Today it’s my birthday, it’s been a whole year of arduous training, the only moments of rest are those when Leonore comes with Aurora and they take me to the garden. I’ve come across some of my older brothers and all of them appear to be spoiled little brats, like the majority of the nobles, they keep repeating how I’m a cursed child who would bring bad luck to the family, and they speculated that’s the reason I’m the only child that mother doesn’t expend time with.
I’ve managed to increase the amount of mana my body can take, I think it’s worth the effort, even if it means being poisoned, I like to think that the more I’ll poison myself I’ll be better prepared for life, my resistance to poison increases the more the poison gets stronger.
Today I want to start a new process, it’s not enough to absorb mana anymore, if I want to be proficient in magic I need a mana core and for that my mana network needs to be in place.
There’s a lot of ways that a magus can design their own mana network, all the magus keep the information private and only pass it when they receive enough compensation or when they have a family member who has the potential of learning the mysteries of magic.
The mana network that I learned in my last life was the one reserved for the magus that formed part of the Royal family of the Valden kingdom, after comparing with the ones that I learned from the secret library in the Magic academy of the kingdom, destined to the best alumnus, I can say that the mana network can be upgraded with my knowledge.
I attract the ambient mana and prepare myself to a process that I’m sure would be hurtful, sensing the mana in my little body, I circulate it for my blood stream until it reached my heart, once I gathered all my mana in my heart I start using the mana that I gathered in my surroundings, with care and using all concentration I injected where my heart it’s located.
I start spreading the mana following the design that I know it’s the best I can come up with, golden lines start appearing in my skin where I need them to be, the more the lines spread the more pain my body feels, I feel how I’m breaking a wall and doing something this body wasn’t supposed to have.
My body temperature increase and sweat covers me, my vision turns red and I’m worried how much of the process can this body stand before ravage from the insides.
I calm myself taking deep breaths, I cannot doubt my work, the moment I do it will be my end.
I promise myself how this life will be different, I’ll be happy, no one will dictated the way I should live and for that I need power, the only person who can help me it’s myself, so I persevere, my dream it’s freedom and I’m going to do everything I can to achieve it.
Immerse in the process I lost the track of time and when I feel the process coming to an end I open my eyes and I can see the sunlight entering by the windows, the servants will be in my room any minute, I disperse the mana and my head hits the pillow, I don’t have any energy in me and I’m unable to move so I just close my eyes and wait for the best.
[Skill Level Up.]
[Mental resistance Lv10]
[Skill Level Up]
[Mana manipulation Lv13]
[Skill Level Up]
[Mana sense Lv12]
[Skill Level Up]
[Mana absorption Lv13]
[New skill acquired]
[Physical pain resistance Lv1]
….
When I recover my consciousness and open my eyes the first thing that I notice it’s how this isn’t my room, the ceiling its different and this isn’t my crib.
I’m in a bed, when I move my head to the side I make eye contact with Mr. Lud, I would recognize him anywhere I see him, it’s just that he looks like a carriage has pass over him, his clothes are in a messy state, the same with his hair, he looks really tired, he even has baggy eyes.
“Finally she wakes up, I’ll not be executed.” He whispers low and I only hear it because I’m really close to him, he incorporates and exists the room.
“You are awake little Miss!” Leonore enters the room running with tears in her eyes and making a scene. “Oh goddess Hecate thank you for saving her.” She thanks the goddess Hecate for my wellbeing, clearly affected for my collapse, I can only say that overestimate my body, and I thought it would be strong enough to support the grabbing of my mana network.
I don’t know how to take it, since I haven’t finished yet, what I did was the first step only and I need to continue, I assumed I’ll be able to divide it in two parts, but now I’m doubting that.
“What are you talking about Miss Leonore? The person who spends the last month by her side was me.” Mr. Lud returns to the room and reprimand Leonore, feeling insulted by Leonore for thinking that I would be okay even if he didn’t put the effort.
“I’m just happy that the baby is a lot better now.” Leonore explains herself while hugging me.
“I already informed Lady Audrey and she would come at any moment.” Mr. Lud says before collapsing in a chair.
“I understand Mr. Lud, I’m sure Lady Audrey will compensate you handsomely.” Leonore tries to curry favor with the doctor once she’s in her five senses.
“I doubt it, she was desperate to cure the child because of the rumors and how the other wives were defaming her.” Mr. Lud seems colder towards mother since the last time I heard him speak about her.
“We shouldn’t judge her, she doesn’t have it easy.” Leonore defends my mother as always, and it’s starting to get repetitive and boring the way she or Aurora jumps to defend her honor.
“Yeah… yeah…” Mr. Lud just ignores what she says. “I’m going to check on Lady Sofia, see you around.” He just leaves without waiting for my mother’s arrival.
Leonore hugs me and carries me around checking my body to see if there was any sequel. I can feel my body different, the way arms and hands move are better, it’s like I’ve broken some chains that were constricting me.
“I was informed that the child wake up.” I hear my mother’s voice, she comes closer and takes a look at me before speaking again. “Take care of her Leonore, she must live, if she dies before her test things would get really messy for me.”
“I know Lady Audrey, do you want to hold her?” Leonore speaks to my mother trying to warm the atmosphere.
“I’m fine, you can continue to hold her, when you have the time feed her the food approved by Ludford.” Mother rejects the offer.
“I understand my Lady.” Leonore complies with my mother.
“Speaking of Ludford, where is he? He should receive me since I came to this place.” Mother speaks with a frown crossing her face.
“He said how Lady Sofia request his help with a checkup.” Leonore informs my mother before going silent.
“Ha! I bet she only wants information about the current situation of the child, the other wives have formed a team against me, and we should do something about it.” Mother says with irritation in her voice. “When you are done here return the child to her room and leave her with the servants, we need start planning for the future.”
“I will do as you say my Lady.” Leonore says it with a small nod.
“Then I will take my leave, I will be waiting for you Leonore.” Mother says before departing.
“I should take you to your room my Lady.” Leonore says it and starts walking.
The moment we arrive to my room there’s people already there, waiting for me.
“I would leave the little miss in your care.”
Leonore puts me in the crib and leaves me with the servants.
I can’t wait for the night to come, that will be the moment for me to train and continue working in my mana network. I know that if I do it in front of this people they would get involve and maybe call someone else, I can’t have them interrupting me when I’m in the middle of my ascension, that could lead me to my death.
I know that I worried a lot Leonore this time that I ended up being unconscious for a month apparently but life doesn’t wait for you.
I close my eyes to sleep, I need to have all the possible energy. The moment I fall asleep the nightmares don’t bother me as much as before.
When I open my eyes again it’s dark and I know that the moment it’s here.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
To move the mana in my body it’s not as hard as before, I gathered all the mana in my heart again and start moving it for the mana network that I’ve managed to carb before, I continue to do it and the pain commence once again.
I attract the ambient mana from my surroundings and my mana network gives light to the room, I open my eyes and see lines glowing in my skin, the preparations are ready, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath I clear my mind to reach a perfect state.
Guiding the mana for my mana network I can feel how at the end of each line the mana disperse, that means it hasn’t finished. Pushing more mana in every end of the network I feel the pain invading me, at first it’s like bugs biting my skin but the more I push the worse it gets.
If my body was capable of manage mana like the majority of humans, this process wouldn’t be painful, at most it would be difficult.
Perseverance makes the master, or at least I decide to believe it, so I continue and push through the pain, after hours of hard work I can feel I’m getting to my limit but I’m so close to finish.
I know for sure once I’m done with this, my body will suffer another transformation, just a few more lines and that’s it. Fight the tiredness and pain, I’m sure the results will surprise me.
When I finally complete my mana network my vision goes dark and I can only be sorry for Lud and Leonore who would be really worried about me.
[Skill Level Up.]
[Mental resistance Lv12]
[Skill Level Up]
[Mana manipulation Lv14]
[Skill Level Up]
[Mana sense Lv13]
[Skill Level Up]
[Mana absorption Lv15]
[Skill Level Up]
[Physical Pain Resistance Lv5]
[Level Up]
…….
This is Mr. Lud’s place, that’s my first thought when I manage to open my eyes, turning my head I can see the tiredness radiating from Mr. Lud, I can see Leonore beside him. They have seen better days, I can only imagine how worried they were for me, Mr. Lud says it’s because his own live is on the line and Leonore just because she loves me.
“You know Leonore, I don’t know why this keeps happening, and I really think that I’m not qualified to get her treatment.” Mr. Lud wants to give up with me apparently.
“You’ve done nothing wrong Mr Lud, if you really leave I have no idea what would be of the little Lady, she’s still alive because you’re a magnificent Alchemist.” Leonore pleads for him to continue by my side.
“Haaa... I know, I already asked the butler for a replacement and no one wants the job, besides, the Viscount doesn’t want to put much effort in a dying child.” So they think that I’m dying, I’m sorry to disappoint everyone but this was just part of my training, for more hurtful that was for my body.
“I wish… she could… be like… all the other kids… in this family.” She says it while sobbing and you can feel how sad and desperate she must be feeling.
“We can’t do much in this situation, take the good moments and remember them like a treasure, we can’t live in the present with fear for the future.” Mr. Lud says it trying to encourage Leonore.
“I know, I think I’ll leave for a little bit, Lady Audrey can’t look me like this, I’m much better now that I know the baby is better.” Leonore says it and prepares to leave.
“Le!” I extend my arms while trying to cheer her up with a small smile.
“Oh baby… I’ll come back just wait for me all right?” Leonore smiles at me and she cleans her tears.
It breaks my heart to not be able to help her, I know she would be happy if I quit my training and stop hurting myself, but I can’t sacrifice my own happiness for others, not even if it’s someone who truly loves me with all her heart, maybe I’m not a good person for being this selfish but I’ll continue my own path.
After a few minutes my mother appears and the first thing to do it’s to put the blame on Mr. Lud.
“She should be better now but she continues to collapse for weeks, I think I made myself clear about how I want you to do your job, or am I wrong?” Gods, the attitude of this woman it’s getting worse every time she comes and sees me, I have no idea what is happening for her to turn like this.
“I’m doing everything that’s in my power to help the child.” Mr. Lud responds her and you can hear irritation in his voice.
“Then do better.” She doesn’t even look at me and leaves.
“Bitch.” Doctor Lud says when he’s sure mother doesn’t hear him.
“Haha!” I found the situation amusing and start laughing.
“Sorry about that love, you shouldn’t learn this language, please forget what you heard.” He puts an awkward smile on his face looking at me.
“Lud!” I try to assure him with a smile.
“Woah… Do more of that and I would adopt you haha!” Mr. Lud stares at me with a happy face.
Now that I’m awake again the first thing I want to do it’s return to my training, but I resist, I deserve a rest, maybe a few days with Leonore before I scare her to death again.
….
It’s been a month since my recovery and I’ve spend a lot of time with Leonore, she’s been visiting me with Aurora and we were been playing in my room or in the garden.
Now that my mother doesn’t need to feed me, she’s stopped coming, maybe with time I’ll uncover the truth behind her distance, but that wouldn’t make a difference.
This day when we returned to my room I want to sleep and recover my energy, I’ve decided to form my mana core tonight, several times I’ve been tempted to invest some points in Health but I know that if I do it this early in my life, my body would age really slowly, and I don’t want to be trapped in an infant body for several years.
What I can definitely do it’s increase my luck stat that could help me in case something bad happen to me, having reach a conclusion I open my status page.
Name: Dalia Davenport.
Age: 1 year 2 months.
Race: Human.
Level: 26 [Exp: 57/110]
Health: 10
Stamina: 10
Intelligence: 25
Agility: 6
Strength: 2
Luck: 30
Available points: 231
Skills: [Mana sense Lv14] [Mana manipulation Lv15] [Mana absorption Lv16] [Poisonous poop Lv15] [Poison resistance Lv15] [Body coordination Lv11] [Mental resistance Lv13] [Physical Pain Resistance Lv5]
That’s the best I can do in order to prepare, once I create my mana core I can be called a real Magus, people without mana network and mana core can perform basic magic but they would never touch what we call real magic.
I’m sure Freya its part of them, she can perform the simplest magic but she’s unable to push forward, why this house don’t support her to acquire the knowledge necessary it’s beyond my understanding.
I sit cross legged in my crib, closing my eyes and taking deep breaths, I stabilized my mental state, starting to circulate the mana in my body with the mana network that took me a lot of effort to create it’s the first step.
The room illuminates with a golden light because of what I’m doing, I start performing specific hand signs to connect with the universe, when I feel my connection establish, raining starts sounding against the window, thunder and a lot of wind it’s the next thing, nature has accept my call and now it’s the time for the next step.
I feel as if electricity running for my skin for all the mana that I’m accumulating, I guide it to my center, close to my inferior dantian, the more mana concentrates in me the storm increase their magnitude, my hand signs never stop performing, not even when the pain assaulted my body, it’s weird how accustomed my body has become to the pain, disregarding the pain is becoming easier the more I train in this body.
I hear how a thunderbolt impacts the walls of the mansion and some people screaming, if this continues maybe I would tore down the house, but I won’t stop, when the pain became unbearable it’s the moment I feel my core forming, with a final hand sign I direct all the energy to it and I feel how a small earthquake takes place close to this location, my windows shatter and a lot of rain comes inside my room.
[Skill Level Up.]
[Mana Sense Lv15]
[Skill Level Up.]
[Mental resistance Lv16]
[Skill Level Up.]
[Mana absorption Lv17]
[Skill Level Up.]
[Physical pain resistance Lv6]
I do it, a silly smile adorns my face, after so much effort I manage to complete my mana core, losing all the strength to move my body I collapse.
[A remarkable achievement has been done]
[New title acquired]
[Youngest Magus alive]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
[Level Up.]
