My Crybaby Father is the Kingdom's Worst Villain
Chapter 32: Soul’s Mana.

Chapter 32: Soul’s Mana.

A few days later, in the early morning...

Luzia sat in the estate library, setting her quill down with a sigh. She had finished writing for the day. Sir Gregorio, standing nearby, picked up the parchment and scanned it.

"Your handwriting is improving," he noted with approval.

Luzia nodded but remained silent, her mind elsewhere. What did that memory mean? She knew Luzia had loved Ignacio, but the novel never mentioned if he loved her back. Then again, relying on the novel seems pointless now. I should focus on these fleeting memory fragments instead.

Gregorio’s keen eyes studied her face. "Something troubling you, Lady Luzia?"

"Nothing, Sir Gregorio," she replied, masking her unease.

Gregorio didn’t press further. Instead, he shifted gears. "If that’s the case, let’s proceed. We’ll begin mana training—but yours is... unique."

Luzia arched an eyebrow. "I thought you said I didn’t need to learn magic yet?"

"You’re not learning magic just yet," Gregorio clarified.

"Then what is this?" Luzia asked, her confusion growing.

Gregorio met her gaze. "You need to learn how to control your mana."

Luzia frowned. "Is something wrong with it?"

Gregorio hesitated, then muttered, "Luzia... your mana—it’s coming from your soul."

Luzia blinked. Isn’t that normal? "Is that... unusual?"

Gregorio pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling. "Yes. Mana gathers in the heart—that’s where it stabilizes, where the first magic circle forms. But when I first examined you, I noticed something strange. Your mana doesn’t settle. If your emotions get the better of you, it will become unstable."

His voice grew more serious. "Magic is tied to emotions, Luzia. That’s why the heart is so important—it contains and regulates mana. But yours... it’s different. If you lose control, it could consume you entirely."

Luzia’s stomach tightened. Emotions and magic go hand in hand? She had never considered that.

Gregorio studied her. "You have immense potential, but if you don’t stabilize your mana..."

"So, my mana isn’t settling where it should be?" Luzia summarized, her mind racing.

Gregorio nodded.

She clenched her fists. I can’t afford to miss this chance. Magic is power—and power is everything in this world. Determination flickered in her eyes.

She met Gregorio’s gaze. "Does my father know about this? And do you have a solution?"

Gregorio straightened. "Yes, he does. The first step is learning to redirect your mana. You must stabilize its flow."

"Then let’s begin," Luzia said, her resolve firm.

Gregorio gestured for Luzia to follow him as he walked toward a nearby corner of the library where several cushions were arranged on the floor. The room, with its high shelves filled with books on magic and arcane arts, seemed to be a perfect space for quiet meditation.

"Sit here," Gregorio instructed, motioning to the cushion in the center. "This is where we’ll begin. Focus is key, and that means minimal distractions."

Luzia sat down, her nerves tightening. She had no experience with magic, let alone this kind of strange mana that came from her soul. Still, there was no turning back. The stakes were high, and she couldn’t afford to fail.

"Close your eyes, and take a deep breath," Gregorio said, his voice calm and steady. "Inhale through your nose, hold it for a moment, and exhale through your mouth. Focus on the rhythm of your breath."

Luzia followed his instructions, the steady inhale and exhale calming her, but her thoughts kept drifting. Will this even work?

"Good. Now, I want you to visualize the flow of your mana," Gregorio continued. "But you must see it as separate from your emotions. Think of it as an raw energy inside of you. It is there, but you need to guide it. Picture it moving through your body, but rather than letting it rush through you recklessly, like it has been, you must direct it. Imagine it flowing into your heart."

Luzia frowned. Into my heart? She wasn’t sure how to picture it. She could feel the raw pulse of power inside her, but it felt so wild. She tried to focus, imagining the mana flowing into her heart, but it kept slipping through her mental grip, like sand through her fingers.

"Take your time, Lady Luzia," Gregorio encouraged, watching her closely. "Don’t force it. Be patient."

Luzia nodded, but her mind was far from calm. She could sense the mana within her, but it felt unruly, as if it had a will of its own. She envisioned it flowing through her veins, yet every attempt to guide it toward her heart was met with resistance. Instead, it veered off course, pooling elsewhere and sending sharp, almost painful throbs through her chest.

"Is it working?" she asked, forcing her voice to remain steady.

Gregorio watched her with quiet intensity, his expression unreadable. "Your mana is... resistant. It’s moving, but not where it should. It’s too chaotic."

’I knew it. Her case is indeed special...’ he thought. Gregorio studied her closely, his face calm, but his mind uneasy. She’s resisting it—but it’s resisting her, too. He had seen unstable mana before, but nothing quite like this. Mana from the soul was dangerous. And if left unchecked, it could consume the wielder entirely.

The last time he had encountered something even remotely similar... No. He pushed the memory aside. This wasn’t the same. He wouldn’t let it be. But if she failed to control it, if it consumed her... what would he have to do?

He didn’t let the thought take root. Not yet.

Luzia’s stomach sank. She felt the mana buzzing inside her, like a restless storm. The sensation was unnerving, almost as if the power within her was protesting the effort to control it.

"Do not panic," Gregorio advised gently. "It is normal for the first attempts to be difficult. Your mana is... different. You are attempting something few have ever faced."

Luzia tried again, focusing on her breathing, but each time she tried to guide the mana toward her heart, it seemed to slip away, becoming more erratic. The pulse of magic was growing stronger, but she couldn’t control it, and fear began to rise in her chest. Her emotions—anxiety, frustration—were only making it worse.

"Focus, Luzia. Clear your mind," Gregorio urged. "Your emotions are influencing your mana. Remember: this is not about force."

Luzia took another deep breath, her eyes still closed. She was frustrated—no, angry. Why couldn’t she do it? Why was this so hard?

Suddenly, A strange warmth spread through her chest, rising into her throat—burning and suffocating all at once. It wasn’t just inside her. The room itself felt different.

Then, like a dam breaking, the mana surged. A sharp, electric pulse rippled through her body, making her gasp. The floor beneath her trembled, books on nearby shelves rattling in their places. The flickering candlelight dimmed as if the mana itself was stealing the energy from the room.

She squeezed her eyes shut. Stop. Stop! But it wouldn’t listen. It wasn’t just unstable—it was a force separate from her, yet wholly a part of her.

Gregorio placed a firm hand on her shoulder, his mana radiating warmth, steadying her. "Calm yourself, Luzia," he said, his voice low but unwavering. "Your mana is not your enemy—but if you let it take control, it will become one."

Luzia opened her eyes, panting, her heart hammering in her chest. She had never felt power like that before. "I... I can’t do it," she admitted, feeling the weight of her failure.

Gregorio watched her closely. He had reassured her, told her this was a journey—but he knew the truth. Luzia’s mana was different. If she didn’t master it, it wouldn’t just consume her. It would destroy everything around her.

And he wasn’t sure if she could stop it in time.

Gregorio’s expression softened. "You’re not supposed to get it right on the first try. This is a process, a journey of learning. You must learn to control your emotions, to focus them, just as you must learn to guide your mana. The two are connected. If you don’t have control over yourself, you can’t have control over your magic."

Luzia nodded, though she still felt a lingering sense of inadequacy. "I understand. But... how do I do that?"

Gregorio sighed, his tone gentle but firm. "You will practice. Every day, we will work on stabilizing your mana, one step at a time. I won’t promise you it will be easy, but I will teach you to be patient. Magic is about balance, Luzia. You’ll get there."

Luzia felt a bit better, though she still felt the sting of failure. "Thank you, Sir Gregorio," she said, standing up. "I won’t give up."

Gregorio gave her a small, approving nod. "Good. It’s a long road ahead, but you’re on the right path. Remember, it’s not about perfection. It’s about progress."

Luzia smiled faintly. Progress, not perfection, she repeated to herself. It was a lesson that would take time to learn, but she had no choice but to keep going. She wouldn’t give up on this power—she couldn’t.