First Week after ceremony

When we reached the manor, the butler was quickly called away for other duties.

I was left alone.

I returned to my room.

It was quiet. Too quiet.

I sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at my hands for a long moment. Out of habit,

I tried to circulate mana—only to feel nothing. The mana-blocking robe mad it impossible For today,

I let my hands fall back to my lap.

I felt… kind of loneliness

I know I know i said I would keep my distance from this family until the academy entrance exam.

Still.

Somewhere along the way, a stupid thought had slipped in.

I have a family now.

A mother. A father. A sister.

I thought just maybe things would be different this time.

I let out a quiet laugh.

What’s funny is… nothing really changed.

I could eat properly now.

I could sleep without worrying about the cold.

I leaned back and stared at the ceiling, feeling something heavy settle in my chest.

Is this what “having a family” meant

Being depressed didn’t change anything.

With the mana-blocking robe on, I couldn’t use magic today, so there was no point in dwelling on it.

Instead, I focused on what I could train strength, endurance, and agility

Today is tge 4th day since i become Louis

There is ten days left until entrance exam

I set a target I had to reach if I didn’t want to end up like a sandwich squashed under some fatty at the academy thinking about it make me poke

Target Stats

Strength: 9

Endurance: 8

Agility: 8

Charisma: 3

Mana: 9

First Agility I set up a small course in the courtyard with stones just enough to challenge balance

I reminded myself first build a core then reflection

I darted between obstacles, run in zigzags, then jumped and landed on the sides of my feet,

absorbing the impact to touch down lightly. Each jump tested my coordination; each roll tested my control.

I started practicing sudden stops, quick direction changes, and side-steps

My heart raced, my muscles burned in a different way than with strength or endurance.

I imagined myself in the academy’s trial courses—dodging attacks, keeping pace with faster students, avoiding traps.

I practiced sudden stops, quick pivots, changing directions in an instant. Every repetition was precise. Every landing counted.

Sweat dripped into my eyes, but I didn’t care. The floor under me became familiar, almost like a puzzle I had solved with my body

. By the time I finished, my legs trembled not from exhaustion alone, but from the thrill of pushing my limits

Next, endurance. I ran laps around the manor courtyard, counting each stride.

My lungs burned, my legs ached, but the rhythm was soothing. I measured my pace, imagining the academy tests waiting for me

By the time I finished, my legs were screaming at me like I’d betrayed them personally

I decided a short break was in order—and maybe some food to bribe them back into cooperation.

After a small meal, I moved on to stretching, easing my stiff muscles. Then it was time for strength training

I grabbed a book I’d taken from the library during my previous spell-study visit: Common Sense for Physical Improvement. Something about that heading made me feel special

I flipped to the first chapter. The headings were .

“Proper Form Matters.”

“Warm-Up Before Exercise.

” Consistency Is Key.”

Honestly, I half expected it to tell me to drink water and breathe. But I had to admit—it made sense.

I started with push-ups, counting each one aloud. “One… two… three… don’t collapse…” My arms screamed at me after a few dozen.

The book suggested proper hand placement, tight core, and slow, controlled motions. I rolled my eyes, but then realized I’d been doing them all wrong before kissing flore

Next, squats. I used a small bag I found in the storage room for added resistance.

“Keep your back straight” the book said. My back protested. “Bend your knees, but don’t let them pass your toes.” Great, now my knees were judging me too.

Sweat soaked my hair; my legs burned. I laughed despite myself—if anyone saw me

I’d look like a goblin trying to lift a sack of potatoes.

The book also recommended grip exercises, so I picked up a pair of very small dumbbells and tried curls. My arms wobbled,

but I reminded myself of the target: Strength 9. Every rep brought me closer, even if my muscles were silently plotting revenge.

Then came the book’s advice Consistency is the key—basically, don’t be lazy. Each session, push a little harder, lift a little more, and never let your body get comfortable.

I smirked. Sounds simple… but simple things hurt like hell when actually done.

I moved to planks, following the book’s advice to keep a straight line from head to heel. 60 second felt like an eternity.

My abs quivered; my arms screamed. Again Consistency is key,

At this rate i won't survive ten days.

Finally, I stretched my aching muscles, flipping through the pages for exercises I could combine with endurance and agility training tomorrow.

By the time I put the book down, the sun was dipping low. My body was sore, my muscles trembling—but I felt… stronger. Each small victory counted. And tomorrow, I’d start again.

And Tomorrow… Mana robe off. And I could finally start testing my new core.

The next day, I woke up late, every muscle protesting as if reminding me of yesterday’s recklessness.

Pain.

Everywhere…

So this is what “consistency” feels like.

I pushed myself upright with a hiss and sat on the edge of the bed. My gaze drifted to the chair beside it.

The mana-blocking robe lay folded there, dull

Right I muttered. “That thing comes off today.”

For a second, I hesitated.

Yesterday, no matter how much I tried, mana hadn’t answered me at all. It was like reaching into an empty well.

The robe had done its job perfectly

I stood, shrugged it off my shoulders, and let it slide down into my hands.

The moment the fabric left my body—

Something stirred.

It wasn’t dramatic. No explosion, no light show. Just a subtle sensation, like warmth spreading beneath my ribs. A slow, steady pulse

Mana

I closed my eyes and focused inward.

Mana answered.

Not rushing. Not surging.

But moving.

It felt different from Before, it had always flowed from my heart naturally,

The core.

I concentrated carefully, guiding mana the way I used to.

The result?

Nothing happened.

My face twisted in confusion

I tried again, slower this time, imagining the flow

“Just a little,” I whispered.

I nudged the mana gently.

A spark flickered above my palm.

Then fizzled out like a dying candle.

I stared at it.

“…That was pathetic.”

Still, my heart thumped with excitement.

It worked.

Even if it was unstable, even if it felt awkward and unfamiliar—mana responded. That alone was enough.

A familiar sound echoed in my mind.

DING!DING!

[SYSTEM UPDATE]

Mana Control: Unstable

Core Synchronization: 5 %

Status: Adjustment Phase Active

Note: Forced circulation is not recommended.

I exhaled slowly.

“Adjustment phase, huh…”

So this wasn’t something I could brute-force. Fine. I could work with that.

I spent the next hour doing nothing but feeling.

No spells. No output.

Just sitting, breathing, letting mana move naturally,

observing how it reacted when I shifted focus. Sometimes it pooled too quickly. Sometimes it dispersed before I could guide it.

Annoying.

But fascinating

I tried the basic spell, Water Manifestation.

The first two attempts failed completely.

On the third try, it finally formed—but something felt off.

The water was heavier, denser, and far greater in quantity than it had ever been before.

Was it because of the mana core?

I tried again, carefully this time,

slowing my breathing and focusing on control instead of output. The water formed once more

slightly smaller, but still far beyond my previous limit. The mana drain felt cleaner too, less wasteful.

I checked my status out of habit, half-expecting another warning to flash across my vision.

Nothing.

No alarms

No message

Just silence

my mana output had increased this much in a week without side effects?

The next seven days passed faster than I expected. Nothing strange happened. No sudden disasters, no interruptions.

I focused entirely on training—strength, endurance, agility, and mana

Each day, my control grew steadier. Small successes piled up,

and the confidence in my abilities started to grow a littel

Even minor spells I’d once struggled with now felt like second nature

By the end of the week i could sense the change

After a week of focused training, my state was like

Strength: 6.6

Endurance: 5.7

Agility: 6.6

Mana: 6.8

Charisma: 3

Luck: -12