"Magic…" Wilcox started saying before scanning the students. His eyes narrowed.
"What do you all think magic is?" He asked. After a few seconds, one student raised their hand.
"Spells?"
"You're not wrong. You?"
"The combination of spells and mana?"
"You're not wrong, either. You?" Alec first thought Wilcox pointed at him, but he pointed at Taryeon.
"Magic is a ticket to a better future. It gives you the strength and power to defend yourself and seize what you want."
Wilcox bobbed his head to the side.
"A philosophical answer. Not bad. But that's what magic can do, not what it is."
Victoria put up her hand.
"Magic is the entire process of condensing aether into magic circles and using the mana produced by the magic circles to cast spells."
"Certainly." Wilcox nodded. He then turned to Alec.
"What do you think?"
Alec turned around and looked for whoever Wilcox was talking to. Unfortunately, after what happened at lunch, the only one close enough to be a potential suspect was Taryeon, and he had already given his answer.
Wilcox's gaze also made it abundantly clear that he was looking at Alec.
'Why me?' Alec found it unfair when he hadn't even raised his hand. But he only had himself to blame for giving such an overly detailed and meticulous answer during the entrance exam. It had caught Wilcox's attention.
The gentle-looking teacher was interested in what a mind like Alec's thought of magic.
Alec was silent as his mind spun. He had to give an answer. He could half-ass it and say that he agreed with Lady Victoria. But that wouldn't satisfy him, Wilcox, or Victoria.
He thought about what he had learned so far from Reina and what the other students had said.
Different students had different elemental affinities. The magic they could use differed. The way they would end up using magic would differ. Their purposes in using magic was different. Their goals were different. How far they would go on the path of magic would vary.
There were too many variables to give one all-encompassing answer, though Alec had to admit that Victoria's answer was very good. It seemed like the perfect description of magic boiled down to one sentence.
Even Wilcox had said as much. While the other students were close with their answers, she was certainly right.
But Alec had a feeling that it wasn't quite what Wilcox was looking for.
In the end, Alec could only say what came to mind.
"It depends."
"It depends?" Wilcox echoed. It was the same words Alec had used at the beginning of his long exam answer. He was inviting Alec to explain in depth what it depended on.
"Ahem. I'll preface this by letting you know that I haven't had the opportunity to learn much about magic."
"That doesn't matter."
Alec nodded.
"Magic is different depending on who uses it, what it's used for, and why it is used. If someone uses it to help them build a house, then it's a tool for construction. If someone uses it to set someone on fire, it's a horrible weapon. It can be a crutch for one and a curse to another. For yet another, it's nothing more than a useful tool.
"And for some, it's the gateway to a better life and the key to greatness. For others, it's nothing more than a part of their daily routine.
"And that's just for those using it. For those on the other end, it could be a miraculous blessing and a source of horror and fear. Of course, this is just in general strokes—"
"I'll stop you right there, Alec. I think you've made your point."
Alec froze.
'Whoops.' He had gotten swept up in putting his thoughts into spoken words and rambled a little. He bowed his head.
Wilcox looked at Alec for a moment before turning to the class.
"I guess Alec was the closest. In short, there is no right answer.
"Sure, you can explain magic as the process of turning Aether into spells. But if any of you want to become a proper mage, even more so if you want to become great mages…" Wilcox shot Taryeon a glance. "Then you have to build your own perspective and understanding of magic.
"Now, I know most of you won't get what I mean right now. But that's why I'm telling you right now. I want you to think about what magic is every step of the way. Whenever there's a pause in your train of thought or whenever you have an available moment, ask yourselves, 'What is magic?'
"If it helps you figure out the practical side, that's great. If you understand that you cast spells with your heart as much as you cast them with your brain, even better."
Wilcox could tell that not all of the students took his words to heart. But several of them did, including Alec, Taryeon, Victoria, and Maura.
He could even see them already thinking about the question. He had a feeling that this cohort of first years wouldn't let him down. He was looking forward to seeing them grow up.
"Well, that's that. Now, let's start talking about the process of practical magic.
"Or so I would like to say. But having your own understanding of all things related to magic makes magic easier, starting from the beginning. Knowing and understanding what Aether is makes it easier to sense and absorb it.
"After all, unlike the muscle-headed Warriors, we can't use magic until we condense our first magic circle.
"After being able to sense Aether, the next step is to use a magic circle condensation method to draw it into your body and condense it into a circle around your heart. This part is crucial. One mistake and you can die. Even if you don't make a mistake, your life can still be at risk if your heart is weak. If you feel pain or discomfort during this step—I can't tell you not to become mages, but I have to warn you that your lives may be forfeit at any moment, okay?" Wilcox waited until the students nodded in acknowledgment. It was common knowledge, but it didn't hurt emphasizing it.
The only one who didn't possess this piece of common knowledge was Alec.
'What the actual fuck?!' His mouth hung open in shock.