Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 171 Louis's Magical Talent
"You mean..."

Leisher gently raised his head, a hint of hesitation and surprise on his face. "You... want to learn magic?"

"Ah."

Louis did not avoid the question; instead, he nodded.

At that moment, Leahy's expression paused subtly.

After all, this is not a question that can be answered easily.

If an ordinary person wants to get involved in the field of magic, they must first go through layers of identity verification and talent certification.

Moreover, teaching magic to others, especially outsiders from non-magical backgrounds, is a clear violation of the rules.

This is not something he can bear the consequences of on his own.

But he... couldn't refuse.

If it weren't for the person in front of me, I would probably be a cold corpse by now, with even my bones gnawed away by wild beasts.

Moreover, Louis must have used a lot of resources to save him, after all, he knew what kind of injuries he had suffered.

“Magic is not an ordinary skill.” Lyshill spoke carefully, as if trying to save face for himself. “It requires extremely high talent, a mental perception and elemental affinity far exceeding that of ordinary people. The vast majority of people cannot step through that door.”

“Then let’s test whether I have the ‘talent to learn magic’ first.” Louis looked up at him seriously, as if he had expected him to say that.

"..." Leisher suddenly had a headache.

He was actually serious.

But upon closer reflection... the magic test isn't actually that difficult.

Moreover, people with such talent are extremely rare, one in millions, and Louis most likely does not have magical talent.

So since Louis is so insistent, it wouldn't hurt to do a test.

He might just be acting on a whim, and if there's no reaction, the young nobleman will naturally back down.

Lyhill was already prepared, and looked at Louis with a hint of apology in his eyes: I'm sorry, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you soon.

But Louis simply nodded, as if he didn't care about the outcome at all.

Looking into Louis's eyes, Leisier finally sighed softly: "To use magic, one must first possess magical power, and the first step in confirming whether one possesses magical power is meditation."

Louis nodded, his expression serious.

This only made Leisier more worried, fearing that Louis would be too disappointed if he knew the result.

"I will teach you a basic meditation technique to sense whether magic resonates with you... but the real difficulty of this spell lies not in technique, but in mindset."

Lei Hilton paused, then lowered his voice, speaking in a gentle, teacher-like tone:

"First, you must bring your consciousness into a state of extreme purity. Like clear lake water, like the wind at midnight. There can be no distracting thoughts, no restlessness."

Then instead of trying to grab the magic, you wait for it to come to you on its own.

Magic isn't a beast that can be conquered by brute force; it's more like a tide that rises on its own when you're at peace.

After saying that, he stopped talking and began to demonstrate, closing his eyes and gently exhaling.

A moment later, he reopened his eyes and said, "Try it, my lord. Project your consciousness onto the ground beneath your feet, the air, the flow of the wind... If you truly have magical aptitude, it will respond to you."

Louis nodded and sat down cross-legged to the side.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Of course, this was not his first time meditating.

They have even gotten used to spending an hour practicing their magic using "Primal Meditation".

But he couldn't reveal too much, after all, the origin of the Primal Meditation Technique was somewhat special.

Moreover, he needs to know what the monk will teach him and to what extent.

Using Professor Lyshill's meditation technique, Louis's body did resonate with the magic, but he also felt a strange sense of disharmony.

The way this meditation works... is very strange.

The process is correct, the structure is correct, and the pacing is acceptable, but there's an inexplicable awkwardness in the details.

The guiding path is as if it has been carefully trimmed, removing all the details and complexity.

Only one straight main route was retained, and even deliberate obstructions were added at several key nodes.

The guiding path seemed to have been deliberately "weakened," like an oversimplified legendary spell diagram that only retained the outermost skeleton.

It's almost like... a censored version of "Primordial Meditation".

He chuckled coldly to himself.

interesting.

Whoever originally designed this version of meditation had a gut feeling that it was not a "simplified version" that evolved naturally, but rather one that had been deliberately tailored.

The cutter clearly possesses an extremely high understanding of spell structure, yet seems to have to suppress it.

Is it because they're worried about the original surgical technique being leaked?

Meanwhile, Lyshill stood to the side, watching Louis sitting cross-legged with a slight frown, seemingly trying to enter a meditative state.

"Was it really too much of a stretch?" he muttered to himself.

He knew very well that the threshold for meditation was actually quite high, especially for a "mortal" who had never been exposed to magic.

Even just guiding consciousness into "mental tranquility" is enough to keep a gifted ordinary person stuck for months.

Sensing magic is even rarer.

He sighed softly, trying to keep his tone gentle: "There's no need to rush. Not everyone can feel the magic on their first try. Well... actually, it's quite normal for most people to never sense it in their entire lives."

Louis did not answer.

He kept his eyes closed, his breathing slow and even, his whole being sinking into a state of near-stillness.

“…?” Leshill raised an eyebrow.

He initially thought the other person was just annoyed by the failed sensory response, hence the frown.

Unexpectedly, the other person was not affected by his comfort at all; on the contrary, the more he sat, the deeper he sank.

It doesn't seem like he's putting on an act; it's more like he's completely immersed in it.
"He's putting on such a convincing act?" Leisier thought to himself.

No, I should say... it's impossible to fake it that well.

Ten minutes passed, and Louis still didn't open his eyes.

Twenty minutes passed, and his breathing remained as steady as a meditating monk.

Thirty minutes later, he finally let out a slow breath and opened his eyes.

At that moment, Leahy was genuinely wavering.

"Did you feel anything?" he asked cautiously, lowering his voice.

Louis nodded slightly, his expression calm: "Just a little bit... a very faint, cool thing, as if it drifted in from the air."

"..." Leisher was stunned.

His first reaction was: Are you kidding me?
Feeling the magic? Successful on the first meditation session? And meditating for a full half hour?
What a joke!
But the earnest, simple, and unpretentious tone made it impossible to easily deny this "nonsense."

Especially those eyes, calm as still water, without exaggerated excitement or fawning.

This doesn't seem fabricated.

Leisher suddenly felt a dryness in his throat. He paused for a moment, trying to remain calm, "Could you describe what you felt again?"

Louis thought for a moment: "It's like... when you breathe, what you inhale isn't air, but something 'lighter.' A bit like... fog?"

Leisher's pupils contracted slightly.

He wasn't talking nonsense; he really sensed it.

Although the description isn't entirely accurate, that's the typical sensation when magic seeps in.

For a moment, Leahy felt a mix of emotions.

He originally just wanted to find an excuse to decline, but he never expected to actually encounter a genius who "successfully entered the field of magic despite being new to it".

Or perhaps it was the benefactor to whom he owed his life.

Leisher pursed his lips, lowered his head, and whispered almost to himself, "It's unbelievable."

He still didn't believe it, so his gaze fell on Louis, and his eyes sharpened.

“Louis,” he said slowly, “since you can really sense magic, we can try a very basic exercise.”

"What?" Louis looked up with a curious expression, his eyes clear.

"Light-emitting magic".

"Leahy said softly, straightening his body."

He extended his right hand, palm slightly up, fingers naturally spread.

The person instantly became quiet and focused.

"This is one of the most basic shaping spells, used to sense the flow of magical energy and to control basic structures."

As he spoke, he began to slowly guide the magic within his body: "Imagine a warm breath rising from your heart, flowing through your arms to your fingertips. There's no need to force it; just let it happen naturally."

He took a deep breath, lowered his gaze slightly, and murmured, "guang."

As the syllable faded, a soft, warm white light quietly shone from his fingertips.

The light was like dew in the morning light, clear and quiet, yet carrying a pure magical fluctuation.

The light floated like stars at Leisher's fingertips, its subtle shimmering light creating faint ripples in the air.

This is... Pinyin?!

Louis forced himself to keep a straight face, pretending to be focused, but inside he was in turmoil.

Something's not right. Isn't this the pinyin for "light"?
And apart from having a slight accent, nothing else has changed.

Was the person who designed this magic spell Chinese?

And they even used pinyin as a spell?
He glanced at Leisher instinctively, but the latter looked completely at ease, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Leisher also noticed Louis's expression, but simply thought it was because Louis was shocked from seeing magic for the first time.

He continued, “You see, it doesn’t need to be driven by force, but rather you need to resonate with the magic and gently guide it.”

Then he turned his gaze to Louis: "If you really have magic, you should be able to do this too."

The tone was casual, yet it concealed a probing intent.

Louis suppressed the turmoil in his heart and decided to think about it later; for now, he would focus on learning magic.

But he just smiled and said, "I'll give it a try."

He mimicked Lyhill's gesture, extending his right hand with his fingers slightly spread.

But beneath his seemingly focused expression, Louis was already operating another system in his mind. He first gently activated the surface framework of the meditation technique, without activating the core magic circuits, only drawing upon the shallowest, most easily controlled portion of magic.

The magic, like ripples on the sea surface under a gentle breeze, flowed slowly down the arm and gathered at the fingertips.

At the same time, he silently recited the incantation: "guang."

In an instant, he deliberately slowed down the flow of magic and made the path slightly disordered, simulating the state of a "novice magic apprentice".

His breathing was unsteady, his eyes were slightly narrowed, and his fingers even trembled a little.

But the truth is: he only used less than 1% of his magic.

Even so, a faint light still appeared on his fingertips after two or three seconds.

Leisher's eyes widened, almost thinking he was seeing things.

"This is impossible," he whispered to himself.

He had only been taught meditation for half an hour, and his perception of magic was not yet stable, yet he was already able to attempt magical projection at the guidance level?

And it succeeded?
Even the faintest glimmer of light indicates that this person not only truly senses magic, but also possesses extremely high control and refined mental strength; otherwise, it would be impossible to precisely guide magic to converge at their fingertips without it dissipating.

This cannot be explained by luck.

Louis, with a look of mixed surprise and delight, slowly withdrew his fingers and let out a slightly "tired" breath. "But it seems I really am quite tired."

Leahy's throat moved slightly.

Looking at the boy in front of him who was "slightly struggling" to complete the light spell, he couldn't tell for a moment whether the other party was exceptionally talented or... just incredibly lucky.

But his intuition told him one thing:

If this person really wants to learn magic, then he might become... a great mage in the future.

Leisher stood there, silent for a long time. His gaze remained fixed on the fading glimmer of light, his expression complex.

He was just testing the waters.

It was just a basic spell; even if it failed, it would have been expected. But what he hadn't anticipated was that this boy would actually make it light up.

This is no coincidence.

The light, though weak, was extremely stable, with almost no trace of magic dissipating.

This means that the user's concentration, magic guidance accuracy, and even willpower have reached a rare beginner's limit.

He slowly frowned.

Who exactly is he...?
The spiritual practice of a monk is far more brutal than outsiders imagine. It requires rigorous selection of talent, testing of willpower, and scrutiny of background. No step can be omitted.

The person in front of me not only possesses magic, but also managed to cast a spell on their first attempt.

More importantly, he was also a nobleman, a lord, of impeccable birth, with status, responsibility, and principles.

If he truly wants to embark on the path of magic... isn't this a rare opportunity?

Lyshill's brow relaxed, and he murmured softly:
"His talent... is definitely up to par, he could even be called a genius."

Background... The nobility of the Iron-Blooded Empire, also clean enough.

And... he saved me.

Although the Dharma Master Forest has strict rules, it is not unacceptable if it is just "a little private guidance" and then supplemented after he officially joins.

And so Lyshill convinced himself, and said, “You do have magic and the potential to cast spells… but magic is not something to be discussed casually.”

“So?” Louis asked.

“So,” he paused, then said solemnly, “before you officially become a member of the Mage Forest, I cannot publicly teach you more spells, nor do I want you to boast about it everywhere.”

Without any hesitation, Louis nodded immediately, his expression serious and composed: "Understood, I won't tell anyone."

He even showed a childlike smile.

"So that means... I can continue learning, right?"

Leisher was taken aback, not expecting him to react so quickly, without even showing a trace of doubt or dissatisfaction.

He had assumed that nobles would always show a hint of arrogance and resentment when faced with rules and restrictions, but Louis did not; he was genuinely happy.

This made Leahy suddenly feel a little uncomfortable.

He cleared his throat and said in a low voice, "I can only teach a little bit. As preparation."

"Understood." Louis smiled and looked down, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, but he hid it well, leaving only the barely concealed joy on his face.

So during his recuperation period in the Red Tide Territory, in addition to recovering his health, Leisier also began to occasionally teach Louis some of the most basic magic.

Initially, it was just a test. Since Louis showed magical resonance and could cast basic "glowing" spells, he decided to teach him some simple evocation spells.

For example, fireball, immobilization, and beam spells.

The teaching pace doesn't seem fast; it takes Louis about three or four days to master each spell.

He had to understand, practice, and adjust everything from incantation, breath control, and release rhythm to controlling the output of magic power.

He makes mistakes, he fails, sometimes he mispronounces incantations, sometimes he releases too much magic, and he even burned a small patch of grass the first time he practiced the fireball spell.

But for Leithir, this was a takeoff speed; on average, it took students in the Mage Forest half a month to master a basic spell.

Moreover, Louis's "mistakes" were all reasonable, and his growth was extremely stable.

Unlike some less gifted magic users who get stuck at a certain point repeatedly, he breaks through a barrier every three or four days, like removing a seal and crossing a threshold.

It just so happens that you can learn from the experience without harming your body or mind.

Especially after he had a basic grasp of the Fireball spell, Leisher casually remarked, "The Fireball spell isn't just about turning into a ball. Magic flows, and will can shape it. You can try... extending it."

He didn't expect Louis to understand when he said this; he just wanted to entertain him.

Five days later, when Louis summoned the flames again, Lyhill saw that almost impossible outline.

Instead of exploding, the fireball extended and elongated, becoming as slender as a blade. There was a slight flow of flame on its surface, still unstable, but the outline was already clear, like a rough "fire blade".

"...You did it?"

Leisher almost uttered those words aloud, his eyes wide with shock, as if he were staring at a cat defecating upside down.

"This is... Fireblade Technique..."

His voice carried a complex emotion: disbelief, amazement, and even a touch of awe.

It took him a full month to master the "Fireblade Technique" himself, relying on his mentor's three spell demonstrations and repeated mental guidance.

You should know that you are considered an elite among mages, and also a genius.

And Louis... this noble boy in the border territory with no magical background, created a prototype with just a few words of guidance and a demonstration.

"...His talent...is exceptionally high."

Leisher stared at Louis in a daze, his eyes seeming to be reassessing him.

This is no longer just 'suitable for learning magic,' but rather a constitution born for magic.

The perception of configuration, the control of magic, and the compatibility between will and incantation are all close to the theoretical peak.

He even suspected that if Louis were to receive systematic training, he would appear in the core of the Mage Forest within a few years.

“If I take him back… I’m afraid even some of the Tower Councilors would be tempted.” This thought crossed Leisher’s mind for the first time.

Louis, who was standing in front of him, simply lowered his eyes slightly and put away the flame in his hand.

He behaved with restraint and composure, without showing any sign of pride. He even deliberately frowned, pretending to be "not quite stable yet."

"It's not quite right yet... the lines always look unnatural," he murmured, a hint of self-reproach in his voice.

This was his deliberate attempt to conceal his true skill level, making the flame appear somewhat weak and flickering at the edges, as if he were not yet proficient enough.

Louis could certainly have done better.

He deliberately slowed his pace, concealing ninety percent of his skill and depth.

It wasn't for sensationalism or to deceive people's trust, but rather out of the instinct for self-preservation.

We mustn't arouse Leahy's suspicion and get him to ask "how he did it?"

And he must not be allowed to see that he possesses a magical reserve far exceeding that of ordinary people.

Furthermore, he must not know that the source of that magic circuit is not the ordinary meditation technique he taught, but the primordial meditation technique.

The magic absorption efficiency of that meditation technique was more than twenty times that of the version taught by Lyshill. Moreover, when learning magical constructs, elemental perception, and will shaping, he hardly needed to memorize them; he only needed to understand them once to naturally reconstruct them in his mind.

This way of learning doesn't feel like "learning" at all; it's more like reminiscing.

This made him even more cautious.

He couldn't explain where this talent came from.

I can't exactly tell Leisher, "A great mage injected me with a fragmented yet astonishingly mysterious memory before his death."

At that point, the other party might just dissect you.

Therefore, he learns a little slower, is a little slower, makes a few mistakes, and fails a little.

Even though Leisher was already shocked beyond belief, what he saw was only what he "allowed to be seen".

“I still have a lot to learn.” He looked up and gave Leisher a humble smile.

Leith stared at him for a while, then finally nodded slightly: "You will become a very strong mage."

So he taught even more diligently.

At first, he had some reservations, considering whether Louis could handle it and whether he was learning too fast. But now, he had long since put those concerns behind him.

What started as one lesson a day has been changed to two sessions, one in the morning and one in the evening.

Occasionally, during an after-dinner walk, they would even talk about the flow of magic or the theoretical differences between certain schools of thought, all under the moonlight.

Leahy rarely showed such enthusiasm to anyone.

But he really couldn't control himself when it came to Louis.

Because he is so suited to be a mage.

With a high affinity for magic, one's breath is as stable as a lake when meditating, and one's emotions are clear and will is focused when casting spells. One's comprehension is also extraordinary.

With just a little prompting, he can always quickly grasp the key points.

He had seen many "smart people" learn magic, as well as highly talented but impetuous noble children.

But none of them were like Louis, who took every step so steadily and without wasting a single moment.

He still harbored a sliver of wariness deep down.

But that initial suspicion gradually faded away with Louis's repeated "reasonable mistakes" and "sincere requests for advice."

He even began to convince himself: "With his qualifications, entering the Mage Forest is not a problem at all. I am cultivating a future genius for the Mage Forest."

(End of this chapter)