Seven Years Later]
"I'm almost there... just a little more...
My body trembled a little more than expected, shaking at every turn. Sweat covered my skin as I flinched and groaned while maintaining my meditative stance.
As I absorbed and condensed the last bit of the fundamental molecules I needed, I actually began to feel them... I was close!
> Whoosh
White light emanated from me, and I began to feel a warm aura envelop me. I felt heat in my stomach, and my body was in a state of excitement... ready to change forever.
"It's here!!!" My eyes widened as I doubled my relentless focus on the formation that was about to be completed.
Five more... three more... one more... Finally, the last bit of energy entered the cluster of molecules, and the mana nucleus was born.
Hahahahahaha!!!" At last, I breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed to the ground.
My exhausted body could barely move, but I realized this was only temporary. After all, I'd been doing this for almost five hours straight. I needed to get it in shape today.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
My laughter echoed throughout the large room I was in. Lying on the floor, with nothing to do but regain my strength, I looked across my room.
It was way too big for a seven-year-old.
Even in my past life, I hadn't used this much space for sleeping.
Well, to be fair, I was never materialistic, as I was very dedicated to my studies and my passions. My acquaintances often pushed me to enjoy life more... maybe I should have listened.
Well, it seems like whether I like it or not, this is the reality I'm living in now.
I was literally swimming in luxury.
Years ago, my mother's paranoia slowly subsided. I couldn't be found asleep in her room at seven, so it had to be arranged.
Of course, this room was right next to hers, so she was fond of passing by it again and again.
Ah, thankfully, she's on a trip today... and that's why I can meditate for a long time.
My mother, Annabel, was a very lively woman. Though I found her strange at first, I grew to accept her warmth, kindness, and all-encompassing personality.
I won't comment on my early days as a child... I did some things I'm not proud of.
As for my father, I saw him only a few times, and there was nothing special or fantastical about him. Unlike my mother, Damien had a more terrifying aura surrounding him. As he was a duke, and one of only four nobles to have been given titles of that rank, his presence carried considerable weight
Apparently, my mother was from a magic user's family, which is why he married her in the first place... all so he could produce an heir who possessed magic.
How amusing. Arranged marriages based on the importance of magic and political positions seem to have changed after so long.
I felt completely indifferent to him, though he showed me his full attention whenever he visited the house, asking about my studies and affairs. I could tell it was only because there was mana flowing through my body.
However, I didn't despise him for it. In such a world as this, where magic was so important, it was taken for granted that the nobility possessed it.
For the Duke family to have had no magic users for over two centuries, it amazed me how they could still maintain their position.
"Their contribution to the empire must be indispensable. That must be why Damien doesn't stay home much... He works so hard. I thought I'd forgive him for neglecting his family.
Family matters aside, there was one thing that bothered me more than anything else... It took me seven years to form the core! Seven whole years?!
"Unbelievable!" I whispered
I knew my talent for magic was almost.
I knew my talent for magic was practically nonexistent, and my mana energy barely qualified me for magic practice, but I didn't expect it to be this bad.
An average kid forms their mana core at the age of five after using the Acceleration Technique. So far...
I started forming my mana core much earlier than anyone else, and devoted a lot of time to condensing the mana particles myself... This should have increased my speed by at least three times!
And yet... I guess I'll be waking up late.
"I'm not even thinking about what would have happened if I hadn't personally assembled my mana particles and just waited for the core to form on its own..." I muttered.
I'll already be an adult by the time I wake up. That's how bad it is!
It got to the point where my parents were worried about me, and rumors even spread that my acceleration ceremony was a sham. People thought the priest was mistaken in believing I had mana, because my essence hadn't yet formed. But since the priest was trusted.
Extremely, and Mother's faith in me never wavered, the family persevered.
Father grew impatient at one point, but refused to give up on me, for I was his only child, though I wonder why he couldn't have another.
"Don't tell me... he... pffft, by no means!"
*
*
*
"No way... Jared, you... you've formed your magic essence?" Annabel, Mother marveled as she watched me flick a spark of fire from my palm.
The look of surprise on her face, along with the tears of joy and relief that flowed from her eyes, made it all worthwhile.
I was waiting for her return, hoping to greet her with this. As soon as I heard the sound of horses' hooves and the wheels of the carriage approaching the house, I went down to meet her.
"Oh, it seems young Master Jared missed the Duchess very much..." the maids laughed as I ran beside them.
They were wrong, though... there was only.
Two things on my mind... one of them was showing off!
As soon as Annabel stepped out of the carriage, I greeted her with a simple fire spell, which made her make the expression I wanted to see.
"Jared, my beautiful baby!!!" she cried, running excitedly toward me.
"Ah, I knew this would come!"
My mother caught me and hugged me tightly, caressing her large breast against mine. Well, at this point I was pretty much used to it.
"Ah, I knew it. You are our pride and joy. Mother is so happy!"
"Yes, yes, I've got it now. Let's quickly move on to the next stage." I grumbled inwardly.
That's right, it was finally time for the second reason that had me rushing downstairs. Having finally gained the ability to use magic according to normal standards, the next thing was only natural... to begin training.
And since I was a child of a noble family, and had access to countless books and materials, it was.
Jared, my beautiful baby!!! she cried, rushing towards me excitedly.
"Ah, I knew this would come!"
My mother caught me and hugged me tightly, caressing her large breasts against mine. Well, at this point I was pretty much used to it.
Ah, I knew it. You are our pride and joy. Mother is so happy!"
Yes, yes, I've got it now. Let's quickly move on to the next stage. I grumbled inwardly.
That's right, the time had finally come for the second reason that had me rushing downstairs. Having finally gained the ability to use magic according to normal standards, the next thing was only natural... to begin training.
And since I was a child of a noble family, with access to countless books and materials, there was one thing I needed more than all of that, one thing my mother had promised me if I fully formed my mana core... a magic master.