CH. 11

"What is it sister?"

Sret glanced between her and I, seemingly picking up something in the way she looked at me.

Me? I wanted nothing more than to actually act like a child and hide behind Keiran. I wanted to avoid that look of hers. That searching, probing look that seemed to dig more for than just how I looked.

"It's nothing, I'm simply enamored by his boyish looks haha!"

Suddenly laughing and waving away Sret, she resumed her carefree posture.

Whew.

That was a relief, I mean, it almost looked like she was reading something into me. Like she was about to envelope me and swallow me whole.

"So you were eyeing my staff earlier young Seth? Tell me, what exactly spiked your curiosity for it?"

"Well, Lady Loriell, I've never seen one. What's it for?"

"Huh? You don't know what it's for?"

She looked shocked for a moment, like I had said the most ludicrous and outrageous thing she had ever heard. Her brother was less polite.

"Are you stupid, or are you just ignorant? No, you must be both. I shouldn't be surprised that the son of a piss ant Baronet in a backwater town would have no clue." He spat.

"How exactly have you been raising the boy? I must say, his education seems to be lacking somewhat."

Loriell sighed to Keiran who shifted in his seat.

I mean, I was pretty sure I knew what it was, that being a magic staff of course. It definitely looked like the ones seen in all those fantasy type tropes after all.

But I wasn't going to let on that I knew that. Since I was supposed to be a six-year-old kid from the sticks, then I would have to act like a six-year-old kid from the sticks.

Besides, this was absolutely my first time ever seeing one and I definitely wanted to experience it for myself first hand. There was no way I could pass up it up.

That's if Loriell would be generous enough to show me.

Gathering what I had seen of her already, she seemed like the type who was ostentatious, only needing a nudge to show off and be the dominant center of attention. I figured that given the opportunity, she would relish the chance.

Besides, those who think they stand taller than others can't resist letting them know.

"I apologize for the boy's ignorance, please do not blame him. Being so separated from the capital and other important areas of the kingdom, the diversity of those who come to this town is few. However that is still no excuse for myself not having educated him accordingly."

"It's fine, I understand. Unlike my brother, I am quite happy to educate those who are uneducated." She waved a hand dismissively to Keiran.

"You needn't lower yourself to them sister! They don't deserve your benevolence."

"It's fine it's fine. What you seemed to be so interested in child, is my magic staff. Do you know anything about magic?"

Grasping the staff and holding it aloft, the engravings throughout the shaft glowed with a soft, pale red against the whiteness of the wood.

"Uh, well… Not really I guess…"

"Hmm…"

The red stone at its peak glowed even brighter and a magic circle spun into existence surrounding it. With a burst of light outwards, red snowflake sprung forth and fell gently upon the surrounding area.

Except that they weren't quite snowflakes, but burning embers, that settled onto the ground, soldiers and whatever else was within its field of effect, before burning away into nothingness.

"Whoa!"

As they fell onto me, I jumped backwards in surprise, trying to avoid them. Instead of leaving blistering and burned skin, the flakes were surprisingly cool to the touch.

Magic, real, tangible, aesthetically incredible magic!

Obviously, since the Gremtcha incident I believed that magic did exist in this world. But having been under house arrest and oblivious to the world outside of this town, I had not come across seeing real magic.

This was the first time, and I was being shown it by an elf! How much more unreal could this get!?

"Magic is used by sourcing mana, which is stored in either living beings, flora, magical items, or various other things that are able to contain and circulate it. The strength and abilities of someone's magic is dependent upon their skill, aptitude and mana source. By casting a spell, mana is used. That's the simplified explanation I suppose."

"I think I understand… so if you were to cast a spell where the expenditure of the mana was too high for your source, then you would need to draw forth the additional mana from somewhere else? Also, if I were to supplement the casting of a spell with a magical item, then the cost of my own mana would be minimized somewhat?"

"My! You catch on pretty quickly for someone who doesn't know anything about magic. I have to say I'm slightly impressed, you are one bright boy."

To her credit, she did actually look surprised, with the widening of her eyes and gaping at me slightly. In truth, she was being awfully open and informative to someone she regarded as an insignificant human.

Maybe she's not so bad after all and maybe it's just some elves that are bad? Maybe we all just got off to a start on the wrong foot?

"To draw out mana, you need a catalyst for it, whether that is yourself, or some other item. Bearing in mind that not all beings can use magic in the first place."

"So if I wanted to use magic then I would have to possess my own storage of mana… How do I know if I have mana and am able to use magic?"

"Either by way of a magic item, that can measure your mana level… Or if someone with the ability to perceive another's ability… Or you could try to draw out and cast it yourself."

Not that I knew where I could find a tool like that which would show me whether I could utilize magic or not. Standard practice was to find an Adventurers Guild where such a thing would be kept.

But this town did not have one of those, so I was outta luck there.

Someone who could perceive another's magic? Sounded like some skill or other ability that a magic caster would have. I guessed that if Loriell had such a trait that she would have mentioned by now whether or not she could see my aptitude.

Try myself then? I mean, what exactly was I supposed to be look for? Without getting all philosophical and worldy, the simplest, most straight forward practice was generally the best.

"Okay lady Loriell, how can I try be the catalyst then?"

"Oh my, excellent attitude child… Let's see whether you have the potential to be a great mage, or whether you are a benign, pitiful creature who's good for only managing a backwater hovel in lieu of your father."

"Grrrnnn… I really do not think…"

Keiran groaned loudly behind me.

"Calm down Baronet. I'm simply curious as to whether the boy is able to use magic or not. It's not as if the world will end if he is able to. In fact, wouldn't it be rather special if a child of yours could utilize such a thing?"

"My son has never showed any promise, not so much as a whiff, of being able to cast magic. Nothing against the boy, but no one in our family has ever been able to do so. Trying to see if he can now is flogging a dead horse, so to speak."

Keiran was certainly all doom and gloom about it. As much as I wanted to be able to do this, his words had a stinging effect.

Hope and excitement which had bloomed within me, was now slowly being crushed by the belief in a reality there was only one explanation about whether I could or could not. Wishful thinking.

Realistically, if his family had never shown any promise from a generational view, then the likelihood of me being successful was certainly slim.

Well, slimmer than slim.

But any chance, no matter the level of success or failure, was still a chance. You had to be in it, to win it, so to speak, and I was certainly willing to give it my all.