Melee Mage

Chapter 7: Learning Moisturizing

Satisfied as she watched the lively little girls below, the female lecturer was feeling proud. Suddenly, she noticed Adrian's face turning pale, looking as if he could devour someone. She furrowed her brow and pointed at Adrian with her teaching wand, saying, "What's that expression on your face? Don't you think this is a great function?"

"Well..." Adrian hesitated for a moment and said bitterly, "Teacher, I believe that practicality should be the main focus of magic. Honestly, I've never cared much about my appearance. I want to know if there are any other differences between the Moisturizing Art and healing spells besides hydrating the skin."

"Hmph!" The female lecturer coldly snorted, displeased. "Although Light healing spells like Benefaction can instantly restore wounds to their original state, at least ten times faster than the Moisturizing Art, Light magic only facilitates wound recovery. On the other hand, while the effects of the Moisturizing Art are slower, it can enhance the abilities of the injured while healing their wounds!"

Tapping the teaching wand gently in her palm, the female lecturer continued, "The advantage of Light healing spells lies in their quick effectiveness, while the advantage of the Moisturizing Art lies in its superior healing effects."

Upon hearing the lecturer's words, Adrian finally realized that... the superiority of the Water element over Light lies in its healing effects. Light magic only restores, while the Moisturizing Art not only restores but also enhances the body's capabilities. Its healing effects are better than healing spells, albeit with a longer duration. The idea of moisturizing the skin is purely a joke.

Lost in silent contemplation, Adrian noticed that the lecturer on the podium seemed somewhat unwilling to accept it. She lightly tapped the teaching wand in her palm and said, "Hey, Adrian, I still believe that moisturizing the skin is the greatest feature of the Moisturizing Art. You, as a man, may not care about appearances, but for us women, beauty is more important than life!"

Speaking up to this point, the female lecturer proudly straightened her chest and said, "I can say this: as long as you take a chair and sit on the street, offering skin moisturizing to ladies, I guarantee you'll have a good business. After all, beauty treatments are always the most willing to spend money on by all women!"

What!

Initially, the female lecturer was just talking nonsense, only trying to emphasize the importance of skin moisturizing in the Moisturizing Art. However, she didn't expect it would be more important to Adrian, who was currently worried about money, than any f*******n curse.

Suddenly standing up, Adrian trembled and said, "Teacher! Did you really mean what you just said? If I were to do that, would people actually come?"

"Well..." Surprised by Adrian's seriousness, the female lecturer hesitated for a moment. After a while, she awkwardly said, "Actually, wealthy households usually have their own regular mage for skin moisturizing. As for the common folks, most can't afford such expensive beauty treatments, so..."

"So what!" Adrian pursued, facing the hesitant female lecturer.

"Um!" Under Adrian's persistent questioning, the female lecturer awkwardly responded, "So, as of now, I haven't seen anyone setting up such a stall on the streets. After all, being a mage is a noble profession, and no one would degrade themselves for a few coins."

Excitement filled Adrian's heart as he eagerly looked at the female lecturer. Indeed... without entering the Holy Light Academy, there would be no opportunity to learn any spells. However, the Holy Light Academy only accepts 100 students specializing in Water magic each year.

Moreover, those who can enter the Holy Light Academy are usually from wealthy and prestigious backgrounds. Most people can't afford the 1,000 gold coin annual tuition fee, and even if they can, why would they go to the streets to set up a stall?

There are Water mages who offer skin moisturizing services, but their clientele is mostly fixed. They would never stoop so low as to do business on the streets. Being a mage is a noble profession. In the Holy Light Empire, talents like them are only produced in a quantity of 100 each year.

For the Holy Light Empire with a population of billions, this number is simply not enough. It's important to note that among these hundred individuals, at most one or two would engage in the mundane task of moisturizing women. There are countless other careers that offer more promising prospects. Who would make a living out of that? Would a Ph.D. go to the streets to cut people's hair for money?

Seated excitedly, Adrian tightly clenched his fists. He never expected that being a Water mage could be such a promising profession. In any case, as an eight-year-old, if he learned this spell, he could help his mother alleviate their financial pressure!

Observing Adrian's reddened face, flushed with excitement due to the potential of the Moisturizing Art, the female lecturer finally smiled with satisfaction. She no longer said much and prepared to directly impart the most fundamental auxiliary healing spell of Water magic—the Moisturizing Art—to the students present.

With this in mind, the female lecturer smiled and said, "Ordinary people may not understand what moisturizing the skin truly means. Soaking your skin in water won't moisturize it; it will only dehydrate and wrinkle your skin. If you soak it for too long, it may even lead to ulcers and necrosis!"

As she spoke, the female lecturer made a slight gesture with her right hand, and a sparkling water sphere quickly appeared on her fingertip. "But the Moisturizing Art is different. It directly acts on the cells of the human body, providing them with water and not only ensuring sufficient hydration but also enhancing their vitality!"

The human body is 70% water. By maintaining a proper balance of moisture, one can maintain beauty and health. After moisturizing with the Moisturizing Art, the effects are absolutely remarkable!

As she spoke, the female lecturer once again cast the Moisturizing Art on herself. Instantly... a refreshing mist of water dispersed, and the female lecturer's peach blossom-like face radiated with dazzling brilliance. It was as if her face had become water-like, tender and fresh to an unimaginable extent. Truly, natural beauty surpasses any embellishments.

For a whole month, the female lecturer imparted the knowledge to every student present, starting from the basic principles to the specific casting methods. While the Moisturizing Art may seem like a simple spell to ordinary people, in reality, each spell can be studied as a separate discipline because they represent a unique way of utilizing and understanding the water element.

Once again, it was dusk. Adrian pondered over the principles of the Moisturizing Art as he pushed open the door to his home. The house was pitch black, devoid of any warmth. Perplexed, Adrian looked around inside. Based on the past month's experience, his mother should have prepared a delicious meal, waiting for him. But why was the room so cold and silent now?

Soon, Adrian's eyes, accustomed to the darkness, made out the figure of his mother lying on the cold wooden bed. With a soft sound, the magic book in Adrian's hand fell to the ground as he hurriedly rushed towards the bed.

"Mom!" Adrian tightly held his mother's hot hand, observing her dazed state. Adrian knew that his mother had fallen ill. Her illness had never improved, and the past month of arduous work had finally overwhelmed her. Looking at his mother in a state of unconsciousness, Adrian's eyes quickly welled up with tears.

"Mmm..." Perhaps hearing Adrian's voice, the woman weakly opened her eyes, her gaze unfocused as she scanned the area for a while before finally settling on Adrian by the bedside.

With a feeble smile, the woman struggled to support her body, laughing softly. "You see, Mom just wanted to rest for a bit, but how did I fall asleep? Wait a moment, Adrian, Mom will make you dinner."

As she spoke, the woman wavered as she sat up, tightly biting her silver teeth, and laboriously stood up, making her way to the crude kitchen. Witnessing his mother's body sway like a blade of grass in the wind, Adrian's tears finally streamed down uncontrollably.

After a simple dinner, the woman insisted on washing the dishes before succumbing to exhaustion and collapsing on the bed. Observing his mother's weary state, Adrian knew that he couldn't help her right now. What he needed to do was seize every minute and every second to make himself stronger. Only then could he assist his mother sooner.

Adrian opened the magic book and repeatedly imitated the complex magic circle patterns inscribed on its pages. With his right fingertips moving, a soft and pale blue light continuously traced illusory magic circles in front of him, one after another, only to disappear again. However, until today, Adrian had yet to successfully cast the Moisturizing Art!

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