Mana Shield

'What?'

My heart skipped a beat filling my mind with countless thoughts. But right now, staying calm was my only option.

Luckily there weren't that many people here and the seats around us were mostly empty. So I wasn't afraid of anyone eavesdropping.

"What do you mean?" I asked him with caution.

"Oh! Was it supposed to be a secret?" The guy said so nonchalantly that I almost doubted he was doing this on purpose.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Haha... Don't worry. It's not like I have anyone to tell this to."

Seeing that I have no intention of replying to him, he started talking again.

"I am sorry if I offended you somehow. I didn't really mean it like that. I am Sylas Zyair, by the way. I am a participant here."

After thinking for a bit, I finally remembered where I heard this strange name before.

'It's the name I heard during the preliminary round from the announcement guy. He finished almost at the same time as me. I think he should be pretty good then.'

"Marcel Mister"

I answered shortly indicating my lack of interest in starting a conversation now.

It's not that I have problems in making a few friends, but a guy who just called me a demigod directly when there's no way of knowing is just too much.

But this idiot didn't take the hint as he continued on his blabbering.

"What? The Marcel Mistmer? I can't believe it's you. Do you know everyone here is talking about your fight? "

'I am famous?... No wait! Why am I listening to him? Please shut up.'

"Hahaha... I can't believe I got to be friends with the Marcel Mistmer".

"Who's your frie-"

"Excuse me? May we sit here? "

I felt greatly relieved as someone interrupted us from behind. I knew this was my chance of ending my conversation with this troublesome guy.

But, just as I turned my head to reply, I felt all the colour draining from my face.

'Oh God... Why?'

I felt something terribly wrong with my luck today.

The owner of the voice was a beautiful young lady around seventeen years of age with black hair and dark brown eyes.

Behind her were two other beautiful girls, one with crimson hair and blue eyes and the other one with blonde hair and ocean green eyes.

Two other guards were surrounding them and not surprisingly I met one of those two before.

It was the same guy who handled the situation between me and the Duke's daughter politely by apologizing to me first.

"Ah.. Yes, why not. But as you can see my friend and I were having a conversation. But there's no way we can refuse 'The Lady'. So please feel free to sit. We will just excuse ourselves." I tried to slip away from what was about to come.

But well, I wasn't really successful in my attempt.

"Haha... You're funny. Don't worry about that day. My guards were at fault. So just sit here with us."

The crimson haired girl also came forward and said to me with a slight smile.

"Your name is Marcel Mister, right? "

Just as I was about to answer I saw Sylas Zyair kneeling on one leg and greeting the girl.

"I greet Her Royal Highness."

'She's the Princess? Though I already guessed based on her hair, I still wasn't completely sure.'

I too quickly got down on one of my knees as I replied to her.

"I-I greet Her Royal Highness. And yes, I am Marcel Mistmer. Since I am from the outskirts, I don't know much about these Royal greetings. Please forgive me for my negligence."

"It's fine. I don't care about those stuff here. You can sit comfortably." She waved her hand like it was nothing important.

I also turned to guard and bowed my head.

"I apologize for that day"

"It's okay. We're at fault too. And you really had us for good that day."

Fortunately, he also wasn't offended.

"Anyway, let me officially introduce myself. I am Penelope Zarda, the daughter of Duke Zarda. Just call me Pen."

'There's no way I will call you that.'

Oblivious to my thoughts, Penelope continued the introduction with a mischievous smile.

"And as you already know, this is Royal Princess Violet Flamebridge. She is the second princess of the Glorior Kingdom. "

'Ah! So she's not the older one. Maybe that's why she doesn't care much about these royal customs. She doesn't care much about the throne, I guess.'

If a King has no sons then the right to the throne will automatically go to the eldest princess.

'Though I had no idea if the king has a son or not'

"And this is Isabelle Aeris. The daughter of Duke Aeris. Based on your looks, you may look good with her but still don't attempt to seek after her, she is really cold when rejecting others."

"P-Pen!!!" The blonde hair girl shouted with an embarrassed face. It looked like her friends often liked to tease her like that.

"It's true though" Penelope said mockingly.

'What the hell is this girl saying?'

"I am Marcel Mistmer. A commoner from Pearlton and an adventurer."

Saying that I looked towards Sylas Zyair asking him to introduce himself who was still in a trance, trying to understand what really was going on.

"S-Sylas Zyair. A commoner from Northwood Village."

After introducing ourselves, we took our seats with the two guards standing behind. Penelope was on my right talking about different things with her friends and I had a sweet smile on my lips.

At least I pretended to.

But my inner thoughts were screaming and asking me to run away.

'Why the hell did I come here? I know I was unlucky but isn't this like too much? '

And as to add more pressure on my fragile situation, Penelope started talking to me in a low voice.

"Say, how did you come up with that name? I mean that King's name."

"Uh.. I heard it once while working as an adventurer in Springbell."

"Oh! Is that so... An adventurer... You're quite lucky to be honest. Being an adventurer, fighting in tournaments. I was trained since childhood but my father never let me do anything risky. It's too boring."

Hearing her words Isabelle also joined the conversation.

"I-I agree. I also wanted to join the tournament but my father didn't let me. He told me I don't need a potion."

"Yeah, same with me" The Royal Princess also shared her thoughts.

'No, why are you complaining about doing something risky if it's not necessary. I really don't understand these nobles.'

Letting the ladies talk among themselves, I finally turned my attention to the match. It has already been a little more than five minutes since the match began, but the brown haired girl was already dominating her opponent, an elf guy.

Her opponent was still holding on because of his defense. It was not because of his hard body like the giant guy I fought, but because he formed a thin barrier, barely visible by naked eyes enveloping his entire body.

And more importantly, it was made up of mana.

'The mana is covering his whole body externally. And more importantly, it's not a skill. Wait..'

Unlike the way I spread the mana throughout my body internally to manipulate it, he used it externally as a defensive barrier.

I concluded that the elf was able do it because he also knows Elven Mana Manipulation.

But I was also someone trained in that department. Moreover, I can already control the external mana to a great degree as I can make mana arrows or use the mana to envelope my weapons.

'So maybe…maybe I can do it if I try'

I wasn't sure but it was worth a try.

With a deep breath I calmed myself down. I didn't use Mana Borrow but I was able to sense the mana deeply after concentrating for a few seconds.

I tried to forget about all the useless thoughts and my desperate situation right now.

I started in the usual manner by guiding the mana slowly from surroundings to my solar plexus. I was supposed to spread throughout my body next, but instead, I focused into my hands as if I was making a Magic Arrow.

When the mana was almost visible in my hands, instead of giving it the shape of an arrow, I changed my approach again. I tried to spread the Mana through my body as I always do with 'A Sword that cuts'.

Very precisely.

This was my first time trying it so I tried to be extra careful.

Very slowly, I began increasing the mana output. I could now feel the mana spreading from my hands and slowly covering the body.

Soon, it enveloped my whole body.

Though it wasn't as tough as the guy out there, it was an unbelievable result for a first try.

I succeeded.

The speed of forming the barrier was also much slower, but I knew I could improve if I keep on practicing.

And there was even another surprise from the stigmata's system.

[Your understanding of 'Beginner's Elven Mana Manipulation' has reached 100%]

['Beginner's Elven Mana Manipulation' has upgraded to 'Intermediate Elven Mana Manipulation']

''Wow! You are really amazing.''

The beautiful blonde girl exclaimed. Although my eyes were closed and I tried to do it secretly, I could feel that she noticed it quite early.

'She's quite good with mana.'

But there was someone else who noticed the change in mana much earlier than Isabelle.

Sylas Zyair.

'Based on the time he reacted, I can say that he is not much worse than me.'

And that was only in case of sensing and manipulating mana in which I was even stronger than most elves of my age.

'I don't know if he's stronger or weaker than me in other areas, but he's definitely someone who can't be ignored.'

"Yeah! I agree. There's no way I can do that after seeing it once.' Sylas commented.

Hearing Sylas and Isabelle, the other two girls also realized and exclaimed their surprises.

"I am just a little good with mana" I replied in a humble manner.

"Based on what I see, you can't say it's a little though."

"Yeah? Thank you. You are also quite good yourself, Sylas."

"Haha... "

Just then Penelope, who had a catalog in her hands narrowed her eyes while reading through the words.

"Uh...The boy is from the Hillstorm family, one of the five Elven Royal Families and the girl....she's from Elysium? Wow!!"

I was surprised to the point where words immediately came out of my mouth.

"Elysium!? What is her name?"

"It says... it's Victoria Chauvet".

'Chauvet? I think it was the family of an Earl. '

I was so immersed in learning from the elven boy that I didn't pay attention to the girl.

'No way! This... '

But when I did, I noticed something oddly familiar.

It was her battle style. There was no way I could be mistaken about it as I have seen it countless number of times before.

This style…

'It's the same as Esmeralda'.