[5]

The dining hall was usually never used. Maria liked to have her food brought into her room, Arthur liked to eat within the area he practiced and studied all things magic, Abraham enjoyed his food in his office, and Martha enjoyed her lunch as she watched the sun amidst the back garden; accompanied by the royal guards.

So, in the end, this highly decorated dinner was just that, a decoration.

No, Maria felt it was a pity.

Yes, indeed, this large hall was pitiful. It was highly decorated, yet pitiful. A long table spanned the blue rug underneath, yet it was pitiful. The chandeliers hung above the table and the olive wood chairs, painted with a golden color that glistered, were pushed against the overall white-clothed table. Yet it was pitiful, never to be fully used in all its glory.

However, she didn't have much time to admire this workmanship as a voice dragged her's and Ais's attention just as they entered the room.

"You bastard!!!" She could hear the furious roar of her father.

"What!? Was I wrong that magic was too complex for a bird brain like yours?" And an unknown voice of a quite young man rebutted.

Maria's vision instantly shifted from the elegantly designed dining room and zeroed onto the arguing adults.

Against her father was a nobleman. He had a head of long blonde hair that stretched down his back, emerald eyes, and wore a lavish attire that seemed more along the lines of a robe.

Maria's eyes glazed over in a faint gold allure as his Sacred Text came into being.

[Name: Thomas Dawson

Strength: C

Speed: B

Mana: S+

Skills: Instant Cast (U), Waterbrand (A)

Overall: S]

Maria's eyes widened slightly, aside from herself, this was the first time she had saw anyone with a rank of S.

Glancing at her father, even he wasn't so strong.

[Name: Abraham Springfield

Strength: A

Speed: B

Mana: C

Skills: Swordsmanship (A), Iron Body (S)

Overall: A+]

He was at the threshold between the A rank and the S rank, only moments away from breaking through. However, that moment had already lasted him 2 years and it seemed he needed to find something to truly push his limits in order to break through.

She opened her mouth to ask what was going on, but the pale face of her brother, who was standing a few feet ahead, had drawn her attention.

She hurriedly walked to the side and swerved her head to ask "What happened to you?"

"Oh?" The boy seemed to finally notice her presence "Maria...it's you."

However, he was acting mighty suspicious and refused to make eye contact.

"What's going on?" She questioned him.

"Oh nothing...it's just that...mother's brother has finally visited again." Arthur made a show of a hollow laugh.

"Huh?" Maria didn't quite understand.

***

She was now seated on the chair, her brother by her side, and gazing at the two men that towered above her.

"Hello, Maria. You may call me Thomas Dawson and I'm the brother of your mother, your uncle, and could also be called a mentor of sorts towards Arthur." The emerald eyes of the man scanned her figure before nodding approvingly.

Arthur with a pale face, Abraham displeased and grumbling to himself, Maria with confusion written all over her face, and this new uncle with a radiating smile.

"You must have a lot of questions, but fret not! I am here!" Thomas exclaimed as her father grumbled some more.

"You see, I am the current head and founder of the mage guild within the kingdom." He continued.

"A house of small-minded mages." Abraham snorted at the side with folded arms.

"Anyway, your mother called me to teach you the basics of magic." Thomas splendidly ignored him.

Maria slowly turned her head to her side and looked at this brother of her's.

"Has it even been an hour yet?" She asked.

"I'm sorry! But you know how mom is, right? There's no secret you can keep from her if she doesn't want you to!" Arthur instantly confessed under pressure.

Maria could only sigh while she agreed within her heart. However, she was a bit angered, here she thought she was keeping a secret. Then, just within the span of a single nap, it had already been dug and uncovered before she was aware.

Alas, this was her first experience with a sibling, and it seemed she still had a lot to learn.

***

Yes, she had to admit Thomas, this uncle of her's, was as kind as he looked. However, he was also extremely strict when it came to magic. Maria could finally fully understand why Arthur had worn such a pale face at his arrival.

The first thing he thought her was how to correctly guide her mana.

Holding a ruler in his hand, and using it to point along her body and help her guide her mana. whenever she was to make a mistake, he would brutally hit along the path she had lost her concentration or control.

"There is only one thing in which I and that 'man' are on the same page on: You learn best through the body, not the mind nor brain, but through the application of your body."

As strict and meticulous his lessons were, they, however, brought amazing results. Within a week, Maria had been able to control and fill the orb with mana without any excess leakage or mistakes.

Watching that glowing orb of light, she nodded to herself in a pleased mana 'Maybe mother knows best.'

She was now a bit glad her mother had found out her secret.

The next step in her training was visualization. One of the most important aspects of actually activating magic. She was tasked with forming her mana into a visible shape based on the instructions of her uncle.

However, Maria passed that with flying marks.

"Cat."

And the twinkling golden dance would form into the shape of a cat.

"Sword."

And a glistening sword of golden light would take shape.

"Blockhead."

And the figure of a man, looking strikingly like her father, would take shape.

Once she had learned how to properly guide and control her mana, she found it to be extremely easy to form it into whatever she wished. Easily shaping it into whatever image she held in her head.

Finally, as an end to the training, the simplest light magic was taught to her.

The first thing Thomas did was made a small cut along her palm then, telling her the scripture to the spell and what to correctly visualize-the cut closing and the skin melding-guided her in controlling mana and activating the magic spell.

'Oh light that guides me, heal the wounds of this mortal body," Maria muttered as she gathered her mana towards her palm.

Slowly, with the golden light twinkling against it, the wound began to meld and visibly heal.

"The amount a person can heal is dependant on the amount of mana poured into the spell. Typically, the more mana poured into a spell, the more powerful the spell." His calm voice had lectured after the event.

Although he wasn't a light mage himself, Thomas was nevertheless knowledgeable about its applications. Being a master of a mages guild and all.

In total, he stayed in the castle for a month to teach her before departing with a kind smile. He didn't forget to leave her a gift in the shape of a small magic book containing details for the next light element magic <Light Barrier>.

Although Maria didn't know this uncle of hers for too long, she felt he was a truly brilliant and kind man, even if he was a bit strict. However, she didn't hate that strictness of his. She figured, if one wanted to get stronger in this world, being strict with oneself comes first.