I was so confident I would be able to control my mana flow…
But dang it! I couldn't make my mana flow into the mana channels at all! How do I control it and force it to enter the channels? This is so hard…
Asher told me to watch out for the mana that comes out of my core and control it so it can enter my mana channels. But it's hard!
I took a deep breath as I focused my senses inward. I could feel the chaotic mana within my body and the way it overflowed outside of me. I could feel my mana core, and each time my heart beat, my mana core sent mana out and took it in. Just like how deoxygenated and oxygenated blood leave and enter the heart. My mana core did it rhythmically, in time with my heart.
Asher probably told me to focus on the mana my core sends out because there's no way I can force all the scattered mana within me into the mana channels. Also… there are so many mana channels!
Dang it…
I slowly opened my eyes, only to see someone sitting on the long couch across my bed.
"I'm glad that you're working hard. But you shouldn't sleep late," Asher said, and all of a sudden, my body moved on its own and lay on the bed. My blanket moved by itself and covered my body, leaving only my head exposed.
"But—"
"No need to rush. You still have time… you just have to learn magic before you turn twelve, right?" My eyes widened as I realized something. That's right…
"Asher, how did you know about the novel?" I asked.
"..."
I really had no idea, but he knew about it. And I don't even know how—he won't tell me.
"Sleep." See? He didn't even answer me.
"You said that the novel wasn't unrelated to this world. So how was it connected to Lumia?" If he wants me to stop, he can just cast a sleeping spell on me.
"Let's say… the author used this world as a reference."
Eh?!
"That means the author is either one of the Primal Luminars or their incarnations, right?"
"..."
I yawned. It looked like he really wasn't planning to tell me about it.
"...ry…"
"Come again?"
"Sleep well, I said."
Dang this jerk. Tsk! If he doesn't want to tell me, then so be it. Maybe he's not ready to talk about it yet.
"Wait, are you the author?" When I turned to him, he was already gone?!
Alright, never mind. I should just sleep and start training my mana flow tomorrow. I'll see Aunt Chan for some history class. I have two history classes scheduled within the week. I need to know everything about it, so I requested it from Dad. And I'm sure Aunt Chan will be able to teach me how to control mana flow.
***
"So, my dear niece wishes to learn how to control her mana flow?" Aunt Chan asked. I nodded repeatedly. We had just finished our lesson for today, and it was still early. My next class would be politics and governance, which was absolutely scary! I don't like politics! But I don't have any choice, because I was reincarnated as a princess…
Haha… ha…
Hah~
"It looks to me that my adorable niece is having a difficult time with her mana flow. We still have spare time—how about we practice your mana flow?" Yes! My great auntie is going to help me! Thank goodness.
If I still can't do this right, it only means I am the problem…
"Let's head to the magic training ground, shall we?" Aunt Chan asked. I immediately nodded my head repeatedly.
"Yesss!" And in just a blink, my auntie and I were already at the training ground. Guuuh! Magic's really cool. I want to learn how to control my mana flow now!
"Auntie, once I get my mana flow under control, will I finally be able to use magic?" Aunt Chan ruffled my hair and chuckled.
"Controlling your mana flow is only the first step, my dear. After that, you must learn how to discharge mana from your core toward the mana points in order to release a magic skill." Uhh… dang it. It sounds difficult and complicated—especially for me, who can't even control her own mana flow!
In the first place, why is my mana flow spread out within my body?! Mana should be flowing properly since birth! Tsk, so annoying!
"Come sit here, dear Ali." Aunt Chan changed her clothes and was now wearing knight attire.
"I heard Sir Asher has already taught you the method of controlling your mana flow. Are you able to do it?" Err… would it be embarrassing to tell her that I haven't perfected it yet?
"There is no need for you to be ashamed, my dear. Usually, a person's mana flow is already within the proper channels from the moment they are born. Your case is rather unique, I would say…" Of course… of course I know that. Even I have no idea why my mana is chaotically spreading throughout my body.
Asher has told me many times that forcing my body to contain all the overflowing mana would result in my flesh exploding… but he hasn't exactly told me why my mana is like this, or why it isn't flowing through the mana channels. He only told me that my mana is too much for my body to contain.
"However, it is not entirely uncommon. There have been cases like this… and managing the mana flow is the only cure for it." But how do I even begin with that?
"You see, my dear Ali, mana courses through our bodies much like blood does. The mana core releases it into the channels and reclaims what has not been expended. While this resembles the flow of blood, there is a distinction… blood delivers oxygen and returns depleted portions to be refilled, whereas mana flows naturally through its channels, and should any remain unused, it returns to the core to be released anew." I already figured that out. But the problem lies with… the timing! How the hell would I know when the mana is going to be released?!
Oh wait… err, did we learn this before? Hmm… blood flow—blood circulation…
Ah!
"Aunt Chan, so it's similar to the circulation of blood?" She nodded at me with a smile. I already knew that, but…
That means there's a systole-and-diastole-like process in my mana core as well?
"Does the release of mana match perfectly with the release of oxygenated blood, Aunt Chan?" Aunt Chan responded with silence. What is she thinking?
"Oxygenated blood… it is the first time I have heard of such a term."
Eh? That term doesn't even exist here?! What kind of old world did I get into?!
No, I shouldn't dwell on that.
"Err… it's basically—"
"I understand, Ali. It seems to me that you have developed another word." No, Aunt Chan… that word isn't newly developed…
Oh, goodness gracious…
"Ahahaha…"
"You were right, dear. The release of mana and blood matches perfectly." I see… that's why I can feel my mana being released as my heart beats. However, unlike blood, my mana is chaotic. It doesn't flow where it should.
How am I supposed to fix this?
"I shall give you a hint, dear Ali. Instead of prioritizing the mana core… how about you focus on one channel at a time?"
Ahh!
That's right! Maybe focusing on one channel would help me. Then maybe I should focus on the one connected to my brain. The scattered mana within my body is blocking my perception of the mana channels.
I should change the way I see this. Aunt Chan's hint…
Does she mean that I should first identify where mana is allowed to go? There are many mana channels connected to the brain, but there's a larger one that seems to be the most important. I should focus on that one.
Okay…
I closed my eyes and focused inward. It's really chaotic here. Maybe the reason my body's mana is spreading everywhere is because it simply knows that it has mana—it doesn't know where it should go or what its purpose is.
Alright. First things first. I should focus on the large mana channel. My mind and senses should acknowledge that one channel.
Mana kept flowing out of my core as if it had gone haywire. But… if my body finally recognized that mana channels existed, then the mana would automatically follow them. I traced the mana channel slowly with my awareness, from where it branched near my core to where it traveled upward.
Just one path…
As I did that, I felt every other mana channel fade, along with the chaotic mana. I knew they hadn't disappeared—I had simply stopped noticing them.
This mana channel exists. This is where my mana goes.
I waited, and waited, and waited.
My focus held, and without fail…
The next pulse of mana began to follow the path I had acknowledged. I didn't break my focus. I waited for the mana to flow upward until…
The mana reached a point in my brain, then was released from that point and flowed into the next channel. This repeated with other mana points and channels. Before I knew it, the mana inside my body had begun flowing properly through the mana channels!
"Woaaah! Master, your mana flow has stabilized!" I immediately looked at Avi as she flew toward me with her arms spread wide.
"It has!" I replied. She threw herself against my cheeks, and I caressed her back with my index fingers.
"Congratulations, dear Ali." I turned to Aunt Chan, crawled toward her, and gave her a peck on the forehead.
"I appreciate your hint, Aunt Chan," I said with a wide smile.
"I am most delighted to be of help, my niece," she replied, ruffling my hair.
"However… upon analyzing your body, I have noticed that your mana guardian still has a lot of mana to absorb—"
"GUAK—"
I covered my mouth as something came out. What's this red thing?
"Blood?"
"Ali…"
Why am I coughing blood? There's nothing strange in my body, though. My head feels even better now that my mana flow is under control. My body feels amazing, too…
Ah—but why is my vision blurring…?
Is this a side effect…?
Dang it.
***