After finishing my business in the city, I returned to my uncle's house. But as I stepped through the front doors, I found out I was just in time for dinner, but the atmosphere inside was quite different from the last time I visited.
My uncle's serious expression was apparent from the first moment I laid eyes on him, and I couldn't help but wonder what was troubling him. After we sat down to eat, the tension lingered. However, it was only after dinner, when we gathered around the flickering warmth of the fire, that I finally found out what was happening.
"Gorn, you and your family should be extra careful," my uncle said gravely. "In the capital, there's talk of a Red Fever spreading. Some are even calling it an epidemic. It's only a matter of time before it reaches here."
My father's expression turned serious right away, and I knew this wasn't just idle gossip. "Hmm, that's bad news. But I think we're quite safe in the village. We don't get many visitors there, and hopefully, by next year, it will have run its course."
But my mind was racing. What was red Fever? I thought, from the sound of it, that it was probably some kind of disease, but I had never heard of it.
I didn't want to interrupt the adults while they were in the midst of a serious discussion. Therefore, I decided to wait until it was time to retire for the night before asking.
"Father, what is this Red Fever? I never heard of it." I asked him as we were preparing for sleep.
"It's a nasty disease. You get a high fever for weeks and blisters all over your body, which often burst and bleed, hence the name."
"There isn't any effective cure for it. For the nobles, it's different; they have their wizards, who can cure them with magic, but us poor folk, especially those who can't afford even the basic medicines, are hit the hardest, and many don't make it."
Hmm, that sounds like an unpleasant disease, but my father is right—we are quite isolated in our village, so hopefully, it won't affect us.
I woke up early in the morning, eager to return home from our brief visit to the city. The journey was long and tiring, but finally, we made it back. Even the air felt different here—fresh and crisp.
"We have plenty of food for the winter season, Darian," my father said, pleased. I, too, felt relieved knowing that we would have enough to eat in the cold months ahead.
Together, my brother Rolf and I helped our father gather firewood. My mother and sister, Helga, worked hard preserving food and stocking up the house before snow and ice arrived.
As winter approached, I celebrated my seventh birthday in this world. Mother made me quite a feast this year, perhaps as compensation for the meager celebration I had the previous year. And I felt grateful to have such caring parents.
The rest of the winter passed uneventfully, just like the previous ones. I spent most of my time huddled around the warm fireplace, practicing my magic, and dreaming of all the things I wanted to accomplish in the coming year.
The long winter nights were perfect for exploring my abilities, and I worked hard to hone my skills, eager for the new adventures that awaited me in this realm.
***
As spring breathed life into the world and melted the snow, I ran out of my house to once again measure progress in my magic training.
With eager anticipation, I made my way toward the stream that flowed behind it. The stream was filled to the brim with water from the melting snow that flowed from the mountains and through the Forest. It was the right location for my magical experiments.
Without wasting a moment, I used my [Water Manipulation] and began to shape the water into countless small spheres, using them to measure the growth of my powers. This was the result:
STATUS:
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Name: [Darian]
Race: [Human]
Age: [7 years]
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Mana: 136 --> 206
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Spells: [Stone Bullet], [Small Flame], [Air Manipulation], [Water Manipulation].
As I checked the experiment's result, both excitement and disappointment stirred within me. The growth of my powers was undeniably impressive. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that my progress was starting to slow down.
Despite my ongoing commitment to training every day, it seemed like my magical abilities were slowing down their growth. Perhaps my power had at last outgrown my body's potential, or maybe there was something else holding me back. Regardless, I refused to let this realization dampen my spirits. I was still growing stronger, and that was all that mattered.
As my powers continued to grow, my control over mana became increasingly precise. I felt a new kind of awareness within me, and I began to sense the magical energy that permeated the air all around me. I wondered if this was a result of my own training or if it was a natural gift that all mages possess.
I longed to ask someone, but I knew that reliable information about magic was scarce and elusive.
Even Isadora, who seemed to have more knowledge of magic than anyone else in the village, could only offer vague insights. It seemed that the secrets of magic were closely guarded, and the path to understanding them would be a difficult one.
For now, I will focus on my training, hoping that one day I will uncover all the magic's secrets. As I was thinking about this, my strength had recovered, so I could delve into the Forest to search for umbrifila.
I discovered that the traces of mana were much stronger here than in the village. I started to search and soon found the first herb. But as I saw it, I froze in my steps. The faint traces of magic I felt were much stronger here. And it was coming... from the herb?
The umbrifila was full of mana, and I could clearly feel it. So that's why!
I was always wondering what gave these real herbs their healing properties and why they were so much stronger than regular herbs. They have the ability to capture mana from the land around them and absorb it into their cells. And that is also why they grow only deep in the Forest since there seems to be a much denser amount of magic in the air.
I was filled with excitement as I realized the implications of this discovery. It was not enough for me to simply know things; I craved a deeper understanding of the processes and reasoning behind them. But right now, I felt enlightenment that filled me with joy.
But... wait a minute! I could use this!
If I could feel the magic coming from the herbs, couldn't I also use it to locate them?
No more aimlessly wandering through the dense forest, turning over every leaf in search of the elusive umbrifila.
Without hesitation, I set out to test my theory. Closing my eyes, I cleared my mind of all extraneous thoughts and focused solely on the faint sensation of magic in the air. With each step forward, the feeling grew stronger, leading me deeper into the dense thicket. Soon enough, I came across a hidden patch of umbrifila plants concealed behind a cluster of trees.
It works! I thought with excitement. Now I can locate them much quicker and easier than ever before! I then ran into the forest and picked up all the herbs I managed to find.
In the end, I found 83 umbrifila in total. The highest amount I ever found, and it took me only a single day!
As I was drying them the following day, I also found out that during the drying process, it's critical to dry them quickly and close all the pores in the plants, which also concentrates and preserves the mana inside them. If you wait too long for them to dry or if they start to rot, the mana dissipates and they lose all their properties.
That is also helpful to know; now I can focus on the mana inside and make sure to preserve it perfectly while preserving them, further increasing their quality. I can't wait to hear what Isadora says about these improved herbs; I'm sure she will be thrilled. But I doubt she will pay me more for them.
I was sitting there, surrounded by my precious bounty of herbs, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. The faint traces of magic that had led me to my discovery had opened up a world of possibilities.
I happily stowed the herbs for my future trip to the city and headed back home. The rest of the spring I spent helping my father in the smithy. I was getting better and better, but I was getting close to the limits of my father's forge.
You see, as a village blacksmith, he dealt mostly with simple tools and repairs and used mostly crude iron. Steel was very expensive, so he rarely used it. So if I wanted to craft anything more elaborate, like swords or armor, I would first have to obtain some steel.
Making weapons from crude iron was a possibility, but it would render them very brittle and easy to break. If I could somehow create a steel pipe, I would be able to use it as my gun. This would enable me to increase the strength of my [Stone Bullet] spell without worrying about shattering it.
But it was all the melody of a distant future where I would be rolling in cash and not worry about such expenses. For now, I had to make do with what I had.
This time around, I kept my promise to Myra and spent my free time playing with her and helping her with her studies. Despite her easily distracted nature, she was improving her reading and writing skills at a steady pace. I felt proud of her progress.
***
As spring drew to a close and summer loomed on the horizon, the news from the city grew increasingly dire. The dreaded red Fever was spreading like wildfire, with reports of infected travelers cropping up in our own city. The prospect of my usual summer travels to sell my herbs and explore was looking bleak.
Even the Vogt himself warned us to be extra cautious as he placed new orders at my father's smithy. I guess this year I will also be forced to stay at home.
It seemed like the disease was quickly closing in on us, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease settle in the pit of my stomach.
Despite our secluded location and relative safety, I knew that we couldn't afford to let our guard down. I was still not too concerned, but Red Fever appeared to be a deadly foe, and I wondered what the coming months would bring. For now, all I could do was stay vigilant and hope for the best.