"Here’s the real question."

  Ennis leaned forward slightly, her piercing gaze locking onto Louise and Mars like a predator honing in on its prey.

  "If Void Magic truly 'rewrites reality'... then why do we still have to learn it?" Her voice dropped lower, almost dangerous now. "Why do we need techniques? Why are some abilities stronger than others? If you can just decide what your magic does…then why is there even a hierarchy of power at all?" She spread her hands wide, as if presenting an undeniable truth: “Because for all this talk about rewriting rules…you’re still bound by something.”

  Louise and Mars froze.

  The question was simple, but it stabbed right into the heart of their entire argument.

  If Void Magic truly rewrote reality…then why did power levels exist at all? Why couldn’t just anyone become anything they wanted, instantly? Why were some abilities stronger than others if magic was supposed to be so flexible?

  Ennis watched their faces carefully—the slight hesitation in Louise’s expression, the way Mars’ usual smirk faltered for a split second.

  She had them now. And she knew it.

  But before either could answer…another voice cut through from behind Ennis:

  "Because Void Magic can’t rewrite everything."

  It wasn’t a sharp rebuttal, just a quiet statement. But the moment the words hit the air, everyone turned toward the source of the new voice as one.

  From the crowd, a figure stepped forward, approaching slowly.

  The woman seemed young, maybe early twenties, but her face was lined with an old, weary sadness as she walked up the stage with a quiet dignity.

  The crowd recognized this woman immediately, gasping in surprise, Ennis frowned.

  "For all its power…Void Magic still has something it can’t change."

  The woman stopped in the center of the stage, taking her place right between the two groups.

  In the split second that followed, an almost tangible silence descended. The air of anticipation was so thick that someone in the crowd coughed, only to be met by several shushing sounds as everyone waited for the woman to speak again.

  Ennis stood absolutely still, her sharp eyes boring into the newcomer with intense scrutiny.

  The woman met her gaze evenly, her expression betraying no fear…

  …Except for a faint shiver that traveled through her body in a small, nearly imperceptible motion.

  She was nervous.

  No matter how confident she was, no matter how much conviction she had for her beliefs...there was absolutely no doubt that going up against Ennis face-to-face was a dangerous task for anyone.

  But the woman didn’t waver. With a quiet inhale, she continued.

  "If you really want to understand where Void Magic comes from...you need to look to the people who know it best: the original Emulators.”

  Ennis actually stiffened at that.

  Her expression darkened, just slightly, but enough for Mars and Louise to notice the shift in her posture. The old witch had been expecting resistance, but not this kind of counterargument.

  Louise’s eyes widened slightly as she glanced between Ennis and the woman who’d just stepped forward, while Mars crossed her arms with a sharp exhale through her nose:

  “Okay…now things are getting interesting.”

  The woman continued without hesitation now that she had everyone's full attention: "Void Magic isn't about rewriting reality by force or choice alone." Her voice was steady despite its quiet tone, a stark contrast against Ennis' commanding presence beside it all along until then...

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Then came the final blow: "It's about sacrifice."

  The world went silent.

  The crowd froze, completely stunned by the woman's final statement.

  Ennis froze, her face going pale. Even Mars, who wasn't one to be thrown off easily, blinked as if she were still trying to fully process the woman's words.

  Louise's mouth opened slightly; her thoughts were whirling with curiosity now.

  And the woman herself...just calmly stood there, waiting as if expecting a challenge.

  …Sure enough, it came from where everyone expected…

  "And who are you to be making such bold claims? Are you a scholar, maybe a Void Mage?" Ennis asked, her voice still cool and collected despite a hint of anger under the surface.

  The woman didn't even seem the least bit offended, instead giving a small smile:

  "I don't have to be a mage," she said simply, "or an academic, to know the truth of how Void Magic works.”

  That answer made Ennis stiffen even further.

  The fact that this woman was not a Void Mage or a scholar of any sort, and yet claimed to know more than them, was both infuriating and intriguing.

  The crowd was completely riveted. Even Mars was starting to look invested.

  The old witch clenched a fist and forced herself to respond: "You have some proof of this 'truth' of yours?”

  The woman nodded slowly. "Proof? I have an entire lifetime’s worth of proof."

  The certainty of her words hung palpably in the air like a challenge.

  Everyone was listening intently, Louise and Mars were leaning forward a bit, while Ennis just stared at the woman with a mixture of irritation and wariness.

  "...Go on." It was the harshest thing Ennis had said that day.

  The woman smiled slightly, a flicker of satisfaction in her eyes when she realized that she had the advantage now.

  "Very well. But first…" She paused, tilting her head in consideration. "A little background, if you will."

  Ennis made a gesture that said get on with it, and the woman continued.

  "To explain why Void Magic relies on sacrifice, we first need to focus on the source of that magic. Our aura.”

  Louise frowned, her fingers curling slightly at the mention of aura.

  Even Ennis, who had been trying so hard to maintain an air of indifference, couldn't help but react with a sharp inhale.

  Mars was already nodding along as if she knew where this was going.

  The woman continued: "Aura isn't just energy...it's life force." She looked directly at Ennis now, challenging her right there in front of everyone else present that day too. “Every time we use Void Magic…we’re using up part of our own existence.”

  Ennis's expression became an absolute glare, but she didn't interrupt.

  Mars's eyes widened as the implications of what the woman was suggesting sank in. Louise's mouth dropped open slightly. The whole crowd seemed to be holding their breath!

  The woman just kept going, her voice unwavering now:

  "For Void Magic to truly work, a sacrifice has to be made. Every time you use Void Magic: that's a part of yourself you're giving up forever. And the more powerful the ability is, the more you have to give in exchange."

  The silence was deafening now.

  Everyone seemed to be in shock, Louise's fists were clenched so tightly that her fingernails were digging into her palms, Mars' eyes were now almost comically wide, and even Ennis looked like the wind had been knocked out of her.

  Just when it seemed like things couldn't get any more intense, the woman posed her next question directly at Ennis in a tone of quiet triumph:

  "Now you tell me...have I proved my point yet?"

  Ennis flinched, an almost imperceptible reaction, but there.

  The old witch's lips pressed into a thin line as she processed the woman's words. The logic was undeniable: Void Magic did cost something, just not in the way anyone had expected.

  Louise exhaled shakily beside Mars, who now looked downright unsettled for once instead of her usual cocky self.

  And Ennis? She stared at the woman like she’d just been handed an impossible truth and didn’t know whether to accept it or fight back against this new reality being presented before them all…

  Then came the final blow:

  "So if you want true mastery over Void Magic..." The woman spread her arms slightly with eerie calmness… "...you'll have to pay for it with pieces of your soul."

  Silence reclaimed everything once more, until finally…

  Ennis broke the silence with a sharp, sudden laugh.

  Louise's eyebrows shot up at the unexpected sound, and even Mars seemed a bit taken aback by the old witch's reaction.

  "Hah… you expect us to take that seriously?" Ennis said, the corner of her mouth still tilted up in mockery. "You waltz onto my stage, make some claims that go against the teachings I've devoted my life to, and expect me to change my beliefs on Void Magic based on nothing more than a theory?”

  The woman was taken aback at Ennis' skepticism, but she quickly regained her composure, and didn't hesitate to give the old witch another counterargument in return.

  "It's not a theory," she said, her voice quieter but just as steady despite the doubt being thrown at her. "I don't need to have magic of my own to know how it works. And I'm not trying to make you change your beliefs, either." A hint of frustration slipped into her words.

  Mars and Louise glanced back and forth between the two as they waited to see who'd speak next…

  "Then what," Ennis' sharp gaze narrowed slightly on the woman, "are you trying to do?"

  The old witch had calmed down a bit now, her voice was still challenging, but a bit less mocking than before.

  The woman's head tilted upward ever so slightly as she met Ennis' gaze without flinching, her next response coming immediately like a well-rehearsed argument:

  "I'm just trying to make you all open your eyes."