Baam!
Lloyd managed to pull one of the books down from the shelf, using a broom he had picked up from the side of the room.
The sound of the book slamming against the ground was rather loud, but it didn't seem to wake his parents.
With the book now on a surface he could reach, Lloyd sat on the ground, his back resting against the wall with the hardcover book on his lap.
The book's cover depicted a circle with a snake's head emerging from it, circling a sword that was stabbed through the middle, the blade extending downward from the circle.
'The Book of Mana Manipulation and Convergence.'
Lloyd's eyes narrowed.
'Mana manipulation is a process where the user emits mana and skillfully controls the flow to form new circuits capable of both harnessing and converting mana into a magic source. Back when I was alive, I had 100,000 mana circuits in my body, making me not only an expert at magic but also an aether expert.'
Flip.
He opened the pages of the book.
'I've been studying my father for a while, and it was clear to see he fell under the aether group. Aethers, while not like mages who use mana convergence, are capable of drawing mana from their surroundings, using it to open stars that can operate just like mana circuits. The only problem here is, my father has only four stars awakened, and for some reason, he is considered the best warrior in this village.'
'Did the requirement drop? How can four stars be considered good? The hero Seraphina had fifty-five, while I was an exception, having both mana circuits and aether stars. I still managed to get forty aether stars during my glory days.'
Lloyd kept reading the book, learning and calculating all the knowledge he was gaining. Thanks to his knowledge from his previous life, he was capable of reading the language written in it.
Unlike when he was a demon, born with power he didn't have to work for, the human body was quite different. He had waited ten years, and yet, not a single mana circuit or aether star had appeared in his body.
Perhaps it was because he was human. This book was supposed to help with that; he would need to understand how the human body draws both aether energy and mana.
After a while of reading, Lloyd had finally gotten to the middle of the book.
'So that's how it works. I must say, it's rather interesting. I should try it.'
Sitting in a lotus pose, he pressed all five of his fingers against one another, closing his eyes as he entered deep concentration.
'First, I need to set a foundation to lure both aether and mana together. That means I need a magic circle to act as a gateway.'
Drawing on the bit of mana he could sense around him, Lloyd managed to activate a red magic circle under him.
The magic circle was bright enough to light up the room, so much so that the light slipped out from under the door. It was also pulsing with mana, sending red sparks flying around.
'This human body is rather fragile. Is it rejecting the use of magic circles? Performing magic without magic circles is simply an incomplete process. Wait, now that I think about it, Mother is a magic user as well, and not once have I seen her use magic circles.'
A slight frown appeared on his face as he kept drawing more mana from his surroundings. For hours, he remained in the library, meditating without taking a break, until finally—
Ting!
A single red dot glowed inside his body, close to his heart.
'I did it! I have a magic circuit!'
As soon as he realized this, he quickly unfolded his legs and fell onto his back. He panted desperately, trying to catch his breath.
'Dammit, this body can't live up to my expectations. I was only able to gather mana; any more and my heart would have been ripped out of my body. In any case, I have a good grasp of things now. With a mana circuit, I should be able to conjure minimal spells, at least until I strengthen this body.'
Slowly, Lloyd raised his hand to the ceiling. 'Humans, why are they so fragile? Even back then, they heavily depended on Seraphina. Strange.'
Using the last of his strength, he pushed himself up.
'I should head to bed now. I am exhausted.'
…
The following day—
"Mother, I would like to learn magic," confessed Lloyd, standing in front of his mother, who was just outside the front door with a basket of washed clothes in her hands.
Tilting her head to the side to see Lloyd's face clearly, she spoke. "Lloyd? What are you talking about, son? You are only ten. You still have about five years before we can be sure if you'll be a mage or a warrior."
Without saying a word, Lloyd pointed at his heart, allowing his single mana circuit to glow for his mother to see.
Taking note of this, Alice dropped the basket to the ground, shock evident on her face as she covered her mouth with her palms.
"No way, Lulu, y-you've awakened a mana circuit?"
Lloyd stood there, wearing an unimpressed expression.
"That is why I asked to be taught magic, you un—"
"Kyaaa~!"
Alice grabbed her son, hugging him as tightly as she could.
"My son is so impressive! Wait until your father hears about this! He didn't awaken his until he was eighteen. Hahaha, you're my baby boy!"
Lloyd could do nothing but wait as his mother rubbed her cheeks against his. Honestly, he found it rather annoying how easy it was to impress his parents.
'Sigh, this is going to be a while.'
Once Alice had gotten all the excitement out of her system, she told Lloyd to wait for her in the backyard while she went inside to get a spellbook.
By the time she was back outside, she handed him a notebook; it was old and obviously handwritten.
Then she told him, "Here, use this first. It has basic spells and nothing too complicated. Your father must have taught you how to read. My baby is such a genius."
'What is this abomination? Cease your tongue, Mother. How can you bring me spells meant for toddlers?'