Chapter 71 - - 71: Prodigy?

Chapter 71: Chapter - 71: Prodigy?

"He is a good kid." Clara said with a smile

I was not sure how to respond to that.

Clara continued without giving me much opportunity to do so anyway.

"During the attack, even when he was already injured himself, he told Ralf to teleport the other students away first instead of asking to be rescued immediately, and then he specifically mentioned his fiancée when he was talking about who needed to be protected."

She raised a finger as though she were presenting evidence before a court.

"That means he cares about the people close to him, so that’s definitely a plus in my book."

I stared at her for a moment.

"...Thank you." It was the only response I could think of.

Clara smiled as though she had just received the answer she wanted.

"You are welcome."

I glanced toward Albert.

If Clara was speaking so casually about the matter, then one thing had already become clear. Albert really did know the spell.

Albert, however, did not seem particularly convinced by Clara’s reasoning "It is not as simple as that."

Clara tilted her head. "Why not?"

"Because knowing a spell exists does not mean everyone can learn it" Albert turned his attention toward me.

"Magic requires compatibility, and mental magic is particularly demanding because the caster’s mental strength must be sufficiently developed to withstand the spell itself."

I listened carefully.

"For mind type magic, the strength of the mind is often more important than the quantity of mana," he continued. "A person with insufficient mental strength may know every step of a spell and still be unable to use it properly."

I considered his words before answering.

"I actually possess unusually high mental strength compared to my mana level."

The moment I said that, Albert’s eyes settled on me.

His expression did not change much, but something about his gaze became considerably more focused.

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

He watched me for several seconds, and I gradually became aware that he was not simply looking at my expression.

It felt as though he was trying to determine whether I was telling the truth.

"I will check that." Albert’s voice remained calm "Do not be frightened."

I frowned slightly. Before I could ask what exactly he meant, the atmosphere around me changed.

A strange pressure suddenly descended upon my mind.

It was not physical pressure, and there was no visible spell surrounding me either, but I immediately felt something entering the range of my consciousness, something immensely powerful that seemed to reach directly toward the center of my mind.

My body instinctively tensed up *What... is this?*

I tried to resist but the attempt lasted less than a moment.

The difference between my mental strength and whatever was pressing against me was so enormous that resisting felt like trying to hold back an ocean with my bare hands.

My consciousness trembled under the pressure and then another thought struck me.

*My memories.*

A cold sensation ran through me.

The notebook hidden inside my storage magic tool contained information from my previous life, including the storyline of the game and events that had not yet occurred, and although I had written everything in the language of my previous life specifically so that nobody in this world could understand it, that protection would mean nothing if someone could simply look directly into my mind.

*Can he see them?*

My thoughts became increasingly chaotic.

If Albert was capable of examining my mind this deeply, then there was no way to know what he might discover, and if the suspicions I had once held about him had any truth behind them, if he really had some connection to the Rhasa Sect or the people responsible for the attacks, then allowing him to examine my mind could be the biggest mistake I had made since arriving at the academy.

I tried to pull my consciousness away from the pressure, but it was useless. The sensation continued for a few seconds.

Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, it disappeared. The pressure vanished completely. I remained still for a moment, breathing slightly heavier than before.

Albert looked at me "Peak Spirit Lake?"

There was genuine surprise in his voice.

I looked back at him.

Albert continued studying me with an expression that was considerably more interested than before.

"Your mental strength is remarkably high for your age."

Clara, who had been watching from the side, also looked surprised "Really?"

Albert nodded "Especially considering his mana level."

He looked back toward me.

"Your mana level is already among the strongest of the students, including many third years, but your mental strength is considerably higher than what your mana level would normally suggest."

I remained silent.

I knew my mental strength was high, but hearing him describe it like that was still unexpected.

Albert continued "Your Spirit Lake is already approaching the point where it can begin evolving."

Clara’s eyes widened "Does that mean he could reach Spirit River soon?"

"Not necessarily" Albert shook his head.

"The evolution of mental strength is not determined by the mind alone. His mana level also needs to provide sufficient support."

He paused briefly before adding, "However, if his mental strength continues increasing at its current pace, he could potentially reach Spirit River within three years even if his mana development does not accelerate significantly."

I stared at him.

He had examined my mind for only a few seconds, yet he had apparently determined not only the current level of my mental strength but also how close it was to evolving, while simultaneously judging my mana level and estimating the approximate period required for my Spirit Lake to become a Spirit River.

*What kind of mental strength does this man actually possess?*

Even my father, despite being an accomplished grand mage and a member of one of the most powerful magical families in the kingdom, had never been able to determine the precise level of my mental strength simply by observing me.

Albert had done it almost effortlessly.

The rumors Ian had told me in the morning suddenly seemed considerably less ridiculous.

*So he really does possess extraordinary mental strength.*

I looked at Albert again, unable to suppress my curiosity.

Whatever his true level was, it was clearly far beyond what I had originally assumed.

Clara was still sitting on the edge of Albert’s desk when she suddenly tilted her head, seemingly more interested in the conversation than she had been a moment ago.

"Three years?" she repeated with a faint note of amazement in her voice. "That’s actually pretty similar to yours, right?"

Albert glanced toward her.

"Clara."

"What?" She smiled innocently. "I am just saying that you also reached Spirit River around the time we graduated from the academy." Clara like a boasting about his capabilities.

*....Wait? What? He reached Spirit River before graduating!*

I kept my expression as calm as I could, but the information had caught me completely off guard.

If Clara was referring to an academy similar to this one, then Albert must have reached Spirit River when he was probably around eighteen or nineteen years old, which meant that his mental strength had already reached that level at an age when most people were still struggling to establish a stable foundation.

*How much of a prodigy this man was?*

I already know that Albert is unusually powerful, especially after seeing what he has done during the attack, but that was something entirely different from simply being a powerful mage in adulthood but reaching Spirit River while still a student meant that his mental growth had been extraordinary even when he was young.

And also what does she mean by ’when we graduated’? Has she been his spirit since then?

She spoke about Albert’s past with such familiarity that it was obvious this was not something she had learned recently, and considering what I already knew about her relationship with him, there was probably a long history between the two of them that I knew nothing about.

Well I do not know much about spirits in general. I do not even know in which category of spirits she falls under.

But I’d rather not ask it.

Instead, I listened as Albert calmly explained the reason behind the difference between his mental strength and mine.

"My attribute is related to spirits, so having a strong mind is naturally important for my magic," he said. "Spirit related attributes generally require a higher level of mental strength than most other attributes, and much of the development that comes with them is tied to the caster’s ability to maintain control and communication with spiritual entities."

He paused briefly before looking at me again.

"That said, my mana level at your age was nowhere near yours."

Albert continued in the same calm tone, almost as though he were discussing an ordinary matter.

"Your development is unusual. Your mana level is already exceptionally high for your age, and your mental strength is even more unusual considering that level."

I was not sure how to respond to that.

Albert’s gaze remained fixed on me.

"If I had to make an estimate, your talent is probably unrivaled among your generation, at least within the Yona Kingdom."

*Unrivaled in the generation? Me?*