OBS Chapter 171 Mana Observation
Chapter 171 Mana Observation
What's going on?
Irina turned her head and saw a faint light gleaming in Sylvie's eyes, surrounded by a faint aura of magic. This timid healer actually succeeded on her first try? Irina's eyes widened in disbelief.
'She succeeded in one go?'
This scene surprised her. Even Irina herself, as one of the most talented mages in the world, had only mastered it after many attempts.
How could someone like that be overlooked?
Although the discovery slightly hurt her pride, what really intrigued Irina was not Sylvie's talent, but why someone so talented had gone unnoticed.
Someone with such talent should stand out, but Sylvie did not.
Was she just lying?
Irina narrowed her eyes, her mind filled with suspicion. This situation was highly suspicious; the Phoenix family's intelligence network would never have missed such a genius.
This means that Sylvie was likely lying in an attempt to get his attention.
'Does she think she can get my attention by doing this?'
Sylvie began to tense up as Irina secretly scrutinized her. She felt Irina's gaze and fidgeted nervously with her hands, avoiding eye contact with Irina.
“I…I’m sorry,” Sylvie stammered. “Did I…did I do something wrong?”
Sylvie's pride was already fragile, and this blow only made things worse; she thought Irina didn't approve of her. However, her vulnerability awakened a strange feeling within Irina.
'She doesn't seem to be lying. How could such an innocent girl lie?'
Seeing the uneasy Sylvie, Irina's heart melted, and she put her previous assumptions aside.
Irina reached out and gently patted Sylvie's shoulder. "No, Sylvie, you did very well. In fact, you surprised me. To be able to use magical observation on your first try is remarkable."
However, as they were talking, a pair of magical purple eyes noticed something different.
'As expected, Sylvie's power is immense.'
In this world filled with various powers, everyone who occupies a special position in the future possesses extraordinary abilities.
Especially the main characters in the game.
If Ethan is the hero who saves the world, then Sylvie is the one who makes him shine.
The future saintess.
Such a position cannot be filled by just anyone.
[The Powers of the First Lord]
This powerful characteristic both made Sylvie's life easier and presented her with greater challenges.
The challenge is that she has now become one of the biggest contenders for power in the world, and other power holders are bound to be aware of this and will try to seize that power.
What makes it easy for her is that, as one of the competitors, her unique characteristics give her an edge. Furthermore, she can now perceive magical power at will and make her will a reality.
This is the meaning of "power".
It can even influence other people's emotions and thoughts.
Just like what I see right now.
That tiny, shimmering halo is her defining characteristic.
My eyes have been enhanced by magic, allowing me to see different worlds. That's why I can see Sylvie's aura.
If I hadn't known beforehand that this was her power, I might have been influenced by her aura. Her aura makes others trust her naturally, as if they instinctively know that she is a pure person.
'But she doesn't yet know how to control her power.'
Even in the game, it took her a long time to master her powers. Considering that Sylvie has only been awakened for a week, it's normal that she's still unaware of the powers she possesses.
"What about you?"
As I pondered these thoughts, I suddenly heard Irina call my name. I turned to her and saw her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Have you mastered the method of magical observation?"
She looked at me with expectant eyes.
"No, I haven't figured it out yet," I replied casually.
How could I possibly tell her that I succeeded on my first try? I need to keep a low profile and avoid attracting too much attention.
[Insight and Perception] also applies to concepts and techniques. I can learn a lot through observation, especially techniques like mana observation.
When Irina used her magical observation technique, she concentrated her magic around her eyes, and I quickly grasped this by observing her. Combining this with what she had explained before, I easily mastered the technique.
'I only need to infuse my eyes with magic.'
I know it's easier said than done, but at this moment, I want to thank Senior Maya. She taught me how to naturally control my magic, laying the foundation for my future.
I would occasionally revisit those memories to ensure my body formed muscle memory. As a result, concentrating magic in specific locations became very easy for me, and thinking about it made me even more grateful for her teachings.
I never imagined I'd wasted so much time on this.
Since Ethan is not a mage and lacks magical abilities in the game, there isn't much explanation about his skills, and Mana Observation is basically a forgotten skill that the academy doesn't teach much about either.
Therefore, I am quite ignorant in this area, which limits my creativity.
'I'll study this carefully when I get back.'
Broadening my horizons is important to me so that I can make the most of every bit of my strength.
"Oh dear, Morse. Can't you see the invisible forces around you? It seems you still have a lot more practice to do."
'Um? '
Hearing her words, I felt a little embarrassed. Her tone reminded me that she came from an aristocratic family, a family with a long tradition.
What does she mean?
Seeing Irina's smug smile, I wanted to argue, but I held back.
'Never mind, this is the price to pay.'
"Ah."
I shrugged and replied in my usual indifferent tone.
"..."
Looking at Irina's expression, I noticed that she seemed to expect me to refute her, but she didn't expect me to accept the facts so easily, and her plan failed.
"Ahem... It's good that you understand."
"Yes, yes, Miss Mage, so what is our plan?"
Now that Sylvie could also use magical observation, Irina didn't want to waste any more time. She should be aware of the purpose of this training and why she was grouped with students like us.
Irina rolled her eyes, but a slight smile played on her lips.
“Then let’s not waste any more time. Let’s focus on finding the mana formula in the forest. Now that Sylvie has already mastered it, let’s search for the mana formula around us together.”
"I will do my best."
Sylvie seemed very sensitive to approval; when Irina spoke to her in a trusting tone, her attitude immediately changed.
'Should I observe from the shadows?'
This is a hypothetical situation, since words spoken cannot be changed.
"As for this useless guy, since he can't use magic to observe, let him go and scout. We still need to keep an eye on the other students."
'Tsk, crazy.'
Hearing her words, I couldn't help but curse inwardly.
But one thing is undeniable: she has changed.
Although the changes are slow, there has been progress. Irina went from having almost no understanding of teamwork and situational analysis to now being able to make rational decisions and lead a team.
'At least she met the minimum requirements for a leader.'
Moreover, leadership is not easy; a good leader needs to possess many qualities. But now, she has taken the first step.
Is there a problem?
'...Perhaps I should take back what I just said?'
As I watched her cross her arms, the thought flashed through my mind. I really wanted to see her proud expression crumble, but I'll save that for later.
"No."
"Very good, then we can begin."
And so, our group began to move forward in the forest.
......
After walking for a while, the forest began to reveal its secrets. Irina and Sylvie used their magical observation skills to observe the forest from the perspective of magic and mages.
“Is this what it feels like to observe with magical power?” Sylvie murmured, gazing at the forest in awe. Everything was so different from what she had seen before.
Even the trees possess unique magical powers, making the forest more vibrant and colorful than ever before.
"How do you feel?" Irina asked, a proud smile on her face. Even though Sylvie's talent allowed her to learn so quickly, at least she could be considered her teacher, right?
Sylvie was still amazed by the new perspective, nodding excitedly. "It's incredible, Irina. I never imagined that the magic in the forest could be so vibrant and diverse. It's like seeing the world through completely different eyes."
Irina chuckled, enjoying the genuine excitement in Sylvie's eyes. "That's the allure of magic for mages. It allows you to see the world in ways others can't. You'll find it's an invaluable skill, especially in our lives."
Sylvie's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Irina, have you always been able to see magic like this?"
"Well, you could say that. After I awakened, I was taught how to use magic to observe."
“Ah…right.” Sylvie remembered that Irina came from a famous mage family, and she understood that this was quite normal for Irina. “It must be amazing to learn something like this at such a young age.”
This was a naive statement from a girl who knew very little about the world. However, Irina's expression darkened for a moment, and a shadow crossed her face.
'...'
Mentioning her childhood stirred up memories she had been trying to avoid. The endless expectations, the relentless training, and the pressure to pursue excellence were all etched into her past.
“Yes, that’s great,” Irina replied, but with a hint of bitterness in her voice. She quickly masked it with a forced smile. “But not everyone starts like this, so it’s perfectly normal for you to be learning now. I would even say you have a real talent for it.”
Sylvie noticed the subtle change in Irina's attitude and realized she had inadvertently touched on a sensitive topic. After all, she could see other people's emotions, and Irina was clearly not in a good mood at the moment.
“Irina, I didn’t mean to…” She wanted to express her concern, but stopped when she saw Irina shake her head.
"No, it's okay, you don't need to apologize for it."
After he finished speaking, a brief silence ensued, making the atmosphere awkward.
"Are you done chatting?"
Until the guy behind me spoke up.
"what happened?"
Irina turned to look at Morse and saw that his purple eyes were flashing with magic.
'Um? '
"Now that you've finished talking, shouldn't we move on to our next target?"
It seems that even if he's not a monster like Sylvie, this guy isn't that bad.