At night, Ellis lay at the bed in his room after catching up with his sister and mother, and while looking at his unfamiliar clean room, he felt somewhat at peace. The talk he had at first with his sister and the reaction she gave afterwards, while it wasn't positive, it was not negative either. The important thing was that she got to know that she would not be given time like before, but didn't change her attitude or try to put distance. Even with his mother, despite feeling the changes that had happened to her, aside from her status, even her behavior was little different, and he didn't feel like still being angry at her anymore.
Those things aside, Ellis started to think about his status, his mana exactly, till now he wasn't able to sense it let alone use it, even though he had a lot of it, and seeing the active skills from his sister's, he also got simulated.
"Aurora,"
[Yes, Host]
"how can I feel the mana inside me? If I don't have any active skill, will it be impossible?"
[You can feel the mana even without skills.]
"And how exactly should I do it?"
[...]
Seeing how she became silent, Ellis after thinking a lot, crossed his legs, sat properly and closed his eyes, trying the famous meditation position.
Sitting in a still position for nearly half an hour, clearing his mind while trying to feel his body, finally something different happened.
[You have learned the skill Meditation Lv.1]
Seeing how he learned a new skill, he opened the description immediately.
[Meditation (Passive) Lv.1] It will become easier to enter the state of meditation, and will help the user have more concentration and serene mind when meditating.
Seeing how it was also a passive skill without a cost of mana, and feeling stubborn, he persevered and continued meditating, concentrating all his mind on his body.
After another half an hour, he finally felt the spark of something different in his body.
[You have learned the skill Mana Sense Lv.1]
[Mana Sense (Active) Lv.1] By consuming mental strength, you will be able to sense the mana inside your body more easily.
"Finally." Reading the description of the skill, Ellis was happy he got an Active skill, even though it used mental strength not mana.
"Aurora, is the mental strength related to the strength of my soul?"
[Yes, but not entirely; the strength of your mind and physique; even some of the skills will also affect it.]
"hmm; anyway I have a lot of it?"
[Yes]
Getting the affirmative answer and calming himself down, he mediated a little more and then concentrated on activating the skill. Ellis suddenly felt like he saw a huge amount of blue specks huddling together forming something like aura inside him.
The blue specks like sparks swimming inside his body felt both ethereal and real at the same time. Trying to concentrate on one speck and move it took some effort but he succeeded in the end; feeling some confidence, he started to move more than one speck; increasing the number of specks he moved as he got the hang of it. While the process felt tiring a little; Ellis feeling the joy of achieving what he put on his mind to do; felt an unprecedented fulfillment.
After what felt like both long and short time, Ellis was finally able to move all the specks of mana in his body; and finally feeling some strain on his mental power. He thought it was enough for the day, and opened his eyes:
[Your skill Mana sense has become Lv.2]
[Your skill Mana sense has become Lv.3]
[Your skill Mana sense has become Lv.4]
[Your skill Mana sense has become Lv.5]
[Your skill Mana sense has become Lv.6]
[Your skill Meditation has become Lv.2]
[You have learned the skill Mana Circulation Lv.1]
[Your skill Mana sense has become Lv.7]
Upon looking at the system messages and seeing how he leveled up the mana sensing skill six times and got another skill; got Ellis thinking of how it did level up this quickly, pondering over the things he knew, and if he put in account his huge mental strength, He could come to the conclusion that normally one would become exhausted after just a little practice but now because of his huge mental strength, and maybe because he moved all the mana inside his body, that he got another skill, and even leveled up the mana sense skill.
[Mana Circulation (Active) Lv.1]
By channeling your mental strength to circulate mana within your body; you gradually train yourself to become more attuned to it. Over time; this skill will enhance your ability to access mana more easily and eventually improve the flow of mana through your body.
Reading through the skill; and seeing how he got three skills which could help him power up in future but wouldn't help much now; gave Ellis a complex feeling.
"Knock knock"
While he was contemplating if he should sleep for now; he heard the knocking.
"Come in."
Entering the room was his mother, dressed in a black short nightgown that contrasted sharply with her pale skin. Her voluptuous figure appeared even more sensual and sexy in the dim light, and her blue eyes seemed to glow softly. Though her posture suggested a mix of embarrassment and determination, with her clenched fists betraying her resolve, Ellis was starting to doubt his judgment whether the changes in her were truly for the better, given her usually naive personality.
"Mother," like really "what's going on with you?"
Being questioned, Selena fidgeting with her hands a little still replied:
"You wanted to see my status window; so I came to show it." While saying so, and getting some courage, she moved and sat right next to her son.
While he wanted to counter that there was no need for it be at night; and with this kind of clothes; Ellis upon looking at his mother who was beside him with her tantalizing bare thigh; and her huge breasts which he could see till her pink nipples because of her hunched position and loose nightgown, was starting to get aroused. Even his eyes seemed to resist his commands refusing to look away from the sight before him.