However, even though most of the theories are wrong, or have errors, I can still learn from them. If nothing else I learn things from how the experiments go, it is just a slow way to learn. Then again, any amount of learning is better than nothing, since I don't have a teacher.

Until I can get back to the tower, this is probably the best that I can do. Once I get back and can talk to Yui my learning should increase by leaps and bounds. For now, any improvements I can make on how I use my mana will benefit me.

New ways to use the mana will come from improving my knowledge of how mana works. I don't want to learn any spells at all, spells are not useful to me with the way I do things. Spells were created to allow people to use external mana and to use more than they could handle.

For the most part, mages tend to have weak bodies, if they were to use mana like I do they would burn up. Even gathering enough mana internally for a big spell would kill them. Luckily, my body can handle my use of mana directly and I have enough internal mana most of the time.

The few times I have needed to use external mana my body has easily handled the extra stress. Luckily, my mana pool is now big enough that I have less need for external mana. Not that I am going to stop trying to expand my mana pool, there is no such thing as too much.

However, if I can increase my efficiency in using mana it will have the same effect. It will allow me to create bigger effects using the same amount of mana. That is the reason behind me studying, experimenting, and learning to do new things.

I may never be a proper mage, but magic is far too useful to give up on it. However, there are a lot of other things that I need to do so I can't devote myself to magic. What I really need to do when I get back to the tower is study about time altering spells.

If I don't have enough time, then all I really need to do is to make more time. I know it is possible because the tower's reading rooms already have the enchantment. I just need to learn how to do it and maybe figure out how to do it better.

Then I will be able to spend a lot more time studying magic without sacrificing anything else. Until then, I can only spare a bit of time for reading and experimenting. This free time ends when a crewman informs me that we have reached the cove and dropped anchor.

It isn't quite dark, so I have dinner with Nala and Albion before I leave. Then I fly over to the human city and begin my scouting, during which I make sure to locate the city library. Even if I don't have time to read them currently, I still want to steal some history books.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

It isn't late enough yet for me to check on the elves, so I focus on mapping out the city. While I am doing that I am also scanning the city, looking for any traps. I am also looking for the mage guild, but there doesn't seem to be one.

However, there are a couple of odd places that pop up on my scan, they are churches. From the positioning of the churches I would say that religion is very important in this city. As long as there are no elves being held inside the churches that shouldn't be an issue.

However, if we end up having to invade a church, that will probably trigger a major response. In fact, that could be a good way to draw all of the guards as a distraction. I will have to keep that idea in mind when we are planning the assault.

For now it is enough to know that there are no traps set up within the city. That should mean that any warning about us didn't arrive ahead of us, or it was ignored. This city belongs to a different kingdom than the last city, so they might not have believed the warning even if they got it.

Either way, it works out well for us and we should be able to attack without a problem. With enough time having passed I sweep the city again, this time looking for elves. Surprisingly there are only two locations within the city that have elven life signs.

One is a mansion in the noble's area that has a dozen or so elves inside it. The other is a large building near the docks that has over fifty elves inside it. At first I think this is just a normal warehouse, but after scanning it again I realize that it is an arena.

From the location, I am guessing that it is a blackmarket arena, which might make raiding it a bit more complicated. The blackmarket type of organization is something I haven't dealt with in this world. I don't know anything about how they operate, all I have is some guesses.

However, not knowing isn't about to stop me from rescuing those elves. It just means that of the two targets, I will be leading the assault on the arena. That way I can deal with any unusual circumstances that come up during the raid.

With the scanning complete I fly back to the ship where Brightfire and Silverstream are waiting for me. As soon as I show them the map of the city they start working on the plan. Once we have decided on the plan I leave briefing their teams to the two of them.

I create a soulscape to play with the kids and then I get some real sleep. After breakfast with the kids, I go back to reading and experimenting until evening. Then, after dinner, I fly towards the city and land just out of sight of the city.

This is where Brightfire and Silverstream will meet me, so I take a nap while I wait for them. By the time they arrive, night has fully fallen and I do a last scout to double check. Once I make sure nothing has changed we begin the operation immediately.

This time Brightfire and her team are the ones who will attack and hold the gate. So, Silverstream and her team are the ones who head into the city with me. Once we have snuck past the city wall we split up, four elves are coming with me, the rest go with her.

Silverstream and her group are heading for the mansion, while I lead my elves to the warehouse. There are several guards and watchers around the warehouse, but I can detect them easily. Instead of doing it myself, I direct the elves with me to take them all out.

Once they have done so I move to the doors and use my mana to disable the traps and unlock the doors. Then I push the doors open and lead the way inside, scanning as I go. There are more guards and traps inside, I deal with the traps and let the elves handle the guards.