On the battlefield, even Elizabeth was momentarily stunned by Little Herta's move. Normally, learning a new magic spell from scratch would take an immense amount of time.
If the Principal could see through the trick, Elizabeth certainly could too. Little Herta had somehow managed to steal her magic on the spot. But was that even possible?
Had she grasped the spell's fundamental principles the instant Elizabeth cast it, memorized its activation method, and then flawlessly replicated it? And keep in mind, Elizabeth was using her special High-Speed Chanting technique!
To put it another way, Little Herta had just watched a ten-times-accelerated product announcement for a brand-new laptop, and then immediately built an identical one afterward?
Elizabeth: "Huh?!"
For Herta, this wasn't actually that difficult. She already possessed all the necessary knowledge to build a laptop, having devoured every magic textbook from elementary school through university. The product announcement had perfectly demonstrated the laptop's design and functions. Creating an exact replica was child's play for her.
This was simply too absurd. Elizabeth even wondered if there was the slightest chance that her opponent already knew these spells.
The way to find out was simple: continue the battle.
Boom! A bolt of lightning struck Elizabeth's position, kicking up a cloud of smoke. As expected, the attack couldn't harm her. A nearly invisible yet incredibly durable magical barrier stood before her, perfectly blocking the strike.
She continued chanting spells at lightning speed, unleashing a golden radiance. A Fire Phoenix blazed forth, as dazzling as the sun, causing the ground to tremble. A colossal Rock Giant, formed from earth and stone, rose from the ground.
Water swirled and coiled in the air, transforming into a majestic dragon.
The wind gathered with a thunderous roar, coalescing into tens of thousands of invisible Wind Blades.
Of course, Elizabeth didn't unleash these spells simultaneously. She deliberately spaced them out, casting each one individually.
Thanks to Time Stop Magic, none of these spells could even scratch Little Herta. Yet, she learned them all instantly and hurled identical versions back at Elizabeth, using the exact same methods.
Elizabeth had another reason for challenging Little Herta to battle: she wanted to teach this "little genius" a lesson in humility. She believed the world was full of people more skilled than her, and that there were always greater heights to reach.
An undeveloped genius was ultimately worthless.
But now it seemed Elizabeth herself had been the one with a narrow perspective. Perhaps before this battle, Little Herta hadn't yet reached her full potential, knowing no magic at all. But after this clash, she had seemingly fully matured.
While pondering this, Elizabeth didn't stop the fight. Instead, she continued to feed Little Herta spells, relentlessly casting unique magic after unique magic, never repeating a single one. Little Herta, in turn, never used the same spell twice either, countering each of Elizabeth's attacks with an identical spell as if showcasing her newly acquired skills.
This unorthodox "teaching session" lasted for over half an hour. The students and teachers in the audience gradually shifted from initial shock to numb disbelief.
They couldn't find the words to describe the spectacle unfolding before them, nor the emotions swirling within them.
Through word of mouth, most students had learned Little Herta's identity: a newly arrived freshman transfer student and the lead author of the groundbreaking paper that had recently taken Great Britain by storm.
This realization struck them with the force of revelation: the gap between individuals could be even greater than the difference between organic and inorganic matter.
When someone is only slightly better than you, feelings of envy and jealousy might arise. But when the disparity is overwhelming, envy becomes impossible. Instead, a seed of admiration took root in the students' hearts.
After half an hour, Little Herta called a halt to the battle. The reason was simple: the golem's energy was nearly depleted. The Time Stop Magic was incredibly mana-intensive.
An ordinary magician might be completely drained after pausing time for just a single second. Yet Little Herta had sustained the spell continuously for thirty minutes.
The prolonged battle had also taken a toll on Elizabeth. Slightly out of breath, she approached Little Herta and suggested, "You're not learning anything more here. Why not join me?"
Little Herta began by thanking Elizabeth, acknowledging that she had taught her over a hundred spells. Then, she firmly declined, "No."
Elizabeth looked genuinely puzzled. "Why not?"
Little Herta replied, "Because I came to Cambridge not to study, but to have fun."
Elizabeth stared blankly, her jaw dropping. How could anyone come to the most prestigious Magic School in all of Great Britain with the sole intention of playing around?
Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak, but ultimately said nothing. She understood that pressuring Little Herta would only annoy her and backfire. Instead, she said, "Alright then. If you ever change your mind or need anything else, feel free to come find me anytime."
Afterward, Elizabeth approached Newman, stood on tiptoe, and patted him on the shoulder. "Newman," she said solemnly, "from now on, you're a Senior Member of Parliament. I'm giving you a crucial mission: fulfill every request that girl, Little Herta, makes to the best of your ability. Make sure she sees the very best of Great Britain!"
Newman, "..."
Newman's face remained impassive, but inwardly, his mind was in turmoil beyond words.
What the hell? Did I really get promoted? And by the Queen of Great Britain herself?
And I'm supposed to take care of Herta and fulfill all her requests? Why does this mission sound so damn familiar?
After Elizabeth departed, the Cambridge practical exam resumed after some delays. Little Herta, having already achieved a perfect score, saw no reason to stay any longer. She planned to send her puppet back home to recharge and undergo upgrades.
Now that White Eagle's production capacity had ramped up, Herta had amassed three to four hundred puppets. She intended to synchronize their AI modules for a comprehensive upgrade. By transferring the hundred-plus magic spells she had just learned from Elizabeth, all her puppets would be able to cast them independently.