Three years have passed.

  I can now walk without any issues and explore the house as I please.

  And if I think about it, I could also wander around the kingdom.

  Well, not the entire kingdom. It would be weird to see two kids roaming around alleys infested with thieves. Though the idea is still intriguing.

  What we can do is stay at home, studying the Guide to Magic and Combat and The Scriptures of Paradox.

  "Are you sure this is how it’s done?" I asked, while trying to generate a small gust of wind.

  Isolde, with her eternal expression of concentration, tilted her head and turned the book in her hands, as if looking at it from another angle would make the magic work by… well, magic.

  "Yes, I’m completely sure. But… why isn’t it working?"

  Good question.

  According to the book, magic requires mana.

  Mana exists in all living organisms. It’s an energy inherent to existence itself. But to use it, you have to manipulate the mana within your own body.

  Like spitting.

  You need to control your saliva to expel it. With mana, it’s the same.

  But that’s not enough. You also need concentration.

  And that’s the problem.

  Isolde insists that, to create a gust of wind, I need to feel the wind inside me, as if it’s part of my being, and then expel it.

  "Is that really what I’m supposed to do?"

  "Yes! Come check it yourself!"

  I sat next to her and went over the words in the book. Technically, she was right. But how the hell do I properly control mana?

  There was no way to launch a gust of wind just by believing it.

  "Do you think the Paradox book has a better explanation?" I asked, turning around and stretching my arm to pull the massive tome.

  I opened it and searched through its pages.

  And there it was.

  "This says something completely different, Issy."

  "Issy." A nickname for Isolde.

  I started using it when she decided to call me…

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Lucy, are you sure you’re not reading a different page?"

  "Hmm…" I scratched my head. "Here. Tell me what I’m supposed to do." I handed her the Paradox book, pointing to the page with the conflicting information.

  Isolde read it silently, then spoke:

  "Alright. Focus the energy in your body. Think of any element, and then be that element."

  As she spoke, I followed her instructions.

  "Use that energy… and release!"

  A small gust of wind shot out from my hand. Just enough to move an empty glass.

  But it worked.

  For the first time, it worked.

  Then, Isolde read the last line of text.

  "When you’re done, you may have experienced the Syrix."

  …

  Wait, what?

  "Syrix."

  According to the Book of Paradox, Syrix is a special type of magic that only a race called the Nurukaido and certain gods can use. It’s similar to mana, but with one crucial difference: it’s not present in all living organisms.

  At first glance, it seems like a closed, exclusive system.

  Except I just used it.

  Syrix also has an overwhelming advantage in terms of power. It’s more efficient, stronger, more refined.

  But, as with everything in life, there’s a catch.

  They call it Ultra Instinct.

  A state where the body moves on its own, without conscious intervention. Basically, you become a puppet to your own reflexes. In exchange, your seven senses sharpen to the extreme: sight, taste, touch, hearing, smell, vestibular sense, and proprioception.

  Interesting.

  But, if I think about it… it makes no sense that only the Nurukaido and gods can use it.

  I used it.

  And…

  "I did it! That took 50 tries!" Isolde shouted, exultant as she jumped up and down.

  I took a deep breath.

  "Bravo" I said, clapping half-heartedly.

  I had hoped that, at the very least, having Syrix would give me an edge over my sister. But no. Apparently, she can use it too.

  On top of mana.

  Damn it.

  I can’t use mana.

  "Come on, Lucy. Can’t you be a little prouder of me?" Isolde joked, with that teasing smile that’s becoming all too familiar. But her tone softened when she noticed my frustration. "Come on, Lucy, I know you’ll be able to use mana in a few days too."

  I appreciate her optimism.

  I wish I could share it.

  I glanced at the Book of Paradox. Nothing new. It was the same information about mana that appeared in the Guide to Magic and Combat. No additional details.

  I sighed and stood up.

  "I’m going to try again."

  "Hehe. Alright. I’ll guide you."

  "Fine."

  I stretched out my arm, closed my eyes, imagined the air inside me, tried to shape it in the palm of my hand, and…

  Nothing.

  "Keep trying, I know you can do it" Isolde encouraged.

  Why the hell is it so hard for me?

  I tried again. Nothing.

  Though this time, I felt a tingling in the palm of my hand. A hint of something, but it wasn’t enough. I lowered my arm, frustrated.

  "Are you giving up?" Isolde asked.

  "I’ll just try again later. I feel exhausted."

  "Ah… I’m tired too."

  She has a valid reason. Using mana drains energy.

  Me, on the other hand… I have no idea why I feel this way. I didn’t even manage to use magic.

  Except with Syrix.

  Maybe that’s why? Maybe my reserves are so ridiculously low that I can’t even use it more than a few times before getting exhausted?

  I don’t have answers.

  "Are you going to sleep now?" I asked.

  "No. I want to keep learning! Now I want to learn about healing magic, so I can heal your wounds when you get hurt, Lucy."

  Her voice was full of excitement as she raised her hand in a determined gesture. I smiled a little.

  It’s nice having a sister; I didn’t have one in my past life. And thank God for that. If I had, my parents would’ve probably treated her the same way they treated me. Just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine. I shook my head and returned to the present.

  "Alright. Let’s see what’s in here about healing magic."

  Isolde flipped through the pages of the Guide to Magic and Combat until she reached the corresponding section, and as soon as I saw the content, a weight settled on my shoulders.

  "Healing magic is divided into biological branches…" The words came out of my mouth heavily.

  I knew what that meant, and I also knew how difficult it was going to be to learn.