Feeling Mana
Chapter 5 – Feeling Mana
I woke up before the bell.
That alone already told me my body hadn’t fully recovered.
My eyes opened slowly, and the first thing I felt was weight. Not pain exactly. Just heaviness. Like my limbs were made of something denser than they should be.
Yesterday really did push me too far.
I stayed still for a few seconds, staring at the ceiling. After a while, I sat up carefully.
Bad idea.
Pain flared through my muscles from yesterday.
“Damn…”
I let out a slow breath and swung my legs off the bed. My feet touched the floor, and for a moment I waited to see if my balance would betray me.
It didn’t.
Good.
I stood up and changed into my uniform piece by piece, moving slower than usual. Everything hurt.
As I tightened the strap of my satchel, my mind drifted back to the thought I’d been trying to avoid since last night.
Training.
Izuo’s offer echoed in my head.
I wanted it. I needed it.
But wanting didn’t change facts.
My body wears out easily.
I pushed that thought aside and left the room.
The hallway of Dormitory C was already awake. Doors opening.
Footsteps. Quiet conversations mixing together. Everyone heading somewhere.
When I stepped outside, the morning air hit my face, and I immediately noticed someone standing a few meters away, leaning casually against the wall.
Izuo.
“You’re early,” I said.
“So are you. Didn’t expect that after yesterday.”
I snorted.
“Neither did I.”
He pushed himself off the wall. “Latris said she’d meet us here.”
“Okay, let’s wait for her.”
“Of course. No way I’m letting you walk alone after collapsing like that,” he said.
“I didn’t collapse. I strategically lost consciousness.”
Izuo laughed. “Sure you did.”
We stood there for a moment in silence. The academy slowly came to life around us—doors opening, footsteps echoing, voices overlapping.
I hesitated.
Then I spoke.
“So… about yesterday. That offer you made.”
He tilted his head. “Offer?”
“…Training together. After classes.”
His eyes lit up. “Oh. That.”
I nodded. “If it’s still open, I’d like to accept.”
He broke into a wide smile. “Seriously? I’d love that. Training alone gets boring.”
“There’s something you should know,” I added quickly. “My body is fragile. I won’t be able to keep up with you.”
Izuo waved it off without a second thought. “That’s fine. Then we don’t train the same way.”
“…What?”
“I’ll think of something,” he said confidently. “A routine that actually helps you. Muscle conditioning. Pacing. Recovery. We’ll build it up.”
I hadn’t expected that answer.
“Oh. Thanks…”
Izuo shrugged. “Partners help each other.”
Before I could respond, footsteps approached.
“Sorry,” Latris said, appearing beside us. “Did you wait long?”
“Nope,” Izuo replied immediately. “We just got here.”
I glanced at him.
Liar.
She smiled. “Good. I was worried I overslept.”
I glanced at her. “You look fine to me.”
She shrugged. “I barely slept anyway.”
“Guess yesterday did that to everyone. That training stuck with me more than I expected,” Izuo said.
“Same. My body still feels strange,” Latris replied.
There was a brief silence as we started walking.
“So what do you think today’s class is going to be about?” Izuo asked. “Please don’t say running again.”
Latris shook her head. “I have no idea, but I doubt they’ll repeat the same thing.”
I thought for a moment. “Magic theory, probably. Or something basic.”
“I heard some upperclassmen talking last night. Apparently, the magic instructor is… intense,” Izuo said.
“…That doesn’t help.”
Latris thought for a moment. “So whatever today is, it’s probably going to be fun.”
Izuo sighed. “Nothing here seems to be simple.”
I nodded quietly.
Yeah. This academy really doesn’t waste time.
We reached Classroom C not long after. The door was already open.
Inside, students were taking their seats, the usual noise filling the air.
We found our places and sat down.
I leaned back slightly and let my gaze wander.
Yesterday still felt close. Too close.
Before I could sink deeper into my thoughts, the bell rang.
Doong.
Doong.
The room quieted almost instantly.
Then the door opened again.
The magic instructor walked in.
She looked… energetic.
Too energetic.
“Good morning, everyone."
"I am Seraphine’s the magic instructor.”
Her voice alone felt like it could push people awake.
She looked around the room with a wide smile.
“Very well. Let’s get started.”
I straightened instinctively.
She began speaking immediately.
“Today, we will learn about mana.”
That word again.
Mana.
I had heard it before, of course. Everyone had.
“All living beings possess mana,” she continued. “Some creatures use it instinctively. Others learn. Humans fall into the second category.”
I listened carefully.
“Even without a sigil, mana can be used.”
That caught my attention.
“Not to cast spells necessarily,” she said. “But to strengthen the body. Muscles. Vision. Hearing. All senses.”
My heart beat slightly faster.
Strengthen the body.
I felt my fingers curl unconsciously.
If that was true, then—
Maybe it can help me.
The thought lingered.
The instructor clapped her hands once.
“Today, you will learn to feel mana.”
Feel it.
“That sounds simple, but it isn’t. Mana is everywhere. Like wind against your skin.”
Wind.
Before anyone could ask anything, she raised her staff.
Light twisted.
The world folded.
And suddenly—
We weren’t in the classroom anymore.
Open plains stretched endlessly under a wide sky.
Gasps erupted around me.
Teleportation.
Even I knew how rare that was.
“The professors here really are something,” Latris whispered.
I couldn’t even respond.
The instructor smiled proudly.
“An open place like this is ideal. Sit. Close your eyes. Lotus position.”
Everyone obeyed.
I sat down and closed my eyes.
What is mana?
She said it’s in the air.
But how do you feel something you don’t understand?
I breathed slowly.
If it’s like wind…
I imagined wind brushing against my skin.
At first, nothing happened.
Everything was dark. I couldn’t see anything. I couldn’t hear anything.
I stayed like that for a while.
Then—
Something changed.
Thin lines. Faint. Moving.
I reached out without opening my eyes.
Touched one.
And suddenly—
I felt it.
Everywhere.
I opened my eyes in shock.
Mana.
I could feel it.
I looked around.
Izuo was still with his eyes closed. Most students were still concentrating.
I spotted Latris.
I leaned toward her.
“You felt it?”
She smiled.
“It was easy. Like talking to plants.”
So Latris had already succeeded.
I closed my eyes again, trying to feel more, but before I could—
A sharp sound echoed through the plain.
Clap.
Clap.
I flinched slightly and opened my eyes.
The instructor stood a short distance away, staff resting against her shoulder, smiling as she looked around at the students.
“That’s enough for today,” she said brightly. “You don’t need to rush.”
Some students opened their eyes in confusion. Others looked relieved.
“Feeling mana isn’t something you force,” she continued. “For some, it takes days. For others, weeks. And that’s perfectly fine.”
Her gaze swept across us.
“In time, all of you will feel it.”
I looked up.
The position of the sun had changed.
It was higher than I remembered. No—lower. Much lower.
…How long was I sitting there?
Before anyone could ask anything, the instructor raised her staff and tapped it against the ground.
The world folded.
For a brief moment, everything twisted—and then we were back inside the classroom.
The familiar walls. The desks. The windows.
“As always,” she said casually, already turning away, “I’ll see you again in two days.”
And just like that, she was gone.
The rest of the day passed without any problems.
No surprises. No strange lessons. No pressure.
The other classes were… normal. History, basic theory, things that didn’t demand much from the body or the mind. I paid attention, but part of my thoughts stayed elsewhere.
So today really was just that.
When classes finally ended, I let out a quiet breath.
Outside, the academy felt calmer. Students split off in different directions, some heading to the dorms, others talking about lessons or plans.
I walked beside Izuo as we headed toward the training field.
He suddenly groaned.
“I still can’t believe we have to study math here.”
I glanced at him and gave a small, mocking smile.
“That’s because not everyone here is going to become a fighter,” I said. “A lot of people will end up as merchants. Knowing numbers helps.”
He blinked, then laughed softly.
“…Yeah. That’s true.”
We kept walking.
The training field was already close.
After a moment, Izuo spoke again.
“It’s kind of a shame Latris couldn’t come today.”
I nodded.
“Yeah. She already had plans.”
We took a few more steps.
Then I stopped.
“…Izuo.”
“Hm?”
I looked at him.
“Where’s your bag?”
He froze.
He looked down. Then behind him. Then frowned.
“…Ah.”
I stared at him.
“I left it in the classroom.”
Silence.
Then—
“Rikuo, go ahead,” he said quickly. “I’ll run back, grab it, and meet you there.”
I lifted a hand.
“Okay.”
He turned and ran off without another word.
I watched him go for a second, then turned toward the training field and walked in alone.
The moment I stepped inside, I noticed movement.
Someone was already there.
A woman.
Beautiful red hair. A wooden sword.
She swung it again and again. Each movement was clean. Each strike sharp. Every swing whipped the air, producing a clear, cutting sound.
I stopped without realizing it.
…
For some reason, I couldn’t look away.
I’ve never touched a sword.
That was the first thought that came to mind.
Then another.
But…
Her stance made sense. Her steps felt right. I couldn’t explain it, but something inside me recognized it.
She’s good.
Really good.
I didn’t notice how long I stood there until she stopped.
She turned her head slightly.
Wow… she’s beautiful.
“Oya,” she said. “A new face. You must be one of the newcomers.”
I didn’t answer.
Say something.
Nothing came out.
She looked at me calmly, then smiled.
“Nice to meet you, junior,” she said. “I’m Elaira. And you?”
That snapped me out of it.
My face heated up immediately.
“R-Rikuo,” I said, a bit too fast. “My name is Rikuo.”
Why was my heart beating like that?
Get it together.
I straightened slightly, still feeling awkward under her gaze.
Ending of Chapter 5
