Chapter 51: Partial Transfiguration
“This is… partial transfiguration!? You’ve actually managed to reach this level!?”
It had only been a few days since Lilith Mage personally taught the last Transfiguration class.
Watching the emerald green butterfly wings behind Janna, Vivian would never have believed anyone could master transfiguration to this degree in such a short time—had she not witnessed the entire process herself.
And yet they had started learning it at the same time!
Besides, wasn’t Transfiguration supposed to be one of the most difficult introductory courses in all of mysticism?
Then why was she the only one who hadn’t even grasped the basics?
Oh, no—wait.
Looking around at the stunned expressions on the faces of their fellow classmates as they stared at Janna, Vivian’s resentment suddenly felt somewhat soothed.
“She’s the only monster here. The rest of us are just normal people…”
Among the first-year apprentices, very few would spend a full hundred academic credits to attend a Transfiguration course meant for senior students—except for those from wealthy backgrounds.
Even though “Transfiguration” was famously renowned in the field of mysticism, its difficulty was just as well known.
Instead of wasting a hundred credits on a course that was nearly impossible to even comprehend, most would rather save up to buy a wand first.
So, under this general mindset, when Janna, still just a layman apprentice, successfully cast a transfiguration spell, the shock was enough to shatter everyone’s understanding of what it meant to be a “genius.”
Even though those familiar with Janna knew she was indeed a talented layman apprentice.
Still, this so-called “decent talent” wasn’t supposed to be synonymous with “genius.”
Only at this moment did the brilliance hidden beneath Janna’s gentle social mask finally reveal itself.
——
Flap—
With a light flutter of her butterfly wings, Janna’s left hand formed a circle with two fingers.
As she continued to rise from the ground, she persistently cast the Eagle Eye Spell.
“Found it.”
Zooming in her view, once she locked onto a direction, the flapping of the wings behind her accelerated sharply, nearly stirring a strong wind as she turned into a streak of green and soared toward the clouds.
“Too sneaky!”
Watching Janna ascend to intercept the bee sparrow puppet, the left-behind Vivian pulled a half-human-sized wooden horse out of her interdimensional storage bracelet.
Straddling it in one motion, she shot into the sky, refusing to be outdone.
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh—”
Seeing this, all the wizard apprentices present who owned flight tools followed suit and took to the skies.
In an instant, magical items zipped through the air, and what had been an open scarlet barrier quickly turned into chaos.
——
“They’re cheating! How can flying tools be allowed in Defense Against Dark Magic class?”
“Exactly! If someone casts a flying spell, fine—but using magical tools is just blatant unfairness!”
Watching the aerial clutter caused by flying tools, the apprentices still on the ground found themselves unable to act freely due to the sheer number of “human obstacles” overhead.
After all, those who could afford flying tools at this stage were all from prominent wizard families in Turin.
If anyone accidentally hurt one of them, a layman apprentice without backing couldn’t possibly afford the consequences.
“Professor Grace didn’t call a stop, which means they’re not breaking the rules.”
“But their actions are seriously interfering with us…”
“Enough. Don’t make a fuss—it’s just a class test. No need to take it so seriously… Besides, since the bee sparrow puppet is hiding high in the sky, their antics might actually give us a chance…”
The speaker was Andre Green, who had a B-level high-temperature affinity and was the male apprentice who defeated Vivian in their last Defense Against Dark Magic class duel.
“Magic Missile!”
The moment he finished speaking, the pre-charged spell burst from his mouth. In a flash, a baby fist-sized white light bullet shot out from the tip of his slightly worn wand, striking a blind spot behind an artificial hill.
“Damn! It got away again!”
Andre Green looked frustrated as the bee sparrow puppet narrowly escaped his blast.
“I was so close…”
“Look over there!”
Just as Andre Green was about to recast the Eagle Eye Spell to locate the puppet again, a sudden exclamation interrupted him.
“Miss Janna seems to have succeeded!”
——
Flap—
Her wings beat rapidly as she felt her magic reserves steadily depleting through the arcane circuits.
Janna knew she had to take down the bee sparrow puppet before the transfiguration wore off, or today’s daily quest would likely end in failure.
“Eagle Eye!”
Her left eye widened.
As the image around her zoomed in, a faint shadow suddenly appeared within her field of vision.
“Got it—”
Learning from past failures, this time, after locating the puppet with her Eagle Eye Spell, Janna didn’t rush in.
Instead, she quietly chanted the spell, maintaining a condensed Magic Missile at her wand’s tip. Then, using her [Muscle Control] talent, she ensured her wand-holding right hand remained perfectly still despite the high-altitude environment.
“Magic Missile!”
Boom!
The missile exploded.
The puppet shattered.
With Janna’s successful strike, countless eyes immediately turned toward her.
“Finally did it.”
Seeing the scattered wood chips, Janna, who had been in a state of intense focus, finally let out a breath of relief.
——
“It’s her again…”
Hovering midair, Andre Green stared at the slender figure.
Knowing Janna’s background, he felt a strange sense of unreality.
“Is she really the same illegitimate girl who used to tremble just when speaking? Back in the lower city, she looked like a completely different person…”
As one of the few who knew Janna’s “true” origins, Andre Green couldn’t reconcile the dazzling girl before him with the timid and insecure figure from before.
It was the same face, but somehow, Janna Roland at this moment exuded an unparalleled and astonishing charisma.
She now held the gaze of Andre Green—who had previously paid her no mind—and forced him into silent admiration.
“Maybe… this is the real her. Maybe that former self was just a mask she had to wear to survive as an illegitimate daughter…”
His gaze dark and unreadable, Andre Green took one last look at Janna as she slowly descended from the sky, then silently turned his attention elsewhere and resumed the search for the remaining nine bee sparrow puppets…