"Aaaaahhh…"
Kaelen let out a long yawn as he stared into the mirror. The dark circles under his eyes had deepened, and his complexion had grown pale. The signs of sleeplessness clung not just to his eyes but to every lethargic movement of his body. His joints ached, and with every breath he took, the exhaustion settled in even more clearly. Still, morning had come, and there was no place left to hide.
Throughout the night, his door had been knocked on again and again. Questions, worries, suggestions… But Kaelen hadn't responded to any of them. He hadn't let anyone inside; he ignored every voice. He knew he needed to talk to them eventually, but being the center of attention, having all eyes fixed on him… That was something he despised. Deeply.
He had needed to do what he did—but the aftermath was far from pleasant for him.
He splashed handfuls of cold water onto his face. The icy shock seeped into his skin and cleared his mind just enough for him to keep going. After staring at his reflection a moment longer, he ran a hand through his messy black hair and moved toward the wardrobe with heavy steps. He reached out, took his uniform, and dressed carefully. When the fabric brushed against his skin, he let out a resigned sigh, as if accepting there was no escape now.
"I guess I'm ready," he muttered to himself.
As he opened his door, he noticed the door to his right opening at the exact same moment. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that his neighbor Amanda had stepped outside as well, clearly just awakened. Seeing her brought a faintly mischievous smile to his lips. He hadn't expected to run into her, but the sight secretly pleased him.
"Good morning, Amanda. You look especially lovely today."
He greeted her warmly, as if they had known each other for years. But Amanda's reaction was far from what he expected.
"Hhck… I think I'm still asleep…"
The blonde girl squinted at Kaelen. Her eyes were still heavy with sleep, but the confusion on her face was obvious—like she had woken up into the wrong reality.
She rubbed her eyes, looked at him again, then silently retreated back into her room. But seconds later, the door swung open and she stormed out. This time her eyes were fully awake—but her expression was far more chaotic.
"What kind of luck is this…? Shit!"
she yelled, her pale face beginning to flush bright red.
Kaelen could easily assume she was simply embarrassed, but he knew better.
Still smiling, he spoke:
"Good morning. Now that we're neighbors, how about we break the ice? We were together the whole exam after all. What happens in the exam stays in the exam."
His voice was calm, though his teasing tone was impossible to hide. Amanda, however, stared at him with frightened eyes. When she spoke, her voice was serious—borderline angry.
"I'm definitely asking the Headmaster to change my room. And please, stop making that face when you talk to me. It's terrifying."
Kaelen tilted his head slightly, and for the first time, a hint of vulnerability slipped into his voice.
"Oh, come on… I saved your life how many times? Don't be so cruel. Besides, finding a useful slave—sorry, friend—like you is pretty rare."
Amanda crossed her arms.
"So now you're not even trying to hide what you really think. Am I supposed to thank you for throwing me two hundred meters down onto a field of rocks?"
Kaelen shrugged.
"That's what you asked for, remember? You said, 'I want to fall from really high and go shwoooosh and die dramatically.'"
Amanda scowled.
"Yes, but while going shwoooosh, I expected it to happen instantly!"
"…Isn't that the same thing?"
"Yes, but not like that! You did it because you thought it would be fun, didn't you? Tell me I'm wrong."
"…Yes."
Kaelen's quiet voice sounded genuinely apologetic.
Since being reborn, the only person he could speak to comfortably—besides that useless saint—was Amanda. In truth, even in his past life, she had been someone he respected.
Kaelen thought back to old memories, and his expression twisted with discomfort.
"Damn. I really didn't want to remember that."
He snapped out of his thoughts and called after her:
"Hey, where are you going? Let me come with you. You know I don't have many friends… I don't want to walk alone. Are you really going to leave me out here all alone in the cold?"
Amanda stopped, turned around, and rolled her eyes.
"Every time I do something with you, disaster follows. You're like a walking lightning rod for trouble. And it's 23 degrees out—stop acting like some pampered little lapdog, it's not helping your case."
Kaelen grinned.
"It wasn't that bad though… right?"
Amanda tied her blonde hair back and began walking. Then she suddenly paused, tilting her head slightly as she called back:
"Hey, don't fall behind! I'm going to be late, and I really don't want that!"
---
The library building in the western wing of Eldorian Academy stood like a silent stone fortress, with its sunlit columns and intricately carved arched windows glowing under the morning light. Above the entrance door, an inscription in an ancient language read: "The unknown reveals itself only to those who seek it."
Amanda climbed the steps slowly, the hem of her robe brushing softly against the stone. Determination shone in her eyes, and she clutched her notebook, rubbing her cold fingers together impatiently. Leaving Kaelen behind without a word, she entered the library. The wide double doors welcomed her into a vast, humming silence.
The interior was cool and dim. Hundreds of shelves reached all the way to the high ceiling, packed with books. Pale light filtered through the glass ceiling, illuminating tiny floating dust particles. Every step produced a faint creak from the polished floors. Crystal lamps embedded in the walls flickered gently, giving the space a misty, mysterious aura.
Amanda headed toward the far end of the main hall, to the section titled "Theoretical Mana Transitions and Seed Structures." Her fingertips brushed the spines of the books until she found what she was looking for: "Seed Phases and Their Internal Structures." She carefully pulled it from the shelf and settled into a quiet corner lit by a wide window.
As she opened the pages, several yellowed sheets fell out. She glanced at one—handwritten diary entries.
Footsteps approached.
"Why haven't they transferred all of these books into digital form yet? It'd be so much easier."
Kaelen's voice cut through the dense, book-heavy air. Amanda didn't bother looking up.
"Hm. You know you can inject mana into these books and instantly memorize everything in them. You can't do that with a computer."
"Ugh—that's a thing?"
Kaelen rolled his eyes.
"Wait—have you seriously never read a book before?"
"Well, I did grow up in the slums. Finding a book about mind-mana there is about as hard as finding a kid with actual parents."
Kaelen glanced at the page, then sat across from her, propping his chin up with his hand.
"What are you researching this seriously? I mean, first thing in the morning and you come straight to the library?"
While flipping pages, Amanda answered:
"First mana seeds. The first threshold of transitioning into the Mana World. You know… mana operates on a far more ruthless balance than people think."
Interest flickered in Kaelen's eyes. Most of what she said would be familiar, but he still focused intently on her words.
"Go on."
Amanda turned a page toward him. It showed a detailed diagram: a swirling vortex at the center, with various structures around it… towers, pits, forests… each representing different regions.
"When you transition to the Mana World, they don't send you straight there. First, you enter something called a 'mana seed phase.' It's a transitional stage shared by all candidates."
Kaelen frowned.
"So, inside there will be people like us—1st Circle beginners?"
Amanda nodded.
"Yes, but the environment itself is shaped by mana. The seed evaluates you. It pushes your mental and physical limits. And unless you unravel its mysteries, you can't leave. If you fail… you might not come back at all. Most likely, you die."
Kaelen's gaze drifted toward the dark pit depicted on the page.
"People who went in and never returned…? That must be pretty common."
Amanda answered gravely:
"There are a lot of people still presumed trapped inside mana seeds. Success rates for the First Seed are extremely low. Around ten percent, maybe."
"Mana traps them. Some went insane, some lost their bodies entirely. Legend says some of their consciousnesses still wander inside."
Kaelen grew quiet, studying her face.
"Why are you researching this?"
Amanda paused, lowering her voice.
"Because the Mana World is now fully stabilized. We're the 4th generation. Most of the regions in the First Seed are now predictable."
A faint smile curved Kaelen's lips.
"So you came here to review previous records?"
Amanda rolled her eyes again.
"Yes. Wizards who return from the seeds report what monsters they encountered and how they passed the trials. The Council pays them. You won't find this information in guild libraries. That's why kids from modest clans like me come to the academy library—it contains information the Council approves."
"Well... what if we're sent to a region that's never been recorded before?" Kaelen asked, smirking.
Amanda continued in a flat tone:
"Then we die. Honestly, in that scenario, we would have zero chance of survival."
Kaelen looked at her face and smiled.
"Wow, you give up easily."
"Ugh. Almost the entire Mana World has been mapped. That scenario is impossible. Don't waste my time just because you're curious."
"Fine… I guess I should read a few books myself."
Kaelen went quiet for a moment.
He took a deep breath and smiled.
"I just hope we end up somewhere tropical—like a beach or something."
---