POV: Reikotar
A week had passed since the banquet. The sound of fireworks had long faded, but their memory still flickered faintly in my mind — like embers refusing to die out. Everything since then had been… calm. Too calm, honestly.
I guess peace never lasts too long around here.
Sir Amane had been busy attending meetings with visiting nobles, and the estate had finally settled into its usual rhythm. Arisa and Mira, however, had not been so idle. Every morning, one or both of them would drag me to the training ground before breakfast, declaring that "a prodigy must not laze around."
Today was no different — except that something unusual was about to begin.
"Reikotar," Mira called softly, her voice smooth and steady as always. "Today, we'll be learning about something very important — mana."
The way she said that word, it almost glowed with mystery.
Arisa crossed her arms, grinning. "Yeah! You've swung your sword enough for now. Time to learn the real deal — what makes this world move!"
"Mana…" I repeated, tasting the unfamiliar sound.
Mira nodded and began explaining. "Mana is the life force of the world. Every living being possesses it — humans, beasts, even plants and stones. It flows through everything like blood through veins. The stronger your mana, the more connected you are to the world around you."
Arisa leaned closer, whispering dramatically, "And if you lose all your mana, you collapse and die!"
I blinked. "...That part wasn't in the manual."
Mira sighed. "Arisa, please stop scaring the child."
"I'm not scaring him! Just... informing him in an engaging way!"
I watched them argue for a moment, feeling like the air around them was heavier than usual — not from tension, but mana itself. It was almost like I could feel it humming faintly, brushing against my skin like invisible wind.
Mira must have noticed my distracted gaze. "You feel it, don't you?"
I nodded slowly. "Yeah… It's strange. Like... the air's alive."
Her eyes softened. "That's mana. You're sensitive to it already — that's a good sign."
Arisa grinned. "Well, time to see just how good he really is! Let's test his aptitude."
"Aptitude?" I asked, tilting my head.
Mira explained, "Every person has an affinity for certain elements — earth, fire, water, wind, or, rarely, spatial. The stronger your affinity, the easier it is for you to use that element's magic."
So it's like... a video game element selection screen, huh?
Arisa brought out five crystalline stones — each glowing faintly in different colors. The red one pulsed like a heartbeat, the blue shimmered like rippling water, the green looked calm and sturdy, the white spun with thin gusts of air, and the last — a faint, silvery gem — seemed to warp the air around it ever so slightly.
"This is the standard aptitude test," Arisa said proudly. "You just place your hand over each stone and channel your mana. The stronger the glow, the higher your affinity."
"Got it," I said, rolling my shoulders. "So... how do I 'channel mana' exactly?"
God told me what mana is, but he did not teach me how to channel it or how it feels. Last time the waterball magic was pure coincidence. I forgot the sensation...
Mira smiled faintly. "Close your eyes. Breathe slowly. Feel the energy inside you — not in your heart or your mind, but somewhere deeper. Let it flow, like water through cracks."
I followed her words. The world around me went quiet. Even Arisa's restless tapping faded away.
Inside the darkness behind my closed eyes, I could feel something — a warm pulse deep within my chest. It was faint but steady, like a quiet heartbeat that wasn't mine. I focused on it, letting it spread through me.
The warmth flowed to my arm, down to my fingertips.
The red stone — fire — began to glow.
A faint hum filled the air as the crystal burned brighter and brighter until even Arisa had to step back.
"Wha—!? That's... not normal!" Arisa exclaimed, shielding her eyes. "That's like, top-tier affinity!"
Mira frowned, studying it closely. "Interesting... continue."
I moved to the next one — the blue stone of water. The warmth in my chest changed, cooling into a calm, flowing sensation. The gem responded immediately, glowing with equal brilliance.
Arisa's jaw dropped. "Okay, okay, this is getting weird. Two top-tier affinities!?"
It is obvious I have aptitude, after all, I know the fundamentals of Magic
I swallowed and moved to the next — earth. The warmth turned heavy and steady. The green crystal pulsed brightly, its glow steady and powerful.
Wind — the white crystal — responded next. When I touched it, the mana within me grew lighter, freer, like a breeze brushing past clouds. The crystal lit up in swirling gusts of pale light.
Arisa muttered, "Four... he's got four..."
Finally, I looked at the last one — the silver crystal. Spatial. The rarest of all.
I hesitated.
Okay, Reikotar, don't mess this up. You've already shocked them enough.I have to try not to show aptitude for spatial magic or else... whatever
Still, curiosity won. I placed my palm over it.
For a moment — nothing happened. Then, suddenly, the crystal shone with blinding light. The air around us warped, bending space itself.
Wind twisted into spirals, fire crackled, water rippled in midair, and even the ground trembled slightly.
"Enough!" Mira's voice rang sharply, her hand cutting through the air to stabilize the mana. The stones dimmed, but the silence that followed was deafening.
Arisa stared at me, her mouth half open. "He... he has all affinities..."
Mira whispered softly, disbelief in her eyes. "That's... impossible."
Oh no. Did I break it? Please tell me I didn't break it.
Amane's voice came from behind, calm but filled with restrained pride. "I told you, didn't I? My son is full of surprises."
"Sir Amane," Mira said, bowing slightly, "this... this isn't something that happens in centuries. To have all elemental affinities — including spatial — this child could rival archmages in the future."
Arisa slapped my back hard enough to nearly knock me forward. "Haha! I knew he was special! I'm his sword teacher, remember that!"
I rubbed my shoulder, muttering, "Ow... yeah, thanks for the encouragement."
The rest of the day went by in a blur. They took notes, tested small spells, even had me float a pebble using mana — which ended up flying straight into Arisa's forehead.
"Sorry!" I said, stifling laughter.
She glared. "You did that on purpose!"
Okay, maybe a little.
Even with all the teasing and laughter, I could feel something changing inside me — a faint pull, a rhythm that didn't belong to this world. Every time I used mana, it felt like something deep within was responding, something... familiar.
That night, as everyone left for dinner, Mira stayed behind.
"Reikotar," she said softly, her eyes watching me closely. "Have you ever felt... something calling you? A voice, or light, when you use mana?"
I hesitated. "...Maybe."
She nodded slowly, her gaze distant. "If it happens again, don't resist it. Sometimes, mana leads us to answers we're not ready to ask."
Her words echoed in my mind long after she left.
Later that night, I couldn't sleep. The air felt thick with energy — or maybe it was just me. The moment I closed my eyes, I could feel it again — that warmth, that hum of life flowing inside me.
I sat up, trying to calm it, but the more I tried, the more it grew, spreading through my body like a wave.
What... what's happening?
The world around me began to fade. The wooden walls of my room blurred, dissolving into white mist.
I stood up, or at least I thought I did — I couldn't feel the ground beneath me. The air was gone, replaced by silence.
White stretched endlessly in every direction.
This... again?
It wasn't the first time I'd seen this — that endless white void.
The last time was when He appeared.
My breath quickened. The hum of mana turned into a low, rhythmic pulse. Light gathered around me, growing brighter, almost blinding.
Am I... going to meet Him again?
The light expanded, swallowing everything.
And then—
Darkness.
To be continued..