Another month passed. During that time, Nicolas's world had shrunk to the simple acts of eating and meditating. He hardly noticed anything else. The days blurred together as he continued to absorb mana, the process becoming faster and smoother. What had once taken minutes now only took seconds. The mana particles flowed into him like water soaking into parched earth, and he could feel his body becoming more attuned to the world's energy.
Then, at the end of the second month, something happened.
Nicolas was deep in meditation, his mind completely blank, when he heard a sharp, crisp sound from within his body. It echoed inside him, like the crack of ice breaking on a frozen river. His eyes snapped open, but he stayed perfectly still. His heart raced, but he forced himself to remain calm, trying to understand what had just happened.
Then, all at once, the mana around him surged. The particles, which had always been gentle, suddenly became wild. They swirled violently, spinning in a chaotic dance as they rushed toward him. His skin tingled as the energy forced its way into his body, faster than he could control. The sensation was overwhelming, like standing in the middle of a storm. Nicolas gasped, his mind reeling as the mana merged with him, flooding every part of his being.
For what felt like an eternity, the world around him buzzed with power. The colors of the mana particles blurred together, a kaleidoscope of energy that made his head spin. And then, just as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. The air stilled, the mana particles once again floating lazily in the air, their wild dance finished.
Nicolas sat, panting heavily, his mind struggling to process what had just happened. Something had changed inside him. He could feel it. Slowly, he closed his eyes and focused inward, inspecting his body with his mind. To his surprise, he found a strange, swirling gas around his navel, a mix of all the colors he had seen in the mana particles. It floated there, ethereal and untouchable, a part of him yet beyond his control.
What is this? Nicolas wondered, trying to reach out to the gas. But no matter how much he willed it to move, it stayed where it was, drifting lazily. It was as if it had a mind of its own, content to remain in place, refusing to be commanded.
---
Two days later, Garen could no longer contain his frustration. His nephew had sat in silence for far too long, and his patience had worn thin. Early in the morning, while Renrou was still asleep, Garen marched up the hill to where Nicolas sat, his face set in a grim expression.
"Nicolas!" Garen's voice cut through the stillness like a blade. Nicolas opened his eyes, startled to see his uncle standing over him, his arms crossed and his brows furrowed in frustration.
"Uncle Garen?" Nicolas blinked, confused. "What's wrong?"
"What's wrong? What's wrong is that you've been sitting here for two months without a word! Do you have any idea how worried we've been? You haven't talked to me or Renrou once! And he—" Garen's voice softened for a moment. "He thinks you're avoiding him because of his Wesen transformation. Do you have any idea how that's affected him?"
Nicolas's eyes widened in shock. "What? No! That's not it at all! I… I didn't even realize…" His voice trailed off, guilt washing over him. "I didn't mean to ignore you both. I've just been so focused on—"
"On what? Sitting here doing nothing?" Garen shook his head. "I know you've been meditating, but two months is a long time to shut yourself away. We thought something was seriously wrong."
Nicolas stood up slowly, brushing the dirt from his clothes. "I'm sorry, Uncle. I didn't realize how much time had passed. I was so caught up in my training that I… I just lost track." He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a bit sheepish. "I wasn't avoiding Renrou. I didn't even think about his transformation. I've just been trying to understand magic."
Garen's expression softened as he listened. "I understand that you're committed to this path, but you need to balance it with the people who care about you. Don't shut us out."
Nicolas nodded, feeling the weight of his uncle's words. "You're right. I'll talk to Renrou and make things right. I'm sorry for worrying you both."
With that, Garen clapped him on the shoulder, his stern expression fading into a faint smile. "Good. Now, let's head back. It's been too long since we've shared a meal together."
As they walked down the hill, Nicolas couldn't help but reflect on how absorbed he had become in his training. He had been so focused on mastering mana that he had neglected the people who mattered most. But now, with this new understanding of magic—and the realization of how much he had missed—he was ready to reconnect.
Nicolas walked alongside Garen in silence, his mind racing as he processed everything his uncle had said. He felt a twinge of guilt, knowing he had unintentionally distanced himself from Renrou and Garen over the past two months. The hill path wound down toward the village, where he could already see Renrou near their home, tending to the small garden. Nicolas took a deep breath, knowing he needed to make things right.
As they reached the bottom of the hill, Garen turned toward the house, giving Nicolas a gentle pat on the back. "Go talk to him. He's been worried."
Nicolas nodded and approached Renrou, who was kneeling in the dirt, his back to him. The setting sun cast a warm glow over the village, the golden light flickering through the trees. For a moment, Nicolas simply stood there, unsure of how to begin. His brother looked older, more weary than Nicolas remembered, and the thought of causing him pain gnawed at his conscience.
"Renrou…" Nicolas called softly.
Renrou looked up, his green eyes widening with surprise. He wiped his hands on his pants and stood up slowly. "Nicolas? Is that really you?" His voice was a mix of relief and hesitation.
Nicolas took a few steps forward, guilt written all over his face. "Yeah, it's me. I'm sorry I've been distant. I… I didn't mean to make you feel like I was avoiding you."