"A Disciple Too Good for Me"

This was a phrase Marina, Heinya’s mentor, would often say. When she spoke of it, her voice was filled with pride and affection.

But over time, something in her tone changed.

-“Master, I’ve told you before, there’s no need for you to provide material support. If there’s something I need, just let me know. I can acquire it myself.”
-“This ring you gave me, remember? I don’t need it anymore. I’ve found something more suitable. I’ll return it.”

Heinya was a diligent disciple, and her mentor joked that even without her guidance, Heinya would never go hungry.

-“No, Master. This is enough. Next time, I’ll try to figure things out on my own.”

Marina was convinced that, given Heinya’s brilliance, she would continue to grow with or without a mentor. She even quipped that without her, Heinya might progress even faster.

But then, there were subtle shifts.

-“I disagree with you, Marina. While your insights are valuable, I need to try my own approach for this.”

One day, Heinya showed Marina a book from her family’s library.

-“This book is… actually, it’s an ancient tome on a branch of lost magic. I’ve been researching it since my first day at the tower, and I thought… maybe you could help me.”
-“...Is that so?”
-“But it’s fine. Forget I mentioned it. I didn’t expect much.”

---

"…Heinya."

Her mentor stood before Heinya’s grave, murmuring softly. There was no headstone, no name to be recorded. Just an unmarked grave that would be forgotten once her mentor turned away.

Marina remembered the last time she saw her pupil, a moment filled with both pride and sorrow. She’d once thought Heinya’s legacy would be one of grandeur, her name forever etched in history.

"I never imagined you would end up in such a humble grave..."

Marina could still recall the single mark on Heinya’s chaotic, scarred body, left by her favorite spell: Mana Spike. It was the first spell Marina had taught Heinya, the one that awakened her talents as a mage and bonded them as master and disciple.

That same spell had been the one Heinya used to end her life, as if placing a final, definitive mark on a life filled with mistakes and regrets.

The student's final act was not just an end but also a statement, a self-rebuke for her errors, a respectful nod to her mentor's teachings.

It was the master’s role to correct her student’s mistakes, but Heinya had always taken on her own responsibilities.

Every time Heinya did, Marina consoled herself with the same words: "You were too good a disciple for me."

---

Before the duel began, Marina had sensed something was off.

-"Marina, should we announce the duel and accept spectators?"
-"...No! Absolutely not!"
-"What?"

Heinya loved proving herself and would never pass up the chance to announce a duel. In the past, she would have told Marina she’d already arranged for the announcement and spectators.

But this time, her reaction was entirely different.

Now, Marina understood why.

---

Master Ladros, the duel’s official judge, couldn’t contain his astonishment.

"Still at the fourth rank, yet you’ve already mastered Essence Transformation?"

Marina’s voice trembled with disbelief.

"Melthas, what have you done?"

Melthas, the elder mage, touched his beard thoughtfully.

Marina’s gaze grew even more intense. "I saw that Risir boy just yesterday morning, and he was barely at the beginning of the fourth rank!"

Master Ladros, still wide-eyed, looked to Risir with surprise.

"I heard he drank a potion," Melthas remarked. "But could one potion really push someone from the beginning to the advanced stages of the fourth rank?"

Marina and Ladros both turned toward Melthas, waiting for an explanation.

"…"

Melthas himself was just as shocked.

"To be honest, he was only at the third rank when I first met him."

Melthas, recalling a phrase Risir had once said, muttered, "Sometimes he just does that."

---

Risir and Heinya’s duel had entered a tense standoff. Heinya was frozen, overwhelmed by the elemental magic Risir had conjured.

A wind arrow, poised and aimed, hovered in front of Heinya.

Risir could see that if he attacked now, Heinya would have no way to respond and he’d win effortlessly. However, he wanted to gauge his own progress and to truly test his newfound strength.

"Impressive—Ice magic, is it?"

With a mischievous grin, Risir began to taunt Heinya.

"...What?"

"Oh, wasn’t it ice? You froze solid, so I thought maybe you’d cast an ice spell."

Risir, unknowingly skilled at taunting, watched as Heinya’s face flushed with anger.

"Ooh, now fire magic. Is that multicolored, or…?"

"You—YOU!"

"Come on, speak up. I’m listening, aren’t I? I even stopped attacking."

"How did you… Essence Transformation!? This has to be the potion, right? I can’t accept this!"

"You can’t accept it? That’s serious. Does that mean you’re going to reject my wind magic next, with your precious Assimilation?"

Risir’s taunting brought out a fierce glare from Heinya, her frustration evident.

Finally, Heinya lifted her left hand, clutching the ancient spellbook she had been studying since arriving at the tower.

*‘This might work…’*

Just as she focused her mind on it, Marina’s stern voice cut through the tension.

"Heinya, pull yourself together!"

"...!"

"Remember what I’ve taught you! The answer is there!"

Heinya glanced at her teacher, her unwavering guidance bringing her back to her senses.

Taking her mentor's advice to heart, she dropped the ancient tome.

‘Unstable.’

Risir’s spell was indeed incomplete, indicating that he wasn’t lying about his lack of experience with Assimilation.

This wind spell appeared flawless at first glance, but looking closely, Heinya could spot gaps in its construction.

Focusing her mana, Heinya raised a barrier just as Risir’s wind arrow surged forward.

The wind spell, meant to pierce through, disintegrated as it met her shield.

Wasting no time, Heinya unleashed a barrage of mana spikes toward Risir.

Surprisingly, he tried to dodge rather than block, a highly inefficient move.

Realizing his mistake, Risir belatedly erected a mana barrier, but one spike managed to hit his arm.

"Heh… finally!"

Both Heinya and Marina shared a victorious smile.

But just as Heinya’s confidence began to return, Risir’s quiet murmur reached her.

"So that’s how it’s done."

A shiver ran down Heinya’s spine. His words hinted at possibilities she didn’t want to consider.

---

To her horror, Risir began forming multiple spikes of wind, mirroring her attack.

Incensed, she shouted, "Are you trying to mock me!?"

"Not at all."

"Then why…?"

Instead of responding verbally, Risir let his actions answer, forming wind spikes identical to her mana spikes.

Risir’s mastery of this imitation shocked Heinya; it was no mere mimicry, but a full-fledged spell reconstruction.

Heinya’s heart raced as she recalled a conversation they had shared.

*"It took me a year to get here. How about you?"*  
*"…A month?"*

Her mana barrier wavered and crumbled, overwhelmed by the realization of what Risir was doing.

---

The duel ended with Master Ladros raising his hand.

"The duel is over. The winner is—"

Once Heinya had collected herself, Risir approached her. She looked at him and managed a bitter smile.

"Congratulations. Satisfied now?"

She expected a smug retort, but Risir simply shook his head and extended his hand.

"Do you remember what I said?"

"...!"

A bit taken aback, Heinya’s eyes widened.

"Right. We both agreed to do our best without regrets."

Smiling awkwardly, Heinya finally conceded, "Risir, I accept my defeat."

She reached out to take his hand, but hesitated when she noticed the odd angle. His palm was clearly facing up.

"Not that, Miss Heinya."

"...What?"

"I told you, if I won, I’d ask you for your entire fortune."

Risir held out his hand, glancing pointedly at the ancient spellbook she had thrown aside.

"..."

Shocked, Heinya looked to her mentor for help, her face showing her dismay.

Marina chuckled at her disciple’s dilemma, giving her an affectionate smile.

---

*▷ Incident 43: Mentor’s Regret - Deactivated.*

 

 

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TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars for the translation - it inspires me and gives me the strength to write more. Thank you~!