The sky was clear without a single cloud. Most students were inside their classrooms, so as Leo and his students stepped out, they were surrounded by silence.

  They stood in front of the center plaza. The building they had just left was behind them, and the plaza containing Gabriel’s office sat some distance ahead. As Xylo, Lilian, Amy, and Garen gathered around, Leo didn't speak immediately. He just stood with his hands on his waist, glancing around the grounds.

  "Umm, sir, what’s going on?" Xylo asked.

  Leo didn't turn around. "Nothing. I was just seeing if there was a garden nearby."

  "Oh, there is!" Lilian chirped.

  Leo turned to her quickly. "There is? Where?"

  Xylo interrupted, closing his eyes. "It’s useless. We aren't allowed to go there unless a teacher asks the receptionist."

  The moment he finished, Leo asked, "And who am I?"

  "The teacher," Xylo answered without thinking. Then his eyes snapped open as he realized. "Wait! Oh, yeah!"

  Leo smiled. "Can you lead me to her?" Lilian nodded happily.

  They found the receptionist sitting at her desk in the hall before the plaza. She was the same woman who had seen Leo on his first day. She didn't even look up from her book as they approached. "What do you want?" she asked.

  Leo stood before her with the four students behind him. He raised an eyebrow. "Can you tell me where the garden is?"

  "Why?" she asked.

  Leo sighed. "For their lessons."

  She sighed as well, finally putting her book down. She stood up and pointed toward the opposite side of the academy plaza. Following her directions, Leo led the students through a door that opened into a massive garden. It was so big that it seemed to stretch on forever. The grass was perfectly trimmed and cared for, but there were no other students, teachers, trees, or flowers—just a vast garden with just plain field of grass.

  "It’s so huge!" Lilian shouted in excitement.

  "This is amazing!" Xylo added as he stepped onto the grass. Amy smiled, while Garen just stood silently behind them.

  Leo clapped his hands. "Alright class, let’s begin. Everyone, stand in a line."

  The four students lined up on the grass: Xylo first, then Garen, then Amy, and finally Lilian. Even though they were ready to listen, Lilian couldn't stop looking around at the scenery.

  "Okay," Leo said. "I have a question for all of you. Do you believe a human can use multiple types of magic other than their two specific skills?"

  Xylo’s smile vanished instantly. "Huh?" Amy looked just as confused. Lilian stopped looking around and stared at Leo, wondering why he was asking something so strange.

  Garen closed his eyes and sighed. "I expected more from you," he muttered. He took a step forward. "Of course the answer is no—"

  "No, you're wrong," Leo interrupted. "Humans can."

  Everyone froze, their mouths hanging open. Garen narrowed his eyes. "That's not possible."

  "Oh, really?" Leo raised his right hand. Suddenly, the air felt different. Small particles of water rose from the grass, forming into a ball of water that floated over Leo’s shoulder. At the same time, the grass beneath the students' feet began to grow rapidly until it reached their knees.

  Garen looked down, leaning over to touch the grass. "Woah. Good, but it's just—" He stopped mid-sentence. Hovering by Leo’s other side were several sharp ice crystals.

  All four students were stunned.

  Leo smiled. "So? Is there anything I can help you guys with?"

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Xylo jumped up excitedly. "Yeah!"

  Leo let the magic fade. The ice fell, the water splashed onto the grass, and the tall blades lay back down. "Tell me, Xylo, how can I help you first?"

  "Sir Leo, can you tell me how to improve my Thunderclap skill?"

  Leo tapped his chin and thought for a moment with his eyes closed. Then he opened them and said, "Lilian, Amy, Garen—please stand behind me." They nodded and moved back. Leo turned to Xylo. "Attack me with your skill."

  "Huh?" Xylo didn't understand.

  "I want to see how you use it," Leo explained.

  Xylo took a deep breath and moved some distance away. He clapped his hands and vanished. A second later, he reappeared in mid-air right behind Leo. Leo smiled and turned around just as Xylo tried to throw a punch. The punch missed. As Xylo began to fall, he clapped again to teleport behind Leo a second time, but his movement was distorted and he lost his balance.

  Without even looking back, Leo simply did a backflip over him. Xylo fell face-first into the grass, and Leo landed gracefully behind him.

  Lilian clapped, her mouth wide open. "Dang, Sir Leo! You've got skills!"

  Leo looked down at Xylo. "I see how it’s done."

  Xylo stayed face-down in the grass. "See? See how bad I am?" he groaned. Leo reached out a hand and helped him up.

  "I understand what's happening," Leo said. "You want to be a Royal Knight, right? That means you need speed and strength. Since your skill gives you speed, you only lack strength. But even with speed, you lose balance the moment you miss a shot."

  Xylo nodded. "I lose all control."

  "There’s a way," Leo suggested. "What if you use your enemy as your 'clap'?"

  "Huh?"

  "Watch me," Leo said. He moved a distance away and then dashed forward so fast he disappeared from their sight. Xylo’s eyes shined as he used his Foresight. "There you are!"

  Leo reappeared right in front of him. Garen, Amy, and Lilian were shocked. "When did he get there?" Lilian asked.

  "Good use of your skill," Leo noted. He used Foresight to track me. But I'm not done. Before Xylo could react, Leo clapped his hand against Xylo’s back. He moved so fast he seemed to vanish again, appearing right behind Xylo before the boy could even turn around. "You're too slow," Leo said. "Do you understand what I did?"

  Xylo thought about it, then suddenly clapped his hands. Before Leo could move, Xylo appeared behind him and clapped Leo on the back. It worked—his skill stayed active, allowing him to stay in control. He moved to the front and tried to clap on Leo’s head, but Leo caught his hand.

  "Not this time," Leo laughed. He let go, and Xylo slumped to the ground.

  "Are you okay?" Leo asked.

  "I’m fine," Xylo panted. "I just can't feel my legs. My stamina ran out."

  "Then you need to increase your stamina," Leo said. "We'll work on strength later."

  "Okay, sir!" Xylo said, staying flat on the grass.

  Leo turned to the girls. "Amy, your turn!" Amy jumped, nervous to be called on so suddenly. "Lilian, can you make a piece of paper and a marker?"

  "Yeah, why?" Lilian asked.

  "Just make one," Leo replied. Lilian nodded and began using her crafting skill.

  Amy walked over timidly. "What kind of skill do you want to learn?" Leo asked. She hesitated, staring at the ground.

  "Umm... I want to be a doctor," she whispered. "A professional one. I have healing magic, but I want to learn plant magic too. So... can...?"

  "Got it. Follow me." Leo led her a short distance away. He watched her sit down and thought to himself, 'How do I teach her this? If Lili were here, what would she do?'

  "Sir?" Amy asked.

  "Oh, sorry," Leo said. "Normally, you charge your skills using your mana core, right? You think the skill is already there and you just need to power it up."

  "Yes," she replied.

  "This time, imagine you already have the skill to control plants. Just think of it as charging a skill you already own."

  "But I don't have that skill," Amy said innocently. "How would I charge it?"

  Leo smiled at her tone. "That’s just what you think. Change your mindset, and you'll see how easy magic is." Amy turned back to the grass and nodded. "Okay... I'll try, sir."

  Lilian arrived, breathing hard from rushing. Leo took the paper and marker she had crafted. "Now, what do you want to learn?"

  Lilian looked up at the sky. "I want to learn everything! but for now..." She pressed her palms together and bowed. "Please help me learn how to use my crafting skill better!"

  "What are your plans for the future?" Leo asked.

  "I'm not sure," she admitted with a nervous smile.

  Leo stared at her for a second, then sighed. "Look, I'm going to draw a design for you. It might help." He sat down and drew something she didn't recognize. "What is this?" she asked.

  "It’s called a gun," Leo said. "A long-range weapon." 'I'm using an idea from my old world,' Leo thought. 'It should work well with her skills, and even if she doesn't like it, I'll take it for myself.'

  He handed her the paper. "Now, make it."

  "But I don't know what parts it needs!" Lilian cried out as Leo walked away.

  "Figure it out yourself," Leo called back without turning.

  Everyone was now working happily, enjoying the feeling of learning something new. Leo went over to the wall and leaned against it. Garen was standing nearby. "You aren't going to learn anything?" Leo asked.

  "No thanks," Garen said, standing tall. "I don't want to learn from someone my own age."

  "Are you sure?" Leo asked.

  Garen looked irritated. "Don't worry about me."

  "But I'm your teacher," Leo replied.

  "You can't be my teacher," Garen mocked. "It's just—"

  "Because of my age?" Leo interrupted. "Then think of me as a friend. A friend can worry about a friend, right?"

  The wind blew gently, and the atmosphere felt peaceful. Garen looked at the ground. "Then... can you help me with my swordsmanship?"

  He had assumed Leo was just a magic teacher, but Leo didn't hesitate. "Alright, I'll teach you."

  Garen's eyes widened. He was surprised that a "friend" his own age was actually capable of helping him with the sword.