Ipha had gifted me a magical focus to use in my own time. It's a dark blue orb, much like a crystal ball used by diviners in my old world. I wonder if magic was real there? But we never really had a need for magic. Technology had gone far enough with electrcity and computers to account for any needs humans had. I once couldn't imagine myself living without the conveniences of such tech. Decreasingly often now, I pat my pockets to check for my phone, though "Wren" has never had one. Altous is a large village with long bridges and wide platforms, and though the walks can be long, I've never needed for transportation. Even so, I wish I could make use of my knowledge from my past life her somehow. Things that are everyday tasks on Earth are completely irrelevant here, like knowing how to drive a car or how to operate machinery. Of course, it is not that such technology couldn't exist in this world. I just didn't know anything about the technology I interfaced with enough to replicate it here. Then what about knowledge of the universe? I have a general understanding of concepts like gravity and light, not to mention the ability to calculate math at a higher degree.
According to Ipha, Anima is the magic of movement. Mana is like a pure energy that can have attributes associated with them. That is to say, Mana that has the attribute of "Anima" exerts a force of movement on the world somehow. But Ipha doesn't just have the ability to create wind. She can heal and exorcise spirits and demons. Maybe my prior knowledge of "movement" is causing problems in imagining what a spell should do. For example, the spell in Manaspeak, "Tuhuini Solaris," is a minor grade spell that conjures a light source. From my own knowledge, I'm not sure how "movement" creates light. Importantly, Mana doesn't create any physical elements like fuel for burning. That must mean the "movement" that creates a glowing light is more sophisticated than I thought.
I'm able to conjure small gusts of air now, with the minor-grade chant "Tuhuini Aesus." It's easy to visualize it as an invisible fan pushing the air in a direction I like. For reference, the spell Ipha had me try to cast in the forest clearing, "Tuhuista Aesactus," was a major-grade variant. She really expected too much from me. For the time being, though, small gusts of wind are good enough. With my mentor's tutelage, I'm sure I'll figure things out in time. I never thought I would be able to do something as spectacular as casting magic. Mana is truly a fantastical concept. To people here, magic and casters alike are only a force of nature.
---
I've taken to sleeping in the afternoons. I have to be awake at night in order to take lessons from Ipha, but I also want to be awake in the day to spend time with Ren. We've hunted together in the woods. It's strange to me that we don't often eat meat in Altous. Ren and a couple other elves take on the role of hunters, but instead of taking the kills and processing them, the hunters give the corpses to a caravan that comes by often. They're the only other humans besides myself I have seen in this world. I've spent well over a year in this village, but there weren't any visitors from outside. I must have been an oddity for the elves here. The reason I mention this is the fact that the caravan also seems to be extremely wary of me. I would think seeing a fellow human would give us something to relate to. However, it seems that for whatever reason, they aren't too keen on socializing with me.
"What do they do for you that you hunt for them?" I look up at Ren, perched on a thick branch. He squints far out, then drops down to the ground.
"They're adventurers. Part of a human company. In exchange for meat, they put in a good word for Altous in the neighboring town."
"I didn't know there was a town nearby. What does putting in a good word do for Altous?" I follow his skulking steps, stopping as he does, in front of the clearing where I practice magic. A rather large horned rabbit is chewing on a fern. He takes the shortbow from his back.
"It keeps us safe from adventurers with ill intents. And it also keeps us in communication with the town through the company." He sinks to his knees, canting his bow. A clean draw and release. The horned rabbit couldn't even react to the arrow before its skull was pierced. I wonder how I managed to get a hit on Ren in our first encounter.
"Nice shot." I pull up a bag from my side, rushing toward the rabbit for collection. "By the way, is that really all they do? Having meat seems like such a luxury. Letting them have it for a few words of confidence seems like you're getting the worse end of the deal."
"There isn't much we can do about it anyways. The deal was made with disadvantage in mind. Elves aren't known for integrating with human society well. In any case, I'll take forgoing meat for peace over a conflict with our neighbors."
"Maybe I could talk to them and see what I can do?"
"I'm not too sure about that."
"Why not? Is it because I'm an outsider?"
"No, you're one of us now. Actually, the adventurers suspect you of stealing their business."
"Ah... they must assume that a human would not associate with the elves otherwise, right?" Ren nods in response.
"Wren, don't you have your own hometown? You probably can't remember it because of what happened to you, but there must be family waiting for you somewhere."
"...I've never thought about that. You're right. When I first came to, I remember a basket full of Manahearts near where I laid. I must have been a hunter of some kind." I scratch my head.
Though I don't know anything about this body's original owner and personality, the body itself was fit enough to be a variety of things.
"Maybe you were an adventurer. Humans are often associated with the guild's vast reach across the continent."
"I might be able to learn more about who I was if I go to a guild." I add. Though it is interesting to sate my curiosity, I've found a unique satisfaction living in this village that I've never felt before. It's difficult to find the courage to step out of this warm bubble and confront this body's identity. "But if I turn out to be a fugitive, I'm not sure I could accept it. Better to not know."
"Maybe you're right..." Ren sighs. He must have spent some time worrying about what kind of life my body has left behind. But I'm a different person from whoever was in this body. It's not my business. Yep. Not my business.