Chapter 8: C8 - Baby's First Spell

Unfortunately, my hopes of traveling to Nestad with Duke Calo were dashed. I couldn't deny feeling a twinge of disappointment at missing the opportunity to meet my future grandfather. However, I rationalized that there must be reasons, likely tied to the mysteries of my summoning and the temple's involvement, which prevented my introduction.

The prospect of being adopted by the ducal couple held immense appeal for several reasons, chief among them being my past realization that my lack of power had led to my demise in my previous life.

I'm not suggesting that power will render me immortal or invincible, but it would certainly pave the way for a happier life, which is ultimately my goal.

During the summer, I dedicated myself to practice and unraveling the intricacies of magic. I discovered that to cast a spell, one must first expel and concentrate mana, then apply a specific ratio of elemental forces, and finally visualize the desired outcome. The elemental forces—Life, Heat, Lightning, Time, Void, Cold, Matter, Space, Light, and Darkness—seemed peculiar and otherworldly.

Initially, I focused on absorbing more mana, understanding that having a surplus would prove beneficial when casting spells. As I closed my eyes and concentrated on the suspended mana particles, I found it slightly easier to condense them—like syrup rather than molasses.

The increase in wisdom by two points appears to enhance mana control, thereby increasing mana efficiency.

I eagerly swallowed the mana pill, anticipating its effects. However, my enthusiasm quickly turned to agony as it seemed to explode within me. While I had braced myself for the pain, having endured it once before, this time it was excruciating—far worse than I had remembered.

The sensation was as if my skin and muscles were attempting to separate from my skeleton in protest. Despite my previous experiences, including death, the pain felt overwhelming, reducing me to cries of agony that echoed through the room, summoning Mona to my side.

Concerned, she lifted me gently, her voice a mix of scolding and worry. "What are we going to do with you? You're normally so well-behaved! This is the second time you've cried out as if you're dying. If something is wrong, you'd tell me, wouldn't you?" She bounced me in her arms, trying to comfort me, wiping away my tears as she examined me once more.

Finding nothing amiss, she reluctantly laid me back down, but it was clear I was far from okay.

Warning! By exceeding your maximum mana capacity while still recovering from mana poisoning you have taken 10 damage.

You have absorbed 1 MP from the ambient mana! +1 MP capacity.

I realized that I needed to absorb one MP, endure the damage, and then fully heal from the attempt. Rushing the process would result in double the damage. I inwardly groaned, realizing that this limitation would further hinder my growth. Additionally, my HP was alarmingly low. I checked my Status.

HP: 10/25

MP: 27/27

Status: Awake. Alert. Recovering from severe mana poisoning.

I had overlooked the mana poisoning aspect previously, assuming that as long as I healed, I'd be fine since I wasn't taking constant damage. I also thought it meant I could withstand slightly more damage. Now, I realized I would have to wait for it all to heal, likely one point at a time.

This limitation seemed to reveal a gap in the system's ability to translate physical reality into words. There were likely more complex biological processes at play.

Deciding to shift my focus from mana to spellcraft and magic, I resolved to break down each component step and understand them individually.

The steps involved in spellcasting are release, condense, ratio of elements, and visualization. I closed my eyes and honed my mana sense inward. Sensations of mana circulating my body, akin to eddy currents, became apparent. Focusing, I willed a portion of mana to exit through my palm, sensing its departure and integration with the surrounding mana.

To my surprise, the mana I expelled felt markedly easier to control. Its flow resembled water more than the ambient syrup-like mana. This realization hinted at why mages preferred to use their internal mana reserves for casting spells, rather than relying on ambient mana, which would require an impractical amount of time to gather.

Continuing to concentrate, I observed the released mana slowly dissipating and returning to the ambient pool. Despite my efforts, only a small portion remained, condensed down to the size of a rice grain, indicating the use of only one MP.

I expelled a larger amount of mana and promptly began condensing it. Uncertain of the required compression level for a spell to take effect, I experimented with varying degrees of compression.

Eventually, I reached a point where further compression seemed impossible, akin to reaching a maximum density. At this level, the mana, once a handful of ambient essence, had condensed to a point resembling the tip of a needle.

My experiments consumed five MP. Contemplating whether I could expedite MP regeneration by absorbing ambient mana, I noted that I only incurred damage when exceeding my mana vessel's capacity.

I cautiously drew in more mana, equivalent to one MP or a pea-sized pill, and swallowed it. Sensing it dissolve and merge with my mana, I realized it wasn't being absorbed immediately. Checking my status, I sought to understand the impact of this action. Status.

MP: 23/28 (regen +1%)

That's new. I tapped on the buff.

Actively Absorbed Mana

Absorbed 1 MP worth of ambient mana, Increasing mana recovery rate by 1%. Duration: 1 minute

Ah I see, that's good to file away. I hesitated, wary of overdoing it and risking further damage. Uncertain of the consequences of absorbing more mana than needed, I considered the possibility of being at full capacity with a substantial absorbed mana reserve. If I absorbed a hundred MP but only needed five, I might still face consequences, possibly even risking a second demise. Such uncertainties left me cautious about absorbing more mana than necessary.

With this new information, I let my MP regenerate naturally over the next five minutes as I pondered the nature of the betrayal that had Count Nestad so concerned, compelling him to seek aid from his son-in-law.

The ducal couple seemed to suspect another Duke, mentioning two possibilities: Duke Vidia, dismissed as a pushover, and Duke Antano, who was considered potentially loyal but possessed a dangerous amount of power. However, without more context on the political landscape or geography, this information remained somewhat cryptic.

There was also mention of Duke Antano undertaking the construction of another "Great Tunnel." I found myself curious about the length of the current tunnel and how it compared to the tunnels of Earth. In my previous world, humanity had developed technology capable of vaporizing rock, breaking down molecules into atoms, and then rearranging them into new structures.

Currently, there were seven tunnels beneath the Tibetan Plateau, with the longest spanning over a thousand miles from old Nepal to Eastern China.

I wondered what secrets lay within this new tunnel, and how its construction might affect the delicate balance of power among the dukes. Would it serve as a strategic advantage or a potential threat?