The next morning, the students entered the abstract art classroom, a subject many find troubling due to its theoretical nature and reliance on sensory perception of intangible magical concepts. The supervising professor was Marin, a young woman in her early forties with sharp gray eyes and a semi-sarcastic smile.
Marin (distributing assessment sheets):
Today we have an oral exam. There's no hiding behind papers or spells this time. I'll pose a question, and each student must answer according to their own understanding. The assessment won't be based on absolute correctness... but rather on the depth of your insights.
She began calling out names one by one. The answers varied: some were memorized, some were random. Then came the turn of a student named Dane, an elite student known for his arrogance and constant boasting about his accomplishments.
Marin:
Dane, what's the difference between raw and refined magical structure within a dual field of intention?
Dain (with overconfidence):
A refined structure is stronger because it results from the integration of more than one intention. The more intentions, the more energy. That's self-evident.
Marin (quietly):
One more question... And what does that mean for stability?
Dain (with a light laugh):
Nothing. If you're strong enough, stability doesn't matter.
Some of the students laughed, but Marin didn't laugh. Instead, she turned directly to Nava, who was quietly scribbling in his usual notebook.
Marin:
Kurumi Nava... What do you think of his answer?
Nava looked up slowly, paused for a moment, then said in a low but clearly audible tone:
Nava:
Stacking intentions into a single structure without harmony is like shouting several languages in one mind. You don't get energy... only a rupture of meaning. True power comes not from quantity, but from the right tone.
There was silence.
Marin (with a faint smile):
A precise answer... perhaps more so than I expected.
As for Dane, he sat silently, biting his lips.
After the class ended, Celetia left the hall, laughing lightly.
Celeletia (laughing):
Oh my God, my friend, that was so cruel. If I were him, I would have buried myself.
Then Nava sighed and laughed quietly, without irony.