GameDev Reincarnated into His Own Creation

Vol 2 - Chapter 21.2: Access Pending

Accepting the offer meant leaving them—those who had begun to trust him. It was practical, but it felt wrong, like quitting a puzzle just as it started to make sense.

Lyvenna watched him intently, cataloging every subtle shift in his expression. She didn't rush him, didn't attempt to influence his decision. She simply waited, curious about what kind of person Velarian Novalance truly was.

Vel already had an answer forming in his mind, but he held it back. Instead, he met her gaze directly and asked a question of his own.

"May I ask why you were assigned to our group?"

His voice was careful, measured.

"Sorry if I'm stepping over boundaries, but you seem to have a lot of experience with...'unstable' attunements."

The question caught Lyvenna off guard. She set down her teacup with deliberate slowness, a flicker of something—surprise, perhaps respect—crossing her features. The silence stretched for several heartbeats before she responded.

"Keen eye."

She studied him with renewed interest.

"Would you let a blacksmith teach a farmer? Or a noble teach a commoner? I am here because I'm meant to be here."

Vel leaned forward slightly, understanding dawning.

"You're saying you were also an unstable."

"'Were' isn't exactly the right word," Lyvenna replied with a hint of wryness in her voice.

She set her teacup aside and held her palm open between them. Her lips moved in a quiet incantation, the words too soft for Vel to catch completely. A small disturbance formed above her hand—particles of dust gathering, swirling, taking shape.

A miniature dust devil materialized on her palm, spinning with delicate precision. But Vel noticed immediately how it wavered and fluctuated, the edges of the vortex fraying as if fighting to maintain cohesion. Despite Lyvenna's obvious control and experience, the tiny whirlwind struggled to remain stable.

Vel watched, transfixed by the demonstration. This wasn't the clean, crisp magic displayed by the single-element students. There was something raw about it, something that spoke of conflict and compromise.

"Earth and Air," Vel murmured, recognizing the competing elements in her manifestation.

Lyvenna nodded, a hint of old pain briefly visible in her eyes.

"Earth and Air fighting for dominance. It took me years to be able to control these elements. Even now, my magic is still weaker than most normal mages."

She let the twister collapse, leaving only a thin film of dust on her palm, then blew gently across her hand. The dust particles danced in the air before they dissipated completely. Her hand returned to her teacup, fingers curling around it as if drawing comfort from its warmth.

"So that explains everything you said back in the entrance tests. You were speaking from your own experience, not just from studies."

Lyvenna took a slow sip of her tea before responding.

"Which is why I want you to consider the offer. If you think you have what it takes, it's better to leave the unstable group, for a better chance to receive proper teaching."

Vel's curiosity deepened.

"How did you come to control these elements?"

He leaned forward as he asked.