After a few minutes of walking and descending a flight of stairs, they arrived at a sprawling training ground. Rows of dummies stood in a neat formation, while archery targets were lined up along the edges. To the left was a room filled with armory and weaponry—somehow the sight of them brought back memories of his childhood. Standing in the middle of the field was a black-robed figure, whom he deduced to be his instructor.
Sanchez, leading the group, paused and spun around to face him, bowing respectfully, "Your Highness, we will be waiting on the sidelines."
"I understand." Cassian nodded and resumed his stride.
Honestly speaking, if it came to martial arts or fighting with historical weapons such as swords, spears, or bows, he shouldn't have a problem. After all, who would have thought that the 'Historical European Martial Arts' club he joined for fun would be useful in his current situation? With that settled, he only had magic left to learn.
Just like any other normal fantasy world, this realm, of course, had magic. Unfortunately, there was no cheat skill to steal, and everything had to be learned from scratch.
As he approached, the figure lifted the hem of her hood, revealing a fair-skinned woman with ginger hair that cascaded over her shoulders. She was a woman in her early twenties, surprisingly young to be his instructor.
Once her citrine eyes landed on him, she curtseyed. "Greetings, Your Highness, I am Eileen, your instructor. It is an honor to serve you."
Cassian gave a slight nod. "Thank you, Master Eileen. I look forward to learning under your guidance."
"Before we begin," she said, straightening her posture and meeting his gaze with solemnity, "allow me to express my deepest condolences for what has happened to you."
"I appreciate your words, but I'd prefer to focus on the task." Sympathy or sentimentality could wait; learning magic was the priority—he was running out of time.
She inclined her head. "Very well. Where would you prefer to begin?"
"I'd like to begin with the basics. My memories feel... clouded, and I believe it would be best to start anew." Thanks to his amnesia, he had an alibi to relearn everything from the ground up.
Truthfully, he tried to read a book on magic, but Roseanne stopped him, insisting he needed to focus on his recovery first. While he had a general understanding of how magic worked in this world, the actual practice was a completely different story.
"Certainly, Your Highness. Then, let us start with the concept of 'Mana.' Are you familiar with this term?"
Cassian nodded. "Yes, Mana is pure energy that exists throughout this world. It's the fundamental source used for casting magic."
Eileen smiled approvingly. "That's correct. However, before we can cast magic, we must first awaken our Mana Reservoir, which resides in our hearts. This reservoir allows us to store and access Mana as needed."
According to the novel, everyone was born with a nascent Mana Reservoir—a tiny, dormant core of magical potential, much like a seed waiting to sprout. With continuous practice and experience, the Mana Reservoir could grow in strength and capacity.
"To awaken it," she continued, "an expert mage injects a small amount of mana into the apprentice's body, allowing them to guide it toward tapping into their Mana Reservoir. This process is essential not only for awakening but also serves as an early lesson in understanding and controlling Mana."
"Can I try the awakening process?" He knew Cassian's Mana Reservoir had already been awakened, but at the moment, he was at a loss. Forget casting magic—he didn't even know how to control Mana, which was the very first step in learning magic.
"Of course, Your Highness. May I have your hand?" Eileen extended her right hand, and Cassian placed his atop hers.
"I will now begin the process." After a brief warning, she chanted, and a small, glowing magic circle appeared beneath their joined hands.
Cassian narrowed his brow at the cool sensation spreading across his palm. 'Is this… Mana?'
Dismissing his useless thoughts, he focused and aimed to guide the Mana toward his heart. However, it proved more challenging than he anticipated. Minutes passed, but the Mana barely budged from his palm; it felt like trying to grab an eel—seemingly docile, yet slipping through his fingers the moment he held it.
"Do not rush, Your Highness," Eileen's voice pulled his attention, "Mana is not something to be forced—it must be coaxed, like a shy creature learning to trust. Feel the flow instead of commanding it."
"I'll try it." Exhaling deeply to ease the tension, Cassian heightened his focus on the Mana once again.
This time, the Mana stirred—though sluggish at first—it began its hesitant journey up to his wrist. A flick of triumph sparked in his chest, but it was short-lived as the Mana slipped from his grasp and retreated to his palm, eliciting a resigned sigh. 'How annoying.'
Cassian removed his hand and met her gaze, "What happens if a mage directly injects their Mana into an apprentice who hasn't been able to control their own Mana?"
"Should the mage attempt to forcefully tap into it on the apprentice's behalf, it could trigger something dangerous—like a Mana Burst. Without control, their Mana could spiral out of balance, endangering their surroundings and potentially causing permanent damage to their undeveloped Mana Reservoir."
'So, in other words, there's no shortcut to learning magic, huh?' Pushing aside his frustration, he extended his hand, "Can we try again?"
"Certainty, Your Highness." Eileen accepted his hand before reciting a spell.
When the cool sensation returned to his palm, Cassian poured all his attention into the Mana and carefully guided it forward. It stirred and crept to his wrist, but the progress was painfully slow, and the urge to force it upward clawed at him.
Just when it reached his forearm, the Mana slipped from his grasp and fell back to its starting point, drawing a sharp sigh from him as vexation gnawed at his patience.
"It's alright, Your Highness; don't be discouraged—you have made progress." Eileen encouraged him, though her words did little to ease his frustration.
He gave her a nod nonetheless. "Thank you."
"Would you like to try again?" Eileen offered her hand, and he accepted it.
"Yes, please." Still, it was too early to give up.
As she began the incantation, Cassian closed his eyes to concentrate more. If he failed at the first step, he shouldn't even dare to dream of thwarting every red flag in his way.
At long last, after countless failures and hours of effort, the Mana surged past his arm for the first time. His heart pounded fiercely, and sweat slid down his back as happiness, fear, hope, and doubt churned. Shoving those feelings aside, he directed all his focus into guiding the Mana.
And finally, after agonizing minutes, it eventually reached his heart, casting a refreshing sensation flooding his body. Nevertheless, Cassian couldn't help but breathe out in relief when a wave of catharsis swept through him, lifting the burden that was previously pinned on him.
"Your Highness, congratulations on regaining control of your Mana." Eileen congratulated him. Her beaming face glistened with sweat—much like his. It was only natural; hours of continuously channeling her Mana into him must have drained her Reservoir.
Cassian managed a faint smile. "Thank you."
"To gain better control, Your Highness should try guiding your Mana to different parts of your body. It's an excellent way to build mastery."
He nodded in acknowledgment, "I'll keep that in mind."
"Also, please be cautious with your magic usage. Casting spells that exceed your Reservoir's limit can damage it, leading to Mana Poisoning. This happens because Mana Reservoir automatically draws in Mana, and if it becomes damaged, excess Mana floods the body uncontrollably, causing unbearable pain."
The novel explained that while Mana Poisoning had no cure—as it was intangible, survivors could use a Mana Eater Stone to absorb excess Mana, though they would lose the ability to use Mana.
"And remember," Eileen continued, "overusing your Mana can lead to Mana Exhaustion. Symptoms include dizziness, coughing up blood, or even fainting. Should you experience any of these signs, it is imperative that you stop and rest immediately."
Cassian gave another nod. "I'll be careful."
Eileen studied him momentarily before raising her hand, where a pocket watch magically appeared in her grasp. After glancing at its face, she returned her gaze to him. "Let us conclude our training for today. Your Highness' well-being is paramount, and sufficient recuperation is essential."
"Understood." He had to admit that taking a break was undeniably tempting. The prolonged, intense focus left his head throbbing and his limbs fatigued.
Eileen retrieved a thick book and handed it to him, which he accepted. "This book should aid Your Highness in relearning magic."
Cassian glanced at the book in his hands. Its worn leather cover was inscribed with runic symbols in gold ink. Shifting his attention back to her, he nodded. "I appreciate the thoughtfulness, Master Eileen," he said, tucking the book under his arm. "I'll make good use of it."
Eileen offered a knowing smile. "I trust Your Highness will." With that, she curtseyed and bid him farewell, "I wish Your Highness a restful evening. I shall see you tomorrow for our next lesson."
Cassian inclined his head as she departed, watching her silhouette fade into the distance. Letting out a sigh of relief, he glanced skyward, watching how the clouds meander lazily. He was now a step closer to his goal.