The moment Curiosity declared her status as a teacher, a subtle wave rolled across the classroom’s mana.

A classroom? Curiosity is a teacher? This is a school? Also, why did the classroom’s mana suddenly behave weirdly… The little spirit’s mana was rippling full of confusion. She had so many questions that she didn’t even know where to begin.

Sensing her student’s wonder, the alleged teacher hummed in amusement. “Eager to learn, are we? Unfortunately, while I’d love to explain what I just did, it would be hard for me to do so without teaching you some other things first. For the time being, let’s just say that I used magic to make this area more suitable for learning.”

More suitable…? In what way? How was that any different from not explaining anything at all? Chara swirled in dissatisfaction at the teacher’s charlatan-like explanation.

Curiosity giggled, “Don’t worry, you’ll understand later. For now, why don’t you find a spot behind one of those desks so we can get started.”

Compelled by her thirst for knowledge, the student did as she was told and obediently floated behind the center desk.

“Oh, right—before we begin, I’d like to clarify a few things.

“Firstly, I know you only asked me to teach you about [Magic]. However, this spirit doesn’t have any incompetent students! Therefore, I’ll also be teaching you about general knowledge, aesthetics, exploration, and combat.

“So, until you master all of these subjects, you don’t get to graduate from being my student!” declared Curiosity in a tone of finality.

Aesthetics…? Chara was so baffled that she even considered whether ‘aesthetics’ was a misinterpretation. She couldn’t see what it had anything to do with magic, nor why the greater spirit insisted on including it in her lessons.

“Yes, aesthetics. Understanding symbolism is foundational for the utilization and understanding of magic. I’ll explain it fully at another time,” elaborated the swirling teacher without diving into too much detail. “Before we begin, I need to ask you some questions so I can gauge your knowledge about magic. Is that alright?”

Answer your question? How can I answer your question If I can’t even speak…? Chara lampooned inwardly. However, seconds later, she intuitively felt the limitation over her speech relax slightly.

“A—Ah…”

Upon confirming her little student’s flustered voice, the greater spirit promptly posed her first question. “Using your own words, answer me this. What is mana?”

Baby, not expecting such a simple yet profound question right from the start, scrambled to form her thoughts.

“Ah. Umm, mana is… magic power?” she guessed, after thinking for a few seconds and coming out blank.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“Uhm, correct…! But also insufficient,” Curiosity acknowledged and refuted at the same time. “Mana is possibility. Magic is just an expression of that possibility,” she elaborated full of enthusiasm, drawing out the listener’s interest and leaving them wanting to know more.

Possibility? But mana clearly exists! How can something that exists in reality be the same as something that could exist—but doesn’t? Chara’s mana rippled with incomprehension. In her view, a “possibility” ceased to be a possibility the moment it became real, leaving her to wonder, how could mana—which was clearly real—possibly be both?

Sensing the little spirit’s budding curiosity, the swirling teacher swirled in approval.

“Alright! Next question: Where does mana come from?”

Chara looked around with uncertainty. To be honest, she had never even thought about it. Everywhere she looked, there was mana. It was so abundant that she had started treating it like the oxygen in the air, or the water in the ocean—a fact of life.

But then she glanced at herself. She was also made of mana, only different. Unlike the surrounding mana, which was suffused with distinct impressions and color, hers was iridescent and pure. Never mixing with any external mana, it continuously swirls in and out of her form in an endless vortex, as if guided by some unseen force.

Suddenly, as if this invisible force was no longer enough, a small puff of mana wisped off the top of her form and separated from her body, soon blending into the rest of the colors.

Did my mana just overflow…!?

The little spirit watched intently as this occurrence repeated several more times, yet not once did she detect any external mana seeping into her body, despite the ongoing swirling.

Could it be that my body continuously generates mana, causing it to overflow and fill the environment?

A faint voice in her mind suggested that this conclusion contradicted the law of conservation of energy, but she ignored it.

“From within,” answered Chara, finally responding to the teacher’s question.

“Correct. Very observant,” praised the greater spirit. She had observed everything. Seeing her student become curious about a topic and immediately seek out the answers filled her with deep satisfaction.

Having been praised, the little spirit swished happily without realizing it.

“Then, do you know why spirits are always swirling?” asked Curiosity.

Chara spent the next thirty seconds staring at herself fruitlessly until her mana started expanding and contracting in frustration. All the while exchanging sorrowful glances between the teacher and herself.

Curiosity wanted to laugh so badly but held it in due to her student’s temper. If possible, she would prefer to spend the rest of her lesson teaching and not coaxing.

“Don’t worry, I’ll explain later,” placated the swirling teacher.

After carefully assessing her student’s answers, the greater spirit believed that she had a pretty solid grasp of Baby’s expertise—which, as it happened, was close to nil. Thus, she opted against further questioning.

Curiosity took conscious control of her mana, separated a small amount from her body, and guided it across the room to one of the mottled black cabinets. Upon making contact, its glittering intensified, and the cabinet door opened.

Inside the cabinet was a void. A darkness so tangible, that it spilled out of the cabinet in an ominous black cloud, drinking the oncoming light.

Indifferent, the detached curiosity mana familiarly maneuvered into the darkness. Seconds later, it floated back out, levitating a sinister-looking black rock. After placing the rock on top of the cabinet, it shut the door, grabbed the rock again, and levitated it to the teacher’s desk.

Having procured something ominous, she was about to continue her lesson when she realized that her little student had been shocked silly.

Upon regaining her wits, Baby immediately began swirling emotionally and clamoring for answers. Alas, most of her queries were either completely nonsensical, or required too much background knowledge to be answered in a concise manner, fated to be ignored.

Once she settled down, Curiosity began speaking, “Now that that’s out of the way, it’s time to move on to the first subject of today’s lesson, [Casting]!”