"I think that's enough," Limerence said, and she put away her quill, with which she had been keeping notes. "I wasn't that good until my second year in the Spuesah."

"What's that?" Sonder asked.

"It's like the College of Eraf, but of higher class. Not many can go there to learn, as it is very exclusive. I only managed to go there because of my family connections to the headmaster back then."

"Could I go there?"

"No, they only take the very young. The mages of Spuesah are trained from birth to become the elite of the magical world. But even compared to them, I am a cut above."

"And how do I compare?" Sonder asked with great interest as she sat down.

The two of them were inside the cabin, as Limerence had thought it was safe enough, seeing the progress Sonder had made with her own mana.

With a swish of her braces, Limerence animated the kitchen utensils to prepare tea for them.

Sodner sat down and watched the cups, spoons, and sugar move towards their intended destination.

"You are as good as I was at three years old. That was a long time ago." Limerence said.

"How old are you?"

Limerence gave a playful gasp, full of fake shock: "Why, Sonder, you never ever ask a lady how old she is."

"When am I ready to continue on my journey with Vell? I have been training for a week, and I would like to know when it is time," Sonder asked.

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The cups and saucers found their place before Sonder and Limerence and stopped there.

"How about a simple test to see?" Limerence said.

"What do I need to do?"

Water from a flying kettle was poured into their cups, and teaspoons flew into them gracefully.

Limerence put her hands on her cup, and steam slowly rose from her tea.

When Sonder took a sip of the tea, it was ice cold.

"Heat up your tea. That's it, but be careful. It's very expensive and delicate crockery. I'd hate to see them shattered or broken."

Sonder looked at the cup and the swirling liquid within it.

"How am I supposed to do that?" She asked.

Limerence rolled her eyes. She thought Sonder should have known better as of now.

"With mana, of course. Magical energy is warm. Just pour it from you and your heart, through your body, and through the cups, directly into the tea itself. Don't break the cup, heat the tea, but also don't evaporate it, and you can continue on your journey with my oh-so dearly beloved husband."

Sonder put her hands around the cup. In all her training, she was trying to get control of her mana, but this wasn't something she had done yet; getting mana through an object was new.

While she was concentrating, she also began to talk because, recently, she found it easier for her to do so while talking.

She needed the noise to clear her mind of her own thoughts. She closed her eyes.

"Do all kinds of magic need to use mana like this?" She asked the first question that came to her.

"Yes," Limerence said, but then hestiated, "for most, yes, but there are a few who don't need it."

"What makes them different?"

"I don't know. I don't think anybody knows. Do you know what Dico Magic is?"

"It's the kind Vell uses, right?"

"It doesn't use any, and it is the strongest kind of magic there is. If one figures out the words and masters them in a way that is more than just their sounds and the meaning behind them, then one would have such power. It is hard to comprehend. I am quite jealous of Dico users."

"You can't use it?" Sonder asked.

"No, but I have come to terms with the fact long ago. You seem to have potential; if you keep at it, then who knows where you might go?"

And then Sonder opened her eyes, steam rising from her cup, and it seems a heavy burden was lifted off her shoulders.