"Adam, would you like to learn some magic?"
The words caught Adam completely off guard. He stopped mid-step, tripped over his own feet—on air, really—and nearly fell over.
"Aaa!"
Did she just say magic? Learn actual magic? Magic! Real magic!Of course, that would be amazing!
Without hesitation, he nodded rapidly, his eyes wide with excitement and anticipation.
"Alright then, let's begin!" Celest said with a bright, radiant smile.
She gently set the two wooden bowls she was holding down on the thick grass, placing them face-up. Bits of their earlier meal were still visible inside.
"Okay, Adam, we're going to start with a simple water spell. We're just cleaning the bowls, nothing more—so watch closely." She raised her right hand and held it over the bowl closest to her.
Adam leaned in slightly, holding his breath. A sliver of doubt still clung to him—was magic really real? He hoped this moment would erase that doubt forever.
"Water, stream forth and converge—Water Ball."
Instantly, a small orb of water formed in front of her palm, hovering just a few inches above it. It shimmered softly in the light, suspended like liquid glass.
"No way..." Adam whispered, his jaw dropping, eyes wide in awe.
The spell itself was simple—a low-level trick by most standards—but to Adam, it was the most extraordinary thing he had ever seen.
Celest caught his expression and let out a soft chuckle, clearly enjoying his reaction.
"Adam, do you like magic?" she asked with a knowing smile.
Still overwhelmed, Adam snapped out of his daze at the sound of her voice.
Shoot, I got too amazed… but that was just too cool! He nodded eagerly.
"Next," Celest continued, "I'm going to show you something a little harder—how to release the water ball without canceling the spell. You have to be very careful not to interrupt your mana flow before releasing it, or the spell will fail."
Adam's eyes locked onto the floating orb of water, concentrating hard.
A second later, the ball detached from her palm and fell—but rather than splashing or scattering, it held its shape as it dropped gently to the ground, like a water balloon suspended by magic.
"Plop."
The water crashed into the bowl, warping its shape as it struck the wooden base. In an instant, the contents surged out, scattering across the grass—but only a few centimeters from the bowl.
Bending down, Celest picked up the bowl. Gripping its side, she tilted it slightly, letting the water flow out like a waterfall, blessing the grass below with its gentle stream.
Turning her head, she looked at Adam with a radiant smile. "Now it's your turn. Do you remember the incantation?"
Adam nodded.
In a sudden blur, his hand shot out, hovering over the second bowl still resting on the ground.
Now, what was that incantation again? Oh, right.
He took a deep breath in, then exhaled slowly before speaking.
"Water, stream forth and converge—Water Ball."
The moment the words left his lips, he felt a strange pull, as if a small piece of himself had been drawn out. But instead of vanishing, that energy gathered in his palm, creating a light tingling sensation. Water surged out of his hand, forming a shimmering sphere that hovered just above his skin.
He paused, adjusting to the tingling in his hand.
Now, I release it.
He stared at the sphere, visualizing it as if it were fused to his palm like a faucet—steady, fluid, and controlled.
The water ball wavered for a heartbeat, then dropped silently from his hand. It descended in a perfect sphere, landing in the bowl with a soft splash—its shape holding for a moment before collapsing into ripples that kissed the bowl's wooden surface. As the water spread, it flushed out the remaining bits of food, sending them tumbling over the bowl's edge and onto the grass below.
Adam stood with a massive smile on his face, one he couldn't possibly contain.
I really did it. I actually used magic!
He bent down to pick up the wooden bowl filled with water, but before his hand could reach it, he was tackled from the side—pulled into a warm, smothering embrace.
"Oh, my son is a genius!" Celest exclaimed, squeezing him tightly and pressing him into her chest. "It usually takes a month or two to manage that, but you did it all on your first try!"
She had been watching the whole time. Expecting Adam to struggle with his first attempt at casting, she never imagined he'd successfully use Water Ball—let alone control and release it without canceling. It amazed her.
My son is a genius… He's going to be a wonderful mage someday, she thought proudly, hugging him even tighter.
Adam stood frozen in Celest's affectionate grasp until another voice interrupted.
"Dear, why are you suffocating our child?" Luka said with a gentle chuckle.
"Luka, don't interrupt my moment!" Celest shot back. "Our son just learned how to cast and release Water Ball on his first try!"
She loosened her embrace slightly, finally allowing Adam to breathe.
Damn… this woman's affection will be the death of me, Adam thought, catching his breath.
Luka blinked, visibly stunned. A few others nearby, who had overheard, paused to whisper among themselves in disbelief.
"Celest, you're joking, right? Adam cast and released a spell the very first time he used magic?" Luka said, raising a brow. "No one in the kingdom has ever done that. And he's only six! Kids don't even start learning magic until they begin school at twelve."
He turned toward Adam, his gentle expression shadowed by a trace of seriousness.
"Adam, is what Celest said true?" he asked.
Still partially trapped in Celest's arms, Adam gave a small, embarrassed nod.
Seeing the shy gesture, Luka's doubts slowly melted—but he needed to see it for himself.I know Celest wouldn't lie, but still… this goes against everything we know. Magic isn't taught until twelve for a reason. It's difficult, and kids just don't have the control. But if it's true…
"Adam, can you show me?" Luka asked with a calm smile, though anticipation sparked in his eyes.
Adam nodded again.
Celest finally let him go, stepping aside but staying close. Her pitch-black eyes shimmered with pride and excitement as she watched her son.
Adam took a deep breath and raised his hand, pointing it at an angle toward the ground.
"Water, stream forth and converge—Water Ball."
The moment the words left his mouth, he felt it—mana moving through him, gathering at his palm. A sphere of water materialized, but this time, it was larger than before. He could feel more mana being drawn out of him than during his first attempt.
Luka stood only a few feet away, eyes fixed on the forming sphere. The water ball hovered in the air, nearly twice the size of Adam's hand.
He really can cast it… It must be because of that mana core he has, Luka thought, stunned.
Then came the release.
Adam imagined turning a faucet, allowing the water to flow freely. The sphere fell gently to the ground but retained its shape—controlled, smooth, and complete.
This time, however, the impact was different.
The moment the water touched the tiniest sliver of grass—it exploded.
Caught off guard, Adam stumbled back and landed on his butt, the grass beneath him softening the fall only slightly.
What just happened?
Everything was fine a moment ago… and my last attempt was fine too. So why did it explode this time? Adam wondered, pushing himself up. His clothes were now slightly soaked from the splash.
"Are you okay, Adam? You're not hurt, right?" Celest's concerned voice called out.
Adam nodded silently.
Still, Celest hurried to his side, her eyes scanning him from head to toe to make absolutely sure he was unharmed.
A few feet away Luka watched letting out a slight chuckle, he had been watching the whole time.
"Haha… He actually did it," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Though… that was definitely too much mana for a simple demonstration."
'I guess we will need to start his magic training right away.' Luka added as a side note
Adam's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment at Luka's comment.