4 - Change (2)

At the open field behind the orphanage, a small crowd had gathered. Curious kids, a few nuns, and at the center of it all, Ellen and Geld.

Geld cleared his throat before starting his explanation. "Unlike mana, which naturally and gently integrates with your body, aura is rough. It forces energy into you, making it much more explosive."

He crossed his arms. "But that's also the problem. Forcing energy into your body will damage it over time. That's why people developed breathing techniques."

"Breathing techniques regulate the flow of aura, making it safer to use while also improving efficiency," he continued. "Without them, aura users would burn out before reaching their full potential."

Geld was ready to explain further, but then he noticed Ellen's face. She looked bored.

He sighed. Kids these days…

"Alright, I'll get to the point. The breathing technique you're about to learn, Zephyr, is one of many. To be honest, it's a pretty common one."

That caught Ellen's attention. Her red eyes lit up. "Common? How so? Isn't it one of the five greatest techniques?"

"It was," Geld corrected. "A long time ago, at least. I don't know where you heard that, but the five greatest breathing techniques are only called 'great' because they became the foundation for many others."

"I see… So they were called the greatest because they gave birth to countless powerful breathing techniques." Ellen nodded in understanding.

"Exactly. That said, learning one of the five isn't a bad thing. Their foundations will definitely help you."

Clapping his hands together, Geld grinned. Not a friendly grin, but the kind that promised hardship. "Let's get started!"

---

Geld had an ulterior motive. He thought Ellen's sudden change in personality was because of arrogance.

She had always been a mage. Surely, once she realized how difficult aura training was, her ego would come crashing down, and she'd go back to her usual self.

But Ellen or Eun Hee-Jin had no such thoughts.

Aura is more familiar, far more than magic ever did. Back in her previous life, she preferred physical combat in the game. Mana, with its complex formulas and precise calculations, just wasn't her style.

"First, sit down," Geld instructed. "We'll start with meditation. Just focus on sensing the energy around you."

Ellen raised a brow. "Wait, that's the same as mana training."

"Fundamentally, yes. Both use breathing techniques to draw in energy afterall," Geld admitted. "But the similarities end there. Once you start using aura practically, you'll understand the difference. I'll explain more later. For now, just focus."

He closed his eyes, his entire presence shifting as he began his own breathing.

"Got it," Ellen murmured, following his instructions.

She had already read about mana and aura breathing techniques in Ellen's notes, and those had helped her adjust to this world. She thought learning aura breathing would take an hour or two.

in reality, it took her two days. Of course, she wasn't training regularly. She hadn't expected that. But then again, she was new to this world, practically a baby in terms of experience. If she wanted to survive, she had to learn as much as possible.

And now is the time.

Huff.

The next second, Ellen was already immersed.

'It's simple, it's natural.' She deeply ingrained in her mind.

Geld who was also immersed, snapped open his eyes. Something was wrong.

The energy around Ellen… it wasn't moving the way it should. The flow was seamless, but there was something unusual about it.

Ellen wasn't just meditating. She was actively merging elements of the five greatest techniques into one.

A formless breathing method.

It wasn't that impressive, most aura users could do it. However, it wasn't something a beginner should be able to do.

Geld's breath hitched. Mages could learn aura if they were determined enough, but it usually took half a year. Even that guy took three months.

And yet, by academy standards, she was an average mage.

Which meant… she had always been naturally gifted with aura but had spent her life training in magic instead.

Geld smiled at the realization. He never expected to find such a talent.

"It suddenly feels chilly here..." someone in the crowd murmured.

Even the onlookers could feel it. This was the result of proper energy control.

It's only a matter of time before she unlocks her energy nature, Geld thought. How long will she stay like this? Someone with that level of focus might last until noon.

"Alright, everyone, time for breakfast." Geld's voice was low but firm.

"What? We wanna watch!"

"Sssh. Ellen is concentrating right now. You can't bother her."

"Can I stay?" a voice piped up. It was Frey.

Geld pondered for a moment before nodding. "It's fine."

"Not fair! Why can Frey stay?"

"Because she's older," Geld said, scooping up the protesting children and hauling them inside.

With the crowd gone, Frey shifted her attention back to Ellen. She sat down in front of her, observing her closely.

"Ellen, did you give up on magic?" she whispered. Not that Ellen could hear her.

Frey smiled faintly. "Ellen, I'm going to chase your shadow. Wait for me."

She closed her eyes and began meditating as well.

From afar, Geld watched them, smiling. He had completely forgotten his original plan to break Ellen's confidence.

---

Ellen remained still, her breathing steady. Her mind was calm, her body relaxed, and her aura flowed seamlessly. She could feel it now. The energy moving through her, weaving into her limbs and muscle.

This was it.

She had finally grasped the breathing technique.

Now, all she had to do was maintain it passively.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a girl with stark white hair sitting across from her, still deep in meditation.

Frey.

Ellen blinked, then turned her gaze upward.

The sky had shifted from bright blue to warm hues of orange and pink. She had been here for hours. Six? Seven?

With a quiet groan, she let herself fall back onto the grass, stretching out her stiff limbs.

"My back hurts," she muttered, staring up at the swaying leaves above.

She rolled her head to the side, eyes drifting back to Frey, who remained unmoving, her breathing slow and even. Her expression was one of deep concentration, utterly focused.

Ellen sighed.

She thought about the real Ellen. The girl who pushed herself past her limits. The girl who never stopped, even when her body screamed at her to rest. The girl who died because of it.

Eun Hee-Jin had never understood it. People like that, who worked themselves to the bone, who obsessed over something so much that they forgot to live she thought they were crazy.

She hate them.

But after merging with Ellen's memories, feeling the lingering emotions left behind… she finally understood.

It wasn't just ambition or desperation. It was fear.

A deep, all-consuming fear of being powerless.

Ellen exhaled, closing her eyes for a brief moment.

Even so…

She sat up, reaching toward Frey. Her hand hovered for a second before she flicked the girl's forehead.

Frey flinched, eyes snapping open. "Ukh… What was that for?"

Ellen smirked. "You're overdoing it. Your mana circuit is overloaded. Can't you feel it?"

Frey blinked. Overloaded? She focused inward and realized Ellen was right.

Her expression stiffened.

Ellen sighed. "Don't be stubborn. Don't push yourself too much."

Frey stared at her. Ellen's tone wasn't scolding, but it felt like she wasn't just talking to her, but to someone else.

The evening wind rustled through the trees.

Then, Ellen yawned. "Let's go eat. I'm starving."

As they walked back, Frey stole a glance at her.

Has she decided to show her true personality?

She seemed more confident. More reliable. And Frey kind of like it.

---

Days passed, and Ellen's training continued under Geld's watchful eye. The mornings were filled with lectures about aura control and combat techniques, while the afternoons were spent on practical training.

This is also when Geld reveal that he was actually a teacher for a small school in the past.

Sometimes, Ellen would take breaks, entertaining the younger kids with their game. Much to their delight. Other times, Frey would ask her a few question about magic, to which Ellen helped her.

Then, the day came.

Ellen stood in her room, a small bag resting beside her bed. She glanced around one last time, eyes tracing the familiar wooden walls and simple furniture. She was around for a hosrt time. But Ellen's memories made her felt a sense of loss.

"This is annoying." She said with a soft smile.