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Kaelen sat quietly for a while after listening carefully to what Amanda had said. Mana seeds… mysterious, dangerous, and entirely unique to each person. Every word echoed in his mind.
He knew what the future held, but what he hoped for was something entirely different. That place was nothing short of a true hell.
He stood up, gave Amanda a brief glance, and walked toward a quieter corner of the library. The stone tiles echoed dully beneath his steps. Moving between the shelves, he reached a wide section dedicated to mana-related topics. This part of the library was older than the rest; cracks lined the spines of the books, and a thin layer of dust covered the shelves. Yet strangely, the mana fluctuations here felt stronger. The energy in the air moved like an invisible current brushing against his skin.
He scanned the book spines for a while. His fingers stopped when they touched a leather-bound volume marked with intricate symbols. The title was embossed in an ancient script: "Mana Cores and Mana Seeds." The letters warmed faintly beneath his touch.
When he pulled the book from the shelf, he noticed an oval-shaped stone set into the inner cover—glowing between navy and blue. The stone seemed to tremble on its own, radiating a hunger for mana. Even holding the book made Kaelen's palm warm.
He moved to an empty table and carefully opened the book. The stone was still there—embedded in the inner cover, glowing as if it possessed a consciousness separate from the pages.
"Worth a try," he whispered to himself.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began focusing his mana. In his chest, the newly formed mana core trembled faintly. Mana born from the essence of flame flowed through his veins like a hot river. Energy seeped from his fingertips into the stone.
As the stone began absorbing his mana, it suddenly flared with light. The symbols embedded within it glowed—and then something unexpected happened.
His world went dark.
Kaelen's eyes were open, yet the library vanished. The book, the table, the shelves—everything faded away. Instead came a voice that echoed through his mind, followed by a flood of imagery. The book's knowledge wasn't being read—it was being poured directly into him.
At first, it felt like an overwhelming tidal wave. Countless voices speaking in ancient tongues, concepts, diagrams, mana-flow structures… all etched themselves into his mind. But soon, the torrent settled into order. Kaelen began to understand.
The mana core represented a person's true essence. The system constructed it like a spiritual "container," setting the limits of one's potential. Every core was different: some were unusually large, others half the normal size. All of it reflected the individual's affinity with magic.
His own—though newly formed—was nothing more than a writhing mass of pitch-black essence. Incomplete, because he was only a Level 1 apprentice mage. His mana capacity was, he suspected, slightly below Amanda's. Comparing himself to Sofia Arnold or Estelle was pointless—they were on an entirely different level. As for Liam and Olivia, he knew too little to guess their capacity.
Mana cores expanded by entering mana seeds. If his estimates were correct, his core would complete its growth in about two or three months. After that point, it would no longer grow bigger. Even if he increased his mana, there would always be a limit.
A large core was an advantage, yes—but what truly pushed people into mana seeds was the desire to increase mana quality. Size and purity were not the same. Inside the seeds, pressure cracked the shell around a core, allowing both expansion and purification.
Kaelen was a Level 1 apprentice mage. Alfia, among those he knew, was a Level 3 Mirakel. In terms of mana quality and capacity, a thousand Kaelens wouldn't stand a chance against her.
He paused as information about mana seeds flowed through his mind.
Mana seeds… the system's method of filtering and testing candidates. Before one could step into the mana world, they were thrown into these seed realms, where they faced mental and physical trials. Each seed had its own mechanics, its own world. Some were frozen valleys, others endless deserts filled with prophetic puzzles. Their common trait was that time inside rarely matched time outside—and survival was the core of every trial.
Every seed housed a "consciousness."
And that consciousness watched you. Even in his past life, Kaelen had known very little about mana seeds. How they formed or why they acted as tests was still a mystery. He had theories, but none with solid grounding.
When he reached the part explaining the few known seeds, he stopped and severed the mana link with the book.
The rest was unnecessary. He already had an idea where he would be sent—and that wasn't something books could reveal.
Kaelen quietly surveyed his surroundings. The heavy wooden shelves were packed with yellowed books. Dust motes danced within shafts of morning light filtering through the windows. The silence inside felt almost sacred—broken only by the turning of pages and an occasional suppressed cough.
He tilted his head slightly. A few tables away, Amanda was absorbed in her reading. Her slender fingers followed the lines of text, and she occasionally took notes or rubbed her forehead with a thoughtful frown.
A small smile tugged at Kaelen's lips. He approached quietly enough not to disturb anyone and spoke in a low voice:
"Hey, Amanda… What are you doing after the library? I mean… you do know mana beasts won't go easy on you just because you're reading a book, right? They won't pause to summarize what they plan to do before they pounce."
Amanda froze mid–page turn. She thought for a moment before lifting her head. Behind her glasses, her expression was a mix of surprise and hesitation.
"You're right," she sighed. "I've always been terrible at physical combat. And with magic… I know the basics, but I'm usually stuck with healing or support spells. My offensive power is nearly zero."
Kaelen rolled his eyes knowingly and let out a short laugh.
"And now you're going to ask for my help, aren't you? Don't worry—it's in my nature to help. Besides, you've already seen my talent. I'm not too shabby when it comes to teaching."
Amanda frowned and rolled her eyes, though her expression was more resigned than annoyed.
"Ugh, hearing you brag makes me want to rethink this. But honestly, I don't have much choice. I was planning to go home after the second month and hire a private tutor. But…"
Kaelen cut in, lifting an eyebrow.
"A private tutor? Lessons from a Level 2 awakened mage… that won't be cheap. Good ones practically demand a fortune."
A faint smile appeared on Amanda's lips—tinged with a subtle bitterness.
"Yes," she nodded. "I'm from the Oren Household, but we're not a big mage family. We mainly deal in trade. My father might be able to call in a favor from a mage he knows, but nothing comes free. And I still need equipment for the mana seed. Their cost alone is trouble. Maybe I'll find something in our family storage, but… it's not guaranteed."
Kaelen listened quietly, his thoughts drifting. Helping Amanda now could benefit him later. She had useful connections, and strategy mattered. Assuming he survived, of course.
He took a deep breath, his eyes glinting with playful mischief.
"Alright… If you let me pick a Level 1 artifact from your family storage, I'll train you."
To his surprise, Amanda didn't hesitate at all.
"Deal."
Kaelen blinked. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Hey… that easy? Aren't you supposed to bargain or something?"
Amanda shrugged, as if she'd already settled the matter long ago.
"It's a perfectly fair trade. I'm getting a personal tutor in exchange for a minor artifact. Honestly, for that price, this is the best 'training package' I could ever get."
She stood up, stretching her arms over her head. Her blue academy robe nearly slipped off her shoulder before she fixed it. She turned toward Kaelen.
"Come on then. Training time."
Kaelen rolled his eyes, though a smile lingered on his lips.
"Ah, I feel like I'm getting swindled…"
Amanda grabbed her bag and as she walked away, looked back with unexpected seriousness.
"If you want, we can sign a soul contract."
Kaelen tensed for a moment, then shook his head.
"No thanks. Soul contracts are too formal. Besides, if you lie to me… you'll shoot out of the mana seed and soar into the sky. Then you'll go 'fwoooosh' straight into the ground. It'd make a nice view while you fall though."
Amanda burst into laughter. Her voice echoed through the silent library, melting the tension between them—and marking the beginning of their upcoming training.
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