Lady Friya, now it's your turn."
Friya succeeded too.
"Talent and hard work. A very rare combination." Rudd bowed to her in a sign of respect.
"As for you, Lord Lukart, it's time to learn that foolish actions and words have consequences." He activated his communication amulet.
"Here is Professor Rudd. Subtract two thousand points from Lyam Lukart for insubordination, slander of a schoolmate and for divulging academy's secrets. Also, change his dimensional magic evaluation to B- and raise Friya Ernas' one to A+."
At those words, Lyam turned pale as a ghost at first, then green and finally red due to a fit of rage. He rushed toward Friya, punching her in the face.
Rudd was about to intervene, but he noticed that her hands and lips were moving at great speed. He placed an invisible barrier around her and pretended to do nothing, studying her skill.
Her dimensional spell was still active, all Friya had to do was to complete the spell, placing the first gate in front of her and the other near Lyam's nether region.
The result was the young Lukart giving himself a powerful straight in the nuts.
Rudd erupted into laughter, seeing Lyam sorry figure curled up on the ground. Soon more than half the class joined the Professor in his hilarity. The fall of a high and mighty noble was a rare sight, the commoners among those present savored every moment of it.
Tears streaked Lyam's cheeks non stop. Even worse than the physical pain was the taste of failure in his mouth, being a laughingstock for the first time in his life.
"Very well executed and perfectly timed, Lady Ernas." Rudd activated his communication amulet once again.
"Points assignation to the student Friya Ernas for displaying superb mastery of dimensional magic and completing the course three months early. Five hundred points."
This time no one interrupted the group's cheers and congratulations. Friya was so happy that she stopped frowning for the first time since the end of the second exam.
Seeing the group of youths so close despite being so different in social status, age, and magical legacy made Professor Rudd sighed of resignation.
- "I hate to admit it, but if Lyam Lukart is the best the old magical families have to offer, then it's much better to wipe them out once and for all. I hate commoners, but I love magic too much to let a bunch of ungrateful spoiled brats disrespect it.
"Those who spare no effort in pursuit of magical knowledge are a hundred times better than someone that takes shortcuts, incapable to understand that magic is a competition with oneself, not with others." -
"Lady Ernas, you are free to not attend dimensional magic classes anymore. I hope you will decide otherwise, though. It would be a pleasure and an honour for me to help you mastering Switch too and witness the birth of a true dimensional magician."
The whole group was astonished. There was no trace of sarcasm in his voice. Rudd even gave her a deep bow. Where years of arguing and debates in the Mage Association had failed, Lyam Lukart had succeeded.
The harsh comparison between his blind arrogance and Friya silent efforts had managed to convince Khavos Rudd once and for all that he had been wrong his whole life.
Being a good magician wasn't a matter of talent or bloodline, hard work and passion for magic were the only things to treasure and nurture.
"It would be my pleasure to be taught by the greatest dimensional magician of our times." She replied with an even deeper bow.
Despite her resentment for Rudd's previous conduct, Friya wasn't so stupid to put grudge before education.
Rudd nodded, pleased by both her answer and her flattery.
"The class is dismissed early today. Lyam Lukart, get up and follow me to the Headmaster's office. Let's see if I can get you expelled. Your sight sickens me."