"Well, I can't really teach you how to feel mana because it's something you have to find out for yourself, like an enlightenment or something. But I can tell you the process and the way to go about it."
His expression is stern.
Finally looking like a trustworthy adult.
I'm looking at him expectantly. I think my eyes are glimmering at this point because I'm really excited to finally learn it.
"Calm down." He chuckled softly.
"No. I mean it, you should calm down. It's only when your body is calm, your heartbeat is regulated and the blood in your body isn't rushing into your mana pathway that you're in the right state to try and feel mana."
He explains to me with a slight tap on my shoulder.
Damn, his hands are big.
I feel like a heavy load was placed on my shoulder as his big and heavy palm falls on it. I think his palm can cover my entire face.
Is he a mage or an orc?
I shake those thoughts off my head and try to calm myself down.
"Drats, I think I'm a bad teacher. I haven't explained to you what the mana pathway is, and it's a piece of essential knowledge for the next lesson after you learn how to feel mana. Hmmm. Where should I start? Let me just start with what the mana pathway is."
He draws a bad drawing of a human body on the sand between the both of us and draws a heart in the chest region, connecting two lines from the heart to everywhere inside the human body drawing.
"Let's say these lines are the veins and arteries that carry blood from the heart to the tissues and organs of the body and from the tissues of the body back to the heart."
Then he draws another line and connects it everywhere like the first two lines.
"The Mana pathway which everyone is born with is like the veins and arteries. Except, it carries the mana you breathe in during Mana breathing in your lungs and it takes it to every cell in your body. This process where it takes the mana to everywhere in your body is called 'Mana Gathering.' And the mana pathway does another thing–"
So the only difference between humans in this world and the ones on earth is the presence of the mana pathway.. interesting...
He draws a ring around the heart.
"When one finally gets their first circle after much training, enlightenment and mana gathering, the Mana pathways automatically connect to the circle. It draws mana from the circle into the body cells. This is faster, easier, and doesn't require much focus like Mana gathering as all the mana you've gathered in your life are stored in the circle."
He then proceeds.
"And of course, the mana pathways are the only flexible vessels in your body, they somehow act as if they're alive. They connect to your first circle if they sense it. And they also connect to your second circle automatically if you get one, and your third, fourth, all of them. That is the job of the mana pathway."
He looks at me with a satisfied look, he's probably proud of himself for being a good teacher.
Honestly, he's not a bad teacher at all. Maybe that's why the Patriarch sent him to me.
I smile warmly.
Maybe Alexander isn't so bad afte–
I shake my head.
What did I almost say? Did I almost forget the way he wanted to kill me with whatever it was that he did the first time I met him? Or the way he pushed me into that boiling mana pool? No! He's just doing this because he sees potential in me, that's all, he's not a good guy.
I look up to meet Klaus who's looking at me with eyes that show that he's waiting for his compliment.
"Ahem- I understood everything you said and I appreciate your good and straightforward explanation, Klaus. It has helped me greatly."
He folds his arms, raising his head in a boasty way.
"Of course Hahahahaha, I'm just a good teacher. And you truly are polite Young Master Charles. Your other siblings, especially that naughty girl, they're all menaces, they were even worse when they were your age. Well, except Master George. He was almost as smart and polite as you when he was your age."
Why's he talking about some kids that I don't care about now? Tell me about how to feel mana! And.. just how old is he? I heard that George Flameworth. Alexander's first son is about 28 or 29 or so, and he's not in the mansion. So that means this man is above 30. Well, not that I care. He should just tell me about how I can feel mana so I can start gath–
"Okay, moving on." He straightens his posture.
"To feel mana is simple. Just keep trying to calm yourself and clear your mind of thoughts until you can hear everything in your body, hear and feel your cells moving and your tissues, muscles and your whole body. Because to conquer the world, you must first conquer yourself.
And when you can hear and detect everything in your body. You try to detect everything outside your body. Every little insect crawling on the floor, feel the breeze that blows on your skin– Meditate and train your perception until you can detect both inside you and outside your surroundings.
And a hint to know that what you feel is mana and not something your mind made up to make you happy is when you feel a lingering substance that's foreign yet natural. When the air that touches your skin starts to feel like there's something else besides the air touching your skin, an unexplainable feeling. It feels normal yet strange at the same time. Try it."
He unfolds his arm and watches me intently.
I close my eyes.
I start breathing slowly and steadily. I place my hands on my knee and I try to regulate my heartbeat as I'm breathing.
I clear my thoughts, trying to search within myself and conquer myself.
***
I've been in this state for a while now. But nothing's happened yet, I can't even hear or feel anything.
How is it even possible to hear your cells? Aren't cells like the smallest things that make up the body? That's kind of impossible. I'm starting to wonder how this relates to magic.
I sigh and I slowly open my eyes to see the sight of Klaus dozing off.
Of course... He slept off.
I look around me. The sun is dyed with a golden glow, slowly resigning its light for the day as it sets to the west.
"Been a long day. But my journey from here on is going to be even longer."
And with that, my first day of training with this Sleeping loud man is ov–.
"Oh, you finally opened your eyes, kid?"