When Valentina awoke, she opened her eyes slowly and stretched carefully. Her body felt heavy, as if she was carrying an invisible burden on her shoulders.


    Two days had passed since her encounter with Barnaby, and yet it seemed like an eternity. The initial shame that had enveloped her like a suffocating blanket had given way to a steely resolve. She sat up, her gaze falling on the bottle of Distilled Essence on her desk. Worth the sacrifice. At least, she hoped it was.


    "Good morning, little Weaver," Vyxara whispered in her head, her voice as soft as silk. "How are you feeling today?"


    Valentina swallowed hard. "Better," she murmured, surprised by the truth in her words. "Much better."


    She thought back to yesterday, to the hours of conversation with Vyxara, in which the demon had patiently dispelled her doubts and justified her decisions.


    "You did what was necessary," Vyxara had assured her, her voice full of understanding and compassion. "You''re fighting for a place in a world ruled by privilege and nepotism, and you have to make hard choices. It''s not easy. No one has the right to judge you for it. But nobody needs to know either. In the end, no one cares what it took to succeed. You''ll see."


    What Vyxara said made sense, and now, in the cold light of morning, Valentina felt those words take root in her. The gnawing guilt had slowly started to fade. She would do it again if she had to. For her family, for her future.


    She stood up and walked to the window, her gaze sweeping over the rooftops of Bridgewater. The Burning Tower loomed in the distance as always. But today she felt strangely unaffected by it.


    "You should prepare for the Greystone Competition," Vyxara reminded her gently. "Time flies faster than you think."


    Valentina nodded. "You''re right. I should go to the library and study."


    She got dressed and when she looked in the small, stained mirror next to the door, she saw her again, the new Valentina. Her eyes were older, wiser and perhaps a touch harder. She was no longer the naive country girl who had arrived in Bridgewater a few months ago. And that was a good thing. There was no place for that girl in a place like Bridgewater.


    On her way to the door, she paused, her gaze falling on the small wooden amulet of the Burning Tower that her brother had carved for her. She hesitated for a moment, then took it off and put it in a drawer.


    She reached for her worn bag, stuffed some books and writing utensils into it and then left her room.


    The corridors of the university were already full of life. Valentina made her way through the students, her gaze fixed resolutely ahead.


    As Valentina pushed open the heavy door to the library, she took a moment to let the awe-inspiring atmosphere sink in. In the library she always felt small and powerful at the same time. Small in the face of the sheer amount of scholarship that surrounded her, but powerful in the knowledge that it was all at her disposal.


    Valentina walked through the corridors, her steps muffled by the thick carpets. Students sat at long tables, engrossed in their books and notes.


    At her favorite spot in a particularly secluded corner, half-hidden behind a massive shelf full of tomes on advanced Essence theory, Valentina found a free table. She settled down, spread out her books and notes and lit the small Essence lamp that stood on each table.


    "That really is a good place you''ve found," Vyxara murmured appreciatively.


    Valentina nodded imperceptibly and began to work. She immersed herself in complex Essence patterns, her quill flying across the paper as she drew diagrams, noted formulas and calculated values. The hours passed as she worked her way through chapter after chapter, each new concept a step closer to her goal.


    "Young lady," a stern voice suddenly rang out. Valentina startled and looked into the stern face of Matilda Ravencroft, the librarian, who scowled as she saw how Valentina had scattered the books around herself. "I hope you treat these books with the respect they deserve."


    "Of course, Mistress Ravencroft," Valentina replied hastily. "I am being very careful."


    Ravencroft scrutinized her with narrowed eyes. "I should hope so." With one last suspicious look, she hurried off.


    Valentina breathed a sigh of relief. "That woman is a real str?zgeizel," Vyxara commented, amused. "But don''t get distracted. We have more important things to do."


    She nodded and immersed herself in her work again. But the longer she read, the more frustrated she became. The more complex Essence patterns seemed to elude her understanding, like water running through her fingers.


    "It''s too difficult," she muttered desperately. "I just don''t understand it."


    "You''re being too hard on yourself," Vyxara said gently. "You''re making great progress in a short time. Maybe it''s time to try a different approach."Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Valentina raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"


    "There is a technique," the demon began hesitantly, "a very powerful ability that could help you and give you an advantage in the competition."


    "What kind of ability?" asked Valentina, her curiosity piqued.


    "It''s called ''Essence Listening''," Vyxara explained. "It allows you to perceive and interpret vibrations in the Essence around you. You could eavesdrop on conversations, discover hidden secrets..."


    Valentina hesitated. The idea was tempting. "And what... do you want from me in return?"


    "Nothing," Vyxara replied gently. "I think you deserve a little reward from me after the events of the last few days. You have done extremely well."


    Valentina bit her lip, her gaze wandering to the other students in the library. Over there sat Faustus Boarfend, surrounded by a pile of the rarest and most expensive books. "That scumbag," she thought involuntarily.


    "All right," she finally said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Show me."


    "Excellent," Vyxara purred contentedly. "Close your eyes and concentrate. I''ll guide you step by step."


    Valentina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The sounds of the library – the rustling of paper, the soft murmur of students – slowly faded into the background.


    "Good," whispered Vyxara. "Now concentrate on the Essence around you. Feel how it flows through the air."


    Valentina frowned, trying to sense the invisible currents. At first, she noticed nothing but the silence in her own head. After a few minutes, she grew increasingly frustrated.


    "Patience, little Weaver," Vyxara admonished gently. "It takes time and practice. Imagine dipping your hands into a river of pure whirling Essence."


    Valentina took another deep breath and tried to imagine the image. Slowly, very slowly, she began to feel something. It was like a slight tingling sensation on her skin, a gentle pulsation in the air around her.


    "I... I think I feel something," she whispered excitedly.


    "Very good," praised Vyxara. "Now try to concentrate on a particular current. Follow it with your senses."


    Valentina bit her lip and tried to follow one of the faint currents she sensed. But as soon as she focused on it, it seemed to disappear, like a shy animal fleeing from her gaze.


    "It''s not working," she muttered in frustration. "I can''t hold on to it."


    "Don''t be so hasty," Vyxara reassured her. "You''re trying too hard to control it. Just let it happen. Be the observer, not the hunter."


    Valentina nodded slightly and tried again. This time, she simply let the currents flow through her without trying to grasp them. To her surprise, her perception suddenly became much clearer.


    She could distinguish the different Essence types – the warm pulsation of Leb, the flickering dance of Viur, the cool current of Wazzer. It was overwhelming and beautiful at the same time.


    "It''s incredible," she breathed.


    "Well done," praised Vyxara. "Now the next step. Try to read the Essence currents. They carry the sound, information, snippets of conversation."


    Valentina concentrated again. At first, she only heard an indistinct murmur, like the distant murmur of a stream. But slowly, individual words began to crystallize.


    "...the exam next week..." "...Professor Horne is such a bore..." "...have you heard about the new Essence pattern...?"


    The voices came and went like waves, sometimes clearer, sometimes blurrier. Valentina felt intoxicated by the new impressions.


    Then, out of seemingly nowhere, a sharp pain shot through her head. She gasped and opened her eyes abruptly. The world around her seemed to sway, the colors too intense, the sounds too loud.


    "Careful," warned Vyxara. "Not too much at once. You need to build up your tolerance slowly."


    Valentina nodded dazedly and rubbed her temples. The pain slowly subsided, but she felt exhausted, as if she had been studying intensively for hours.


    "That was... intense," she mumbled.


    "Yes, but you''re making impressive progress," Vyxara encouraged her. "With more practice, you''ll be able to control the ability better. But don''t overdo it."


    Over the next two hours, Valentina continued to practice, interrupted by short breaks whenever the effort became too great. Slowly but surely, her perception became sharper and her control more precise.


    She learned to concentrate on certain areas, to filter out individual conversations from the babble of voices. It was as if she had developed a sixth sense, one that she could interpret like hearing, but that opened up a whole new world to her.


    But there were also setbacks. Sometimes, she lost control and was overwhelmed by a flood of noises. Once, the pain was so intense that she nearly blacked out.


    "I can''t do it," she gasped after a particularly violent fit. "It''s too much."


    "You''re stronger than you think, but you''re not made of steel," Vyxara encouraged her, "I''m amazed at how quickly you''re progressing."


    Valentina nodded grimly and carried on. Another hour passed while she practiced, failed, and tried again.


    Then, without her being able to explain exactly what had changed, it happened. Valentina sat there, eyes closed, completely absorbed in the streams of Essence around her. It was as sudden as if a candle had been lit in her mind, allowing her to finally see.


    The chaotic impressions became organized, clear, and distinct. She could hear every single conversation around her, as if she were sitting at every table at the same time.


    "I... I did it," she whispered breathlessly.


    "Yes, you did," Vyxara confirmed, and Valentina could hear the pride in the demon''s voice. "That''s it. You''ve learned an ability that most Essence Weavers don''t even know exists."


    Valentina slowly opened her eyes. The world around her seemed changed. Over there sat Professor Veilford, deeply immersed in a book, she could hear him turning the pages as if she were holding her ear directly to the book.


    At the next table, a couple were arguing in hushed voices. Valentina''s face flushed when she heard what they were arguing about. “No, Piers, that’s disgusting,” said the girl.


    And then there was Faustus, who was talking to some of his friends. Valentina focused on him, and her jaw almost dropped when she heard how horrible he talked about Professor Emberfell.


    "This is incredible," she murmured, "I can hear everything."


    "Don''t overdo it," Vyxara said warningly. "With practice, you can perfect this skill, but if you can''t control yourself, the headache will return, and it will be worse."


    Valentina nodded slowly, her head buzzing with possibilities. With this ability, she could make up for some of the advantages her richer fellow students had. She could learn secrets and eavesdrop on her competitors'' strategies. The headache was nauseating, but the ability was priceless.


    Part of her was horrified by this. But a larger part, the part that was driven by ambition and desperation, only saw the opportunities that presented themselves to her.


    Valentina stood up, her legs a little wobbly from the hours of intensive training. The pain in her head throbbed. She packed up her things. As she left the library, she took one last look back.


    The library now seemed like a big playground to her, a place full of secrets just waiting to be overheard.