Foltest nodded slightly and remained silent.
The male sorcerer turned decisively and left the hall without hesitation through a side passage.
On the throne, Foltest watched Keira, who had fallen to the ground as if she had lost her soul.
He tapped his fingers on the armrest of the throne, his expression still blank, but inwardly he was a bit conflicted.
On one hand, he did need these sorcerers for professional advice on specific issues.
But on the other hand, the curse on Adda had made him more vigilant and estranged from all sorcerers.
Now that the Brotherhood had personally removed the portal, it saved him some trouble. At least Keira was not the only advisor.
He shook his head, as if trying to dispel these thoughts, and waved to the palace guards standing nearby, ordering in a flat tone: "Take her away."
When the two heavily armed guards heard this, they immediately stepped forward—one on the left, one on the right—and unceremoniously lifted the paralyzed Keira from the ground.
Keira didn't react, didn't resist, didn't cry, and didn't even flinch.
She was like a puppet with its strings cut, allowing the guards to drag her out of the audience hall, which symbolized power and glory.
Her court career and the great future in the Northern Kingdoms,
on this day, at this moment, in an extremely awkward and humiliating way, had come to a complete end.
When Triss learned of the Magic Society's final ruling on Keira from Fercart, who had taken over Keira's duties as royal advisor that day,
she was frozen in place, her face full of surprise and mixed feelings.
Although Keira's previous actions had made her angry and disappointed,
they had been friends for many years, having known each other since their time at Aretuza Academy, spending much time together.
She immediately went to find Keira, hoping at least to say goodbye or see if she needed any help.
However, upon arriving at Keira's house and laboratory in Vizima, she found them empty.
The laboratory was in disarray; many commonly used alchemical tools, lab tables, and even some personal clothes were left behind, clearly showing that the owner had left in a hurry.
Only the magical books that recorded valuable knowledge had been taken.
Looking at the mess and the empty air, Triss could only helplessly shake her head and let out a heavy sigh.
She understood that this once-close friend had completely distanced herself from her.
Keira hadn't even wanted to meet her before leaving to say goodbye.
This decisiveness caused a slight pang in Triss's heart, but she also knew that ultimately, it was Keira's own fault.
Feeling a little sympathy, Triss tried to adjust her thinking.
Life went on, and her spellcasting skills couldn't afford too many distractions.
She turned away from Keira's old house and focused on studying the Arzu arts.
......
Ban Ard Academy, the morning mist had not yet fully dissipated.
Karl had already learned from his teacher, Hen, about the outcome of the Magic Society's ruling on Keira.
A trace of satisfaction passed through his heart like a clear spring; the corners of his mouth almost involuntarily lifted. Now Keira was being taken to the doctor for more than twenty years of debt.
He smiled relaxed and said sincerely to Hen: "Thank you, Teacher."
Hen waved his hand, his expression indifferent but with an undeniable authority: "You are my student. If you were bullied, naturally I should take care of it for you."
"Moreover, the evidence of Keira Metz's actions is conclusive, and it is a serious violation of the Brotherhood's fundamental law forbidding the use of mental spells on fellow members. It is only just that she be disciplined."
Karl was a little surprised at how efficiently the Magic Society had handled the matter.
But upon reflection, the transcendent status of one of the founders, Hen, made it seem only natural.
It would be difficult to slow down the process that this big shot personally paid attention to and promoted.
Then Hen returned to the topic and asked Karl with concern: "Tell me, how did you feel when you cast the spell yesterday..."
"Was there anything that didn't match the situation described in the book you read earlier?"
Karl recalled for a moment and answered clearly: "Teacher, the last time I released the fireball, I distinctly felt that a portion of the energy within my body had been consumed."
"The entire process was not as described in the book, where I found the magic difficult to control and needing to guide it as much as possible."
"The energy within my body felt very smooth, like moving my hand, and it was easy to guide and release this energy according to the spell."
Hen listened in silence, his chestnut brows slightly furrowed.
He looked up and looked at Karl with a sharp gaze: "Karl, from the beginning of your attempt to cast the spell to the final success, there is a key step missing..."
"You are not drawing free magic from the outside world; what you are consuming is entirely your own reserves."
He explained in detail: "Ordinary sorcerers cast spells by reciting specific incantations to induce magical resonance, combined with gestures to enhance mental focus."
"This is used to control the magic forming the external world, or to mobilize magic that has been absorbed and accumulated in the body beforehand, to achieve the spell's effect."
"In this process, any small error—be it a deviation in the syllable, a mistake in the gesture, or a lack of concentration—"
"will cause the spell structure to collapse and trigger magical backlash, which can lead to injury or death."
Karl asked thoughtfully: "Then why did I fail so many times before? If I am consuming my own energy, logically it should be easier to control."
Hen thought for a moment and used a metaphor: "This... is somewhat akin to the state of a Source sorcerer before they are fully awakened."
"Many Source sorcerers also tried to cast spells ignorantly before their talents manifested, but they couldn't mobilize even the slightest external magic until their abilities suddenly exploded..."
"There was one Source sorcerer who, the day before awakening, was idly picking his nose."
"As a result, an uncontrolled energy shock blew his house into the sky. The difference is..."
Hen glanced at Karl, a hint of peculiarity in his voice: "Your awakening seems a bit delayed, and it's more gentle and controllable."
"And according to my initial experience, most Source sorcerers experience visions around the age of five, and their magical abilities fully manifest when they are eleven or twelve."
When Karl heard this, he was speechless for a while. Hen's words inadvertently broke the key.
That is, from birth until the system was activated, most of his energy had been accumulating in the system's energy pool.
After the system was activated, he had actually been absorbing energy through the sun for less than three months.
In terms of energy accumulation, it seemed reasonable to assume that he had been in a state of delay...
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