Chapter 14: FRIH - 14
"Precisely," Ronan affirmed, nodding slightly. The entire process, from selecting the target to releasing the spell, had unfolded in less than a second. To an outside observer, it would have seemed instantaneous, yet to Frieren, the impact was profound. Several seconds passed before she could fully process what she had witnessed, her eyes wide with astonishment.
What?
The question echoed in her mind like a sound bouncing off ancient stone walls. She blinked, her gaze drifting from Ronan to the charred remnants of the leaf, still curling slightly as it cooled. What had she just seen?
Why had the leaf spontaneously combusted?
There had been no incantation, no elaborate gestures, not even a hint of mana disturbance. It simply ignited. No flare of energy, no shimmer in the air, no rise in temperature before the flame burst forth. Just a soft snap of the fingers, and then fire.
Had there been a mana fluctuation?
Frieren reached inward, trying to recall the moment the spell was cast. She probed for the signature of magic, the familiar ripple it always left behind. But there was nothing, no magical scent, no pressure on her skin, no resonance in her ears.
She strained harder, her brows furrowing in concentration. Had Ronan done this?
Her surprise was understandable; his spellcasting had no discernible prelude.