"And I think this is the whole story." I said to this old woman before me. 

I remembered her as a little girl, but now she was someone powerful. Wearing master mage robe's, she was sitting in a room that belonged to her. It was the biggest room I have ever seen. With shelves, books and tools used to research magic. 

She was just looking at me with her beautiful eyes. One of them green and the other orange. I was scared that she might not belive me but after a moment she smiled. 

"You really did it." she said with teary eyes. 

I don't understand. Was it something sad that I succeeded? 

"Anyway, I'm sorry I never visited you. We used to be so close and I just disappeared." I said to her and she shook her head. 

"No, no. There is no need. I haven't done anything either." she said and smiled one more time. 

After that she went to one of the shelves. After searching it for some time she took one of the books. It looked old, but I remembered the cover. 

"101 unsolved problems in magic..." she nodded after hearing my words.

"Well, now it would be 100 problems." I said jokingly but she had serious expression. 

"Yeah, now it's 100 problems." she replied as she put the book on the desk. 

After that she stared staring at me. At first I thought that she was thinking about something deep but after a while I could see her smile. 

"Is there something wrong?" I asked.

"You really are cute William." 

Hold on. Are you trying to seduce me? If you are, I must tell you that I wasn't born yesterday. Compliments won't work on me!

"There's no reason to get red." 

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Who's red!!" I shouted, and then she laughed. 

After that we talked for a long time. I told her about my research and adventures, and she told me how she became the master mage. 

It turns out that she was working really hard past these all years. I wasn't the only one. 

"So, can you help me?" I said as I stuffed myself with some cookies that she brought. It was good that Rosie became someone who could have good food every day. 

"Well, I can feel some mana coming from you. It seems that you are under a spell but I would like to know the exact way you casted it." she said and I finished my cookie. 

After that I borrowed some chalk and mana crystals from her. Then I drew a magic circle on the floor.

"Do you have anything that I can cast this spell on?" I asked and she pointed at the plant that was sitting on one of the shelves. I quickly took it and put it in the circle. 

After that I grabbed the crystal in my hands and started chanting. 

And then...

Nothing. 

"Is it supposed to be like this?" Rosie asked and I couldn't respond.

Why didn't it worked? I perfected this spell. It should work now. 

I grabbed the crystal one more time and started chanting but nothing happened. 

"I don't understand... It worked before. I used it many times and it always worked!" I said looking at the plant. It was not a mistake. The plant looked just like before. 

After that I looked at Rosie. She seemed to be thinking about something, and then she gazed at me. 

"Calm down. Maybe it's because of your body. Let me do this." she said and took the crystal from my hand. After that she tried to cast this spell but it didn't worked. 

"What is happening?" I asked myself outloud. 

It should work. It alwasy worked. I used it on everything that lives. On plants, animals. Even on myself. 

Have I done something wrong? I drawn the circle perfectly. I don't understand. 

"Calm down William." 

"How can I calm down!? I wasted my whole life on this!" I shouted. 

I looked at the circle one more time. It looked good. Then I took the crystal in my hand. I could feel mana flowing inside it. After that I checked if my chanting was right. 

Everything was good. Why didn't it worked. 

I thinked about this but I couldn't find the answer. 

"Sorry for my behavior." I said after I cooled down. 

"There is no need to apologise. I would be upset too if something I worked my whole life on wouldn't work." she replied and stroked my head making me feel like a child. 

It calmed me down, but it wasn't the problem. I could understand if I lost. I could understand if I just couldn't make the spell work. But I did. I'm the living proof of that. 

 So why isn't it working now? 

"There is only one option left." I said and Rosie looked at me curious. 

 "What?" 

"We need to emulate the first time I casted this spell, and to do that I must become an old man again." I said and the sun started to rise.