Linda glanced around at everyone seated at the table and knew it was a done deal.
No matter what she said, everyone just kept piling food onto her plate.
“Eat, Laura urged. “You’re too skinny.”
Linda felt a warmth she hadn’t felt in ages, and the words about leaving stalled on her lips.
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She watched Kermit, the headmaster, grinning as he watched everyone dig in, and when his gaze landed on Laura, it was just beaming with pride.
It was the unmistakable pride of a parent for their kid; not once had she ever felt that from Coleman.
Pride… Linda thought to herself. The word echoed in her mind.
She couldn’t bring herself to say anything, so she just kept her head down and ate in silence.
Just wait for now, she thought to herself. I’ll have to leave eventually anyway!‘
Laura ate every last bit of her pasta, soaking up all the sauce. True to form, she didn’t waste a thing.
But her stomach didn’t seem any bigger at all.
Nobody could figure out where she put it all.
Once she was done eating, Laura gave Linda a friendly tap on the shoulder and said, “Come with me.”
Linda looked over at Kermit and the others, but the old man just smiled warmly and said, “Go ahead, child. Laura will help you get familiar with the coven.”
Linda gave a respectful bow, and Laura whisked her away in a hurry, as if she was worried Linda might make a run for it.
After leaving the dining hall, Laura started showing Linda around–pointing out where the students had their classes and where they practiced their skills.
She took her to the Great Repository of Tomes, the Alchemy Hall, the Artificer’s Forge, and the dorms.
Laura was even eager to show Linda the mountain peaks where the elder mages lived, determined to make sure she knew every corner of the place.
“Why?” Linda asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
Laura stopped in her tracks, turning to face Linda. The confusion in Linda’s eyes was impossible to miss. “I never said I was planning to stay.”
Laura locked eyes with her. “You don’t have anywhere else to go.”
Linda was startled.
Laura pointed at Linda’s chest. “Your heart’s saying it too. You’ve got nowhere else to go.”
Linda’s chest tightened.
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Chapter 9
Laura smiled, her tone soft and comforting. “This place is really nice. Why not stay?”
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Linda looked at Laura. Though Laura was a couple of years older than her, Linda couldn’t see any trace of the usual maturity or sophistication.
Laura didn’t act her age at all; she was more like a kid of eleven or twelve.
She’d clearly been well protected.
Linda moved into the students‘ dormitory.
Since she hadn’t formally apprenticed to a mentor yet, she was temporarily staying on the main peak. After she found a mentor, she’d move to a different mountain.
After listening for a while, Linda realized with a start that there were fewer than twenty people in the entire First Unity Coven.
Laura had even said she had a whole mountain peak all to herself.
It was just for her training.
“But honestly, I don’t really hang out on my own mountain much. Most of the time, I just crash here,” Laura said.
Linda mulled it over.
This coven definitely didn’t look like it was hurting for money.
Even in places with barely any students, like Azure Spire, it was unheard of for someone to have an entire peak to themselves.
“We don’t have much else, but we’ve got land for days. If you ever feel like planting something, just go for it. No one’s going to mind,” Laura said with a casual smile.
Linda nodded.
“I’ve got to go see my mentor about something, so just chill for now. Later this afternoon, I’ll take you somewhere,” Laura said.
“Sure,” Linda said.
Linda sat alone in her room, looking out through the open window. The sunlight was perfect, spilling over a wintersweet tree outside; its dark branches were traced with snow, flecked with gold.
It was as if a ray of light danced right into her eyes.
Linda sat there, thinking to herself, ‘Can I really stay here?‘
Laura was right. Linda didn’t have anywhere to call home. Not back in the modern world. And not here, either.
Linda gave herself a wry smile.
She sat cross–legged and started her daily Mana–Stoking practice. After completing both the lesser and greater Arcane Circuits, her cultivation had finally stabilized at tier one of the Mana–Stoking Phase.
She was just one step away from breaking through to the second degree.
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Chapter 9
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Without hesitation, Linda began drawing talismans and placed them all around her quarters. With a burst of determination, she made a push for the second degree.
Two hours passed.
As a small current of mana spread out in a ring, Linda felt the breakthrough.
She had advanced to the Second–Degree Neophyte level.
“I did it,” she murmured to herself.
Then, Linda turned her focus inward, centering on her spiritual core.
Five Gilded Cores spun in a steady rhythm, with five streams of mana swirling around them. The red and blue streams stood out, noticeably larger than the others.
The remaining three were all about the same size.
Her Pyric Affinity was at the very peak of the second degree.
Her Water Affinity sat comfortably at the middle of the second degree.
Her Terrene Triad was barely at the start of the second degree.
Linda nodded to herself. ‘Not bad,’ she thought.
When she finally woke up, it was already late afternoon.
She’d missed the time she was supposed to meet up with Laura.
After a moment’s thought, Linda stepped outside her courtyard gate.
As she pushed the door open, she noticed there were people just outside.
Rafael and Craig were squatting by the gate for who knows how long.
Craig sighed. “I’ve been at First Unity Coven for years, and honestly, you’re the hardest worker I’ve seen. Well, except for Byron.”
Rafael looked at her like she was an alien. “You just dove straight into training? Seriously, is your life really that dull?”
Linda rolled her wrist. “Just killing time.”
Both of them chimed in at once, “If you’re bored, you could’ve just taken a nap.”
Linda was speechless.
Craig shook his head, looking amused. “If I’d known you were this bored, I would’ve dragged you off to Laurence’s place to plant some herbs. Better than just sitting around doing nothing.”
Rafael vaulted over the railing into the yard. “Seriously? You’re not actually thinking of staying here, are you?”
Craig shot Rafael a look. “Trying to bail again? Kermit already said it. Once you’re in First Unity Coven, you’re one of us for life. No way out, buddy.”
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Rafael sprang up, shouting, “I told you already. I don’t want my tuition back. Why are you still chasing after me? My dad’s the one who paid, not me. Go bug him.”
Craig’s face went all serious. “We take the cash, and we do the job. That’s the coven’s rule. Like it or not, you’re stuck with us.”
Rafael planted his hands on his hips, about to go off on a tirade.
But Craig didn’t even flinch. He just flicked a pill straight into Rafael’s mouth with a snap of his fingers.
In an instant, everything went dead quiet.
Rafael opened his mouth to yell, but not a single sound came out. He just waved his arms at Craig, completely mute.
Craig grinned at Linda and said, “Just a botched pill. Works wonders for keeping people quiet. Linda, Laura’s busy right now, so she asked me to take you to the Cleansing Basin.”
Linda was taken aback. “The Cleansing Basin? I can really go there?”
‘That’s one of the most important places in the whole coven, Linda thought, her heart skipping a beat.
Even in the High Sanctum of Archmagi, only the top three students in the competitions among those of the same rank could earn the right to enter.
Starting from her second year in the coven, Linda had managed to place in the top three almost every single year.
But since her fellow mages had never gotten the chance, she always gave up her spot, thinking she could just go some other time.
But after Marietta arrived, that chance disappeared for good.
“Of course,” Craig said with a friendly grin. “It’s tradition. Every new mage gets to visit there.”
He jabbed a finger at Rafael. “Rafael, you’re coming too.”
Hearing this, Rafael trembled, his skin turning instantly slick with cold sweat.
No doubt about it, he was legit terrified.
The Cleansing Basin was located right on the main peak, so there was no need for any flight techniques; they could simply walk there.
Craig led them through the Amethyst Thicket. Beyond the woods, a long staircase wound its way upward, wide enough for two people to walk side by side.
the steps, stopping at the three hundred and seventy–seventh stair. After turning left and walking another spaces along the mountain path, they finally arrived at the Hoarfrost Basin.
re here, Craig announced.
With that, he circled around behind Rafael.
And without warning, he gave Rafael a solid kick, sending him tumbling straight into the Hoarfrost Basin.
Then, hands tucked into his sleeves, Craig turned to Linda with a gentle smile. “Don’t worry, Linda. Girls get special treatment here.”
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Chapter 9
Linda was speechless.
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Rafael went under with a splash, mouth hanging open like he was screaming for his life, but thanks to that pill, not a single sound came out.
All that escaped was a silent, desperate wail.
The icy mist rising off him said it all. This place was no joke when it came to cleansing.
He looked like he was about to turn into a steam engine, smoke pouring off him from head to toe.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
