Another world, Celeste

Chapter Two, pt 3

That evening after returning to Maya's house, I check how many percentages of battery are left before my phone dies. I've been holding back from using it, well, it's not like I can call or send a message to anyone. Smartphone probably doesn't exist in this world or maybe there is something similar. It's possible. I should ask Lord Sol the next time I see him.

The next morning, Lord Sol shows up at the house by himself. It seems he's quite familiar with the layout of the place after seating himself on the sofa. Maya excuses herself to return to her research, leaving me alone with him. I blankly stare at him.

He starts by saying, "Lorelai and I discussed it would be better for you to stay in this house for a while to avoid a commotion. As for the task given to us by the benevolent being,"

He means Selene. Just by finding out that Selene has that much faith in him, he's taking these awfully serious. More importantly, he's telling me I'm practically stuck here for a while because of my hair but judging from what happened with Bane yesterday, it could be because of that too. A Great Wolf walking around the village would make a commotion.

"I will be your tutor. Before we begin, I am curious about one thing."

"What is it?" I ask.

"After you learn all that you need to know, have you thought of what you would do from here on? If you decide to stay with Maya and live in Kirashira village, you have my blessing. If not, then do you intend to travel to other lands and achieve the top rank of mages or become a first-class adventurer? With your status, you could." Lord Sol voices out his thoughts.

I shake my head and deny his suggestions.

"First, just because I now could use magic, it does not mean I'm going to flaunt it or use it to gain prestige. Second, I used to live in a world where there are no more wars and monsters are but a fairy-tale. Third, the skills I have does not make me a battle maniac. People learn them as physical activity. In my case, to prevent a lifeless existence."

"If it's not for prestige nor fame, what is your wish?" He enquires, seeming intrigued by my reasoning.

I look into his eyes filled with determination.

"To live freely. I told her I would live well and I planned to do so," I answer him with a wide smile.

The lesson immediately starts with learning how to suppress my mana. We move to a space in the garden with Bane watching from the corner. Lord Sol begin by manifesting a water bubble in his hand then pokes his finger into it and the bubble burst. He explains the durability can be strengthened depending on how much mana is fed into it. He creates a second water bubble with twice the amount of mana from earlier. This time I poke it but it doesn't burst. Instead, it wobbles like a balloon. Once I learn how to control mana perfectly, I can create a bubble and shaped it into whatever form I want.

"Now, what happens when you wrung a wet towel?" Lord Sol raises a question.

I answer, "Water comes out."

He proceeds with another question. "Then the opposite, when you place a dry towel into a bowl of water?"

I answer again, "The towel soaks the water as much as it can."

"Good. Now, visualise yourself soaking mana into your body."

Perplex by his words, I first try by inhaling a deep breath for as long as I can. Imagine the air around me is water and I'm the dry towel that needs to be soaked. Ten seconds later. Nothing. I feel nothing different.

"Am I doing it right?" I ask after releasing my breath.

"It has been decades since I talked about the basis of mana. I momentarily forgot that you are not familiar with the concept. Show me your hands."