Chapter 33: Alaric’s Progress In Next Few Months

In the course of the passing of the months, Alaric’s life at Verdant Dawn Academy began to settle into a dynamic rhythm, with each day bringing with it both trials and opportunities for development.

In addition to spending time with his closest friends, such as Natasha, Lea, Tess, and Irene, he also made an effort to get to know the other girls in his class.

Despite Alaric’s penchant for maintaining an air of secrecy, an unspoken bond developed among them as they studied and practiced together.

This slight separation appeared only to heighten the interest of his peers, particularly the girls who became more fond of him with each passing day.

Even the instructors started to see Alaric’s potential and began to acknowledge it. His unwavering commitment to his academic pursuits was not overlooked.

In the Theory of Elemental Magic class taught by Professor Lilliana Valtor, he excelled not only in theoretical concepts but also in the actual application of such concepts.

Taking a particular interest in him, Lilliana frequently invited him to her office so that she could provide him with more guidance.

“Alaric,” she said to him one afternoon when they were sitting in her office, which was illuminated by the sun, “your comprehension of elemental theory is remarkable. There is a lot of potential for you to succeed in this industry.”

“I am grateful to you, Professor Valtor.” Alaric said with a whiff of pride in his voice, “Your lessons have been extremely helpful in assisting me to understand the concepts.”

She went on to say, “And there’s more to come,” with a flash of excitement in her eyes. “When it comes to elemental control, I would want to demonstrate some advanced methods to you. In the end, the actual mastery of magic is not one that can be achieved just via the study of books; rather, it is achieved by experiencing it firsthand.”

Exuberance sprang from inside Alaric. “That sounds fantastic, Professor!”

Similarly, Professor Maelis in Combat Magic saw Alaric’s potential and granted him special permission to practice advanced spell-casting methods for martial arts. These skills were typically reserved to senior students.

The way the professors treated Alaric differently got around the whole school. Students talked about how gifted he was and how highly the professors seemed to regard him.

Along with his academic achievements, Alaric developed stronger relationships with the senior girls who were about to graduate.

Mariel, Viviana, and Isolde all appeared to enjoy his company and were eager to impart their knowledge and experiences to him.

Nevertheless, Rosalind was the person with whom Alaric spent the majority of his time.

They enjoyed personal moments that went beyond simple companionship when they were together. Rosalind’s warm and slightly bashful attitude with him made their time together feel unique, clandestine, and thrilling.

The way in which his hands caressed her sensuous body, from the curvature of her waist to the fullness of her breast, frequently left both of them unable to catch their breath.

It was his lust and growing desires with her that drove his interactions with her; nevertheless, these interactions also had an influence on his magical talents that he was expecting.

Over the course of the last several months, Alaric’s level increased and he found himself at the Level 18 mark, having previously been at the Level 15 mark.

It was as though the intimate moments that he spent with Rosalind brought with them a burst of magical energy.

He could have reached Level 20, however as of late, the amount of Experience Points that he obtained from Rosalind appeared to be significantly lower than it had been in the past.

Despite this, the impact continued to linger, his senses continued to get more acute, and his mana reservoir grew to be greater than it had ever been before.

~~

The arrival of winter marked the conclusion of the half year at the institution.

As the students were about to leave for the break, Alaric found himself on the training field, where he was ready to release the spells and talents that he had been honing over the course of the previous month.

Quite simply, his advancement was nothing short of extraordinary.

Alaric had gradually become more proficient with Silent Magic; he could now call out simple spells with no words or motions, the mana flowing naturally from his heart.

The power of his martial arts abilities was even more remarkable; every punch and kick reverberated with a controlled blast of mana, which amplified the force of his blows.

He was able to combine hand-to-hand battle with sheer magical power, which made the combo very powerful.

Over the course of many months, Alaric had been exposed to a wide variety of magical techniques, each of which required a high level of attention and dexterity.

The cornerstone of his elemental manipulation was composed of Flow Magic, which had mana streams that were continuous and fluid.

In order to give each spell a rhythmic power, he was beginning to experiment with Pulse Magic, which involved synchronizing his spellcasting to his breaths or heartbeats.

Despite the fact that Whisper Casting was still a difficult accomplishment that required complete attention, Gesture Magic added a flourish to his spells by channeling them with precise hand gestures.

After some time, he found that it had become easier for him to do elemental magic.

Alaric had gained mastery over his core elements, Wind and Fire, as well as some proficiency in Water and Ice manipulation.

Lightning, on the other hand, was a beast in its own right; its instability sometimes resulted in sparks and jolts rather than smooth spells, but he didn’t mind the additional challenge that it presented.

Wind was his field of specialty; it flowed out of him in an instinctual manner, much like breathing does.

He was able to call upon it without the need for incantations or complicated movements, despite the fact that the potency of his Wind spells was still restricted.

He was able to learn powerful spells in each element, but he used them with caution because of their potential potency.

For the Flame Magic, he had learnt the spells “Inferno Strike” and “Fire Spiral,” both of which discharged tremendous heat, but they needed him to employ Flow Magic in order to keep the force under control.

When it came to Wind, he was familiar with the spells known as “Tempest Burst,” which had the ability to launch a wind blade that spiraled through solid rock, and “Whispering Gale,” which was a more delicate technique that enveloped him in protective gusts.

The “Rising Wave” and the “Frozen Mist” were the Water Magic Spells that he learned. The latter was a mist that combined water and ice to create a mist that would cloud his eyesight and chill his opponents to the bone.

He had a number of ice spells, such as “Frost Nova,” which was a ring of piercing icicles, and “Glacial Spear,” which was a precision ice javelin that could fracture stone upon impact.

As for Lightning, “Thunder Edge” and “Storm Surge” were spells that enabled him to release the Lightning Spells; yet, for the time being, they left him fatigued rather than triumphant. This was due to the fact that he had not yet fully mastered them.

Due to the intensity of these high-power spells, it was not yet possible to cast them using Silent Magic or Whisper Casting. In order to unleash their full potential, clear incantations, precise gestures, and a torrent of mana were required.

After over an hour of strenuous exercise, with sweat dripping down his forehead, Alaric halted for a moment, taking in the surrounding training grounds, which were completely vacant.

Even though he was aware of the power that was at his disposal and the weight of his development, he was also aware that he had a lot more to learn. He turned around and made his way back to his room after taking one more glance at the terrain outside.

Packing was a simple and speedy process. As he packed his leather travel bag, he stuffed it with his clothes, notes, and a few magical items.

The notion of going home, seeing familiar faces and places, brought a mix of emotions—a twinge of joy and a twinge of bittersweetness.

Over the course of the last several months, this institution had evolved into something more than a school; it had become a second home.

While he was making his way toward the gates of the academy, a small throng was waiting for him. At the time of his departure, Natasha, Lea, Tess, and Irene were all present, and each of them was happy and a bit teary-eyed.

Tess taunted him by prodding him in a fun manner and said, “You’d better come back in one piece.”

As Lea continued, her tone was kind and sincere as she said, “We’ll miss you.”

A grin appeared on Natasha’s face as she reached out to adjust the collar of his coat. “I want to make sure that you don’t let your studies suffer simply because you’re on holiday, okay?”

Alaric let out a chuckle. “Natasha, I wouldn’t even dream of doing that.”

Approaching from behind, the older girls bid farewell one by one. Mariel tapped him on the shoulder as her emerald eyes sparkled with a gleaming radiance. “Alaric, you should continue the training. I am anticipating hearing reports of your mastery after we get back to the academy.”

With a dismissive gesture, Isolde waved her gloved hand. “Alright, don’t let yourself become very powerful while I’m away. I would be devastated if I were to lose my position as the most skilled fighter in the academy.” She spoke in a tone that was playful, yet Alaric was aware that she meant every word she said.

With a warm grin, Viviana warmly hugged him and smiled at him. “Alaric, please be careful on your journey and remember that Magic would be affected by your emotions so always remain calm when using magic.”

And then there was Rosalind, who was standing a little bit aside from the other people in the group. As she looked at him, her cheeks turned a bright pink color.

Despite the fact that the others might not have noticed the glances they exchanged, Alaric felt a profound connection with her that went beyond mere friendship. They had spent endless moments together, hours in her loving embrace, and they had enjoyed innumerable moments together through their time together.

“Are you going to write to me?” The question was asked in a low voice, with her hand remaining on his arm.

With his fingers lightly stroking her hand, Alaric offered her a little, secret smile. “Only if you promise to write back.”

The redness in Rosalind’s cheeks became more intense, and she released him with a final squeeze of his hand. Her gaze continued to follow him until he entered the carriage.

After settling into his seat, he took a final glance out the window at his companions, especially at Rosalind’s silhouette that was framed by the waning light. He then waved as the carriage began its voyage and rumbled to life.

In the midst of the winter sunlight, the landscape unfurled before him, golden and peaceful alike. Alaric relaxed back in his seat as the carriage continued to move forward, his thoughts wandering over the happenings of the last few months.

The people, the spells, and the nights spent on the training fields were all memories that fueled him with a tremendous resolve. Although he had made significant progress, there was still more for him to accomplish.

It was the gentle swaying of the carriage and the repetitive clattering of the wheels that caused him to close his eyes.

Rest came easy to him, and he took a quick break on his way back to the estate where he had started his adventure.

While it was true that Alaric had left the academy for the time being, he was well aware that it would not be long before he came back, this time more powerful and more equipped to face the challenges that were still to come.