Noah had an epiphany.
Effect 1 of his talent stated that he had instant mana regeneration—albeit being just reversed. Mana exhaustion was a condition in which mana became negative; it didn't mean mana disappearing, because if that happened, it would go against Modrich's First Law of Mana.
'Mana can't be created nor destroyed. If anything or anyone exhausts mana, it means their mana has transformed into negative mana.'
Modrich's Second Law of Mana states,
'Everything in this world is created through energies. These energies can be negative or positive, so there is no situation of disappearance, only inability to see.'
These two principles improved his mood.
Did that mean he could use skills if those skills used negative or reversed mana?
It was a bold guess, but Noah had a hunch it might be true.
What if there is a skill that perfectly matches my talent?
That was unheard of , but it didn't mean there was not.
Noah rolled in bed in his new rental room, which cost him two silvers per month.
Daniel had given him a hundred gold coins—enough for him to live a modest life for the rest of his days.
But Noah didn't want that kind of life.
"What to do?" he wondered, looking through the open window. His eyes landed on a poster across the street:
[50% discount on Modrich's Book of Mana Principles]
He suddenly sat up, eyes bright with thought. Modrich was a philosopher of mana.
Most of his principles were proven, and it was rumored he was a Tier 50 mage on the path of philosophy.
His principles had solved many of humanity's problems; in other words, his writings held answers to almost every question humanity faced.
Wouldn't such a person have written something about the 'Impossible' talent?
Noah quickly dressed and rushed out of his room. He waved at the middle-aged receptionist at the counter before stepping out of the small inn.
Following the crowd, he walked past red brick buildings lining both sides of the path, most of them inns.
The footpaths were paved with stones, and the road was wide enough for cavalry to pass through.
The sun had already dipped below the horizon, and the mana-powered streetlights cast a soft yellow glow.
The buildings shared this hue, as most mana lights emitted a yellow light.
Noah arrived at The Humming Bookstore. The door opened with a bell, drawing a glance from the young man at the counter.
"Welcome, guest! The Hummings are glad for your presence!"
Noah nodded quickly, scanning the room. "Modrich's…" he began, but the receptionist spoke with excitement.
"Guest, you're in luck! Only one copy left. If you'd been an hour later, I'm sure it would have sold out."
Noah followed the chatty receptionist, looking around in awe. Most of the books here were costly, yet he recognized many from his orphanage.
Warmth filled his heart as his gaze landed on these expensive books. The orphanage had tried its best to teach them, not wanting them to fall behind the nobles' education.
He thought of Daniel, the strict yet caring warden, and made a note to help the orphanage someday if he could.
"This is what you wanted, guest…"
Noah stared at the book in the receptionist's hands. It had a thick brown cover with a three-dimensional tree symbol stitched on it. Holding it, he felt its weight—nearly ten kilograms.
He flipped open a page; written in bold black ink was the title: Modrich's Book of Mana Principles.
Before Noah could turn another page, the receptionist skillfully took the book from his hands.
"Worry not, guest. It's a bit heavy for you to hold. It'll be better to read it at home after you buy it," he said with a wink.
Noah glanced down at his empty hands, then up at the receptionist's calculating eyes.
"Well… how much is it?"
"We originally bought it for 200 gold coins, but with the 50% discount, the final price is 100 gold coins," the receptionist replied, still wearing his signature smile.
Noah's eyes widened.
"What? 100 gold coins?" he exclaimed, staring at both the book and the receptionist. That was enough for a normal family to live on for several years. He nearly turned to leave the shop, but then he stopped.
'Noah, you aren't aiming for a normal life.'
Gold coins were only useful for normal people. For Rift walkers it was nothing but a worldly metal.
He gritted his teeth before muttering, "Is it okay if I'm short by two silver coins?"
* *
Noah walked out of the bookstore with a heavy bag on his back. Glancing down at his empty coin pouch he sighed.
Out of pity, the receptionist had sold the book for 99 gold coins and 998 silver coins, leaving him officially broke.
His stomach growled, demanding food, and he rubbed it before looking around.
He had to find a job now.
He searched the posters on the walls advertising job openings, but most required a talent grade of at least F.
Noah wandered the city for a few hours, feeling dejected after failing to find any opportunities.
By the time he returned to the inn, it was already midnight. The middle-aged receptionist, Mira—a retired teacher—was still there. Noticing his exhausted face, she spoke up.
"You look famished, child. Here, take this bread. It's from Atlantis; my son sent it by courier."
Noah wanted to refuse her offer, but his rumbling stomach quickly crushed his pride. He bowed his head in gratitude as he devoured six slices of bread.
Mira smiled, then handed him a piece of paper.
On it was written: Looking for a smith to hammer metals…
Noah's eyes widened in surprise. This job didn't require a specific talent grade. It was perfect for him, and he felt both excited and relieved.
"Thank you, Aunt Mira…"
She waved a hand dismissively. "It's just a small help, kid. The rest is up to you… And if you get the job, don't forget to extend your stay here."
Noah smiled at her, thanked her again, and headed up to his room.