Ethan had been cooped up within the black tome for a few days now, only leaving to eat or do his work as a librarian. The rest of the time, he would be engrossed in his reading, seeking a way to harness the power of mana without the aid of spirits. Needless to say, he had only been met with failure thus far.

  It wasn't as if there wasn't any information on the subject. In fact, this had been the subject of untold research throughout the ages, yet it always ended with one simple fact: humans did not possess the means to alter mana in any way. Some acted as vessels for it, but only spirits could manipulate mana to change reality.

  Still, Ethan refused to accept it. This wasn’t just mere arrogance on his part, thinking himself superior to all those who came before him, but reality. He had something none before him had—an advantage he could exploit to find a way out of this dark tunnel. He had already confirmed as such.

  On the first day he left the black tome after absorbing the residual mana of the light spirit Lux, Ethan felt a change. The world had become crisper and more vibrant as if his understanding of reality had been elevated.

  At first, he could only see mana shimmering in the atmosphere, but now he could feel it as if a brand new sense had awoken within him. It felt strange as if he had gained a new limb, yet he quickly grew accustomed to it. It felt right as if this was how the world was meant to be. Still, he couldn't help but be cautious in dealing with things unknown to him.

  At the time, his fatigue had been so immense that he felt his thoughts swirl in place, unable to make sense of them. As such, he left the confines of the library to refresh himself.

  Fortunately, his work as a librarian was lax, for the most part. Only a few sought to borrow tomes from the Endless Library, and even less had the authority to do so. As such, Ethan's work mainly consisted of organizing shelves and documenting the new information that occasionally appeared. It was fulfilling but leisurely work. In this world where excellence and results were paramount, not many could sustain such monotonous and tedious work, yet Ethan found a strange appeal within. The allure of new knowledge had always left him wanting more.

  Seeking a change of pace, Ethan returned to the small clearing within the nearby forest, overlooking the Academy and the rest of the Capital. The view differed much during the day, offering a panoramic view beyond the high rampart circling the Academy and the large sprawls of dwellings reaching far into the distance.

  Countless plumes of blackened smoke rose before dissipating into the sky as people below went about their day. Throughout the city were many markets where people peddled their wares, creating a web of sound that hovered over the large city, yet none of it ever reached Ethan. The forest was dead quiet; only the rustling of the leaves could be heard.

  Ethan lay on his back, feeling the soft touch of grass on his skin and the warm embrace of sunlight. He felt his anxiety slowly slip away, letting his fatigue drain from his body, yet his mind still turned, rejecting the embrace of sleep.

  Are spirits the only ones able to manipulate mana? Is there no other way?

  But despite his mind's objections, his body began to reach its limit. He felt himself swim in and out of consciousness. His mind blurred to reality, unable to distinguish what was real or a mere dream. He felt himself blend into his surroundings, letting go of his hold over himself, and all that remained were primal desires, his yearning for magic.

  Suddenly, he felt something shift, like a new world opened. Without the holds of rationality, his mind became free to exercise its will over his universe. The surrounding mana began to shift, pooling around him as if he stood in the middle of a vortex, his gravity siphoning everything into his core.

  He felt the mana density in his surroundings decrease as it all pooled into his flesh, swimming through his veins. However, it was barred entry into his heart: the receptacle where every mage's mana reserves were located. It felt as if there was an impenetrable wall between the two as if the mana on each side rejected the other, and yet, the surrounding mana still tried to force its way in, even if it had to destroy Ethan's heart in the process.

  Slowly, the pressure mounted, as did the pain. Soon enough, Ethan rose back to a seated position, sweat dripping from his pores as he clutched his chest with both hands, trying to suppress the pain. He felt his heart thump into his chest, threatening to rip itself apart.

  His face turned red as the blood flow increased, and a single prominent vein appeared on the side of his head, ready to explode. A cry emerged from his open mouth, disturbing the serenity of the isolated clearing, only for avian wildlife to take to the sky in fright.

  This cry did nothing to alleviate his situation. If anything, he only felt it made it worse. Instead, Ethan gritted his teeth, trying to flush the foreign mana from his system. His method was crude; he could only do the same thing that landed him in this position but in reverse. Fortunately, it seemed to work.

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  The foreign mana was slowly leaving him, returning to the world outside. After a few minutes of strenuous efforts, the worst had passed, and calm had returned. Ethan let himself fall on his back, his chest heaving up and down, his sweat drying under the sun's heat.

  What just happened? Did I unconsciously try to absorb mana? It seems another impossible thing has just happened...

  Ethan needed a few more minutes to regain calm and assess his current situation. Something extraordinary had just happened—something mostly out of his control. He had only wished he could use magic, and in his state of semi-unconsciousness, it seemed his mind had tried to grant that wish, no matter how dangerous it might have been.

  Still, it’s not all bad. This just proved I can manipulate mana. As for how to do it... I have no idea.

  Steeling himself, Ethan tried to recreate the process, allowing the surrounding mana to infiltrate his body, yet for minutes on end, nothing moved. But, just as he was about to give up, he felt his mind shift, as did a small amount of mana.

  It paled compared to what happened some time prior, yet it was a start. The amount of mana he could shift was negligible—almost nothing—yet it was infinitely more than others could do. After all, the ability to affect mana was a realm reserved only for spirit. The fact he could even affect the surrounding mana already made him a freak.

  What’s happening? There must be a precedent for this. There’s just no way for humans to suddenly gain the ability to affect mana like a spirit would...

  Ethan rose and bolted toward the library, speeding through the overgrown forest like a swallow mid-flight, barely avoiding collision with the countless branches barring his path. There was a singular preposterous thought in his mind he needed to confirm, and he knew only one person who could give him the answer he sought.

  Despite this being one of the few rest days for the Academy, most of the personnel were still hard at work. The training grounds were full of eager students getting accustomed to what their spirits could do. Some of the more advanced ones sought to reduce mana expenditure or to concentrate their output further.

  Within the structure, countless researchers were hard at work, working on many theses that could one day help the Empire further tighten its hold on the continent. There were many fields of study, from the origins of the spirit realm to the creation of mana, but also the most important one, receiving the most funding from the Empire: how to allow mages to increase their mana capacity.

  Had Ethan been given the choice, he wished to be one of them, delving into the depths of magic, uncovering all its minutia. However, his shortcomings left him unable to do so, but now, he finally had the chance. However, he knew that none of them would take his theories seriously unless he disclosed his secrets.

  No, there was only one man Ethan could rely upon for his knowledge, even if he wished he didn't have to. Even if Ethan possessed theoretical knowledge—having perused countless books—he still lacked experience. He needed the opinion of a proper mage.

  Ethan burst through the threshold of the Endless Library, ignoring all those who turned his way. He now stood within the Grand Atrium, a place where students could borrow books to read. There were countless tables scattered around the place, allowing more than a hundred students to sit at once. Still, not many were occupied, as most students preferred practical experience over theoretical one.

  From the recess of his robes, Ethan retrieved a badge. It began to glow, showing a path of light on the ground, which Ethan followed rapidly. The path led him along countless bookcases, swerving left and right as if amid a labyrinth. He could feel the gaze of the green being overhead, constantly watching him, yet he ignored it, his destination soon upon him.

  Finally, he arrived at a secluded corner of the Endless Library. There were no signs of life, only a dark void beyond, except for a single man asleep, buried under a mountain of books.

  “Head Librarian!” Ethan exclaimed, slightly out of breath as he began to dig into the pile. “What happened here?”

  However, Ethan was offered no response. Still, he could see the pile slowly move up and down, its rhythm constant. The more he dug, the more books fell back onto the pile. Frustrated, Ethan glanced above, only to see the green spirit hover over them. If not for its lack of facial features, Ethan could swear he had seen it giggle to itself.

  “I know you’re watching,” Ethan said, his voice now much calmer. “Mind offering a little help?”

  Ethan heard gentle laughter ride the wind slightly before a violent gale blew through the narrow hallways. The gale picked up the countless dusty books scattered on the ground before shuttling them away, leaving only the Head Librarian asleep on the floor.

  Still, the wind wasn't over. Instead, Ethan felt it become increasingly colder, as if it originated deep up north. Even under his many layers of clothing, Ethan couldn't help but shiver—so much so that a slight white breath was continuously exhaled.

  The man, too, shivered as the green outline clung to his neck, only to awaken shortly after, bewildered and confused by the shift in weather. However, before he could express his doubts, the weather returned to normal, and the wind ceased to blow as if nothing had happened.

  “Ethan... is that you?” the man asked, still drowsy. “What happened?”

  "I should be the one to ask you," Ethan replied, ignoring the spirit trying to taunt him with its gaze. "I found you buried. Thankfully, Sylph was there to help."

  “What a shame,” the man said, rising to his feet as he dusted his robes. “It was cozy under there.”

  Ethan's expression couldn't help but twitch, yet he reigned his emotions in. He couldn't let this man's flow distract him from what he came here to ask.

  “I have some questions,” Ethan said.

  The man was silent, observing him, yet Ethan remained calm, unwilling to betray the eagerness for an answer he felt deep inside. He knew that if he were to show as much, that man would no doubt wish to take advantage of it.

  "That's unlike you," the man finally said. "Is it something you cannot find within this Endless Library?"

  “Theoretical knowledge can only get me so far. I need someone with experience.”

  “So you came to me? I must say I’m honoured. It must be important if you chose to swallow your pride.”

  "It is," Ethan replied, his tone steady and expression a mask of seriousness.

  The man was taken aback, and his lackadaisical expression vanished, replaced with an equal seriousness.

  “Ask,” was all he said.

  “Has there ever been any research in the creation of artificial spirits?”