Non and Emily were sitting across from each other.

  The atmosphere felt charged with anticipation as Nohe stage for the day’s lesson.

  With his usual calm demeanor, he began expining the process of f a mana core.

  “First, you must focus on your breathing,” Non said, his tone firm but patient. “Mana flows best when you are calm. Let the air enter your body slowly, and with each breath, feel the energy begin to move within you.”

  Emily closed her eyes, following his instrus.

  At first, all she could feel was her breathing, the gentle rise and fall of her chest.

  But little by little, as if something within her was awakening, she began to feel a tingling deep inside.

  It was faint, almost imperceptible, but it was there, flowing through her veins like a subtle current.

  “Now, focus on your heart,” Non tinued, watg her closely. “Visualize that flow of mana heading towards it. The core is nothing more than a tainer. Your task is to shape it, trol it, and make it yours.”

  Emily furrowed her brow slightly, trating on visualizing what Non was asking of her.

  The mana in her body, that invisible flow that had always been there, began to slowly verge towards the ter of her chest.

  At first, it was challenging, like trying to trol a river with your hands, but gradually it started to take shape.

  Something inside her began to solidify, a warmth emanating from her heart, pulsing rhythmically with each beat.

  She felt something within her eg in a way she had never experienced before.

  After several minutes of deep tration, Emily opened her eyes, surprised.

  The air around her seemed clearer, her body lighter, and she could feel the stant flow of mana now running through her veins, as if a new energy was filling her pletely.

  “You did it,” Non said, smiling approvingly. “You’ve formed your core.”

  Emily couldn’t quite describe what she was feeling.

  It was as if the world around her had beore tangible, more accessible.

  “It’s… incredible,” she murmured, looking at her hands, now vibrating with energy.

  “Now that you have your core, try maniputing magic again,” Non suggested, giving her space to try.

  Emily nodded, closing her eyes again as she summoned wind magic.

  This time, as she began to form the sphere of air in her hands, everything was different.

  The wind didn’t scatter untrolbly as before; it flowed with a smoothness and precision she had never achieved.

  The sphere of air in her hands grew effortlessly, expanding slowly and with plete trol.

  She felt she had total mastery over the wind, as if it obeyed her wishes without any effort.

  Non watched her in amazement.

  Emily’s progress was remarkable, and although he knew she had potential, he had never imagined she would achieve something so difficult in such a short time.

  “That’s… amazing,” Non said with genuine admiration. “What you just did, trolling the wind like that, isn’t something many mages do on their first attempt after f a core.”

  Emily, hearing the pliment, felt the heat rise to her cheeks.

  She tried to smile, but the weight of embarrassment overwhelmed her.

  Before she could trol it, the same sensation of disfort she had experienced before flooded her, and in the blink of an eye, she lost trol.

  The wind she had kept in check suddeed, expanding violently around them.

  They were both thrown backward, pushed by the untrolled gust of air.

  Non hit a wall, while Emily fell on her back to the floor.

  For a moment, silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of their heavy breathing.

  Emily sat up, her face red with embarrassment, looking at Non with worried eyes.

  “I’m sorry… again. I didn’t mean to!” she hurriedly said, bowing her head as she tried to find the right words to apologize.

  But when she looked up, she realized that Non wasn’t upset at all.

  In fact, he was smiling.

  “I’m fine,” Non said calmly, brushing off some dust from his clothes. “Actually, I’m impressed. You’ve made incredible progress. trolling the wind like that is quite an achievement, even if you lost trol at the end. You o manage your emotioer.”

  Emily was about to apologize again, but at that momeomach growled loudly, interrupting the versation.

  She froze pletely, as if doing so would make the sound less obvious, but the blush on her face betrayed her.

  Non, instead of saying anything, let out a small ugh.

  “I think that’s a sign it’s time to take a break,” he said with a smile. “Let’s have dinner.”

  Emily, her face still flushed with embarrassment, imidly, silently grateful that Non didn’t take her mistake badly.

  They both got up and headed towards the stairs, leaving the room behind.

  ◇◆◇

  Night had fallen, and the dark sky was dotted with stars as the carriage made its way towards the imposing royal castle.

  The castle’s lights shone in the distaanding out like beas amidst the darkness.

  Ihe carriage, Isolde watched the approag towers and walls ily.

  When the carriage stopped at the main gate, two guards approached, scrutinizing the vehicle.

  Isolde stepped out gracefully, dressed modestly, though her bearing revealed her importance.

  One of the guards stepped forward, ready to speak, but she, in a firm and direct voice, identified herself:

  “I am Isolde Everhart,” she said, stating her surname.

  The guards exged a gnd nodded, reizing the young woman’s nobility.

  Without wasting time, Isolde walked through the castle’s halls.

  With the same fidence she had shown at the entrance, she slipped through a secret passage known only to those closest to the royal family.

  Her steps were quick but stealthy.

  The tension in her body grew as she approached her father’s room.

  Finally, she reached the hidden door behind a tapestry, from which dim light streamed out.

  Through a small crack, she saw the king sitting at his desk, focused on writing.

  Suddenly, he raised his head, sensing her presence before she could make a sound.

  “Who’s there?” the king asked in a deep voice, without looking away from his dots.

  Isolde stepped out of the passage, bowing her head respectfully.

  “Father,” she greeted in a reverent to with a hint of ay in her voice.

  The king turned slowly in his chair, looking at her with tired but attentive eyes.

  “Isolde,” he said in a softer tone. “What has happened? Why are you here at this hour?”

  Nervous about what she had to report, Isolde took a deep breath before beginning.

  “It’s about Non Rook, Father. Yesterday, when he left the mansion… it seems he met a oner. I didn’t think much of it at first, but…”

  The king watched her in silence as she hesitated, searg for the right words.

  His impatience showed with a slight gesture of his hand.

  “Isolde, speak pinly,” he said sternly. “Non is a man; it’s normal for him to want to invite a girl to spend the night with him. I don’t see the problem.”

  Isolde blushed slightly at her father’s bluntness but quickly shook her head.

  “That’s what I thought at first too, Father, but the girl returoday… and not only that, it seems Non has offered her a job and… he’s also teag her magic.”

  The king put down the book he was writing in, his full attention on his daughter’s words.

  “Magic?” he repeated, surprised. “Do you know what kind of magic he’s teag her?”

  Isolde shook her head, feeling the weight of her father’s gaze.

  “I don’t know… I haven’t been able to find out yet, but acc to what the servants have seen, she seems quite naive and distracted. I don’t think she’s a spy from another kingdom.”

  The king observed her for a moment, weighing the situation in his mind.

  Finally, with a sigh, he said:

  “Then you’ll iigate her. I’ll give you the resources you o find out if she’s a threat to the kingdom. If she isn’t, leave the matter alone.”

  Isolde frowned, wanting to uaer the reasons behind that order.

  But before she could ask, her father raised his hand, anticipating her doubt.

  “If you wish to maintain your peaceful life as the head maid in that luxurious mansion, it’s better not to know too much,” he said in a tohat, though firm, had a hint of warning. “Don’t hesitate to e to me if you discover anything relevant, whether about that girl or the magi is using.”

  Isolde lowered her head, accepting her father’s words.

  “Yes, Father,” she said in a whisper.

  The king looked at her with a faint smile, something rare for him.

  “You’re doing a good job, Isolde. Keep it up.”

  Isolde, surprised by the praise, managed a small smile before bowing o time.

  “Thank you, Father.”