Hearing what Roland said, the magic apprentices were slightly dazed at first, but then they waited hopefully.
After all, Roland was already an official Mage only one step away from the elite level. He was even capable of Language Proficiency, which meant that he was a rarely seen genius.
If another magic apprentice said that level-zero tricks were worth studying, they would’ve mocked him, but since it was an official Mage who made the statement, they decided to listen to him even though it was against their common sense.
Besides, they had no mentor at present. It was already unusual that someone had the time to teach them magic.
Roland summoned a Hand of Magic while the magic apprentices watched him.
It was a Hand of Magic of a regular size and seemed like nothing special. Most of the magic apprentices were obviously disappointed.
Vivian, on the other hand, still stared at Roland hopefully.
“I know you’re disappointed.” Roland looked around and smiled. “But behold.”
He snapped his fingers softly, and the blue, transparent Hand of Magic grew by more than three times.
This time, the magic apprentices were finally more or less intrigued.
Yet, they were not really interested yet.
After all, Hand of Magic, as a level-zero trick, could deal no damage. What could it do even though it was larger?
Roland found a wood puppet, which was mostly used in the lab to test the power of spells.
The Hand of Magic, three times larger than usual, grabbed the puppet and crushed it into smithereens more than easily.
Looking at the broken pieces falling to the floor, all the magic apprentices gaped.
Roland was now adept at Hand of Magic. After a month of deductions and experience, his Hand of Magic could pick up three tons and grip one ton.
What did one ton mean?
It meant that the Hand of Magic could twist an arm-sized piece of iron, let alone a wood puppet.
“Hand of Magic is just a level-zero spell, but it can still be useful in a battle if you’re familiar with it.”
Roland snapped his fingers again.
The Hand of Magic was quickly reshaped into a long spear. Roland cast it out, and the blue spear pierced through another puppet, crumbling its upper half body.
“Simple spells are easier to control and less risky,” Roland explained. “Personally, I think you should focus on level-zero tricks like Hand of Magic or Light Ball, since you are incapable of casting advanced spells yet. This will increase your mental power and your control over magic elements. It will lay a solid foundation for your future path as a Mage.”
As Roland talked, the Hand of Magic turned from a spear into a sword, a shield, and eventually gloves on his hands.
Then, he stepped forward and punched a stone puppet. His enormous blue fist flung the puppet to the wall.
As the puppet bounced back, it broke into countless pebbles that scattered toward the magic apprentices.
The magic apprentices’ eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
“You are much more distinguished than ordinary people even if you can only use level-zero spells.” Roland encouraged them, “Don’t aim too high. You can only walk further if you walk steadily.”
At this moment, Claus raised his hand.
Roland indicated that he could talk.
“But if we don’t know level-one spells, we won’t be acknowledged as Mages.”
Roland chuckled, “Think about it. If you can defeat those who use level-one or level-two spells with level-zero tricks, won’t you be even more impressive?”
Claus was briefly stunned. Then, he was enlightened.
“I’d draw the model of the Hand of Magic for you,” said Roland in frustration, “but I can’t write in your language. One of you can write down my narration and interpretation on the routes of the magic nodes of Hand of Magic later.”
“I can do it!” Vivian stood out.
Roland looked at the other magic apprentices, and they looked at the floor, as if they did not want to compete with her.
“Fine, Vivian it is then.”
Vivian smiled gently, blushing.
About two hours later, the detailed model of Hand of Magic was illustrated on a parchment the size of a desk. Vivian’s handwriting was as good as her patience.
She left Roland’s study with the parchment and was surrounded by her fellows on the second floor.
“Vivian, hang it on the board. Nobody can monopolize this model!”
“That’s right!”
“I didn’t know that Hand of Magic was so powerful.”
“Yes, it can be reshaped, too. I’ve never heard of anyone who could do the same. It must be Deputy Chairman Roland’s own invention.”
“I think so.”
“Genius. He’s probably even stronger than the chairman!”
“I think so, too.”
Vivian nailed the parchment to the board on her tiptoes. Lines were all over the eighteen nodes on the model. They seemed messy, but upon a closer look, one could distinguish them easily with the footnotes down below.
“Who do you think is more genius than me?”
Someone chuckled behind the magic apprentices, who turned around only to be flabbergasted. They greeted the newcomer and stepped aside, not daring to speak anymore.
Aldo was in formal clothes. He seemed to have just returned from a noble’s house.
Vivian hurried to step aside, too.
Aldo was not angry. There were no negative emotions on his face but only a smile. Then, he noticed the board and said, “Well, it’s Hand of Magic’s...
“Wait!” Aldo’s eyes widened. He reached the board in a hurry and stroked a certain blackened line.
“Such a detailed model, with notes on the derivative spells.”
Aldo was much more knowledgeable than the magic apprentices. The magic apprentices might be impressed by the model, but Aldo was the only one who knew how good it was!
“Who made this graph?” demanded Aldo.
The magic apprentices looked up ahead.
Roland!
After pondering for a while, Aldo said, “Store this graph immediately. It will be the private property of this magic tower, and you have to pay thirty points to view it once!”
Ahhhhhhhhh!
The magic apprentices wailed in frustration.
It was not hard to earn thirty points, but anyone would feel uncomfortable when something free suddenly had to be paid for.
Ignoring them, Aldo went upstairs and looked for Roland.