บท 17: Sensing Mana
Estelle and Liandra spent a week getting used to the new living arrangements before classes began. Life was very quiet in the time they spent in their dormitory as not many students had checked in when they did. Most students arrived half a week after the sisters, populating the dormitory complex as the week went by.
In their homely room, the sisters sat next to each other. Estelle was reading through a book that seemed all too thick to be read in a single fitting, while Liandra looked to be in a meditation posture. However, Estelle could sense that this was not normal meditation. Estelle and actually given Liandra a task to complete before the semester began. It was simple: sense mana.
The reason was simple too. Liandra wanted to be a genius just like Estelle, therefore she needed to be a mage. The trouble with that goal was that she had never practiced magic before. Though it was typical for people to avoid sensing mana before they became full adults, most at least tried to lay foundations prior. Liandra was not one of those people.
"Older sister… I still can't feel anything." Liandra complained as she sweated profusely all over. Her body was aching in every limb and her veins felt like they were going to pop at any moment. She wondered if this was really a proper method or that she was simply just untalented.
Estelle simply rolled her eyes and looked over to her sister with a disappointed expression. "Younger sister, do you need my to do everything for you? Surely you can at least be at the level I was at when you were still learning the alphabet." Estelle scoffed provocatively.
"Older sister, it's no use… I need help." Liandra relaxed her body and stopped meditating. She could no longer bear it. She had been attempting to sense mana the entire day yet there were no results.
"You disappoint me. If you can't do this much, then I guess you will not be winning the bet. Is your resolve only this much? Are you so weak that you give up like a little wimp?" Estelle's eyes glowed with anger. She expected her sister to fail but she did not expect for her to give up after only a day.
"I'm sorry, older sister… I just can't…"
"Shut up!" Estelle lashed out, tired of hearing Liandra's incompetent pleas.
"I will make you understand how important this task is by putting some pressure on you. From now until you can sense mana, you will not be allowed to leave this dormitory for any reason. If you are late for the start of semester, that will be your problem. Do not disappoint me." Estelle was as cold as ice. There was no part of her that looked kind, there was only a cruel mistress in her countenance.
Liandra's jaw dropped after hearing Estelle's ultimatum. She desperately wanted to contest but she already understood that she could not defy her older sister no matter what happened. Estelle's word had become law and everything Liandra did was subject to Estelle's law.
"I will meditate harder, older sister." Liandra face downwards, trying to find motivation to keep on going. It was only the third day of being in the same room as Estelle again. Yet everything seemed like hell to her. The only thing that had improved was her sleep.
"Good, you understand." Estelle patted Liandra's head like a master to their pet. A shepherd's smile resembled a witch's grin. Estelle then returned to reading her book once more, awaiting the results of her 'guidance'.
The week went by quickly. What was once the third day soon became the fourth. Another day passed and they were on their fifth day in the dormitory. However, it would be the sixth day that happened to bear fruit…
A flash of light enveloped the room as faint orange particles floated in the air around Liandra. Her eyes began to glow faintly as the particles were sucked into her body and slowly refreshed her fatigued self. After such a hellish week, Liandra finally sensed mana. She even managed to absorb a small amount into her heart, which was something she had learned from Estelle.
Liandra could feel the difference in the world. It was like a blind person suddenly gaining the ability to see. Everything became clearer to her. She could feel the touch of mana all around her.
"Older sister! I did it- I sensed mana!" Liandra neglected to realise that it was midnight. As she jumped onto Estelle's side of the bed and shook her peacefully sleeping body, Liandra began to realise that she had made an error.
With a low rumble, the bed frame shook and Liandra felt her body lock into place. She could no longer move.
Estelle opened her eyes, awaking from her peaceful slumber in what felt like a violent manner. "Little sister, what are you doing?" Estellehad little to no context on why Liandra was sitting on top of her in the middle of the night.
"I-I… I sensed mana!" Liandra projected her voice quite loudly. She felt very accomplished and she wanted to tell the only person her age that she still talked to.
"Good for you. Now let me sleep. Also, get off me." Estelle answered, disinterested due to her lack of sleep.
"Not until you congratulate me. I've gone through hell to achieve this much! The least you can do is congratulate me like a real older sister." Liandra continued pressing.
"I'd did this much and more when I was half your age. Now let me sleep."
"No." Liandra did not budge an inch. Her sudden ability to sense mana had given her some confidence that she had lost.
"Little sister. Get off of me and sleep otherwise you will be sleeping on the floor for the rest of the month." Estelle glared with her furious eyes, making sure to transmit the point that she was not going to let Liandra do as she pleased just because she made an achievement.
"Fine. I guess 'congrats' is too much for you to say." Liandra finally relented and went back to her side of the bed. The acknowledgment she desired was simply not there.
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