María stood still, watching Hugo and Aria as they remained absorbed in their tasks.

The seconds stretched into an uncomfortable silence, and the tension in her shoulders was becoming unbearable.

Finally, Hugo looked up from his papers and fixed his gaze on her, frowning slightly.

“What are you doing just standing there?” Hugo asked in a casual tone, but with a hint of reproach.

“Waiting,” María replied in a small voice, not knowing exactly what else to say.

Hugo let out a snort and responded:

“How about you wait sitting down?”

María nodded, even more confused, and sat down on a nearby chair, watching the other two continue their work.

Aria kept devouring the last cookies while reading intently the thick tome in front of her.

Hugo, on the other hand, was reviewing some papers with a thoughtful expression, occasionally jotting down notes in the margins.

The room was filled with low murmurs and the soft sound of pages turning.

María, still preoccupied with her previous task, tried to relax in her seat.

It didn’t take long for Aria to finish the book, closing it with a sharp thud on the table, and Hugo looked up.

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

“Now that you’re done, do you understand the human body better?” Hugo asked, leaning towards Aria with an inquisitive gleam in his eyes.

Aria nodded.

“Yes.”

“Then tell me,” Hugo continued, casting a quick glance at the scattered books. “What do you think will happen to a mage’s heart if he maintains a constant flow of mana in his body?”

Aria thought for a moment before responding firmly.

“It’s likely that the mage can never afford to run out of mana. Since mana is what keeps his body functioning constantly, if the mana flow ceases, the mage would die, just like a vampire does when it runs out of blood.”

Hugo nodded, considering her answer.

“It’s a reasonable risk,” he admitted. “But do you think the mage will have the same weakness as vampires if his brain is destroyed?”

Aria looked at him seriously.

“Yes. In both cases, the brain is the organ where memories are stored. Even if he could regenerate that part, there would be a risk of memory and functionality loss, just like with vampires.”

Hugo nodded again, pleased with her response, but his expression shifted to one of expectation.

“What else do you need to understand?”

Aria frowned, thinking deeply before speaking.

“I don’t understand the aura.”

Hugo remained silent for a moment, then spoke aloud:

“María.”

María, who had been listening to the conversation without fully understanding, was startled. She quickly stood up, as if her name had been a command to take action.

“Find all the volumes related to aura and bring them to the table,” Hugo ordered without further explanation.

“Which bookshelf are they on?” María asked nervously.

“Check them all,” Hugo replied dismissively, as if the answer were obvious.

María pressed her lips together, holding back a scream of frustration.

‘Check all the bookshelves!?’ María thought, her mind on the verge of exploding.

If there was anything that abounded in that room, despite how small it was, it was books!

So many books!

With a deep sigh, she headed to the first bookshelf, prepared to dive into what seemed like an endless search, while a silent complaint echoed in her mind.

‘I can’t take this old man anymore!’