I opened my mouth and said, "So, Uncle, what do you have in store for us now that you've revealed the truth?"
"Well, for starters, you need a hell of a lot more training," Uncle Constantine replied.
With that, months passed. Instead of moving from inn to inn, we managed to find a place and settled in Lumina. However, something strange caught my attention—a detail I didn't overlook. The people here spoke the same language as us, but when they were among themselves, they used their own tongue. Something was clearly going on here. No language should be that widespread naturally. There were more mysteries to uncover, like why there was an Esturia crest in the capital when we first arrived about two years ago. That's not all. I'm curious why the Esturian language uses a Latin script, but it's completely different from the Luminans'—or Luminarians', to be exact—who, instead of using the same script, have a completely different one altogether. In fact, it's something I've never seen before.
But hey, it could just be a coincidence. After all, this world might not be that different from my old one and could just be an alternate reality where our nightmares and dreams coexist. Nah, that's far too simple. Whatever the case is, it's not the most pressing issue in my life right now.
One morning, Darius walked in on my training session. Uncle had been teaching me how to adapt to having no mana. The great thing about not having it is that I'm practically undetectable when it comes to using mana detection on me. The way mana detection works in this world is pretty simple: when you concentrate and close your eyes, you can see a person's aura and foresee their actions before they carry them out. It's practically impossible for people with said mana to attempt this because if the opponent is using the same skill, they both can see what the other will do at the same time. And there are more restrictions, which I haven't yet learnt, because Uncle keeps delaying the sessions.
To put it simply, I can see their actions before they actually perform them because their mana self, which is an exact replica of their physical self, shows the precise move they're about to make before they execute it.
Now, contrary to what I said, my ability doesn't actually mean that I'm one step ahead. Even though I can foresee the movement before it occurs, my body isn't able to react as quickly as my mind. So, Uncle has been helping me improve my physical prowess. The truth is, I may never be able to master this gift. Uncle himself added that There's a strong chance I'll never utilize it to its full potential. But that doesn't really matter. As long as I have a shot at this, that's what counts. That's what gives me hope.
When Darius saw this, he was confused as to why I had my eyes closed during the mock battle between me and Uncle.
Darius chuckled and asked, "Why are your eyes closed?"
I stood proudly and explained the whole methodology behind my training to him. At first, he didn't quite understand, but when I explained it in simpler terms, a look of intrigue appeared on his face.
He then shrugged it off, looked me in the eye, and said, "That's an impressive ability you have, but like you said, can your physical abilities match your foresight?"
Uncle stepped in and backed me up, remarking, "Your brother's tougher than he looks. I have faith that he'll be able to use it to its full capacity."
With Uncle's input, Darius had no more questions, but I could tell he was a little jealous. After all, his blessing combined with my ability would work wonders for him. I soon learned that my newfound power had some significant limitations. At first, I could only sense the mana in humans of this world. However, it became apparent that every living thing in this world has mana—even the plants. So, when I tried to focus solely on human mana, it would drain all my energy for the rest of the day. Uncle Constantine continued giving me the motivation I needed, but this was no gift. Nature has always found a way to balance things out. It's a simple law of this world and the one before.
Darius began trying to get my attention by waving his hand in front of my face. "You're spacing out again, Lucius..."
I nervously chuckled and replied, "Did I? There's been a lot on my mind recently."
We headed back inside. There were no chairs, so we all had to sit on the floor to eat. It wasn't the living standard I had grown up with, but I'm not the type to complain about things as minor as that, so I quickly adjusted.
With my mouth full of bread and water, I began to speak, much to the displeasure of my brother and Uncle. "I've wanted to ask this for a long time, Uncle—when will we learn to read and write?"
This took Constantine by surprise. It was most likely a question that had never crossed his mind. "Finish your food before you speak, but to answer your question, I haven't really thought about that. I can teach you, though."
Uncle Constantine, teaching us to read and write? He doesn't seem the type. No offense to him, of course. He's made the effort to raise us these past years in the best way possible, but he doesn't strike me as the type who's able to teach such a thing.
Uncle laughed and said, "I'm only kidding. There are tryouts in the capital of Esturia, but I have a different plan for both of you. there's a way I can get you both a scholarship, although it will be risky."
"How?" I asked.
"I've got connections, kiddo. How do you think I was able to fend for myself all these years?" Constantine remarked with a huge grin.
This was good news. We could actually infiltrate their society like this. It was most likely Uncle Constantine's plan from the start. I knew he wasn't just mindlessly dragging us around for years without having a proper plan in motion. If we think stragetically there's a way not only to get education but to also rescue our father from the clutches of these fiends. But that aside, this is possibly the greatest news I've heard in years. However, that's not all. I've always wanted to go to an elite academy, prove everyone wrong, and get myself a good-looking girl—you know, live that underdog-to-hero life. Man, oh man, this is like a book worm's dream, all those times I spent immersing myself into tales about a new world. Could actually prove to be quite useful. I need to get a hold of myself. I'm getting a little carried away with this.
But it does raise some questions. Who exactly are Uncle's connections? Are they reliable? What's their background? These aren't questions a normal 12-year-old should be asking, so I'm keeping them to myself. There's something about this world that just doesn't seem right to me, and I feel like there are outside influences contributing to that feeling. Until I find out what's going on, I'll be keeping my guard up.
Heading into enemy territory will be tough. If we blow our cover, our heads could end up on the public chopping block for everyone to see. And to be honest, I want to witness the corruption firsthand. I don't do well with secondhand sources. Uncle, although he's family, might be exaggerating or not telling me the whole truth. I need to be cautious now, or maybe I'm just being paranoid.
I'm sure Darius is probably thinking the same thing, but to a lesser extent. It was clear from his attitude when Uncle told us the background story of why our father was taken. There's always more to the story—the parts people try to hide to shield you from the cold truth. It's always been said that a white lie is better than an uncomfortable truth. I guess they were somewhat right. However, to move on and face something head-on, you need to be told what you aren't ready to hear.