After returning to the house, Zac headed straight to his bedroom. He had rearranged the room multiple times, so he quickly located a piece of paper and a writing utensil. The pen was a peculiar tool, resembling a long, transparent stick with a pointed end.
Finding it had been a challenge, but he succeeded. Using the pen required dragging it lightly across the page, which caused the ink to flow effortlessly. With everything ready, Zac began to write:
I need to focus on the basics of this world. First, I'll learn the culture to avoid offending anyone or causing trouble. Next, I'll master the writing system. I understand the language, but can't write it yet. Then, I'll study the currency. Knowing how money works here is crucial. If I can find some books, I'll search through them at night. Finally, after mastering these fundamentals, I'll dive into magic and figure out how to use my pure spell.
He stopped writing and stared at the paper. The text, written in English, gave him a sense of security, but choosing his native language ensured his thoughts remained private.
Zac set the pen down and leaned back in his chair.
After a few minutes of brainstorming, he wrapped up his writing. The plan was simple: get to know the world and avoid getting caught. He wasn't sure how to get caught, but he figured he could devise excuses on the fly if problems arose.
The sun still shone brightly, but drowsiness crept over him. He rubbed his eyes and stared out the window. The walls of his room, covered in a cheap, dirt-like material, contrasted sharply with the wooden interior of the rest of the house.
The inconsistency puzzled him. Why was his room made of low-quality material while the rest of the house used wood? Were they renovating? From the looks of it, that might be the case, but usually, parents would mention something like that, even if the child didn't ask.
Sleep began to take hold. At first, he fought it, but then he realized sleep might help him regain more memories. Resting his head on the desk, he let sleep claim him.
When Zac opened his eyes, he found himself in the same room. In the memory, Vonnegut sat at a desk, writing something. After finishing, he put away his pen, muttered a chant under his breath, and slashed forward with his wrist.
Nothing happened.
The memory faded, replaced by snippets of the world's history. However, much of it was muffled and unclear.
Damn, this kid was lazy, Zac thought. If he'd focused more on his studies, this wouldn't be such a pain. Half of these memories are foggy. I can't figure out how he acted around people or how he responded to different seasons. Would he get sick in the summer? Does he like the cold? Is he allergic to anything?
Frustrated, Zac sighed and woke up. Morning light streamed through the window.
His stomach growled. He got up from the desk and headed to the living room, where he found Quin seated and eating. Quin's light green eyes met Zac's nearly gray-blue ones.
Zac rubbed his belly and asked, "Is there anything to eat?"
Quin chuckled and pointed his fork at the table. There, Zac saw Maya finishing her meal.
When did they even get the chance to make this? Was it while I was in my room earlier?
Quin turned to Zac and said, "I heard you wanted to learn more about your pure spell. What changed?"
Zac hesitated before sighing and answering, "Well, I have a pure spell—an ability not many people have. It'd be a waste if I didn't use it, wouldn't it?"
He grabbed a fork and took a bite of the meal: an egg-like substance topped with a strange black sauce. Beneath it lay white bread coated in green oil. The taste surprised him—it was much better than he'd expected.
Looks like this world has decent seasoning. At least I won't have to invent anything myself.
Quin laughed suddenly, startling Zac. "Great! I'm glad you're finally coming out of your shell. This is a good chance for me to teach you aura control. There's no better teacher than me! We can start tomorrow during the hunting event."
Quin turned to Maya, his tone softening. "We can also schedule some classes with Miss Cecelia. She's the best mana user in the village, so teaching him won't take long. What do you think?"
Maya finished her meal, pushed her plate aside, and gave Zac a serious look that made him want to look away.
"How serious are you?" she asked.
The question caught Zac off guard. After a moment, he realized what she meant and replied, "I'm very serious. It won't be like last time. I'll stay dedicated to learning mana."
Maya gathered her plate and stood up. "I'll test your dedication after Miss Cecelia finishes teaching you. If you fail, I won't let you take the test."
She walked into the kitchen to wash her dishes.
Zac turned to Quin. "This test… what was it again?"
Zac smirked internally. _Maya's words revealed a lot. Their son is a lazy bum who does nothing. She must've decided to make me learn mana even if I didn't want to. Asking about the test now won't seem out of place, given how much of a slacker their son was._