Chapter 69 Breaking Through

Chapter 69 Breaking Through

Cecilia Blackwood's POV

"I've scheduled your next session in the chamber for three days from now. How does that sound?"

I shook my head quickly. "No, no—I'm fine, really. Three days is too long. I can go tomorrow!"

I was eager to strengthen my spiritual power, and not just for my familiar's sake. Once my spiritual power became strong enough, learning other spells would accelerate dramatically.

As for my body—I felt fine. And I desperately needed to learn new magic to suppress the power inside me.

Yes, this was Star Ring Academy of Magic. I didn't have to hide in the shadows like I used to. But that didn't mean I was safe.

Only when I truly suppressed this power and converted it into magical energy would I finally be free.

But Mr. Crom refused. "No. Tomorrow's too soon. This kind of training requires patience—one step at a time."

I lowered my head, unsure what to say.

Perhaps sensing my determination—or maybe taking pity on me—Mr. Crom relented. "All right. Let's compromise. Not three days, not tomorrow. The day after tomorrow. Come by when you have time."

I nodded eagerly. "Yes! Thank you!"

For me, this was already the best possible outcome. I didn't dare ask for more.

Mr. Crom then pulled several books on Magic Summoning from his drawer. Unlike the ones I'd seen in the library, these had slightly yellowed covers—clearly part of his personal collection.

"Take these. Read them when you have time. They'll help strengthen your spiritual power."

"Thank you so much, sir!"

I took the books and left the office.

"So? Are you going into the chamber now?" Kane's voice was tight with worry.

I smiled. "Of course not. Mr. Crom just wanted to check on me and give me these books."

"He's taking such good care of me. I have to study hard—I can't let him down."

"Come on. Let's head to the hill."

I was brimming with energy now, practically itching to master Dodge Magic in a single day. I knew it wasn't realistic, but still—a girl could dream.

When we reached the hill, Kane settled onto the same boulder as always while I opened Marina's Dodge Magic manual.

The complex symbols and incantations made my head spin. This was far more advanced than anything I'd studied so far.

But I quickly pushed down the anxiety and threw myself into it.

Marina had given me this manual because she believed in me. I couldn't let her down.

And unlike other students at the academy, I couldn't just stick to basic spells. Basic magic barely made a dent in suppressing my power.

This kind of advanced magic—this was what I needed.

Still, despite my passion and determination, some of the incantations were brutally difficult to parse.

After several hours, I hadn't even reached the beginner level.

Finally, I turned to Kane for help.

He came over and began explaining each phrase in detail—far more thoroughly than Marina's annotations. He even taught me proper breathing techniques, since controlled breathing was the first step toward channeling intent.

Hours flew by. Time had never passed so quickly.

Kane's explanations worked. I could feel it—I was finally touching the threshold of Dodge Magic.

I drew on the energy inside me and moved. My speed was several times faster than before.

And this was just the threshold. If I could truly enter the basics, reach proficiency, or even mastery—what would that look like? The thought alone was exhilarating.

But just as I prepared to continue, Kane raised a hand. "That's enough for today. You need to rest."

I stared at him. "Why? I just found my footing with Dodge Magic—I should keep going while it's fresh!"

Kane shook his head. "No. You've been practicing long enough. What you need now is rest."

"Training isn't something you rush. You need to balance practice with recovery, take care of your body, and then—"

I didn't want to hear the rest. I could already recite it word for word.

"Okay, okay—I get it. I'll rest properly from now on. But just let me practice a little more today."

"You know how hard it was at first? I couldn't get the hang of it at all."

"Now that I've finally figured it out, I can't just stop. Even if you send me back to the dorm right now, I won't be able to sleep!"

When Kane still didn't budge, I grabbed his arm with both hands and shook it. "Please? I promise this is the last time. Next time I'll follow the schedule exactly!"

Kane sighed softly. "Fine. Last time. I'll stay with you."

"Yes! I knew you'd understand!"

I dove back into practice immediately. Though I only trained for another two hours, the results were several times better than before.

I'd officially reached the beginner level. The difficulty would only increase from here, but I believed I could do it.

Back at the dorm, I wanted to share the good news with Jenny, but she was already asleep.

I pulled out my phone and exchanged a few messages with Kane. We said goodnight, and I drifted off.

Whether it was my good mood or genuine exhaustion, I slept even better than the night before.

I didn't even hear my first alarm. If Jenny hadn't woken me, I would've been late again.

Kane was waiting outside my door as usual, breakfast in hand.

We entered the main building together. Normally, this was where we'd split up—Kane had his special curriculum to attend.

Not every special session conflicted with Herbology. It just happened that yesterday's schedule change lined up with one.

But to my surprise, Kane made no move to leave.

"Why are you still here? Class is about to start."

Kane shook his head gently. "I've decided. I'm not going to the special curriculum anymore. I'm staying with you."

"Why?"

"I don't feel safe leaving you alone."

I understood what he meant. Yesterday, I'd felt uneasy too—though today was better.

"It's fine. Rowan and the others aren't allowed inside the classroom—they can only listen from the hallway. They can't hurt me."

"And Ms. Moria will be there. She'll be watching me even more closely this time. I'll be safe."

"You should go to your class. We'll sit together next period."

Kane still shook his head stubbornly. "The special curriculum doesn't matter. I'm coming to Herbology with you."