Grandma soon settled into one of the garden chairs at the garden, with her sitting down the chair with grace that made it look effortless, gesturing for me to sit across from her.
I soon climbed into my chair—had to use the footrest because five-year-old legs—and tried to look attentive.Which wasn't hard.
"Now then," Grandma began, folding her hands in her lap. "The first thing you need to understand is that not everyone can use magic."
I tilted my head. "Why not?" I don't really need to asked, considering my knowledge on magic is due to the many fictional stories many writers made, which i can guess on why some people can't use magic, but asking is still important.
"Some people simply aren't born with the capacity for it. They have magical energy—everyone does, even animals—but not enough to actively use. It's like..." She paused, considering on what to make an example"Like having a cup of water versus having a well. Everyone has the cup. Only some have the well."
So Genetic is a factor , though could someone gain magic due to them being close to a supernatural being or something else, I mean could it be trained to awakened it ? Or is it purely hereditary? Though luck is probably involved as usual.
...
God, being knowledgeable about theoretical frameworks is both a blessing and a curse right now.
In my past life, I'd have killed for concrete data on this. Magical capacity distribution across populations. Hereditary patterns. Correlation with other factors. Studying it would be so cool.
But right now, I was five. I was supposed to be impressed and confused, not mentally drafting research proposals,nor making theories about them.
"So I can use magic because you can?" I asked, injecting the appropriate amount of childish wonder into my voice.
"Exactly." Grandma smiled. "Magic tends to run in families. Your father has the capacity, though he never developed it that much."
That tracks. Dad can do the floating furniture thing but seems pretty basic overall.
"And Grandpa?"
"Your grandfather," she said with obvious affection, "couldn't cast a spell to save his life. Not a drop of magical talent in that man."
"But he married you anyway?" I asked innocently. I mean i know grandpa is a knight or something considering things.
"He did." Her smile turned mischievous. "Though I do think the first time I showed him magic, he nearly fainted."
I giggled at that mental image. Grandpa Edgar—stern, unshakeable, probably-fought-in-a-war Grandpa Edgar—fainting like a Victorian lady collapsing due to her corset.
"Now," Grandma continued, "in order to use magic properly, you need something called a magic circle."
Oh?
THERE it is. The mechanical component.
She raised one hand, palm up, and—
The air shimmered.
A circle of light materialized above her palm, spinning slowly. It was intricate—geometric patterns, symbols I didn't recognise, concentric rings that rotated at different speeds. And at the center, a crest: an ornate design that looked like a combination of family heraldry and alchemical notation.
It was beautiful.
And also very clearly hers. The design felt personal.
"This," she said, "is my magic circle. Every magician develops their own magic circle as time passed. The outer rings represent structure—the framework of the spell. The inner symbols represent intent—what you want to happen. And the center..." She gestured to the crest. "That's my personal seal. My signature, if you will."
I leaned forward, utterly mesmerized.
So magic circles here aren't just for decoration or showing off—they're functional, which does that mean it's like a machine which as the base for the creation of spells, basically Mental frameworks made manifest.
The caster are the one that provides intent and energy to flow to the magic circle The circle provides structure and processing.
It's... it's like programming or you can basically say it's like a conversion device.
Intent is the input. Circle is the compiler. The spell creation is the output.
Which means, magic is just basically supernatural programming. Which does that also imply a spaghetti magician can have a working spell but with a questionable magic circle.
Meanwhile i soon raised my hand
"Are all magic circles different?" I asked, eyes still locked on the spinning pattern.
"In details, yes. The basic framework is similar—most magicians learn from the same foundational texts—but everyone customizes their circle over time. It reflects your specialty, your style, your understanding of magic." She closed her hand and the circle vanished like it had never existed.
"Right now, this is my family circle. Specifically mine. Your grandfather, as I mentioned, isn't a magician, so we'll discuss his... contributions... later."
Contributions? Probably Sword-based considering grandpa is probably a knight,and considering dad was often scolded by mom's dad for not training his sword skill, with mom family being former knights.
I filed that away for later and focused on the immediate lesson.
"Different magicians specialize in different types of magic," Grandma continued, settling back into teacher mode. "Elemental magic—ie fire, water, earth, air, lightning , light,dark. Security magic—wards, barriers, protective enchantments. Illusion magic conjuring life-like illusions to confuse, deceive and mislead opponents. Though it could be also used to hide things, next is enhancement magic—strengthening objects or people. Then there's spatial magic—teleportation, storage, dimensional manipulation.and Time magic—though that's exceedingly rare and difficult. To conclude there are many types of magic that exist"
My brain latched onto that list like a starving man at a buffet.
Elemental—standard fantasy fare, likely easiest to learn. With some probably more better in one element than the other , probably personality could be a factor.
Security—defensive applications, probably common for any combat situation
Enhancement— basically stacking your stats,and increasing it.
Spatial— Very OP especially teleportation, probably requires advanced mathematics.
Time— super hard to use make sense,causality is touchy.
"What's your specialty, Grandma?" I asked, because a five-year-old would absolutely ask that.
Her smile widened with obvious pride. "Mainly Elemental and spatial magic"
Oh.
Oh that's GOOD.
Spatial magic alone would be incredible to learn. Teleportation, pocket dimensions, matter displacement, having a grandma who's specialized in magic probably means I'm going to be good at it well hopefully.
Focus, Michael. You're five. Act appropriately impressed but not suspiciously knowledgeable.
"That sounds really cool!" I said, kicking my legs under the chair.
"Would you like to see a magic spell?"
Would I like to—YES. Obviously yes. Is that even a question?
"Yes please!"
Grandma chuckled and reached for the teacup sitting on the small garden table beside her. The tea inside had gone cold probably been sitting there since before she woke me up.
She held the cup in one hand and raised the other, palm facing the liquid.
"Now, observe. This is a very simple spell—one of the first most children learn, actually. It allows you to heat liquids. Watch."
Her magic circle appeared again, but smaller this time. Simpler. Only two rings, fewer symbols, and the rotation was slower.
The air above the teacup shimmered.
Steam began to rise.
"The principle is straightforward," she explained, voice calm and measured like she was teaching me to tie my shoes instead of literally manipulating thermodynamics. "I visualize the water molecules moving faster—generating heat through friction... That's something you'll learn later but My intent is clear: 'make this tea warm, but not boiling.' The magic circle processes that intent and channels my energy into the desired result."
The steam intensified for a moment, then stopped. She took a sip, made a satisfied sound, and set the cup down.
"Perfect temperature," she announced. "Not too hot, not too cold. Controlled, precise, safe."
I stared at the cup like it had just performed a miracle.
She heated tea with magic. This is gotta be one of the most British thing to do, other than probably stealing artifacts from the world or colonizing the world.
Also Thermodynamics just got told to sit down and shut up by magic when heating the tea.
And no need for you to put in a microwave to boil it or putting your mug directly on to the stove to boil it. But you still pretty much need a kettle though and no need to do those previous things since those are lunatics.
[A/N : If anyone get the reference I'll give you a like]
"Can... can I try?" The words tumbled out before I could stop them. Though considering things i really want to try it NOW
Grandma's expression softened. "Not immediately, dear. This is a simple spell, yes—even a child can do it eventually. But you need to learn the basics first. Sensing your energy. Building your circle. Understanding the flow." She reached over and patted my head.
"Magic isn't like turning on a light switch. It takes practice, that includes Patience."
I nodded, trying not to look too disappointed.
Which, fine. That's fair. You don't hand a kid a blowtorch and say 'figure it out.'
But STILL.
She just casually violated conservation of energy and I can't even TRY yet.
"However," Grandma added, eyes twinkling,
"if you're very good, and you practice very hard, I don't see why you couldn't learn this spell within a few hours or less depending on your talent."
I've waited longer for research grants than that, considering i still remember waiting for a document for the certification of my experiment and it taking a week or more and they ended giving me the wrong paper of my experiment, which costed me 50 bucks. And it took another week to have them remake it.
"I'll practice really hard, Grandma!" I promised, injecting maximum enthusiasm into my voice.
She smiled warmly. "I know you will, dear. Now then let's begin with the first step: learning to sense your magical energy."
"Now," Grandma said, settling more comfortably into her chair, "before we begin the actual exercise, you need to understand something important about sensing magic."
I nodded, giving her my full attention.
"Most people—even those with magical capacity—can't fully sense magic being used around them. At least, not reliably." She gestured vaguely at the air. "There are two main reasons for this. First, some people simply lack the sensitivity. They have magic, but they're... let's say 'magically deaf.' They can cast spells if taught the mechanics, but they can't feel magic happening around them."
Interesting, so magical capacity and magical sensitivity are separate traits.
You could be powerful but insensitive, or weak but highly perceptive.
Probably creates different specializations,like Combat mages vs. detection specialists.
"The second reason," Grandma continued, "is focus. Or rather, lack of it. Sensing magic requires concentration and awareness. Most people are too busy living their lives to notice the subtle flow of energy around them."
She raised her hand again, and her magic circle flickered into existence for just a moment before vanishing.
"When a magician uses magic, the energy around them gathers and condenses. It concentrates in a specific area—usually around their hands, or wherever they're directing the spell. If you're paying attention, if you're sensitive enough, you can feel that concentration. Like..." She paused, searching for an analogy. "Like feeling warmth from a fire before you see the flames."
So magical detection is passive sensing of energy concentration patterns.
Which means skilled mages could probably mask their energy signature. Suppress the concentration effect,so Magical stealth probably exists, I'll have to learn that.
My hand shot up before I could stop it.
Grandma blinked, then smiled with obvious amusement. "Yes, Michael? You have a question?"
"Um..." I lowered my hand, suddenly aware I'd just raised my hand like I was in school. Smooth, Michael. Very five-year-old of you. "You said some magicians can hide if they're good enough?"
"Sharp ears." She looked pleased. "Yes. Skilled magicians can suppress their magical presence,make it harder to detect when they're gathering energy. It requires excellent control, but it's very useful for... let's say 'discreet' spellcasting."
Stealth magic confirmed.
Probably essential for any kind of espionage or assassination work.
Also probably how Dad managed to levitate furniture without me sensing anything though it could be because i didn't know magic exist beforehand.
Jerk.
I nodded slowly, processing this. Then another thought occurred to me—one that had been nagging at the back of my mind since yesterday.
My hand went up again.
Grandma raised an eyebrow. "Another question already?"
"Um... yeah." I fidgeted a little, because this felt like dangerous territory. "Is magic... is it bad? Like, in church?"
Her expression shifted. Not quite surprised, but... thoughtful. Like she'd been expecting this question eventually, but she also didn't expect her to get the question this fast.
"That," she said carefully, "is a complicated question with a complicated answer. What makes you ask?"
I shrugged, trying to look innocent and genuinely curious—which wasn't hard, because I was genuinely curious,even if i know the answer "We go to church every Sunday. And Mom and Dad sometime talk about God and stuff. But magic isn't... I mean, God makes miracles, right? So is magic the same? Or is it different? Is it bad?"
Because let's be real, medieval church doctrine would absolutely classify this as heresy,and would have you murdered for
Consorting with supernatural forces.
Manipulating reality through means other than prayer. While the family is not very Catholic, they're still Catholic. Dad's side, Mom's side—everyone's religious though not fully. But considering dad is a magician and mom didn't care so i guess they're open minded in this case.
So how do they reconcile magic with faith?
Grandma was quiet for a moment, choosing her words carefully.
"Yes and no," she finally said.
Oh good. A definitive answer.
"Magic is considered... problematic by the Church. But not necessarily evil." She folded her hands in her lap. "The reason it's viewed with suspicion is because it's not made by God."
I tilted my head. "What do you mean?"
"Miracles come from God directly. Divine intervention. Holy power flowing from Heaven itself." She gestured upward. "Magic, on the other hand, comes from other things, though it can be considered our own power. Our own will shaping reality. The Church has historically been... uncomfortable with that. Not to mention some magic are from understanding demonic power,but that's not fully right as well"
Ah.
So it's the classic medieval "God over logic" paradigm,but not fully.
But if humans can create anything not normal without God's direct intervention, that challenges the Church's monopoly on supernatural power.
I mean can't have the peasants thinking they don't need God when they can light their own fires with a gesture. Though considering grandma said some are based on demonic i can agree why they dislike it.
But all aside it's still politics dressed up as theology.
"So they think it's bad because people do it themselves?" I asked, trying to sound like a confused child rather than a cynical scientist who'd read too much history.
"Not exactly bad," Grandma corrected. "More like... dangerous. Unpredictable. Easy to misuse." She leaned forward slightly. "Think of it this way, Michael. A knife isn't evil, is it?"
"No."
"But it can be used for evil things. It can hurt people. So the Church teaches that knives should be used carefully, with good intentions, and preferably under proper guidance."
"And magic is like a knife?"
"Magic is like a very sharp knife that can also set things on fire and may hurt someone like a knife could stab one."
Okay, fair point.
"So... we're allowed to use it? Even though we're Catholic?"
Grandma smiled gently. "We're allowed to use it because we understand the responsibility that comes with it,and ecause we use it wisely, with good intentions, and we don't flaunt it in front of people who wouldn't understand or know about it." She reached over and tapped my nose lightly. "The Church doesn't approve of magic, exactly. But some do tolerate it due to necessity,even some church members made deals with families/groups who use magic sometimes "
Translation: The Church knows magic exists and knows they can't stop it, so they've made an uneasy peace with certain magical groups/families in exchange for those families/group not causing problems or any conflict between them. Basically a truce
Classic institutional compromise. Though a smart one.
Which them basically saying We'll pretend you're not doing heresy as long as you stay quiet and don't bother us
I nodded slowly. "So... it's okay as long as we're careful and don't tell everyone?"
"Precisely." She sat back, looking satisfied.
"Magic is a gift, Michael. But it's also a responsibility. You don't use it to show off. You don't use it to hurt innocent people. And you certainly don't go around bragging about it at church." Her expression turned stern. "Do you understand?"
"Yes, Grandma."
So Magic exists in a grey area between miracle and heresy, tolerated by the Church as long as magical families keep their heads down and don't challenge Church authority.
Probably also why Grandma emphasized the "gift" framing—positioning it as something God-adjacent rather than explicitly separate from divine will.
Church politics are exhausting.
"Good boy." Her sternness melted back into warmth. "Now then—are you ready to actually start learning?"
Am I ready?
I've been ready since the moment I woke up.
"Yes, Grandma!"
She chuckled. "Then let's begin with sensing your own magical energy. Close your eyes."
I did.
"Now, take a deep breath. In through your nose, out through your mouth."
I obeyed, drawing air slowly into my lungs and releasing it.
"Good. Keep breathing like that. Nice and steady. And as you breathe, I want you to pay attention to yourself. Not your body—deeper than that. Your core. The center of who you are."
My core?
What does that even mean?
Is it metaphorical? Physical? Spiritual?
"Don't think too hard," Grandma added, as if reading my mind. "Don't try to logic it out. Just... feel. Imagine there's a warm light inside you, right behind your heart. Can you feel it?"
Honestly?
No.
I felt... normal. Just a kid sitting in a garden chair with his eyes closed, breathing deeply and trying not to think about how weird this probably looked.
But I kept trying.
Warm light. Center of who I am. Core of my being.
Come on, magic. Where are you?
Nothing.
Just darkness behind my eyelids and the sound of birds singing.
"It's okay if you don't feel it right away," Grandma said softly. "This takes practice. Some people sense it immediately. Others takes more time, even day's or week sometimes. Everyone's different."
Great.
I'm going to be the scientifically-minded reincarnator who can't sense magic because I'm too busy trying to understand the mechanics.
Typical.
But I didn't give up.
I kept breathing. Kept searching.
And somewhere, deep down, in a place I couldn't quite name...
But i can feel it
________________________
A/N : I'm starting to crank out as much chapters as i can do right now before my other activities crushed my time, thankfully my mind is now somewhat focused on editing this fanfic drafts. And thankfully actual holidays are coming up expect maybe a few more chapters in February,and maybe even march.
...
And as of writing this my brain is having a headache due to the team for my new project is lazy,and the deadline that is needed for this project is ridiculous,hope for the best for me okay.
Ok let's move on
For context/information on something in this chapter :
• For the church and magician thing,they probably have somewhat a unofficial truce, considering it would be bad for the church to try to kill all magicians, since well it could lead to a war. Not to mention some members of the church does use magic in the lore, though that's a grey area.
• While Michael is a devout Catholic, he's not biased towards the Vatican or church,due to him being an avid of history and also someone who's a scientist,he pretty much has a somewhat negative view of the church authority due to many reasons.
Also i do planned to expand or do world building particularly magician,and the other faction, and history of this world. Not to worried i already have several in mind on what to write, though it will take some time to post it considering the current arc is his child arc. With currently being a slice of life, worldbuilding and some action that will appear but not from Michael. Though his teenage arc will involve more action and world building.
I know some might dislike the story current plot not being action packed,but considering this is before the canon events which lets be honest the generation that will create the canon story are thankfully currently children and I'm somewhat more of a sucker for worldbuilding.
Ok see ya