Maxim turned to Andrew, who had appeared at some point without his noticing, and said, "Viewing the past requires a vast amount of energy. Humanity's current energy systems simply can't support it."
"Besides, a mechanical device like that would require a large number of highly precise quantum-level components. Humans can't manufacture them."
"I was just asking. You didn't have to answer so seriously."
Andrew smiled. Maxim snorted and asked, "I don't like jokes, young mage. What school do you belong to?"
"A school?"
Andrew blinked and said, "None. But I'm planning to create one myself. Are you interested in becoming my son—no, my servant?"
"Make me your servant? How arrogant. Do you know who I am?"
Maxim sneered, then raised his wand and hurled a blue orb of light at Andrew.
"Who you are isn't important. What matters is who I am."
Andrew smiled faintly and raised a hand, catching the blue orb in his palm. Then he pulled his hands apart, and the orb abruptly swelled more than tenfold into a massive sphere that blasted toward Maxim.
Maxim's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly used the Leap Spell, making a huge jump to flee to the side.
The blue orb crashed into the ground and exploded with a thunderous boom. Airwaves rolled outward, leaving a huge crater in the ground. Maxim had not jumped far enough and was sent flying, rolling across the floor in a rather sorry state.
Maxim, who always kept himself immaculate and neatly groomed, had no time to care about that now. He shouted, "Impossible! You don't have a Ring, so how can you cast magic? And you even improved my spell so that it can explode?"
"If I told you I'd only learned magic less than an hour ago, would you believe me?"
Andrew looked