As Merlin pulled open the tavern door, a wave of cheap ale filled the room, and the sound of people talking stopped briefly as the customers checked who opened the door. 'This is awkward...' He thought as he walked to an empty table and sat. Afterward, the chatter of people talking started. Kell and the others soon entered and the whole tavern greeted them with familiarity, and while this all happened Merlin tried to read more of the grimoire which was covered with a different book cover as usual.

"Where'd you get that?" Kell asked and Merlin answered with a lie "I got it as a gift from one of my previous group members before I told him I couldn't read, since I can read now I'll try to read it from now on as a remembrance." It was a sufficient answer for the rest of the group.

He continued trying to read the grimoire and successfully understood the first page.

The page read:

- Before you start to learn the intricacies of mana, spell formulas, and spell signs. You must know that there are two major sides in the realm of magic and similar phenomena. Magi and Sorcerers. The difference between those two is complex but as an introduction, a simple explanation will do. Sorcerers usually use spell signs and subdue mana to their will to emulate spell formulas and the mana rituals Magi use to be loved by mana. As a consequence, Sorcerers are hated by mana. That is why they need to subdue it to their will instead of letting reign free and assist them. -

- Magi on the other hand need to memorize all the basic formulas and rituals to even imitate the control that sorcerers have by subduing mana. They work together when needed but they still have their differences and tend to argue from era to era. Now that I've finished the basic explanations of the factions. It is time to teach you how to sense mana. -

- Mana is very... - 'Huh? The page ends off there?' Merlin jumped to the next page while the rest of his group were negotiating the price of the room.

He spent some moments reading the first few words which did not correlate to the abrupt end of the first page. 'Still nothing?' Merlin thought and then closed the book since his party just finished agreeing on the price and were going into the room upstairs.

He followed them upstairs into the basic bedroom with six beds, only four of them were furnished, after everyone went to sleep and the noise from the bar on the first floor died down Merlin tried rereading the first page when he noticed that although the sentence cuts off there were still signs of indents made by whatever material they used to write. He tried reading it, which took a much longer time than reading normally, and ended up figuring out what the completed sentence said.

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- Mana is everywhere, even in the air we breathe, although normal humans have a minuscule amount of mana they can't sense it without proper guidance. If humans or magi try to take more mana than they can take, they end up dying due to mana poisoning. Sadly, this is how most young apprentices and disciples die before they reach independence in the world of magic.-

- A safe way to counter-act this is to stay close or have direct contact with independent magi that have the full assistance of the mana they have. Sorcerers on the other hand need to have strong willpower to control the mana around them without taking any in. The first step in getting mana's cooperation is to sense it and give it basic gifts and offerings, which usually end up being gold, gems, or cursed beast remains. -

- To sense mana you will need the help of an official magi, preferably one from the Council or the Circle of Magi, when a magi agrees to help you'll need to find a dark or abandoned ruin. After meditating there with the magi giving you his impure mana so it is more used to human bodies. Keep doing that until you can sense mana. -

After reading the hidden passage everything clicked in his head, Merlin realized why the loop kept restarting at random points. 'My body just didn't have any mana, so even the small amount I breathed in killed me.' The problem was finally solved.

As he finished reading, he looked up at the open window which showed that was close to sunrise. He didn't feel tired though and kept trying to decipher what was left of the second page. He wasn't successful in deciphering all of it though even after an hour or two.

The rest of his group woke up soon after and they all went to eat a meal before they continued on their travels. "Everyone had a good night's sleep? Hey, Merlin! You seem exhausted. You sure you weren't awake the whole night?" Kell shouted. "You don't need to scream in my ear. Yes, I couldn't get that much sleep since I was trying to read the remembrance the whole night." After He said that the atmosphere became a bit awkward but soon changed and became light-hearted after Kell spit out the ale he was drinking. "THE FUCK?! WHO PUT SALT IN MY DRINK?!" Edith soon tattled on Fie and everyone laughed after that.

'I wonder who here is a magi?' He thought since his body got more used to mana after he joined the group. After leaving the tavern, he looked back and realized he somehow missed the name of the tavern. It was called the Booze Nest which seemed like a fitting name since they made more booze than water or any other liquid. The group readied their carriage and started getting farther away from the village until all he could see were green meadows and some small farms on the way.

He decided to take a nap for an hour or so, at least until they felt it was too awkward and decided to talk.