Seeing Gareth standing so close to her, his massive frame towering over her, Miria 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 merely 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 kind. Knowing he hadn't eaten anything all day, the portions she brought were much larger than usual. 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 the book was a brief introduction to mana. According to it, mana was the energy of the world—a formless essence that permeated all things, living or dead, physical or spiritual.
That meant every single being in this world possessed mana. From a pebble on the road to the people walking upon 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 sense mana, it would be impossible to manipulate it or allow it to flow through one's body.
Gareth followed the patterns outlined in the book, adopting various breathing exercises while sitting in a lotus position.
He cultivated through the night, desperately trying to feel the mana in the air. He succeeded at certain intervals, which motivated him to continue.
Before he knew it, morning had already arrived.
Sun rays peeked through the window, shining on his eyelids and causing them to flutter open.
It's morning, he thought wearily.
Though he had intended to cultivate through the night, it seemed he couldn't overcome one of humanity's natural weaknesses—sleep.
At some point during the night, he had fallen asleep while still sitting cross-legged in the lotus position. It appeared he wasn't as disciplined as he believed himself to be.
Letting out a yawn, he stood up and stretched his limbs, loosening them after a night of remaining bound. He made his way to the bathroom and freshened himself up.
Once finished, he returned to the book.
He had already read it the previous day, so he went over the contents again, ensuring he hadn't missed anything important. Satisfied, he closed it and prepared to leave the room.
Even though the head maid had warned him, he didn't want to spend the entire day cooped up inside.
As he walked through the manor, he received curious glances from several maids, all wondering who the handsome man was. Most of them hadn't been present when he arrived the previous day, so this was their first time seeing him.
Those who recognized him soon began gossiping, informing the others of his special status.
Gareth greeted everyone he encountered with a smile, even stopping to chat briefly with a few maids. From these conversations, he gained a general understanding of the manor's layout.
Thus began his exploration.
He visited every place he could—from the gardens to the stables—spending his time getting to know the people while cultivating the image of a charming young man.
Most of them were easily charmed, leaving with smiles on their faces. There were some who were less warm toward him, but none showed any outward hostility, which was already a win in his book.
After finishing his walk around the manor, he returned to his room.
Upon entering, he was surprised to find a tray of food waiting for him. It seemed one of the maids had come by while he was out.
He wondered whether it was Hazel or Miria. Remembering his interaction with Miria the previous day, he couldn't help but smirk.
I can't wait to tease her again.
Shaking off the thought, he began eating. Without wasting any time, he quickly finished the meal, replenishing his energy.
Once done, he sat down in a lotus position, intending to continue cultivating.
He had been able to feel mana at short intervals yesterday. Today, he was determined to channel it into his body.
Hours passed in intense concentration. By noon, Gareth was drenched in sweat, but he barely paid it any attention.
If an Ardent were to enter the room at that moment, they would be able to see mana particles in the air swirling around him. They appeared to bounce with excitement, as if rejoicing at finally being acknowledged.
With a flutter, he opened his eyes and let out a long breath.
He had finally succeeded.
It had taken a long time, and he had nearly given up. But at the final moment, he managed to sense it.
Though he still couldn't see mana, he could feel it—how it moved in sporadic currents around him.
It was difficult to explain, and only someone who had experienced it could truly understand.
He briefly considered going to the countess to ask for guidance, but quickly dismissed the idea. Even with her explanation, he likely wouldn't have understood it any better.
Besides, he didn't want to appear as though he was giving up so easily. Asking for help would be admitting he couldn't do it himself—something his pride as a man wouldn't allow.
He wondered how he compared to the geniuses of noble houses. From what he knew, they had trained since childhood under exceptional tutors. Their progress must have been fast.
Still, he felt he hadn't done badly.
He believed his pace would be considered average among them.
And he entertained no delusions of being superior to natives who had spent their entire lives in this world.
If the natives of this world could hear Gareth's thoughts, they would be so angry that they would want to roast him alive. Even the most trained and talented individuals would take about a week to feel the mana in the atmosphere.
Something that he was able to do in a little over a night. Luckily, he didn't know about this. If he didn't, he might begin to think he was some kind of main character in a trashy web novel.