Rume collapsed on her bed in exhaustion. It has been a long time since she had felt like this. Due to her utter concentration, her body and mind was exhausted. She heaved a deep sigh.

A whole day had passed. The light from the outside which entered her room was diminishing as the sun began to set. She stared in a daze as she recalled her day. She felt a sense of disappointment. She hadn’t expected this.

Even after all the effort, she failed.

She thought of it as an utter failure. It was still the first step of learning magic, and yet she was already failing. Yes, even after a day, she was still unable to reach out to the mana inside her. And she was still unable to feel the mana in the air. Even though she saw it with her own eyes, she failed to take it within her grasp. Why was that?

She didn’t know.

Galeila and Lein seemed to think nothing about her failure, often comforting her all the while. But what if they were just being kind? What if this wasn’t supposed to happen? Why did she feel no different?

She didn’t know.

She felt it was indeed a failure. She expected it wouldn’t end up like this. She cradled her head. She was so looking forward to this. She was so excited.

But this feeling of failure was eating her.

“Aaaaaaah…”

She groaned in exasperation.

“I need to do better.”

Was it supposed to be this difficult? Or was it because mana hates her? That was a weird thought but it came to her still. However, Lein mentioned it was only normal.

Still, the feeling of failure still came.

She took a deep breath and slowly inhaled. Rume turned her head to the side and saw the jar with a stone within. She reached out for it and shook it around. Light spread out inside her room.

“I wonder how you work.”

She was curious. What exactly was this stone? Now that she thought about it, Lein hadn’t yet to explain what this was.

She recalled her saying that she could refill it.

Rume didn’t exactly know what that meant. But perhaps this thing was like water, if one drinks it, the cup would slowly go empty. But one could refill it again.

Was it like that?

Rume wondered how that works.

“...Is this filled with mana? Then does it also release mana?”

She grasped the jar with both her hands. Maybe if her hand was closer she could feel the mana. With her eyes closed, she focused her thoughts and body.

However, as time passed, nothing happened.

She opened her eyes then sighed.

“I should cook something to eat.”

It wouldn’t be good if she sleeps and hunger strikes. It was one of what she learned from her mother.

She rushed to her dining room with the jar of light in her hands. She grabbed the shabby pan then went straight outside behind her house. She should still have a few dried meat, so she decided to cook those. She placed the dried wood she was storing and plenty of dried leaves and grasses. Normally, it would only be the moonlight to shine her surroundings. However, now she had the jar of light, she didn’t need to worry a lot.

She took the flints and used them to light her fire. But as she expected, as time went on with each strike, her arms were getting numb and tired. Yet, there was still no fire as the wind blew them away. The wind was also cold which made the little girl shudder.

She lowered the stone. She would normally never stop until it lights up. However, she felt not doing so. She was surprisingly tired, too tired. No, that was not the only reason, she lacked motivation.

After what she felt was a failure, she didn’t feel like doing anything excessive.

If she could use magic, this would have been easier, right?

Now that thought demotivated her even more. The little girl let out a frustrated sigh.

“I’ll just eat the fruits…”

She quietly said as she went back inside her home. She brought plenty of fruit from the feast earlier because Galeila urged her to bring some home.

Well, the most important thing was that something filled her stomach.

It was not like they were not delicious anyway. In fact they were great, that was enough for her.

She ate the fruits at the table with the jar of light placed at the center. It was all silence with only the sounds of insects ringing from the outside. Her eyes blinked several times as she took a bite. It was a bit lonely.

She adorably tilted her head to the side. It was her way to fend off this lonely feeling, entertaining herself, just doing anything. Thus, she tilted her head to the other side again. The coldness struck as the wind leaked through the walls. She didn’t like the silence.

It was too peaceful.

Her tiny fingers tapped several times on the wooden table. Truth be told, it was a bit eerie, but at least it filled the void of silence. Before she knew, she already felt a bit full. She stopped, however, kept sitting on the chair while staring at the stone inside the jar.

“...Mana.”

She muttered to herself.

She didn’t feel like sleeping. She didn’t feel like doing anything. It felt like this was the first time she felt this way.

“Haaaaah.”

She heaved a long sigh.

In that case, she just had to do what she wanted. She closed her eyes and went into deep focus. The silence was irritating. Yes, she felt irritation.

However, she pushed that feeling away and focused. She could hear the rustle of trees, the gentle draft coming through her house’s walls. Her breath was slow, the air was cold. She relaxed her body.

She kept her focus on who knows how long. Perhaps it had been several minutes. However, she felt nothing.

She deepened her focus. Her body didn’t even flinch. She imagined the rivers of azure flowing in the air. She focused on her skin seeking to feel the special presence.

Darkness. There was only darkness.

However, she never stopped.

Then, she felt something.

Something touched her skin. It wasn’t like how someone was touching. It was much more, mystical. It was soft and smooth, it was gentle, it was special. Like a single strand of hair.

The strangest of all, she knew where it was. She could feel it, she could tell where it was moving. She subconsciously — or was it consciously? She didn’t know. All she knew was that her hands began to move, trying to reach out for that single strand.

She felt like if she could hold it even just once, a lot will change.

She felt like her hands were moving in gentle waters. Then, her hand closed.

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Her hand only held air. However, there was something. She couldn’t explain it, but something was in her hand, she could feel it. She smiled.

Then, what she had in her hand vanished. It either slipped through her hand or just disappeared completely, she was not sure.

In reflex, she opened her eyes. What greeted her sight was the usual shabby interior of her home. Her hand was extended into the air. She slowly retracted back her arm and looked at her palm.

There was nothing there.

However, she felt it. She knew that was it.

A wide smile began to appear on her face. She felt a bit of moistness coming out of her eyes.

Even though it was only a short time, that was enough to make the little girl happy.

Hope lit up in her heart.

She definitely felt it, even though it was only faint, she realized a bit of how it felt. She chuckled adorably inside the room as she grabbed the jar of light.

“I’m going to tell Lein about it.”

She was excited in sharing the great news.

In the morning, Rume saw a beautiful woman with scarlet hair wearing a long pointy hat. Rume’s smile widened as she rushed outside and lept unto Lein.

“Rume— Eh?”

Lein was dumbfounded when the little girl hugged her knees. Rume was chuckling so much, and her hug was so tight that Lein began to worry. Well, actually she didn’t think it was that bad. Yes, not bad at all, maybe she should keep it that way for a few minutes — no several.

It was pleasant, who would deny this? Not Lein.

Lein didn’t want to talk as she was in this brief bliss. Chances were if she talked, Rume’s pleasant hug would stop. No way she would let that happen easily.

She was still confused as to what led it into this. She won’t complain. Although she was in bliss, Lein was a bit embarrassed as her body went stiff, of course she didn’t notice it herself. Perhaps she will if her feelings of bliss pop like a bubble.

Rume meanwhile couldn’t hold back her happiness. She was so excited ever since she woke up in the morning to share the great news.

“Lein!”

Lein’s eyes flickered as Rume’s adorable voice called out her name.

Aaaah, yes! That’s nice to hear! Now add “sister” to that!

She kept those thoughts to herself. Perhaps she was embarrassed to say or the time and place was not right at the moment.

“Y-You look happy.”

She stuttered a bit as she controlled the emotion inside her.

“Yes! I am very happy!” Rume’s loud childlike voice reached Lein’s ears. “You see, last night when I was trying to feel ma—”

“Aaaaaah!”

Lein instantly covered Rume’s mouth in panic. She was scared there for a moment. Lein kneeled before the surprised Rume.

“Don’t talk about that, you know, in the village. That, I mean, anything that involves it. We don’t want anyone hearing that, understand?”

Rume looked around her. There were a few people passing by while others stole glances at her. Rume understood that talking about anything about magic wouldn’t be good at all. In addition, she didn’t trust any of them. Therefore, she wouldn’t feel bad hiding that fact.

Rume nodded her head showing that she understood.

“Okay, you’re pretty excited so it must be pretty important.”

“Yes! Yes it is very important.”

Lein formed a broad smile, she already had a bit of an idea of what Rume was excited about. However, Rume appeared to want to say it herself, so Lein decided to hear it from her.

“Let’s go to the glade first, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Oh, have you locked the door?”

“Yes.”

“Alright then let’s go.”

They began walking towards the glade. As they went, Rume already held Lein’s hand without hesitation. Lein was incredibly satisfied. Some undesirable gazes were pointed at them, but Lein didn’t care a single bit about it.

What can they do to her anyway? Beat her to death?

Hah!

She scoffed at the idea. However, if they even try to touch Rume, Lein didn’t know what she would do. But there was one thing she knew, she will repay cruelty with cruelty.

Lein may be soft or kind at times, but when she was angry, that softie Lein wouldn’t be found anywhere. She wouldn’t hesitate to act if someone even tries to harm the little girl right before her eyes. Truth be told, if she desires it, she could obliterate this entire village easily if no one intervenes. But she was not that ruthless, unless the situation changed. Still, that was too evil of a thought to ponder about.

As they entered the forest, Rume was fidgeting a bit, she wanted to say what she wanted to say. However, she didn’t know whether the place was right to say it. She looked around, there was no one else in the forest around at all.

She stole occasional glances at Lein. The beautiful mage noticed this of course, so she lowered her head to speak to the restless little girl.

“Alright, what was it you want to tell me?”

Rume looked up at Lein.

“Is it okay to say it now?”

“Yes it is.”

Rume’s eyes seemed to sparkle in joy.

“Lein! I felt mana! I felt it last night! I reached for it!”

Lein formed a surprised expression and felt happy after hearing Rume’s excited words. The joy in the little girl’s eyes were heartwarming.

“That’s amazing Rume! So you tried last night. How was it? Describe it.”

“Actually, what I felt was tiny! It’s like a single strand of hair. It felt that way. I closed my eyes, but I felt it was that way!”

“Oh? That’s a great start, Rume! Now you’re showing progress.”

“Really?!”

Lein nodded.

“Yehey!”

Rume jumped in happiness. Her smile was bright as the sun, her eyes glittering like the clear water of the oceans. Rume felt like she was getting closer to her dreams.

“How much mana do I have to feel so I can unlock the mana inside me, Lein?”

Rume asked with curiosity.

“You need to at least feel the flow of mana. Remember the way you see how mana flows like a river?”

Rume nodded her head. She recalled the moment Galeila shared her eyes with her.

“You need to at least feel a small amount of flow. Only then can you unlock the mana inside of you.”

“I wonder how long it will take.”

“Well, give it your all, I’m sure you’ll get there sooner.”

“I will do my very best!”

“That’s my precious student!”

“Hehehe.”

Rume chuckled as she felt a caress on the head.

Lein felt warmth in her heart as she watched the little girl giggle with a bright smile on her face. She believed that Rume was supposedly to always be like this, especially considering everything she went through.

Truth be told, she pity the little girl. Thus, she wanted to help her. She wanted to always see this bright smile of hers. Lein unconsciously tightened her grip on the little girl’s hand as they walked together.

Soon, Rume will undoubtedly be an irreplaceable existence to the Sorceress named Lein.

They used a different path from what they used when they first came here. This one was a proper path and bears no trouble of going in through.

“...By the way, Lein. Why does it feel strange everytime we go through this path?”

Every time they enter, Rume always feels something strange, like something was tingling inside her head. Although it was so minor and only happened for a second, she couldn’t help but notice the more she used this pathway. In addition, that feeling was slightly more intense when exiting than entering.

She couldn’t come to a conclusion nor could she make a guess to explain what was happening.

“That’s because there’s a barrier here.”

“A barrier?”

“Yes, let me show you.”

Lein stopped in her tracks so Rume also halted. She looked up at Lein waiting on what she could be planning to do.

“We just entered the barrier, that’s why you felt something strange. So what about when we try going out? Let’s go.”

The two turned back to where they came from. For a moment, Rume felt something strange again.

“Oh, I should tell you that we only feel a bit weird since we are exempted from the barrier’s effects during entrance. Normally you wouldn’t feel anything at all.”

High level mages like Lein would be able to tell and feel that there was indeed a barrier. That was why she was able to tell in the past that there was a barrier planted in the area and was able to determine their effects.

They took several steps after feeling that strange sensation, then Lein stopped again.

“Look behind you, Rume.”

Rume blinked a few times in puzzlement before turning her head back to where they just walked by.

“Huh?”

Now she was even more confused. The path they used was gone, completely gone. She was sure they were just walking down a straight line. Thus, it was impossible that the path behind just vanished into nothing.

“The pathway is gone, isn’t it?”

Rume nodded her head. To be honest, it was a bit creepy and eerie.

“The barrier cloaks the glade. Meaning, it hides the tree and Galeila. It deceives the eyes, as you can see in front of you now. It also makes everything inside invisible, hiding them from the eyes outside.”

“Invisible?” Now that she thought about it, she couldn’t see the giant tree amidst the other trees of the forest. Considering its height, she should have seen even a hint of it. “Does the barrier also hide the giant tree?”

“Indeed. Also, there’s more. As we are exempted from the effects, we are only influenced through our eyes. However, there is also an effect that affects the mind.”

“... What do you mean?”

“Outside the barrier, it has Misdirecting effect. When you walk around, you wouldn’t notice that you are being kept away from the barrier, and you wouldn’t realize that you are actually walking in a different direction than what you actually intended to take.”

“... Is that why nobody has discovered Galeila?”

“That’s right. That is also why, when we first went to find Galeila together, we needed the guidance of the Vilicus to get there.”

Rume looked at her surroundings. Her eyes were full of wonder. She never imagined there was something like this. She was sure this was made by magic. This was incredibly fascinating.

“...Did Galeila put the barrier?”

“Yes she did. I can’t even cast this kind of barrier. That’s how strong Galeila is.”

It also shows just how fearsome the power of nature was.

“Amazing.”

Rume could feel her heart beating fast due to excitement. She just became more and more impressed by magic, boosting her desire to learn.