After class, most students left quickly.
But some stayed.
Watching.
Waiting.
Leo walked toward the exit.
Rin followed him.
"…Library," she said.
Leo nodded.
Ray appeared beside them. "I'm coming too."
Rin didn't argue.
The three walked together.
The atmosphere was quiet.
Different from before.
No one spoke much.
They reached the library.
Leo stopped near a table and placed a book down.
"…We start simple," he said.
Rin crossed her arms. "Fine."
Ray leaned back. "This should be fun."
Leo opened the book.
"This is a basic light spell," he said. "You already know it."
Rin nodded. "Of course."
Leo pointed at the diagram.
"What do you see?"
Rin replied instantly. "Stable structure. Balanced flow."
Leo shook his head.
"…Wrong."
Rin frowned.
Leo continued, "The beginning uses too much mana."
"That's needed for activation," Rin said.
"No," Leo replied. "It's habit."
Silence.
Leo raised his hand.
A small light formed.
"…Watch carefully."
The light was smaller than usual.
But—
Brighter.
Cleaner.
Perfectly stable.
Rin's eyes focused.
"…Less mana," she said.
Leo nodded.
"Same result."
Ray leaned forward. "That's actually crazy."
Rin stepped closer.
"…Show me the change."
Leo pointed again.
"Reduce this part."
"Reverse this flow."
"Stabilize here instead."
His explanation was simple.
Direct.
No extra words.
Rin listened carefully.
For the first time—
She didn't interrupt.
"…I see," she whispered.
She raised her hand.
Tried it.
Mana gathered—
Slightly unstable.
The light flickered.
Then—
It broke.
Rin's expression tightened.
"…Again."
She tried once more.
Adjusted the flow.
Reduced output.
Focused.
This time—
A small light appeared.
Not perfect.
But stable.
Rin froze.
"…It worked."
Leo nodded.
"…Almost."
Rin looked at him.
"…Almost?"
Leo pointed again.
"You're still wasting energy here."
Rin looked back at her spell.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"…You're right."
She canceled it.
Then tried again.
Slower.
More careful.
More precise.
A new light formed.
Clean.
Stable.
Efficient.
Perfect.
Silence filled the table.
Ray whistled. "That's actually better than before."
Rin stared at her own hand.
"…This is… different."
Leo sat down.
"…That's how magic should be."
Rin looked at him.
"…How did you learn this?"
Leo paused.
"…I didn't."
Rin frowned.
"…Then how?"
Leo looked at the book.
"…I just saw the mistakes."
Silence.
Rin didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"…You're strange," she said.
Ray laughed. "That's one way to say it."
Leo didn't react.
Rin sat down across from him.
"…Teach me everything."
Leo looked at her.
"…That will take time."
Rin nodded.
"…I have time."
A small pause.
Then—
Leo opened another book.
"…Then we start tomorrow."
Rin smiled slightly.
"…Good."
From that moment—
It wasn't just rivalry anymore.
It became learning.
Growth.
And something neither of them fully understood yet...