Chapter 17: Casting a Fireball Spell

Magic is not something easily mastered. Merely possessing magical abilities does not guarantee progress on this path. Even those with inherent talents can only go so far without enough effort.

Casting a fireball spell is not as simple as reciting an incantation. The intricacies of each spell cannot be explained in a few words. Some magic requires extensive practice to fully control, and even a slight mistake can lead to failure.

Effort is a luxury for this privileged group of young individuals.

Aresia does not believe that all of her classmates are willing to put in the necessary effort. The number of people in this world who possess magical abilities is scarce. These individuals tend to be arrogant and pampered, making it nearly impossible to motivate them to diligently practice magic.

Even though nobles and wealthy individuals may hire magic tutors for their magically-gifted children, considering the physical and intellectual development of the child, as well as the inherent dangers of magic, these classes are usually arranged when the child reaches the age of twelve or thirteen.

Aresia attends private magic lessons and understands that the teachers hired to instruct noble children prioritize theoretical lessons over practical exercises. They do not aim for true mastery of magic, and even the practice sessions are limited. This lack of commitment is especially frustrating for the children.

It is not that these children lack magical talent, but rather that the aristocratic culture encourages it. In this world, strength is highly valued, and having a magically-gifted child increases one’s prospects for advantageous marriages. Even the previous Aresia, influenced by her noble upbringing, sees finding a suitable marriage partner as a goal, with magic being an attractive embellishment on an already beautiful dress.

Among this group of new students, there must be more than just Karina who has mastered the fireball spell.

Alvin called a few people to demonstrate, but before continuing to call more, he started to tell them about the mistakes they had made during the previous demonstration.

He began by saying, “Magic is not something to be taken lightly. The power it possesses is immense. The fireballs you casted did not hit their targets, nor did they even come close. This kind of magic is simply unacceptable.”

Although his tone was mild, his words were anything but polite, leaving the listeners feeling resentful.

In reality, Aresia believed his words were still considerate. Their previous basic magic class teacher had a sharp tongue and was known for reducing students to tears with foul language. It seemed like being a sharp-tongued teacher was contagious. After all, Alvin was one of the few basic magic class teachers who had stayed on after graduation, and his teaching style was considered comparatively lenient.

Ignoring their discontent, Alvin positioned himself as the target and began his demonstration.

Compared to the newcomers struggling to pronounce the incantations fluently, Alvin’s incantations flowed so rapidly that it was difficult for anyone to discern what he was saying.

Five seconds.

Aresia mentally calculated that the standard casting time for a fireball spell was ten seconds. Alvin managed to reduce it to five seconds, an impressive feat for a novice magician.

While others were still trying to process this detail, shocked by Alvin’s performance, he swiftly conjured a fireball, aiming it directly at the target. The intense flames distorted the air as the fiery projectile struck the target like a shooting star.

At the moment of impact, a thunderous explosion echoed, and once the flames dissipated, the specially crafted target remained intact, bearing the scorched marks that testified to the power of the fireball.

With a calm demeanor, Alvin turned around and addressed the onlookers, “Has it become clear now? Only when the Fireball spell achieves this level of effectiveness can it be deemed acceptable.”

“In the practice session, two people formed a group to learn. Help each other to cast a fireball spell, and those who failed would have to double their efforts in the next session.”

Upon hearing this, everyone let out a collective cry: “Professor, casting a standard fireball spell is impossible for us to grasp in just one session!”

Alvin grinned and said, “I don’t expect you to reach the standard right away. In this lesson, you just need to gather enough power to create a fireball, without adhering strictly to the formal standards.”

The formal standards referred to the criteria set by the Mage Association for casting spells during the mage level assessment.

Upon hearing his explanation, the initially skeptical and noisy students quieted down. It seemed that they believed him more than Karina, whose face was even more bitter than a bitter gourd.

To find a solution without increasing their workload, they decided to practice in pairs.

On the school field, there were four stands for shooting targets, and the number was not scarce. Although two class were taking lessons, the number of students in the magic department was small, so there were enough stands for each pair.

They began to form teams, and some people chose to team up with Aresia. Karina, holding Aresia’s arm, declared her sovereignty, much to Aresia’s regret.

They chose a vacant stand, and Karina said, “Aresia, let me try first. Give me some instructions, okay?”

Aresia remained calm as Karina approached. Aresia’s fireball spell must be qualified.

Aresia nodded and stepped aside, demonstrating the starting position.

Karina took a deep breath, prepared herself, and began to recite the incantation.

“Aresia frowned as Karina’s intonation was way off. She listened to a note and concluded that this spell was not going to be successful.

Perhaps true sorcerers excel not in the incantations themselves, but in their ability to streamline and shorten the length of spells. Karina, being a beginner, had interruptions and continued with a flawed casting process.

Karina experienced another failed attempt. After completing the incantation, not even a flicker of flame emerged.

This left Karina feeling utterly defeated, as she realized she was not even close to completing the task assigned by her teacher.

“I guess I’ll have to work overtime on my current assignment.”

“Don’t be so pessimistic.”

Karina’s main issue was her incorrect pronunciation of the incantation, combined with her lack of confidence and hesitation during the casting process. The combination of these factors resulted in her failed attempts.

Aresia then began to correct Karina’s pronunciation issues. She encouraged her to recite each word of the incantation separately, ensuring that the entire spell was pronounced correctly.

Not only did Aresia teach the correct pronunciation, but she also explained the thought process behind each word of the spell, making it clearer and easier to understand.”

“Magic spells are not merely recited; one must understand the thoughts they represent and the process of constructing the magic in the mind. Concentration is crucial, as any distraction can lead to the failure of the spell.”

It was the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that students understood the new language they were learning.

It wasn’t that Alvin was a bad teacher; it was Karina’s impatience to listen to the basic theory classes on the new language. Besides, the Magic Department had specialized courses on magical language. While he did explain the overall concept of the spell, Karina needed someone who could help her with a more detailed understanding.

Seeing how Aresia not only corrected the pronunciation but also broke down the spell word by word, Karina was both impressed and grateful. She listened attentively and even took out pen and paper to take notes.

“So, the key point is this. Have you remembered it?”

Karina recited the spell once and asked, “Is this correct?”

The incantation for the Fireball spell wasn’t too long, and Karina had some basic knowledge to begin with, making the correction process faster.

Aresia confirmed that there was still an issue and suggested trying again, saying, “Concentrate and focus, don’t get distracted.”

Karina nodded and began casting the spell with a renewed determination, keeping Aresia’s words in mind and visualizing the form and essence of the fireball in her mind.

With a focused mind, as the incantation came to an end, a small flicker of flame appeared before quickly extinguishing. Although it was brief, it was an improvement compared to before.

Excitedly, Karina exclaimed, “I did it!”

Although she didn’t meet the teacher’s requirements, there was still an improvement.

Aresia encouraged her to keep practicing and strive to complete the teacher’s task.

Karina, full of enthusiasm, approached Aresia and asked, “Do you need to practice? I can give up my spot.” After all, she can now make fireball, but accurately hitting the target is another matter.

Initially, Aresia hesitated. She knew that casting basic magic spells was effortless for her, and her fireball technique had more power than what was expected from lower-level mages. Even with her injuries, she could easily enhance the effect of the fireball with an incantation, creating a large crater on the field.

Accepting Karina’s offer, Aresia stood in front of the target. She adjusted her magic flow slowly and began reciting the incantation.

A larger fireball than the one Alvin had just cast hovered in the air. With a loud bang, it engulfed the target.