It had been a week since Ellis was born into this world, and during the brief moments he was awake, he had tried to do many things.
First, he worked on getting accustomed to his new, frail body as much as possible.
Next, he tried to pick up the language from the small conversations the maids had around him.
And lastly—perhaps the most important of all—he tried to do something, anything, to prepare himself for the path of strength he would walk in the future.
Ellis decided that his first priority was mana!
As until the very last moment of his previous life, he had been unable to sense it… even though it was supposed to be his strongest attribute!
Ellis refused to let that happen again in this life!
Moreover, while mana wasn't his strongest attribute at the moment, it was still something he should excel at, especially with his Ephemeral Soul Genesis ability and his naturally high mana compared to his constitution.
Besides, if there was training that didn't require him to move his body, then why couldn't he do it?
With that thought in mind, he began his training… or so he was supposed to.
But he got stuck at the very first step- how was he even supposed to start?
Did he need some kind of active skill, a spell, magic… or something that actually used mana first before he could sense it?
But how was he supposed to get that now?
With no one around to ask, he had only one ally to rely on; Aurora!
[The existence of a skill is not a necessary condition for sensing mana.]
…Or so she said. But if he couldn't rely on a skill, then how was he supposed to start?
Once again, he asked Aurora.
But then again… what was she, really?
A one-of-a-kind manager for his system! A kind of authority with self-awareness, according to her own explanation! Then how could she possibly know how mana worked?
He was just about to feel disappointed when, suddenly, she said she would try to re-browse the records still intact from the Twilight Codex.
And while she didn't give any particularly useful advice afterward, she did give him a lead… and that was concentration!
To try and feel his body—since mana was naturally there.
But the moment concentration was brought up, the next thing that came to Ellis's mind was a clear state of mind… and following that?
The famous meditation!
Through it, he could achieve both.
But could he sit with crossed legs in his one-week-old body?
That was impossible!
So, Ellis thought of the next level beyond meditation—one where he could enter that clear-minded, highly concentrated state regardless of his position.
It was naturally much harder than meditating while sitting cross-legged, but it was still doable.
At the very least, he could try.
Better than doing nothing.
…Or so he thought.
But whenever he tried by closing his eyes…
He always ended up falling asleep!
So, while pondering a solution to his predicament, Ellis was suddenly distracted as a new maid entered the room.
He naturally didn't remember the face of every maid, but a beautiful one like this? If he had seen her before, he wouldn't have forgotten.
So, she was new.
She looked younger than the others—she couldn't have been more than twenty. Yet despite her age, she carried herself with an air of confidence.
Her beauty was distinct, refined in a way that made her stand out even more. She had sharp, elegant features, paired with a neutral, seemingly strict expression that gave off a sense of discipline.
Her hair, black as midnight, was made into a neat bun, adding to her vibe.
And after she said a few words, the other maids quickly gathered around her—some wearing a scoffing expression, while others exchanged uncertain glances. Moments later, more maids arrived from outside the room, their footsteps adding to the tension in the air.
When their numbers was more than ten, she finally began speaking.
Her speech, though short, seemed impactful.
And whatever she said… it wasn't good news.
Ellis could see it in their faces—the way their expressions subtly fell, the slight downturn of their lips, the quiet sighs that followed.
Then, just as quickly as they had gathered, they left the room one by one, no one saying a word in response to whatever she had said, their movements subdued.
Now, with only the two of them remaining, she turned to him.
With swift, measured steps, she approached, her movements fluid and graceful. Then, locking eyes with him, she finally spoke, "##### #### #####..."
After she finished her first sentence, she bowed her head, seemingly greeting him formally.
Then, she spoke again.
"##### Silas Ashveil."
"Silas Ashveil."
She repeated herself a few times—enough that even he, who didn't understand the language of this world, immediately grasped her intention.
She was telling him her name… but why?
Did she expect the "baby him" to understand or even remember it?
Moreover, her attitude was different from the other maids, who merely fed him before turning to their own devices, slacking off. The contrast was striking, and Ellis couldn't help but feel intrigued, wondering what kind of person the maid in front of him was.
A strange one, maybe?
Otherwise, why would she seriously greet a baby barely seven days old… right?
As he pondered the nature of the voluptuous maid with her notably large breasts standing before him, time passed, and in the end, he found himself drifting into sleep.