Proofreader: Me! (I've been missing for a week, but I'm back. I had a lot of friend and family outings so I neglected uploading and writing for a bit 😅)

Erin put me through the wringer right after leaving Uriel, and honestly, I didn’t want to return to my room either.

The reason being this thing…

[Hey master! Are we gonna start yet?]

I stood out in a secluded area on the outskirts of the dormitory district, surrounded by trees and a plantation. It was perfect.

“Yeah, so what do I need to do?”

[Nothing much, you need to channel your mana into your tongue!]

I asked again, not knowing what that implied. “Sure, but what what then?”

[Call my name, isn’t that so simple? C’mon try it already!]

I dismissed my annoyances and attempted to circulate the mana within me not to my hands where I usually discharged it, but into the region of my mouth. It was an awkward feeling, as if I was stuffing my mouth with a tissue and could not spit it out.

[You need to filter it a bit more, you’re stuffing too much mana into your mouth!]

I wanted to retort, but I could only make barely distinguishable sounds.

[Try and imagine a thin mana pipe inside your throat, and attempt to channel it through there! That’s what I did when I was a fledgling spirit.]

Following her instructions, I cleared my mind. I forced the image of another pipe beside the esophagus, a thin pipe purely curated by mana.

The creases on my forehead intensified as I focused more.

“Urgh…”

Gradually, the feeling of my mouth being full disappeared. A lingering sensation of tingling resided within my tongue.

[Huhu, as expected of this Spirit Queen, my teachings are perfect.]

I was reluctant to agree, but it worked. “We’ll see if it continues to be the case.”

[Such is a guarantee – Now! Call for my presence!]

“[Spirit Queen Fjleora] I summon you.”

Spouting those words, it felt as if blood had been drained from my body. Compared to running low on mana, this was worse.

“I- I don’t know if I can get used to this,” I muttered holding my stomach.

“You will, it’s just that your body isn’t used to losing a huge chunk of mana at once. If I were to guess, you probably used more than half of your capacity in it.” Her voice left my mind, and instead were heard in front of me.

The image of the beautiful and graceful spirit queen had been dragged to the ground as such a presence was reduced to this…

“This is what you look like now?” My mouth was clogged with the desire to laugh. “Pfft.”

“Hey! Don’t laugh, eventually you’ll see my gracious form once you become stronger!” She raised her arm pointing at me, although it could only be seen as cute from my perspective.

“So, about what you can do, what is there?” I ignored her complaints.

“Honestly, not much!” Fjleora exclaimed in her small body.

I felt like smacking her. “Was there a point in doing this?”

“Nothing besides unlocking the seals that existed in the blessing I gave you, and getting your body used to the process,” She explained.

“I’m going to call Abel.”

“It was a jest, a jest I tell you!” She lowered herself in the air, recreating the famous dogeza. “I can help you train your mana through a technique created by the spirits!”

“You have my attention,” I urged her to continue.

“It’s a breathing technique designed to train your mana efficacy, which in turn increases one’s capacity and its overall strength,” She rushed to explain. “Although, because you are a human, the effectiveness is to be observed!”

I contemplated her offer, “Well, it won’t hurt to try.”

“Thank you for your mercy, master!” She finally left her position and raised her head. “I’ll impart the technique to you by matching your mana wavelength.”

“You couldn’t have done this through telepathy?”

“Of course not! I have to adjust the technique to a human’s mana circuit, meaning I’d have to be present to achieve something like this.”

“Also, wouldn’t hunting monsters be quicker than through practising a breathing technique?”

“Hmph! Do you truly doubt a spirit queen? I will tell you now, the effects of using this will be greater than anything you could imagine,” She smugly crossed her arms. “Unlike you humans and your ways of cultivation, you can do all those tedious stuff simply through breathing.”

I noted that mentally, as I’d never heard of something like this in the game. A unique breathing technique to train mana… while the Rosemary’s imparted a way to purify and cultivate more mana to Serina, it was deemed to be more efficient to hunt monsters to grow rather than waste your time, just as Fjleora said.

“You’re telling me, I could constantly have this active throughout the entire day, and be training my mana?”

She put her hands on her hips with a smirk, “Exactly that.”

“Fjleora.”

“Yes…?” She cautiously looked into my eyes.

“You are the best familiar a master could hope for.”

“Thank you…?”

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She must’ve been confused due to my change in treatment, but who would be mad at receiving great gifts?

She tilted her head but continued with the procedure. “Lend me your hand.”

Fjleora sat atop it, closing her eyes. Then, I felt it. There was another foreign mana source trying to invade my body, causing my body to act in rejection.

“A- are you sure this is fine?”

“Give me a moment, I’m trying to adjust it!”

My body screamed, but it wasn’t as bad as when I drank the elixir, so I managed to maintain consciousness. After a bit longer had passed, the burning sensation cooled. In it’s place, was the warmth of what felt like a motherly presence.

“Alright, here it is master.”

Images were forcefully shoved into my brain, in the form of a power point presentation. Within it were the instructions required to utilise the technique.

“Geh… that was painful.”

Fjleora in her panic, returned to the dogeza pose, “I’m sorry! But in this form, handling mana is infinitely harder than it should be!”

“I’m not that evil, even I understand that,” I shook my head. “Although, I think my mana pool is finally running low.”

“Yes, you can cancel my summoning by imagining the link between us being cut.”

I focused my mind, and in an instant, she disappeared.

[Well, wasn’t that an experience! I’m tired so I’ll go to sleep now, see you later master.]

She spoke in my head before vanishing completely.

Similarly to Runalia, I realised the difference in attitude from before she had been… disciplined by Abel. I had no idea a spirit could be subdued this much, or maybe this was her true personality?

Regardless, I was exhausted and wanted to sleep. However, I needed to try this technique first.

I created an appraisal stone and opened my Status Board. I wanted to view my entire status board since it’s been a while I looked at it fully.

[Luke]

[Age: 15] [Race: Human]

[Attributes]

Vitality: Tier 0 (30%) -> (33%)

Agility: Tier 0 (22%) -> (25%)

Strength: Tier 0 (27%) -> (29%)

Mana: Tier 0 (19%) -> (81%)

[New Attribute!] Mana Purity: (14%)

[Skills]

The Spirit Queen’s Breathing Technique (S-) (0% Proficiency) [New Skill!]

* Improves mana circulation, mana regeneration, and purity.

* This skill is active during conscious hours, although through training, speed and effectiveness can be improved.

* Mana purity indicates the potency of the essence itself.

Outer Eye (Z) (5% -> 7.5% Proficiency)

* Can see the truths of the world.

* Can view information on targeted items without an appraisal stone.

* To view information on yourself and others, an appraisal stone is required.

* One appraisal stone is to be provided to the owner of this skill, once per day.

* These appraisal stones will grow in quality as the owner of this skill improves.

Enhancement (E+) - [Growth Type]

* Enhances a target of any choice by a small amount.

* Enhancement can be applied to two separate targets at the cost of more mana and concentration.

* Unique to ‘Luke.’

[Notice: Enhancement (E+) ready to be evolved once condition ??? is fulfilled!]

Basic Swordsmanship (E) (43.8% -> 86.42% Proficiency - Evolution Possible)

* Technique of a novice knight.

Basic Magic Control (D) (17.28% -> 42.56% Proficiency - Evolution Possible)

* Technique of a novice mage.

Blessing of a Fairy Queen (A+) (0% -> 8.2% Proficiency)

* Magic effects are amplified 1.5x. (Released)

* Magic Capacity is increased by 1.2x. (Released)

* Gain access to the magic of the Spirit Queen: Fjleora. (Sealed)

* Mana's growth has doubled.

* Affinity with nature is increased.

[Seals are now released when Fjleora is in the mortal plane.]

[Notice: The first two seals have been released due to being able to summon Fjleora!]

World’s Atlas ( C? ) (Max Proficiency - Evolution Possible)

* View the world from a bird’s eye view, observing the surroundings on a 2D plane.

* [Skill is Incomplete.]

My mana, in particular, received a humongous boost, and was even on par with someone like Charles or Rodney, even if they were melee-focused.

It was a great boost, to the point I could probably form around thirty magic missiles at once. In truth, I felt it too, that my mana capacity has increased around fourfold in proportion to my increase in stat proficiency.

However, once I reached the next tier, it would increase to a new height.

“Yooo! This is some great stuff," I devoured the status board with greedy eyes.

Fjleora’s breathing technique was considerably OP, and it also seemed my Enhancement ability was ready for growth. Unfortunately, this body’s unique skill was never present in the game, so I had zero idea of how to improve it.

If I had to guess, it was likely something related to the duration of which I held Enhancement as my limit is two different ones and I doubt I could force another application past two.

Despite the overall improvement of my stats, I had one focus right now. The breathing technique. According to the knowledge imparted within me, all I had to do was intrinsically mix mana with the oxygen that circulated into my body.

“I wish it was as easy as it sounded…” I sadly mumbled.

I’ve been trying to activate it since Fjleora imparted it, although the act of shoving mana into oxygen bonds was anything but simple. It was something I’d have to get the hang of rather than think logically.

-x-

“What kept you out for so long?” Fen asked, doing a handstand on his bed.

“I was practising a technique,” I yawned, opening the handbook.

Seemingly excited, he left his exercise pointed at himself. “Wanna test it on me?”

“Dude, I’m on the verge of dying… let me rest.”

“Ah well, there’s always tomorrow,” His excitement faded and he returned to his ridiculous-looking routine.

On my end, I read the new line for today, only to be disappointed yet again…

‘Did you know, the Northern Republic are friendly with all other nations?’

It wasn’t like this could be observed in the game description or anything!

“Huh?” I muttered, seeing more words being carved out.

‘Also, it seems Alicia Einsburg, their representative is interested in the character Luke!’

The book had never mentioned me before. It seems I was proven wrong, this book was useful. But, now I had another uncertain variable to worry about.

Currently, there were three main things on my mind, Krulia and the Beastmen, Uriel’s bad ending, and Luna’s interference. Now, there was also the character Alicia to add to that list. Her capabilities were just...

"Eugh," I shivered at the thought. "But..."

If by chance she’s the same as her in-game character though, there was likely to be a good outcome. Unlike every other person in this game, she could be considered to be the most normal.

“Whew,” I breathed out in relief.

Luckily, it wasn’t anyone else who could cause trouble.