"It is only those parts of the ruling class that get their hands on all five techniques. So that is why he was physically weak; he must not have had any breathing technique, so that is why he was only mentally strong."

Magnus nodded his head, that kind of made sense; he was, after all, only able to get the upper hand on the man thanks to the surprise attack.

“Nevertheless, there is some good news for the common man in all of this dour news,” the Matron said. “Even if you have all the techniques on hand and keep on practicing them, there will come a time when the Waning Effect comes through?”

“Ahh, what is this Waning Effect?” Magnus asked as he literally had no clue what the fuck the Matron was talking about.

“Well, everyone is built for something, they lean towards a particular allocation, and it can be either thanks to them being born to it or hereditary and even environmental.”

“Okay,” Magnus said, still not knowing what the Matron was talking about.

“Look at you, for example,” the Matron said as she pointed at him. “I could tell you are built for speed, but for Might and Physique, it is clear as day that they are quite abysmal. For mind and spirit, they are hard to tell, but you are a brilliant and determined child, so they could be good as well. Now for energy and elements, they grow at a steady, so there is no reason to worry about it.”

Magnus raised his hand; he had no clue where the Matron was taking the conversation, and that is what he voiced when the Matron allowed him to speak. “I am confused Matron, what are you getting at?”

“I am getting to it,” the Matron said as she held out her hand for Magnus to now shush.

“If you want to understand the Waning Effect clearly, then there is certain knowledge you must know, and that is everybody is built or something. Now back to the Waning Effect, over time, certain attributes will start to slow down, advancing and come to a near halt. Meaning the things you are not built for will not be making any gains, so your Might and Physique will barely be going up at all and how knows about your Mind and Spirit.”

“What the fuck,” Magnus shouted, now finally realizing what the Matron was trying to make him understanding.

“Language!” the Matron said in a warning voice.

“Oh, sorry, but why does that happen, and when will it happen to me?” Magnus asked.

“Well, the Cosmos is fair, we don’t want broken characters running around. To answer your second question, you do not have to worry about the Waning Effect; it will only show itself when you pass above the realm of the mundane.”

Magnus couldn’t make head or tail with the Matron’s reply; the Cosmos, pass the mundane-- what the fuck did that mean?! Why didn’t she just give him a clear answer, did she really have to speak in riddles and act all mysterious and all-knowing?

But still, she did say he did not have to worry about it until he passed above the mundane-- whatever that meant. So he is going to worry about it then, right now his mind is stuffed full with new and interesting knowledge so he would like to call it a day, get some rest, and chew on what he has for a while.

“Alright, why don’t we call it a day?” Magnus asked as he yawned in exhaustion. He totally forgot how worn out he was, but now all that fatigue showed itself from the training, to the mind-blowing surprises from the Matron, and the rush of too much excitement he was feeling from beforehand.

“Fine,” the Matron said, “however, when can you be here for your lessons?” she then asked.

“I truly do not know. I will have to spend most of the day with them for sure, so that is when both of the suns rise and set.” Magnus replied, meaning from 8 a.m to 6 p.m. “However, I might also have to spend time with them during the night.”

The Matron nodded her head, not saying anything about his illicit work, “My lessons will only be 2 phases of the celestial bodies (2 hours), so we could have it from when the suns set and when the moon fully rises.”

Magnus nodded his head, that was a good time, right between the waking hour and the sleeping hour. Anyways he is sure that he could talk them down into two hours of respite since not much happens during those hours.

“Sure,” Magnus replied, then he craned his neck to the side as he if just recalled something, then he reached into his tunic and took out the priest’s coin purse. “I nearly forgot to give this to you,” he said as he tossed the purse over to the Matron. “Didn’t want to put it into the donation box where Mother Selin would start asking questions.”

The Matron smiled at that comment, “I saw that she was waiting for you at the entrance, hmm.”

“Yes, it is her own little way of fretting over me, but she always means well,” Magnus replied. “What did you tell her I was up to?” he then asked in a curious voice.

“I just told her you found work, nothing more nothing less. Did you say something besides that?”

“No, I told her I am a bookkeeper of a merchant who is most likely a guild member, which helped explain the good salary.”

“Well, good for you just make sure to be here for your lessons, tomorrow.”

Magnus inclined his head to the Motron to show that he complied.

However, before he walked out, the matron asked him a question. “You do know that you were fortunate, right?”

“What do you mean?” Magnus asked.

The Matron gave him a death glare as she said. “If that priest used that spell, you would have been finished, idiot boy, do you know that?”

“Yea, that was a close call, too close for my taste,” Magnus stated with a shrug. Now that the danger has passed, he saw no reason to fret over it any longer.

The Matron glare still did not cool down after Magnus agreed with her, “I want you to avoid anybody that has anything to do with this new religion, do you understand?”

Magnus hastily nodded his head, as the Matron moved on, “Good, this new religion is not something to trifle with at all, that unique technique might be low ranking in the grand scheme of things, but it is an okay one in this world. So to see it being given out like candy to every random joe is very disconcerting.”

Magnus couldn’t agree with that assertion more than ever right now. There is more at work than what meets the eye.

With that final worrying statement, the Matron let out Magnus, who mulled over everything the Matron said to him as he made his way to his room.

--------------------------

Magnus sat crossed-legged on his bed; the hour was very late, who knew that his discussion would have taken so long. The little orphan wanted to drop dead onto his bed and get a good long rest. However, there was a lot of ground to cover.

The first order of business was to go over what he talked about with the Matron, and there was a LOT. Firstly he was able to get done the primary goal that he came to her with, and that was getting the holy book unlocked.

He was also able to get himself magic lessons even if it wasn’t through the most peaceful fashion. To add to that, he was able to learn a bit more about the elements though he could use an in-depth explanation about the elements. Nevertheless, he was able to solve a great mystery that bugged him for quite a while now, about why everybody has a fucking million different hair and eye color.

Then there is this Waning Effect, which he put to the side, it won’t be of concern for a while so he will deal with it when the time comes even if he has so idea how to deal with it.

And those where only the main points, there was so much said during that discussion with the Matron throwing one piece of interesting fact after another. He could spend all night covering every single small detail, but he wanted to get started on the technique.

Even if the spell was a bust, the new technique went a long way in softening the heartache.

That is why Magnus opened the small booklet up and started to read, time passed as he took in every information the book had to offer and soaked it in like a sponge. How the thing worked was that he had to imagine an Abacus, also called a counting frame. This thing was a calculating tool that was used centuries ago on Earth, but it is still in style in this world.

When he told Mother Selin he was working as a bookkeeper, the reason why she readily believed him was that he learned how to use the abacus or, more accurately, the old host did. When he said the education that the orphanage offers is millions of light-years more advanced than what the average commoner has, who can’t even read or write in most cases, he wasn’t lying.

Thankfully how to use an abacus was part of the jumbled up knowledge and memories that he gained from the old host.

With easy, he was able to mentally project a basic abacus in his head, which was 13 vertical rows. On the lower part of each rod was five beads, on the top were two beads, and they were divided by a horizontal bar.

From there, all he had to do was count away, though just like the meditation technique he had no idea where the gains were coming from. Still, there were no grave warnings in the booklet, and he made sure to read the thing in great detail, not once but twice, so he had not missed anything.

So Magnus took that as the green light even if this mystery would bug him for all eternity and beyond.

“Are you ready, Codex?” Magnus asked before he took the first leap.

“Yeah, go right ahead, I will be tracking your vitals and scanning every inch of you.” Codex said as she too was clearly excited, Magnus couldn’t tell if she was fired up for scientific purposes or for him.

Magnus started to use the abacus, counting higher and higher up, as he did that his brain started to feel like it was on fire then it would go the opposite direction as a cold set in. That vicious cycle of hot and cold went on and on, and by each second it got worse for him.

Still, Magnus plowed through not giving up at all, as he counted on, that was until the pain became too much and he lost count of where he was. Then the technique came to a halt, and the image of the abacus he created disappeared.

His brain felt like it was frostbitten and suffering from a third-degree burn at the same time. He knew that he should be feeling a great deal of pain right now, but his mind sort of felt better than ever, it was like it evolved.

Still with everything piled up together; whether it be what he was suffering from right now and all the past exhaustion. Magnus felt extremely drowsy, so he laid back on his bed and told himself he will only be shutting his eyes for a second then he will look at what gain he made.

However, that was wishful thinking and a blatant lie, as soon as he hit the hay, he was out cold.

-------------------------------

The next morning when Magnus woke up he felt extremely refreshed and refreshed, his mind felt like it was above and beyond. His five senses where a jumble of mess as new things were registered that he thought wasn’t possible.

Magnus did a few stretches to get the cramp out of his muscles and tried to set himself at ease. With big deep breaths, he got himself organized and set aside these new heightened senses and mind that was running at light speed.

This was a first for Magnus, the other times when he advanced this assault of heightened power and loss of control did not happen. That is why he turned to Codex and asked, “Codex what is going on, my five senses are off the track and my brain feels like it is on a speed rail?”

“I noticed that,” Codex replied, “I have a running theory that you passed a threshold. Remember how I said that some of your physical stats are below normal?”

Magnus nodded his head, the only thing two stats that were not abysmal low were agility and dexterity who were safely out of the red zone and into the normal range. “Well, I think you went above normal in those two stats that is why you are feeling a sense of unbalance.”

“Okay that makes sense, but what about the Spirit stat it is my highest stat and it is above normal?”

“Come on just think, that stat was already above normal so it makes no difference.”

“Well, you sure do know how to make a guy feel special,” Magnus said in plain sarcasm. He could have connected that dot but he felt so unbalanced and could not think straight.

“Alright, my final question is why are my mental and spiritual stats so high when my physical stats are so low, even the ones I am built for like the matron said?”

“It is really simple when you think about it,” Codex said, Magnus wanted to groan, why is it that she always lord over everybody about her superior intellect. It is some natural quirk of all A.I. to try and get one over there slow masters.

“You are physically a child while you are mentally and, I guess, spiritual an adult.” Magnus nodded his head, he is really off his game if he couldn’t see the obvious answer right before him.

“Now that is not taking into consideration your really high mental and spiritual stats,” Codex added. “I do not completely understand what this build towards a certain stat(s) is all about which the Matron was talking about. Furthermore, as a side note, you should have asked her for more information about what this orientation means.”

“Now look, here, Codex,” Magnus said as he stopped her right there, “When someday starts speaking nonsense you leave them be. You will not get a sensible answer from them. Though that nonsense will make sense when the times comes since I guess that is how they planned it. Fucking mentor bastards!”

“Har har har,” Codex said, “do you think that you are some protagonist in a novel?”

“Come on, Codex, we are in a fantasy world, just go with the flow and accept the tropes.”

Codex shook her head, feeling ashamed that she had anything do with him, so ignoring him, she continued on with what she was talking about. “As I said, all your mental and spiritual stats are above or nearly above normal. Now I do know if that means you are oriented to them, but we will find out when you pass above the realm of the mundane.”

“See, Codex, was that so hard now?” Magnus asked as he toyed with Codex’s strict mannerisms.

“I was only cited the Matron,” Codex answered back with a menacing growl.

“Okay, let’s move on, could you now show me my stats, now?” He asked as stoped messing with Codex

“Sure,” Codex said as a blue screen appeared right before his eyes.

[Scanning Complete] [Physical Stats Available Spiritual Stats Available] [Module Units Identified: Might: 3.76 Speed: 5.14 Physique: 3.98 *NEW* Mind: 10.14(9.67) Spirit: 11.00 ]

“Sweet,” Magnus said as he looked over his stats, even the snail pace that his stats were advance at did not rob him of his excitement of learning about his new stat.

“Now, if only I can get my hands on the last two techniques,” Magnus said in a longing manner.

“Well, as you can see, one of stat's increased today," Codex pointed out. "Now, would you like to know what these stats stand for?”

“Yea, go right ahead,” Magnus said, the off-balance that he was suffering from made it clear what the stats stood for. However, this system was the brainchild of Codex, so it is her show to run, and he is not going to go against that.

“Okay, the mind stat, it deals with cognitive ability, which makes up the ability to reason, mental capability, problem-solving, planning, abstract thinking, complex idea comprehension, and learning. Plus it deals with mental resilience, defense against mental assault, influences, coercion, and so forth. It also includes mental state!”

It was just like Magnus thought; he could already see the great benefits that his new mind stat could bring and how to use them. Now, if only he could figure out and completely understand his highest stat, Spirit.

"Now I have some good news," Codex stated, dangling that fruit right before him and waiting for him to reach out for it.

Magnus didn't have the patience to play her game and said, "Well, spill it!"

"I found out how you are able to make advances in the mental field."