Silverhart Online

After dinner and some additional studying, Gray decided that it's finally time for some well-deserved rest as he and Selena both find themselves in the only spare room for them to retire for the night, each with their casual sleep attire.

Gray simply wears a long-sleeved brown shirt with long blue pants while Selena is dressed with a long-sleeved black nightgown. Both of them are bare-footed.

And speaking of the Sentinel girl, a fact worth noting about her kind is that they also require some sleep. Well, sleep is not exactly the proper term, more like in a state of deactivation.

As explained to him by Rarsu during dinner, Sentinels are required at least four hours of deactivation in a single day for their performance to stay in an optimal condition. This can be done standing up as they take away their consciousness temporarily. This is one of the vital parts of the care and maintenance of the magical construct.

If such a factor is disregarded, then the Sentinel will be forced in a state of Mana Leak, where their current pool of Mana gradually decreases over time, reducing their effectiveness in battle. If even left unchecked for long periods, then permanent damage may occur such as the perpetual decrease of their base Mana and performance.

Of course, the Sentinel can be repaired, but it requires extensive knowledge of Sentmaturgy and certain rare materials that is quite hard to acquire.

So, the Sentinel must get the proper deactivation time for them to stay on top of their performance at all times.

Going back to the current scenario, Rarsu thankfully provided them with a new room for both of them to stay together, each with their respective beds for them to lay upon.

With Rarsu fully aware of Selena being not just any typical Sentinel, but an individual with genuine feelings and emotions similar to a mortal, the lizardling came to treat her like a human girl more or less.

To a significant extent, Selena was provided with the respect and rights that she deserves, starting with the girl having a bed to call her own, thanks to some convincing from Gray.

Gray yawns as he faces Selena. "I'm beat!! All that studying sure made me feel drowsy."

Selena merely nods in acknowledgement as she sat down on her bed and slowly lays down to succumb to its feeling of softness.

"Neat, huh." Gray chuckles. "Thankfully, there was a spare bed at the basement's storage room, just for you."

Selena faces her soul-sibling as she nodded again, this time with appreciation.

After all, for the past few days ever since she was activated, the girl would only deactivate and stand stiffly at the corner like a statue. So, she's undoubtedly grateful for Gray and Rarsu for carrying the bed to this room.

Of course, within the past few days, Rarsu at first paid the girl no mind since he does not know about the girl's actual state of emotions during that time.

So you could only imagine the joy that the girl currently feels. Merely laying on a bed is a whole new experience for her.

After saying good night to his soul-sibling, Gray succumbs himself into his slumber, hoping for his magic lessons to go smoothly tomorrow.

With his consciousness in a temporary state of absence, a message suddenly appeared in his system notification as it reveals a piece of relevant information.

DAY OF TRAINING COMPLETE: +90 XP

***

The next day, Gray woke up as he rubs his eyes to clear his sights. With his vision restored, The System Notification greeted him with the usual buff of \u003cWell-Rested\u003e, as well as another message that is new to him.

Indeed, it was the last message of Training XP that manifested previous night as it retains itself in the notification for Gray to see.

'Hmm, what's this?' Gray thought with interest as he read the message. 'It seems that simply training also grants a small amount of Experience. Wait, so yesterday's lecture and reading is also considered as one? Damn, the system sure is generous, haha. I guess it makes sort of sense to give a clear picture of progression and incentive when one is training and not out there killing monsters or performing quests.'

After filing the recent information in his mind, Gray took notice of Selena who also got up from her bed.

As they bid good morning to each other with their own ways, both of them went out to fix themselves up for the morning tasks ahead.

***

After an excellent balanced breakfast of boiled eggs, bread, and apples, Gray and Selena, now dressed in their respective standard attire, went downstairs with Rarsu to the basement for the official start of Gray's lessons about magic.

As depicted by the elf's training schedule, Magic exercises are performed from 5:30 am to 6:15 am.

The exercise is actually quite simple. It involves the Mage in self-meditation to get an even better feel of his magic overall. Rarsu also explains that this significantly improves one's control in magic, especially in casting spells.

"So, how exactly is this going to work?" Gray questions as he and Rarsu stood at the familiar open area of the basement.

"Ah, yes." Rarsu nods as he took out a small sheet of paper that has a drawing of an intricate-looking magic circle from his inventory. "But first things, first… Terminus."

With the chant of the last word, Rarsu suddenly lunges the paper right at Gray's chest, causing the elf to feel an extreme amount of pain from the action, evident by him screeching in utter agony as he was brought on his knees while clutching his chest.

Selena immediately approaches Gray out of concern as she supports him while looking at Rarsu accusingly with fury in her eyes.

"W-what the fuck did you do to me?!!" The elf demanded an answer.

"I simply applied a magic curse to you," Rarsu answers calmly despite the hostility that he receives from the soul-siblings. "The magic circle drawn on the paper is known as the \u003cSeal of Debilitation\u003e, a curse that disrupts the Mana control on a person's body."

"And for what reason did you apply it to me!?" Gray gritted his teeth in an angered confusion. Thankfully, the pain slowly subsides with each passing second. But the effect of his Mana control being impeded is still present.

"Because my dear apprentice, the curse is going to be an integral part of your magic training," Rarsu smirks in response, resulting Gray to tilt his head in puzzlement. "For the next three months, you'll be under the constant stress of the seal while performing the necessary Mana control exercises. I've tampered the seal slightly to suit this training regime of yours. If you can manage to achieve a satisfactory degree of Mana control despite the constant pressure applied to you, then I'm sure you can imagine the results that will be achieved of your magic and spells once I have vanished the seal."

"I…, I see." Gray's eyes widen in realization at the explanation being provided to him. "If I can refine my Mana control despite being hindered under the curse's effects, then I can achieve better control in the end, even more so without the seal, weaving them with remarkable devastation and efficiency!!"

"Correct." Rarsu nods with approval. "Some spells require a refine Mana control for them to work. As such, this curse, as ironic as it sounds, will only prove beneficial to you in the long run. After all, the battlefield is continuously ever-changing, filled with the dangers of the unknowns that will overwhelm the weak-minded, particularly for us Mages. In determining the victor in a Magic Warfare, one must remain stabilized despite being under the gruelling effects of pressure. Stability under pressure, that's the ultimate essence that we mages must strive to achieve at all times. The mind is like water. When it's turbulent, it's difficult to see. When it's calm, everything becomes clear."

Gray indeed was enlightened by the statement provided to him by the lizardling as he nods enthusiastically in response. As a matter of fact, the elf felt even more determined than ever.

With Rarsu's explanation finished, Gray received a message from his system notification as it dictates the description of the curse.

DEBUFF RECEIVED: \u003cSeal of Debilitation\u003e

\u003cSeal of Debilitation\u003e - All Spells are 70% less effective and costs five times the amount of Mana. Mana Regeneration is decreased by 80%.

'C-crap.' Gray nervously thought as he eyed the curse's disastrous effects. 'The debuff sure is punishing. If a mage were to receive this in the battlefield, then no doubt it'll prove to be an annoyance for them in even casting a simple spell.'

With everything now clarified, Rarsu then proceeds to lecture Gray about the magic exercise of meditation as he instructed the elf to assume the correct sitting position.

"First, close your eyes and feel the magic flowing within you," Rarsu instructs him. "Like a river of calm currents, try to control the state of your Mana and flow it slowly inside your body with the direction that you wish, channelling it at the different points of your body. The knowledge of performing it is one of the key procedures in spell casting. Of course, with the curse disrupting your Mana control, then no doubt it'll be significantly more complicated."

Despite feeling a bit sceptical, Gray merely adheres to the advice as his eyes shut down, trying to make sense at what Rarsu stated.

'Let's see, feel the magic flowing or something.' Were Gray's thoughts as he mentally focuses the state of his body inside. 'Wait, I can definitely feel something, like a strong feeling of a substance flowing like what Master mentions. So, this is it, huh.'

Gray felt his Mana at that very moment as he further attempts to control its flow. Unfortunately, with the seal applied on his body, the elf struggles to move the Mana that is flowing inside his body in the direction that he desires as he attempts to focus even more.

'What the hell!?' The elf thought in frustration as he struggles to control his Mana. 'The Mana won't even budge at all!!'

But alas, time was not on his side as Rarsu claps his hand to call the elf's attention, in preparation for the next schedule of the day.

"We'll tackle more of that exercise in the coming days," Rarsu said as Gray was witnessed to be catching his breath profusely with sweat all over his face after the mental difficulty of the ordeal.

And with that, they proceed to the subsequent agenda of the elf's training.