The lecture dragged on.
According to Faust, there were specific fraworks involved when using different branches of magic. Many beginners misunderstood this point and assud spells were simply tied to elental attributes.
That was rarely the case.
She used the Ignition Series as an example.
On paper, the na made it sound like a fire-related discipline. Most people assud it belonged purely under combustion magic.
But the formula itself had nothing to do with fire.
Ignition was simply a mana acceleration structure.
When applied to a Hexencircle, it rapidly increased the energy output within a localized point. The result often appeared as explosions, which was why inexperienced witches categorized it under the fire attribute.
In reality, the formula could be applied to many other branches of magic.
Take Telekinesis, for example.
Telekinesis was an additional discipline that allowed witches to manipulate objects using mana pressure.
With enough control, a witch could lift objects, move them through the air, or even suspend a person midair.
But if the Ignition Formula were integrated into that sa structure, the result would change drastically.
Instead of simply lifting the target, the accelerated mana would detonate inside the telekinetic field.
The object would combust from internal pressure.
If the target happened to be a living creature, the result was far worse.
Since the two apprentices had applied to Faust’s lectures specifically to study the Ice Attribute, Faust shifted the example accordingly.
"But if applied to ice, the story changes," Faust said.
She drew another small Hexencircle beside the first one on the board.
"The Ignition Series does not always produce combustion. In cold attributes, the accelerated mana instead destabilizes the frozen structure of the ice before rapidly re-stabilizing it at a focal point."
She tapped the center of the circle.
"The mont that instability breaks inward, the ice restructures itself."
"Restructures... how?"
Faust gestured toward the diagram.
"Shape formation."
She extended a hand toward the empty space beside the board. A faint mist of frost gathered in the air.
"When the ignition sequence is applied to ice constructs, the rapid compression forces the frozen matter to condense. Instead of lting, the ice sharpens."
The frost suddenly condensed.
A thin spike of ice ford in the air.
"Like this."
The spike shattered a mont later, dissolving into harmless frost.
"In practical applications, this allows witches to rapidly generate sharpened structures."
She began listing examples as she wrote along the board.
"Spikes. Blades. Fragnted shards. Jagged projectiles."
Ishtar’s eyes widened.
"So the ignition series is basically a shaping tool?"
"Partially."
Faust nodded once.
"If the ignition pressure is directed unevenly, the ice will fracture into multiple hardened fragnts."
She drew another diagram showing several arrows spreading outward.
"That thod is often used to create scatter formations. Instead of a single spike, the ice fractures into dozens of smaller shards."
Lancel imdiately wrote that down.
The process sounded simple when explained like that, but in practice, it required frightening precision.
The ignition sequence had to destabilize the ice’s structure without collapsing the entire Hexencircle.
If the balance was even slightly off, the spell would either lt prematurely or detonate uncontrollably.
Faust continued the explanation.
"And this principle is not limited to ice."
She wrote another attribute on the board.
"Earth-based constructs operate under the sa logic. Earth magic relies heavily on Barrier compression because the material itself already has natural density."
She tapped the diagram again.
"If the barrier properties of the construct are partially decompressed and the ignition formula is applied, the structure becos unstable for a brief mont."
She drew several jagged lines branching outward.
"When the mana stabilizes again, the earth reshapes itself into jagged constructs, much like ice."
Lancel nodded slowly as he wrote.
So the principle was the sa.
Destabilize the structure.
Apply ignition.
Then force the material to reform at a focal point.
Faust crossed her arms.
"In short, the ignition series is not simply about destruction. It is a restructuring trigger."
She glanced at the two apprentices sitting before her, then to Lancel, standing beside her.
"The attribute only determines what the material becos afterward."
Later on, the lecture finally ca to an end.
As the apprentices packed their notes and left the classroom, Lancel stayed behind to help Faust clean up the board and organize the materials used during the lesson.
Just as he finished stacking a pile of papers, soone tugged lightly at his sleeve. It was Ishtar.
Without saying anything, she mouthed a single word.
’Bathroom.’
Then she turned and walked out of the classroom.
Lancel stared at the door for a mont before turning back to Faust.
"So," Faust said as she gathered the chalk from the desk, "what did you think of the lesson?"
"I was wondering sothing," he said. "What level are those two at? I assu what you just taught should be considered basic... or maybe sowhere between interdiate and advanced?"
Faust shook her head.
"That depends on the attribute."
She wiped the board with a cloth.
"In terms of ice magic, they’re complete beginners."
"...."
"Yes. But if we’re talking about other attributes, they would outperform most ordinary witches."
"Really? They looked like they were hearing those concepts for the first ti."
"That’s because I made it sound that way."
Faust placed the cloth down and turned to him.
"If you add enough terminology and rearrange the explanation, even familiar concepts can sound like an entirely new lesson."
Lancel stared at her.
"...You’re kidding."
"I’m not."
Faust folded her arms.
"Listen, Lancel. If you were a witch, I could summarize everything I just lectured on in two words."
"And those are?"
"Creation magic."
Lancel tilted his head.
"So...?"
"So I deliberately complicated it."
She said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"The version I taught them is more precise and more technical. But most witches don’t actually need to understand the theory at that depth."
Faust glanced briefly toward the door where the apprentices had left.
"That level of detail only matters if soone intends to research the chanics of magic itself."
"But isn’t that the path most witches take?" Lancel asked.
"Perhaps. But not those two."
Lancel frowned.
"...What do you an?"
"Those two are... special."
"Special how?"
"Do you know of the Grand Witch?"
"...."
Who wouldn’t know the Grand Witch? Even outside Riviere, her na had long since beco legend.
She was a witch who had transcended the usual boundaries of magical scholarship.
It was said that she had once deciphered a formula left behind by an Outer God. A sequence of symbols so alien that most witches who studied it went mad before even reaching the third line.
She solved it in a single night.
Another story claid that when a breach once ford between realms, allowing an Outer God to peer into the world, it was the Grand Witch who sealed the phenonon by constructing a Hexencircle so vast that the entity itself could not maintain a stable presence.
So said she had even corresponded with those beings beyond reality.
Others claid she had outwitted them.
But no one truly knew how much of those stories were exaggeration.
But nevertheless, she was the closest thing the magical world had to a Goddess.
Lancel slowly looked back at Faust as she continued speaking.
"Ishtar is the Grand Witch’s cousin."
"...."
"And i is the Grand Witch’s niece."
Lancel felt his entire world tilt.
It suddenly made sense.
He had already noticed how casually Ishtar behaved around Faust, despite Faust herself being an Erudition, a title most witches treated with a certain level of reverence.
Yet Ishtar had shown no hesitation at all.
Now he understood why.
If the Grand Witch stood at the very peak of the magical world, then the people related to her were not ordinary witches either.
They were practically born into the highest circles of magical society.
Lancel slowly rubbed his forehead.
No wonder Ishtar had spoken to him so boldly earlier.
From her perspective, Faust might have been impressive. But she was still just Faust.
"...I’ll be right back."
"Don’t take too long. I need to leave early today."
"I might be a while."
"...Why?"
"I might need the bathroom."
Faust sighed.
"...I’ll try to wait for you."
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