The five books on the work of Merlin Grigori were a list of experiments and their results. Basically, brawlers could learn swordsmanship and vice versa without adverse effects. Brawlers/swordsmen could learn archery and vice versa without adverse effects.

However, something about mages was different. All the other arts could be trained simultaneously, but if one added crystal magic to the mix, his/her abilities would get halved or worse.

Within the academy’s library Finn sat on the wooden floor, lost in thought, while waiting for the girls to finish reading.

‘Are crystals somehow poisonous to warriors? If magic must be relearned from the ground up, we’re screwed. Maybe I can trick God into revealing more. No, how am I supposed to even make him show up?’

The two girls closed their books at the same time and let out a sigh. Annie had a huge frown as she crossed her arm and Reina sprawled on the floor while stretching her limbs.

“Haaa, just as I remember them: completely useless.”

“Why did you read them the first time?” asked Finn.

“Are you kidding me? This is the one problem every mage has been trying to solve since the start of the empire. Why do you think Grigori’s work was recorded or Miss Bella let that brawler into her class?”

“But you just said Grigori’s work was kept as a warning and…”

“I know what I said.” Reina waved him off. “There can be more than one reason for doing something, muscle brain. Unlike you archers, mages are actually capable of complex thoughts.”

The girl huffed and rolled away from Finn who was now clenching his fists. ‘One punch. One punch is all it would take…’

A moment later, Annie uncrossed her arms, gave Finn a long look and then said “Reina, could you go grab a history book on the formation of the empire, years one through 50, please?”

“But that’s all the way across the library…”

“Please, it would mean a lot to me.”

Annie showed an innocent, sweet smile, and for some reason, the girl got up and all but ran to get the book. Left behind, Finn sighed in relief.

“I don’t think I can recruit her. There’s a reason why tsundere lolis only work in anime, they’re annoying as hell.”

“A tsunderlo… Is that a fruit? Anyway, leave her to me.”

Annie gave a thumbs up, and then without warning, she put a palm on the boy’s chest. Finn could feel his heart skip a beat, so he blurted “What are you doing?”

“Do the breathing thing. I want to check something.”

Although his cheeks were turning red, Finn did as told and breathed in for five seconds, held the air in for 10, and then breathed out for five. The first time he did it, his body temperature rose. The second time his muscles bulged and the third his veins started popping all over his body.

“Can you punch the air with all your strength?”

“Sure.” Finn stood up, took an improvised karate stance and threw a series of strikes. Although his technique was nothing to brag home about, there was serious destructive power behind his fists.

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During this display, Annie kept her palm on his back as if she was searching for something.

“What’s wrong?” Even without facing her, Finn could tell she was frowning. “I’m not sick, am I?”

“No, it’s just…”

“I’ve got it!” Reina appeared out of nowhere with a skip in her step and a book in her arm. She gave it to Annie, smiled broadly and awaited her reward.

“Thank you,” said Annie while patting her head. “I’ve just remembered, could you also bring me a book on years 50 through 100, please?”

“What!?”

Several onlookers turned and gave her a “Shush.” Even the alchemy teacher, who happened to be walking by, grimaced at her antics and shook his head.

As soon as he got past her, Reina fell to her knees. “No… I wanted to take his class next year.”

“I’m sure he’ll forget about it by then,” said Annie.

“He’s an eccentric genius with a memory second to none!”

More shushes followed, and Finn had enough.

“Reina: the history book. Go get it. Now.”

Fortunately, although she showed him her tongue, the girl complied without a fuss.

“Calm down, she’s not that bad,” said Annie.

“Michael would’ve punched her unconscious.”

Annie thought about it for a moment and then her eyes went wide. “I need to keep them apart.”

“She’ll be back soon, so what did you find out?”

“Oh, I’m not sure if it means anything, but your mana and my mana move differently.

When you do the breathing thing, and especially when you punch, the mana in your body goes wild. It’s like a tornado inside a tiny bottle, it tries to burst out by smashing into your muscles.

My mana, on the other hand, is calm like the river back home. It follows the path created by my veins and sends energy evenly throughout my body.”

“So, the problem’s with the breathing technique?” Finn crossed his arms and slumped on the floor. ‘If that’s the case, then none of us can do magic.’

“Yes.” Annie’s answer came as the last nail in his coffin. “To use magic, you must embrace mana, like you would your mother. Even when I’m angry or scared, I always make sure my mana is calm. I used to try and speed it up like you do when I was younger, but… it hurt.”

“Shit.” Just like that, all of Finn’s hopes and dreams were thoroughly squandered. Mr. Griffin once called the warrior’s breath the basis of all warriors. It brought out the wielder’s full potential and improved his capabilities over time.

However, it was this very technique that was incompatible with the path of a mage. Finn remembered a small note in Grigori’s fourth book that mentioned this as a possibility. Still, since you couldn’t have warriors without the warrior’s breath, it was simply saying that magic and combat arts don’t mesh, just with different words.

While Finn was having an existential crisis, hunched on the floor with his head in his palms, Reina returned while carrying a stack of books.

‘And today just keeps getting better.’

The girl dropped the stack on the floor and brushed the sweat off her forehead. She then took the book on top, slammed it onto Finn’s skull, and then said with a grin: “I brought years 50 all the way to the present. I even took a copy of the Hero’s memoirs, which is currently resting on the muscle-head’s head.”

In a split second, Finn grabbed the back of her neck, and Reina let out a squeak. The boy’s breath was rugged and his eyes were filled with rage and murderous intent.

However, a moment later he suddenly let her go. ‘Wait a minute…’ “Brat, could the Hero mix magic and close combat techniques?”

“I’m not a brat.” Finn grabbed her again and squeezed a bit harder. “I mean yes, the hero was the only magic swordsman in history, stronger than both, stronger than even the Demon King.”

Finn’s lips curled up and he let the girl go. He placed a palm on her head like Annie did and ruffled her hair. “I’ve changed my mind. You’re the second most annoying person I’ve ever met, but you… You’re really useful.”

“See?” Annie puffed her chest and grinned proudly.

Reina’s cheeks became beet red and she started protesting. Fortunately, the alchemy teacher returned with a bunch of books in his arms. When he told her to shush, the girl fell to her knees as if her soul left her body.

The other two laughed and took the books to the nearest table. The time for Finn’s archery class was drawing close, and there was still a lot to uncover.