It’s been about a day and I’m still so confused on what to do. This place is huge even with the tour I got I still get lost. I’m just walking around. That is when something came to mind.

Oh, I can start training, perfect! 

Changing into better attire I walked to the training field. It’s empty, as swords hang on the wall. The place looks like it has been unused for months. Looking around I find a place to sit. Sitting down I close my eyes. 

Breathing in I start looking for my mana core. It’s quiet as I slowly breathe in and out. Looking for my core was difficult like it wasn’t even there. Until I felt a soft pulse of mana coming from my head. 

Whispering to myself, “No.”

Why my head of all places? Isn’t mana formed from the heart?

Breathing out, I open my eyes. It's bright. 

I can’t force myself. I just have to start doing small tasks. I’ve never seen ANYONE with a mana core in their head from the start. I can’t be taking any risks in the unknown. 

Sighing I stand up walking back to my room. While walking I ran into Charlotte walking down the hall too.

When she sees me her smile brightens as she walks to me, waving her hand, “Hello Lady Pime! How are you feeling!”

Smiling to her I say, “Good! Oh, yeah thank you for explaining everything to me.” Bowing to her, she is shocked. 

“Oh! You don’t have to bow to me, I was just doing my job.” Waving her hands back and forth.

Why? I can’t believe how nice she is to someone she knows nothing about. I don’t deserve this type of love from a stranger.

“Sorry for bowing, I just can’t treat you like I’m above you. I would never stand by that.”

As I look at her, her smile grows bigger. Like this was a test…

I smile back to her after a few seconds and say, “I do have a question…”

“What is it?” Tilting her head.

“Is there any possibility I can help with anything requiring small usages of mana?”

As she thought about what requires small usages I stood there in silence.

Lifting her finger up she blurts out, “Cooking! Yeah that is great for mana usage!”

What, cooking? What would need mana?

“Cooking requires mana?”

Lifting her finger, “One, some people cook with mana in the demon kingdom to improve the quality of the food.” Lifting a second finger she says, “Two, to infuse their mana into the food for healing because us demons have different bodies from humans. So we CANNOT get healed from spells but from things infused with mana. Demons heal over time because of mana so if they eat things infused with mana they heal faster.” Pinching her fingers together she explains more,  “There are also a very small group of people that can infuse mana directly into people but this is not common as many don’t know how to actually do this properly. Most times if people try this they would just kill the person. So we figured out how to infuse food, clothes, drinks, and so forth to work better than trying to train people due to how long it actually takes.”

Listening to her explain this something clicked… Wait, that is why demons like the one that killed me didn’t cast healing spells. That is also why demons don’t die easily. It’s the mana core. It’s their life like a heart to a human. How? How could they never teach us this? Did they also not know? How though we have fought them for so long? 

As I got clouded by my thoughts a loud clap rings through me. It’s Charlotte as she giggles seeing me shocked. 

“No need to think so hard on this.” Smiling to me.

Squinting my eyes at her I giggled as I asked, “Um, would it be possible if I could try and cook with the mana?” Looking around as I wait for a response.

Staring at me she smiles as she shakes her head yes. 

“Come with me, I’ll teach you how to infuse mana into the food!”

Getting into the kitchen it’s quiet as a table is covered in towels. 

A cold chill runs through the place as Charlotte runs to one of the tables as she grabs the towel and lifts it up. Underneath is a dozen or so of bread raising. 

As she shakes her hands at the bread she says, “Ta-da were making bread. It’s already been sitting so it's already ready and we can deal with this batch. The rest the chefs can do when they get here!

“Okay, first we wash our hands and make sure our clothes don’t get dirty.” As she walks to a barrel and washes her hands.

Wow, we barely cooked bread, often we just bought some. Due to the time it takes to make. Also we have nothing to bake the bread as a campfire would make it overcooked at the bottom and raw at the top. 

Finishing washing her hands I wash my hands. The water is cool as a shiver is sent up my arms.

It’s a refreshing wake up. Somehow…

“Okay! First, we will knead it once again and make it soft again for the mana transfer.”

I nod my head as I start to knead one of the pieces of bread. It’s very soft.

As I continue Charlotte looks over and then says, “Good job! Now we will start! First, concentrate. Dig deep and move your mana to your arms and out from your hands. Then, you're done! You infused mana into food!”

… 

Charlotte lied to me… 

This is so difficult to do!

Trying over and over again. I just can’t move my mana out of my body. How do I do this?

Looking over to Charlotte she is already looking at me. It’s like she's studying me.

Looking at her I ask her embarrassed, “Um, Charlotte I don’t think I can do this.”

Smiling to her in defeat. She looks at me squinting her eyes before blurting out right, “Something is wrong with your mana. It’s different. Like it feels more like the basics of mana are different than what everyone else's mana I’ve seen looks like. Also, the placement, this is weird to put it lightly.” 

Hearing her words I felt a dread run over me. How? No. Mana basics should not do this even if demons and humans are different. Like there ARE different types like healing and out right power but, the basic formation? I know the place is weird but the basic mana itself? 

“H-how. How is it different?” I looked at her with pain in my eyes. 

She looks around trying to find the words, “Um, from what I see right now it’s one I’ve never seen before. It changed, is how I would put it, when I first met you it was not how it is now. But, more of a spirit, to put it words. I'm not sure what to say.” Scratching her head in confusion. 

I look around in panic, feeling my breathing become unsteady.

Before anything happened a voice cut through the panic, “Charlotte. What is going on?”

Turning around, a tall man stands at the doorway. 

“Um, my lord, lady Pime has a different formation of mana. Like one with a spirit.”

Wait. My lord? This is the demon king?

“Interesting.” 

What. Interesting?

As he walks toward us he stands right in front of me. Staring at me, his eyes look like those of snake eyes. As horns grew from his left side of his head. With long white hair. 

Looking at his face it grew closer, before I could pull back he poked my head with his finger. 

“What was that fo- AH!” 

A sharp pain ran through my body.

 It feels like I’m getting stabbed.

The pain doesn’t stop as I collapse to the ground. I can’t move my body. I can only turn my eyes to Charlotte. She looks at me with pain in her eyes as she looks away. 

My vision fades away as my mind becomes fuzzy. It feels like I'm losing my memories…

After Pime faints…

Saul looks at me with no reaction. Before saying a monotone voice, “Charlotte move the body to a room and say she passed out.”

As he walks to the door, dismissing himself.

Watching him walk off my anger grows, “My Lord.”

Turning to me I stare at him in disappointment. “What are you even trying to do? YOU COULD HAVE KILLED HER.” Walking up I hit his chest as he faltered back. 

Answering me he says, “I was just moving the mana away from her head before it got too strong. I also removed her memories from today.” 

Hearing his words I stare at him with a cold expression as I see him get uncomfortable. 

“My lord I know you are trying to do what's best but this was too much. If this happens again I’m going to not let this go easily. Treat people like people. ASK NEXT TIME! SHE IS NOT STUPID.” As I slap my hands together.

He looks at me with a blank expression. 

He can’t be serious.

SLAP-

“Oops! My hand slipped!” Smiling to him as his right cheek is swollen.

He is shocked as he quickly turns to me.

“How could yo-

“Don’t test me. I won’t be too nice next time.”

He looks down at defeat as I walk past him. 

Rolling my eyes I whisper, “Unbelievable.”