3. Taking a walk outside.

It is a weird weather. Not quite cold considering the feeling like it is always night time. Rather than immediately going the path the party took. I will be heading the opposite way. If what's written is true. People don't usually bother to learn how to see magic. They just accept it as it is. Even with how easy it is to integrate mana with your senses. People avoid it enough where it is not a common to "see", "smell", "feel", "hear", or even "taste" mana.

To be fair, it is absolutely draining to use mana on your senses. My limit is around ten minutes before my eyes feel as dry as the desert. As I was thinking to myself, I heard a rustling sound in front of me. While it may seems counterintuitive to focus on body strengthening mana usage. It is really helpful since it helps me how to tolerate mana in my body easier. If I have to give it a number. I would say I can strengthen a part of my body for thirty minutes.

I used some of my mana to jump and climb a tree quickly. While on top of the tree, I enhanced my eyes to see more clearly. Huh... weird. A lone wolf seemingly snarling at nothing. Something clicked in my brain and I used the mana to "see" the world. Rather than physically enhancing my vision, using the mana to "see" the world feels more like putting on a glasses. "What even is that?". A blur of darkness is moving closer to the wolf, while it looks scary. For some reason, my instinct is telling me it is safe for me to approach. Well, I cannot really trust my instinct since what caused me to arrive here but let's take our chances.

I walk slowly toward the wolf, the blur of darkness moves towards me. I pretend like I cannot see it and go straight for the wolf. I hold my hand out and it lets me pet it. "NOT FAIR!" I hear someone screamed. I look behind me and the blur is right in my face grinning while saying "Got you." I jump back while the wolf continues to growl at it. "But still, I saw the dog first. I should be the one to pet it." I applied physical vision enhancement to my eyes that are using the "glasses" and to my surprise I actually can see the blur more clearly. A dark, rugged cloak that is covering a tiny and thin body. Pitch black hair with glowing purple eyes staring right at the wolf. 

"What if you make yourself more physically visible?" I suggested to her. She puts her hand together and closes her eyes. It seems like her body is collecting the mana in the air. The concept is easy to understand but hard to grasp. Even Elara requires her staff as a medium to convert natural mana into usable mana. Depending on who this person is, I might die right now. I nudged my head to the wolf, essentially hoping it would understand me and let this girl pet it.

The girl opens her eyes and put her hands in front of the wolf. The wolf walks toward her hands, "You are so soft!" she exclaimed. My body cannot take it anymore and I stopped the flow of my mana. "Now you." She switched her attention to me. She looks at me from head to toe. Knowing my life is on the line.

 "May I help you?" I asked.

"What's your name?" She asked me back.

 "Chiara" I briefly answered.

A short silence hung in the air that feels like an eternity.

"Cute name! Hey, wanna be friend? As thanks for letting me pet this dog?"

I chuckle out of nervousness and asks her name.

"Name's Nyxaloria, but you can call me Nyx!" she answered while still hugging the dog.

"Okay, Nyx. Nice to meet you." As soon as I finished my sentence, she jumps and hugs me.

I look at the wolf and both of us understand what we are dealing with is not something normal. She continues to hug me for 3 minutes. As she let go, I pat the wolf and he immediately warms up to me. 

"Then Nyx, wanna take yourself for a journey?" I asked.

"To the city? Sure." She quickly answered.

I won't ask, I won't pry on how she knew I am going to the city. One wrong sentence and I'm gone. We walk back to the castle where I arrived and gives her the final food I have.

"Are you familiar with this area?" 

"No, not anymore at least."

"Where do you think we should go from here?"

"I don't know, also looks like you already know where to go"

"Right."

We spent the night around the bonfire. While the suspicious girl and the wolf are sleeping. I studied the map left by Veritas. Looks like I severely underestimated the party. After carefully cross referencing different maps from his journey diaries. The closest village is 7 days of walking. I planned the route down and continue analyzing his papers on mana understanding.

While it seems like using mana may strain your body. He explained that it is the same as body building. The first few times of "going to the gym" will force you to use mana pathways that you are not used to. That's why a lot of people don't seem to learn how to use mana to "sense" the world because they are either used to physically enhancing their body or using mana externally as magic spells. It is like if you are a really good runner or powerlifter. Why would you bother learning calisthenics?

As I meditate to expand my mana pathway. I open my eyes to see Nyx staring at me.