Six days remained until the end of the one-month deadline.

Hulim Heyerar began her attempts to master Light Elemental Magic.

With daylight filling the world by day and lamplight illuminating the nights, Hulim had thought that Light Elemental Magic would be the easiest to master.

However, she was in for a rude awakening.

The experience she had gained from mastering the four major natural elements proved to be of little use when it came to light magic. The gap between light elements and natural elements was surprisingly vast—so much so that it felt almost as difficult as learning water magic right after mastering fire magic.

Hulim practiced relentlessly, desperate to master light magic as quickly as possible.

A day passed.

Two days passed.

By the third day……

A flicker of impatience stirred in Hulim’s heart. She was so close—she could feel it. If she kept going like this, it wouldn’t be long before she could cast the First-Tier Light Elemental Spell—Illuminate.

But time was running out!

Just as Hulim was consumed by frustration, her mother Lilia approached from behind. Sensing her youngest daughter’s distress, Lilia knelt down beside her and asked softly,

“What troubles you, my dear Hulim? Is something weighing on your mind?”

Seeing that it was her mother, Hulim hesitated for a moment, then poured out her worries.

“Mother, I feel like I’m so close to casting the Illuminate spell. But no matter how hard I try, I always fall just a little bit short.”

Lilia smiled gently at her words, her voice soft and reassuring.

“So that’s what’s bothering you.”

“Come, Hulim. Hold out your hand.”

Hulim looked at Lilia in confusion, but did as she was told, extending her small hand.

Lilia held out her own right hand, her lips moving in a soft chant. A warm, gentle glow bloomed from her palm, bathing the air around them in light.

Lilia wrapped her glowing hand around Hulim’s small fingers. Soft rays of light seeped through the gaps between their hands. As Hulim watched the sight, a strange, warm feeling welled up in her heart.

“Hulim, do you feel it? Light is a thing of gentleness and tranquility. Reach out to it with an open and forgiving heart, and I’m certain it will answer your call……”

Before Hulim knew it, Lilia had quietly left her side. But her mother’s words echoed endlessly in her ears, a guiding light in the darkness of her frustration.

Night fell.

In a pitch-black, dimly lit room.

“【?????????????????????】”

A soft, pure white glow flickered to life at the tip of Hulim’s finger, chasing away the darkness and filling the room with light.

……

Three days remained until the end of the one-month deadline.

Hulim had mastered the First-Tier Light Elemental Spell—Illuminate.

On the second night after mastering light magic, Hulim covered her window with a bedsheet to block out the moonlight, then sealed every crack around the door to keep out any stray light. In an instant, the entire room was plunged into impenetrable darkness—so black that she couldn’t even see her own hand in front of her face.

In that darkness, Hulim first lost her sense of direction, then her sense of space. It felt as if the entire world had drifted away from her, leaving her wrapped in the most ancient, profound loneliness imaginable.

Hulim curled up into a ball, struggling to suppress the rapidly rising panic in her heart. She fought the overwhelming urge to tear the bedsheet off the window and flood the room with light.

She stayed curled up like that, her eyes slowly closing as her mind gradually calmed, sinking into a state of peaceful emptiness.

She didn’t know how long she stayed like that.

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But then, the darkness around her seemed to grow thicker, more tangible. Something drew near, settling beside her. In the darkness that should have been forever lonely and empty, she no longer felt alone……

Two days remained until the end of the one-month deadline.

That night, in the sealed, pitch-black room.

Hulim finally recognized the true nature of the thing that had come to her side.

They were dark elements, gathering around her like a gentle, shadowy embrace.

“【????????????????????】”

She felt the familiar tingle of Mana being consumed. The darkness surrounding Hulim suddenly grew denser, a thin, veil-like layer of shadow settling over her body like a blanket.

First-Tier Dark Elemental Spell—Shadow.

Mastered!

……

One day remained until the end of the one-month deadline.

Hulim was faced with her greatest challenge yet.

“How on earth do you master Non-Elemental Magic……”

If other elemental magics could be mastered quickly by drawing on the power of the environment, Non-Elemental Magic had no such shortcuts to offer. Because compared to the other elements—each with their own distinct traits and properties—non-elemental energy was defined by its lack of any distinguishing features.

It was the most abundant element in the world, permeating every corner of existence. But its very omnipresence made it easy to overlook, to take for granted.

It was like the air we breathe—something we never think about unless we stop to consciously remind ourselves of its existence.

And it was precisely this lack of defining characteristics, this inability to be described or categorized, that had earned it the name “non-elemental”.

Hmm…… If there was one thing in the world that could serve as the perfect focal point for observing non-elemental energy, it could only be……

Lost in thought, Hulim found herself lowering her gaze, her eyes falling to her own hands.

……

……

The one-month deadline was over.

It was finally the day of her promise with Semiris Pan Gine.

“Semiris! I’m here!”

Hulim called out, her voice ringing clear and confident across the clearing.

“Oh ho ho~, I thought you might not show up! Fancy you not running away—brave of you, I’ll give you that~!”

By the lake deep in the forest.

Semiris floated lazily on the water’s surface, her voice dripping with playful mockery as she looked down at Hulim.

“Hmph! I’d never run away! If anything, Semiris, are you ready to accept defeat?!”

Unfazed by Semiris’s teasing, Hulim’s expression remained calm and determined as she issued her bold declaration.

“Oh……”

Semiris looked at Hulim in genuine surprise, her eyes widening slightly.

“You seem different somehow—like you’ve changed since a month ago……”

“Of course I have! I’ve grown more than ever before. I’m a proper, mature adult now!”

Hulim puffed out her chest proudly, her chin held high.

“Heh——!”

Semiris clapped a hand over her mouth, struggling to hold back a fit of laughter as she muttered under her breath,

“Pfft~! A ‘mature adult’? Please. You’ve barely grown at all. If you think acting all high and mighty makes you an adult, you’re still nothing but a silly little kid~!”

Hulim: “Semiris, were you saying something?”

“Ahem! Nothing! Not a single thing!”

Semiris cleared her throat loudly, quickly changing the subject before Hulim could press her further. She flapped her wings lightly, the tips glowing with a faint, magical light as she announced in a loud, dramatic voice,

“Very well then! Since you didn’t chicken out and run away, it’s time to honor our pact! Hulim—show me the fruits of your so-called ‘effort’!”

A sly, triumphant grin tugged at the corner of her lips.

As if mastering seven different types of magic in a month was even possible! You never stood a chance of winning this bet, Hulim. I see right through your empty bravado!

“Gladly! Let me show you exactly what I’ve been working on this past month!”

Hulim squared her shoulders, striking a confident pose as she shouted back, her voice ringing with determination.

The air in the forest seemed to crackle with tension, the calm surface of the lake rippling gently in the breeze.

“First up!”

Hulim held out her right hand, pointing her finger straight at Semiris.

“First-Tier Fire Elemental Spell—Ignition!”

“【???????????????????】”

As the incantation left her lips, a tiny, flickering flame burst to life at the tip of her finger, dancing merrily in the air.

“Well, Semiris? What do you think?!”

Hulim challenged, her eyes shining with pride.

“Uh……”

Semiris’s grin faltered slightly, her expression turning a touch awkward.

“F-Fine! That’s one spell down, I’ll give you that.”

She quickly reassured herself internally. It’s just one lousy spell, that’s all! Anybody could master a single spell in a month with enough effort. No big deal. Nothing to worry about at all.

She’ll definitely fail the next one, right?

Semiris thought to herself, her confidence returning as she plastered a smug smile back onto her face.

“Next up! Second spell!”

Here we go! Time to watch you make a fool of yourself, Hulim!

“【???????????????????】”

“Water Stream!”

A clear, glistening stream of water shot forth from the tip of Hulim’s index finger, arcing through the air before splashing harmlessly into the lake.

U-Uh…… She actually cast it?

Semiris’s eyes widened in shock, her smug smile freezing completely on her face.

Panic began to creep into her heart.

Wait a minute—does this mean she’s a dual-element mage?! And mastering two different elements in a single month? You really did work hard, huh!

“Well, Semiris? What do you say now?”

Hulim pressed, her voice steady and sure.

“U-Uh, fine! That’s your second spell—you pass! But don’t get too cocky just yet! The real challenge starts now! Don’t think for a second you’ll be able to cast a third spell! I-I won’t laugh at you if you fail, honest——”

“Stone Shard!”

Whoosh!

A small chunk of rock shot through the air, hurtling straight toward Semiris before splashing into the lake with a loud splash!, sending ripples spreading across the water’s surface.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep