30 Chapter 30 Area Mana Control (1/2)

The next morning, Joseph started learning area mana control. It went poorly. First, he exuded mana particles from his entire body correctly, but he didn't control the flow rate, strength, or stability of the particles. He quickly became exhausted.

”It's very magical looking,” Stella said, hesitantly.

Ugh! No wonder the area spells take so much more magic!

During their dance instruction, he was having a terrible time. He was only able to pull through with Stella's support. She could tell just how tired he was after practicing the new sub-skill that day.

That evening, his sword practice almost killed him. It's a good thing Stella is strong for a girl. She had to almost carry him back. He didn't even get a bath. He just went straight to bed.

”Thank you, Stella,” he said, as he drifted off.

”Just try not to pa.s.s out tomorrow,” she said softly. ”You're heavy.”

When he woke after three hours of sleep, she was gone, but a steaming plate of food awaited him on his desk. She had obviously just been there. Shaking his head in amus.e.m.e.nt, he sat and wolfed the food down.

He made it 12 hours that day, after figuring out how to do a combination of focusing on making the mana particles stable, controlling the output, and adding circulation. When Stella came back to get him for supper that night, she paused after shutting the door behind her.

”It's beautiful,” she whispered.

He had been sitting there with his eyes closed as a field of s.h.i.+mmery particles slowly rotated around him.

He survived dancing and made it most of the way through sword fighting again. That night, he decided he needed a bath. Stella had him sit while she prepared the tub, being sure the water was the right temperature, before hesitating.

”You promise not to drown?” she asked, uncertainly.

”Are you going to help me bathe, if I say no?” he asked with a chuckle.

She turned bright red, and left with a huff, that caused him to laugh out loud.

”I'll be waiting at the door. If you're not done in ten minutes, I'm coming back in!” she almost growled.