Developing a New Ability

As spring breathed life into the world and melted the snow, I ran out of my house to once again measure progress in my magic training.

With a sense of eager anticipation, I made my way toward the stream that flowed behind it.

The stream was filled to the brim with water from melting snow and flowing steadily from the Forest. It was the right location for my magical experiments.

Without wasting a moment, I used my [Water Manipulation] spell and began to shape the water into countless small spheres, using them to measure the growth of my powers.

This is the result.

STATUS:

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Name: [Darian]

Race: [Human]

Age: [7 years]

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Mana: 136 --> 206

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Spells: [Stone Bullet], [Small Flame], [Air Manipulation], [Water Manipulation].

As I inspected the results of my experiments, a sense of both excitement and disappointment stirred within me. The growth of my powers was undeniably impressive, as evidenced by the increase in my power. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that my progress was starting to slow down.

Despite my unwavering commitment to my training, it seemed that my magical abilities were slowing down their growth. Perhaps my power had outgrown the potential of my body, or maybe there was something else holding me back. Regardless, I refused to let this realization dampen my spirits. I was still growing stronger, and that was all that mattered.

As my powers continued to grow, my control over mana became increasingly precise. I felt a new awareness blossoming within me, and I began to sense the magical energy that permeated the air all around me. I wondered if this was a result of my own training or if it was a natural gift that all mages possess.

I longed to ask someone, but I knew that reliable information about magic was scarce and elusive.

Even Isadora, who seemed to have more knowledge of magic than anyone else in the village, could only offer vague insights. It seemed that the secrets of magic were closely guarded, and the path to understanding them was long and treacherous.

For now, I will focus on my training, trusting that one day I will uncover the secrets of the magic that surrounds me.

As I was pondering this, my strength had recovered, so I ventured deep into the Forest in search of umbrifila.

I discovered that the traces of mana were much stronger here than in the village. I started to search and soon found the first herb. But as I saw it, I froze in my steps.

The faint traces of magic I felt were much stronger here. And it was coming... from the herb?

The umbrifila was full of mana, and I could clearly feel it.

So that's why!

I was always wondering what gave these real herbs their healing properties and why they were so stronger than regular herbs. They have the ability to capture mana from the land around them and absorb it into their cells. And that is also why they grow only deep in the Forest since there seems to be a much denser amount of magic in the air.

Excitement coursed through me as I grasped the implications of this discovery. It was not enough for me to simply know things - I craved a deeper understanding of the processes and reasoning behind them. At this moment, I felt a sense of enlightenment that filled me with joy and wonder.

But... wait a minute!

I could use this!

If I could feel the magic coming from the herbs, couldn't I also use it to locate them?

No more aimlessly wandering through the dense forest, turning over every leaf in search of the elusive umbrifila.

Without hesitation, I set out to test my theory. Closing my eyes, I cleared my mind of all extraneous thoughts and focused solely on the faint sensation of magic in the air. With each step forward, the feeling grew stronger, leading me deeper into the dense thicket. Soon enough, I came across a hidden patch of umbrifila plants concealed behind a cluster of trees.

It works! I thought with excitement. Now I can locate them much quicker and easier than ever before!

I then ran into the forest and picked up all the herbs I managed to find.

In the end, I found 83 umbrifila in total. The highest amount I ever found, and it took me only a single day!

As I was drying them the following day, I also found out that during the drying process, it's critical to dry them quickly and close all the pores in the plants, which also concentrates and preserves the mana inside them. If you wait too long for them to dry, or if they start to rot, the mana dissipates and they lose all their properties.

That is also helpful to know; now I can focus on the mana inside and make sure to preserve it perfectly while preserving them, further increasing their quality. I can't wait to hear what Isadora says about these improved herbs; I'm sure she will be thrilled. But I doubt she will pay me more for them.

I sat there, surrounded by my precious bounty of herbs, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. The faint traces of magic that had led me to my discovery had opened up a world of possibilities.

I happily stowed them for my future trip to the city and headed back home.

The rest of the spring I spent helping my father in the smithy. I was getting better and better, but I was getting close to the limits of my father's forge.

You see, as a village blacksmith, he dealt mostly with simple tools and repairs and used mostly crude iron. Steel was very expensive, so he rarely used it. So if I wanted to craft anything more elaborate, like swords or armor, I would first have to obtain some steel.

Making weapons from crude iron was a possibility, but it would render them very brittle and easy to break. If I could somehow create a steel pipe, I would be able to use it as my gun. This would enable me to increase the strength of my [Stone Bullet] spell without worrying about shattering it.

But it was all the melody of a distant future where I would be rolling in cash and not worrying about such expenses. For now, I had to make do with what I had.

This time around, I kept my promise to Myra and spent my free time playing with her and helping her with her studies. Despite her easily distracted nature, she was improving her reading and writing skills at a steady pace. I couldn't help but feel proud of her progress.

As spring drew to a close and summer loomed on the horizon, the news from the city grew increasingly dire. The dreaded Red Fever was spreading like wildfire, with reports of infected travelers cropping up in our own city. The prospect of my usual summer travels to sell my herbs and explore was looking bleak.

Even the Vogt himself warned us to be extra cautious, as he placed new orders at my father's smithy. I guess this year I will also be forced to stay at home.

It seemed like the disease was quickly closing in on us, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease settle in the pit of my stomach.

Despite our secluded location and relative safety, I knew that we couldn't afford to let our guard down. I was still not too concerned, but Red Fever was a deadly foe, and I wondered what the coming months would bring. For now, all I could do was stay vigilant and hope for the best.