Time passes swiftly through young eyes, and changes of all kinds come and go. Three months into his new life, Lanthim Frenost was experiencing a new world with strange new sounds and people surrounding him. Being able to investigate these many things, however, took some work.
Being only an infant, Lanthim had no means by which he could travel from one place to another, himself being a young child not able to crawl or walk and dependent on his caretakers or his mother, depending on who was carrying him at the time.
'They have left me on the floor again.' {Lanthim}
Laying on his back in the middle of the nursery, Lanthim lay with toys on the nursery floor about him that could be played with if he wished.
Grabbing at each item and examining the different parts had become part of a daily routine for Lanthim. At times, he would be left to lay on the floor by a servant, or his mother would come by the nursery to check on him, ensuring he was alright. They would see him intently looking at whatever toy he had in his hands at the time that he had been able to reach. Sometimes, a doll, a ball or little carriages small enough to pick up with his hands, no matter the item, he would run his tiny hands over them, caressing every crevasse and handling them with considerable skill for one so young.
His mother watched silently at the door to the nursery. Lanthim was playing with his toys oddly again today. She did not worry about his interactions, though not much in the house would be able to harm him. Not with so many mana manipulators here, most of them being over class 6 in Mana manipulation. It was also because of this strange power. Litralia and the other caretakers would leave him unattended without fear of anything happening.
Sadly, though, due to him being born male. Lanthim would only be able to manipulate Mana through traditional means. In this world, solely women. They could control the Mana that resided within their bodies. To use magic in the world, whether to fight to protect the country they lived in. Or lift their standing in clan society. The only way a man could use Mana was through specifically structured tattoos. That would give limited ability with magic.
Litralia also noticed one other oddity. Usually, when he was put in the nursery, the intent for him to be on the floor was so he would play. She also wished to inspire some desire in the child to become mobile on his own. She had done this same exercise with her other children with great success. With most becoming mobile within their 9th month of being in the world. Which by many standards was considered fast, especially in this world. With many different races, most children will develop at an incredible pace.
However, looking closer, she could sense some difference in him today. She had been present when he was placed in the nursery earlier. At that time, he had been placed on his back. That is where things started to become strange. It had only been 15 minutes since he had been left in the nursery. In that time, he had somehow managed to roll off his back onto his stomach, in which position he was currently in.
Even if he could have done this on his own. How was his body able to adapt so quickly? His small muscles should not be strong enough. At this point, she was allowing him to do such a thing. The more she thought about the possibilities, the more worried she became.
'What if someone did something to him while I was asleep?' {Litralia}
So many questions whirled in her head. Something that had seemed small had become a significant problem, at least in her mind. Someone harming her son was unacceptable.
Still standing in the doorway, Litralia just stared at him. Then, the boy did something that shocked her right to the core of her very being—putting his arms firmly on the floor to support himself. He raised the lower half of his body slightly, and, pulling his little legs forward, he came to a kneeling position. Sitting on his calves, he remained in this position for five minutes. Litralia just watched, perplexed.
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
'How?' {Litralia}
Kneeling and with such excellent posture. To Litralia's understanding, such a thing should be impossible. However, as she continued to watch, she began to sense Mana beginning to move around her son as if the ratio of natural and purified was in constant flux.
'What is happening to you, Lanthim?' {Litralia}
This is all she could ask herself as she watched over him. Lanthim, by this time, had not realized yet that his mother was present and watching him. So he continued with his training, or what he had planned as a form of exercise. He had remembered back just a few days ago. Even though it was short, he had spent time with six deities. In that strange realm or reality or whatever it had been at the moment, he did not care. All that mattered was he was alive. Now, he was able to make a new life for himself here. He had gained a family and some strange power he did not understand with a new life.
It flowed through him like some torrent wishing to break forth and swallow everything around him. Thankfully, this power was contained in his body. How this power was under control or even used was still beyond him. However, after some experiments, he found that use was relatively easy but restricted. Only so much could be used at a given time. When a specific amount of Mana was used, exhaustion would set in with a fury. Learning what could and could not be done had been tough on his little body. But everyone had yet to notice.
That being said, he had achieved a level of understanding. He had been able to strengthen his limbs to the point that he could, at this time, hold a solid posture. While doing so, gain greater insight into the power he had at his disposal.
As he continued with his advancement in understanding this new power. The number of surprised faces at the door had increased. At this time, not only his mother but also his caretaker, Milty and a few other servants. They had been doing their chores and just happened by the scene. We're all standing at the door, looking at this little child now sitting cross-legged in a meditative stance.
No one spoke; they were all in awe of what they saw. Slowly, as they watched, those who had the training to view Mana and its flow were fixed on the boy's internal core. A solid mass of purified Mana and not only that, its amount and purity were increasing, which should not be possible. It was common knowledge that the amount of Mana a woman could use was limited at birth and that the body was on its own. Would slowly or with some help replenish the amount a given person could use.
However, this teaching was now being undone right before their eyes.
'What is this child?'
They all thought this in unison. At an absolute loss for words, they just stood there watching. Then the boy, who until now had his eyes closed, opened them and looked towards the door. He saw everyone looking at him; smiling at all of them, he let out a small laugh.
'Ha, if he can laugh after all that, then I should not worry.' {Litralia}
Even though she thought that Litralia felt unease about what a child like this could bring to their family. Such great talent for Mana manipulation would have to be nurtured perfectly and silently. It could never be known that a male could use Mana, so there would be no unexpected problems in the future.
She smiled at him and gave a small wave; he, in turn, did the same. Then, when their eyes met, she felt something; she did not know what it was. Almost as if something had entered her mind, a voice suddenly spoke.
"Hello, mother. It is nice to speak to you for the first time, even if it is like this." [Lanthim]
Litralia's mind went instantly blank as she began to feel like she would faint. But was caught by one of the male servants who were present. No one knew why the boy had a slightly confused face at that moment.
"You have caused quite a stir, young master. Now, it's time for a walk before your nap." [Milty]
Milty, Lanthim's caretaker, quickly removed him from the room as his mother was being cared for. Later that day, when Lanthim had been put down for his nap, Litralia had recovered somewhat. Having been moved to her study, she was now looking over some papers that had arrived earlier. The north would soon welcome winter, and she would have many pupils to teach. Once, the many nobles fled the capital for the warmer south. Even though this was now firmly on her mind, only one thing remained that she could not let go of.
"He spoke to me telepathically no less, and at only three months, I will have to have greater vigilance as he grows over the coming months." [Litralia]