Mana sense

Eris won't spill the beans about her magic, which makes me pout a little, but no matter! It's time for me to dive into the world of magic myself! The book already has instructions on how to start, so I'm just going to follow along and give it my all.

Step one: sensing mana.

To use and manipulate mana, you first need to feel it. But, apparently, that's easier said than done. Each person can only perceive mana by "awakening" their senses, and once awakened, everyone's mana perception is unique. For some, mana looks like colorful wisps or a smoky veil around mana-rich things; for others, it's a scent, a distinct sound, or even a flavor!

Usually, only one sense awakens per person. When an ordinary sense becomes attuned to mana, it's called a "mana sense."

And, interestingly, race can influence which sense awakens. Most cat Furrens, for example, get the visual sense. Dog, wolf, or mouse Furrens often develop a keen smell for mana, while lizard Furrens can taste it with their tongues. Weird, but kinda cool. And for non-Furren humans, the awakened sense is pretty much random.

Now, how to awaken the mana sense?

There are three popular methods:

Method One: Meditative Focus

This one's all about getting zen with it. Deep meditation, sensory isolation, and breathing exercises help tune in to mana's subtle vibe. Sitting in a dark, quiet room with a mana-rich object nearby can help, too.

Method Two: Elemental Exposure

This involves surrounding yourself with the element you think your mana core might resonate with. The problem? While other people can somewhat predict their mana attribute based on what their parents have, I have no idea what my element is, so that's a no-go unless I want to try soaking myself in every element and see which one clicks.

Method Three: Using Powerful Drugs

Fast, potent, and… kind of risky. The upper class loves this one. Special drugs can either heighten all senses or just kickstart the mana sense directly. The catch? These drugs are rare, expensive, and can have some wild side effects. Basically, the spicier the potion, the higher the cost in every sense.

Some people even combine all three methods, going full intensity to speed things up.

Alright, which one should I try? Since I have no clue about my elemental attribute and no magic booster juice, meditation is my best bet.

"Alright, meditation time!" I declare, closing my eyes and settling into my spot.

"Hihi, good luck!" Eris says with a little grin. She dims the lights until there's only a single candle left flickering in her hand. Darkness surrounds us, thick and quiet. The only sounds are Eris's gentle breathing, my heartbeat, and the warmth of her hand holding mine.

"Ready?" she asks softly.

"Nn!" I nod.

Fuu~! Eris blows out the candle, plunging us into complete darkness. All my senses feel heightened now—the lingering scent of the candle, the sound of my heart beating, of Eris' gentle breathing, and her warm touch.

The book said it usually takes around 500 hours of deep meditation for someone to awaken their mana sense. With sensory-enhancing drugs, that goes down to 200 hours. Geniuses sometimes achieve it in under 50 hours, with the record being 10 hours.

"Eris, how many hours did it take you to awaken?" I whisper.

"Hmm, I don't remember exactly, but it was around 100 hours. And, no drugs, by the way," she says with a smirk.

"Alright! I'm going to beat your record!" I say, brimming with determination.

"Hihi, go, Felicia! You can do it!" Eris whispers, giving my hand an encouraging squeeze.

We go quiet again, and I focus on my breathing. A few minutes pass, and… my eyelids start to feel heavy.

"Hey…" Eris whispers, nudging me gently. "Hey, wake up! You're supposed to meditate, not nap!"

"R-right!" I mumble, giving myself a quick slap on the cheeks to wake up. Okay, no dozing off!

Alright, let's try again!

I focus on my breathing, just like the instructions: inhale deeply for four seconds, hold for two, then exhale slowly. Rinse and repeat.

This time, I'm going to stay awake and focus.

—————————

After about ten minutes…

In the darkness…

Huh?

Tiny, glowing particles start to pop up around me, like delicate flecks of glitter suspended in the air. They're faint but so pretty, softly sparkling everywhere. Most of the particles are a shimmery white, but there are hints of red, blue, and yellow drifting through, like gentle waves moving lazily around the room.

Is this… ambient mana? The mana floating around in the atmosphere?

But then my eyes widen even more. Right where Eris is sitting, there's a swirling, mesmerizing cloud of deep purple glitter outlining her whole body. The particles dance and twirl gracefully, and right at her chest is a concentrated, vivid point of dark light—about the size of a tennis ball.

Whoa! The book mentioned that a mana core lives in the heart… so that must be Eris's mana core!

"I… I think I did it!" I whisper excitedly, unable to contain my excitement.

"Huh? No way!" Eris gasps. "Are you serious? It's only been ten minutes!"

"Nu, I'm serious! I'm seeing glitter—sparkly, magic glitter! Ah—oh no… it's gone!" I wail as the tiny lights start fading away the moment I start babbling.

Dang it! Maybe I lost my concentration?

"Hmmm… alright, try again?" Eris suggests, clearly amused.

"Nn!" I nod.

Alright, Felicia, second try, let's make this work! I say to myself.

I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and steady myself. I breathe in, breathe out, and concentrate with all I've got. Slowly but surely, the glittery particles start to reappear, brighter and clearer than before, like a sky full of tiny stars twinkling just for me.

Heck yeah!

This is seriously the coolest thing ever!