Episode 15: Everything Depends On Whether You Have Talent Or Not

The brief explanation about the Level 1 magic exam had barely ended.

Seong-ung blew his whistle.

Tweeeet—

The moment the exam began, he felt an almost disorienting surge of Ether.

Examiner Seong-ung hastily moved to stop the child.

"One moment! Please stop! Examinee number 52, Yoo Eun-ha? The magic being tested is a Level 1 Ether Shot."

At his intervention, the flow of Ether cut off abruptly.

The examinee named Yoo Eun-ha simply lifted those large eyes of hers and spoke as though she couldn't imagine what the problem was.

"I am aware. Which is precisely why I was going easy."

As she smiled serenely, a rapidly spinning mass of Ether coalesced before her.

"Oh…."

"Did you feel that? The way she just pulled the Ether toward her?"

"Yes, I nearly fell out of my chair."

The murmuring wasn't confined to the examiners alone.

The Ether of the entire training hall had, in a single instant, been drawn toward the student called Yoo Eun-ha.

Every student and instructor present had lost themselves, staring at one small child.

[Level 1 — Projection Type]

[Ether Shot ETHER SHOT]

"……."

Above the small child's hand.

An Ether Shot shimmered into being—as though it contained an entire cosmos within it.

Ether so densely concentrated it was opaque hovered there, suspended, as large as a human head.

"Mm. I did try to reduce it."

Every examiner was stunned by the sheer volume of Ether, which looked more befitting a Level 2 spell.

"Wow— what's her Synchronization Rate?"

"Thirty percent? Maybe high thirties…."

"Good heavens…. I've never seen a child like this."

"Which academy is she from? Oh, she's unaffiliated…?"

"What? Unaffiliated? Is it classified?"

"Must be. She's hiding something."

The flustered examiners began chattering among themselves, but none of it reached Seong-ung's ears.

'Ether density this high, the Image Core's impression perfectly integrated, and Ether control that's flawless.'

A simply large Ether Shot was something he saw once or twice every year.

The Ether Shot was a straightforward spell—the higher the Ether Synchronization Rate, the larger it grew in proportion. That was all.

Which was precisely why it was the first spell everyone learned, and the standard for Level 1 certification.

'But this isn't merely large….'

Starlight that sparkled as though carrying an image within it, and rippling waves—both were woven into the Ether itself.

In every sense of the word—quantity and quality alike—this was transcendent.

It was a level of excellence that didn't just surpass her peers; it was a benchmark for an entire generation.

The hair on Seong-ung's arms stood on end.

'The first time since Lee Se-ra. To think another child like that would appear.'

He watched for a long moment, then exhaled.

"Full marks. Congratulations, Yoo Eun-ha."

"Think nothing of it."

The child canceled the spell with a blank expression and gave a small bow.

"More than anything, I thank you for the kind words you gave Eun-byeol. She needed the encouragement just then."

The child continued with a contented smile.

"A teacher with both the right eyes and the right mind. Truly, a rare talent."

"……."

He was taken aback by the tone of someone who seemed to have seen through the world entire.

And yet, there was a sharpness in her gaze that seemed to pierce straight through him—and Seong-ung felt his heart tremble.

The little child who had swept through the training hall turned and walked out with perfect composure.

"Next, examinee number 53…."

At Examiner Byeong-ho's words, Seong-ung raised his hand.

"We'll take a short break before continuing."

At that, Examiners Byeong-ho and Yun-jeong glanced at their watches.

"Ah. You're right, it's already break time."

"Did number 52 run a bit long?"

"Ha— even the great Examiner Seong-ung was standing there completely transfixed."

"So even the Mage of the Northern Sea has never seen a talent like that?"

Seong-ung watched the retreating figure of Yoo Eun-ha as she left the training hall, and carved that name into his memory.

'A name I've never heard, unaffiliated, and already at that level….'

'Yoo Eun-ha. Unaffiliated.'

When the time came, it would surely be a name that brought a tremendous storm with it.

*

The shared training hall, after the Level 1 exam had concluded.