Point of view: Jarrid:

  I dropped the tip of the iceberg, expecting reactions. Children usually get very excited when they hear about the three main themes required to become strong in our world.

  I scanned my son’s reaction. There was no visible excitement or anxiety despite the silence. His face was pure concentration, and I could see his eyes beginning to wander, surely trying to guess or assume something about the three pillars. He has always been a very curious child.

  “Son, as you may know, magic begins on the day of your first ritual.” His gaze was fixed on nothing, thinking endlessly, but after hearing my voice, he refocused all his attention on me. “That information is known by all children from around the age of five. Although, being nobles, we usually provide more information to our children, the difference is insignificant.”

  I looked toward my wife, trying to ask for her help. Her way of explaining magic could be simpler and more effective. She understood my intentions instantly.

  “The first ritual is usually between ten and eleven years old, and the second one takes place a month later. During that waiting period, your body can assimilate the ambient mana and absorb the different categories of mana. In the second ritual, your affinities will be revealed, and you will decide which ones to take.” My wife explains perfectly.

  Watching Maki’s concentration, I can tell—this child is absorbing all the information. It fills me with happiness to know that my son can take these matters so seriously.

  “Obviously, there is a science behind each ritual, but it’s not something you need to worry about at this time.” Celes has always excelled in situations like this, giving a precise summary and going straight to the point. I probably would have gotten tangled up and given unnecessary information.

  Maki speaks for the first time during all this. “Mother, why between ten and eleven years old?”

  “There are two main reasons. A trained body and a resilient, strong willpower are required for the ceremony.” My wife is very serious. Each word carries weight, reinforcing the truth of her explanation.

  Maki POV:

  A strong body and resilient willpower? I couldn’t help but think about that for a few seconds while my mother reorganized her thoughts to give me a summary, avoiding unnecessary details while not leaving out any key points.

  “I need to explain other points, such as willpower, before returning to magic and the reasons behind it. You need an introduction to everything so you don’t get lost and can understand the background.” My mother spoke slowly and calmly.

  It seemed my father couldn’t remain silent any longer. “Can you feel a cube forming on the right side of your chest?” He points to his own body to guide me.

  A cube on the right side of my chest? I closed my eyes to focus on the indicated spot, and I could feel it. I don’t know how it’s possible to see or feel something inside me—it’s there, forming, as if on another spiritual plane.

  “Yes, I can feel something forming, although it doesn’t have the shape of a cube.” It truly isn’t a cube. I didn’t pay full attention to the shape—I was more impressed by the fact that I had never felt anything like this inside me before.

  “How many horizontal lines do you have?” My mother asks this time. I could feel curiosity and astonishment in her voice.

  I focus my senses again to clearly perceive the lines forming inside me. “I feel a base of four straight horizontal lines connected, and three vertical ones. The fourth vertical line is too small to determine an exact percentage.” I finish speaking, and everyone freezes.

  “WHAT? ARE YOU COMPLETELY SURE?” My father slammed his hands on the table and stood up abruptly. “DON’T JOKE, MAKI. THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER.” He is clearly shocked and excited—his voice makes it obvious.

  I tried to look at my mother’s reaction. Her eyes were wide open, and she opened her mouth several times to say something, only to close it again, unable to find the words.

  The one who finally spoke was my grandmother. She hadn’t said a single word since the beginning. “Maki, this is very important. If you have seven out of twelve columns formed at seven years old, you could have great talent for using willpower. Usually, children your age only have one or two columns formed.” My grandmother’s explanation makes me understand why everyone is reacting this way.

  My mother finally regains her composure and speaks after my grandmother. “Maki, if you have strong willpower, you’ll be able to withstand more magic during your first ritual. The amount can only vary by a maximum of twenty to forty percent. Although that may sound low or insignificant, it isn’t. You’ll have a better start than ninety-seven percent of the other children in the world.”

  I’m left in shock. I understand the entire information bomb and manage to assimilate it, but I can’t tell whether this is Maki’s natural talent, the fusion of our souls, or something else entirely. Even if I thought about it for my entire life, I might never find an answer.

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  “I’m completely serious. I can clearly feel seven ‘columns’ formed and one very small one.” I try to sound as calm and clear as possible, hoping to ease the atmosphere. It had the exact opposite effect.

  “SON, SERIOUSLY, YOU COULD BE A GENIUS.” My father shouted after confirming the number of columns.

  “Jarrid, lower your voice.” My mother’s tone sounded calm, but her eyes said otherwise. There was a hint of bitterness in her gaze.

  “Don’t put such a heavy burden on a seven-year-old child, son.” My grandmother was in a completely different mood from my mother. She was smiling and looking at me with high expectations, completely contradicting her words.

  My father sat back down and remained silent after being reprimanded by both women.

  “Let’s return to the main topic. Maki, as I mentioned before, the stronger your willpower—or cube—the more mana you’ll be able to contain in your first ritual. We’re so excited because that isn’t the main function of willpower. It can also be used to attack, defend, intimidate, and more.” I pay close attention to my mother’s words.

  My grandmother takes the floor at the table. “Maki, magic and willpower go hand in hand and may seem closely related, but at the same time, they are distant and even opposed to each other. You’ll understand this once you manifest both.” That sounds… confusing.

  “Son, another clear benefit is time. If you form your cube earlier, you’ll awaken your magic before other children and be able to train in advance. That will also create a small gap between you and them.” Did my mother and grandmother coordinate to alternate sentences? They were explaining seamlessly without interrupting each other.

  “Maki, are you understanding everything? Do you have any questions?” My mother asks. I don’t know what my facial expression looked like—I was probably confused and lost amid all this information.

  “I’ve understood everything clearly. I’m trying to memorize every part of the information.” It took me a moment to formulate my first question. “Is there any way to train willpower?” If magic and my body can be trained, there should be a way to train it too, right?

  “Yes, there is. The main and most common way to train it is by fighting frequently and incorporating it into your combat style.” My grandmother is very talkative today. I can see the excitement in her eyes.

  “It’s easier if I explain with an example, son. Although willpower is something intangible, it can be used in a tangible way. You can capture the willpower of weaker people and force them into submission. In cases where the difference is too great, it can kill them instantly.” Her eyes turned serious. According to the previous Maki’s memories, this is something common in this world—people often die young due to the many dangers surrounding it.

  “I usually add my willpower to my ice constructs, and your father uses his on his large axe to increase the impact of his blows. We both use it in completely different ways, but with a single purpose: to strengthen our physical attacks.” I can understand it better thanks to my mother’s explanation.

  “On the other hand, I use it to move more efficiently and quickly. I apply it to everything, but mainly I imbue it around myself to gain control of the terrain.” My grandmother provides yet another example, giving me a clearer perspective.

  “I understand, although it’s still a bit confusing. I’ve grasped the general idea.” I would be lying to myself if I said I fully understood it.

  “Don’t worry about understanding it completely. We’ve lived many more years than you and still haven’t fully grasped or understood all its uses. Only people with great talent or those who dedicate their lives to willpower manage to fully comprehend it. Reading some books may help.” My mother, always understanding, immediately offers words of encouragement and advice.

  “Your mother is right, son. You’ll discover the best use for your willpower the more you use it.” My father finally speaks after a long silence.

  “You already have a basic understanding of magic and willpower. We’ll continue discussing these topics as time goes on. If you overload yourself with too much information in a single day, you’ll end up forgetting certain points.” My mother’s words made me think. I didn’t know the learning or retention capacity of children in this world, but such a large amount of information should be difficult for a seven-year-old to process.

  “Lastly, I’ll tell you something basic about the Laws. They are the third pillar in our foundation for becoming stronger. Laws manifest when you have sufficient knowledge of your abilities and a clear focus on them. They are the most difficult part of the foundation to solidify. There are thousands upon thousands of people who never manifest a single one, and a few rare cases where it comes very easily. It all depends on one’s self-understanding.” My grandmother closes with something even more impactful.

  “Son, I understood my first Law at the basic Sapphire rank. It was a Law related to lightning. Your mother took a bit longer, and her first Law manifested at the mid-Sapphire rank. That doesn’t mean I’m better or more skilled, because she understood her second Law before I did.” My father looked at my grandmother, seeking her opinion, and I saw her smile grow slightly.

  “In my case, it was different. My first Law had nothing to do with my magical affinity, but rather with my qualities and fighting style. My first Law was Speed. Laws manifest differently for each person who acquires them.” My grandmother also shares a bit about herself.

  We talked for a while longer before deciding to end the conversation. I thought everything had passed quickly—at most twenty minutes—but reality was different. We had talked for over an hour while I asked more questions and they carefully thought out clear and simple answers.

  I couldn’t object to continuing the conversation because they are busy people. Although our family is insignificant compared to the great powers that move the entire empire, we are still a noble family responsible for governing two small cities, and the three of them are the pillars that keep those places functioning.

  I didn’t want to waste the day, so I began practicing the routine from my previous world—a perfect balance between physical training and dual-sword practice.

  This routine is ingrained in my brain and has always been effective, but today I couldn’t finish it. I need to strengthen this body little by little until I reach my peak.

  From the next day onward, I began training with my father. When he was busy, he would send two guards. One of them uses dual swords, and the other fights using only his bare fists. My parents thought it was also a good idea for me to learn how to fight with my fists. After all, in unexpected situations, I might not have a sword.

  Almost a year passed like this, until the day of my eighth birthday.