Sylvithra stood with her arms crossed, observing me carefully. Verania, as usual, looked far too excited about whatever chaos was about to unfold. The training courtyard still bore scorch marks and chunks of shattered stone from my earlier "learning experiences," but that didn't seem to bother either of them.
I, on the other hand, was very bothered.
Because I had just realized something very important.
I had no idea how much magic I could actually use before it ran out.
This was a critical issue.
Every magic user had a limit, some resource mana, energy, spiritual reserves, whatever you wanted to call it. It was what stopped people from summoning hurricanes every time they got annoyed.
Which meant I should have an MP stat.
But when I pulled up my status screen earlier, where that number should have been…
It wasn't a number.
It was just ???
Which was concerning.
Very concerning.
I tried not to panic as I internally screamed at my system.
"Hey," I called out mentally. "You want to explain why my MP is a bunch of question marks?!"
The system hummed thoughtfully before responding.
[ System Analysis: Unknown Mana Capacity ]
[ Current Status: Your MP cannot be quantified using conventional numerical values. All attempts to measure it result in undefined parameters. ]
[ Translation: Even I don't know. ]
I froze.
"…What."
[ You heard me. Your mana pool is either too large, too unstable, or fundamentally incompatible with standard magical limits. The system cannot process it. ]
I stared at the floating text in disbelief.
"You're telling me," I muttered internally, "that even you have no idea how much magic I actually have?"
[ Correct. ]
Oh, that was not good.
That was very, very not good.
I clenched my fists, trying to think.
There were only two explanations for this.
One: My MP was so insanely high that the system just gave up trying to calculate it.
Or two: My MP was not infinite but was being drained or manipulated in a way that defied normal magic.
Neither option was comforting.
Before I could spiral too hard, Sylvithra motioned toward me.
"Your next task," she said smoothly, "is to determine your endurance. We will measure how long you can maintain spellcasting before your reserves begin to deplete."
Oh.
Oh no.
I tried not to look suspicious as I nodded. "Right. Okay. Sounds… completely reasonable and normal."
Verania grinned. "Let's see how long before she passes out."
Sylvithra shot her a look. "That is not the goal."
Verania shrugged. "But it is a potential outcome."
I exhaled slowly.
Alright. This was fine.
If I couldn't see my MP, I would just go along with the training and hope that my system figured something out before I exploded.
I took a steadying breath and reached inward, calling for magic.
This time, I aimed for something simple a sphere of water. Not fire. Not lightning. Something manageable.
A sphere of shimmering liquid formed between my hands, rippling softly like it was made of light rather than water.
So far, so good.
Sylvithra watched carefully. "Hold it. Maintain the flow."
I nodded, keeping my focus.
Five seconds.
Ten seconds.
Twenty seconds.
The water remained steady, no signs of flickering or instability.
Verania raised an eyebrow. "Not bad. Let's push it."
Sylvithra gave her a flat look. "Controlled testing. No pushing."
"Fine," Verania sighed.
A full minute passed.
Then two.
Then five.
Nothing changed.
I felt zero strain.
Which… was odd.
I should have felt something exhaustion, magical strain, at least a tiny bit of fatigue. But my body felt exactly the same.
Sylvithra tilted her head. "Are you feeling any depletion?"
I hesitated. "…No?"
Verania grinned. "Interesting."
Another five minutes passed.
Still no change.
Sylvithra's brows furrowed slightly. "Strange. Even with high magical reserves, sustained casting should create some level of fatigue."
Verania leaned forward. "Unless she doesn't have a limit."
Sylvithra gave her a sharp look. "That would be impossible."
Verania smirked. "Would it?"
Sylvithra didn't respond.
Instead, she raised a hand, and a small, silver rune formed in the air between us. "I will attempt to analyze the flow of your magic. Do not resist."
I nodded, watching as the rune floated toward me.
The moment it touched my magic, a violent ripple shot through the air.
The rune shattered instantly.
Sylvithra's eyes widened slightly.
Verania laughed. "Oh, that's never a good sign."
The palace mages who had been watching from a safe distance began whispering frantically.
Sylvithra remained completely still for a moment.
Then, very calmly, she said, "Try a different element."
I dismissed the water and summoned fire.
The same thing happened.
A controlled, steady flame hovered above my palm, unchanging, unwavering.
Another five minutes passed.
No strain.
No exhaustion.
Nothing.
Sylvithra's lips pressed into a thin line.
Verania crossed her arms. "So, what's the verdict?"
Sylvithra was silent for a long moment.
Then, finally, she exhaled slowly. "Her magic is not following normal depletion mechanics."
I frowned. "Meaning?"
Sylvithra considered her words carefully. "Either your reserves are incomprehensibly vast, or…"
I leaned forward. "Or?"
She finally looked at me, expression unreadable.
"Or you are not using mana at all."
The courtyard fell completely silent.
I blinked.
"…What?"
Verania looked delighted. "Oh, I like where this is going."
I, on the other hand, did not like where this was going.
At all.
Sylvithra remained silent, her gaze fixed on me, calculating. I knew that look. It was the "I am trying to figure out if I need to lock my own daughter in a containment ward" look.
Verania, in contrast, was positively thrilled about this new development.
"So," she said, grinning, "you're telling me that my daughter isn't just overpowered, she's running on a completely unknown power source?"
Sylvithra exhaled slowly. "That is the current theory."
"Excellent," Verania declared, hands on her hips. "We should immediately start pushing her limits."
Sylvithra gave her a sharp look. "Absolutely not."
"But what if—"
"No, Verania."
Verania huffed, crossing her arms. "You never let me have any fun."
I cleared my throat, still processing the fact that my magic didn't work like a normal person's. "So, uh. Just to clarify what does this mean for me? Long term?"
Sylvithra studied me carefully. "It means that your magic does not function within known parameters. Which, in turn, means we do not know your upper limit, your point of exhaustion, or your potential consequences for overuse."
"Great," I muttered. "So basically, I have no idea how much magic I can use before I drop dead."
Mara, standing at the edge of the training area, whispered, "That's the most terrifying thing I've ever heard."
Elira, still standing next to her, whispered back. "We should start praying."
Verania clapped me on the back. "Don't worry, kid. If you ever do hit your limit, we'll find out together."
"That is not reassuring," I said flatly.
Sylvithra, ignoring both of us, tapped her chin thoughtfully. "We will need to conduct controlled tests. Measured exertion, tracking how your body reacts under different conditions."
I did not like the sound of that.
Verania smirked. "See? That's the boring way to do it."
"It is the responsible way to do it," Sylvithra corrected.
"Tomato, tomahto," Verania mused.
Sylvithra turned back to me. "For now, focus on summoning magic in controlled bursts. Shorter activations, rather than prolonged casting. We will monitor for any signs of strain."
I nodded. "Right. Okay. That seems… reasonable."
I focused again, calling a small flame into existence.
The fire flickered in my palm, steady and contained.
No wild explosions. No out-of-control spirals. Just… a normal flame.
Sylvithra observed closely. "Hold it. Maintain the form. If you feel any changes, stop immediately."
I held my breath, watching the fire.
Ten seconds.
Thirty seconds.
A full minute.
Nothing.
No exhaustion. No drain.
It was like holding a weightless object. Like the flame wasn't pulling from me at all, but instead from something else entirely.
Sylvithra narrowed her eyes. "Now dismiss it."
I flicked my wrist, letting the fire vanish.
Again no change.
I felt exactly the same.
Verania whistled. "That's not normal."
Sylvithra tilted her head slightly. "No. It is not."
I frowned, flexing my fingers. "So… I have infinite magic?"
Sylvithra shook her head. "Nothing is truly infinite. But whatever your reserves are, they are beyond conventional measurement."
I sighed, running a hand down my face. "So in conclusion: I am weird, my magic is weird, and no one knows what's happening."
Verania patted my shoulder. "Welcome to the family, kid."
Mara, still watching from the sidelines, muttered, "This is the worst possible outcome."
Elira, next to her, looked like she was contemplating her life choices.
I sighed again, rubbing my temples. "Fine. What's next?"
Sylvithra straightened. "Now, we try different elemental affinities. If the pattern remains the same, we may be able to determine the scope of your power."
I stretched my fingers. "Okay. Let's do this."
Because at this point, what else could I do except roll with it?