The First Lesson

It’s been a few days since Ms. Eileen came to the village, it looks like she’s finally settled in. That’s right, today's the day! Me and Ein’s magic training begins today, but not without a few conditions.

“Since you will be missing schooltime in order to learn magic, I’m doubling the amount of homework you’ll be receiving.”

“What! That’s not fair!”

“Nina, you’re going to be a young lady soon. It’s about time you learned that everything in this world has a price. If you want to be Ms. Eileen’s student then you’re going to have to do twice the work.”

Why is my mom always like this, right when I’m about to have fun she has to come along and ruin it. Not only that, but besides additional homework she also planned to give me surprise tests too! And if I fail even on of them she’ll make me give up my training with Ms. Eileen! Ein is lucky not to have such a busy body as a mother, still I should agree. That way I don’t make things any worse for myself than they already are.

“Okay, I accept your terms.”

“Splendid! Now I won’t have to worry about you falling behind, and I get a little revenge too!”

Huh? Revenge? What in the world is my mother babbling about!?! Noticing my expression my mother called out to me.

“What’s with that expression, you didn’t think I wouldn’t counterattack when my precious daughter decided to choose a new teacher over me!”

My mother started laughing and gave me a playful tap on the shoulder, all I could do was stand there and watch her. How can you look so gleeful while playing with your daughter’s dreams and future. Have you any shame woman!

****

“Welcome you two, as promised your lessons in magic begin today. Of course the road to learning magic and performing it will be hard, if you wish to turn back now-”

“No Way! I’m not giving up until I learn everything you can teach me!”

“Excellent spirit Nina, now then what say you Ein?”

Ms. Eileen seemed impressed by my willpower, well I meant what I said. I’m not giving this up for the world, I’m going to learn everything I possibly can about magic. I then looked over to Ein, I was able to get this opportunity because of him. If he chickens out I’ll never forgive him!

“...I made Grandpa go through the trouble of calling you here. If I were to give up now, that would be no different from spitting on his efforts! Ms. Eileen, please allow me to be your student!”

“Wonderful, it’s nice to see some kids with some spunk. Very well, once again, Welcome to the world of magic you two.”

Good Ein! You’ve proven once again why you’re my good friend, it’s a bit startling how you’ve been acting a little different lately though. With the introduction out of the way, Ms. Eileen began explaining how magic worked to us.

“So you probably remember the measuring sphere from before, as I mentioned before it’s an item capable of measuring one’s mana compatibility. We’ll start by discussing that.”

Ms. Eileen walked to the back of her living quarters and began pushing over a blackboard. After pushing it close enough to where me and Ein were seated, Ms. Eileen stopped to take in a breath. I watched Ms. Eileen wiped the sweat from her brow and couldn’t help but question why she didn’t move the board with magic. Once she collected her breath, Ms. Eileen started up our discussion again.

“Mana compatibility, in short it’s one’s ability to resonate with their inner mana or outer mana. If one doesn’t have the compatibility then they shouldn’t attempt to use magic. Any questions so far?”

“Actually I have one, Ms. Eileen, I thought if you didn’t have the compatibility you wouldn’t be able to use magic at all?”

“Ah, so you picked up on that. Allow me to explain.”

Ms. Eileen took out a piece of chalk and began writing on the board, on it she drew what looked like a person. Inside the person she drew two small circles.

“In order to be compatible with mana and properly use magic, one needs an invisible organ called a mana core. In order to develop a mana core, those with mana compatibility need to become more sensitive to mana and learn how to draw it in from their surroundings. Once enough mana is drawn in, the mana core will develop slowly and upon completion will be able to hold the mana the user's body develops.”

“Wait, if the mana core is invisible, how would we know its there?”

“That’s where sensitivity comes in Nina, you won’t be able to see it but you will be able to feel it. When someone’s mana core awakens they usually get a warm feeling somewhere in their chest, that warmth being the mana they have stored in their body.”

Okay, so this mana core thing will make me feel warm on the inside. Probably like how a spoon full of soup would make me feel. As I thought on what I just learned, Ms. Eileen continued to explain.

“Then as I mentioned before, those without mana compatibility or rather a mana core can still use magic. However, doing so would put their lives at risk. Mana is similar to our body’s life energy after all, so if someone without a mana core tried using magic, they burn through that instead. Let this be a lesson to you two, use magic responsibly and at your own risk. Remember that if you cross the wrong line while using magic it could kill you.”

So our bodies can only use so much magic, and if we go over what our bodies can supply then our lives would be in danger. I think I’m starting to see why mom was afraid, the more I learn about magic the more dangerous I learn it is. Despite that, I still wanna learn it!

“I think that just about sums up your question Nina, Ein is there anything you want clarified?”

“Actually, I remember you mentioned inner and outer mana. Could you please tell me more about that?”

“Certainly, inner mana is the mana that dwells inside living things. In other words the mana we have in our mana core, as for outer mana that’s the mana that’s outside our bodies. That would be the mana of nature itself, and in order to awaken your mana cores you’ll need to inhale some of that natural mana. That way your body will learn to naturally filter and develop its own.”

Ein nodded along as Ms. Eileen explained things, she also added that people who could utilize outer mana for magic were a rarity. That goes especially for people who don’t even have a mana core, and just like that our first lesson with Ms. Eileen flew on by.