My Disfigured Duke Husband Helps Me Plot My Revenge
Chapter 42: Mana Test

Chapter 42: Mana Test

It wasn’t always as easy as being the first to find her familiar.

Leonor found herself at the top, yet at other times she struggled to keep up. Her time at the Academy was never linear but she loved it all the same.

The psychological aspect of magic was something she hadn’t considered. Getting over her second-guessing, paranoid nature was harder than she ever thought was possible. At times, it was as if she hadn’t left her father’s manor. The way she timidly approached things with a weary heart would make someone think the abusive man was looming over her shoulder constantly.

There were times she couldn’t access her mana because she was overthinking, but she was learning to trust herself. One of her advisors who knew her family history framed it as trusting her mother’s instinct that she instilled within her. It made it a lot easier for Leonor when she thought of her mom speaking with her through mana.

Only when she got over her paranoia and relinquished a bit of control to nature was she allowed to take her mana classifications test.

To her horror, the scholars were put at the opening of a cave and told to go inside. It was early in the morning but the cave ahead was so dark that the autumn sun above didn’t matter.

Knowing Eve would be there when she called upon her, Leonor was one of the first to step forward. She knew that there were eyes on her even if she couldn’t see them. It made her nervous yet she felt exhilarated all at the same time.

Trust yourself, she uttered over and over.

Despite her father’s years of chipping away at her confidence, the good marks she had been getting in her studies were enough to push her forward. Each time she was complimented for her dedication, even if she didn’t get perfect marks, she felt like the world was hers to conquer. Her father became a bit less terrifying the more she could rely on herself.

The lady didn’t return to Burien Manor each weekend because she spent her weekends cramming if she felt unsure about a subject. However, each time she was faced with her father, she found him less petrifying. He didn’t have a trace of mana in his body. If she needed to, she could certainly protect herself if he tried to do something to her.

Luckily, he still assumed she was in contact with the Prince so he continued his charade of a caring father.

She had suspicions everything she did went right to her father. There had to be someone watching her based on the things he said when she saw him again. Many didn’t know of his ruthless nature and his paranoia could be written off as a concerned father who was still adjusting to life without his heiress by his side.

All Leonor could do was continue proving herself.

The lady walked into the wet cave that occasionally dripped water until she was completely enveloped in darkness. There was a curve that took away even a slight bit of light at the entrance.

She didn’t want to waste mana and become tired but there wasn’t another option. With a light sigh, she sent her mana to her hands and a faint glow led the way.

They gave no warnings of what would be inside, only that they would survive. They said nothing about passing or failing, only that it was the most important test they would take in their academic careers.

There was vegetation crawling up the wet cave and a surprising amount of twists and turns. At one point, Leonor lost all others when she went down one of five forks in the cave. Seeing no one go with her, she became paranoid.

If she turned around, she felt like she was lost. It was becoming hard to know which way she came from and which way she was going, but she pressed on regardless.

The results of this test were vital for her learning. She would see how Quinn fit as her partner. The future courses would be decided based on these results.

As she lost focus, she was violently brought back to reality when she felt something touch her leg.

Leonor sprang away and when the mana in her hand became brighter, she heaved a sigh of relief seeing a pair of blue eyes looking back at her.

"Eve," she gasped. "Where did you come from?"

The cat meowed but started running off in the opposite direction. However, she stopped to see if Leonor was following her.

When her master was at her heel, she kept running forward with ease as if she had been on that path already. Leonor wished she had the certainty of a cat in her footsteps, but with slippery rocks and jagged edges, she was a little bit slower.

Based on how stagnant the air felt, Leonor decided they were getting towards a dead end. She didn’t know what it meant or why Eve started going even faster.

"Wait!" Leonor pleaded for her familiar to stop, but she didn’t listen.

She wondered how something that was supposed to be part of her was so defiant most of the time. Eve always came when she asked, but she didn’t always listen. After seeing how loyal Prince Stephano’s familiar was to him, she wondered what she was doing wrong.

Leonor felt dread welling up inside of her when Eve disappeared into the darkness. However, she gasped when she heard the cat meowing urgently. The mage followed the noise until she saw the cat standing on a pile of rocks.

To Leonor’s horror, as she came closer with her dim mana lighting her way, she saw someone lying against the fallen rock. However, once she arrived it wasn’t that they were next to it, but buried.

"O-oh my God," Leonor gasped. "Is this part of the test? Do they think I’m a healer?"

When she placed her hand on the shoulder of the man who lay in rubble, he started to stir.

When he opened his eyes, he cried out in horror, "You shouldn’t be here! The ceiling–"

Leonor was knocked to the ground when what felt like an earthquake rocked the cave and more rocks fell from above.