Freya failed to react for a long time.
Behind the plain white mask.
Those azure eyes stared straight at Lin Gui.
She stared at his calm face.
She stared at those black eyes that held no hint of showing off.
She remembered.
Back when she first met him.
His Levitation chant still required some time.
Though it was already shockingly fast.
But at the very least, it still took a second.
And now, as a Legendary mage, she could clearly feel it.
The other party had not chanted at all.
It was true chantless casting.
And the target was that specific spell, Levitation.
She knew all too well what this meant.
To leap from a one-second chant to chantless casting.
The difficulty was comparable to advancing from a High-tier Transcendent to Legendary.
No.
It was even harder.
Back when she moved from a Low-tier Transcendent to a High-tier Transcendent.
She had spent countless amounts of time, energy, and wealth.
Yet none of that could be mentioned in the same breath as breaking through to the Legendary rank.
That was a qualitative leap.
It was the metamorphosis from "being able to cast" to "complete mastery."
Yet the young mage with black hair and black eyes before her.
This little fellow who was only a High-tier High Rank.
He had done it.
She stared at that oak staff suspended in mid-air.
The body of the staff was steady, remaining motionless.
Her head was buzzing.
So much so that she completely forgot to run away.
"Madam?"
Lin Gui's voice rang out.
She did not respond.
"Madam."
A second call.
Still, she gave no reaction.
"Madam."
A third call.
She snapped back to her senses.
Her body gave a slight shudder.
Lin Gui looked at her.
A trace of confusion resided within his black eyes.
"Can we begin?"
Freya opened her mouth.
Only then did she realize she was still straddling the windowsill.
She hurriedly pulled that leg back in.
Her movements were stiff.
Beneath the grey cloak, the lines of her slender legs flashed by for an instant.
She stood there, not knowing where to put herself.
Although the cloak was bulky, it could not hide her tall and well-proportioned figure.
The tie at her waist was slightly tightened, outlining a smooth curve.
Lin Gui looked at her.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Hmm..."
He let out a low hum of contemplation.
"I feel as though I have seen you somewhere before, Madam."
Freya's body instantly went rigid.
Her back pressed tightly against the window frame.
Her fingers gripped the edge of her cloak.
Her chest heaved slightly, her curves faintly visible.
Lin Gui stared at her.
Then, the mood took a sudden turn.
"Your hair color, Madam."
He pointed at the lock of long ice-blue hair hanging down from Freya.
"It is very similar to my sister's."
Freya froze.
Subconsciously, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Her tensed shoulders slumped slightly.
Lin Gui acted as if nothing had happened.
He turned around and walked over to the sofa.
He reached out and made a "please" gesture.
"Madam, please sit."
"Can we begin?"
Freya moved away from the window slowly, step by step.
She walked to the sofa.
She sat down.
Her back was bolt upright.
Her hands were placed on her knees.
She remained motionless.
Lin Gui sat opposite her.
He began the lesson.
He started from the core principles of Levitation.
From the perception of the wind element to the construction of magic circuits.
From the most common misconceptions to the correct concept of "following."
Every single point was dissected with clear and thorough precision.
Freya initially sat upright and solemn.
Her mind was not on the lesson at all.
She stared at Lin Gui's profile.
She stared at his focused black eyes.
Her mind was filled with defensiveness and tension.
Did he really not recognize her just now?
Would he turn his head the next second and call out her name?
But gradually.
Her attention was drawn in by Lin Gui's explanation.
He explained things far too clearly.
Those complex circuits that she could not understand even after leafing through countless ancient texts.
Those core points that she had asked numerous lecturers about but remained unclear.
In his mouth, they became incomparably simple.
Like a master butcher carving an ox, he separated flesh from bone with ease.
Without realizing it, her body leaned forward slightly.
The collar of her cloak opened a crack, revealing a section of her fair neck.
Without realizing it, she began to ask questions.
Without realizing it, her voice grew louder.
She did not even notice that she had exposed her own unique voice, which was as cold and clear as an ice spring.
Lin Gui answered them one by one.
Patiently, meticulously.
The two of them went back and forth with questions and answers, like kindred spirits.
Time passed extremely quickly.
The light outside the window changed from bright to a dim yellow.
Then from dim yellow, it changed into a deep, heavy black.
The lesson ended.
Freya stood up.
She bowed slightly.
Beneath the cloak, her waist was slender and her posture elegant.
"Thank you."
"Teacher."
Her voice was very light.
So light it was like a feather falling onto the carpet.
Lin Gui gave a small smile.
He turned.
He pushed open the door.
He walked out.
The door closed gently behind him.
Freya maintained that bowing posture.
She stood there for a long time.
Then she straightened up.
She walked to the door.
She locked the door securely.
She turned around.
She leaned her back against the door panel.
She took off the plain white mask.
Beneath the mask was a face that was burning red, as if it were about to emit smoke.
Her long ice-blue hair fell over her shoulders, making her skin appear even fairer by contrast.
She crouched down.
She buried her face deep between her knees.
In her mind, those scenes surfaced frame by frame.
The pathetic state of her straddling the windowsill preparing to flee.
The embarrassment of her covering her mouth and not daring to make a sound.
The self-forgetfulness of her chasing after Lin Gui and asking questions incessantly.
Using her unique voice that was cold and clear as an ice spring.
Asking incessantly.
And the other party.
He always carried that trace of a faint smile.
Patiently answering every one of her questions.
That smile, that look, that knowing silence.
She let out a muffled sound that was almost a howl.
"How could he possibly... not have noticed..."
Her voice leaked through the gaps between her knees.
In the empty room.
It echoed softly.
Freya crouched behind the door.
She buried her face in her knees.
Her long ice-blue hair trailed onto the carpet.
She wished she could immediately lead the North Wind caravan and leave right now.
A Mid-tier Legendary mage.
Seeking guidance from a High-tier High Rank mage.
And even addressing him as teacher.
The key was that in her heart, she was completely won over.
Her self-esteem had never been shattered quite as thoroughly as it was now.
But she had also never felt her own progress as clearly as she did now.
Even when her actual teacher, the Wind Tower Master, taught her Levitation.
There had never been such distinct progress.
She had a premonition.
She might truly be able to resolve her mental block through Lin Gui.
To master the magic that had troubled her for countless years.
But the price was—
Her self-esteem as a genius, as an elder, and as a Legendary mage.
She crouched there, motionless.
Inside her mind, two thoughts were fighting frantically.
One said.
Run, while there's still time.
Take the North Wind caravan and leave Coppergate City overnight.
Don't ever see that black-haired mage again for the rest of your life.
The other said.
Stay. You've waited for so many years, searched for so many years.
You've finally met someone who can truly teach you.
Are you really going to give up?
Run.
You're a Mid-tier Legendary mage, being taught Levitation hand-in-hand by a High-tier High Rank.
If word gets out, how can you, Freya, show your face?
Stay.
Is your pride more important, or is Levitation more important?
Have you forgotten how much you've sacrificed for this spell?
Run.
If you run now, he can still pretend he doesn't know you.
If you keep learning, you truly won't be able to separate yourself from this anymore.
Stay.
He can teach you.
He is the only person who can teach you that spell.
Are you really going to give up this unique opportunity for that bit of ridiculous self-esteem?
She crouched there.
For a very, very long time.
Then.
She took a deep breath.
She lifted her head.
A trace of determination flashed through her azure eyes.
For the sake of her pride.
She would decisively flee.
"......."
"I'll attend just one more class, then I'll bolt."
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