Master Halen did not speak much after the lesson ended.
That alone unsettled people.
He dismissed the class earlier than scheduled, his expression thoughtful, almost… troubled. Students filed out in low murmurs, casting glances back toward Euryale—some curious, some sharp, some openly hostile.
Euryale noticed.
But he said nothing and walked quietly back to his room.
What he did not see—
Was what happened next.
________________________
The Teachers' Hall
The Teachers' Hall lay deep within Willowwand Academy, far from student paths and open courtyards. It was built beneath an enormous willow tree so ancient that no one remembered when it had been planted.
Its roots formed the walls.Its bark curved into pillars.Its branches shaped the ceiling overhead.
Soft golden light seeped through the wood itself, like sunlight trapped in amber. The air was calm, heavy with quiet magic.
Master Halen stood at the center of the hall.
Around him sat other instructors—men and women of varying ages and disciplines. Some had taught for decades. Others were newer but no less powerful. Every one of them carried authority.
And all of them were listening.
"He used magic without a chant," Master Halen said at last, breaking the silence.
His voice was controlled, but firm.
"Not recklessly. Not by accident. It was deliberate. Clean. Stable."
A low murmur spread through the room.
"That's impossible," one instructor scoffed. "Unless—"
"—Unless he was trained improperly," another cut in.
Master Halen shook his head slowly.
"No," he said. "That's exactly the problem."
The room fell silent.
"He wasn't sloppy," Halen continued. "There was no strain. No backlash. No instability. His magic flowed as if it belonged there."
That unsettled them more than any display of power.
Then, from near the tall window carved into the willow's trunk, a calm voice spoke.
Master Rouis
"I may have an answer."
All heads turned.
The man who spoke sat slightly apart from the others.
Master Rouis.
He was new to Willowwand Academy—or rather, newly returned after many years away. His hair was silver at the temples, his face marked by time rather than age. His robes were simple, lacking the decorative threads most masters wore.
He did not look imposing.
But when he spoke, the room listened.
Master Halen frowned slightly. "You recognize the boy?"
Rouis nodded once.
"Not from the academy," he said. "From a village."
Several instructors reacted at once.
"A village?"
"That makes even less sense."
"Which one?"
"Shoreward Vale," Rouis replied calmly.
The name rippled through the room.
"That fishing village?"
"There's nothing special there."
"No tower. No ley lines. Barely any recorded talent."
Rouis raised one hand, gently asking for patience.
"When I was younger," he said, "I conducted routine magical assessments across small settlements. Shoreward Vale was one of them."
He paused, eyes distant.
"Most villagers barely registered. As expected."
Then his gaze sharpened.
"Except one boy."
The room grew quiet.
The White Core
"He didn't chant," Rouis said."He didn't gesture."
Master Halen's grip tightened around his staff.
"The magic didn't resist him," Rouis continued. "It didn't need persuasion. It responded."
Someone inhaled sharply.
Rouis said. "Master Velin examined the case personally."
At that name, several instructors stiffened.
"Velin?"
"The Core Examiner?"
"He retired decades ago—"
Rouis nodded once.
"The results were confirmed."
He let the words settle before continuing.
"The boy possesses a White Core Element: Water."
The hall erupted.
"That's a myth!"
"Straight to White Core hasn't appeared in centuries!"
Master Halen felt his breath catch.
White Core.
Not overwhelming power.Not raw dominance.
But perfect alignment.
Harmony between mage and element.
"White Core users don't need chants," Master Rouis said calmly."They don't command magic. They coexist with it."
One instructor whispered, "That explains the control…"
Another muttered, "And why the academy recognized him…"
Master Halen closed his eyes briefly.
"So the test was waived," he said quietly. "Not out of favoritism."
Rouis nodded. "Out of acknowledgment."
The room fell into uneasy silence.
"This information cannot spread," one teacher said quickly."Students already resent him."
"And nobles will interfere," another added.
Master Halen straightened.
"Then we proceed carefully," he said. "He remains a student. Nothing more."
Rouis tilted his head slightly.
"And less?" he asked.
Halen did not answer.
After a long pause, the Head Instructor—who had remained silent until now—finally spoke.
"There will be a new class."
All eyes turned.
"Adaptive Theory and Elemental Resonance," the Head Instructor continued. "Separate from standard instruction."
Rouis inclined his head.
"I'll take responsibility," he said.
Some instructors exchanged uneasy looks.
"You're sure?" one asked. "This will place him directly in—"
"I know," Rouis replied calmly. "That is exactly why."
Euryale sat on the edge of his bed, quietly folding a spare shirt.