[Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]

    Chapter 8

    The Mana Stone, which stores enormous mana, has been the subject of numerous attempts throughout history to transfer its power to the human body.

    ‘But all of those attempts ended in failure.’

    Many mages had conducted countless experiments, using a variety of methods, but none had managed to achieve any meaningful results.

    Research focused on efficiency posed a great risk, with many mages dying or becoming invalids from the sheer volume of mana their bodies couldn’t handle.

    On the other hand, research aimed at safety proved so inefficient that it felt no different from just undergoing regular training.

    ‘The mana from the Mana Stone is so foreign.’

    At its core, a Mana Stone was just a mineral. Humans, living beings, were vastly different from such lifeless objects. Even though one could extract mana from a Mana Stone, applying it directly to a living body was very difficulty.

    The difference between mana among humans was already common, so the disparity between living and non-living matter was all the more dangerous.

    ‘Mana from the Mana Stone is inherently heavy in nature.’

    Mana stored in metals was compacted, making it not only heavy to move, but also dangerously sharp. If the human mana path was misdirected, it risked tearing the body apart.

    Because of this, no one had even considered trying to store the Mana Stone’s mana in their body, knowing the limits.

    However, Ernstine had a different approach.

    At least with this particular Mana Stone, there was a safe and efficient method for dealing with it.

    ‘This Mana Stone contains the influence of Infinity.’

    This Mana Stone had 50% of Kaylen’s mana, recharged through his efforts.

    ‘If only it had been charged more diligently.’

    Kaylen, in his infatuation with Lina, had poured his every bit of strength into charging it for her sake.

    Through that process, some of the mana from Infinity must have been absorbed into it as well.

    ‘As long as Infinity’s influence is present, it’s easy to draw mana from here.’

    Ernstine, recalling the manipulation techniques of Infinity from his previous life, knew that with this power, he could safely draw mana from a source influenced by Infinity.

    But Kaylen did not act immediately.

    ‘I could consume this mana right now... but it’s not enough.’

    The memories that began to resurface after meeting Lina had him hesitating.

    - The head of the Florence family favors only the most outstanding mages among the family members.

    - Lina is the most promising of them all. She will receive special attention and care.

    - The reason for charging the Mana Stone might be part of that effort.

    As he pieced together the puzzle of his memories, Ernstine reached a conclusion.

    ‘From Lina, I’ll take more.’

    After finishing her classes, Lina sat on the bed in her room, letting out a deep sigh.

    ‘This is tough.’

    Not only had the after-school education schedule been added after the start of the term, but to her surprise, Kaylen had also been causing her stress.

    Knock, knock.

    "Miss, I’ve come to report."

    "Alkas? Come in."

    Lina, dragging her exhausted body, opened the door.

    She listened quietly as the knight, Alkas, reported the events that had transpired so far.

    As he spoke, there was one part that caught her attention.

    "...The charging gauge of the magic circle seemed to go up and down."

    At this, Lina immediately shook her head.

    "Up and down? That can''t be right. You must have seen it wrong. Especially, the charging bar shouldn''t be going down."

    "It appeared that way, but..."

    "If the mana from the Mana Stone had gone down, that would mean Kaylen absorbed it. But there''s no way he could stand there fine afterward. Our main magic circle is so stable. That can''t be the case."

    Alkas, being an ‘uneducated’ knight, didn’t seem to understand the dangers of the mana in the Mana Stone.

    Lina sighed deeply and waved her hand dismissively.

    "...The fluctuation was small, though."

    "Yes, it was. It must have been a slight mistake. But more importantly... how much did Kaylen charge?"

    "It finished at 82%."

    "That''s less than usual?"

    Lina furrowed her brows, feeling a twinge of concern.

    Seeing her reaction, Alkas spoke with a hint of apology in his voice.

    "Also, Kaylen spoke to me quietly as he left..."

    "What did he say?"

    "He said, ''I don’t think I can do this anymore.''"

    ‘Am I crazy?’ Lina thought, realizing she was lying through her teeth. It was a barefaced lie, with no hesitation. After all, once the Mana Stone was completed, there would be no need to continue with this act.

    Yes, once it was done!

    "Then, when it''s finished, share some with me. Right now, I need to find a job urgently."

    "...Kaylen, but... no one else can complete it except you."

    "Why? Didn’t others help out a lot?"

    "No. Now, you''re the only one. So hurry up, finish it, and let’s sell it. Okay?"

    Lina clung to Kaylen’s arm, pleading desperately.

    But Kaylen still had something to say.

    "I understand that you’re in a hurry, but... could you pay me a bit in advance? You’re the daughter of the Florence family, right?"

    Lina sighed softly at his request.

    If I had the money, I would''ve been using it to get more mana charging, not wasting my time.

    "My father cut off my allowance when I entered the academy. He said money isn’t helpful for studying. All I have is 30 gold coins."

    30 gold coins.

    That was about the amount a 2nd-circle mage would get for a single mana charging session.

    It was barely enough.

    Kaylen shook his head, trying to pull his arm away.

    "...Then there''s nothing to be done. Find someone else."

    "Kaylen, don’t do that... Is there anything else you need except money? I’ll help as much as I can!"

    "There’s nothing else. Money is what I need right now."

    "No, then let’s finish it and sell it quickly!"

    As Kaylen tried to leave, Lina clung to him.

    The two went back and forth for several minutes.

    Finally, Kaylen sighed and spoke in a tired voice.

    "You''re sure there’s nothing else you can offer instead of money?"

    "Yeah. I’ll help."

    "Then... magic."

    At the mention of magic, Lina flinched.

    Without waiting for her response, Kaylen—no, Ernstine—finally voiced his true intent.

    "Teach me magic."

    "Magic?"

    He was talking about magic despite saying his family was in financial trouble? He’d just said he was going to start earning money, yet still seemed fixated on reaching the 3rd circle?

    "Kaylen, you know well that 3rd-circle magic isn''t something anyone can just teach you."

    "No, I''m not asking for 3rd-circle magic."

    "Then?"

    "I want you to teach me basic magic up to the 2nd circle."

    "...Why? You already know about 2nd-circle magic."

    "I want to know how other mages use their magic."

    At his unexpected request, Lina tilted her head in confusion. Does that even make sense?

    Lina couldn’t understand why someone who was already a 2nd-circle mage would want to learn the same basic magic again. If they were a high-level mage, it would be one thing, but a 2nd-circle mage already had a good grasp of how to use magic.

    She couldn’t quite grasp Kaylen’s logic. He said his family was in trouble, yet here he was, wasting time with such a request.

    ''Wait a second...''

    As Lina thought over it for a while, she finally caught something in Kaylen''s expression as she looked at him. His face was flushed, trying to appear bold, but there was an unmistakable air of anticipation as he waited for her answer.

    ''So, the family troubles were just an excuse... He must want to stay close to me.''

    There was no other reason to ask her to teach basic magic.

    Lina''s thoughts solidified.

    ''He’s been working hard to stay close to me. Well played, Kaylen.''

    Feeling more at ease, Lina switched her approach, pretending to be hesitant as she spoke.

    "Teaching you magic is fine, but I don’t have much time. After class, I have to go home and study..."

    "It’s fine. You can teach me during breaks and research time."

    ''He really wants to stay close, huh? So bothersome...''

    Kaylen was incredibly persistent, and Lina decided to bear with it.

    ''I can hold out until the Mana Stone is fully charged.''

    She could tolerate this for just a few more weeks until the Mana Stone was completed.

    "Alright. I''ll do it," she said.

    And with that, she had made up her mind.

    [Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]