I sat cross-legged on the floor of room 401, watching Genta's demonstration with keen interest. My porcelain fingers traced the diagrams in the elementary magic textbook spread before me.

"Look at this." Genta cupped her hands, summoning a perfect sphere of fire that cast dancing shadows across her green skin. The flame reflected in her yellow eyes before she quickly extinguished it. "And they still won't let me take anything beyond Basic Spell Crafting!"

These rankings are ridiculous, I projected into their minds. Your skill level clearly exceeds basic courses.

On the worn couch behind us, Loland's copper scales gleamed in the afternoon light as he dozed. His chest rose and fell with steady breaths, a small smile playing across his reptilian features. As a fourth-year student, he'd already suffered through all the remedial magic courses C-ranks were forced to take.

Eyarna adjusted her round spectacles, her long black braid falling forward as she leaned over her own textbook. "At least you guys get to take combat classes. All my courses are standard for the non-combatant third-year curriculum." Her small tusks peeked out as she smiled. "Though I do get to focus on enchantment."

"Which you excel at," Genta pointed out. She gestured at the flame-marked page in my book. "Meanwhile, I'm stuck learning how to create sparks when I can already conjure fireballs."

I observed how naturally magic came to them both: Genta with her combat spells, Eyarna with her enchantments. My own attempts at channeling mana remained frustratingly limited to what I could absorb through my organic parts.

Show me that fire technique again, I requested. I want to analyze how you shape the mana.

Genta obliged, forming another sphere of flame before quickly snuffing it out. "Can't risk setting anything on fire in here. The furniture's old enough to go up like kindling."

"By the way, Widow. How are your experiments going?" Eyarna asked, looking up from her textbook.

Badly, I projected with a mental sigh. I pulled out one of my remaining vials of alchemical coating, the liquid catching the light. I'm almost out, and I can't risk going back to the city for more.

"Because of the bounty hunters?" Genta's freckled nose wrinkled in concern.

Lyman wasn't bluffing about his father sending them. Who knows how many are waiting out there? I rolled the vial between my fingers. I've been trying to synthesize my own coating, but...

"Still having trouble with the magical theory?" Eyarna's voice held no judgment.

I don't understand any of it. I gestured at the basic spellcraft book. It's my worst subject. Nothing makes sense.

"Maybe that's the problem," Eyarna said, adjusting her glasses. "You're trying too hard to understand it. Stop overthinking and just... do it."

Her words sparked a memory of text I'd read in one of the countless spellcrafting books. The author wrote that "Knowledge is truth; magic is lies. The worst thing a practitioner of the magical arts can have is a rational mind. Whether he be a mighty mage or a brilliant artificer, all magicians know not to over think. Action is everything; when you wish to cast spells, leave your logic at the door."

How can I not think about it? I projected, frustration seeping into my mental voice. Nothing about magic follows any logical rules. The formulas contradict themselves. The theories have holes big enough to drive a wagon through.

"That's exactly why you're struggling," Genta said. "You keep trying to make it make sense."

But everything has rules, I projected, my mental voice tinged with exasperation. Water flows downhill because of gravity. Air currents move from high pressure to low pressure. An arrow's path follows the laws of motion. These are fundamental truths of our world.

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Genta shook her head, her dark green hair swaying. "Magic doesn't care about your rules."

I traced the metallic joints of the fingers on my right hand, watching how the afternoon light played off their surface. Every piece fit together in perfect mechanical harmony, following precise mathematical principles. Even my ability to create and modify these parts through Assembly relied on understanding the underlying physical properties of materials.

Then perhaps I've been approaching this entirely wrong, I projected, closing the magic tome with more force than necessary. The dusty volume made a satisfying thump.

"What do you mean?" Eyarna looked up from her own studies, glasses reflecting the light.

I'm trying to recreate magic when I should be finding a non-magical solution. I pulled out my last vial of alchemical coating, studying how the liquid caught the light. If I can't understand how magic channels mana through metal, maybe I can discover a mundane way to achieve the same result.

"But that's..." Genta started.

Impossible? No. Harder? Yes. I set the vial down carefully. It'll be difficult, but at least it would follow rules I can understand. Magic makes things simple for people; possibly too simple. Perhaps that is why no one else has discovered a mundane way to do so.

Since I can't do magic properly, I'll have to do things the difficult way.

Loland stirred on the couch, his copper scales catching the light as he shifted. "Sometimes the hardest path yields the most rewarding results."

I nodded in agreement. Better to work within my limitations than waste more time trying to comprehend something that, by your own admission, defies comprehension.

"Good luck with that," Genta said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. She flashed me a grin that showed off her pointed teeth.

"I hope you succeed," Eyarna added softly, her words carrying genuine warmth.

Loland stretched on the couch, his copper scales gleaming. "Pay no attention to Genta's cynicism. One should always pursue their dreams to the fullest extent."

Genta rolled her eyes at his pompous declaration.

"I saw that!" Loland's tail twitched in irritation. "You western barbarians have no appreciation for proper encouragement."

A wicked smile spread across Genta's face. She grabbed a piece of paper from her notes, crumpled it into a tight ball, and cupped it between her palms. Through my Mana Manipulation ability, I watched fascinated as she channeled mana into her hands, forming a concentrated bubble around the paper. The mana suddenly dispersed with a 'pop', launching the paper projectile straight at Loland's snout.

"Ow!" The kobold yelped, rubbing his nose. His eyes narrowed to slits. "You'll pay for that!"

He launched himself at Genta, tackling her to the floor. She burst out laughing as they wrestled, clearly enjoying Loland's outrage. The kobold's tail lashed back and forth while he tried to pin her down, but Genta easily kept him at bay, her combat training evident even in play.

I barely registered their roughhousing, my mind fixated on what I'd just witnessed. The way Genta had collected mana outside her body and used its dispersal as a propelling force opened up intriguing possibilities.

I reached down and separated the two, lifting Loland off Genta with my mechanical arm. The kobold huffed and returned to his perch on the couch, while Genta continued to laugh, wiping tears from her eyes.

What was that technique you just used with the paper? I projected into their minds.

"Huh?" Genta looked confused. "Oh, that? It's just basic mana manipulation. Kids do it all the time for fun."

How did you channel the mana outside your body?

"Same way you do when you absorb mana from the air," she said with a shrug. "Just in reverse."

I cupped my hands together, both organic and mechanical, focusing intently on the mana I'd collected in my chest. The energy felt like a cool pool nestled deep within what remained of my organic form. Drawing it out proved more challenging than using Blade Skill. Instead of channeling it into a weapon, I needed to push it through my palms and into the open air.

The first few attempts failed completely. The mana simply dispersed the moment it left my body, dissipating like smoke in a strong breeze.

"You're losing control too quickly," Genta said, leaning forward to watch. "The mana is still yours for a few seconds after it leaves you. Focus on maintaining that connection."

I tried again, this time keeping my attention fixed on the mana as it emerged from my palms. To my surprise, I could still feel it, like a gossamer thread of connection that let me guide the energy even after it had left my body.

Slowly, carefully, I began gathering the expelled mana into a concentrated point between my hands. More and more energy flowed from my reserves, collecting in an ever-denser sphere. A faint bluish glow materialized in the cup of my palms.

The gathered mana suddenly reached a critical point. With a sharp pop, it burst outward in a rush of displaced air. Papers scattered from the nearby desk, flying in all directions.

A laugh escaped me, the musical chime one of pure delight at this small success. The sensation had been extraordinary.

Genta rolled her eyes. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, but this is just basic mana manipulation. It's not even real spellcasting."

I barely heard her words, my mind already racing with possibilities. This simple technique of gathering and releasing concentrated mana could have so many applications, especially when combined with my mechanical components.

I thought to the small piece of paper that Genta had launched at Loland. It was tiny and light, but had traveled at such a tremendous speed. If a piece of paper could be propelled at such velocities, what else could be launched at even higher speeds when more energy was used?

I grinned at the possibilities.

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