“So, what do you think?” Aoi, the Queen of Azuria asked her guests on the other hidden seats of the colosseum in the academy.

“Razan would like to form an alliance with Azuria.” Joshua, the crown prince of Razan said after he saw Mia’s attack.

“We surrender.” Sita and Albi, a beastwoman, a half-monkey one, and elf woman said in unison.

“I sense the pride of a big man crumbling and a great darkness inside an even greater light.” Monk Yu said very calmly as if he was meditating on what he just said.

“Our Kingdom would love to have closer ties with Razan, Prince. And what do you two mean with surrender?” Aoi said and asked.

“Chief said if we find anyone stronger than him we are to surrender.” Sita said.

“...Oh, you mean the details, right? We are willing to become part of Azuria.” Albi explained.

“...That is above what I can safely discuss here. There wouldn’t be a problem if I called Chief Borong here so we can discuss things in detail?” Aoi asked.

“No, just explain that we surrendered.” Sita explained.

“And you, Monk Yu, your words carry wisdom but you didn’t state your position.”

“Indeed…In all my years of life I never saw anyone like her. I am a little lost on what I should say.” Monk Yu said apologetically. Monk Yu was really old, so old that people really didn’t know how old he was and the old man himself only had estimates. He also looked old so it didn’t help much.

“Don’t worry about it and don’t play with me. I know that you aren’t a normal old man. You run around like a kid on sugar everyday and I saw it.”

“Ha. It’s one of my joys in life to play this act. Shows who people really are.” he said cheerily.

“You personally trained me and my husband. Of course I would see through it.

“I had so many students it's hard to remember all of them. But to answer your question, our sect would be more than willing to work together with the Kingdom of Azuria for the time being. Mind you, once we survive this storm we would like to continue as we are now.”

“Don’t worry Monk Yu. Your mountains will always be yours.”

—-

“What was that?” Timet asked the staff member that came with him to the academy.

“I don’t know, sir!” The man said, fearing for his life.

“WHAT WAS THAT!?” Timet asked again, this time grabbing the man by his shoulders.

“I’m sorry sir! There isn’t anything, anywhere, about the spells the girl uses.”

“Find me that spell, no matter what! It disintegrated the weapon, armor and half of Sett’s body. If a little girl can do that, imagine what I can do with it?” Timet said angrily and greedily.

Following that they arrived back at the castle. Timet spent most of the evening trying to calm himself down and trying to figure out the spell himself in his room. Once dinner time came, he decided to join. There he found a few more people than normal. An elf with red-hair in a dress that was made entirely out of leaves, a monkey beastwoman covered in pelts, a young man he recognizes as a prince of Razan due to his horse riding clothes and an old monk.

The King of Azuria along with the Queen, The Crown Prince and the first Princess was also there.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

“Will you be joining us for dinner?” Toshiro asked Timet.

“Yes.” He quickly said. A place on the table was immediately prepared for him and in a matter of a minute he was sitting and eating.

“King Timet, I would like to inform you that your guard will be completely healed by tomorrow morning but we couldn’t do anything about his armor. Please send us the bill and you will be compensated.” Aiko, the first princess said.

“There is no need for that. Any armor that can’t protect my man from the spell of a little girl isn’t worth its price.” Timet said, trying to be superior in this instance.

“That wasn’t a spell.” Monk Yu suddenly said, shocking everyone as the old man didn’t utter a word all day after the fight.

“Monk Yu, what do you mean?” Toshiro asked.

“That wasn’t magic. Magic is predictable, quantifiable. What the girl did wasn’t.”

“And what do you think she did?” Timet asked between bites.

“I don’t know…It resembles what the old tales tell about sorcery but the girl isn’t a sorcerer.”

“Sorcerers are a myth.” Hibiki, the crown prince said.

“Just because they decided to leave doesn’t mean they don’t exist. There is a continent full of monsters where they are probably making a home for themselves.” Monk Yu explained.

“Excuse me, but what is a sorcerer?” Albi, the elf woman, asked.

“A half-monster person. Once they grow strong enough they can control mana like their limbs. Imagine them as powerful monsters but in the body of normal people.”

“They sound dangerous.” Sita said.

“It’s all a matter of perspective. They are beacons for monsters since they are monsters themselves but can generate mana. They usually rule over larger swats of monsters, somewhat keeping things stable.” Monk Yu. explained.

“...Ok. Still, if she didn’t use a spell, what power is that? We would all benefit from knowing it.” Timet said.

“Sadly it is beyond any of us to learn it.” Toshiro said.

“Explain please.”

“Let’s take young Joshua here. When did you start learning about magic?”

“When I was around 6 years old.” Joshua explained.

“Did you see people using spells before that?”

“Yes.”

“Did you try to copy them?”

“I think everyone does that. Yes.”

“Then you will never be able to learn to do what Mia does.”

“How does that explain anything?” Timet asked.

“She started to use magic before she saw anyone using spells or even explain magic to her and that was the result. It is reproducible to some extent but the odds of you finding someone that can make use of it is worse than just training a mage normally.” Toshiro explained it like it was nothing groundbreaking.

“So just not exposing someone to magic as we know would be enough, right?”

“Not really. If someone without the talent to be a mage learn how to use magic like Mia they might be able to do a few small things that every normal person can but you would need someone with overwhelming talent from a young age to get even close to what she does. In our Kingdom there are a total of 17 children besides Mia that can use magic like her but every single one of them can’t do much besides create a small sphere of an element and somewhat control it.” Aoi explained.

“Among those there is one with clear potential to be a mage but even he wasn’t able to progress.” Hibiki added.

“Mia is very smart so when she is an adult and settles down a little I am sure she will be able to teach other people. Our academy will always be open to allies.” Toshiro said.

Following that the dinner went mostly normal. Small talk about nothing and soon enough everyone went to their rooms.

Timet walked around, panic and fear plaguing him. The only person that could wield and possibly teach that power was years away from being useful. If the country fell there is a good chance she would fall with it and even if she didn’t, she would go to his own. He came to scout his future conquest but now he had a choice. Follow the plan or be in place to receive that power. If he had 10 of that little girl he was pretty sure he could conquer his own kingdom four times over. If in the future that power will indeed be reproducible, he needs to guarantee that his country will have it too or everything he and his ancestors did will be for nothing.

“Hakon!” Timet shouted, asking for his other guard.

“Yes. sir?”

“Change of plans. They are allies now. Send the word back that our survival depends on Azuria surviving the coming conflict.”

“Are you sure, sir?” Hakon asked with fear in his voice.

“Did I stutter? Didn’t you see what happened to Sett? Don’t you want that power for yourself? If we lose that girl, it goes with her! Toshiro, that idiot, didn’t even try to lie about that! If she starts to teach people in the future and we are not part of it, what do you think will happen?”

“...I will be relaying your message, sir.”

Timet didn’t know at that moment, but his choice that night saved his life in more than one way.