Sunday morning, on the rooftop of the Bureau of Magical Affairs, Lu Ming hauled a large crate of alchemical potions to the shaded area near the entrance to avoid direct sunlight.

She then called the rookie magical girls to gather around.

Polaris curiously picked up a blue potion, clearly labeled: Standard Mana Recovery Potion P-B, Issued by Tongzhou City General Bureau, Inner Plains Province.

“It kinda looks like the spice bottles in my kitchen cabinet,” Polaris muttered.

Not just the size—even the intricate patterns on the bottle, like anti-counterfeit marks, were identical.

Glass products, though. Probably mass-produced by one factory for standardization—some for potions, some for spices.

“Alright, everyone, focus. You’ve probably guessed today’s training subject since we’re on the rooftop,” Lu Ming said calmly.

Guess? Why guess? Don’t we just do what the teacher says? Jin Yan thought, scratching the back of her head in confusion.

Glancing at the others, Polaris stood with arms crossed, her expression one of resigned indifference.

Flash, as elegant as yesterday, had her hands clasped in front of her, a faint smile on her lips.

“Today’s subject is flight,” Lu Ming announced.

“But don’t I already fly to school?” Jin Yan asked, puzzled.

“That’s just ground-skimming at best. If you dared fly without a license, the Traffic Bureau would lock you in a cell in no time,” Polaris said dismissively.

Despite being a magical girl for a while, Polaris always walked or took public transport in her transformed state.

Passersby didn’t react much—after all, in this era, the entertainment industry thrived, especially around real-life magical girls, who were adored by teens.

Many expressed their love by cosplaying as their favorite magical girls.

So, a magical girl walking around was often assumed to be a cosplayer—especially one who couldn’t fly.

Truth be told, Polaris wasn’t content being a “grounded chicken.”

She’d dreamed of trying flight after awakening as a magical girl.

But she was afraid of heights.

Yes, you heard that right—Lu Yue, a flying magical girl, was terrified of heights.

Even standing near a high-rise’s glass curtain wall made her hands and feet tremble.

Only when Alicefiel was by her side did the fear vanish.

Guess Grandpa was right—I’m still a baby who hasn’t weaned, Lu Yue thought, nearly in tears.

“First, understand this: while magical girls can fly upon awakening, traditional mages need to reach Tier 7 Magister to truly fly,” Lu Ming explained.

“Before personal magical flight devices were invented, our country’s flight regulations were lax—too lax.”

“As long as you didn’t disrupt others’ lives or fly where you shouldn’t, it was fine.”

“But the invention of personal flight devices led to a few high-profile incidents. You can look them up after class—I won’t list them.”

“Those cases prompted the Traffic Bureau to enforce strict flight controls.”

“In short, personal flight devices raised the bar for the general public. Even magical girls and mages with flight abilities need to pass a flight license exam to fly legally.”

“So, to help you practice combat flight techniques and prepare for the license exam, I’ve secured temporary flight permits for the Bureau’s airspace from Deputy Director Yan Huimeng, along with mana recovery potions to offset the drain from extended practice.”

After such a long spiel, Lu Ming’s throat felt dry.

She coughed lightly and continued, “The flight license exam is basic. With some practice, you’ll pass easily.”

“Now, I’ll demonstrate the first test: ascending to a designated height.”

With that, Lu Ming slipped her hands into her pockets.

An invisible wind lifted her, raising her to a vertical height of 50 meters above the rooftop before she descended smoothly back to her starting point.

“Demonstration complete. Who’s first?” Lu Ming asked.

“I’ll go,” Flash said, stepping forward before Jin Yan could make a fool of herself.

She placed a hand on her chest, bowed to Lu Ming, and swiftly ascended from her spot.

Jin Yan tried to observe Flash’s technique, but something odd caught her eye.

No matter how she shifted her angle on the rooftop, the sunlight seemed to focus on Flash—specifically, under her skirt?

Uncertain, Jin Yan slunk back to Polaris, who was nervously tapping her leg, under Lu Ming’s impassive gaze.

Flash’s hair and dress fluttered as she landed gracefully.

Lu Ming nodded. “Good. Next.”

“My turn, Teacher!” Jin Yan’s eyes sparkled as she rushed forward.

“Go ahead,” Lu Ming said.

Jin Yan crouched, pushed off with her legs, and leaped, using the ground’s recoil to vault 50 meters into the air.

Only then did she tap into her flight instinct to slow her descent, landing lightly.

Lu Ming’s eye twitched slightly.

Watching Jin Yan’s featherlight landing, she mentally noted: Jin Yan—physically specialized, simple-minded, needs extra training.

Finally, it was her advisor’s daughter’s turn.

Lu Ming’s tone was cold as she issued her ultimatum to Polaris: “Your turn.”

Polaris felt like her body had been tossed into a freezer—joints stiff, legs trembling uncontrollably.

It’s finally my turn? Her face paled.

“Okay,” she said, determined not to let that woman see her falter.

Closing her eyes, she imagined standing on solid ground to calm herself.

Slowly, her body began to float, as if sinking into a bed of weightless cotton—utterly relaxing.

She’d tried floating at home before.

Though gravity’s pull remained, the sensation was unforgettable.

In her room, she’d sometimes release the float and drop onto her bed.

Drop onto the bed.

Drop onto the bed.

Drop.

Fall.

Suddenly, Polaris’s eyes snapped open.

She’d drifted off her vertical starting point.

Below, she could clearly see the bustling traffic under the Bureau building.

The reflections off nearby building walls dazzled her, and a flood of fear overwhelmed her senses.

Her strength vanished, and gravity yanked her downward.

Her body streaked past the rooftop’s edge in a tumbling blur.

At first, Lu Ming thought Polaris’s directional control was off.

But as her descent accelerated, alarm bells rang.

She’s not slowing down—she could sprain something!

When she saw Polaris, eyes closed, plummeting headfirst past the rooftop’s edge, panic seized her.

Lu Ming vaulted off the rooftop, using the wall to boost her speed.

Outside the Bureau building, a striking scene unfolded: a graceful woman dove downward, her clothes billowing, reaching out to grab a magical girl plunging toward the “abyss.”

At the critical moment, with just 20 meters to the ground, Lu Ming seized Polaris’s wrist.