"What would a bird flying over the water see, Yero?"
In Scholar Heide's study, a warm fire burned in the hearth as he asked the student seated beside him, who was copying a book.
"Fish and water plants beneath the water. Is that right, Teacher?" Yero looked up and asked.
"Not just those. It would also see its own reflection." Scholar Heide coughed and covered his mouth with a handkerchief.
"Teacher." Yero put down his pen, went over, and patted Scholar Heide on the back for him.
"Phew... I'm all right. Let's get back to what we were discussing." Scholar Heide raised a hand.
"Just as a bird flying over the water sees its own reflection, when the seven continents float upon the Twilight Sea, do you think they cast shadows?"
"I... I suppose they do." Yero nodded.
"Then what do you think those shadows look like?" Scholar Heide looked up at his last formal student.
"Since they're shadows, their outlines should resemble the continents." Yero thought it over.
"Exactly. And they don't merely resemble them. They're like exact copies of the continents." Scholar Heide answered with a cough.
"Do you know why I never told you that I recommended you go to the Secret Forest?"
"Because I don't have enough talent." Yero answered calmly. He had long since realized that.
"Lack of talent alone wouldn't change the benefits of that choice. The nobles would certainly send their children to the Secret Forest to learn powerful secret arts if that were the only issue." Scholar Heide shook his head.
"But as you know, most nobles haven't done that. They're even unwilling to let their children enter the Secret Forest."
"Why... is that?" Yero sat up straighter.
"Because the Secret Forest isn't anywhere on the continent. It's in the shadow beneath