I looked at her.
The spell she had just summoned crackled in the air like a living sun. Just sensing the mana radiating off it made my knees wobble.
That thing was too much—for someone like me, a mere 3-Star Mage.
I gulped.
My eyes twitched involuntarily.
"My Queen… isn't this a bit much?" I said, trying to keep my voice calm. There was a clear plea in my tone, though. I couldn't help it.
She smiled at me.
It was beautiful, almost divine—but it carried something dangerous underneath. A smile that could warm the sun or incinerate a city. Her gaze bore into mine, mesmerizing and terrifying all at once.
"Hmm… sure," she said sweetly. "But first—tell me. How did you obtain two more high-tier spells?"
My heart skipped a beat.
I stood frozen, completely stunned.
How could she tell?
She tilted her head, her tone remaining soft, almost motherly, but with a hint of suspicion that cut like a dagger.
"Tell me… what are you hiding, child?"
I gulped again, my throat dry. How could she see the Calm Sea spell? I hadn't even Let it radiates outside. Just let a flicker out for stabilization...
But of course—she was an 8-Star Mage. No joke at all.
A sigh escaped my lips. I could barely bring myself to speak.
"And you can't just learn a Legendary Spell in a short amount of time," she continued gently, yet firmly. "Unless, of course, you already understood one before. And that Spell is Far harder too comprehend."
She paused. Her eyes sharpened.
Her voice, still melodic, carried a chilling weight. "Answer me."
I looked at her, stunned. I sighed inwardly.
I really needed to be more cautious around her. She was... terrifyingly smart. Being with her was like walking a tightrope over a volcano. One wrong move, and I'd end up extra crispy.
"Y-yes… I have a Legendary Spell," I admitted quietly.
I raised my hand and activated the spell. At once, a translucent, jelly-like barrier wrapped protectively around my body.
She stared.
The massive fireball floating above her staff dimmed and dissolved instantly.
She walked closer, observing the shimmering, fluid barrier around me. It wasn't a normal shield. It pulsed softly, as though it were alive. The mana flow within it was complex, beautiful—even mesmerizing.
She didn't ask how I got it. Not right away. No lecture, no interrogation. Instead, her eyes twinkled like she had just found something interesting
Without a word, she conjured a smaller fireball—blue, compact, dense. I immediately recognized it as a high-tier spell. But in her hands, it could carry the strength of a 4-Star mid-layer attack… or worse.
Before I could even ask what she was planning to do, she shot it.
Straight. At. Me.
No warning. No countdown. No "brace yourself."
I barely had time to flinch.
The fireball struck my jelly-like armor dead-on. I flew backward from the impact—but strangely, I didn't feel pain. The spell's power had been absorbed and neutralized by the barrier. The force was redistributed across the shield, and it rippled like water, swallowing the fireball whole.
Before I could slam into the black training wall behind us, the barrier's elasticity bounced me gently to a stop.
I panted heavily. My body felt shaky but intact.
She smile Gently but dangerously She knew that I'm not ordinary even Bright Yellow Talent is not my Talent it is above that
"This… at just 2-Star Peak Layer?" she murmured.
There was only one thing on her mind now: She had to have me.
No, not romantically. At least, I hoped not. But she wanted to keep me. To mold me. I wasn't ordinary—that much was obvious. She had suspected I was a purple-tier talent when we first met.
But now? Now she was beginning to realize that my potential is almost unlimited
If she didn't act now, she might never get the chance again.
She smiled—soft, gentle, affectionate. it was honestly Strange too see that obsession side of her..
She raised her staff.
Three more fireballs appeared—each one high-tier and crackling with ferocious power.
I stared at them.
I sighed. Loudly.
There was no way I could survive this.
The staff I held—an ancient artifact with its own cold, snarky personality—spoke in my mind again, its voice as calm as ever.
"Just use Shadow Sentinel and Levitate to control the trajectory of the fireballs. If one's going to hit you—redirect it. You do have a brain, yes?"
"…Thanks for the vote of confidence," I muttered under my breath.
Still, the staff was right. I had options.
Time to use everything I had.
I activated Satan's Eye,Slowing everything atleast 50%. Patterns of mana, trajectories, angles—they all became clear to me.
I summoned Shadow Sentinel.
Two identical shadows appeared at my sides, each one mimicking my stance and holding a spectral version of my staff.
My jelly-like barrier pulsed, adapting its shape slightly. I layered Calm Sea over it for strategic analysis and mental clarity.
Mana consumption spiked—drastically. I could feel it draining like a sinkhole. But thanks to the staff's stabilizing effect, I wasn't immediately depleted.
I could keep this up—for maybe an hour. If I was lucky.
Then came the storm.
She began her barrage.
Flames danced through the air. Shadows weaved in and out. The ground shook beneath my feet. I parried with the shadows, redirected two of the fireballs with Levitate, and absorbed one with the barrier. It was a deadly dance, and I barely held on.
Time blurred.
At some point—I don't know when—the black training domain finally faded.
We were back in the garden. Peaceful, quiet, serene.
I collapsed onto the soft grass.
My Clothes was torn in several places. Smoke curled from the edges of my sleeves. Burn marks painted my arms and legs, and every bone in my body ached.
She stood above me, chuckling softly.
She crouched down, brushing my face gently.
I blinked in surprise.
Warmth flowed from her palm. My injuries began to heal. I could feel the pain melting away, slowly but surely. I looked up at her and smiled, grateful beyond words.
She smiled back—soft and teasing.
Then, she placed her hand on her cheek in an exaggerated, dramatic gesture.
"Truly a pity," she sighed. "I can't lock you up and train you in secret. My daughter would be furious."
I froze.
Wait.
What?
Did she just say—lock me up?
I glanced at her again.
For a moment, I saw it.
That same glint in her eyes—possessive, hungry for potential. The exact same glint Lucy had when she was being… well, Lucy.
I gulped.
Was this some kind of hereditary trait? Possessiveness and danger wrapped in beauty?
Still smiling, she reached into her Dress and handed me a scroll.
"This contains the basics of the Ten Extreme Healing techniques," she said gently. "Study it well. I expect results next time."
I took it with both hands, bowing slightly.
"Thank you, my Queen."
As I looked at her smiling radiantly under the sun