14. A New Wand
The Viranium Ceremony had ended, and the freshmen who had received their magical spirits were guided to their dormitories.
When Emma stepped into her dormitory room, she was greeted by a spacious, elegant space with a high ceiling and large windows. On the table lay textbooks for freshmen and a new robe embroidered with the Luminous College emblem.
"This is my room…!"
Emma’s eyes sparkled as she looked around. Just then, a faint whoosh sound came from behind her.
When she turned around, Louis was standing there. It was as if he had torn through space itself to appear. For a brief moment, faint traces of light lingered around him before quickly fading.
"Louis!?"
Emma widened her eyes in surprise.
"It looks like you received a magical spirit."
Louis said with a slight smile.
"Tomorrow is finally the entrance ceremony, huh?"
"Yes! Isn’t my magical spirit cute? I’m thinking of calling it Vira! Do you have a magical spirit too, Louis?"
"Vira, huh...? Yeah, but I usually keep mine in crystal form and carry it in my pocket."
"I see…"
Emma looked at her spirit, surprised at this new discovery.
"More importantly, we’re going to buy you a wand."
"A wand? But I already have the one you gave me."
"You can’t keep using a child’s wand forever. You need a new wand that suits your magic."
"But I really like my current wand…"
"Just come with me."
With a flick of his wand, Louis transported them in an instant. Emma’s vision went blank for a moment, and when she came to, she was standing in front of a shop that sold magical wands inside Arcana Academy of Magic.
"Louis, you can teleport without using magical tools!?"
"Yeah. It’s an advanced spell that consumes a lot of magic, but one day, you’ll be able to do it too."
Inside the store, wands filled the space from floor to ceiling.
Emma’s eyes widened as she took in the vast assortment. The wands varied in shape, material, and craftsmanship—wooden wands, metal wands, and even wands embedded with magical crystals. Each one seemed to glow with a unique brilliance.
"Wow… there are so many… But how do I choose the right one?"
"Use your spirit. Channel your magic into it."
"Like this?"
Emma placed her hands on her spirit and focused her magic.
"Vira, help me find a wand."
As she channeled her magic, her hands grew slightly warm. Vira lightly bounced in response and moved closer to Emma’s palm. Closing her eyes, she felt a deep connection with her spirit.
Then, Vira began to move, leading Emma through the store. Emma followed, step by step, until the spirit came to a stop in front of a slender, elegant wooden wand.
"Is this the one?"
When Emma reached for it, Vira circled around the wand before settling beside it, as if to say, this is the right one.
"Looks like you found it. Impressive."
Louis said, approaching with a small smile.
Emma picked up the wand, feeling warmth spread through her palm. The wand vibrated ever so slightly, and at its tip, a blue crystal shimmered with a tiny light inside.
"It… it feels perfect!"
Emma exclaimed, excitement and joy mixing in her voice.
"I’ve never felt this kind of connection before!"
"With this wand, you’ll be able to handle even more advanced spells."
Louis’s words gave Emma confidence, and she tightened her grip on her new wand. Vira twirled joyfully around her, wagging its tail as if sharing in her happiness.
"Thank you, Louis!"
Emma beamed.
As they stepped out of the store, Louis suddenly said, "I should teach you how to use your spirit properly."
"Spirits have many uses. For example, when learning new spells, they can naturally help you control them better. Also, if you crystallize your spirit, it can act like a communication device. If you need to contact me, you can either write a magical letter or call me through your crystal."
"I didn’t know spirits could do that… Thanks for telling me!"
"I have class now, so I’ll see you later."
With that, Louis disappeared in an instant.
"This world is truly full of mysteries… But now, I’m even more excited for what’s to come!"
Clutching her new wand tightly, Emma started walking back to her dormitory. At her feet, Vira joyfully trotted beside her.
