes.
Either reverence or fear.
But the young woman before her fit into neither category.
"Fíliya, do you have any other questions?"
In the end, it was Serie who couldn't resist asking.
"Mm... I do, actually. I've made a discovery about you, Lady Serie, but I feel like if I say it, the old man will scold me."
Fíliya wore a worried expression.
This put Lernen on guard, wondering if this girl was about to do something disrespectful again.
"Speak freely."
Serie gave Lernen a light glance, as if to say, With my assurance, he won't dare to move.
"Mmm..."
Fíliya thought for a moment, then raised her head and looked at Serie with a grave expression.
"I think... I've discovered a weakness of yours, Lady Serie."
Fíliya said.
In response, Serie merely showed a faint smile, while old man Lernen's eyes went wide.
"Lady Serie... you need not pay any mind to Ms. Fíliya's wild talk... She's just..."
"Lernen."
Seeing the slightly agitated Lernen, Serie simply said his name calmly.
The effect was clearly excellent; old man Lernen fell silent as if snuffed out, quietly closing his mouth.
"Yes, go on, Fíliya. What weakness do you think I have?"
Serie circled Fíliya with great interest, as if trying to see through her and find out just how many more surprises she held.
"Then I'll say it... Lady Serie... are you perhaps not good at concealing your mana?"
Fíliya's tone was soft, but the information that slipped out was powerful, like a boulder dropped into a calm lake.
"Go on."
Serie's tone became a little eager, or perhaps her anticipation was so strong that it made her voice sound so bright.
"Well, I've collected many legends and biographies about the Hero Himmel's party. The legendary Elf mage named Frieren could perfectly conceal her mana; her pillar of mana wouldn't show the slightest waver... I used to think this was something any mage who has lived for a thousand years could do, but... your mana right now is clearly wavering, isn't it? That's a characteristic of concealing mana, right? So I'm guessing that you might not be very good at concealing your mana... Huh?!!"
The reason her sentence ended with an out-of-place exclamation was because... a voice that utterly shocked her rang out in Fíliya's mind.
[Emotion Points Acquired: 5,000,000]
Wai... wait a minute?
Fíliya felt so happy she was about to faint.
Is that... ones, tens, hundreds, thousands... five million?
What happened?
What on earth did I do? Even she couldn't figure it out right away.
But such a massive emotional reward could only mean one thing: the deity before her must have experienced an incredibly dramatic emotional fluctuation.
Could it be...
Fíliya could only think of one possibility.
Could it be that I'm the first person to notice that Lady Serie is concealing her mana?
Almost subconsciously, Fíliya glanced at old man Lernen.
She saw that he had turned to stone, his eyes filled with disbelief, almost losing his grip on his staff.
It was obvious now... This man, certified by the Continental Magic Association as the first First-Class Mage and Lady Serie's own direct apprentice, old man Lernen, had failed to see such an obvious fact.
"This is truly interesting."
For the first time, Fíliya saw such a clear smile on Lady Serie's face.
"Become my apprentice, Fíliya. I will guide you to the very pinnacle of magic. You will become a being beyond your own imagination."
Almost in the next instant, this living deity extended an olive branch to Fíliya.
To this, Fíliya's answer was.
"Mmm, talk of 'the pinnacle of magic' and 'a being beyond your own imagination' is too ambiguous. I can't really get a feel for it, you know? Besides, I've long since decided what kind of path I'm going to walk, so..."
"I'm sorry, but I refuse to become your apprentice, Lady Serie."
______
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