"... Do you feel it?"
Grandpa's voice sounded expectant like he was waiting for a grand revelation.
With my eyes still closed, I focused on the warmth inside me, trying to find the right words.
"Yeah, it's warm and..."
"And?"
"...And..."
"And?!"
"...And..."
"And what?!!"
Even with my eyes closed, I could feel Grandpa's irritation rising.
A chuckle slipped from my lips before I could stop it.
"Nothing, it's just warm," I said, opening my eyes and flashing him a teasing smile.
--------
Grandpa's face twitched in frustration as he glared at Mikail, who was clearly enjoying himself a little too much.
Melisa, who had been watching from the side, burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Oh, I love this kid!"
She said, slapping her thigh. Then said again, while looking at Grandpa.
"Old man, I think you've met your match!"
But Grandpa didn't look as happy as Melisa, he let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples. Then said.
"Brat, do you think this is a joke?"
At this, Mikail raised his hands in surrender.
"Relax, Grandpa, I really did feel it... It's just… I don't know how to describe it yet"
Grandpa studied him for a moment before nodding.
"Fine. At least you sensed something. That's a start"
Mikail's smile faded slightly as he glanced at his own hands. The warmth was still there, like a quiet ember deep inside him. It was his Mana. His power.
For the first time, it didn't feel like some mysterious force lurking inside him, It felt real.
Grandpa's voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"Alright, now that you can feel it, let's see if you can control it"
"How can I control it? Did I just need to ask it to move?"
Grandpa scoffed.
"... If it were that easy, everyone would be doing it"
Melisa smirked, arms crossed.
"Actually, some people do just ask it to move, but they're usually prodigies or lunatics"
Hearing that, Mikail sighed. Then said.
"Great. So which one am I?"
Grandpa ignored the comment and continued.
"Mana is like a river inside you. Right now, it's still, just waiting. You need to will it to flow, not force it... Close your eyes again and focus. Imagine the warmth moving, like a slow pulse, from your core to your fingertips"
Mikail did as he was told, shutting his eyes and taking a deep breath. He pictured the warmth expanding, stretching out from deep within him.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then
A faint tingling sensation ran through his arm. It was subtle, but definitely there.
His fingers twitched.
"I think... I feel it moving?"
Grandpa nodded.
"Good. Keep going, but don't lose control. A small leak can turn into a flood if you're not careful"
Mikail concentrated harder. The warmth crept further, reaching his palm. His breath hitched slightly; it felt strange like his body wasn't used to it.
But then, a sudden spark jolted through his hand.
"Whoa!"
Mikail's eyes snapped open as a small, flickering wisp of light hovered just above his palm. It lasted barely a second before vanishing into thin air.
Silence.
Then
"...Pfft~"
Melisa burst into laughter.
"Bwahaha! That was so cute! What was that? A firefly?"
Mikail scowled.
"Hey! That was my first time, okay?"
Grandpa, however, was staring at him with narrowed eyes.
"Mikail..."
His voice was serious now, his usual grumpiness replaced with something sharper.
"Do that again"
Hearing the seriousness in Grandpa's voice, Mikail hesitated. Said.
"Uh… okay?"
He tried once more, focusing on the warmth, guiding it outward.
This time, it came more easily, another flickering wisp of light, a little steadier than before.
Grandpa exhaled slowly.
"...Light affinity"
Melisa stopped laughing.
"Wait. What?"
Mikail blinked.
"Huh?"
Grandpa's gaze locked onto him.
"Mikail... Do you know how rare that is?"
"What?"
"With this, you easily became a target"
"Target? Who will target me?"
"... You can go back now, I have other business, the cafe will be closed, so you can go back, and come back tomorrow morning"
"What? Why?"
"I can answer you now, Melisa, Take him to the front door"
Hearing Grandpa's order, Melisa didn't say anything, stood up and approached Mikail, and said.
"C'mon"
"Huh? Wait! I-"
"Mikail, just go back for now, and remember, when you're in your home, Never use your magic... Never, especially not at night, otherwise, something bad will happen to you, and your grandmother too, mark my words, now go away"
Mikail's body stiffened at Grandpa's words.
'Something bad will happen? To me and Grandma?'
His mouth opened to protest, but the look in Grandpa's eyes made his voice die in his throat. It wasn't just his usual grumpiness or irritation. It was something deeper.
'Fear? No, something even heavier than that'
Before Mikail can come to a conclusion, Melisa grabs his arm, pulling him toward the door.
"Let's go, kid. Don't make this harder."
"But-"
"No buts. Just listen to the old man"
Mikail hesitated for a moment before finally letting himself be dragged away.
As they reached the front door, Melisa sighed and released him.
"You got a lot of questions, huh?"
"Of course, I do! What the hell was that about?! Why can't I use magic at home? Why does having Light affinity make me a target? And why is Grandpa acting so weird all of a sudden?"
Melisa crossed her arms, looking him up and down as if debating whether to say anything. Then, finally, she sighed.
"Look, Mikail. I could explain, but I won't"
At those words, Mikail's eye twitched.
"What?"
"You heard me. It's not my place to say"
"Then whose place is it?!"
"That old man... And if he's not telling you now, there's a reason"
Mikail clenched his fists. His heart was still pounding from the way Grandpa had suddenly shut him out.
"That doesn't make sense! He was fine a second ago! What changed? Just because of some little flickering light?!"
After Mikail said that, Melisa's face turned serious.
"It wasn't just a flickering light, kid. It was Light magic. And not just any Light magic… Yours was pure"
Mikail frowned.
"So what?"
"So what?"
Melisa scoffed.
"Do you have any idea how many people in the world are born with a pure Light affinity? I'll give you a hint, not many. And the ones who do exist? They don't stay hidden for long"
Mikail swallowed.
"Meaning... what?"
"Meaning if the wrong people find out about you…"
She tapped his forehead.
"Poof... You're either gone or, worse, became someone else's tool..."
Hearing that, Mikail's stomach twisted.
"That's… ridiculous... I just learned about this today! Who would even care?!"
Melisa shook her head.
"Doesn't matter. What does matter is that you listen to Grandpa and stay quiet. No magic. No experiments. No late-night curiosity"
Mikail bit his lip.
"And if I don't?"
Melisa's gaze darkened.
"Then you won't just regret it, Mikail… You won't survive it"
A chill ran down his spine.
For the first time since all of this started, he realized.
This wasn't just some fun training.
This was dangerous.
And whatever Grandpa was afraid of…
It was real.
Then, with all of that Inside his mind, Mikail Walked along the road to his house when the sky started to get dark.
....
...
..
.