"Another skill every competent mage is expected to develop is Mahō Perception," Sheila said, her voice calm and measured.
She hovered a few feet off the flooded floor, resting her back against the corridor wall.
Her tone carried no dramatic flourish—only the level, precise delivery of a seasoned professional.
"Mahō Perception is the ability to sense the presence and flow of magic without relying upon the physical senses. Rather than seeing or hearing a target, a mage perceives the Ethernano and Magic Power naturally emanating from them."
She glanced down at Albion.
"Every mage, magical creature, and magic item continuously releases a faint amount of Magic Power into its surroundings. This phenomenon is known as Mahō Pressure. To the untrained, it is imperceptible. To an experienced mage, it is as distinct as a voice in a silent room."
Sheila paused briefly, allowing the concept to settle before continuing.
"By sensing Mahō Pressure, a mage can locate nearby individuals, detect concealed opponents, or identify magical constructs without laying eyes upon them. The effectiveness is determined by control and focus. A novice may perceive magic within a few meters. A veteran can detect presences from far greater distances with absolute precision."
Her dull, unreadable eyes remained fixed on Albion.
"Furthermore, Mahō Perception is not limited to locating a target. Every being possesses a unique Mahō Signature. No two are identical."
Sheila raised a single gloved finger.
"Consider it a fingerprint composed of Magic Power. It is shaped by an individual's Innate Magic, life force, and fundamental nature. Once you become familiar with a signature, you can identify the individual instantly, regardless of sight or distance."
She lowered her hand, her expression entirely unreadable.
"Raw power is merely one metric. Control, experience, and awareness are qualities that sheer force cannot replace. Never make the mistake of underestimating an opponent simply because their magic feels modest. The most dangerous individuals are often those who know precisely how to conceal their true strength."
Without changing her posture, Sheila peeled off her dark glove, revealing her pale, slender hand. She reached down, resting her palm gently against the center of Albion's back.
"Breathe," Sheila said, her voice dropping into a quieter, steady rhythm. "Close your eyes. I am going to teach you how to perceive Magic Power. I will begin by introducing a small portion of my own into your system."
Albion nodded. He closed his fuchsia eyes, taking a slow, measured breath. He let his body go still, stepping into the dark silence of his mind.
A moment later, a warm, gentle sensation trickled across his spine. It wasn't forceful. It moved slowly, expanding through his chest like a quiet, cool draft on a hot summer afternoon.
'So this is her magical energy,' Albion thought, his mind quietly registering the sensation. 'It feels... steady.'
"Can you feel it?" Sheila's voice sounded low and close beside him. "That is my magic. Do not resist it. Simply allow it to pass through your network."
In the physical world, a subtle, milky-white aura flickered around Sheila's bare hand.
"I can," Albion answered quietly.
Though his eyes remained closed, his perception shifted. Within the darkness, microscopic, dust-like particles began to shimmer. Countless tiny specks of energy drifted through the air around him, drawn inward as he inhaled, settling briefly into his magic container before dissipating back out.
'Ethernano,' Albion realized. 'The ambient particles in the air. I am sensing them.'
"Do you perceive the ambient particles?" Sheila asked.
"Yes."
"Good. Now expand your focus. Deepen your concentration to its absolute limit."
Albion didn't answer. He didn't need to.
His analytical mind, sharpened by the constant passive processing of his magic, began to structure the sensory input. Little by little, the dark canvas of his mind gained depth. The microscopic specks grew clearer, tracing the contours of the dim hallway, the stone floor, and the structural frame of his own body.
Slowly, a faint, pitch-black aura began to coil around Albion's physical form, accompanied by the fleeting, spectral shape of dark butterflies fluttering around his shoulders before dissolving.
Sheila watched the thin dark shroud manifest around the five-year-old.
'As expected,' Sheila thought, her eyes narrowing slightly. 'His aura is unnervingly quiet. It carries a heavy, dense weight—almost like that of a magical beast. Abnormal for a child his age.'
"Sheila?" Albion spoke without opening his eyes, his brow furrowing slightly. "I can perceive my own aura, but I cannot locate yours. Did I fail the step?"
"No," Sheila replied smoothly. "I am suppressing my Mahō Pressure. Concealment is a fundamental technique for mages skilled in perception."
She withdrew her hand from his back, completely shutting off the flow of her magic.
Albion didn't lose his focus. Instead, he pushed his mental processing to its absolute threshold, stretching his sensory net millimeter by millimeter through the damp hallway.
'I cannot rely solely on physical sight,' Albion reasoned internally. 'To survive, I need to understand magic fully. I need to become stronger—not just in body, but as a wizard.'
Because his mind processed data at an accelerated rate, the abstract concept of magic perception began to lock into place like a complex equation. The scattered noise of the atmosphere cleared.
A few moments later, Albion spoke again.
"I see it."
In his mind's eye, the dark corridor was mapped out in faint blue lines of ambient Ethernano. And several yards down the hall, a surging, vibrant flame of deep blue magic flickered with intense, controlled energy.
"There is a concentrated source down the hall," Albion added softly. "Deep blue. It feels... heavy, like water. It's Juvia."
Sheila paused, a brief flicker of genuine surprise passing through her unreadable expression.
'He grasped it,' she thought, looking at the calm child. 'In a matter of minutes. Juvia is an exceptional prodigy, yet even she has not mastered active Mahō Perception. His talent is absurd.'
Outwardly, Sheila's tone remained entirely level. "Exceptional work. You can now identify allies and threats by their presence alone. A necessary skill if you intend to survive in this world."
She floated down slightly, crossing her legs in mid-air. "You may open your eyes, Albion."
Albion opened his eyes, rubbing them lightly with the back of his sleeve. He realized he was sitting on Sheila's lap as she hovered a few feet above the ground.
Looking up at her, his fuchsia eyes flickered with a faint, involuntary glow. A small note of quiet hesitation crept into his voice.
"Did I... perform adequately?"
The rare, subtle vulnerability in his tone caught Sheila off-guard. A faint, genuine smile touched her lips, softening her sharp features.
"You performed exceptionally well," Sheila said smoothly. She reached down, her gloved fingers gently running through his dark hair.
Albion didn't pull away. He quietly leaned into the touch, though he tried to keep his face neutral. The faint glow in his eyes slowly dimmed.
"Your eyes tend to illuminate when you focus," Sheila observed softly. "I have noticed it several times."
"Juvia mentioned it as well," Albion muttered, staring down at his hands. "Perhaps it is an involuntary response. Maybe it's connected to my magic?"
He settled into the quiet warmth of her presence. The strange, comforting feeling in his chest returned—the same feeling he had experienced earlier. It was unfamiliar, but he didn't dislike it.
He was only a novice, and his sensory range was barely a few meters, but he had taken a real step forward. The thought brought a quiet sense of accomplishment to his analytical mind.
A low splash echoed down the corridor as Juvia finished clearing the last of the standing water. Using her Skywater Magic, she compressed the leftover moisture and redirected it down the drainage grates, leaving the stone floor merely damp.
Stretching her arms, Juvia wiped a thin bead of sweat from her forehead and looked around. It didn't take her long to spot Sheila and Albion hovering in mid-air near the end of the hall.
As Juvia walked over, Sheila slowly drifted down, placing Albion on his feet. The five-year-old stood beside her, rubbing his eyes drowsily.
Seeing his sleepy expression, a small, teasing smirk played on Juvia's lips. She clutched her plush seal under one arm.
"While I was cleaning the entire hallway, you were taking a nap with Sheila," Juvia observed, her tone light with dry mockery. "Are you a baby?"
Albion stopped rubbing his eyes. He looked at her, his fuchsia eyes completely flat.
"You flooded the corridor," Albion stated plainly. "Cleaning your own destruction is not an achievement. It is a basic responsibility."
"I still did the work," Juvia countered, crossing her arms. "You stood there and did nothing."
"I avoided causing property damage," Albion replied, his voice level. "That makes me significantly more useful than you."
The two children stared at each other for a long, silent moment before simultaneously turning their heads away.
"Water doll," Albion muttered under his breath.
"Shrimp," Juvia replied instantly.
Sheila let out a quiet, subtle chuckle. "It is encouraging to see the two of you communicating so much. I am pleased, Juvia. It appears you have made a friend."
Both children immediately stiffened, turning back to Sheila with identical expressions of quiet offense.
"We are not friends," Juvia stated plainly.
"I am merely observing her," Albion added.
Juvia ignored him, looking up at Sheila. "What about the game you mentioned earlier?"
Sheila tilted her head slightly. "The game?"
"You said we had to explain our magic and our goals," Juvia reminded her, adjusting the plush seal in her arms. "We explained our magic. What happens now?"
Albion blinked, his mind suddenly flagging an oversight. 'I never told them my goals. I only explained how my magic worked.'
Before he could speak, Sheila exhaled a quiet trail of breath.
"There was never a game." Sheila said smoothly.
Juvia frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"
"The objective was to force mutual conversation," Sheila explained, her tone calm and deliberate. "There was no winner, nor was there a true game. The goal was simply to prompt answers. In that regard, it was successful."
Juvia and Albion exchanged a brief, silent glance, both realizing they had overthought the entire situation.
"Furthermore, Juvia," Sheila added, her unreadable eyes shifting to the girl. "I suggest treating him with a degree of respect. Despite his age and lack of formal training, he successfully used Mahō Perception today. Something you have yet to achieve."
Juvia's blue eyes widened slightly. She turned her gaze back to Albion. Mahō Perception was an advanced technique—even Gajeel couldn't do it.
"How did you learn that so fast?" Juvia asked, her voice dropping into a quiet, suspicious register.
Albion looked at her blankly. "I only did what Sheila instructed."
Juvia's brow twitched faintly at his blunt response. "You're so irritating."
"Hey. Kids."
The sudden change in Sheila's tone made both children freeze.
It wasn't loud. It wasn't angry. But the absolute, flat coldness in her voice made the air in the corridor instantly drop several degrees.
Sheila turned completely away from them, her sharp gaze locking onto the dark corridor leading toward the main guildhall.
"Sheila?" Juvia asked, her childish teasing vanishing instantly. "What is it?"
Sheila didn't answer right away. Her eyes narrowed into a dangerous focus.
"The boy from earlier," Sheila said, her voice unnervingly quiet. "Gajeel."
Albion stepped forward, sensing the sudden shift in the air. "What about him?"
"I can no longer sense Gajeel." Sheila said.
"His Mahō Signature... has disappeared."