ungle of creeping vines and glowing flora. Th
ined with purple sap. He pushed his brass goggles up into his messy bl
e dress, ensuring it looked perfectly simple and innocent. She held
ushed the door open,
near the entrance, staring at C
pinged. Tar
t. She let the top text
e floor with a
snapping the fragile Moon-Grass. He spu
r knees. She scrambled to pick
ing. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I just...
her eyes. He wiped his hands on a rag and walked
cover. Introductio
his voice analytical but not unkind.
behind. But I don't dare ask Professor Alden for help
Seraphina's name h
Elara. He had heard the cafeteria rumors. The
ina?" Cedric asked, his s
her lashes. "She hates me. But I don't blame her! She's suffering so m
ain, wired for logic and chemical equations,
n't fix mana blockages, Elara. Sympathy is useless. Serap
ed, thrown completely off scrip
ing plants. He began muttering to himself, his hands movi
membered a passage in an ancient text on mana toxicity that he had read years ago. "When a prodigy's core outgrows their physical vessel, it creates a catastr
And by extension, us! Her core is so powerful it was likely tearing her apart, so she intentionally sealed her own
ghtly open. The sheer magnitude of
fabricated narrative. The hero complex in his chest ignited like a pow
kbench and began throwing
completely ignored. "Ced
ts. He looked at Elara, his eye
sealed soul needs external friction to s
meted. "What? No! Sh
ue liquid into her hand. "Take this Focus Potion as payment. Go to her. Annoy her. Ask her
Cedric's intense, unyielding stare. She was trapped by her own l
he word through gritte
o his mortar. "Excellent. Don't come
system panel above her head flashed a br
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