冬霜谷.在巨大的魔法穹顶下,高耸的大理石柱子竖立在周边.隐约可见的是无数蚂蚁般的人影,整齐地排成一排.在魔法穹顶的正中央,有一颗注入了魔力的巨大水晶.
"咕咕咕,法力等级 4,212——四阶法师!""克莱尔,法力等级 5,001——五阶法师!""雷格,法力等级 4,999——巅峰四阶法师!"考官大声喊出了结果.
刚刚接受法术力评估的年轻法师们从这块巨大的水晶中走开-有些人欢喜,有些人欢呼,而有些人则失望地叹息.
这是伟大的冬霜谷,属于维奥莱蒂亚守护者的神圣魔法殿堂,这是这片大陆上最崇高的组织.每年的这个时候,冬霜谷的年轻法师都会聚集在这个大厅里,对自己内心的法力储备进行评估.任何在冬霜谷度过三年的法师都必须参加这项测试.那些在这三年内未能达到特定等级的男孩和女孩将被迫离开山谷,失去在那里继续学习的机会.因此,这个一年一度的试炼成为许多年轻法师焦虑的根源.
"唉..."在神奇穹顶下的高台上,一个扎着两条长辫子的女孩——菜菜子——鼓起脸颊,发出沮丧的呻吟,眼中充满了担忧.
她头上戴着一顶超大号的法师帽.虽然身材娇小,但没有人敢小看她——因为她是冬霜谷的七位执行者之一.
七位执行者代表了山谷中权力和权威的巅峰.即使是他们中最弱的也是一个夷平城市的法师,能够单枪匹马夷平一座大都市.第七位执行者菜菜子,被称为冰霜与冬怒的风暴女巫.
然而在这一刻,她却觉得自己一点也不得意.
"Lynn,你这个..."菜菜子忧郁地咕哝着,她的眼睛盯着下面排队的一名年轻人."三年!你的师父教了你整整三年!你怎么还能这么...绝望吗?
她握紧了拳头,她的声音因沮丧而颤抖."以我倾注在你身上的所有资源,即使是一头猪,现在也可能被迫成为二阶法师!"
在下面的人群中,那个男孩尽管举止昏昏欲睡,但还是显得格外突出.他的亚麻长袍和超大的巫师帽掩盖不了他年轻时脸庞上引人注目的英俊.然而他的眼睛半睁着,他的表情完全无动于衷,就像他刚刚从床上滚下来一样.
这是 Lynn,Nanako 的徒弟.
三年前,她将他带到冬霜谷,决心将他塑造成一名高贵而有能力的法师.她对性格的判断总是无可挑剔的——直到这个令人愤怒的男孩证明她错了.
她投入了无数时间亲自指导他,坚持她的信条"不让任何学生掉队".然而,Lynn 的魔法进步以如此缓慢的速度爬行,几乎是侮辱性的.前一天煞费苦心地教授的概念,明天就会像晨雾一样从他的脑海中消失.
"到明天,他就会忘记大部分事情了.如果他到第二天能保留哪怕 10%,我就会称他为天才——一个奇迹!
"执行者菜菜子,你担心你的小徒弟可能会失败吗?"她旁边的一位法师问道,研究着她不安的表情.
菜菜子叹了口气,无精打采地吹着她的刘海."是的.那个男孩,林恩...他很可能是我见过的最密集的生物——比岩石还密集!
法师犹豫了一下,才小心翼翼地开口:"执行者...请原谅我,但也许这对他来说并不完全是一件坏事.他缺乏魔法天赋是...有名.法师的道路可能不适合他.还有像你这样的人...当然,有无数有天赋的学徒渴望在你手下学习.为什么要坚持——"
菜菜子屏住了呼吸.
时间似乎暂停了.
她慢慢地站起来,调整了一下她的超大帽子,露出了锐利的蓝宝石眼睛."仅仅因为学生速度慢就放弃他们?那不是我的风格.她歪着头,冰冷的目光足以冻结空气.
法师浑身颤抖,在她的注视下本能地鞠躬.
"再说,"她又说,她的声音像融化的冰川一样柔和起来,"就算是一块紧挨着三年的石头也会变暖.
"下一个!"
在考官的吠叫声中,Lynn-依然眼神朦胧-拖着脚步走向那颗高耸的法术力水晶.任何人都可以看到他脸上刻着的严重担忧.在他身后,人群中传来了窃窃私语和咯咯笑声.
"Look! It's Lynn's turn!"
"Did you know he's the Seventh Executor's apprentice? Rumor says his magic aptitude is the worst in Winterfrost Valley's millennia-long history!"
"Really? But he's so handsome…"
"True! Maybe Executor Nanako keeps him around just for his looks. I'd never let go of a disciple that pretty either!"
Lynn tuned out the chatter. His mind raced with unprecedented anxiety.
"Should I release 0.9 per 100 million of my mana… or a clean 1 per 100 million ?" he agonized, brow furrowed. For someone plagued by indecision and obsessive perfectionism, this was torture.
0.9% would barely push him into Second-order territory, allowing him to stay in Winterfrost Valley and coast for centuries. But 1% was such a satisfyingly round number—though it'd risk overshooting the threshold.
"Hey! You testing or not?" snapped the examiner. "There's a line!"
He'd seen countless nervous youths hesitate here, but none quite this paralyzed.
"Give me a moment," Lynn pleaded. "This is… critical."
Above the platform, Nanako's heart clenched as she watched her apprentice's distress. She floated down silently, ignoring the bowing mages murmuring "Greetings, Executor!" in her wake.
Standing on her tiptoes, she patted Lynn's shoulder. "Don't fear, disciple," she said in her lilting voice, straining for cheer. "Even if you fail, you'll always be my—"
"Master," Lynn interrupted, still staring at the crystal. "Philosophical question: do you prefer the number 1… or 0.9?"
Nanako blinked. "What?"
"I need guidance," he pressed, deadly serious. "This choice will haunt me forever."