Today is the most exciting day ever! I was accepted as a magician's apprentice! It is daddy's friend, and he will teach me how to be a mage! I will command the elements, swoosh! I will defeat monsters with my mighty power, kaboom!

Here I am. This house is scary. Why is it so patched up? Do things blow up a lot here? "Cough, cough." I am winded from running here. Should I knock on the door? I will knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

"It is me, Helen! Professor Gruenwald!"

"Ah, its Azelinus' little runt. You will call me master, understood little girl?" This guy is scary!

"Wheeze! Ah, yesh! I will call you master Gruenwald."

"Just 'Master'. Say it. 'Master'!" Can you talk a little lower?

"Yes, Master!"

"Come inside, girl." He opens the door a bit more and ushers me in.

Inside his house, there is... nothing magical. I look around, but where are the crow, the cauldron, the skull that talks, the eerie candle, the magic circle drawn with blood... Did Julius lie to me? No way! Julius would never lie to me!

"Don't just stand there slackjawed. I told you to sit on the chair by the desk. Now!"

My master is too grumpy. I need time to get used. Why is this house so dusty? "Cough."

"You know how to read already, I was told. Here, memorize this book. I will ask you questions about it next week."

He puts a moldy old tome in front of me. Is this a magic book? It makes my nose tingle. Is it magic? "Achoo!" Guess not.

"It has been a week. Did you finish reading the book?"

"Yesh, Mashter!"

"Clean that nose, you runt! Don't talk to me like that!"

"Yesh!" I take my handkerchief from my dress' pocket and blow my nose. "Better, master."

"Disgusting... Anyway, did you memorize the book?"

"Yes."

"I will ask you questions now."

"Can I ask just one before you start?"

"No."

"When will I learn magic? Will you change my job?"

"Not yet! Now, how many magician classes are there?"

"Five! Apprentice Magician, Magician, Elementalist, Wizard, Archmage!"

"How many systems of magic exist?"

"Four! Elemental magic, healing magic, barrier magic, lifestyle magic!"

"How many basic elements of magic exist?"

"Four! Fire, water, wind, earth!"

"How many composite elements exist, and what are they made of?"

"Three! Fire and wind, lightning! Fire and earth, magma! Water and wind, ice!"

"How many spells a magician learns from developing a skill to level 10?"

"Six! The starter spell at level 1! Two intermediate spells at levels 3 and 5! Two advanced spells at levels 7 and 9! One ultimate spell at level 10!"

"How many ways there are for a magician know more than six spells of the same element?"

"Three! Compose the four basic element skills into [All Elemental Magic]! Compose a basic element skill into an advanced skill and re-learn it! Compose a basic element skill into a supreme element skill!"

Master picks the stick he uses to beat me when I do something wrong. I cower and cover my head. It hurts too much, please don't! Time passes, I hear a slapping sound, but no pain. I look up between my arms, the master is with a wicked smile and slapping his own hand with the stick.

"Did I do wrong, master?" I ask with the meekest voice I can do. Master terrifies me. I can't do anything right. If I can't learn magic, I am worthless. I can't travel and trade like my father does. I can't work the fields. I can't fight monsters. I am too weak to bear children. Magic is everything I have left. I must learn magic.

An eternity goes by without master answering me. Then he speaks, "Where did you come up with that answer? Where did you learn about supreme element skills?"

"In... the book. It is written in the book you told me to read, master."

"Is it? Don't lie to me, girl!" He hits me with the stick.

"I am not lying, sob, please don't hit me!!"

"Always crying! Do you think you can win your way with tears? You lying brat!" Again the stick. It burns!

"Sob, it is in the book, written, sob, in the picture!"

"Picture?"

"Please, master! Let me show you!" I run to the desk and flip the pages of the book until it stops in the picture. The last page I flipped rips.

"You worthless piece of rabbit droppings!" he hits me. "You damaged my book!"

"Waaaaa!" I roll on the floor and run to the door. I have to go home. Father and mother and brother never hit me this much.

Two days later, father dragged me to the master's house.

"How do we say, young lady?"

"I am sorry," I tell master with my head pointing to the floor.

"He can't hear you. Look at the eyes of the person you are talking to!"

I raise my head and look at my master. "I am sorry for damaging your book."

Father talks to master. "Here is the compensation we talked about." I hear a jiggling sound and see a leather pouch changing hands. "Now, Helen, go inside for your magic lessons."

Father pushes me forward and I take a couple of steps. Master puts his hand on my head. Is he patting me? No. He just shoves me inside the house.

"It seems you are not a little liar after all. I have examined the picture you told me about, and there is mention of the supreme element skill. But it is a myth. There is no such thing."

"Yes, master."

"But except that last question, you got all the answers right. Come, we are going to borrow the adventurer's guild job crystal. You are officially becoming an apprentice magician today."