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# Chapter 3 – First Steps of Magic
Aria hovered above the roots of the ancient tree, her delicate wings shimmering with faint traces of blue light. The air around her carried a subtle pulse, almost as if the world itself was holding its breath. She tilted her head and muttered, half to herself and half to the tree's ancient presence,
"So… magic. How do I even *start*?"
In her past life as a gamer, Aria had never been given a tutorial this vague. Back then, she could simply pull up a skill menu, read a few lines of text, and start experimenting. Here, all she had was instinct, a whisper from the ancient tree, and a forest brimming with possibilities.
The ancient tree's deep voice rumbled in her mind.
*"Fairies were once embodiments of mana itself. For you, child, it should come naturally. Close your eyes and let the flow of the world move through you."*
Aria frowned, crossing her arms. "That sounds like one of those NPC quest-givers who say *believe in yourself* without giving the actual steps."
Still, she obeyed. Closing her eyes, she reached inward. Immediately, she felt something—tiny threads of warmth rushing beneath her skin, rising and falling like a tide. Mana.
"Okay, I found the mana bar," she whispered, a smile creeping onto her face. "Now let's see if I can spend it."
She extended her hand, picturing a spark of light forming at her fingertip. A small orb blinked into existence, wobbled uncertainly, and fizzled out with a *pop*.
"...Right, so I've unlocked *Beginner's Spark*. Totally useless damage, but hey—it's something."
Encouraged, she tried again. This time, instead of focusing on fire, she thought about water, the cool flow of a stream. Her mana twisted, and a droplet formed above her palm, hovering like a jewel before it splashed to the ground.
Her wings fluttered with excitement. "Oh! That worked! Water spell unlocked."
One by one, she experimented—fire, water, earth, and wind. Each attempt produced something small and unstable, but real. Tiny flames flickered in her hand, pebbles lifted, breezes stirred. By the time she was done, her mana reserves felt drained, her breathing shallow.
She landed on a low branch to rest. "So, if I'm understanding this right, I don't have just one element—I can touch all of them. Jack of all trades, huh? Well, I can work with that."
The tree chuckled in her mind, the sound like rustling leaves.
*"You grasp things quickly, Aria. Most would take weeks to achieve what you did in hours."*
Aria gave a proud grin. "That's because I cheated. Past-life gamer instincts for the win."
Still, she wasn't satisfied. Tiny sparks and droplets weren't enough. She wanted *control*. She wanted the power to shape the elements like tools. Closing her eyes again, she reached deeper into her mana. This time, she focused not on creating but on *manipulating*.
The fire she had summoned earlier flickered back to life. Slowly, she guided it upward, making it swirl like a miniature tornado of flame. It resisted, slipping from her grasp, but she pushed harder, channeling every ounce of focus into molding it. At last, it obeyed, forming a steady ribbon of fire that danced between her fingers.
\[Skill Acquired: **Fire Manipulation (Lv. 1)**]
"Oh-ho!" Aria cheered, almost bouncing in place. "So that's the trick! Not just summoning, but controlling."
Excitement surged through her veins as she repeated the process with water, then wind, then earth. Each new success brought a chiming notification in her head.
\[Skill Acquired: **Water Manipulation (Lv. 1)**]
\[Skill Acquired: **Wind Manipulation (Lv. 1)**]
\[Skill Acquired: **Earth Manipulation (Lv. 1)**]
Aria slumped back against the tree trunk, wings drooping from exhaustion. Sweat trickled down her brow, but her grin was wide and unshakable.
"So basically… I've just unlocked the entire mage starter kit in one sitting. Not bad for Day One."
The ancient tree's voice was heavy with amusement.
*"You are no ordinary fairy, Aria. Perhaps your soul remembers more than you realize."*
Aria tilted her head, thoughtful. "Or maybe I just min-maxed the right stats in my last life. Either way, this is going to be fun."
As twilight fell across the forest, she curled up among the tree's roots, the lingering hum of mana warming her body. For the first time since waking up in this new world, she felt a flicker of genuine excitement.
"Tomorrow," she whispered to herself, "I start grinding for real."
Her wings fluttered once before she drifted into a deep, satisfied sleep.
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