Seven years have passed since I was reborn in this world, and after learning to speak, I immersed myself in reading a great many books and scriptures from our castle's vast library.
Unlike the books from my previous world, even ordinary texts here are enormous, taking me at least two days to read each one fully—despite the time I spend with my mother and sisters.
By now, I possess more knowledge than the average person in the Kingdom of Astoria.
At the moment, I was in my private quarters.
My mother had said I was maturing too quickly and needed my own personal space, so she had given me a large, cozy room located closest to both the library and her own quarters.
My sisters—especially Elizabeth—wanted my room to be next to theirs, but my mother insisted I should remain near her.
I stood before a full-length mirror, examining myself.
I had inherited my mother's crimson hair and her striking emerald-green eyes.
Closing the book I had been reading, I stepped out into the expansive castle corridors.
This section of the castle, where our private quarters are located, is hidden away from the main areas, which explains the absence of people.
Hundreds of maids and servants tend to the castle's vast grounds, including the gardens and training areas, but they rarely come to this secluded wing.
I made my way to the Meditation Hall, a highly private space reserved exclusively for family members.
At the far end of the hall, I saw my mother seated cross-legged, her hands clasped in a meditative pose.
Around her, a reddish-orange energy swirled, resembling a flickering, intense flame.
Her crimson hair floated gently, as if carried by the energy's currents, and her eyes remained closed, fully absorbed in her meditation.
Even without opening her eyes, I was certain she sensed my presence.
As I watched, a strange sensation stirred in my eyes.
I felt drawn to the energy enveloping her, as if something within me was awakening in response.
I could clearly see the tiny particles of reddish-orange energy swirling around her, and as I continued to observe, those particles began to change color—shifting slowly from a warm red to a deep crimson, the exact shade of her hair.
Suddenly, my mother's entire aura turned a deep crimson, radiating an intense energy.
Without warning, an instinctual feeling stirred within me—a sense that I could somehow draw her aura toward myself.
Raising my arm, I focused, feeling a connection forming between me and the energy surrounding her.
Responding to my will, the crimson aura seemed to split into a thread that slowly began to drift in my direction.
Just as the thread of energy had reached halfway toward me, I felt a hand rest on my shoulder, breaking my concentration.
The energy thread abruptly snapped back to my mother.
"Baby brother, you can't do that," came a voice beside me.
It was my sister, Elizabeth, her expression showing clear surprise.
"What did I do, sister?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"I don't know…" she trailed off as we both felt a shift in the atmosphere.
Our attention snapped back to our mother, who was now radiating waves of crimson energy, each more intense than the last.
"Is Mother already a half-step Grandmaster?" Elizabeth whispered, astonished.
"Grandmaster?" I repeated.
I wasn't entirely sure of its significance, but I knew it wasn't an ordinary rank—especially if someone as talented as my mother took two thousand five hundred years to reach this stage.
In martial arts, one must first reach the peak of the Aura Master realm before attempting to break through to the Aura Grandmaster realm.
From what I've read, there are at least fourteen stages a martial artist must conquer before reaching the level of an Aura Master.
To even begin the martial path, there are essential steps: first, awakening one's innate talent, and second, building a strong foundation—something that can be started at any time.
*I wonder when Mother will teach me martial arts,* I thought to myself.
After a few minutes, her aura slowly dissipated, and she opened her eyes.
In a blink, she vanished from where she stood, and the next moment, I found myself in her arms.
"My baby, what did you just do?" she asked, her tone laced with concern. "I felt my energy deviate for a moment."
Elizabeth, still standing nearby, looked equally worried, waiting for my answer.
"I don't know," I replied honestly. "I felt a strange sensation in my eyes, and suddenly, I could clearly see the energy particles around you. I felt drawn to them, and before I knew it, your energy was moving toward me."
"You saw particles of energy?" my mother asked, her expression filled with confusion.
"Yes," I replied. "They appeared as tiny, reddish-orange particles around you, which slowly condensed into larger, crimson-colored particles." I explained everything I had witnessed.
"It seems like an innate visual ability, showing signs of a premature awakening. That would explain why he could see the intricate structure of my energy," my mother muttered thoughtfully.
"But what about him attracting your energy?" Elizabeth interjected, her voice tinged with worry.
"He hasn't awakened his talent yet, and even if he had, he shouldn't be able to draw in your energy. He should only be able to attract natural mana from his surroundings. Just think of what could have happened if your energy had entered his body!"
Elizabeth's concern was evident, and it unsettled me.
I started to wonder if I had done something dangerous without realizing it.
"Don't be alarmed," my mother said, keeping her composure despite her apparent concern. "Let me first check what happened."
She turned her gaze to me and spoke softly. "Place your palm over mine."
I did as she instructed, resting my small hand over her firm and refined one, which felt warm and comforting.
She closed her eyes, and I assumed she was examining something within me.
After a few moments, she opened her eyes, her confusion deepening. "He hasn't awakened his talent yet, that much is certain. But I can sense a significant amount of natural mana flowing through his veins... and it's the purest mana I've ever encountered in a person."
I knew from my studies that people could only absorb mana after their talents awakened.
Yet, even before that, it wasn't unusual to find traces of mana in an unawakened individual, often absorbed passively from the ambient air.
This usually occurred in those with potential to become mages, though it didn't necessarily exclude martial artists.
However, there was one detail I hadn't seen mentioned in the books: while people could not absorb mana before awakening, there was no record of anyone being able to sense mana before their awakening.
"I suppose he has great potential to become a mage…" Elizabeth remarked, sounding slightly disappointed.
"Elizabeth," my mother said sternly, "what have I taught you? Don't be too quick or uninformed in making judgments. Wait until he awakens his talent, and then you can be disappointed if he doesn't show the potential to become a martial artist."
Elizabeth nodded, conceding to my mother's rebuke.
She then asked, "But what about him attracting your energy? A martial artist's aura is unique to them; it can't be manipulated or absorbed by others. If anyone tries to forcibly do so, they would die from mana poisoning. Yet, my brother—a seven-year-old child—managed to draw in the energy of a half-step Aura Grandmaster?"
"That, I can't say for certain…" my mother admitted, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
"It could be another innate ability of his, allowing him to absorb energy from others."
Seeing this as my chance, I decided to voice my own questions. "Mother, in the books about cultivation, it's stated that people can only absorb mana after they awaken their talents, right?"
"Yes, that's correct," Elizabeth affirmed with a nod.
"But what about sensing mana?" I continued. "Do we need to be awakened to sense mana as well?"
"Indeed," my mother replied. "Only those who are awakened can sense mana, and their ability to do so depends on their talent."
I frowned. "Is that so? But I can sense mana."
My mother's eyes widened with shock.
"Wait… my baby boy, you can sense mana?" she asked, realization dawning on her face. She sighed softly.
"I suppose it's only natural that you can sense mana if you're able to perceive the particles with your naked eyes."
Elizabeth turned to me, her curiosity piqued. "Baby brother, how long have you had this ability to see and sense mana?"
"I've always been able to sense mana," I admitted. "But I first noticed I could actually see the particles of mana a few years ago, when Sister Isabella and Sister Annabella showed me spells."
It would be more accurate to say that I became fully aware of my ability to see the structure of mana when the twins used their spells to entertain me.
Their magic seemed to bring these particles to life, making them visible to my eyes in a way that no one else could perceive.
I noticed my mother was deep in thought as she gently stroked my hair with a loving touch.
"My precious boy," she began softly, "you're already showing such remarkable talent, even before awakening. You have pure mana flowing through your veins, a clear sign of your great potential to become a mage. I think it's time to start training you in magic."
At my mother's words, Elizabeth's expression shifted immediately. "Mother, you can't! Didn't you say I was being too hasty in judging him? So why are you assuming he'll be a mage and starting him on that path?"
"Let me finish, Elizabeth," Mother sighed, her voice calm but firm. "Tomorrow, we'll use traditional methods to evaluate his potential as a martial artist. Regardless of the results, we'll train him in both magic and martial arts until his true talents awaken. From there, his training will be guided by his innate gifts."
Elizabeth seemed relieved after hearing our mother's explanation.
"My precious boy," Mother continued, turning her gaze to me, "are you ready to begin your training?"
"Yes, Mother," I replied earnestly. "I want to train. I want to train with all four of you."
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{Author's Note: If you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to vote with some POWER STONES. It would also really help me if you could rate this book. Thank you for reading!}