Caeden leaned back against the stone pillar, arms folding across his chest, but there was a quiet gleam to his expression—like someone still processing a private victory.
"I tried cultivating," he said, nodding toward the open air above the courtyard. "Just a bit. Couple of breaths. Felt… different."
Mireilla raised a brow. "Different how?"
Caeden exhaled, eyes narrowing in thought. "Like… the mana was watching me. Not resisting. Not guiding. Just... aware. I've never had that before. Where I'm from, you grip what you can and force it in. Here?" He shook his head. "It's like it wanted to see what I'd do with it first."
Mireilla let out a thoughtful hum. "That doesn't sound awful."
Caeden gave a half-smile, more thoughtful than amused. "It's probably just in my head. I mean, mana doesn't watch. Not really. But even if I'm wrong…" he exhaled slowly, "I could feel the difference. Just a few breaths, and I already felt clearer. Like it was cleaning me from the inside out."
