Chapter 68: Proceed Gradually
While everyone was still marveling at Janna’s progress in learning the [Mage Hand], Mary Margaret, who had been standing on the podium, suddenly stepped down.
She walked directly to the aisle beside Janna and looked thoughtfully at the green [Mage Hand] floating in front of her.
“Did you study this spell in advance?”
The solidified magic power, the stable evocation state, and the perfectly accurate casting gestures—Janna’s execution of the [Mage Hand] was so skillful that it even surpassed many senior apprentices.
“No, Professor. Today is my first ti learning this spell.”
“Is that so?”
A faint, imperceptible greyish light flashed in Mary Margaret’s eyes, which resembled frosted glass.
Seeing that the lie-detection spell didn’t trigger, Mary Margaret could confirm that this little witch before her was indeed telling the truth.
“How peculiar…”
She muttered silently to herself, her slightly plump face full of confusion and puzzlent.
“What’s your na?”
“Professor, I’m Janna Roland.”
“Oh, so it’s you... You’re the one Grace Eva ntioned—the First Tier apprentice who has already mastered [Partial Transfiguration]... Then it makes sense.”
Her gaze brightened slightly.
After carefully sizing Janna up several tis, Mary Margaret’s face finally revealed a rare, approving smile.
“You’re quite impressive… Keep it up. Don’t slack off, understand?”
“Thank you for the guidance, Professor. I understand.”
Patting Janna’s slightly thin shoulder, Mary Margaret gave her a deep look before retracting her smile.
She then returned to the podium with a stern expression and resud inspecting the spellcasting progress of the others.
…
“Janna, it seems Professor Margaret really likes you.”
“Really? Maybe it’s just because she was satisfied with my spellcasting this ti.”
“No… I don’t think that’s it. I think it’s because…”
Vivian turned her head slightly and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:
“You’re a common-born apprentice too.”
Janna neither responded to nor denied Vivian’s guess. She rely gave her a quiet look and smiled slyly.
“Don’t overthink it. Just focus on practicing your [Mage Hand].”
Looking at Janna’s now calm and serene expression, Vivian almost thought that sly fox-like look from earlier was just her own imagination.
“Maybe I’m just too tired…”
Rubbing her temple, Vivian refocused her attention on her own uncooperative [Mage Hand], starting another round of practice.
…
“It seems the timing of that stat allocation was just right.”
Janna couldn’t help but curve her lips into a slight smile as she once again “casually” glanced at Mary Margaret standing on the podium.
“Even though it was deliberate, my initial intention was just to draw more attention from the subject professors and boost my impression among them…”
Through long-term social maneuvering, Janna had not only successfully joined the elite apprentice circle, the “White Ballet Shoes Club,” but had also gained the favor of David Berg during one of the club’s gatherings—securing herself a position within the Nightingale Opera Troupe.
Additionally, by fully utilizing her [Exceptional mory] and her transcendent Perception that exceeded ten points, Janna had been steadily building a “top student” or even “genius” image in front of various subject professors.
Her goal was to qualify for further training at the second-rank wizard base—Dordogne’s White Tower—just like Professors Grace Eva and Mary Margaret once had.
Janna knew the journey to that level would be extrely difficult and might even end in failure. But if she didn’t even try, her hand would always be limited to the sa few cards.
After all, opportunities only favor those who are prepared.
For a common-born apprentice like Janna who refused to join a wizard family, climbing the pinnacle of the wizard’s path required several tis more effort than that of apprentices born into such families.
It was precisely for this reason that Janna had chosen such a high-profile move—“adding points on the spot, stunning everyone”—to attract Professor Mary Margaret’s attention.
“Dordogne… I hope I can make it there.”
Later in the class, more students began successfully casting the [Mage Hand]. However, without exception, every apprentice who succeeded for the first ti could only manage to conjure a palm-sized, baby-fist miniature hand. None ca close to Janna’s “exceptional” case.
…
“Those who haven’t succeeded yet must rember to practice repeatedly after class. And for those who have succeeded—don’t get complacent, you must keep it up…”
As she spoke, Mary Margaret’s gaze once again fell on Janna seated in the front rows.
Seeing her listening attentively, she turned to look at the other students.
“All right, class dismissed. If you have questions, you can co to my office after class through the academic credit exchange system.”
“Goodbye, Professor Margaret—”
As expected, the mont Professor Margaret stepped out of the classroom, Janna was imdiately sward by circles of apprentices.
The noise was so intense that even Vivian had to cover her ears.
“Miss Janna, may I ask you a question about the spellcasting gestures…”
“Co on, that kind of question normally costs credits. Why should Miss Janna answer you for free?”
“Ah… sorry, my apologies…”
Seeing the red-faced boy before her—who had likely just broken through to First Tier apprentice—Janna suddenly recalled that he was the sa student who always saved her a shady spot during outdoor lessons.
Moreover, when she realized his question was so basic it wasn’t even worth a credit exchange, Janna, originally expressionless, once again displayed the most graceful smile, courtesy of her [Muscle Control] talent.
“It’s fine. This question isn’t worth spending credits on. I’ll answer it for free this ti…”
Hearing her reply, the boy who was already blushing turned red all the way to his neck.
“But, according to the wizard’s principle of equivalent exchange, future questions will require paynt.”
“Understood… understood, thank you, Miss Janna…”
“You’re welco.”
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