Chapter 75: Fate
"Just as I suspected before, Gauss, your magical energy truly is special!"
"This kind of phenomenon, according to the literature, is extremely rare and has only been observed in individuals with unique magical traits."
"Simply put, your magic is more active than that of other spellcasters."
"Your Mage Armor must have reached a rather proficient level of practice as well. Due to its influence, the vitality of the magic within your body has further increased, thus creating magical resonance."
"Your magic has started to unconsciously resonate more deeply with spell structures—in other words, it's reshaping those spell structures."
"Does this have any effect on me?" Gauss blinked.
"This is a good thing."
"This kind of resonance isn't particularly harmful. As long as you understand and grasp the phenomenon, you'll progress through the professional path faster than other apprentices."
Hearing Andini's explanation, Gauss felt relieved.
He had thought there was something wrong with his body that was stalling his Mage Armor progression.
It turned out the cause was overly active magical energy. It might also be influenced by his innate magical resistance.
"Oh right, Gauss. There's one more thing I need to remind you about." Andini continued. "Your proficiency with Mage Armor is sufficient now. From here on, your practice should focus not on the number of casts but on concentrating as much as possible during casting—pay close attention to the source and nature of that 'heat flow' resonance, and try to guide its transformation."
"You need deep reflection and a wide range of real-world feedback from being struck, to sense the magical resonance from that feedback."
"However, I can't help you with this. My magical strength is too high and would only backfire."
Andini blinked, spread her hands, and wore an expression of helplessness.
Gauss smiled and nodded thoughtfully.
He began to reflect inwardly.
He suddenly realized that ever since reaching level 1v2 with Mage Armor and becoming increasingly proficient with casting it, he had stopped focusing on the nature of the spell itself, instead chasing faster casting speed and stronger effects.
That was clearly a short-sighted approach.
He hadn’t fully internalized this Tier 1 Spell yet.
Perhaps that was also why his Mage Armor proficiency was stuck at 19/20 and not progressing.
Tier 1 Spells were far more complex than Tier 0 Cantrips. While Mage Hand could be brute-forced through constant use, the more intricate and complex Mage Armor was clearly not so simple.
He needed to return his focus to the spell itself, rather than its application.
Looking at Gauss, already lost in thought with a hint of realization on his face, Andini, seated on the chair, had a glint of appreciation and nostalgia in her eyes.
She glanced once at Gauss, immersed in his own world, and a palm-sized booklet appeared in her hands, which she began to quietly read.
For spellcasters, unlike warriors or rangers, immersive contemplation within the mental world was meaningful.
On the surface, spellcasting was the manifestation of magic, but at its root, it relied on the power of the spirit.
Magical energy required mental control.
Only when Gauss emerged from his thoughts, his eyes once again clear, did Andini hurriedly put away her booklet.
"Ahem."
"Gauss, how’s the bonding with your Bone Wand going?"
Why bring up the wand all of a sudden? Gauss, just snapping out of his thoughts, was briefly confused, but he didn’t dwell on it.
He took out the wand and rubbed it gently.
As his magical energy permeated it, the Bone Wand appeared even more radiant, faintly exuding a sense of sacred vitality.
"It’s already very well attuned."
After many days of practice and adaptation, he felt the wand had reached its optimal synchronization.
A trace of disbelief appeared in Andini’s eyes.
Perhaps Gauss couldn’t sense it yet, but from her magical perception, even though the appearance of the wand hadn’t changed—
Its interior had undergone a drastic transformation. It was no exaggeration to say it was now a completely different wand from the lifeless one it used to be.
Held in Gauss’s hand, it had an aura of complete harmony.
She couldn’t help but shiver slightly, as a bizarre thought floated through her mind.
It felt as if it had always belonged to him, and fate had merely entrusted her to keep it safe for decades before finally returning it to its rightful master.
But soon, she shook her head and couldn’t help but smile bitterly in her heart.
This kind of thought bordered on fatalism, something she had always scoffed at in the past.
Why did such an illusion suddenly arise?
Was it because of age, and the inevitable subconscious influence of others?
But for a Halfling, she was still in her prime.
"Then you'd better make good use of it." Andini looked at the bone wand, smooth as jade, with a trace of reluctance in her heart.
After all, it had been in her collection for decades, and she had some emotional attachment to it.
Moreover, as a spellcaster, who wouldn't want to possess a wand of mysterious origin and immense potential?
If she hadn't tested it repeatedly and confirmed that her magical energy was completely incompatible with the wand, she would never have been willing to give it up to another spellcaster.
"I understand."
Inside the Thorn Cottage, Andini passed on to Gauss a magical energy circulation training route that could help enhance control.
Then she answered several of his questions regarding magic and where to learn spells, handed him two books on spell theory, and formally issued a guest dismissal.
She was going to catch up on her sleep.
Gauss left the Thorn Cottage and returned to his room at the inn.
Sitting on the straw bed, he activated Mage Armor once more.
This time, unlike before, he didn’t aim for speed.
Instead, he deliberately suppressed the casting pace.
As if slowing down his movements, he carefully sensed the transformations in connection between mind, magical energy, and the spell at the moment of release—
As well as the magical resonance, that surging heat flow that came after a successful cast.
With each practice attempt, he could faintly feel his understanding of the spell deepening.
It was like solving math problems in his past life—writing an answer quickly wouldn’t get full marks.
Only by breaking it down step-by-step, listing all the formulas, and showing the full calculation process, could one present a complete solution.
Was this remedial learning?
Gauss couldn't help but wonder.
Though the spell proficiency reward granted by the Adventurer’s Handbook was rapid, that very convenience sometimes led to overlooking the detailed process.
Gauss practiced in his room for an entire day.
It wasn’t until dinner time that a hint of satisfaction finally appeared on his face.
Although the Mage Armor proficiency still hadn’t increased, he could feel his understanding of Mage Armor had become more profound.
As long as he continued like this, breaking through to 1v3 was only a matter of time.
According to his speculation, 1v1 was entry level, 1v2 was proficient, and 1v3 would be mastery.
Tier 0 Cantrips, due to their inherent simplicity and limited changes in magical properties, had their limitations. Advancing from 1v1 to 1v3 only slightly enhanced spell effects unless the quality of magical energy changed significantly, and even then, the increase wouldn’t be dramatic.
But Mage Armor was different.
Each stage brought clear changes. At 1v1, it could be barely used. By early 1v2, it could be used proficiently.
In the later part of 1v2, he could cast it on others and slightly increase its protective strength. If he reached 1v3, the effects should improve even more.
He had a strong premonition that when Mage Armor finally resonated fully with his magic, that would be the moment he truly stepped onto the path of becoming a Professional.
At that point, Mage Armor would also undergo a new transformation!