Upstairs in Therendor's cabin.

Therendor rose from her chair.

"Now is the time to reveal secrets."

As she spoke, a faint shimmer passed over her and a silvery, semi-solid humanoid outline emerged.

It looked identical to Therendor but had a completely different bearing - poised, aloof, dignified, untouchable.

Just like the Therendor from the night classes.

"Rosen, you must have noticed something strange about me early on," the silver spectre stated.

"People call me mad, and it's not entirely wrong, but a different kind of madness. A controlled one."

The bizarre scene was indeed mystifying. Although prepared, Rosen still found it somewhat unbelievable.

"Teacher, which one is the real you?"

"Both are me. Different facets of my soul's true essence."

"It sounds intentional. Am I right?"

Therendor tilted her head pondering. "Not fully intentional. In my youth I did something foolish, splitting my soul was the only way to survive."

The reply came from the spectre, not the current Therendor - the night and morning one.

"Something foolish?"

The spectre returned a question instead: "How many meditation types are there?"

"Two. Quiescence and Contemplation."

"Contemplation is divided how?"

"Two types. Mages contemplate objects, clerics divinities."

"Yes, normally two. But I chose a third path."

Profound emotion filled the spectre's face.

"I combined object and divine contemplation, I must have lost my mind."

She looked to Rosen: "My bright student has surely guessed my method?"

Rosen looked equally shocked and realized.

"Teacher, you visualized as the Moon Goddess?!"

Truly unexpected and rather insane.

The spectre sighed, mirrored by the passionate Therendor.

"Correct. In meditation, I was the perfect, eternal Moon ruler with endless magic."

"At first, it worked wonderfully. My magic grew astoundingly fast, exceeding peers, even you."

"But gradually, things went wrong."

The spectre regarded Therendor, who giggled girlishly.

"And so I was 'born' - Alice Therendor, the ideal Therendor that Anna dreamed of being."

The spectre was the original Therendor, named Anna.

Anna spread her hands helplessly.

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"Ideals never match reality perfectly."

"I craved freedom, breaking mundane rules. I wanted friends to talk to, not isolation."

"Unconsciously, I gave the visualization too many personality traits."

"The result was an uninhibited, fiery Alice with astounding 13-star ability."

"Truthfully I'm 12-star. In crises, we cooperate temporarily to reach 25."

Rosen understood suddenly. "I see."

No wonder her freakish power.

But 12-star alone was still extraordinary for a mid-tier mage.

After a pause, Rosen asked, "Teacher, what is the transcendent realm exactly?"

Yearning filled both Therendors' eyes, and Anna finally answered:

"With my limited knowledge, I can't fully explain. But transcendence means having an incredibly potent soul that can exist untethered eternally, achieving true immortality."

Rosen blurted astonished, "Magic is the stairway to heaven?"

Anna nodded slightly.

"I don't know if the Archmage was right, or if transcendence is the endpoint for mages."

"I grope in darkness, possibly finding a shortcut. But success is highly unlikely, even impossible."

Both Therendors' faces held a tinge of bitter longing.

An oppressive mood grew.

Heavy silence fell on the two, no three, people.

But while Therendor was subdued, Rosen's heart burned ardently. Her method had great potential, he felt.

The splitting was problematic and needed improving. He already had some ideas.

'Gotta try, what if it works?'

Oblivious to his thoughts, Anna quickly collected herself.

"While I have little chance, you may yet succeed. Strive on, my pupil."

The spectre receded into Therendor and vanished.

Alice told Rosen, "Heat the fireplace, I'm cold."

Rosen promptly went downstairs and stoked a roaring blaze.

Back upstairs, Alice stretched her arms out again: "Rosen, beloved student, undress me completely."

Rosen froze: "Teacher, this is..."

He had an inkling where this was headed.

A flush tinted Therendor's fair cheeks. "Hurry, holding up my arms is tiring."

"As you wish, teacher."

As he disrobed her, Therendor used mage hand to levitate thick manuscripts onto the desk.

Glancing over, Rosen saw the first page titled: 'Advanced Casting Method 'Thousand Hands, Ten Thousand Thoughts'.'

His heart skipped a beat - the teacher's true skills!

Why display them here? To pass them all at once?

Lost in thought, Rosen had fully stripped Therendor bare.

A near-perfect body emerged, brightening the cabin like an orchid blooming or moon fallen.

Afraid of losing control, Rosen didn't dare look more, eyes fixed on the rough floorboards.

He was deeply grateful for that.

Therendor's voice reached his ears.

"You steadfastly trusted my innocence and risked your life to clear my name. I'm deeply grateful and will richly reward you."

"Two prizes, choose one only."

"On the desk are my manuscripts, all my magic knowledge - consider them my notebooks."

"The other prize is my body. If chosen, I'll be yours for three days, fulfilling your deepest desires."

"But remember, nothing's perfect, flaws are the norm."

"Choosing one means foregoing the other."

"Now, decide!"

Rosen smiled wryly, regretful yet without hesitation.

"Teacher, I choose your manuscripts."

"Excellent!"

The shed garments promptly re-draped Therendor's body, clouds veiling the moon.

"Rosen, you're a perfect mage, your sheep ever penned, never leaving the fold. Here I fall short."

Alice's face held admiration, no attempt to hide her respect.

Rosen sighed deeply, "Your praise, teacher, is like the bitter winter wind, striking my regrets mercilessly, bringing only pain, no comfort."

Perhaps when his power exceeded hers greatly, he could take her by force. But the perfect time had passed, losing passion's delight, leaving only hollowness.

This was irreparable regret, just like life itself.

Having said this, he walked to the desk to claim his hard-won reward.

'Tee-hee~~'

Suddenly sly laughter sounded behind him, escalating into raucous guffaws.

"Ahahaha! My beloved student, it seems I hold an exalted place in your heart. No matter what I say, you believe without doubt or defiance."

Rosen started, immediately realizing -

The so-called choices were just another of Alice's pranks!

Sure enough, Alice approached from behind, embracing him and whispering:

"Perhaps life holds regrets, but living's hard enough without forcing my dearest student into cruel choices."

As she spoke, the moon sank to the horizon of the wooden bed.

"We've an hour before Anna, enough to properly reward you."

Rosen hesitated, since two souls occupied this body. An hour with Alice might displease Anna.

"Would Teacher Anna consent?"

"I'm what Anna yearns to become. My actions are hers wished for but not dared."

"I'm only 15..."

Rosen's heart raced, the surrealism of it all.

Therendor giggled teasingly.

"Ah, the father's sword remains sheathed."

"Fear not, the daughter's pure ritual shall complete its quenching."

The father term made Rosen uncomfortable. "I feel student suits better."

"Teacher-student forbidden romance...not bad indeed!"

She stretched her arms in ardent invitation.

"Come beloved student, let us share deep knowledge, so I can fully experience your craft."

Rosen hesitated no more, solemnly performing the ritual to honor senior mages.

"Please guide me well, teacher."