The library had become Klein's preferred place.
It was quiet, isolated from the constant movement of the estate, and filled with knowledge that most people overlooked. While others relied on instinct or inherited teaching, Klein found something far more valuable here - information.
Even if it was incomplete.
He sat at a long wooden table, several books spread out before him. Some were old, their pages slightly worn, while others appeared newer but no less vague in their explanations.
His focus, however, was not on reading alone.
It was on understanding.
"Mana cannot be seen under normal circumstances," Klein muttered softly as he traced a line of text with his finger.
That statement had appeared in nearly every book he had read so far.
And yet, it didn't sit right with him.
"Not seen… but still present."
He leaned back slightly, his gaze shifting toward the window. Sunlight poured in, illuminating dust particles floating lazily through the air.
They were invisible until light touched them.
Then, suddenly, they were obvious.
Klein's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…So it's not that it can't be seen."
He closed the book.
"It just hasn't been made visible."
That distinction mattered.
In his previous life, countless things were invisible to the naked eye, yet they were still measurable, still detectable under the right conditions. Light itself revealed what was otherwise hidden.
If mana was a form of energy, then there had to be a way to perceive it more clearly.
Not by instinct.
But by method.
Klein stood from his seat and walked toward a quieter corner of the library. This section was rarely used, which made it ideal for experimentation.
He exhaled slowly and closed his eyes.
The now familiar sensation responded almost immediately.
A faint current within his body, subtle but steady.
He guided it carefully, allowing it to flow through his arm and gather at his fingertips.
A dim glow appeared.
Klein opened his eyes.
The light was there, just as before.
But it was still… limited.
"I can see it when it's concentrated," he murmured. "But not when it's dispersed."
That was the problem.
Mana only became visible when it was dense enough.
Which meant the rest of it remained hidden.
Klein lowered his hand slightly, his mind already moving ahead.
"If I can't see it naturally… then I need to create a condition where I can."
He closed his eyes again.
This time, he didn't focus on gathering mana.
He focused on observing it.
The current within him felt like a faint stream, flowing through unseen pathways. It wasn't chaotic, nor was it random. It moved with a certain consistency, even if it was subtle.
"Flow… density… movement…"
He was mapping it.
Understanding it piece by piece.
Then he tried something different.
Instead of guiding the mana outward, he attempted to compress it.
The moment he did, the flow resisted.
Not violently.
But noticeably.
Klein's brow furrowed slightly as he adjusted his approach.
"Too much force," he murmured.
He relaxed his control slightly, then tried again.
This time, he didn't push.
He guided the flow inward, encouraging it to gather rather than forcing it to compress.
The sensation changed.
The mana grew denser.
The glow at his fingertips intensified slightly.
Klein opened his eyes.
"…So it responds better to guidance than pressure."
That was important.
Force created instability.
Guidance created structure.
He held the glow steady, observing it carefully.
Then, slowly, he released it.
The light faded.
Klein exhaled softly.
Progress.
Not perfect.
But clear.
"You're doing it again."
The voice came from behind him.
Klein turned slightly.
Adrian stood near the entrance of the library, watching him with an unreadable expression.
"You're getting better," Adrian said as he stepped closer.
Klein gave a small nod.
"Slowly."
Adrian crossed his arms.
"That didn't look slow."
Klein didn't respond immediately.
"It's just refinement," he said after a moment. "Understanding how it behaves."
Adrian studied him carefully.
"You talk about mana like it's something… mechanical."
"In a way, it is," Klein replied. "It follows rules."
Adrian frowned slightly.
"Most people don't think of it like that."
"That's why most people struggle."
The words were calm.
Not arrogant.
But confident.
Adrian let out a quiet breath, shaking his head slightly.
"You've changed," he said.
Klein met his gaze.
"I have."
There was no denial.
No attempt to hide it.
Adrian hesitated for a brief moment before speaking again.
"…You're not avoiding things anymore."
Klein tilted his head slightly.
"You used to," Adrian continued. "Training, magic, even people. You kept your distance."
Klein considered that.
Those weren't his memories.
But he could feel the remnants of them.
"I didn't see the point before," he said.
"And now?"
Klein's gaze shifted slightly, thoughtful.
"Now I do."
Adrian held his gaze for a moment longer.
Then, unexpectedly, he smiled faintly.
"…Good."
The tension between them eased slightly.
It wasn't a dramatic change.
But it was real.
Adrian stepped closer, his tone shifting slightly.
"Show me what you were trying to do."
Klein nodded.
He raised his hand again, closing his eyes briefly as he gathered the flow of mana.
This time, he moved more smoothly.
More efficiently.
The glow appeared faster.
Adrian's eyes sharpened slightly.
"You're improving."
Klein ignored the comment, focusing instead on his experiment.
He began to compress the mana again.
Carefully.
The light intensified, becoming slightly brighter than before.
Adrian leaned forward slightly.
"…That's new."
Klein opened his eyes, studying the glow.
"It's still unstable," he said.
"Still," Adrian replied, "you're doing something most beginners can't."
Klein let the mana disperse again.
"There's more to it," he said. "I just haven't figured it out yet."
Adrian crossed his arms again.
"You make it sound like a puzzle."
Klein gave a small nod.
"It is."
A brief silence followed.
Then Adrian spoke again.
"Want to try something else?"
Klein looked at him.
"Try sensing my mana," Adrian said.
Klein's eyes narrowed slightly.
"That's possible?" he asked.
Adrian smirked faintly.
"For someone like you? It should be."
Klein considered it.
If mana flowed within all living things…
Then in theory, it should be detectable.
"Alright," he said.
Adrian stepped back slightly.
"Focus," he said. "Don't look. Feel."
Klein closed his eyes.
This time, instead of focusing inward, he extended his awareness outward.
At first, there was nothing.
Just empty space.
Then
Something faint.
A presence.
Not within him.
But nearby.
Klein focused on it.
It felt different from his own mana.
Stronger.
More stable.
Like a steady flame compared to his flickering light.
His concentration deepened.
The presence became clearer.
"…I can feel it," Klein said quietly.
Adrian's voice came immediately.
"Good. That's mine."
Klein's eyes opened.
He looked at Adrian differently now.
Not just as his brother.
But as a source of energy.
"…Interesting," Klein murmured.
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"That's your reaction?"
Klein nodded slightly.
"It's structured differently."
Adrian blinked.
"…What?"
"Your mana," Klein continued. "It feels more stable. More refined."
Adrian stared at him.
"You can tell that?"
"Yes."
A brief silence followed.
Then Adrian let out a quiet laugh.
"…You're not normal."
Klein didn't deny it.
Because he already knew.
But what interested him more was something else.
If he could sense mana…
Then he could study it.
Not just his own.
But others as well.
A faint spark of curiosity appeared in his eyes.
Because this changed things.
A lot.
"Can you do it again?" Adrian asked.
Klein nodded.
He closed his eyes once more.
And this time
He focused harder.
Because now, he wasn't just observing.
He was learning.
And the more he learned
The clearer the world of mana became.
To be continued...