Chapter 30: Idle Days in the Tower


    The sun hung high in the sky, casting its warm light through the towering, arched windows of the gifted recruits'' common area. The room was grand, with high ceilings supported by intricate stone pillars, their surfaces etched with magical runes that softly pulsed, giving the space an otherworldly glow. The large windows framed a view of the Tower’s grounds, where the vast expanse of the surrounding forest stretched out toward the horizon, the tops of the trees swaying gently in the afternoon breeze.


    Ronald leaned back in his cushioned chair, upholstered in soft, dark fabric that contrasted with the cold, polished stone beneath his feet. The air in the common area was light, tinged with the scent of freshly brewed tea and the faint hum of distant conversations. A few other gifted recruits lounged around the room, their voices blending into the background, while others sat alone, lost in their studies or daydreams. Today was another free day—no classes, no tasks, and no obligations. As gifted recruits, there was little pressure to do anything beyond honing their natural abilities. The freedom felt luxurious, but at times, it was a reminder of the subtle distance growing between him and those who weren’t as fortunate.


    Across from him sat Edmund, the ever-cocky and brash recruit. He absentmindedly caressed a small glass bottle with a wooden cork, the strange, gaseous liquid inside swirling lazily like a storm trapped in a jar. The light from the window hit the bottle just right, causing the liquid to shimmer in shades of amber and gold. Nearby, Tina perched on the edge of her seat, swirling a cup of tea in her hands, the gentle clink of ceramic breaking the silence.


    “You know,” Edmund started, turning the glass bottle between his fingers, “being a gifted here is so much better than being an aristocrat out in the mundane world. Think about it—free room, free meals, and we get to learn magic that makes us more powerful than any noble could dream of.” He grinned, holding the bottle up as the light refracted through the swirling liquid. “Even the nobles with all their wealth can’t touch this.”


    Tina laughed softly, nodding in agreement as she leaned back in her chair. “It’s true. Knowing magic puts us on a different level. We’re above normal people. Even the non-gifted recruits here, as much as they struggle, will never reach where we are.” Her words were light, but there was a certain edge to them, a casual dismissal that made Ronald’s stomach twist slightly. He shifted in his seat, glancing around the room as if searching for something to distract him from the discomfort settling in his chest. He felt like a hypocrite for being with these people, however, the world had blessed him with this gift, should he really be ashamed?


    The gifted had their own floor in the Stone Tower—a private, privileged space far from the more crowded quarters of the non-gifted recruits. The common area, with its expansive view and elegant furnishings, was a constant reminder of the divide between the two groups. While the non-gifted recruits scrambled for contribution points, fighting for progress and survival, the gifted were free to focus on learning, developing, and choosing their paths. Everything was provided for them, from meals to access to rare materials and texts. It was a life of luxury compared to the hustle and strain of the non-gifted, and Ronald couldn’t help but feel the weight of that disparity.


    He thought back to his earlier days before his magical potential had been recognized. Back then, he’d had friends among the non-gifted, people he had shared stories, dreams, and laughs with. But since joining the ranks of the gifted, the unspoken rule had become clear—don’t mingle with the non-gifted unless necessary. It wasn’t official, but it was there, an unspoken boundary reinforced by the other gifted of the Tower. Ronald hadn’t seen his old friends in some time. He often wondered what they were up to, and how they were managing, but shame held him back from seeking them out. His status, his new life, separated him from them now, and the guilt of it gnawed at him in quiet moments like this. But the guilt would often turn into anger as he believed just feeling this way because he was gifted was unfair and something he shouldn''t be proud of. He would often think; I''ve had friends that were left behind, I can''t be brought down with those meant to die on the inner perimeter trying to learn about mana, whilst I''m meant for greatness blessed by the world itself.


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    “I feel like I’m getting close to sensing mana,” Tina’s voice broke through his thoughts, filled with excitement. “I’ve been practicing the meditations, and I can almost feel it... like a distant hum beneath everything.”


    Edmund smirked, rolling the strange bottle between his hands. “I’ve sensed flickers of it,” he said, his tone cocky but casual. “Not much, just hints. It''s always just out of reach, though—like trying to grab something through a fog.”


    Tina’s eyes widened. “You’ve actually sensed it?” she asked, clearly impressed.


    Ronald leaned forward slightly, intrigued. “What did it feel like?”


    Edmund grinned, clearly relishing the attention. “Warm. It’s hard to describe, but I’d say it felt like an orange glow, just out of reach. It was there for a second, and then… gone.”


    Ronald nodded, his mind turning. “That makes sense,” he said. “What you sense is tied to your affinity. With your fire affinity, it’s not surprising that you’d experience something warm and orange. For someone with a water affinity, it might feel cooler or softer, like a blue current.”


    Edmund tilted his head thoughtfully, his fingers absently caressing the cork of the strange glass bottle in his hand. “So, because you’ve got a water affinity, you should be expecting something blue and calm, right?”


    Ronald shrugged. “Something like that. Each affinity manifests differently, but we won’t know for sure until we can actually control mana.”


    Tina chimed in, her eyes alight with curiosity. “I’ve been thinking about my earth affinity lately,” she said. “There’s this recruit, Tobias. He’s been using his wind affinity to create wind daggers and even lighten his body to move faster. He’s becoming a real stealthy type. I was thinking about focusing my path on something similar, but using earth—enhancing my strength, endurance, maybe even fortifying my body.”


    Edmund’s eyebrows rose in interest. “That Tobias guy, yeah, I’ve heard about him. He’s on his way to something big. As for me,” he said, tapping the glass bottle lightly, “I’m doing some research on flame familiars. That’s the path I want to take. Once I can sense mana properly, I’m hoping to shape it into something alive—something that can fight alongside me.”


    Tina smiled. “That’s interesting. I’ve been inspired by Tobias too. I think focusing on enhancing my body is the way to go, especially with an earth affinity. It just makes sense.”


    Ronald nodded along with the conversation, but inside, he felt a growing unease. Edmund and Tina were so confident in their paths, so sure of what they wanted to pursue. But for him, the path forward wasn’t so clear. He knew he had an affinity for water, but the exact direction he wanted to take remained elusive. Should he focus on healing, like some of the older gifted recruits? Or should he pursue something more offensive, like Edmund’s desire for a flame familiar? The options swirled in his mind, but none felt quite right.


    Just as he was about to voice his uncertainty, a voice called from the side. Another gifted recruit appeared, a tall boy with a sly smile and an easy air of confidence. He waved them over with a beckoning hand.


    “Hey, we’ve got some games going on in my room,” he said casually. “You guys in?”


    Edmund sat up, his face lighting up with interest. “Games? Sounds like fun,” he said, standing and pocketing the bottle. “I could use a break.”


    Tina grinned and set her tea aside. “I’m in.”


    Ronald hesitated for a moment, his earlier thoughts of uncertainty still lingering. But as Edmund and Tina moved toward the door, laughing and chatting about which games to play, he decided to let his concerns fade for the time being. There would be plenty of time to figure out his path, but for now, a distraction didn’t seem so bad.


    With a small smile, Ronald stood and followed the others out of the common area. As they passed through the grand stone arches leading to the hallway, the laughter of the gifted recruits echoed softly, their voices blending into the quiet hum of the Tower. For now, the weight of future decisions could wait.