Vielle sank onto her bed with a dejected sigh, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "It's hopeless. They're just like you - no innate talent for magic. But I suppose that's to be expected from a world without mana. Unlike you, they don't have a grimoire or any other mana source to draw from."

Though saddened by her assessment, Arlo wasn't entirely surprised. In his world, magic was purely the stuff of fiction. There was no mana, only Evolution Energy - two fundamentally different forces. If Serena and Sylvia possessed any latent magical ability, it would defy all logic, unless they somehow originated from this world.

But perhaps not all hope was lost. "So you're saying that if they had access to a mana source, it might help?" Arlo asked, glancing down at the shimmering blue gem clasped in his palm.

Vielle flopped backwards onto her mattress, fatigue etched in every line of her body. "Yes, but if you're thinking of lending them your grimoire, I'd strongly advise against it. As I've said before, it's bound to you alone."

"No, not the grimoire," Arlo replied. "But I may have something else that could work." He opened his hand, revealing the catalyst.

Vielle's eyes widened as she caught sight of the gem. In an instant, all traces of exhaustion vanished as she scrambled across the room, clambering onto Arlo's bed to inspect it more closely. After a moment of intense scrutiny, she exhaled in apparent relief.

"Oh...it's just a Sorcerer's Catalyst," she murmured.

Arlo blinked in surprise. "You know what this is? And what do you mean 'just'? This thing is incredible."

"Of course I know what a Sorcerer's Catalyst is," Vielle replied. "It's an artificial gem created to serve as a mana conduit. And yes, it is impressive. I only said 'just' because for a moment I thought it might be something else."

"Something else?" Arlo prompted, his curiosity piqued.

"A Philosopher's Stone - the artifact that inspired the Sorcerer's Catalyst," Vielle explained. "Many mages have tried to recreate it, but the catalyst is the closest they've come."

"Philosopher's Stone?" The term was unfamiliar to Arlo, but from Vielle's reverent tone, he could tell it held great significance.

"It's one of the most sought-after magical artifacts," she continued. "Similar enough to a Sorcerer's Catalyst that I mistook yours for one at first glance."

Arlo's brow furrowed in thought. "So this world has artifacts too...interesting."

In his world, artifacts were potent items retrieved from Labyrinths, brimming with Evolution Energy and granting their wielders immense power. It was why both governments and hunter organizations alike coveted the Labyrinth Gates so fiercely.

"Indeed we do," Vielle nodded. "They're not dissimilar to the artifacts you're familiar with. We can acquire them from dungeons, for instance. But instead of Evolution Energy, ours contain mana."

"Makes sense," Arlo mused.

"However," Vielle continued, "we don't limit the term 'artifact' solely to dungeon finds. Certain powerful magical creations crafted by mortals can also earn the title. The Philosopher's Stone is one such example."

Arlo leaned forward, intrigued. "And why is it so coveted by mages?"

"Well, there are many rumors," Vielle said, her eyes taking on a faraway look. "It's said to grant the wielder access to near-limitless mana while dramatically accelerating their growth as a mage. Some even claim it bestows eternal youth, though I can't personally verify that."

Arlo's eyebrows shot up. "And you seriously thought I was casually holding something that powerful?"

Vielle's lips quirked in a wry smile. "When it comes to you, Arlo, I've learned to expect the unexpected. Besides," she added, gesturing to the book at his side, "you already possess an artifact to rival the Philosopher's Stone - the Cosmic Sage's Grimoire."

Arlo glanced down at the tome, his expression thoughtful. "I mean, I did initially think it might be an artifact. But are you certain it qualifies? Isn't it just a grimoire with its own mana reserve?"

"If it were merely a book of spells, then no, it wouldn't be considered an artifact - just a grimoire," Vielle explained. "Officially, it's not registered as an artifact. But ask any mage worth their salt, and they'd tell you it absolutely qualifies. It was created by the Cosmic Sage himself, after all, and contains the distillation of his wisdom."

Arlo ran his fingers over the grimoire's cover, a new appreciation dawning in his eyes. His gaze flicked to his MP bar, watching as it plummeted upon connecting to the book's reserves.

[MP: 100% -> 4%]

He frowned momentarily before breaking into a rueful smile. "Well, I'm sure the mana contained here pales in comparison to the Philosopher's Stone. Still, I'm grateful this is the artifact that found its way to me."

Vielle's eyes narrowed as she studied the grimoire. "I've never laid eyes on the Philosopher's Stone myself, but I'd wager the mana reserves in that grimoire could easily rival it."

Arlo shot her a skeptical look. "You're just saying that because of the Cosmic Sage's reputation. There's not nearly as much magic in here as you seem to think. Look," he added, looking at his nearly depleted MP bar, "I've been using it to practice spells. I can tell that that it's almost out of Mana."

"What are you talking about?" Vielle's brow furrowed in confusion. "I've told you before - that grimoire is still brimming with magical energy. It's nowhere near empty."

Arlo's own confusion deepened as he glanced between Vielle and his stubbornly low MP indicator. "Vielle, you can perceive mana flow, right? Are you telling me you can actually see that it's full when you look at it?"

Vielle's crimson eyes flickered as she gazed intently at the book. "That's exactly what I'm saying. I don't know why you think the reserves are depleted, but when I look at it, I see an endless well of mana."

Arlo's mind raced. Vielle's earnest demeanor and unwavering stare at the grimoire confirmed she wasn't lying. Which left only one conclusion - the system itself was somehow misrepresenting the book's true capacity. But why? Unless...

"Vielle, I have a question," Arlo said slowly, setting the grimoire down between them. "Hypothetically, if I could access the mana reserves in this grimoire...could it have some kind of built-in limiter? A function that only allows me to draw on a set amount?"

Vielle's eyes widened as understanding dawned. "I...I've never created a grimoire as complex as this one. But it does contain countless defense mechanisms and stored spells. It wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility."

"Is there any way to check?" Arlo pressed.

Vielle nodded, though her smile was tinged with nervousness. "There is, but...I'm not certain it will work against something crafted by the Cosmic Sage himself."

"Please, try," Arlo urged.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

With a resigned sigh, Vielle instructed Arlo to place the book between them and sever his connection to it. Once he complied, she erected a shimmering barrier around the bed and cast a sound obstruction spell for good measure.

"Why the barrier?" Arlo asked, eyeing it warily.

"Precautionary measure," Vielle replied, placing her hands on the grimoire's cover. "Just in case."

Arlo swallowed hard, watching intently as Vielle began to murmur an intricate incantation. A glowing magic circle materialized beneath the book, pulsing in time with her words.

The chant stretched on, far longer and more complex than anything Arlo had heard her use before. Throughout the recitation, the grimoire began to tremble and glow, the vibrations growing more violent with each passing moment.

As Vielle's voice rose to a crescendo, the book suddenly levitated, its pages flipping wildly as strange, luminous symbols burst forth. The arcane runes whirled around the room before settling into a rotating orbit around the two of them.

"What...what is all this?" Arlo breathed, his eyes darting from symbol to indecipherable symbol.

"A seal," Vielle replied, her voice hushed with awe. "And an incredibly intricate one at that."

"You can read it?" Arlo asked, turning to her in surprise.

"Parts of it," she nodded. "It's written in the Ancient Language. More importantly...I think I understand now why you keep insisting the mana reserves are depleted. This seal appears to be restricting access to the grimoire's true stores. It's only allowing you to tap into a tiny fraction - perhaps 1%, if that."

Arlo's heart raced at the implications. "Is there any way to remove it?"

Vielle shook her head emphatically. "No, and I wouldn't advise anyone to try. Attempting to forcibly break this seal could trigger who knows what kind of defense mechanisms, or cause all that pent-up magical energy to come surging out at once. Either outcome would be catastrophic. It's far safer to leave it be."

Arlo's shoulders slumped in disappointment, but Vielle's gaze remained fixed on the swirling symbols, her expression one of wonder.

"Still, this is truly remarkable," she murmured. "To think so much could be compressed into a single tome. And it's not just one seal - there are multiple layers, each more complex than the last."

"That impressive, huh?" Arlo sighed. "It's a shame I can't remove any of them. Even a small boost in power would be incredibly helpful right now."

Vielle's eyes snapped back to him. "I never said you wouldn't be able to remove the seals - only that trying to break them by force would be disastrous. But I'm certain that if you find the proper method, you should be able to unlock them safely."

Hope rekindled in Arlo's chest. "The proper method? How do I figure that out?"

"I'm afraid I don't know," Vielle admitted. "But I'm confident that with time, you'll uncover the secret. There are likely specific conditions for unsealing each layer. Meet those conditions, and the seals should dissolve on their own." She offered him a reassuring smile. "So don't lose heart."

'Specific conditions,' Arlo mused, his mind already churning with possibilities.

With a gesture, Vielle dispelled her analysis magic. The glowing runes rushed back into the grimoire, which snapped shut and dropped onto the bed with a muted thump.

"I'll do my best to figure out those conditions," Arlo promised. "Thank you for all your help, Vielle."

"I'm glad I could assist," she replied warmly, dismissing the barrier with a wave of her hand.

As she turned to head back to her own bed, Arlo called out to her. "Wait - one more thing." He held out the Sorcerer's Catalyst. "You mentioned it would be difficult for them to learn magic without a mana source. Do you think this might work?"

Vielle studied the gem closely before nodding. "Yes, this should definitely help. But Arlo...where did you get something like this? It may not be quite on par with a true artifact, but it's still incredibly rare."

Arlo averted his gaze. "I...I can't tell you that."

Vielle's eyes narrowed, but after a moment she simply sighed and looked away. "Very well. They're asleep now, but I'll use it to instruct them tomorrow after our business meeting. It should accelerate the learning process considerably."

"Thank you," Arlo said, flashing her a brilliant smile. "You're an incredible teacher, Vielle."

A faint blush colored Vielle's cheeks as she turned away, heading back to her own bed. As she settled in for the night, Arlo's mind whirled the tantalizing promise of untapped power lying dormant within his grimoire.

As Vielle drifted off to sleep, Arlo's gaze returned to his status screen, a sense of anticipation building within him:

[Strength: 21]

[Agility: 30]

[Stamina: 18]

[Sense: 18]

[Mana: 20]

Though the temporary stat boosts had faded, Arlo had retained a substantial permanent increase. His attributes had grown by leaps and bounds, and he couldn't suppress a grin as he surveyed the results.

'My mana's quadrupled to 20,' he mused. 'I wonder how much energy it'll take to cast a barrier without the grimoire now?'

Excitement coursed through him, but mindful of Vielle's slumber, Arlo began to chant as softly as possible:

"Intermediate Class Barrier Magic: Barrier," he whispered.

[MP: 100% -> 90%]

A luminous yellow barrier sprang into existence around him. Arlo watched with satisfaction as his MP bar dipped. While 10% was still a significant chunk, he recalled how a mere elementary spell had once cost the same. His mana pool had truly expanded.

As he dispelled the barrier and prepared to cast again, an unexpected notification chimed in his mind:

[Intermediate Class Barrier Magic: Barrier - Mastery has reached 60%]

[Silent Casting is now available.]

Arlo's eyes widened in surprise. He had anticipated further instructions or a new interface to appear, but nothing materialized.

'Silent casting? Vielle's mentioned that before, but how do I actually use it?' he wondered. The system offered no response, leaving Arlo furrowing his brow in frustration. Unwilling to disturb Vielle, he resolved to inquire about it in the morning.

Refocusing, he began to chant once more, taking care to keep his voice to a bare whisper. But as the words formed on his lips, Arlo felt a strange shift. He could hear himself speaking the incantation, yet simultaneously... he couldn't. It was as though an invisible sound barrier had enveloped his mouth, allowing the words to resonate within his mind while remaining inaudible to the outside world.

A thrill of realization shot through him - he was silent casting without even trying. A grin spread across his face as he grasped the implications. No longer would he need to worry about disturbing Vielle's rest.

'I'm making progress... It's actually working!'

Invigorated by this breakthrough, Arlo threw himself into his practice with renewed vigor. He pushed himself to the absolute limit, draining not only the mana reserves of his grimoire but his own nascent pool as well.

Time blurred as he worked, until finally:

[MP: 0%]

Arlo glanced at the depleted MP bar with a weary sense of accomplishment. But before he could properly congratulate himself, his vision swam and darkness encroached at the edges of his consciousness. He collapsed onto the bed, succumbing to exhaustion before he could even form another thought.

Moments later, Vielle stirred from her feigned slumber. She padded silently to Arlo's bedside, gently adjusting the covers to tuck him in properly.

"He really practiced until he completely drained his mana reserves," she murmured, a fond smile playing at her lips.

Her gaze lingered on his peaceful expression. With a touch as light as a butterfly's wing, she tapped his forehead.

"You don't have to push yourself so hard, you idiot," she whispered, a blush coloring her cheeks. "I already told you, I won't let anything bad happen to you or your family."

Still smiling, Vielle returned to her own bed. As she settled back onto the mattress, a note of pride crept into her voice. "He's already mastered silent casting for the barrier spell... he really is impressive."

She nestled into her blankets, a contented sigh escaping her. But after a few moments of restless tossing and turning, Vielle abruptly sat up. With a furtive glance to ensure Arlo was still fast asleep, she reached into her spatial bag and withdrew a crimson flask.

The vessel contained a luminous red liquid that seemed to pulse with an inner light, casting eerie shadows in the moonlit room. Vielle uncorked it with practiced ease, bringing the rim to her lips. As she drank deeply, the weariness melted from her features, replaced by a flush of vitality.

Quickly stowing the now-empty flask, Vielle lay back down, her expression a complex mix of satisfaction and self-loathing.

"...I hate how good blood tastes," she muttered, squeezing her eyes shut as if to block out the lingering cravings. With a deep breath, she forced herself to relax, willing sleep to claim her once more.