The great mage stands before you, barefoot on the lush grass of the garden room where you’ve been summoned. It’s an unexpected setting, serene and vibrant, yet the power radiating from her is anything but gentle. Her gaze sweeps over you, appraising, each second making your throat feel drier under the sheer force of her mana. You know that all your efforts in the first-class mage exam will mean nothing if she doesn’t grant you her approval.

The elf tilts her head, golden hair cascading down her back, her eyes gleaming with a subtle, inquisitive light. Her voice, rich and layered with curiosity, pierces the silence.

“Tell me, mage,” she says, “what is your favorite spell?”