Chapter 4: The Day Mana Was Measured
The first time I realized something was wrong—
No.
The first time others realized something was wrong—
Was the day the village decided to measure mana.
---
It wasn't an official ceremony.
Nothing grand.
Just a battered crystal sphere borrowed from a nearby town, carried into the church like a fragile relic. For most children in Hage, it was a formality—a confirmation of what everyone already knew.
Low mana.
Almost none.
Asta went first.
The crystal remained dull.
Silent.
Not a flicker.
Murmurs spread through the room.
"He really has none…"
Asta clenched his fists, jaw tight—but he didn't look away.
> "Observation. Subject Asta: mana value—absolute zero. Consistent."
Unchanged.
---
Yuno followed.
The moment his hand touched the sphere, light erupted.
Wind spiraled.
The crystal sang.
Gasps filled the church.
> "Analysis. Mana response exceeds measurement tolerance. Device integrity compromised."
As expected.
The village gained its miracle.
---
Then it was my turn.
I stepped forward calmly.
Inside, Raphael spoke.
> "Warning. Direct interaction with measuring artifact may expose abnormalities."
"Minimal output only," I replied silently.
> "Acknowledged. Output restricted. Concealment reinforced."
My hand rested against the crystal.
For a heartbeat—
Nothing.
Then a faint shimmer.
Barely visible.
The sphere glowed weakly, like a candle struggling against the wind.
The priest nodded.
"Low mana," he said gently. "But it's there."
Relief passed through the room.
Ordinary.
Unremarkable.
Exactly what I wanted.
> "Result accepted. Mana output calibrated to regional average."
---
But Raphael was silent afterward.
Too silent.
That night, when the church slept, the voice returned.
> "Notice. Artifact recorded secondary data."
I frowned.
"What kind?"
> "Answer. Structural inconsistency within subject's mana circulation. Probability of future anomaly detection: non-zero."
So even restrained—
I left a trace.
---
I sat by the window, watching moonlight spill across Hage.
Asta trained outside, sword-shaped stick in hand.
Yuno practiced controlling the wind, unaware of how easily it obeyed him.
And me—
Standing between inevitabilities.
> "Recommendation. Avoid further measurements. Delay visible growth. Focus on internal optimization."
I exhaled slowly.
The world had begun to notice.
Not me—
But the space where I stood.
---
End of Chapter 4