Chapter 18: Don’t Want to Be a Bystander Anymore

Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Don’t Want to Be a Bystander Anymore

Practical Magic was vastly different from their previous exercises. The most prominent difference lay in the source of Magic Power.

In their past training, whether they were coaxing seeds to sprout or simulating crystal growth, everything relied entirely on the Mage’s own Magic Power. But Practical Magic was a different story.

Even the simplest Practical Magic—like the Fireball Technique they were highly likely to learn the next day—required drawing upon the free-flowing Fire Elements in the environment. A Mage had to resonate these external elements with their internal Magic Power in order to project it outward as an offensive strike.

Victor knew Lilia’s situation all too well. Her Elemental Affinity was only low-level. Just sensing the Magic Power within her own body was already incredibly difficult, let alone manipulating it smoothly. Those simple exercises in the past were fine, but the moment it involved resonating with external elements, Lilia struggled immensely.

And the reality unfolded exactly as Victor had anticipated. No matter how Lilia tried, she simply couldn’t make her internal Magic Power resonate with the external elements.

At this moment, she was like an insulator for Magic Power. Even though, in Victor’s eyes, the element density within Lien Academy was so high it was practically tangible, Lilia still couldn’t conjure a single spark of flame. It wasn’t an act. It was the inevitable result of her limited talent. For a girl who had consistently held the number one spot and cultivated a certain degree of pride, this was undoubtedly a massive blow.

Victor had been watching her the entire time, watching Lilia try again and again, attempting to find that single correct path, never giving up no matter how many times she failed. He wanted to demonstrate it for her one more time, but he knew that wasn’t what she needed right now.

Another futile attempt.

The Magic Power within Lilia’s body was nearly depleted. Genuine exhaustion filled her eyes. Her chest heaved as she gasped for breath, the long hair at her temples dampened with sweat, making her look a bit disheveled. She stared at her own hands.

She had failed again. Even though she had long anticipated this outcome, it was still hard to accept when the moment actually arrived.

"Lilia."

Victor had walked up to her without her noticing. His tone was deliberately light and casual. "Take a break first. Eat something and recover your Magic Power.

"Practical Magic is inherently difficult to learn. You’ve been practicing for too short a time, which is why it feels like there’s an insurmountable mountain blocking your path.

"The more frustrated you are, the more you shouldn’t rush. You need to calm down first—"

Lilia looked up. She was just about to say "okay," but with her movement, the profound weakness of depleted Magic Power instantly swept through her entire body. Her vision blurred, and she pitched forward uncontrollably.

The expected pain never came. By her ear, that normally calm and steady voice was tinged with obvious panic.

"Lilia!"

Victor took a step forward, originally intending to steady her shoulders. However, in his panic, instinct overrode logic. To ensure she wouldn’t fall, he directly wrapped an arm around the girl’s waist.

Her waist was so slender. It felt to him as if he could encircle it with a single hand, as if it would snap with just a little pressure. The intense wave of dizziness sapped Lilia’s strength, causing her to slump against him and lean into his embrace.

At this very moment, Victor’s thoughts spun completely out of control. He held his breath. From his vantage point, he could see the girl’s exceptionally pale yet still delicate face. She looked beautiful but fragile, like a doll on the verge of breaking.

Victor’s arm subconsciously tightened around her, but he immediately loosened his grip the second he realized what he was doing.

"Are you alright?" he asked, looking down, his voice slightly hoarse.

[Victor’s Favorability has increased.]

Lilia didn’t hear the system’s prompt at all. She rested for a moment. Only when the deafening ringing in her ears had somewhat subsided did she slowly open her eyes.

"I’m fine."

She pulled away from his embrace.

Even though the distance between them had widened slightly, Victor’s right hand still hovered near her arm, ready to support her, as if afraid she would lose her strength and collapse again.

"Don’t push yourself too hard," Victor said.

Under normal circumstances, depleting one’s Magic Power wouldn’t cause such a severe physical reaction. Lilia’s current state made it clear that she had pushed her body to its absolute limit. Once her Magic Power ran dry, the only thing left for her to draw upon was, naturally, her Life Force.

"Learning Magic isn’t something that can be accomplished overnight. Even students with high talent have to go through long periods of practice to master Practical Magic," Victor said. "So you don’t need to be in such a rush. We can take it slowly—"

"Thank you." Lilia interrupted him—a rare occurrence. The usual smile had vanished from the girl’s face, replaced by a vulnerability she was trying her hardest to hide, alongside a stubborn streak. "But I’m fine."

"..."

Victor stopped trying to persuade her. Softening his tone, he said, "Let’s eat something first."

The two of them sat side by side on the steps. Since Lilia had spent the majority of their lunch break practicing Magic, neither of them naturally had the time to go to the cafeteria. On the very first day, Victor had only brought a single piece of bread to make do for lunch. After Lilia noticed this, the food she brought from home the next day became two portions.

Lilia rested her lunchbox on her closed lap, her eyes downcast, appearing rather quiet. Victor turned to look at her.

In the past, he had always been accustomed to being a bystander, whether it came to situations or people. His past experiences had taught him that this world wasn’t nearly as beautiful as his parents had claimed when he was a child. The chances of receiving kindness by rashly approaching unfamiliar people were slim to none; instead, it would only invite disaster. This was especially true in the strictly hierarchical Lien Academy.

So, he learned to place himself in unimportant corners. He learned not to steal the thunder from Noble students in front of the teachers. He learned to hide his inner curiosity, and he learned not to rely on others, seeking the answers he wanted solely through observation.

It was the same when dealing with Lilia. Victor had been curious about her and paid attention to her, but it stopped there. That was why, even though he had the thought of helping Lilia during their first practical class, he didn’t bring it up proactively. Instead, he guided Lilia into asking for it herself.

But now... He suddenly didn’t want to be that quiet bystander anymore.

Victor lowered his eyes, then quickly raised them again. He looked as if he had made a significant resolution, yet his tone sounded more casual than before. "Why are you working as a maid for Beaumont?"

Lilia’s movements paused. She clearly hadn’t expected him to ask such a question. She didn’t answer immediately; instead, she remained silent for a long time.

She was silent for so long that Victor began to think he had offended her, or that he was trying to dig up a secret that needed to stay buried. Just as he was trying to figure out how to elegantly move past this topic, Lilia spoke.

"Because he is my only choice."ℴ