"You don't know how to read, right?"

Link.

This is what I call my mana thread ability, which connects one ear to another. This world has mobile phones, so this ability seems useless. Of course, I know that.

The book that the teacher gives me contains lots of skills related to Mana Manipulation Skill, and this Mana Thread Ability is one of them.

Although this ability seems useless for general use, it is best for spy work. At spy work, using my mana thread communication is a lot safer, easier, and faster.

However, this is just the start of the Mana Thread Ability. The second stage of this ability is to understand the other side of the person's body.

In simple words, if I attach this thread to someone, then I know about that person's body. Their gender, age, blood group, if they have any hidden injury, and if I work hard, then I might even be able to read their heartbeat, which lets me know if another person is lying or not.

This is the second stage of the Mana Thread Ability, and there are some more stages, and once I master this ability, I can even control a person. By attaching my Mana Thread, I can manipulate that person's mind or directly control their body.

If I learn to control mana from my environment, then in the future, I can even control the whole world.

This is how powerful this Mana Thread Ability is, but it's not like this ability is overpowered. I can't control people who are stronger than me, although using this ability, I can slow them down a bit but other than slowing down, I can't do anything else.

The people who are the same rank as me, well, for them, I can only slow them down or restrict some of their movements. Otherwise, I can't do anything.

However, if I fight against someone in a populated place, then I can control those who are weaker than me and attack my enemy with numbers, and if I'm against so many enemies that are weaker than me, then they are defeated in an instant.

So, this ability is powerful but still not in a category that can be called a cheat ability.

After that, I work more on My Mana Thread Ability, and everyone in the class works on improving themselves. There are some who don't understand, so they went to the teacher, and the teacher guides them, while some go outside in the field to try powerful moves.

Well, it's still a week before anything happens at the academy.

"Devin..."

I hear a soft voice. I turn and look at Yumi.

"Yes?"

"Do you know how to read this?" Yumi asks me as she points at something in her book.

I look at the book, and my eyes open in surprise. Because it's been three hours since she got the book, but she is still on the second page. She doesn't know how to read? Well, considering her background and how she becomes an S Class student, it is reasonable she doesn't know how to read, but hey, Teacher, at least you should teach this girl reading first before going straight to training.

"Yumi... you don't know how to read, right?"

"Um... a... Y-Yes," She lowers her head in shame.

"Okay, just leave this training program for now, first let me teach you how to read," I say to her and decide to teach her reading, which is obviously going to make her better and my relationship closer.

"No... you don't have to take out your personal time for me," Yumi shakes her head and says.

"Don't worry, let's go," I say to her and get my things in the bag.

"No, Devin..." Yumi tries to refuse, but I don't let her and pack her things, which is only one book given to her by the teacher.

"Where are we going?" Yumi asks as we come out from the academy.

The teacher gives us full freedom of how we want to train and what we want to do, so even if going home in the middle of class isn't a problem.

"My home... I'm getting hungry, so let's go home and I will teach you there, and let me tell you that my aunt makes the best pancake in the world," I tell her about my aunt's cooking, which is the best in the whole world.

It's good that Yumi is just like a teacher who trusts her intuition. Otherwise, I doubt a girl will go to a boy's house just knowing him for the day.

Well, I have good intentions, so of course, her intuition must be telling her that it's safe to go with me.

As we are walking, I can see the question in her eyes, hidden behind a veil of shyness. Her lips part as if to speak but then close again. She looks down, her face flushed. Her natural timidity holds her back. I can't believe how this girl will become one of the women that the whole devil race just pee their pants by hearing her name.

In the novel, I saw that transformation of hers, as how Ava and Elmer grow through the death of Ava's mother and Elmer's Master, which means our teacher. Yumi, also grows into that fearful woman through the death of her loved one.

Now I'm thinking that no matter what happens, I won't let my aunt die. It's the same for the teacher, although I can't do much about the teacher's death. There is a ninety percent chance that I can't stop his death, but it doesn't mean I will let it happen.

I do everything it takes to save him, but then in that way, I'm hindering the growth of Elmer and Ava.

I just can't leave it. For my aunt, whatever it takes, I will save her but for the teacher... When I know that he is going to die, I just can't leave it alone, and I do whatever I can to save him. If he doesn't die, then good, and if he dies, well, I did my best.

But just like how the teacher is for Elmer's growth, My aunt is for Ava's growth, and Yumi also has a person close to her who is going to die.

Now should I save that person or not?

"Devin."

I look at Yumi, and she gathers her courage to ask a question she wants to ask.

"Don't you feel strange? that I can't read." She looks at me for an answer, and I just smile at her and say,

"I respect our teacher and if he decides to let you in S Class, then it means you have potential, it's strange you don't know how to read but you can learn it in a few days." I say to her with a smile.

She seems puzzled, still not understanding my reasoning but doesn't question much. Well, I can't even understand myself. I just said what came to mind.