Chapter No 10. The Burden Of Being Ordinary.

Lucius was already waiting in the training grounds when I arrived—a modest space behind my house, more of a garden than an actual battlefield. His stance was casual, but his eyes betrayed his impatience.

"Can you tell me more about him?" he asked the moment I stepped forward. "Anything related to his abilities? His affinity? His origins?"

I gave him a flat look. "We're here to train, not swap stories."

He didn't back down. "Maybe his battle style, then? That could help me. I dream of wielding the sword, just like him, like you, like Lord Ragnar—"

I exhaled through my nose. Again. Again, he knew things he shouldn't. Things no amnesiac should recall. But I was used to it by now. His mind was a maze of fragmented knowledge, an impossible puzzle with no clear edges. If even the most skilled experts struggled to restore lost memories, what could I possibly do? And more importantly… did I want him to remember?

My child. My strange, abnormal child.

Lucius must have noticed the shift in my expression because he finally dropped the subject, falling into silence. Good. It was time he learned the value of patience.

An hour passed. Neither of us spoke. Neither of us moved.

The wind picked up, sweeping through the garden, carrying the scent of damp earth and fresh grass. The scorching sun dulled behind drifting clouds, giving way to the cool shade. Time slowed. Lucius, at first fidgety, gradually settled. The tension in his shoulders eased. His breathing evened out.

And then, at last, I spoke.

"Congratulations, my little apprentice. You've passed the first test."

Lucius blinked, expression shifting from focused to mildly annoyed. "That was a test?"

I smirked. "Patience is the foundation of all warriors, knights, and adventurers. Without it, you'll never master the sword, the battlefield, or even yourself. Many believe strength alone makes a great warrior, but in truth, patience, consistency, and discipline are what separate the weak from the strong. Those who master these have already overcome one of the most difficult trials of their journey."

He didn't argue, though I could tell he wanted to. Instead, he adjusted his posture, folding his legs and steadying his breathing. I gestured for him to join me, and we both sat on the fresh grass, choosing dry spots beneath the shade.

"Now," I continued, "let's start with the basics of mana."

Lucius straightened, eyes locked onto me.

"Unlike other species, humans are not born with a proper, functional mana core," I explained. "For the nine months we spend in the womb, our bodies demand immense amounts of mana—far more than an infant could possibly generate. That need is fulfilled by our mothers. They provide mana to their unborn child, both consciously and unconsciously, through their own core.

But mana alone isn't enough. Energy, nutrients, and vitality—all of it is transferred from mother to child. That's why pregnancy is so draining, why expecting mothers require extended rest. In our empire, they are granted a recovery period of one year and three months."

Lucius nodded, absorbing the information. There was a moment where I expected him to ask about my own past—to probe into my experience with motherhood—but he remained silent.

'A knowledge-driven mind with emotional intelligence… a rarity these days,' I thought.

I continued. "There are exceptions to this rest period—knights and military personnel. Our empire is vast, and despite our forces, we are always outnumbered. Should a crisis arise, knights are expected to fight, regardless of their condition. That expectation has cost us dearly, though in recent years, conflicts have been fewer."

His gaze flickered with curiosity, and I knew he was waiting for an example. So I gave him one.

"Ten years ago, the northwestern region of the empire saw the largest rebel uprising in recent history. They called themselves the Bloodfrost Rebels. Their army numbered nearly a million."

Lucius inhaled sharply. "A million?"

"It took two years to crush their forces. Thousands of lives were lost. The rebel commanders—the ones responsible for the uprising, for the massacres—were hunted down and imprisoned. Their punishment was… unique."

His brows furrowed. "Unique?"

"They were executed," I said simply. "By their own people."

Lucius's frown deepened. "Wait. Their own people killed them? After following their orders for two years? Why?"

"Because the ones who want war never fight in it," I said, my voice steady. "They sit behind their desks, safe and comfortable, while men and women like us spill blood in their name. The people of the northwest realized that too late—but not too late to act. They stormed the rebel high command's stronghold overnight, dragged their leaders into the streets, and ended the war themselves."

Lucius fell silent, processing my words.

"It took two years and thousands of lives," I continued. "Two years of suffering, all for a cause built on greed and ambition.

This is life, Lucius. It will never be fair. It is harsh. Unpredictable. And all it takes is one bad day for everything to change."

The wind whispered through the garden, rustling the leaves. Lucius clenched his fists, his expression unreadable.

Yes. He understood.

And that was enough

The boy went into a deep thinking process by his looks as he didn't speak for a good few minutes, "I understand and I'll keep that in mind."

Good. Now back to where we left off,

"Once a child is born, after seven, eight, or nine months, their tiny bodies are filled with mana. These mana particles within them instinctively attract the mana present in their surroundings, forming a delicate balance. This is how we survive in the early stages—with a premature mana core that mimics the mana rotation of our mothers. Mana itself ensures survival. And once a child takes their first breath in this world, Phase One begins."

Lucius nodded, his gaze steady. "Go on. I have no questions or doubts." He gestured for me to continue.

His temperament had improved. Curiosity still drove his mind, but his newfound patience allowed him to control its pace. A small but important step forward.

"Phase One is simple and rarely encounters complications." I hesitated for half a second, unable to find the exact term I wanted, and instead settled for a phrase that fit well enough. Hopefully, he wouldn't notice.

"During this phase, the child's body instinctively draws in mana, accumulating it in a single point—the center of the body, also known as the Connecting Point. Over time, this collection of mana solidifies, a process that takes anywhere from three to five years before the formation of a stable mana core is complete.

"For prodigies, this happens in around four years. For noble brats with the support of a class caretaker mage to accelerate the process, it takes roughly three. And for children of the royal bloodline…" I paused, watching Lucius's expression, "it takes only two and a half years."

His brow furrowed. "So bloodline does have a major influence, huh?"

"Indeed," I said simply. "It always has. And it always will."

The strongest individuals in our empire—those who stood at the peaks others only dreamed of reaching—were not just the products of hard work. They had been born with advantages the rest of us could only envy. Gifts that complemented and strengthened each other, allowing them to break barriers that would take ordinary people lifetimes to even touch.

They were lucky. Blessed.

We were not.

"Are you jealous of their birth gifts?" Lucius asked suddenly.

'A little,' he admitted before I could even respond.

I studied him for a moment, then spoke. "Fetch me a glass of water."

He blinked, confused by the sudden request, but obeyed without protest. He returned swiftly, extending the glass to me.

"Drink it," I said instead.

He frowned, the corners of his mouth twitching in pure annoyance, but he followed my words.

"The water you just drank," I said, my tone calm, "is something people have fought and killed for."

Lucius stilled.

"You may not have been born with the advantages of the noble elite, but you possess something many of them lack. A mana core with exceptional sensory abilities. A natural connection to mana that most would kill to have. Your ability to grasp and understand concepts is rare, even among the gifted.

"I've seen people with immense power—people with more mana than entire battalions—who lack even the most basic ability to think and understand.

"You might not match those you compare yourself to. And that's fine. But be grateful for what you do have, Lucius.

Never let envy outweigh gratitude.

Be thankful that the Almighty and the Essence have given you a chance to live in this world, in this era, because I have seen people who could only dream of the things we take for granted."

Deep down, I wasn't sure if I was speaking to Lucius… or to my past self.

For years, I had chased strength above all else. My days had been consumed by endless training, my thoughts centered only on sharpening my skills. And in the end, all I had gained…

Were lost opportunities. Memories I could have made.

I shook off the thought and continued.

"Once Phase One is complete, Phase Two begins.

"After the core is formed, the body begins developing mana channels, mana veins, mana points, and mana nerves. Mana channels connect the major organs—our brain, heart, and limbs—to the core. Mana veins, a substructure of the channels, link the smaller organs, senses, and muscles. Mana nerves establish the connection between mana and the very fabric of our bodies—our tissues, cells, and nervous system.

Mana points serve as bridges, acting as anchor points for all these connections. They regulate, limit, and control the inflow and outflow of mana, preventing mana overload.

This entire process takes about a year.

Half the time for noble children.

And only four to five months for those of royal blood."

Lucius absorbed the information in silence, his expression unreadable.

Then he asked, "And then comes Phase Three?"

I nodded. "The final phase. And the most dangerous."

Lucius's posture straightened slightly.

"Once Phases One and Two are complete, the exhausted body is forced into Phase Three. The newly formed mana core, channels, veins, nerves, and points are bombarded with an abnormal surge of mana, kickstarting the most vital function of all: stable, continuous mana circulation.

This phase is heavily supervised, regardless of background.

The nobles and royals have the best healers in the empire at their disposal—because their naturally potent mana makes the process more volatile. But the children of commoners are not abandoned. The imperial family provides top healers to ensure their safety as well."

Lucius's head tilted slightly. "So… does the current Emperor really care about his citizens? No matter their background?"

It was a good question. His expression suggested that, like most people, he had assumed the Emperor—like many before him—cared little for commoners.

I was pleased to correct him.

"Indeed," I said. "Our ruler, Emperor Ashoka, has always ensured equal treatment of his subjects. He has prioritized fairness, regardless of status."

Lucius's gaze sharpened. "But the nobles don't like that, do they?"

I smirked. "Not one bit. Many noble families—and even a few royal ones—hate his policies. They preferred the days when emperors put them first, when their wealth and power were prioritized over the people. But for decades now, that has not been the case. Even the Bloodfrost Rebellion began because an alliance of noble houses failed to gain special treatment from the capital."

Lucius's curiosity flared again. "These royal families you mentioned… who are they? They seem more relevant than the nobles you keep badmouthing."

I nearly sighed. His attention had wavered again.

For a moment, I almost allowed my internal annoyance to creep onto my face. Barely, just barely, I managed to suppress it.

"My temper needs more work," I admitted silently.

Of course, Lucius would get distracted. He was an eight-year-old child. No matter how intelligent he seemed, no matter how abnormally mature his mind was, he was still a child.

He acted, spoke, and thought in a way that made me forget just how young he truly was.

But not now.

"That's a discussion for another day," I said firmly.

His lips parted, but I cut him off.

"Now, focus on what I'm about to share.

This is important.

And believe me when I say this, Lucius—

I will not repeat it again."

"Phase Three is where our story ends—before the true journey begins."

Lucius's posture straightened, his focus sharp.

"But," I continued, "there is another phase. A phase that only a rare few will ever experience."

His eyes flickered with curiosity, but I saw something else in them too. A quiet hesitation.

"This is known as Phase Alpha, or in simpler terms, Phase Four—the Elemental Infusion Phase.

"It's widely believed that at birth, we are blessed with one of two things: either an elemental affinity… or nothing at all.

"In your case, Lucius",—I exhaled slowly—"you have nothing, obviously."

He flinched. Just slightly.

I could have softened the blow, but reality was not a kind teacher.

"Unfortunately," I continued, "all you can do now is train. Train. And train.

Meanwhile, those blessed with an elemental affinity undergo something entirely different.

They go through Phase Four.

In this phase, their elemental essence—something entwined with their very soul—merges with the core inside their body. Their mana ceases to be just mana. It becomes elemental.

Do you know why non-elementals can never truly reach the Saint Stage?"

Lucius didn't respond.

I answered anyway.

"It's simple, really. The stronger we become, the more layers we have to break through. However, once we reach the seventh layer, that's it. No more. If we try to break beyond that, the core itself collapses."

I let that sink in before I continued.

"This is where elemental mana comes in.

Unlike you, an elemental child will have to do two things simultaneously.

Break through the layers… and convert their mana core.

While a non-elemental like you focuses only on breaking through, an elemental mage must transform their entire core into one infused with their element. This makes the process slower for them, which is why noble and royal mages are often stuck at B or C rank during their early adult years.

Meanwhile, non-elementals—like you—can reach A, S, even SS rank much faster. But after that…" I sighed. "There is nowhere left to go."

Silence.

Lucius didn't move. His head was lowered slightly, his fingers absently tracing patterns in the dirt.

The fire in his eyes had dimmed.

His voice, when he finally spoke, was barely audible.

"Can you give me an example?" he asked. "Someone with an affinity… Why wouldn't they just break through all their layers first, and then focus on converting their core?"

I studied him carefully.

This was different. This wasn't curiosity driving him now.

It was something else.

Disappointment? Frustration?

No.

It was resentment.

He was too quiet. Too still.

Had he lost interest already? Simply because he lacked an affinity?

I debated my next move.

If I continued, I risked crushing his morale further. If I changed the topic, I might give him a moment of distraction—but would that help in the long run?

Two choices.

I exhaled slowly.

Then I stood.

"Let's go for a walk, yeh? 

Lucius hesitated.

Then, finally, he nodded.

***

Lucius's Pov

It was tough to truly realize how disadvantaged my future potential would be. Although I'm grateful for having an actual, functioning mana core that will allow me to ascend to higher ranks, I know my potential will never be enough to transcend the saint stage, which is a hard pill to swallow.

Currently, we are walking along the streets of Varis. Sia and I were on the main road, constructed from dark, heavy materials. The streets were crowded with lively people. This city has a population of around 3 to 5 million, which was hard to believe at first, but now that I was actually walking beside Sia, who held my hand with a firm grip, the population survey seemed accurate—the congestion made it evident.

The streets acted as a divider for the shops, with the street itself in the middle and the shops lining both sides. "This is the market road of Varis. You must remember that particular spot; this is where we got separated yesterday, in front of that fountain." Yes, my master, I do remember it. The water fountain is an ice-white colored monument with a statue of a man standing atop it, holding some sort of flag—whether proudly waving it or simply raising it, I couldn't tell.

"To the fallen, for the fallen. May Glory guide them to an eternal rest," I chanted. The words were interesting and served a purpose, I thought.

The engraved words of the fountain—was this some kind of memorial? It must have been, as we didn't waste our time and continued moving. My outfit was unchanged, while my master had switched to a brown formal dress with simple white edges and a design. She wore a light scarf around her neck and carried her dagger on her left side, as her right arm was still recovering. Her hair was beautifully tied back, highlighting her face and the long scarlet tips of her hair.

"You might want to focus on the streets ahead and the shops on either side, my precious little student." If only they were as beautiful and interesting as you, I would have, probably. The streets were certainly busy; people were buying, selling, and enjoying themselves. The vendors were busy attracting more customers to their shops and stalls, while the buyers were searching for the best commodities at reasonable prices. The 'Market Road' had everything, from weapons and armor to simple grocery shops. There were even a few potion and trap-related shops around the block that were less crowded. That struck me as odd. Is it because these items are expensive? I asked my master.

"Indeed, potions can be quite costly; even a simple enhancing potion can cost thousands of eons or a few silver eons. The traps you see are mostly outdated." That makes sense, since I never saw my master or Sir Ragnar using one against that ghost bear. The thought of Ragnar and that monster reminded me of a few important questions I had to ask my mentor, but not here. Let's enjoy the sightseeing first.

What caught my eye were the people themselves. They were so diverse and different from one another. Small children were playing with their friends, mages and adventurers roaming about and displaying their gear and artifacts openly, and even a few knights among the crowd. Their expressions and readiness indicated they were on patrol. A few of them quickly bowed and showed respect when they saw my master, giving me a small smile before resuming their usual serious demeanor.

As we moved on and on, we saw another patrol of knights but these were the complete opposites from the ones we saw a few minutes back, unlike the previous knights, these were much more intimidating and had a different, much vibrant colour schemes with lighter much more lean type of armour and an additional layer of cape. As they moved towards us, all the surrounding citizens moved out of their way, ensuring they were not hindered even for a moment. The entire crowd, with hundreds of people, mages, adventurers, and actual humanoid monsters with so much mana and strength inside them, cleared the path for these knights. They were small in number, around 10-12 each one had a similar colour scheme but with slight alteration of designs, the sunlight highlighted their armours brightly, highlighting the colours and their presence. They also had a similar headgear like the one Sia wore, but much leaner and with what looked like actual miniature wings near their ear area.

"The Aerial Knights. Unlike us battleknights, the Aerial knights are much more limited in numbers, but their strength can easily equal 10 battleknights in battle. Each one of them can fly for hours without draining their cores, making them responsible for patrolling and guarding the vast free skies of Verdun from aerial threats. The one approaching us is what you call a squadron," my mentor spoke while pulling me out of their way onto the sidelines. She chose not to bow, but since people around us had their heads down in respect, I did the same. 'I mean, they protect us, right? That alone makes them deserving of all the respect they receive.' Again, the knights smiled when they saw Sia before they realized I was also in the picture with her, as she still held my arm quite tightly, must I say. They gave me a confused look before resuming their usual serious expression. 'Man, I deserve a warm smile too, you know?'

I still remember their armour and its colour scheme, a mixture of dark-greyish and navy-blue colours, making them unique and quite memorable, unlike the plain jet-black colour-schemed armours the battleknights wore. As we were almost done with our small walk, Sia gave me some eons asking to explore the food stalls since we had no lunch at home, she had some business with the portions master of this city, which would take 30 minutes at max. I wanted to accompany her there as well, but I was tired and on an empty stomach.

As my mentor let go of her grip over my arm, I watched her walk away towards the ascending road, one we descended 5 minutes ago, as that part of the road has a medium-sized portion of shops around the edge. Turning around to face the huge line of food stalls, I had to choose from. '20-30 minutes are not gonna be enough,' I realized as I considered all the options I had in front of me.

'This one for sure!' I made my decision after 10 minutes of roaming, trying to find the best starter to start from. It was a small centre but with a respectable size of public consuming their delicious-looking food. As I walked towards the counter, a teenage girl straightaway asked me whether I wanted 1 or 2, and no, they don't cut it in half and serve for half the price. Did she just assume that because of my size and innocent-looking face? 'How insulting!'

".....Excuse me, 1 please, how much?" I asked her as soon as it was my turn to place the order. The standing pedestrians were humble enough to leave a good amount of space in between, something I didn't see during our little 2-hour walk on the road.

"Are you blind? Or are you just incapable of figuring out what the massive board above my head says?"

'1 for 10 eons' She could've just said that instead of that insult.. "1 please, thank you elder sister." I thanked her while handing the eon coins, 'Have that as well, smart-ass. ' I inwardly laughed as she accepted the money with a surprised face and what felt like hints of anger as well in her eyes.

The process of making the snack I ordered was simple, the cooked potato's were mashed with coriander leaves, and with some kind of peas that were small and green in colour, once properly mixed together they were drenched into a liquid batter before deep-frying them inside a huge bowl of boiling oil, after 3 minutes the yellowish balls were ready to serve in-between 2 slices of bread, the above slice being brown while the platform slice being plain white, alongside 2 different coloured chutneys.

This snack, called Potato buns, was quite delicious and satiating. The chutneys were delicious as well. I devoured it in mere 2 minutes, which I believe was impressive considering it was freshly assembled inside a hot bowl of boiling oil. However, that snack made it crave something cool, a drink, probably. As I finished my snack, I saw another small stall of a vendor handing out huge glasses of white coloured drinks. This time, before I gave my order, I looked above for the billboard, displaying the size options and their respective prices.

"One large glass of buttermilk, plz, thank you." As I offered him 15 eons. The vendor just nodded before quickly pouring a large amount of his drink into a huge cup that required the handling of both my hands, The vendor asked me to pay once I finished my drink, which was kind of odd, but I didn't mind. The drink was exceptionally tasty with a perfect mixture of sweet and a kick of various flavours literally exploding inside my mouth. The drink was just perfect to quench the thirst and cool down during this time of the day. I also realized how the Potato bun guy and this guy have a secret collab going on, as that guy's snack makes you full but leaves you craving something cool and sweet, which this guy offers for around the same price. 'Smart play, Cheeky bastards.'

"I've never seen you before, little guy, are you new here?" The middle aged vendor with similar light coloured clothes asked me as he comfortably sat behind his counter. "Yes, sir, I just moved in with my mentor yesterday," I answered him. he seems like a chill guy, just like the drinks he serves. I again offered the money I was due, he looked at it and asked me whether I liked it or not.

"More like I loved it" As the words left my mouth, I could still feel, remember, and recall the taste inside my mouth. This guy deserves all the praise and love I have in my mind.

"Will you come here tomorrow as well, to have another glass of my drink?" Probably, I answered immediately. This drink made me feel special after all.

"Then pay me tomorrow, today's drink is on me. Go on now, see ya tomorrow, little man." Are you sure, I asked him for obvious reasons. It felt kind of wrong not to pay after enjoying that drink so much.

"As long as I gain a new fan," he said as he winked playfully, which honestly didn't suit his age. Oh, smart guy with a future in mind. I nodded in approval, bidding him farewell as more and more people were coming now before I left, he asked me my mentor's name, saying he might know him or her.

"Lady Sia Machangel, Sir. See you tomorrow." His change of expression and enlargement of his eyes were weird reactions, but I paid no further attention to him. Maybe the heat got him or his customers; I didn't know.

***

"You're late." Yeah, I was supposed to meet my mentor 10 minutes ago, and I made her wait. "Sorry about that." I lowered my gaze and back like those knights did. "Did you eat anything?" I nodded, informing her what I had for lunch.

"Potato buns and Buttermilk? They're snacks, Lucius, not lunch or dinner-worthy foods. They lack essential nutrients your body requires. However, they are quite delicious. Which chutney did you like? The red one or the green?" The red one, obviously, green chutney was good but too spicy for my liking. "That's everyone's initial preference, you'll come around." Really? Maybe I will.

"Are we heading home?" I asked her as we started heading towards the direction of our home. "Not yet. We have to visit the guild first." Right now? Under such heat? Can we skip the visit to maybe in the evening? I suggested.

"Unfortunately, this matter cannot wait. Let's hurry up, we're already late." Her tone, and that damn expression. Something was off or outright wrong.