What Valred truly focused on learning was the general knowledge of this world—geography, political landscapes, and cultural customs. Beyond that, he delved into the mastery and application of the Winds of Magic. In this world, the psychic energy—or the Winds of Magic—was far more potent than in Valred's previous life. While other aspects of this world might seem backward, its understanding and development of magical traditions surpassed anything Valred had encountered before.
Just the previous night, using only the foundational knowledge he had acquired and his overabundant magical power, Valred had unleashed a terrifying spell. If he were to systematically study the magic of this world, his power could potentially reach astonishing levels.
Of course, that was only a possibility.
With this expectation in mind, Valred walked half a step ahead of Miss Trissy toward his room. They settled into the study, furnished with two comfortable chairs, bookshelves filled with basic knowledge tomes, two desks with writing materials, and a suit of half-plate armor with matching sword and shield mounted on a weapon rack by the wall.
Seated across from Miss Trissy, Valred focused his full attention on her—not because of her delicate, charming, and alluring demeanor, but because he vividly remembered her words from the previous day's lesson:
"Valred, your talent is remarkable. It seems you've mastered the basics. Tomorrow, I'll teach you something more practical."
Seeing Valred's eager expression, Miss Trissy smiled warmly. Industriousness and a love for learning were virtues in any race.
"Earlier, I explained the basic concepts of magic, the fundamental runes, and their arrangement rules. Do you still remember them?"
"Of course," Valred nodded, unable to suppress a slightly proud smile as he recalled how he had pointed out the errors in his sister's magic array the previous night.
"Very good. In this world, there are several categories of magic, and the specific spells are countless, with new ones being invented constantly. However, at their core, both magic categories and individual spells are merely applications of the Winds of Magic. Wizards, sorcerers, and mages harness the Winds of Magic in the air, manipulate them, refine them, shape them… and thus, specific spells come into being.
"Tens of thousands of years ago, in the infancy of civilization, mages had a primitive understanding of the world. Their methods of using magic were simple and crude. They would gather the Winds of Magic in the air, condense them to their limit, and then unleash them toward their target. It was a completely brute-force, inefficient method used by barbarians."
At this, Valred blushed slightly, as the spell he had used to break the tomb's barrier the previous night had been exactly that kind of brute-force method.
Miss Trissy, oblivious to his expression, continued, "Of course, as civilization progressed, only the savage Orcs, the Chaos sorcerers of the northern wastelands, the dim-witted ogres, and the beastmen of Chaos still use such methods. Whether it's the High Elves, Dark Elves, Wood Elves, Dwarves, humans, us vampires, or even the Chaos Daemons—we all employ more refined methods of magic.
"We can further purify the Winds of Magic, categorizing the power they contain. This is the origin of magical schools. As these theories developed, magic entered an era of explosive growth—chaotic and turbulent, but rapidly advancing.
"As that era progressed, the various races of the world established their territories. Magic continued to evolve, with skilled wizards blending different pure Winds of Magic to create even richer variations.
"Thus, under the main branches of magical schools, more specialized disciplines emerged. Magic became increasingly complex and diverse, to the point where some shorter-lived races could spend their entire lives studying a single branch without fully comprehending it. Moreover, different nations and races have their own interpretations of these magical disciplines."
Here, Miss Trissy paused and looked at Valred. "So, Valred, which school of magic do you think you prefer or feel most suited for?"
"I don't know," Valred answered quickly and honestly.
"An excellent answer," Miss Trissy nodded with a satisfied smile. "At your age, and with your limited exposure to magic, 'I don't know' is the most appropriate response. I hope you can maintain this answer for a little longer. Given your youth, you have time to explore and consider carefully, ultimately choosing the path that best suits you."
"Yes, I understand," Valred nodded, accepting her explanation.
"Now, another question. What kind of person do you want to be when you grow up? What profession do you aspire to?" Miss Trissy continued.
"I'll inherit the Carstein family," Valred replied, feigning a slight frown—a carefully crafted act to ensure Miss Trissy wouldn't suspect his deeper knowledge and to maintain the facade of being a child.
"No," Miss Trissy shook her head. "That's not what I mean, Valred. You will indeed inherit the Carstein family—that's inevitable. But the title of Count Carstein is your identity, not your profession. Do you understand? I am a teacher, or one could be a general in the army, or perhaps someone seeking a position in the citizens' assembly?"
Valred looked momentarily enlightened, then puzzled again. "But does this have anything to do with the magical schools we're discussing?"
"Of course," Miss Trissy explained further. "For races without magical aptitude or those with only a few individuals who possess it, there's no connection. But for races like ours, where magic is innate, one's future profession is closely tied to magic.
"If you wish to command armies, you'll need to strengthen your necromantic abilities to control larger and more powerful forces. If you aim for a civil service role, you'll need to develop mental magic to enhance cognitive speed and thoroughness. These things go hand in hand."
Valred nodded, showing he understood, and began to contemplate his future. Soon, however, he realized Miss Trissy's explanation wasn't entirely accurate.
"So, have you decided?" Miss Trissy asked, noticing Valred's confident smile return.
"I think I should still aim to be a Count."
"I see," Miss Trissy said, slightly surprised, then smiled even more warmly. "But to achieve that ambition, Count Carstein might not be enough. Are you aiming for all of Sylvania? It's been a long time since the realm has seen a Duke."
As Valred hesitated—whether to nod and boldly declare that "Sylvania is just the beginning" or continue playing dumb—Miss Trissy leaned forward and gently pulled him into a hug.
"My poor, adorable little fool," she murmured softly, leaving Valred momentarily flustered. A faint, pleasant scent from her added to his dizziness. After what felt like an eternity, she finally released him. While Valred blushed shyly, Miss Trissy appeared entirely unruffled.
"Well, in that case, I have a better idea of how to guide you. Future Count Carstein," she added the title playfully.
"I'll leave it to you," Valred replied with equal formality, though his tone was far more serious, eliciting another delighted laugh from Miss Trissy.
With this conversation concluded, Miss Trissy had a clearer understanding of how to proceed. Despite all the earlier talk about elemental affinities, suitable magical schools, and future ambitions, the lesson that followed was still just the basics—foundational knowledge upon foundational knowledge. The higher-level studies would have to wait until Valred officially became a mage, years down the line.