Buzz!
A burst of brilliant white light erupted directly from the ring on Leilin's hand.
The blinding radiance was so intense that Baron Jonas, caught completely off guard, suffered a momentary flash-blindness.
"Ha ha... Excellent! Child! Leilin! You've done wonderfully!"
By the time Baron Jonas had rubbed his reddened, tear-streaked eyes and finally managed to break free from the blinding effect of the Light spell, what he saw was a mage so excited he could barely contain himself.
Gods above! Jonas rubbed his eyes again, staring in disbelief at Ernest before him.
Was this still the same mage he had known? Everyone knew that mages were typically synonymous with wisdom and composure. Very few things could make them show the slightest loss of composure, let alone reach such an excited, almost frantic state.
"Ernest... are you saying... Leilin has passed the test?"
But Jonas hardly had time for other thoughts. From the other's expression, a certain possibility suddenly struck him.
"Passed? Ha ha! Of course! His talent would rank among the top even in the Mage Association — my own mentor would be jealous that I've managed to take on such an exceptional apprentice..."
Ernest slowly composed himself and said to Jonas with a serious expression:
"Jonas! My friend! I must tell you with the greatest responsibility: your son — Leilin — possesses extraordinary talent on the path of the mage! Even now, his Spiritual Power already far exceeds that of his peers. With the right guidance, I believe he could even break through to the realm of Archmage, perhaps even..."
Ernest's body began to twitch involuntarily once more.
"All right, all right! So, Ernest, would you be willing to take my son as your apprentice?"
"Of course! Why wouldn't I?" Ernest had already come to regard Leilin as his legacy student. Even if Jonas had been unwilling, he would have forced the matter.
"That's wonderful! I'll announce this great news to everyone and hold a celebration!"
Jonas's face flushed red with delight.
Having the direct heir of the Faolan family taken as an apprentice by such a powerful spellcaster would undoubtedly elevate the family's standing and influence within the Kingdom significantly.
Jonas was already growing impatient. "So, for Leilin's apprenticeship ceremony, are there any procedures or tuition fees required?"
"We can discuss all of that later. For now, please give us a little private time..."
Ernest politely waved his hand, and an invisible force pushed Jonas straight out the door, which then closed on its own.
"Don't be alarmed — that's just the effect of [Mage's Hand]. A simple little mage's trick!"
Ernest turned back, wearing what he believed to be his most amiable smile, to reassure the somewhat frightened little fellow before him.
"Y-yes, sir!"
Leilin shrank back as if frightened, though his eyes held a hidden depth. "Chip, have you recorded it?"
【Spellcasting process recorded. Data storage in progress!】 Chip responded promptly.
"Good! But this kind of magical ability?" Leilin could clearly sense the difference in the other person. That near-instantaneous casting was a technique that many high-level wizards in the Wizard World had to practice for a long time to master.
"No — it's not instantaneous casting. What it feels like is that the other party had the spell already prepared and stored in advance, then activated it through specific gestures and commands..."
As an expert in spells himself, Leilin immediately saw through how the pattern operated.
"Although I don't fully understand the underlying principles yet, it seems this is how casting works in the World of the Gods? Compared to the Wizard World, there appear to be quite a few differences..."
"Th-this is... a spell?" The young, childish voice trembled slightly, carrying an indescribable curiosity.
"Yes! This is a spell! With just a wave of your fingers, you can harness the power of nature!"
Ernest rubbed his fingers together, and a small flame materialized out of thin air, transforming into various shapes — a little bird, a tiny figure, and more — before finally bursting apart into a miniature fireworks display.
Seeing that he had successfully piqued the little fellow's curiosity and admiration, a hint of smug satisfaction appeared at the corner of Ernest's mouth.
Yes, with just a slight movement of one's fingers, one could summon tremendous power — no need to be like warriors and other physical professions, standing around like fools shedding blood and sweat, steeped in vulgarity and violence.
Moreover, even the lowest-ranked mage could earn a handsome income by copying scrolls and participating in alchemical enchantments.