As I left the training grounds and headed back to my room, I noticed a young boy watering the lilies in the garden. He hummed a tune, and something about his appearance caught my attention. His body proportions were similar to mine, making him a potential disguise for my departure from the mansion. However, before I could approach him, I needed to gather more information.
I activated my art and obtained the boy's status:
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STATUS
Name – Noah
Age – 12
Class – Gardener
Knight Rank – 0-star
Mage Rank – 0-star
Attributes – Low-Water
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As I approached Noah, I activated my skill, Disguise, to assume a different appearance. I envisioned the face I wanted to have in my mind, and with a wave of my hand, my features transformed. Now, with brown eyes, black hair, and more ordinary facial structures, I blended in as a commoner. I wore simple commoner clothes to complete the disguise. However, one obstacle remained—the activation of my trait, Noblesse. The system had provided little information on deactivating traits, but I resolved to suppress it with my own will.
"Hello," I greeted Noah as I got closer to him.
"Hmm? Ah, hello," he responded, turning his head towards me.
"Is something the matter?" I asked, blinking my green eyes.
"No, nothing's wrong. I'm just new here and got lost while exploring. I was wondering if you could show me the way to the kitchen from here," I explained, wearing a shy expression.
"Ahaha, don't worry. I used to get lost a lot when I first started working here too. The kitchen is quite far from here, but if you want, I can show you the way since I'll be heading there as well. Just give me a moment to finish up," Noah replied with a smile.
"Thank you. I'll wait for you to finish then," I said, trying to maintain my disguise.
As we waited for Noah to finish watering the flowers, we engaged in conversation. I learned that he had good relationships with everyone in the mansion and knew most of the people. He lived in a nearby town with his parents and had been working as a gardener for generations. Noah had a deep love for flowers and took pride in his job.
By the time Noah completed his task, I had gathered enough information about his mannerisms, speech patterns, and personality. Together, we made our way to the kitchen. Before parting ways, Noah extended his hand for a handshake.
"Ah, wait, my friend. I didn't even learn your name yet. My name is Noah. Nice to meet you," he said.
"Um, my name is Liam. Nice to meet you as well, Noah," I replied, shaking his hand.
With our brief encounter coming to an end, we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. Once I reached a secluded spot, I canceled my disguise to return to my true appearance. Heading back to my room, I studied the map of the dukedom, familiarizing myself with the surroundings and planning my escape route.
I discovered that the nearest lake was located near the city of Aachen, which was the closest city to the mansion. It would take approximately an hour of walking to reach that point. Once there, I could consider renting a horse or finding alternative transportation to expedite my journey. The timing aligned with my expectations from the game, where it took about ten minutes to reach the mansion by horse or carriage.
Feeling the weight of the upcoming day, I decided to get some rest. The next morning, I woke up early at 6 a.m., took a refreshing shower, and prepared for the day. With my newfound knowledge of mana breathing and meditation techniques from my time as Callius, I decided to practice these exercises to tap into my latent mana abilities.
Normally, one would need to meditate and exercise the usage of mana in order to become a proficient mage. Still, because Callius was classless until today, he didn't train his mana. It was pointless for him to do so since he couldn't open his mana pathways.
But he got the education to become a mage before even his class is revealed by his father, Austin.
And he was able to understand the basics pretty fast, and he could even conjure some spells without using the mana inside his body.
This technique is called inscribing, and I will mention it later.
Therefore, he also learned how to mana breathe and how to meditate while concentrating on mana, albeit he hadn't used any mana at that time.
And since I opened my mana veins forcefully yesterday, I can practice the mana breathing technique as well as mana mediation.
With that, I started meditating after taking a shower and getting rid of the drowsiness of the morning.
Assuming the lotus position, I closed my eyes and focused on visualizing my mana pathways. With my increased mana sensitivity, I quickly identified the pathways and nerves throughout my body. Familiarizing myself with these pathways was crucial for the mana breathing exercise. Gradually, I began sensing the mana particles in the air, emptying my mind and concentrating on the surrounding atmosphere. With my heightened senses, I could detect the presence of mana particles.
Having familiarized myself with the pathways of my mana veins and nerves, I turned my attention to the next step: sensing the mana particles in the air. Despite being invisible to the naked eye, these free-floating mana particles could be felt and harnessed by those attuned to their presence.
Clearing my mind of all distractions, I focused on the atmosphere around me, emptying my thoughts and honing my concentration. With my heightened mana sensitivity, a result of my 2.0 stat, I gradually began to sense the presence of mana particles in the air. Their ethereal nature formed a vivid image in my mind, like a shimmering mist weaving through the surroundings. It was a challenging process, but with persistence, I managed to sense enough particles to proceed.
Now came the final step: breathing in the mana. This concept might seem perplexing at first, as one wouldn't physically inhale the mana through their respiratory system. Instead, the mana veins, intricately connected throughout the body, allowed for the absorption of mana. Similar to how sweat emerges from the skin, mana could also be drawn in through the skin by exerting one's will.
I focused solely on mana, directing my thoughts and intentions toward its presence in the air. All other sensations faded away as I entered a state of complete mental clarity. It felt as if my mind had emptied, devoid of any sound or distractions. In this state, I willed the mana to come to me, drawing it toward my core and allowing it to flow through my veins.
As I focused on this practice of mana breathing, a sense of tranquility washed over me. The mana particles embraced me, blending seamlessly with my essence. I could feel their energy circulating within me, merging with my own mana reserves. It was a profound connection, a dance of harmony between my being and the vast mana that surrounded us all.
With each breath, I felt a surge of power, a heightened awareness of my own potential. The mana breathed life into my core, invigorating my entire being. I continued this exercise, refining my control over mana and strengthening my bond with the elemental forces of the world.
And just like that, I started willing for mana to come to me and started focusing on my thoughts only on mana in the air.
At that moment, nothing was on my mind aside from mana.
I felt like there was nothing inside my head. I couldn't hear any sound or feel anything else.
Though, even if Callius was unable to hear the words of system in his head they still occurred.