Chapter 6- Education!

Mother had apparently known that I could understand most of their tongue already. As such she devised a plan for me to master the basics of their confusing language. And by the time I turned 4 I could finally hold a reasonable conversation instead of one word responses.

"Mother, how do you pronounce this word?" I ask as I point my slightly less chubby hand to a word in a large picture-less book. Mother's brunette hair cascades over my shoulder as she looks over it. Light is shining through the windows of the library. Different books were piled high on nearby tables and some were scattered on the floor. Many laid wide open with markings sometimes littering the pages.

"It's pronounced, In-fus-ion."

"N-fu-shon?"

"No, that's not quite right, but you're getting there don't give up." I repeat the word several times under my mother's warm smile. She corrects me when I learn something wrong, but other than that she would force me through reading large picture-less, informative books. She seems different from usual I guess maybe it is because she thinks I might be scared of her. I just need to time ask.

"To think you would only need two more years to master the basics. Definitely a genius..." Mother's eyes seemed to become filled with a great sadness with those words. She was so strong, yet retained all of her fragility. I guess this technique to control mana is less strict on the mental requirements. I've been piecing all that I've learned about this mana to try to learn the skill.

First, it's not limited to only one element. Second, only certain people can have it and they have more of an acute sense to mana. Third, mages are apparently people with a better talent in mana. Fourth, everyone can learn this skill in this world. Fifth, although I use mana to form my Mana Infant and I've used enough to be considered a mage, people still don't relate me to a mage.

"Mother why don't you seem to like nobles?" Something has been irking me since Jeffrey left and since I was only taught language I could only find sources from books, but never had any sort of closure.

"That... It's not that I don't like them, it's just I don't really think I can bear to part from you!" Mother seemed to hesitate when answering and steered the conversation in a new direction.

"Mother, please tell me." Mother sighed when I spoke and she looked me straight in the eyes.

"Glen, I know you're smart. Too smart for your age in fact. You also have a monstrous potential in magic so much that it scares your mother here. Those talents make you shine much brighter than others, but those talents can make you targeted by no small amount of people." Mother glanced at me briefly to check my expression, and when I forgot to show any signs of astonishment she gave me a weird smile and continued, "You are my first child and I know you will have to leave when you get older. However right now, Please continue to be my little Glen."

I rush to mother to give her a hug. Although she still avoided why she disliked nobles again, she looked like she was about to cry so I conceded. I wanted to change the topic quickly.

"Mother since I can easily finish my studies, can you tell me about magic." I look up to her with sparkling eyes while in her embrace. Mother still had no idea to my true identity, so she still was in the dark about most of my cultivator antics. And when I was absorbing mana mother never gave any reaction to it, but I believe she mistook it as a high talent for magic or something similar.

She gives me a little laugh and smiles while she releases me from her hug and walks to a nearby bookshelf. She looks for awhile and pulls out an old worn down book. I never really looked at it since it didn't have a title and only had a large 'O' on the front of it.

"This is the symbol for magic." Mother enlightened me on the circle. I feel annoyed that no one put the word magic on the front and just expected people to know. Mother hands me the book and I carefully open it as if afraid I might ruin the contents. In here is the way to control mana!

"Now there are some things you need to know first." Mother's voice awakens me from my emotions, "Mana is the energy of life and is in everything. The methods we have learned are from our predecessors and have been refined by many mages through the ages. Although this gives us an advantage over most, never use it for the purpose of oppression or to purposefully harm another."

"Wait mother, I thought you said dragons taught us magic?" I remember her clearly say this.

"Our history is shrouded in mystery, we would know if we could find a dragon. However dragons are only used as a supplement for fairytales." Mother easily crushes the dreams of her child. Although I have a mentality of an immortal, if I was just an ordinary child mother would've just throughly crushed my little dreams. Putting that thought out of my head I look to my new book.

I heed mother's previous warning about mana and open the book. I become engrossed with it and time flys by quickly and before I know it the day is almost over. Mother had left awhile ago since she saw I was in a trance while reading, so I retire back to my room on my own.

On my way I ran into Harold and Claire. Ever since mother said she was going to tutor me Claire hasn't been by my side. She seems to get with Harold more though, so I guess it's a win-win?

"Hello Glen, what you got there?" Claire asks while pointing at my book. Although she knows about my identity as a prince, she still refuses to address me like one. Not that I mind I just worry she might get into trouble for it.

"Mother gave it to me, it's a book on magic!" I hold it out for her to have a look.

"Oh! So prince Glen is learning about magic I see. Why didn't the Queen just teach you herself?" Harold joins the conversation with a very good question. Mother has always been overprotective, and she is probably not teaching me magic so she can stay with me longer. She's afraid of me growing up.

"Oh yeah, it might be because of that!" Harold seems to know something and I get frustrated due to him throwing in a pronoun instead of say what 'that' is.

"Since mother won't tell me can you?" I hide my displeasure and ask Harold up front. He starts to laugh which annoys me even more and I was about to walk away when he stopped me.

"Don't get mad prince Glen, I would if I could, but guild mages can only teach others in the guild. Also the Queen would kill me if I took her time with you away." Harold spoke reasonable words and I'm growing interested in the mage's guild. However that didn't stop my previous anger from him randomly laughing in response to my question to subside. Though these guilds seem to be an exclusive force not belonging to kingdoms, and they hold their own power as well.

I bid Harold and Claire goodbye after a quick catchup and finally retire to my room. I lay on my bed and open the book on magic again. The first couple pages were mainly on the history of magic and those who contributed to the discovery of new techniques, but other than that it had no explanation of applying said techniques.

I start reading where I left off and find a name I haven't seen since two years ago: T. Tallowstone. I remember the children's book I read when I was two and I am even more interested in meeting this fellow.

I read further down and finally get to the good part. I start to read aloud accidentally due to my excitement,"Mages are classified by the number of Mana Rings they have formed inside their Mana Well."

I stop reading directly after the sentence. There were too many words that didn't make sense. Mana Well, what is that? Where is it? I remember Harold saying he was a third ringed mage, so maybe these mana rings are numbered singularly. They also talked about how some old man became a sixth ringed mage, so that probably means it is hard to reach that stage. I hate how no one tells me everything specifically. I make a note that when I reach the apex I'm starting a massive reform on these things.

While dreaming about making everything easier to understand, I check the condition of my muscles and meridians. I estimate I need about another year before my muscles can be worked, but my meridians seem to need around two. I just need to deal with these coming years.

I begin to start breathing in mana while using the [Heavenly Bodies Transformation] and slowly the night changes into day.

"...Glen are you up?" Mother voice travels through my door after a soft knock.

"Yes, please come in." Mother comes in with a man in loose cloth. He had short brown hair that matched well with his equally colored eyes. He stood an impressive 6 foot 5, a couple inches taller than mother, and sported a tattoo of a 3 on his right shoulder. He was a well built man and his muscles were well defined. If it wasn't for the large scar that ran from the left side of his forehead to across his right eye and onto his right cheek, he would've been quite handsome.

"Glen let me introduce you to the knight captain, Jared Mill. He will start to teach you his sword form starting today." Mother introduced me to Jared and I held out my right hand. Jared gave me a light smile and moved suddenly towards me sending a right punch my way.

"What the..." I easily duck his telegraphed attack and take some distance between us. I see mother not moving into kill the man, and he has halted his movements as well. I see so this was a test.

"Hmm, he should be able to learn." Jared turns towards mother and responds. Or rather why was your test suddenly punching a child!

"Good, Glen don't be scared. Although his methods are sometimes questionable, he will be able to give you the ability to protect yourself." Mother turns towards me and grabs my hands. Her hands are slightly trembling. It seems like it is taking a lot out of her to entrust me to someone else. She seems to understand that I will not be by her side forever, so she has begun to resolve herself. I can see a deep resolve in her eyes along with hints of sadness as I return her grasp.

"I'm ready." I slowly release my hands and mother's smile trembles a little. I will grow stronger, but when that happens I would need to leave home. I need to take small steps so mother's worries don't become consume her.

"What do you mean you're ready? Queen, I am ready to teach him. Are you ready to go?" Jared suddenly asks mother.

Wait. Something doesn't add up with what he said. I turn towards mother with a questioning look and she gives me a weird smile in response. Jared takes her silence as a confirmation and leads me out the door and to our training grounds. With mother trailing close behind. She apparently was going to come with us anyways...