After the group of students from lower school left, Rowen counted the mana stones resting in the wooden drawer. Twenty-three low-grade mana stones. He tapped his fingers against the wood, thinking over what to do next.
Fern, sprawled across a chair and still half-asleep, let out a soft snore. Rowen walked over and nudged him gently. "Hey, wake up."
Fern groaned and rubbed his eyes. "Huh… what?"
Rowen tossed the mana stones toward him. "Take these. Six for recharging the land, seventeen for upgrades."
Fern's eyes went wide
Fern nodded, guiding the magical energy to a gentle pause. Shade stretched and gave a soft, approving meow, as if satisfied with what she had seen.
Rowen stepped toward the portal, Fern following, and Shade padded behind silently. In a shimmer of light, the three of them vanished from the independent space, leaving the plot to quietly continue its growth cycle.
