Aron looked at his mother, surprised.
'A treasure? What do you mean, a treasure?' he thought.
"It seems like you didn't understand, so let me explain," Sabrina continued.
"Every treasure goes through a process called accumulation, whether it's organic or mineral."
"These treasures can be used to create many things, like potions or weapons."
"Every animal or plant fits into these criteria, including humans, demons, dragons…"
'So that's why no one tries to absorb mana from nature…'
Aron swallowed hard.
'Who would be crazy enough to turn themselves into a treasure?'
'Just to be hunted by everyone?'
"As I said, that mana isn't yours."
"It gets stored in your blood…"
"flesh…"
"bones…"
"In short…"
"You become a living treasure."
'That's… terrifying.'
A chill ran down his spine.
"Doesn't this happen to awakened people?" Aron asked.
"No. Because your class becomes your mana core."
"A class is both physical and spiritual. Mana is stored in a core right here," she said, pointing to the spot between his eyebrows.
"Your spirit forms that core to help you use mana efficiently."
"It allows you to use skills or spells."
"But when the body dies, the spirit uses the mana from the core to sustain itself before leaving."
"That can last anywhere from one to five minutes."
"During that time, a healing class with resurrection abilities can bring the person back."
"That's incledible (incredible)… the dead can come back to life?" Aron asked, eyes wide.
"Yes, in two ways. The true one, which I already explained… and the other, which only reanimates the body."
'Just the body… that must be something like necromancy, like in games.'
'This world is cruel… even the dead don't get to rest.'
"Yes, but that ability has extremely high requirements, both to learn and to use."
"Do you understand?" she continued.
"Yes… can that mana leave my body by my will?" Aron asked.
"No. The control you have over that mana is almost nonexistent."
"Even after death, it remains in the body for one or two days."
'Basically a living treasure… but why did the flax plant pull the mana from my body like that?'
'If my mother doesn't know… then I'll just have to wait until I awaken.'
"There is no world without mana. There are only worlds where it's much more diluted."
'So… Earth has mana too?' Aron thought, shocked.
"Before the barrier was broken and the other races arrived, this world had beings known as gods and totems."
"They were people and animals with talent who absorbed the small amounts of mana from plants or the environment."
"They could awaken and evolve up to level 20, at most. The concentration isn't enough for an ascension."
"But it was extremely difficult, because resources were scarce."
"A world with an intact barrier can have, at most, five awakened individuals between level 5 and 10 over a thousand years."
"Once awakened, a person can live between 150 to 250 years, depending on their level," she said, placing Aron on the chair.
'So… after I awaken, I could live up to 250 years? On Earth, the average was 80… 90… and reaching 100 was already rare.'
"Things in nature have a natural ability to attract mana, whether mineral or plant. Mana gathers around them."
"That's why plants with a higher absorption capacity are rare and valuable. They help increase the mana concentration in an area."
'So that's why I died…?'
'I bet I wasn't the only one.'
'Someone must have realized that the hybrid plant from the project attracted mana…'
'…and killed everyone involved to take it.'
"Mana is omnipresent and omnipotent."
"It has a deep connection with nature."
"Wherever there is potential for evolution… it will be there."
"So, dear, is there anything else you'd like to know?" Sabrina asked gently.
"Why didn't the gods and totems help when the world was invaded?" Aron asked.
"When the races invaded, they were the first to die."
"Some fled after seeing the difference in strength."
"Only after the dungeons began to appear did humans start to resist."
"Mom… aren't we human?" Aron asked carefully.
"Did your father tell you something?" Sabrina asked in a serious tone.
Aron nodded.
"Yes, Dad said your race was different."
"Well… I'll deal with him later," she replied coldly.
"Yes, your father and you have human lineage, but I don't… and you'll learn about it after your awakening."
"Does that curious little head of yours have anything else you want to ask?" she asked with a smile.
After all, who wouldn't like a curious and intelligent child?
"No, Mom," Aron replied with a toothy, almost gummy smile.
"Then I'll go prepare lunch," Sabrina said, getting up from her chair and heading to the kitchen.
'So I'm not fully human… well, that makes sense.'
'With over a thousand years since the war, I guess that's normal.'
'But the question that still remains is: why did I have that dream right after coming into contact with that flax?'
'And Earth isn't as ordinary as I thought.'
'My death might be connected to that supernatural side I never knew about.'
'There's still a month left until the end of summer… during that time, I'll keep feeding mana to that mutated flax until it gives me seeds.'
'I want to see if the seeds inherit that trait or if it's unique to this plant.'
'Since my mom is busy in the kitchen… I'll absorb mana and give it to the plant.'
---
And just like that, another month passed, and the end of summer arrived.
Not long after moving the flax to the backyard, the flax in the fields began to bloom.
But the one in the backyard was brighter—and only bloomed a month later.
'Hm… this plant is definitely different.'
'Even though it's the same size as the others, its leaves and flowers are more vibrant.'
'After a month of absorbing mana from my body… others can't see it, but it's much brighter now.'
'Mom said it's attracting more mana than before… so even if they can't see it, they can still sense it.'
---
As summer came to an end, most of the crops were harvested.
All awakened workers in the village received one gold coin per month.
Twenty-five percent of the harvest was sold at cost within the village, supplying the residents.
Another twenty-five percent went to the lord of the land.
Taxes were paid in the city three times a year: at the end of spring, summer, and autumn.
The remaining fifty percent was sold and distributed among everyone who worked in the fields and patrols.
After all, those without their own business worked either in farming or patrol duty.
Those who owned businesses didn't need to rely on farming or patrols.
As the highest authority, the village chief was responsible for enforcing the law, ensuring safety, overseeing the harvest, and sending reports to the land's lord.
He also selected people to protect the village from bandits and forest beasts, as well as escort shipments to the city of Azure Margin.
The selection was done on a rotation basis.
Arthur, who hadn't done an escort in five seasons, was chosen.
Last winter, he had gone to the city to explore a dungeon privately, so that didn't count.
"Dad, what's the city like?" Aron asked, watching his father pack his things.
"Azure Margin is a port city, about eleven days north by carriage," Arthur said, sorting through clothes.
"If you move fast, with a small group of awakened like I did last winter, you can make it in five days."
"It's a strategic point on the border of the Shadow Forest."
"It was built along a wide river that flows into the sea."
"It's called the Blue Sand River, because of the blue sand along its banks."
"The river passes through many kingdoms before reaching the Blood Sea—a name given during the War of Races over a thousand years ago."