9. Why Do I Feel This Way?
The world has basic conditions for becoming a mage.
Basic Conditions for Becoming a Mage
Stage 1: You can feel the flow of mana.
Stage 2: You can simply use mana.
Stage 3: You can convert mana into magic through processes like incantations and movements.
Two stages is the level skilled inspectors reach. Using mana to strengthen specific parts or sending mana into the sword to reinforce the blade.
Of course, that’s still far off.
Right now, for the absolute beginner Sugar, today’s goal is stage 1.
In the dead of night, in the attic room. One came to teach, the other to receive instruction. They gathered here. While lecturing, drawing letters in light on a cloth used as a blackboard.
“Simply put, realizing that I have hidden ingredients in me is stage 1. Just consuming them or cooking and consuming is stage 2 and 3 respectively?”
“If you understand that, then it’s done…”
Sugar nodded vaguely, remembering the original story.
“Question. Even if only stage 2 is reached, can you inject mana into the legs to jump quickly… or something like that?”
“Of course it’s possible.”
“O.”
The original was a turn-based RPG, so I hadn’t seen mages in the story performing such actions while fighting. There were systems like weakness attacks or speed gauges, but the basic framework was attacking on your turn, opponent’s turn.
Reality is quite different. When fighting, they probably won’t just stand still and chant spells.
Sugar felt excitement and set today’s goal to stage 2.
The cult kidnappers, who knows what they’ll do. Fighting has no chance of winning. Escape is priority. If you know the sensation of injecting mana into the legs then, it will be big help.
“Then the theory is mostly over. Now, I’ll inject my mana into your body.”
Injecting my thing into my body…?
Immediately, an image of how to tease came to mind. Imagining the reactions from the other side, body heated up.
This isn’t like a pubescent boy. Just grabbing the hem and this happens.
Anyway, Sugar’s mouth was itching to tease, but seeing Tomi teaching seriously, she closed her mouth. Teasing to break the mood at this time is what underlings do.
Moreover, an eleven-year-old is teaching so diligently, if I do such low-class pranks, it would make me not just a rotten adult, but completely rotten.
Tomi, not knowing that, seeing Sugar trembling while holding back, just thought, what’s wrong, feeling bad…
“Hmm, hmm. Concentrate.”
Tomi’s hand touched the back. Small hand. Using that as a starting point, properly calmed down and gathered her mind.
“By injecting mana like this, make you feel the flow. …Something felt?”
“Um… uum…”
“Now?”
“Uuuum… hmm.”
“This?”
“Um… uuuuuum…!”
“Increased the output.”
“Kuuuuuuuum!!”
Directly hit the back.
“Say it! Speak! Don’t groan!”
“But I really don’t know…”
Rubbing the stinging back, making an excuse.
“Something feels like it might be felt… but if I just think that way, it feels like ‘feeling felt’ or something. People are susceptible to self-suggestion.”
“What are you saying… Say clearly. So, does it feel or not?”
“Um…”
Again groaning while thinking, then immediately concluded.
“Doesn’t feel.”
Tomi’s expression frowned.
“Strange. The bad feeling should be felt clearly.”
“Really?”
“Other’s mana is seen as foreign substance. If the injected amount exceeds a certain part, the body will be damaged to that extent.”
Like blood transfusion of blood type incompatible. Doing such risky method, bold, and feeling pleased, but.
Wait, where did I see a story like this.
What was it. I remember seeing a story of similar type.
“-Anyway, if you perceive the foreign sensation flowing in the body, you can awaken the mana flow… I thought. But if not felt, nothing to do.”
While groping past memories.
From Tomi’s words, a word that bothers somewhere. The nuance is also strange.
…Thought? Thought?
“…But Tomi. Where did you learn this method?”
The three stages like things first taught are universal common sense, so ok, but the method done now is one I’ve never heard. It’s a method that could exist somewhere, but just that.
Where did an eleven-year-old kid learn this from?
Tomi, responding to the unease, turned eyes and answered.
“…My personal opinion.”
So, brain fart?
.
.
Tomi said that, but it was thought up based on the knowledge written in the grimoire—for interrogation.
The phenomena when mana is injected into a person, detailed according to the mana amount.
Too much leads to death, but very little is only feeling foreign/unpleasant in the mana channels.
Based on this, conclusion: the place where foreign feeling is felt is the mana channel! It’s easy to perceive the mana flow by following that sensation!
It’s like explorers entering a dark cave, sweeping one by one to make a map.
The dark cave is mana channel. The explorer is other’s mana.
Actually, this is also a method being done in this world. Of course, a safer way is used, but the gist is similar.
Without knowing that fact, Tomi who executed it similarly can be said to be quite excellent.
“So… you gave me a method not properly verified?”
“Well, I didn’t not verify at all…”
“Anyway, you did human experiment on me?”
“Ya, what human experiment!”
Almost all characters in the original game are mages with stage 3 as basic, so Sugar wouldn’t know this is a real method.
“Looks good. Let’s do that from now on.”
“Don’t mock…”
“I wasn’t mocking, I was sincerely praising. To survive in this place, you need to be a bit cunning.”
“Nonsense…”
Took the opportunity to tease enthusiastically. This was the time to do so. Teased as much as couldn’t earlier.
Then, to soothe the broken Tomi, ok, ok, can do, stroking head, giving medicine and medicine.
Suddenly, something flashed in head. Finally recalled the past memory I was looking for earlier.
“Tomi. There’s a question.”
“What… let go of this hand and say…”
Fortunately, doesn’t ignore at all.
“For example, there’s a huge energy mass… so to say, a mana mass overwhelming enough to be called almost a god.”
“What? God?”
“For example. Example. Anyway, if a normal person approaches such an existence, what happens?”
“Why ask suddenly like that?”
“If I know this, it seems I can know what to do in the future.”
Although roughly expected, wanted to talk with someone who has knowledge about magic. Teasing about fake or whatever, but inwardly, somewhat trusted Tomi.
In the short moment the thing falls from the tree, catching Sugar.
Explaining magic in detail.
Although not verified, helped to awaken stage 1 by applying the magic phenomenon in the way he thought.
Showing this much at young age, isn’t it better than most adults.
Looking at Tomi with eyes filled with such heart, seriously.
“…”
Tomi glanced at Sugar, then spat out.
“The pranks I did earlier. Cancel them first.”
Cancel…! That word just now…!
Sugar with strangely drooping mouth corners, canceled.
.
.
“Such a huge mana mass… if it exists. A person would break upon touching, right.”
“That’s right?”
“But why? What does that have to do with you.”
“Then, if there’s a person who doesn’t get affected even if touching that mana mass. If injecting mana of other humans to that person, what would happen?”
“Injecting? If not affected by that big mana, even putting in one human’s amount would be ok for a certain amount.”
The answer came, Sugar let out a long sigh, Tomi was at a loss.
“Why suddenly? Why are you talking about this? Are you saying you’re that kind of person?”
With a smile as if the words make sense, asked, but that’s the case.
Sugar is a pure mana owner.
Normally, when other’s mana enters normal person’s body, they reject each other, but Sugar’s body accepts it, so a strange constitution. The phenomenon occurs because high purity mana has the property of assimilating with other mana.
And, also the reason the original Sugar didn’t die even beside the evil god.
In the ominous shadow that exerts bad influence just by being close, Sugar’s body adapted to the situation and coexisted. It dyed itself with dark color and found a weak breathing hole.
Evil god’s constitution that endures. Adding a little mana, no big deal.
This isn’t enough.
Insufficient.
After thinking, Sugar made a decision.
“Your thought method, in general cases, is a sure method?”
“Probably… no, but you say answer. Are you that person in the example?”
Instead of answering, Sugar’s back with a smile, cold sweat flowing.
“Probably found the method.”
Right away, fully filled to the brim!