As Nalia followed Flynn, they both chatted and bantered about their daily lives.

  “So, Uncle Tom returned from the capital yesterday?” Flynn asked as he swirled the book in his hand.

  “Hmm, he brought gifts for us,” Nalia replied as her hair waved slightly in the air. She smiled while adding, “And he also brought the test Mana manipution technique for us!”

  Flynn beamed in happiness as he turned around while cpping his hands, “Really? That’s awesome! Let’s go quickly,” He then grasped her hand and they both ran together towards their home.

  Flynn and Nalia were both ten years old. Nalia was Flynn’s distant cousin. After her parents died in a tragic accident a few years ago, she moved in with his family.

  Her full name was Nalia Roseheart, the st name which she inherited from her now-dead mother. She was only five years old when that tragic incident swept her innocent mind.

  Flynn vaguely remembered her mournful expression as she cried her heart out. From that time, she used to cry frequently whenever she remembered her father and mother while sitting under the plum tree in their courtyard.

  Flynn’s parents always tried to pcate her while they were around. Nalia sometimes stopped crying after being soothed by them, or sometimes she ran away from the house and sat down by the river for a while.

  He could understand, that even though he was little, it was not easy for someone to cope with being in the same situation as her. At first, he only stood beside the door as he watched her cry from afar from time to time. Eventually, he started talking to her.

  Flynn still remembered that one time when he tried to talk to her while she was crying…

  Fshback

  A little girl was sobbing and crying while sitting under a plum tree, who was precisely Nalia.

  ‘I miss Papa,’ Nalia sniffled lightly as she mumbled, her tiny chest heaved a little while warm tears fell down her cheek. Her right hand clenched into tiny fist while she wiped out her tears with her left hand.

  “Nalia?” A voice resounded in her ears.

  Nalia raised her head and saw the boy around the same age as her. He seldom talked with her even though it had been many days since she came here. She stared at his face for a few seconds, then her face dropped, tears kept coming out of her eyes as she wiped them with her sleeves.

  “Don’t cry, alright?” Flynn tried to console her, “Come, let’s py together”

  “I want my mama,” she looked at his face again with her red eyes, her face soaked with tears, “I want to go to my papa and mama, I miss them.”

  “But your parents are dead,” Flynn didn’t know what else to say to say to her.

  Nalia looked at him angrily while yelling, “They are not dead! THEY ARE NOT DEAD! I hate you.”

  She then threw a handful of leaves towards his face as she ran away once again.

  ***

  ‘Not a pleasant memory, ah’ Flynn thought as he looked at her from behind while she searched the shelves for the mana manipution technique.

  “I found it,” Nalia excimed in happiness as she held out a scroll enveloped by leather.

  Flynn took the scroll and looked at it in contentment. The scroll in his hand was very important for a mage as one learns their primary mana manipution technique through it.

  Children of Ryunil usually adapt to using mana at the age of seven. After that, the mana manipution technique pys the most important role for them to officially become a Mage.

  Mana manipution technique was categorized into several ranks, which were - Elite, Rare, Legend and Mythical. One can become a 5th Echelon mage by using a Rare ranked mana manipution technique, whereas Elite rank users are limited to the 4th Echelon. To become a legendary 9th Echelon mage, one needs a mana manipution of Mythical rank.

  The higher the rank of the mana manipution technique, the more easier it was to ascend the ranks of Echelon mages. At the same time, it was also difficult to practice and continue refining the mana throughout the body due to the complexity of higher-ranked techniques.

  After adapting their body to the atmospheric mana, the children usually practiced whatever and however they could by utilizing their mana with total concentration.

  The practices differed according to the mana attributes they felt most connected to, some felt their affinity with one attribute while some people had affinity with two or even three attributes.

  The one whose attribute was wind practiced by raising a stone or heavy tools in the air, the one whose affinity was fire practiced by roasting all kinds of meats, tree barks, etc. Likewise, the children with other affinities practiced their own method.

  These practices made them closer to their attribute before they ultimately got their hands on a mana manipution technique. After that, their journey begins as they practice and refine mana in their body until ultimately forming the first mana circle and acquiring the title, Mage.

  Flynn and Nalia were both mana users with the same water affinity. The mana manipution technique brought by Uncle Tom was of Elite rank, which would pave their way till they reached 4th Echelon rank. And it was created for water attribute mana users.

  As Flynn examined the scroll, he eventually opened it. A slight blue radiance filled the room with a little fragrance of orchids.

  Flynn and Nalia both closed their eyes and inhaled lightly. The blue light and the orchid fragrance refreshed their mind.

  Flynn sat against the wall, opening the scroll. Nalia did the same as she leaned against the wall, softly humming a tune of contentment. “Hmm~ Hmm~”

  “Prosperous Mind Mana Manipution: Water,” she read out the name of technique loudly as she looked at the scroll’s contents in his hands.

  “Water?” Flynn tilted his head at her. “Does that mean there are Earth, Wind and Fire techniques too?”

  “Possibly,” Nalia replied. “And it’s the lowest-ranked technique too, so it might not be exclusive to one attribute of mana. And that might be why Uncle Tom was able to get it for us pretty quick.”

  “Ummm…. I wanted a Rare-ranked technique,” Flynn grumbled.

  “Ouch-”

  “What the hell, why did you do that?” His tone was id with frustration at her as he saw her retracting her fist.

  Nalia harrumphed, “Don’t be greedy, be satisfied that we got this pretty quickly compared to others in the vilge. Chop-chop! Let’s now look at the technique.”

  “Alright.”