Basics of Magic (Part 1)

The book in my hands began by explaining what magic was. It was said to be miracles granted by the gods through giving their powers to the world. And what they gave unto the world and blessed unto its creatures was mana, the fuel of the miracle called magic.

All creatures who walk in this world have mana, whether they be feeble or substantial, they vary from creature to creature, but mana nonetheless. Mana can be found within beings, and thus can be controlled by the being storing the mana.

However, how much they can achieve depends on the amount of mana they possess. As for the question as to why a few had a considerable amount while others small, the answer was unclear.

Others say it came from their ancestors, from exceptional beings. Others say they were favored by the gods. Some say it was only random.

However, with great mana comes power. Perhaps that was why most of those above in the hierarchy whether in aristocracy or something else was positioned high because of their power.

Hm. Maybe that’s why nobles in Wisteria were said to have more mana compared to commoners.

The book then went on talking about magic. Magic was a product of imaginations and wishes. Creatures wish light, so can magic bring light. One imagines a blue fire, came the existence of blue fire. All was achievable by expending mana.

Those who have no experience in magic cannot manipulate their mana yet. One needs practice. Like how a baby at birth doesn’t know how to stand and walk, but as they grew, they would learn. Like how you can't sew clothes perfectly at first, but with practice one can perfect such skill.

I was slightly concerned about this. It made me wonder, if mana was already there inside the moment you came into existence, then are the people in this world instinctively familiar with mana?

I am not originally from this world. Therefore, it was a bit concerning. All this magic and mana was completely foreign to me after all.

Doesn’t matter, I’m trying it at some point anyway. Only then will I know the true difficulties.

The book then went on to explain what a Spell was. A spell, basically, was magic given form and purpose. So I took it that a spell was a specified type of magic given shape or something like that, so the term Magic was more like a general term used when talking about something that had no specifications.

I then saw an illustration of a human body. It somewhat reminded me of Leonardo Da Vinci’s drawing of the human body. The one that had its arms spread out. Except this one had some sort of veins spread out throughout the entire body.

In modern terms, I see it as some sort of circuit. They gave the circuits the term “Mystic Medium”. An intangible medium where mana passes through which one can freely manipulate. That said, it was also mentioned that the center of mana couldn’t be finalized. That was because none can determine the central point of their mana.

Therefore, it was generally theorized that the Mystic Medium was the center as a whole.

Woah wait, why the hell is there theory all of a sudden?

I expected this book would head straight to how one can control mana and do magic and stuff.

Whatever, this might prove useful when being practical.

It then went on to say that one’s Mystic Medium was not final and mentioned it can grow. Some may be born naturally with a feeble amount of mana, or vast, if they nurture their Mystic Medium, they can grow.

The more you strive to make it grow, so will your mana. It was explained that the medium grows figuratively larger, so does the container of mana, and the medium which mana uses to flow through.

Hm, so like a bottle, a container for mana. But a bottle doesn’t expand. So maybe I’ll just see it as a balloon? No, just a flexible channel or something like that. Just gotta stretch it to expand it.

It was mentioned that the amount of mana can be increased through training and time.

Okay…

Then, I finally reached what appears to be instructions — or should it be said a tutorial.

I read them all and it took me several minutes.

I frowned so hard, harder than I did for a long time.

The fuck?

The fuck indeed.

I, well, sort of squeezed the book in my hand.

This, this book was bullshit!

The instructions were not clear at all!

Let me give you a short explanation.

To use magic, expend mana. To expend mana, you need to manipulate it. To manipulate it however… it was more abstract than I initially thought.

It said that sense the mana inside you, feel the Medium which existed inside you. Feel the flow of the mysterious still stream sleeping inside. Reach for it which was beyond the touchable.

Grasp it, wave it, control it, express it out.

Embrace the familiar one that lies beyond which can be held, which was mana. Then, let it out of your body.

……..

Cool.

Big problem though. How the fuck do I do that?! Where’s the damn logical steps? You know, one plus one, two plus two, step by step on what you should do. Process on what you should go through. Tch.

Reach for it which was beyond the touchable?? How do I do that?

This didn’t make any logical sense.

Nothing could get more abstract than this.

And beginners manage with this book? How!?

Oh, also, the familiar one? Haha, I don’t even know how that feels. Estelia’s memories were not helping me at all. Maybe it was too vague to become a permanent or memorable memory.

.... Fine, I’ll do whatever I can.

I stood up from my seat, a bit aggressive due to how displeased I am. I put down the book and closed my eyes. Took deep breaths, I eased up my body, the muscles loosened, I tried to do what it was said in the book.

Feel what was inside, reach beyond.

Time passed, and it was now a couple minutes.

It was then that I tensed up my muscles. Maybe, you know, if I exert physical force, the mana would come out. My fists began to clench. I feel so tough and stiff, exerting all the strength of my muscles that I may as well fart.

Then, shortly, I opened my eyes.

…….. I didn’t do shit!

Grrrrrrrrr, how do I do it properly?

Dammit. Calm down, patience. Yes, patience. Shit, why was I so impatient all of a sudden? I assessed myself for a moment, trying to understand what was going on with myself. A self reflection. The way I am now wouldn’t do.

Then I came to a conclusion.

I felt inferior. I was one of the greatest in the organization, one of the many skillful fighters in the world. One of the most skilled amongst the assassins. But here, I was insignificant, comparable to a mere damn ant. Not because I was unskilled, but because of a strange source of power. And, I was trying to catch up as fast as I could.

Catching up to the standards of this world, of society.

But, who wouldn’t feel bitter when you went through a lot of things just to get overwhelmed by something all of a sudden? I went through hell for my abilities. Those physical training, emotional training, teachings, combat, endurance. How many of my fellows have I killed just to pass the tests?

I took pride in my skills. But now, the right to feel that way was being stripped away from me.

How annoying. This was amateurish of me. I shouldn’t feel intensely this way.

I took in a deep breath.

I’ll take this, step by step. Slow and steady. Being impatient would only do nothing good for me. I’ll catch up.

I pondered my failure. This was a book for beginners. But in my perspective, it was vague. Meaning, there was something wrong — or rather, abnormal about me compared to the people of this world.

A familiar one, it was mentioned. Therefore, there was a chance that my theory earlier was correct. That the people of this world were instinctively familiar with mana.

They were born with it after all.

However, I may need something that contributes to its confirmation.

And, I may need assistance in doing this.

I turned around after taking my book. I came to the far back corner of the lobby where my servants were.

“Your highness?” Vernon looked surprised by my sudden appearance.

I faced and asked him.

“Vernon, this book, is this used by beginners?”

“Yes it is.”

“Can you really do the instructions laid out here?”

He slightly tilted his head, as though puzzled by my question.

“Of course, your highness. I’ve read it in the past, and I can say with assurance that the instructions given were correct and were expressed well.”

Seriously?

“Even when it was abstract?”

“Abstract…? I suppose it was a bit, but it was understandable and applicable.”

“...”

I think this much confirms it. They have instincts in magic.

This makes it more complicated… and more difficult.