After finishing Lord Rein's lesson, I headed to the office of the head of the household, Lord Wilhelm.
I organized my thoughts as I walked down the hallway. I had to decide exactly how to convey what had happened today.
I had been hired as a tutor for the House of Werl one year ago, at the age of fourteen. Born as the second daughter of the Marquis Fischer, I had graduated early from the National Magic Academy, and the offer had come to me through the longstanding ties between our families. For someone of my age, such an appointment was unprecedented. My students were Lord Wilhelm's eldest son, Lord Albrecht, and his eldest daughter, Lady Heide.
Lord Albrecht possessed the fire attribute inherited from his father. He had a refreshingly straightforward personality, and that character trait manifested directly in his magic. While his technique was unrefined, it was vigorous—a style perfectly suited to fire. He was ten years old this year.
Lady Heide possessed the water attribute inherited from her mother. She was calm and quick to grasp theoretical concepts. At eight years old, her handling of a wand was already precise; she exercised her magic with far more accuracy than Lord Albrecht.
Both were excellent students and a joy to teach. Then, a third had joined them: five-year-old Lord Rein.
When I knocked on the office door, Lord Wilhelm’s voice answered from within.
"Excuse me."
As I entered the room, I found Lord Wilhelm seated at his desk. He had blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and piercing blue eyes. Though he maintained a gentle demeanor, my posture instinctively straightened whenever I stood before him.
Standing beside him was Lady Roswitha, his first wife and Lord Rein's biological mother. She was a slender, elegant woman with long, dark purple hair. As always, she seemed to possess an air of perfect composure, never leaving a single opening.
"Berta? Did something happen?"
"Yes. There is something I must report regarding Lord Rein's lesson today."
Lady Roswitha narrowed her eyes slightly. She had likely sensed the weight of my words.
"Lord Rein is capable of using both the fire attribute and the water attribute."
A heavy silence followed.
"...Fire and water? Are those not opposing attributes?" Lord Wilhelm asked, raising an eyebrow.
Unlike attribute combinations that can be utilized separately through purification during the output stage, opposing attributes usually cancel each other out within the body the moment they pass through a converter. Typically, a mage has no choice but to train themselves to suppress one converter and operate as a single-attribute user. The fact that he could produce both from the very beginning made this a completely different matter from ordinary dual-attribute users like myself.
"Yes. When I confirmed his attributes today, both manifested simultaneously. There are only a few recorded cases in all of history involving individuals who can handle both opposing attributes. It is likely... that he possesses two converters, each connected to an outputter via independent pathways. He possesses an extremely rare talent."
Lord Wilhelm and Lady Roswitha exchanged a look.
"To be honest, since there is almost no precedent, even I cannot say for certain what this implies. Whether there is any practical advantage in combat or utility remains unknown."
"...So, how do you intend to teach him?" Lady Roswitha asked.
"Yes. That is the primary reason I have come to consult you today."
I took a steadying breath.
"Lord Rein possesses a level of persistence that is unthinkable for a five-year-old. He steadily applies himself to mundane training that an ordinary, fickle child his age would find unbearable."
I thought of his fluffy chestnut hair and those pale green eyes.
Though he looked as adorable as a young girl, he possessed a remarkably resilient core.
I considered myself someone who didn't mind the drudgery of repetition; my ability to graduate early had been the result of accumulated effort rather than raw talent alone. However, I had only begun that level of dedication after entering the academy. Lord Rein was doing it at five—and of his own volition, without anyone having to force him.
"Both Lord Albrecht and Lady Heide are excellent. However, children capable of such profound effort at this age are few and far between. Combine that persistence with the unprecedented talent of opposing attributes, and... well, to be honest, I believe he may one day become a mage whose name is etched into history."
Lord Wilhelm’s eyes crinkled slightly. He looked proud.
"...He certainly does have that side to him," Lady Roswitha said quietly.
"He never once slacked off on his training with the Mana Release Stone bracelet. He did it every day since he was four. Most children would have grown bored and thrown it aside within a week."
"I see... So he began even before he was granted a wand."
Lady Roswitha nodded. As I expected, she watched her children very closely.
"With that in mind, I have a proposal regarding his future curriculum."
I adjusted my posture, speaking with conviction.
"I don't have a definitive answer on how best to develop opposing attributes; since there are no precedents, we will be forced to improvise. However, seeing Lord Rein's diligence, I have settled on a policy. For the time being, rather than advancing to actual spellcasting, I want him to focus entirely on mastering mana control."
"You won't be teaching him magic?" Lord Wilhelm asked, seeking clarification.
"Lord Rein is very mature for his age, both in his manner of speaking and his way of thinking. I've seen that for myself during our lessons. However, he is still only five. I believe it is too early to grant him the power of magic—at least until his sense of judgment has matured further."
It was the same as handing a blade to a child. No matter how precocious he was, one had to be cautious about giving a five-year-old the means to cause harm.
"As long as he builds a solid foundation of control, he can learn spells at any time later on. Conversely, learning magic without control is a waste of potential. Since Lord Rein has the patience for it, there is no need to rush. I promise you, I will raise him into one of the finest mages in the kingdom."
Lord Wilhelm looked to Lady Roswitha. She gave a small, affirming nod.
"Very well. We'll leave it to you, Berta."
"Thank you very much."
I bowed deeply.
The task was mine. I now held the responsibility of guiding that boy.
I worried I might be getting a little too personally invested, but when I saw the way he worked in silence with those earnest eyes, I couldn't help but feel a surge of expectation. I wanted to see exactly how far he could go.
The ability to persevere is more important than raw talent.
Lord Rein possessed that ability. Therefore, it was only right to spend this time solidifying his foundation.
I found myself genuinely looking forward to seeing how much he would grow.
◇◇◇
After Berta left the room, silence fell over the office.
"...Regarding Rein, don't you think he's changed since that fever?" Roswitha asked, her gaze fixed on the view outside the window.
"Yeah," Wilhelm replied. "His composure, the way he thinks... there are times when it’s hard to believe he’s only five."
"It's a change for the better, so I don't intend to interrogate him, but it does weigh on my mind..."
Roswitha said nothing more.