I blushed, my cheeks reddening. The girl, Hesna, was stunningly beautiful. In fact, she looked similar to my girlfriend back in Koqnia. The eyes were so familiar that I wanted to embrace her and tell her all the things I never got a chance to tell my girlfriend.

However, my mind promptly berated myself for thinking of that in front of a ten year old girl.

I coughed dryly and introduced myself, “Hello Hesna. My name is Lupus. You’re…parents invited me to meet you. My master is currently talking with them.”

Hesna blinked. Was I too formal? “Really? Thanks for coming, Lupus.” Hesna smiled gently.

“Huh?” I scrambled to reply, “Oh, you’re welcome, I guess.”

“Do you want to come see my tree? My parents planted it a few years before I was born, but I’ve been tending it since I was little.” Hesna gestured at the sapling she was bending over while pouring a drop of water on to a specific part of the bottom stem.

I inched closer, crouching down next to her and asking, “Why do you pour small amounts of water in random places?”

“There not random. I read in about the best places to pour water on a redcedar sapling in a book and I’m pouring s drop at a time so I don’t mess up the amount.” Hesna replied, pouring another droplet, this time on a place where tree roots were visible.

I glanced at the tree. It was a small sapling about three feet high with sparse leaves littering the thin branches. A closer look with mana infused eyes revealed it was faintly covered by a thin layer of mana particles. Another look at Hesna revealed a swirling but distinct blue mana core in her stomach. In that case…

“Let me help.” I didn’t wait for Hesna’s approval I closed eyes and concentrated on my mana.

I was now at the level with mana manipulation to be able to telekinetically move objects, and it was much easier with fluid ones like liquids. However, I was curious if my ability had improved with obtaining my concept. I felt for the water in the watering can, slowing manipulating the small mana particles inside to move to my hand. To my surprise, it was much easier. I opened my eyes a blob of glowing blue water was floating above my hands.

“You…are you a mage, Lupus?” Hesna looked at the floating water with wonder.

“No,” I replied, “So where are the spots you’re supposed to water and how much water in each place?”

“Thirty-seven more drops at the the bulging root, fifty-five more drops at the bottom of the stem, and seventy-four more random drops in the surrounding soil.” Hesna recited immediately.

I furrowed my brows and tore the water blob apart into dozens of water droplets that sparkled in the sun. The droplets swirled at my command and plunged into the spots like falling pine needles.

“Beautiful….” Hesna breathed, “That’s mana, right? Those blue things floating in the air.”

“Yeah, it’s mana particles.” I replied

I couldn’t believe it. I was a special case, since I had reincarnated with the knowledge of it and trained with it for my whole lifetime in Lupus’ body, but even a highly trained ten year old of noble descent could probably sense or see mana. Hesna was a true once-a-century prodigy.

“I want to try making stuff float.” Hesna turned towards the watering can and mustered up a blue glow on her hands.

An inkling of mana particles wiggled around the can, but the target did not budge. However, I had seen enough. I had to take advantage of this.

“Try it with something soft or fluid like the air or the water I used,” I suggested, “Like this.”

A mini blue whirlwind appeared between my hands, swirling with mana that I manipulated. Hesna stared, a reflection of the wind swirling in her jade green irises.

Like she was in a trance, Hesna glance back at her own hands, looking intensely at her fingers with concentration. There it is. I already knew what was going to happen. Mana aligned in a funnel and started to spin with the wind it carried. It carried a type of elegance that no person, including me, could recreate out of hard work.

“Look, Lupus! I did it!” Hesna looked at me, face glowing with sunshine that I had only felt from one other person before, “Isn’t it beautiful?”

I was speechless, not from her accomplishment, but her grin.

“Yoo-hoo?” Hesna glance at me with concern, “Are you there?”

“Y-yeah, it’s beautiful, your wind, I mean.” I stammered out.

Hesna stared at me while dispersing her wind swirl, “You’re crying.”

“What?” I unconsciously reached up to my eyes and found them wet.

I wiped my eyes with my sleeves, “I’m sorry…”

“For what?” Hesna tilted her head, “I should be thanking you right now.”

“Huh?” I was taken back.

Hesna giggled, “It’s fine, you crybaby. Everyone has sad moments.”

“Thank you…,” I lifted my head, “Really.”

“You don’t have to thank me, but you really seem really burdened all the time,” Hesna said thoughtfully, “Like something that’s the weight of the world is tying you down. You shouldn’t be anchored by something like that. You should just do whatever you want and live without regrets, y’know?”

I opened my mouth, then closed it. I wanted to express all the boiling emotions inside of me, so they all flowed out in the form of a single tear that slid down my cheek and landed on my lap. It was only a drop, but it carried the “weight of the world”.

“Are you done now?” Hesna asked.

I nodded, wiping my eyes again, “Please don’t tell my master about this.”

“Sure! You gotta do me a favor though,” Hesna smiled playfully, “Tell me more about mana!”

“Okay.” I nodded.

The spring dew sparkled in the sunshine flooding into the backyard. The trees that stood in the yard had blooming buds. They were starting anew, just like me. Except that my reincarnation didn’t count as starting again. Now was the real start.