Chapter 8

After a few minutes of walking and descending a flight of stairs, they emerged onto a sprawling training ground. Rows of dummies stood in neat formation, archery targets lined along the edges. To the left, an armory stocked with weapons. The sight of them somehow brought back memories of his childhood.

At the center of the field stood a figure draped in black robes with golden trims—undoubtedly 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." Lucien nodded and resumed his stride.

Honestly, when it came to martial arts or handling weapons like swords, spears, or bows, he wasn't particularly worried. After all, who would've thought that the Historical European Martial Arts club he'd joined on a whim back in his old world would come in handy here?

With that settled, only one challenge remained: magic.

Just like any typical fantasy world, this one, of course, had magic. Unfortunately, there were no cheat skills to steal, and everything had to be learned from scratch.

As he drew closer, 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 dipped into a curtsey. "Greetings, Your Highness, I am Eileen, your Magic Arts instructor. It is an honor to serve you."

Lucien returned 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 you've been through."

"I appreciate your words," Lucien replied evenly, "but I'd prefer to focus on the task at hand."

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 a good excuse to relearn everything from the ground up.

Truthfully, he tried reading a book on magic, but Roseanne stopped him, insisting he focus on his recovery first. While he had a general understanding of how magic worked in this world, putting it into practice was an entirely different story.

"Certainly, Your Highness. Then, let us start with the concept of 'Mana.' Are you familiar with this term?"

Lucien nodded. "Yes, Mana is pure energy that exists throughout the world. It serves as the fundamental source for casting magic."

Eileen smiled in approval. "Correct. However, before we can perform any magic, we must first awaken our Mana Reservoir, which resides in our hearts. This reservoir allows us to store and access Mana when needed."

According to the lore, everyone was born with a nascent Mana Reservoir, a tiny, dormant core of magical potential, much like a seed waiting to sprout. With consistent practice and accumulated experience, the Mana Reservoir could gradually 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 the dormant Mana Reservoir. This process is essential, not just for awakening, but also as an initial lesson in understanding how to handle Mana."

"Can I try the awakening process?"

Technically, Lucien's Mana Reservoir had already been awakened. But right now, he was completely at a loss. Forget casting magic, he couldn't even handle Mana, which was the most basic requirement of all.

"Of course! May I have your hand?" Eileen extended her right hand, and Lucien placed his atop hers. "I will now begin the process."

With that brief warning, she chanted. A small, glowing magic circle appeared beneath their joined hands. A cool sensation spread across his palm, seeping into his skin like a stream of fresh spring water.

Lucien's brows knitted. 'Is this… Mana?'

Dismissing his wondering thoughts, he focused, attempting to guide the Mana toward his heart. However, it proved more challenging than he anticipated. Minutes passed, but the Mana remained stubbornly rooted in his palm. It felt like trying to grab an eel, seemingly docile, yet slithering through his fingers the moment he held it.

"Do not rush, Your Highness," Eileen's voice cut through his frustration, "Mana is not something to be forced; it must be coaxed, like a shy creature learning to trust. Feel its flow instead of commanding it."

"I'll try." Lucien exhaled deeply, releasing the tension coiled in his chest, and redirected his focus to the Mana once more.

This time, the Mana stirred, sluggish at first, but it began a hesitant crawl up toward his wrist. A flick of triumph sparked in his chest, only to be snuffed out as the Mana slipped from his grasp and sank back into his palm.

He let out a resigned sigh. 'How annoying.'

Lucien withdrew his hand and met her gaze. "What happens if a mage directly injects their Mana into an apprentice's heart who can't control their own yet?"

Eileen's expression grew serious. "Should the mage attempt to forcefully tap into the reservoir on the apprentice's behalf, it could trigger something dangerous, like a Mana Burst. Without control, the Mana may spiral out of balance, endangering not just the apprentice, but everyone nearby. Worse, it could cause permanent damage to their undeveloped Reservoir."

'So, in other words, there's no shortcut to learning magic, huh?' Suppressing his frustration, he extended his hand again, "Can we try once more?"

"Certainly, Your Highness." Eileen accepted his hand before reciting a spell.

When the cool sensation returned to his palm, Lucien 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?" she asked, extending her hand.

He took it without hesitation. "Yes, please."

It was still too early to give up.

As she began the incantation, Lucien 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 relentless effort, the Mana surged past his arm for the first time. His heart pounded in his chest, sweat slid down his back as a storm of happiness, fear, hope, and doubt churned within. Shoving those feelings aside, he directed all his focus on guiding the Mana.

And finally, after agonizing minutes, it eventually reached his heart. A breath escaped his lips when a wave of catharsis swept through him, lifting the invisible weight that had long pinned him down.

"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.

Lucien managed a faint smile. "Thank you."

"To gain better control, Your Highness should practice guiding your Mana throughout your body and back to the Reservoir. It's an effective way to build mastery."

He nodded in acknowledgment, "I'll keep that in mind."

"Also, please be cautious with your magic usage," she warned gently. "Continuously casting spells beyond your Reservoir's capacity can damage it, leading to Mana Poisoning. Once the Reservoir is compromised, it loses its ability to regulate absorption—excess Mana floods the body, causing excruciating pain."

Mana Poisoning had no known cure, as it was intangible. Survivors could rely on a Mana Eater Stone to absorb the surplus Mana, but doing so would strip them of the ability to use magic forever.

"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, stop immediately and rest."

Lucien 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 checking the time, she looked back at him. "Let us conclude today's training. Your well-being is paramount, and proper rest is essential for progress."

"Understood."

He had to admit that taking a break was undeniably tempting. The prolonged, intense focus left his head throbbing and his limbs heavy with fatigue.

Eileen retrieved a thick book and handed it to him. "This should assist Your Highness in relearning magic and reclaiming your abilities as a mage."

Lucien accepted it, his gaze falling on the worn leather cover etched with runic symbols in shimmering gold.

He looked back at her and nodded. "I appreciate the thought, Master Eileen," he said, tucking the book under his arm. "I'll put it to good use."

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 at our next lesson."

Lucien inclined his head as she departed, watching her retreating figure until it disappeared from view. Letting out a sigh of relief, he glanced skyward, watching how the clouds meandered lazily.

He was now a step closer to his goal.