Seeing Gareth standing so close to her, his massive frame towering over her, she started blushing before stammering out a response."T-There's no need to thank me. I'm just doing my job. I have to go now."With that, she practically bolted out of the room, leaving Gareth standing there with a smirk on his face. He just shook his head, putting the encounter out of his mind.
He sat down and began eating. It had to be said that Miria was quite nice. She knew he hadn't eaten anything all day, so the portions she brought were much more than normal.A normal person might have struggled to finish it, but Gareth easily devoured everything. With his hunger finally sated, he was ready to begin practicing the Ardent Cultivation Technique.
Inside was a brief introduction to mana. According to the book, mana was the energy of the world — a formless essence that permeates all things, living, dead, physical, or spiritual.That meant that every single being in this world possessed mana — from a pebble on the road to the people walking on it. To become an Ardent was to gain the power to manipulate such energy.
According to the book, the first step was to learn how to feel the mana in the environment. Without being able to feel the mana, it would be impossible to manipulate it to flow through one's body.Gareth followed the patterns in the book, adopting various breathing exercises while sitting in a lotus position.
Gareth cultivated through the night, desperately trying to feel mana in the air. He succeeded in feeling it at certain intervals, motivating him to continue.Before he knew it, it was already morning. The sun rays peeking through the window shone on his eyelids, causing them to flutter open.'It's morning,' he thought wearily. While he had tried to cultivate through the night, it seemed he couldn't win the fight against one of humanity's natural weaknesses — sleep.
He had fallen asleep somewhere through the night while still sitting cross-legged in the lotus position. It seemed he wasn't as disciplined as he thought he was.Letting out a yawn, he got up and stretched his limbs, letting them loose after a night of keeping them bound. He made his way to the bathroom and freshened himself up.
After he was done with his business, he went right back to the book. He had finished reading it the previous day, so he was just going over the words, making sure he hadn't missed anything.Satisfied with his revision, he closed it and stood to leave the room. Even though the head maid had warned him, he didn't want to spend all day cooped up in his room.
On his way, he received curious glances from some of the maids, wondering who the handsome man was.Most of them hadn't been present when he arrived the previous day, so they were seeing him for the first time. Those that recognized him began gossiping with the rest, informing them of his special status.
He greeted everyone he saw with smiles and even stopped to chat with a few maids. From their brief conversations, he got the general layout of the manor.That was how he began his exploration adventure. He visited all the places he could — from the garden to the stable. He spent his time trying to get to know everyone, cultivating the image of a charming young man.
He was able to charm most of them, leaving them smiling at him. However, there were those who weren't so warm with him. Still, no one displayed outward hostility, which was a win for him.
After his walk around the manor, he returned to his room. Upon entering, he was surprised to find a tray of food waiting for him already. It seemed like one of the maids had come when he was not around to drop it off.He wondered whether it was Hazel or Miria. Remembering the interaction he had with her yesterday, he couldn't help but smirk. He couldn't wait to tease her again.
Shaking off the thought, he began eating. Without wasting any time, he quickly finished his food, replenishing his energy for the day.After eating, he sat in a lotus position, intending to continue cultivating. He had been able to feel mana in small intervals yesterday. Today, he was determined to channel it into his body.
Hours passed by in intense concentration. By the time it was noon, Gareth was already covered in sweat. However, he barely paid it any mind.If an Ardent were to enter the room right now, they would be able to see the mana particles in the air flowing around him. They looked as if they were bouncing, rejoicing that they were finally able to gain his attention.
With a flutter, he opened his eyes and let out a long breath. He had finally succeeded in feeling the mana around him. It had taken him quite a while, and he had almost given up.Luckily, at the last moment, he was finally able to do it. Now, even though he couldn't see it, he could sense how the mana flowed in sporadic movements around him.
It was hard to explain, and only one who had experienced it before would be able to understand it. He had debated going to the countess to ask for some pointers, but now he realized how useless that would be.
Even with her explanation, he likely wouldn't have been able to understand. Plus, he didn't want to seem like he was giving up so easily. Asking her for help would basically be admitting he couldn't do it himself — something his pride as a man would not allow.
He wondered how he would compare to those geniuses from noble houses. From what he knew, they had trained themselves from a young age and had amazing tutors, so they certainly had to be fast as well, right?Still, he thought he didn't do too badly.
He felt like his speed would likely be considered average among them. He didn't entertain any delusion that he was somehow better than the natives that had spent their entire lives in this world.