Uninvited Existence

"There we go."

The words slipped out, barely above a whisper, but they carried weight.

With this breakthrough, the pieces were finally starting to come together.

In my hands now rested something unseen, something beyond the grasp of naked eyes: an oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms I had created earlier.

The idea of bonding them together filled me with anticipation.

'Let's see if this works.'

I closed my eyes for a moment, centering myself. Just as I had imagined the particles merging to form the hydrogen atom earlier, I now visualized the bonds between the three atoms.

First, I concentrated on the oxygen atom, imagining its nucleus and its electrons orbiting like a miniature solar system. The hydrogen atoms felt like they were floating nearby, their single electrons reaching out, seeking a connection.

Using raw mana as the guiding force, I urged the electrons to interact.

The hydrogen atoms drifted closer, their charges aligning with the oxygen's pull. Slowly, I formed the bond, imagining the energy stabilizing between them.

I felt it—a faint hum, an invisible yet distinct presence in my palm.

A small smile tugged at my lips.

'Success.'

"So this is a water molecule, huh…" I mused softly, holding it in my mind's eye as I 'felt' its presence. It was delicate, precise, and perfectly balanced—a testament to the laws of nature.

I sat there, marveling at what I had achieved.

But as I savored the moment, a sobering thought crossed my mind, one that deflated my sense of triumph.

Yes, I had created a water molecule. But it wasn't water.

Not really.

This tiny, invisible structure in my palm wasn't even a drop.

How many molecules would I need to make even a single drop of water?

A million? A billion? A trillion?

The sheer scale of the task loomed over me like a mountain.

To make something tangible, something with actual use, I would need to repeat this process countless times.

I sighed, the weight of realization settling in my chest.

"So this is the catch," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head with a wry smile.

For now, this discovery would have to remain a stepping stone. The potential was immense, but so was the effort it would take to harness it.

Baby steps, I told myself.

I let out another sigh, letting the water molecule dissolve into nothingness as I released my focus.

"Well, I'll deal with that later."

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of wheels crunching softly over the grass.

I looked up to see a familiar figure approaching—a young woman clad in a classic maid's outfit, her long hair swaying gently with her movements.

Risu.

She was pushing a food tray trolley, her delicate hands steady despite her earlier reluctance to leave my side.

"Young master," she greeted, a note of relief in her voice as she approached.

I nodded in acknowledgment, standing as she began setting up my meal.

A mat was placed on the grass, and the dishes were arranged with meticulous care.

I settled onto the mat, my eyes drawn to the plate of steak set before me.

It wasn't just any steak.

Nestled within the perfectly cooked meat was a hint of flesh matter—something I was slowly, begrudgingly, learning to accept.

'You're not human anymore.'

The thought echoed in my mind, a reminder I repeated to myself daily. I was a ghoul now. Eating flesh wasn't cannibalism—it was sustenance. My body needed it to survive, to thrive.

I took a deep breath, picking up the utensils as I quietly began eating.

The steak was tender, each bite rich with flavor.

I chewed slowly, letting the meal settle in my stomach as I reminded myself of what I had gained in exchange for what I had lost.

I stretched my body, feeling the stiffness ease out of my limbs after sitting still for so long. My lunch had been over for a few minutes now, and the steak I'd consumed was already undergoing the digestion process in my stomach.

Once again, I found myself alone.

I glanced at the watch that Brother Faust had gifted me a few days ago. The sleek, silver hands pointed to 1:30 p.m.

"Alright, that's enough rest," I muttered, brushing off my pants as I stood.

The gentle shade of the tree's canopy shielded me from the harsh midday sun. The warm light filtered through the leaves in fragmented beams, dappling the ground in patches of gold. It was serene, almost too serene. But I wasn't here to relax.

Back to training.

I ran my hand through my hair, exhaling sharply.

If my assumptions were correct, I might just figure out how to use this magic of mine more efficiently. But even the thought of it made me sigh.

The process was tedious.

To use my magic, I had to construct each molecule from scratch. It wasn't like other magic where you could summon an effect with a chant or a spell circle. No shortcuts, no pre-made templates.

Just me, my raw mana, and the endless repetition of building.

"What a pain in the ass…" I muttered, shaking my head as a wry smile crept onto my face. Despite the frustration, there was a small part of me that found this challenge exciting.

"Let's see how much—and how long—it'll take," I mused, flexing my fingers as I prepared to start.

I focused, channeling raw mana once again to construct two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. I visualized their individual components—protons, neutrons, electrons—and merged them to form a water molecule.

One down.

Then, I created the second water molecule, carefully repeating the same process. With deliberate intent, I bonded it to the first one. Encouraged by my progress, I created a third molecule and bonded it to the growing chain.

Then another.

And another.

And another.

The process was mind-numbingly slow. Each molecule required precise focus, intricate visualization, and a steady flow of mana.

But I persisted.

Before long, I could feel sweat starting to form on my palms. Not from exertion—it wasn't physical labor—but from the sheer mental effort.

I kept going.

My hundredth attempt came and went. Or at least, I thought it was the hundredth. Somewhere along the way, I'd lost count. Hesitation crept in, and I found myself unsure whether I had done slightly more or slightly less.

Still, I pressed on, repeating the same process over and over again. Building, forming, merging, bonding.

Three hundred, five hundred, eight hundred, a thousand, two thousand.

Or so I guessed.

The numbers were meaningless now. Time had become a blur, and I had long since stopped keeping track of how many molecules I'd constructed.

Yet, despite my inability to see the water with my naked eyes, I could feel the growing mass of bonded molecules. It was faint, but it was there—tangible in a way only I could perceive.

That faint presence kept me going.

The drive to see this magic's potential pushed me forward, spurring me to keep creating molecule after molecule.

But then it happened.

A fluctuation.

It was subtle at first, like a faint ripple in the flow of mana. Then, suddenly, the delicate balance I'd worked so hard to maintain snapped.

The molecules I'd painstakingly constructed destabilized all at once. I felt it in my palm—a sharp vibration, almost like an invisible shockwave.

My eyes widened as the entire structure collapsed.

In an instant, everything I had worked for vanished.

Poof.

Gone, like a popped balloon.

I stared at my hand, my mind blank for a moment. "What happened—"

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut.

"Oh…"

It was my curse.

Of course it was.

I let out a deep sigh, closing my eyes as I processed the failure. My lips curled into a wry smile—half acceptance, half defeat—as I raised both hands to my face. My fingers rested against my nose and mouth, muffling my breath.

There was no anger, no frustration.

Just the quiet, resigned acknowledgment of my circumstances.

This was my reality.

Even so, I couldn't bring myself to stop.