Chapter 13
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 013
Chapter Title: Vision
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Three full days of walking.
Woojin practiced his breathing whenever he found a spare moment. But he hadn't achieved any notable results.
It was disappointing to see no progress, but he wasn't discouraged by the current situation. If sensing mana were that easy, everyone and their dog would be casting spells left and right. Humans who could awaken and wield mana were rare indeed.
Still, the complete lack of advancement was frustrating, no doubt about it. And it wasn't just Woojin—Claire seemed to feel the same way.
"We need to try a more direct approach."
"How so?"
"I'm going to infuse mana directly into your body. Once you get a feel for its flow and sensation, sensing it on your own should become much easier."
It sounded good at first glance. But there had to be a reason they hadn't tried this training method until now.
When he asked, Claire nodded.
"If you repeat this training too many times, it actually makes it harder to get started with mana. Your body gets lazy, relying on others to do it for you."
"Then wouldn't it be better to skip it altogether?"
"No need to be so cautious. Doing it once or twice is fine... Ah, found it."
Claire rummaged through her bag and pulled something out. A potion of sky-blue hue.
"Mind taking off your shirt?"
Woojin promptly removed his shirt. His body was built from sleek, panther-like muscles. Perhaps thinking it rude to stare, Claire covered her eyes with her hands.
......Their eyes met through the gaps in her fingers.
"Ahem. Turn around, please."
Claire cleared her throat awkwardly. Woojin turned so his back was to her, and Claire dipped her index and middle fingers deep into the blue potion.
Smooth strokes—
Claire drew something on Woojin's back with her fingertips. Using the blue potion as ink, she seemed to be tracing a magic circle. Without a mirror, he couldn't see what it looked like.
Soon, having finished, Claire placed her hand on his back. Right at the center of the magic circle.
"I'm going to pour about half my mana into your body. Don't try to grab it—just let it flow and memorize the sensation and path as best you can."
"Got it."
"Good. I'll count to three and start. One, two, three!"
Kiiing—!
The magic circle glowed. Woojin closed his eyes to focus. Being his first time, he felt a slight tension.
And as he waited with eyes shut...
'......What?'
There was no sensation at all. It felt like there might have been some mistake.
Woojin was bewildered. Soon, Claire lifted her hand from his back. He turned to look at her face.
Claire wore a half-dazed expression.
"......I've never experienced anything like this before."
She murmured as if entranced.
He figured she needed time to think, but Woojin couldn't hold back his curiosity.
"Can you explain?"
"How do I even put this... The moment I infused the mana, it all got sucked straight into your body."
"......So the spell worked, right?"
Claire shook her head.
"No. Think of it like this: you need to shape clay into a bowl to hold water, but what I just did was pour water straight onto loose dirt. Get the idea?"
"Roughly."
Woojin hadn't even sensed mana yet. So accepting it was impossible. You can't run before you can walk.
But Woojin had done it.
"......Actually, saying you did it might be a stretch. Something felt off."
"In what way?"
"It's not like you just received the mana I gave you... How should I say this? I hesitate to use such an irrational expression, but..."
Claire continued cautiously.
"......It looked like it was devouring it."
The moment she infused the mana, Claire had seen a strange vision. A praying mantis mid-meal. Its savage jaws crunching and swallowing a blue butterfly.
That butterfly had once been part of her. She felt that certainty somehow. Overwhelmed by an inexplicable dread, Claire stopped the spell, and the blue butterfly barely escaped the mantis's forelegs.
The frustrated mantis turned its gaze toward her. Compound eyes made of dozens of pupils. And in that chilling stare...
"......Claire. You look a bit pale."
Woojin's concerned voice snapped her out of it. He was watching her with worry. Meeting his eyes, Claire forced a cheerful smile.
"I'm fine. Just a little tired. Anyway! We shouldn't try that training method again for a while. It's such a rare phenomenon; I need to research it separately."
"Thanks. Sorry to put you through all this trouble."
"I'm doing it because I want to. Teaching magic is fun in its own way."
With that, Claire stood up.
"It's getting late, so I'm off to bed."
"Alright. See you tomorrow."
"Good night~"
Claire headed toward her tent. She glanced around once.
No eyes on her.
Judging it safe, she whispered a small incantation. A tiny flame flickered in her palm. Seeing it, Claire let out a long sigh.
'......My magic has weakened.'
It wasn't her imagination.
After the mantis devoured the butterfly, the mana she held had diminished. The power she'd nurtured over years of effort was gone.
Claire steadied her resolve.
'It's okay. Woojin's my lifesaver. I'd gladly give him all my magic...'
She truly believed it—not just to console herself.
But what had happened was too sudden. Like an accident. If she'd prepared mentally, it might have been fine, but it felt like a slap out of nowhere.
"......Sniff."
Looking teary, Claire rubbed her nose repeatedly as she headed to bed.
Alone now, Woojin felt a slight puzzlement.
He felt strangely languid. Unlike his usual self, his body lacked vitality.
'Should I just sleep it off?'
But sleep wouldn't come. His body was sluggish, yet his mind was wide awake, as if he'd chugged a caffeinated drink.
Claire's words suddenly came to mind.
'She said she studied magic and mana sensing whenever she couldn't sleep, as a way to pass the time.'
Perfect timing.
He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. Calming his mind, he inhaled, exhaled...
"......Hm?"
Woojin sensed a faint incongruity. A tickling at the crown of his head. When he opened his eyes in surprise, the sensation vanished like a lie.
'Let's try again.'
He closed his eyes as before. After a few breaths, he felt a warm glow, like morning sunlight, flowing in through the top of his head.
Breathe through the crown. Was this the sensation Claire kept mentioning...
'......Why is this working now?'
Woojin scratched his chin. Nothing seemed different, yet what hadn't worked no matter what suddenly did.
Was it the effect of Claire's spell from earlier?
He didn't know enough about magic to jump to conclusions. He'd ask Claire tomorrow. For now, Woojin sat still and focused on his breathing.
To become a mana user, there were three stages.
Stage one: sensing natural mana through meditation. Stage two: accepting and accumulating it in the body. Stage three: manifesting techniques using the stored mana.
'First, get used to the breathing technique.'
Currently, Woojin had to concentrate intensely just to barely sense mana. He'd only just stepped into stage one. So the mana that entered his body leaked out almost immediately.
He'd heard this issue resolved itself with breathing proficiency. As you grew accustomed, your body became mana-friendly, and eventually, it stayed without conscious effort.
The amount you could store varied by person. Claire had compared it to lung capacity.
"An experienced diver can stay underwater longer because they've trained to hold more air in their lungs than others."
To surpass others in any field, you had to put in the work.
'Alright... Let's go again.'
Woojin closed his eyes and focused on breathing. Sitting at the edge of the campsite, he lost track of time, immersed in mana sensing training.
The next day, early morning.
Claire emerged from her tent after waking. She brushed back her tousled light-brown hair and yawned contentedly.
'Ah... Slept so well.'
Having gone to bed earlier than usual last night, she felt the best she'd been in recent mornings. She almost wanted to gallop like a wild horse toward the horizon.
Refreshingly reborn.
Even she found it odd. Just yesterday, she'd been so down about her weakened magic that tears had welled up. What was with this mood swing...
'......Bipolar?'
Whatever.
Claire hummed a tune as she walked toward Woojin's tent.
"Hello? You in there?"
No answer. She peeked inside by lifting the flap.
'Not here.'
Where'd he go?
Claire looked around. After a bit, she spotted Woojin sitting motionless in the same spot as yesterday.
She started to call out happily but closed her mouth upon checking his state.
'......Wow... His focus has improved beyond recognition.'
His breathing had advanced to an unbelievable degree overnight. Judging by the accumulated mana, he'd stayed up all night right there.
In just one night, Woojin had entered stage two. At this rate, he'd master basic magic soon. Utterly abnormal.
'Did my lost mana boost his mana sensitivity by that much...?'
Claire recalled the mantis vision. The devoured blue butterfly and the dozens of eyes staring at her.
Maybe it was her imagination, but... the mantis had seemed to look at her kindly. Like an old friend.
What on earth was it?
Sometimes, omens or revelations appeared as visions during magic study. But she'd never heard of anything like this.
Only one way to find out.
'Try that spell again.'
Conveniently, Woojin was still sitting there unwashed. Yesterday's magic circle remained intact on his back.
She'd lose more mana to him, but... so what? She could regain lost power with effort. That was nothing to smile through.
'Alright, let's do it.'
As Claire reached out—
Whip—
A sudden tentacle surged and coiled around her wrist. Startled, Claire whipped her head around. There stood the red wolf.
"Grrr."
Rex growled low, locking eyes with her and slowly shaking his head side to side. As if warning her not to do it...
The atmosphere felt ominously off. Claire pulled her hand back.
She saw the mantis vision.
......It seemed disappointed somehow.