Unique

"Seems like someone is in a good mood." Mr Zheng said, before chuckling.

"Ah, sorry about that." But even so, I still couldn't help but feel my cheeks going up.

"It's fine. In fact, you can just laugh out loud, or sing something, jump around cheering happily, or something like that. Do something what kids your age do." Mr Zheng chuckled again, the box of clean dishes he carried in his arms made noises in unison.

"Uhh, I can't do that, it's a little too embarrassing..." I replied with an awkward smirk.

"How embarrassing could it be? You're just 12 years old not an old man like me."

"I'm going to high school next year, remember?"

"Still doesn't change the fact you're a kid, in my eyes you only become a teenager when you're 15 or something. Besides, you're still going to be taught by me, unless you're changing school?"

"No, I should still be studying at the Malacca Royal School, there's no better school in the vicinity anyway."

"Well it's not a Royal School for nothing ain't it? The future heir to the throne will be spending their school days here as well so it's obvious they wanted the best for them."

"Which reminds me, is it really okay for you to carry all the weight while I walk with you empty-handed? Those plates were really heavy even when I was carry half the weight."

"Don't worry, your Mr Zheng here is also a skilled wizard capable of being hired by this school despite looking like a 16-year-old shota."

"Oh, mana strengthening, I totally forgot they existed."

"At least you remember now, which means with your mana newly returned, you'll have to remember all the basics again."

"Now that I think of it..." I muttered as I raised my hand above my head and measure my height compared to Mr Zheng, and getting the result of me just a little higher than his waist. "Will it be able to help me catch up to the others as well?"

Although I can't be sure it's because I lost my mana, but I'm definitely sure it's not my family gene or anything. After all, Nick was already around 160 centimeters when he was at my age, so it can't be that. I sleep all the time anyway so it couldn't be the lack of sleep, I'm neither picky when it comes to food nor would I say that I eat too less... Well I don't exactly eat a lot but... my BMI is definitely in the average zone, that's for sure.

"Uh, huh, hmm... it certainly might be possible." Mr Zheng replied. "But actually I don't think there's a direct connection between height growth and mana, so just in case, OK? Just in case, don't get your hopes up too high."

"Oh."

"Hey, look, don't be so down. If I were you, I would say being short and cute as you would be a blessing. Why? Because you'll be a legal shota! Trust me, when you get enough of sleep and got rid of the eye bags under your eyes, with your face and your size, girls will be swarming over you."

"..." I couldn't help but glare at Mr Zheng, not exactly trusting his words. I wouldn't say I look cute, but neither would I say I look disgusting. But I just couldn't say that I look good.

Perhaps it might just be myself since I always looked up to my brother Nick and couldn't help but compare myself with him, not only is he already an exceptional mage-in-training and the Assistance of Head Prefect in school, he is also fit, handsome, and kind.

...Now that I think of it, Nick probably is a good competitor of Gary isn't he? They're both damn perfect after all.

But don't worry, Nick, your little brother here will always be on your side, so go on ahead! Even though I think Gary actually is stronger as a magus than Nick, but I'll still stand with Nick!

Think I thought too far by accident. Perhaps it's because I'm in a good mood, but I wasn't usually this cheerful in my head. In fact, usually I couldn't help but think negatively. It's actually a miracle that I didn't think of killing myself when Mr Zheng told me not to get my hopes up, funny how my mindset becomes so optimistic when I got my mana back huh.

"... Ah damn it." Mr Zheng said suddenly. "Alright, I'm sorry for further ruining your mood, I was trying to find a good time to cut to this topic, but I can't stand this awkward silence anymore!"

Awkward? Was it awkward? Oh, the one about shota? It wasn't really awkward for me, but okay.

"Alright, here's the thing, Edmond. Maybe uhh..." Mr Zheng continued, taking my silence as a yes. "Maybe, you should keep your recovery a secret."

"OK." I simply replied.

"Wait, you actually agreed?"

"Why wouldn't I? I was intending on doing the same thing anyway." I shrugged. "I... need time to think about it all, and to get that feeling of mana back, but most importantly... I don't know what do I want to do with it now. I don't know, but, I think it's better if I don't tell everyone now."

"Huh. Well that's... interesting, indeed." Mr Zheng stared into the distance. "Well, I actually asked for another reason. You're... aware that your talent as a mage is absolutely phenomenal, right?"

"I do remember those reporters at my doorstep when I went to primary school, but it's because I had a larger mana output than all the kids at my age, right?"

"Hah, that's what they've been telling everyone indeed."

"What?"

"Yeah, on the first sight, it seemed like it. Being able to cast spells without first creating a magic circle and without any chanting to help control the mana flow, seems like what magus with large supply of mana would do indeed.

"But for any veteran wizard out there, and as your teacher who was able to see you doing it close up, we all understood that's not the case, no.

"Edmond, what makes you special, isn't your mana output. It was your exceptional control over mana."

"So you're saying, I can control mana better than everyone else?"

"Exactly!"

"But... that's all, right? What makes my control over mana so special compared to others?"

"Well, firstly, can you flow mana through your body better than releasing it for spellcasting?"

"No. It's the other way round."

"Well that's it, it's easier for you to cast spells rather than strengthening your own cells with it."

"Isn't that how it works for everyone?"

"Hah! No, absolutely not. It's the other way round."

My eyes widened. I had no idea this was a thing. God damn it, I knew I shouldn't have skipped mana theory lesson that started on Standard 3.

"Then... what makes releasing mana difficult?"

"Ah ha, that is something I can explain. Let me see... Alright, you see, imagine this bag of salt contained by a plastic bag, what would happen when you dip it into the water?"

"The plastic bag would prevent the water from flowing in?"

"Exactly! Then what if you pour the bag of salt into the water?"

"The salt would dissolve, of course."

"That's right. Now imagine the salt to be mana, and the water being the outside of our body. When we release mana, it would be dispersed into the air without the help of mana circles or chantings, causing most of it will be lost to the surroundings. But even with those factored in, almost half of the mana would still be wasted."

"Ah." That was when I came to a realization.

"Indeed, your hold onto mana was so optimized that it was done with maximum efficiency."

I held my hand up to my head, unable to believe that I am actually that broken. Because that would mean if I want to cast a high level spell, so much mana that would be wasted will be conserved, and potentially means that I can cast multiple of those in a short time or even simultaneously! "Oh my god, how did I do this?!"

"How am I supposed to know when you don't know it yourself?!"

"I really don't know! I just... do! It's just, really easy and stuff!"

"So yeah, now you know it, so I think it's better for you to... lay low. At least for now."

"Yeah, I agr-" That was when a smell caught my attention. I began sniffing around with my nose, following the scent and noticing that it's coming from the camp site. It was like roast meat, but with something else that makes it more mouth-watering, and I can feel every single cell in my body telling me to give it a taste.

It smells so tasty that my stomach growled in response. I looked at Mr Zheng and saw him trying to hold off an smile. "S-sorry. Wow, so that's how tasty aberrant meat smells like for you?"

But instead, Mr Zheng raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What smell?" He began sniffing like me as well. "I ain't smelling anything, nice nose you got there."