Aria nodded calmly and began to explain each step patiently, her voice soft but firm, as if she were guiding a student in a classroom.

“First, close your eyes,” Aria repeated slowly.

María obeyed, letting the darkness envelop her vision as she tried to calm her breathing.

“Now, focus on the mana around you. Imagine it like a gentle breeze touching your skin.”

María concentrated, and little by little, she started to feel it.

It was a subtle tingle, an energy floating in the air, almost imperceptible, but it was there.

She sensed how the mana glided over her skin, wrapping her in a faint embrace.

“Very good,” Aria continued, watching her closely. “Now, feel the mana within you. Your body holds it too, and it circulates with your blood. Let it become more evident, follow its flow.”

María took a deep breath, focusing on that internal sensation.

It was warmer, more alive, and with each heartbeat, she could sense how it moved inside her.

Her heart began to race, but she didn’t stop. She followed Aria’s voice, which now felt like a guide through the fog of her thoughts.

“Now, the most important part,” Aria said, her tone serious. “Concentrate that mana in your heart. You must imagine it flowing there, then try to create a ring around it, as if you were drawing it with a thread of energy. It’s a slow process, so don’t rush.”

María nodded slightly, even with her eyes closed.

She felt the mana starting to flow toward her heart, following Aria’s instructions.

It was like a river of energy flowing to a central point.

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For the first time, she could visualize the size of her heart, feeling it in a different way.

The image was clear, and with that, she tried to create a thin thread of energy to surround it.

Slowly, the thread began to form, cautiously wrapping around her heart.

María felt her body starting to sweat, a fine layer of moisture covering her forehead as she concentrated all her strength on maintaining the shape of the ring.

It was a mental and physical effort she had never experienced.

With each second, the thread became more tangible, and María fought to maintain her focus as it encircled her heart, layer by layer, until finally, the ring was complete.

The moment the ring took shape, a current ran through her entire body, like a surge of energy that made her straighten up.

The flow of mana became more organized, more controlled, and María felt a clarity she had never experienced before.

image [https://i.imgur.com/46iEx6D.jpeg]

She opened her eyes, breathing heavily, but at the same time, she was excited.

Aria watched her with bright, curious eyes.

“How do you feel?” she asked.

María was still processing the experience, her words tumbling out nervously.

“It’s... it’s like my heart is... I don’t know, more connected, more alive. I feel the mana much more clearly now, flowing in a way I can’t explain.”

Aria looked at her for a moment, then nodded, her expression serene.

“Congratulations, it seems you did it.”

María burst out laughing, surprised by the lightness she felt.

She had expected the process to be much harder… so all the drama… her memories… it had all been for nothing!

While a large part of her was happy, another part was annoyed at having used such a valuable emotional resource to motivate herself to do something that turned out… not to be so difficult.

“I can’t believe it... I did it...”

María laughed again, a laugh full of relief and pride.

So much fear, so much worry… and all for nothing!

At that moment, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Well, well,” said Hugo from the kitchen entrance.

María and Aria turned to look at him, surprised.

“I didn’t expect that in your free time you’d be doing something like this,” Hugo continued, crossing his arms as he looked at them with a raised eyebrow.

María, still smiling, straightened up and asked,

“What are you doing here?”

“I got hungry,” Hugo replied with a teasing smile. “But as soon as I felt something gathering mana, I rushed over to see what was going on. I didn’t expect you’d be creating a ring.”

María laughed, pointing at Aria.

“It’s all thanks to her. Aria explained each step to me.”

Hugo looked at her for a moment, surprised, and then cast an appreciative glance at Aria.

“Well, I’m impressed. I wouldn’t expect anything less from our little genius. But María, are you aware of what you just did?”