The back garden of the Marves Viscountess’s mansion was so small that it seemed insignificant compared to Duke Graham’s estate.

Even during my time at Duke Graham’s mansion, they consistently sent gardeners to tend to the Marves Viscountess’s garden, but its size was so different that no amount of decoration could make it comparable.

“It’s smaller than you imagined, right?”

I figured the Magic Tower would also have a magnificent garden like Duke Graham’s. I laughed awkwardly, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“This space is sufficient for learning magic.”

Master Cesare, casually surveying the garden, shrugged his shoulders.

“Let’s begin right away. Could you please turn around?”

“Yes.”

As I turned as instructed, Master Cesare moved closer from behind.

“Now, I will guide your mana for the first time. Please close your eyes.”

I closed my eyes as he asked and felt his hand touch my back.

With only his hand to focus on, I wondered what I was supposed to feel. Suddenly, an indescribable energy began to flow through my body from his touch.

“Don’t be startled. Just stay still. Otherwise, it will be more difficult.”

As I flinched and instinctively tried to pull away, Master Cesare reassured me. I halted, feeling scared.

Fortunately, the energy flowing from him was warm and gentle, making it bearable.

“This is my mana. It might feel strange and uncomfortable since it’s your first time accepting someone else’s mana. How does it feel?”

“…It’s gentle and warm.”

“That’s good to hear. It would have been troublesome if it felt unpleasant. Now, I will move it, so please remember the flow.”

Master Cesare’s warm mana swept through my body, forming a light circle near my heart.

“Hmm, the mana is flowing randomly in your body. Usually, it follows a certain path when guided like this… This might relate to what you mentioned in your letter. I’ll do this a few more times, so please remember it well.”

It seemed the goal was for the mana to circulate through my body and gather in a spherical shape at my heart. Master Cesare repeatedly guided the mana along the same path.

“Did you memorize it?”

“I did, but I think I might forget it soon.”

When I answered uncertainly, Master Cesare nodded, as if that were expected.

“That’s normal. For now, the trace of the foreign energy in your body is clear, but you will likely forget it over time. To help with this, I’ll guide the path at the beginning of each lesson, so you don’t need to worry about that. Let’s move on to the next step.”

At the mention of the next step, I turned to face Master Cesare.

“Mana exists not only within the body but also all around us, like air. You need to learn to feel it.”

“How do I do that?”

“You need to find a sensation similar to the mana I infused earlier in your surroundings. I will manipulate the surrounding mana for a bit, so try to feel it as much as you can. After that, you’ll be able to sense it more clearly.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the air around us felt heavy. Startled, I opened my eyes wide, and Master Cesare chuckled softly.

“Close your eyes and focus as much as possible. Try to feel the mana flowing around you as delicately as you can.”

I concentrated hard to sense the mana as Master Cesare instructed.

Although the air felt dense, it still seemed like just thick air to me. I struggled to grasp the sensation of the mana within it.

As I concentrated deeply, Master Cesare’s voice broke through.

* * *

“I’ll wrap things up soon.”

Suddenly, the heavy air around me felt lighter. I sensed Master Cesare’s hand on my shoulder, prompting me to open my eyes and look up. The sky had turned a deep red.

“Time flew by faster than I expected, didn’t it?” he remarked.

“Yes. I thought only an hour or two had passed, but it’s already evening.”

I replied with an awkward smile, feeling guilty for taking up so much of Master Cesare’s time. He had kindly offered to teach me magic without expecting anything in return, and I felt bad for losing track of time.

“I’m really sorry. You must have set aside your time for me, and I kept you here for so long.”

“It’s alright. It’s common for the first lesson to go long. I anticipated it would take this much time. If I had a busy schedule, I would have wrapped up the lesson sooner.”

After speaking, Master Cesare suddenly turned his gaze toward the boundary of the mansion.

“By the way… it seems there’s an uninvited guest with more free time than I have.”

His tone was playful.

“An uninvited guest?”

If someone had arrived, the servants would have informed me, but I hadn’t received any notice. I glanced at Rivet, who was waiting nearby, but she shrugged, equally puzzled.

Master Cesare looked at us and smiled.

“I meant it might be good to repair the boundary of the mansion’s garden. For instance, over there.”

He pointed to a fence marking the mansion’s boundary. The garden trees were sparse in that area, allowing a clear view outside.

Despite its sparse appearance, the fence looked sturdy, and there didn’t seem to be any repairs needed, making Master Cesare’s comment even more enigmatic.

“I’ll be heading back now. I’ll visit again at the same time tomorrow. In my absence, Viscountess, you should continue practicing how to feel mana.”

“Yes, I will. Thank you so much for coming to the mansion to help me, Master Cesare. I don’t know how to repay your kindness.”

“As I mentioned earlier, just treating me to good tea will suffice.”

Master Cesare reiterated this with a serious tone as he adjusted his coat.

“No need to see me out. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With that, he left the garden. I had intended to see him off, but he moved so swiftly that I couldn’t catch up.

Once he was out of sight, I knelt down and sat on the ground, feeling the fatigue wash over me.

“Madam!”

Rivet rushed over, pulling out a handkerchief from her chest. I raised my hand to stop her.

“I’ll just stay like this for a bit. I’m too tired.”

“But the ground is cold, and it’s not good for your health. Wouldn’t it be better to go inside and rest?”

“…Alright.”

Appreciating Rivet’s concern, I accepted her help to stand up.

“Madam!”

As soon as I stood up, a wave of dizziness hit me, and I stumbled. Thankfully, Rivet caught me, preventing a fall.

“Are you alright?” she asked with concern.

“Yeah, thank you, Rivet. Let’s go inside. I’m too tired to move.”

“Yes, I’ll support you.”

With Rivet’s help, I began to make my way inside. My legs felt weak at first, making it difficult to walk, but after a few steps, I managed to steady myself.

Once we reached the bedroom, I lay down on the bed. Fatigue washed over me like a tidal wave, but Rivet insisted I eat a light dinner of stew and salad for my health.

After finishing the meal, I was finally able to reflect on the day’s events in peace.

The foreign mana swirling within me was still fresh in my memory. I wondered if I would ever learn to feel mana and if I could calm and control the chaotic energy inside me.

It was a lingering doubt. Despite Master Cesare’s efforts to raise the mana concentration throughout the day, I hadn’t felt anything. I questioned whether I could ever achieve that.

Suddenly, I recalled Master Cesare’s intriguing comment about an “uninvited guest.” No one had entered the mansion, and the fence he pointed out was intact.

So, did that mean someone was nearby?

‘…Who could it be?’

Ains suddenly came to mind. If he had come here personally, it must have been for a reason. He wouldn’t visit without purpose; perhaps he wanted to ask about our conversation from yesterday.

But I quickly shook off those thoughts. If he had such intentions, he would have come formally.