As Amukelo and Pao entered the familiar restaurant, the same waiter who had served them before greeted them with a warm smile. "Ah, good to see you again," he exclaimed, recognizing the pair immediately. "Are you looking for a table?"
Amukelo nodded, and the waiter responded, "Please, follow me." He led them through the softly lit dining area to a cozy table for two, handed them the menus, and said he would be back shortly to take their orders.
Once settled, they browsed the menu briefly before deciding on some simple yet appealing meals accompanied by a bottle of wine, hoping it would complement their dinner and the discussion ahead.
"So, you really want to teach me about mana here?" Amukelo asked once the waiter had taken their order and left them to their privacy.
Pao nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, and later today, I want you to try to release mana again. I think a bit of wine might help you relax, and now that you understand a bit more about what mana is and how to visualize it, it's a good time to try again."
"Okay, you know better," Amukelo agreed, trusting her judgment. "I also believe that my understanding of mana has improved."
Eager to shift the conversation towards something lighter for a moment, Pao asked, "So, you had your first one-on-one training session. How was that? Is it any different from what you've done before?"
Amukelo's eyes lit up as he recalled the session. "Completely different," he affirmed. "Having the entire attention of someone as skilled as Padrin will definitely accelerate my growth. Tomorrow we'll have a teacher entirely focused on us, so I can't wait to see how much I can improve."
"That's really great," Pao replied with a smile that conveyed both pride and excitement. "Just imagine if you could also use magic in your fights."
"Yeah, that would be amazing," Amukelo mused aloud. Then, a thought occurred to him, prompting another question. "But I have to ask, I've never seen a mage without a staff. Is it possible to cast spells without one?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"It is," Pao assured him. "I wouldn't waste your time if it wasn't. The main difference is that you can't cast more complicated spells without a staff, and it's most likely that you'll only be able to cast spells that you have an affinity for. But imagine just how much more unpredictable and stronger you could be in a fight."
Amukelo's smile broadened at the thought, the possibilities of combining swordsmanship with magic sparking a new excitement in him. "Can't wait to learn that," he said, his enthusiasm palpable.
The evening progressed with laughter and light-hearted banter between Amukelo and Pao. As the waiter served their meals and carefully poured the wine, Pao, with a playful smirk, suggested, "Maybe this time let's not drink so much wine, haha..."
Amukelo, catching the humor in her caution, playfully retorted, "Yeah, it's probably better if you're conscious when I try to release mana." His comment sparked a feigned huff from Pao, who pretended to be miffed, adding a layer of jest to their dinner.
They began to eat, enjoying the food while intermittently chatting. Once they finished their meal, Pao, sipping her wine more cautiously this time, started explaining the intricacies of magic to Amukelo. Despite her more measured approach to drinking, Amukelo, feeling confident in his tolerance, ended up consuming much more wine than Pao.
As the bottles dwindled, Amukelo's head began to feel a bit dizzy, his thoughts swimming slightly. Pao, though passionate in her discourse about magic, started to stutter and mix up her words as the wine's effects became more pronounced. Her speech grew animated yet disjointed, causing Amukelo to lose track of the lesson. Instead, he found himself captivated more by her expressive gestures and the lively sparkle in her eyes rather than the content of her words.
Realizing Amukelo's attention had drifted, Pao paused and looked at him, a mock sternness in her tone, "Amu, are you even listening to what I say?" When no response came, she waved her hand in front of his face, snapping him out of his daze. "Ahh, sorry, sorry, I'm listening," Amukelo stammered, a sheepish grin spreading across his face.
With a slight note of irritation mixed with amusement, Pao challenged him, "So, what was I talking about?"
"You were talking about magic," Amukelo responded quickly, attempting to cover his lapse in attention. "Did you forget?"
Pao's lips twitched as she fought back a smile, still feigning annoyance. "Ahh, whatever. It doesn't make sense to lecture you anymore. So, let's try now to release mana. What do you think?"
Amukelo, his voice cracking slightly from the alcohol, enthusiastically declared, "I'm ready like never before."
Pao burst out laughing at his earnest yet tipsy declaration, her earlier facade of annoyance dissolving into genuine amusement. "Tha- That's great to hear," she said, her words slightly slurred.
With that, they left the restaurant, both feeling the warmth of the wine but still far from any serious inebriation. The night air felt refreshing as they walked, a slight stagger in their steps.
The quiet backyard of the inn transformed into a softly illuminated space, courtesy of Pao's spell. The glowing orb of light followed them, casting a gentle radiance that made the dark surroundings seem less daunting. Amukelo couldn't help but express his awe with a drawn-out "Wooow," his voice tinged with the effects of the wine they had consumed. Pao chuckled at his reaction, the sound light and carefree in the night air.
Pao guided Amukelo to sit down on the soft grass, the orb of light hovering nearby, providing a serene atmosphere. "Before we start," Pao began, adopting a somewhat more serious tone, though her smile lingered, "I'm going to ask you some questions to make sure you understand everything you need for this to work."
"Okay," Amukelo replied, his voice still carrying a hint of amusement from the wine.
"First, what is mana?" Pao asked, her eyes focused on Amukelo to gauge his response.
"It's the life energy found in everything—rocks, plants, monsters, and us humans," Amukelo answered confidently.
"Correct," Pao nodded, pleased. "Now, how do mages cast their spells?"
"They direct their mana to one place and, thanks to reading grimoires, they shape that mana in a way that creates a spell," he explained, his speech slightly slurred but accurate.
"Correct again," Pao affirmed with a smile. "Finally, what are the basic types of mana?"
"Fire, water, earth, wind, light, and dark," Amukelo listed, then added with a drunken flourish, "But by combining them, you can access even more effects like poison, or something craaazzyy," he elongated the word, clearly enjoying the conversation.
Pao tried to maintain a professional demeanor but couldn't help smiling at his antics. "Correct," she said, her voice softening. "So now let's begin. Do you remember how to do this?"
"To do what?" Amukelo feigned confusion, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
Pao started to respond, "How can you forget, we just—" but Amukelo cut her off, still playing, "I'm messing with you. I remember."
Pao let out a helpless sigh, her expression a mix of exasperation and amusement. "Okay, close your eyes and focus on your heart," she instructed, her tone now calm and soothing. After a moment, she continued, "Now imagine your blood running through your body... Now imagine the mana flowing through your body... Now stop it."
Amukelo's face tensed slightly, the struggle visible even under the dim glow of the magical light. Pao watched intently, knowing the critical moment was approaching.
"And now... release it as one," Pao counted down, her voice steady. "Three... Two... ONE!"