Chapter 8: I am Proud of You
The night had a strange sense of silence to it. There in the village of Aldia, on the side of the village, there was a house that did not have a roof. Its roof was completely destroyed.
Jonathan stood in the middle of the garden, his arms crossed, his mind heavy with thoughts he could barely organize. The memories of his son floating in the air while his whole room was destroyed and him conjuring a wind spell played again and again in his mind—the blinding light, the explosion, and the sight of his seven-year-old son floating in the air, glowing, and his son using spells.
He had seen many things in his life as a mana cultivator—wars, beasts, magical storms, and miracles of mana—but never had he heard, read, or even imagined a child creating a mana heart at such a young age. It was not possible. A law of nature that no one had ever broken. And yet… Aiden had done it.
Jonathan's brows furrowed deeply as he thought. How could this even be possible?
Aiden was only seven. Children that age didn't even have stable mana veins, let alone the capacity to form a mana heart. Even among prodigies, the youngest ever recorded was twelve.
And yet his son had conjured a wind spell, which proved that he had really created a mana heart and was a mana cultivator. Jonathan's fingers twitched unconsciously as he remembered the feeling of that gust slicing through the training dummy. It wasn't wild or unstable; it was refined and clean, like the mana of a seasoned cultivator.
At first, he had considered that perhaps he was in an illusion, a trick of the mind caused by exhaustion or a mana backlash. But that thought quickly died. As a Stage 4 dual-element cultivator of Fire and Water, his spiritual perception was strong. Only an illusionary mage at Stage 5 could deceive his senses, and there was no such person in this small countryside village.
No… this was real. His son had truly become a mana cultivator.
After several minutes of silent contemplation, Jonathan exhaled deeply and turned toward Aiden, who was standing before him, his small hands clasped together and eyes still filled with awe at his own abilities.
"You really have become a mana cultivator," Jonathan finally said, his voice low but steady.
Aiden nodded and replied in a calm voice. "Yes, Dad. I can feel it—I can sense the mana flowing through my heart and veins. It moves with my breath, just as the book described. And I can even feel its color. It's… light green."
Jonathan's expression softened slightly. Light green, he thought. So it truly is a Mana Heart.
He gave a small nod. "Alright. From tomorrow onward, I'll begin teaching you about the stages of mana cultivation and the different elements a cultivator can wield."
He turned toward Sara, who still stood motionless nearby, her face frozen in disbelief. Her pale lips trembled slightly, and her silver hair shimmered faintly in the moonlight as though reflecting her turmoil.
Jonathan reached out and gently tapped her shoulder, bringing her out of her daze. He said softly, " Sara, our son has truly become a mana cultivator."
Sara blinked, her eyes slowly focusing on Jonathan's face. Her voice, when she spoke, was filled with confusion and disbelief. "But how can that be possible? No one—no one under twelve has ever formed a mana heart. It shouldn't be possible."
Jonathan met her gaze, calm but firm as he said. "Yes… I know that it is not possible, but we can't deny reality. Our son has done something that was considered impossible. There's no denying what we've seen." He looked back at Aiden, who was still standing quietly, his eyes downcast, unaware of the storm he had stirred within their hearts.
Jonathan sighed. He said finally, rubbing his forehead. " Alright, let's fix the house before the other villagers notice anything. We'll talk more about this in the morning."
They sent Aiden back to their room to rest. As soon as he left, Jonathan and Sara began to restore their home. With a wave of Jonathan's hand, streams of water filled the room as it cleansed the surroundings. Sara followed with faint pulses of light mana, and then suddenly light colored strings were reaching out of her hands as she used them to control all the objects while using healing to repair the house. The burnt surfaces and the walls were mended until the damage faded, leaving behind only faint traces of what had occurred.
By the time they were finished, the moon had already begun to dip behind the forested hills, and silence had once again returned to Aldia Village.
And thus, the night passed.
Morning came.
Aiden woke up to the soft glow of sunlight filtering through his window. He blinked and sat up, the memory of last night flickering faintly in his mind like the end of a dream. For a moment, he wondered if it had all been a dream—but then, as he placed his hand on his chest, he felt it. That steady, rhythmic pulse. The warmth of mana flows gently through his body.
He smiled faintly. It's real.
He got out of bed, stretched his small limbs, and walked toward the window. His eyes widened slightly when he saw that his house was completely repaired— smooth walls, the roof was whole, not a single mark of destruction left behind. And yet, what startled him even more was the silence outside.
Not a single villager had come to check the house even after that big explosion. No one seemed alarmed; no one had spoken about the explosion. It was as if the entire event had not even occurred for them.
Aiden frowned. Strange… even that loud explosion didn't draw any attention? He shook his head. Maybe Father and Mother did something to hide it.
He changed his clothes, washed up, and walked toward the kitchen.
Sara was already there, her back turned as she stood by the stove. The smell of freshly baked bread and eggs filled the air. Her silver hair was tied up, and her white dress swayed lightly as she moved.
"Good morning, Mom," Aiden said softly.
Sara turned, her eyes lighting up the moment she saw him. "Good morning, dear. Come, sit down. Breakfast is ready."
Aiden smiled and walked to the table. He sat down as Sara set the food before him—warm bread, a bowl of stew, and a small jug of milk. The quiet clinking of dishes filled the air as they both began to eat.
After a few moments, Sara glanced at him and asked gently, "Are you feeling alright?"
Aiden nodded slowly as he said. "Yes, Mom. I'm fine." Then, after a brief pause, he lowered his gaze and said quietly, "I'm sorry, Mom… for putting you and Dad in danger last night. I didn't mean to. I just… I wanted to be strong like you."
Sara stopped eating, her hand frozen halfway to her mouth. She sighed softly, setting her spoon down as she said. "Dear, you don't have to apologize," she said gently. "It was our fault from the beginning—for showing you our powers so casually. Children at your age are curious and rebellious by nature. I should've expected that you wanted to learn."
Her expression softened as she smiled faintly. "I was angry last night, but now… I'm really proud. You've done something that no one has ever done before. You've become the youngest mana cultivator in history. That's not something to be ashamed of, Aiden. It's something really, really extraordinary."
Aiden's eyes brightened as he listened to his mother's words as he said. "So… you're not angry anymore?"
Sara chuckled softly, shaking her head as she replied. "No, dear. I suppose I can't stay angry at you."
Aiden grinned. "Thank you, Mom. I'll make you even more proud."
For a while, they ate in peace. Then Aiden tilted his head and asked, "Mom, where's Dad? He didn't come for breakfast. Is he still mad at me?"
Sara smiled, her eyes soft with affection as she said. "No, dear. Your father isn't angry at all. In fact, he's even more proud of you than I am. He kept bragging all night about how his son became a cultivator at such a young age."
Aiden felt really surprised as he said. "Really?"
"Really," Sara said, smiling. "He left early this morning, before sunrise. He's gone to the capital—Elfis—to get an instrument to measure your elemental affinities. He wants to see which other elements you might have besides wind."
Aiden blinked, surprised. "Dad went to the capital… for me?"
Sara nodded. "Yes. He was so excited he didn't even wait for the sun to rise. As soon as we finished repairing the house, he packed and left."
Aiden was momentarily stunned. "Dad was… that happy?"
Sara smiled gently. "He may act tough most of the time, but when it comes to family, he can't hide his feelings."
The morning passed slowly after that. The rest of the day was peaceful—Sara taught Aiden basic knowledge about mana flow, world geography, and some of the old myths surrounding the origin of Mana Hearts. Aiden listened carefully, absorbing every word with bright, curious eyes.
When evening came, he helped his mother prepare dinner, chopping vegetables clumsily but earnestly, while Sara guided him with patience and laughter. They ate together under the warm glow of the lamp, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the house was filled with quiet happiness.
That night, when Aiden went to his room, he sat by the window for a long time, staring at the stars scattered across the night sky. His hand rested lightly on his chest, where his mana heart pulsed faintly.
Light green, he thought again. A Mana Heart… but why can't Mom detect it?
His brows furrowed slightly, but soon his eyelids grew heavy. He didn't practice that night, didn't meditate or breathe mana—he simply lay down, the sound of the night breeze filling his ears.
And as he fell asleep, a faint, almost inaudible heartbeat echoed through the room—steady and rhythmic, pulsing not from his chest, but from somewhere else deeper, somewhere underground.