My summon to another world was even weirder than I expected

Knock, knock, knock.

“Sir, please wake up. It’s already morning.”

The sound of the servant’s voice on the other side of the door made it clear that it was time to rise and meet the others.

Zack took one last moment to absorb the surrounding mana before opening his eyes.

He stood up and called out to the maid, instructing her to wait a moment.

Despite his resolve from the day before, Zack’s daily routine wasn’t going to change much. Every action he took was aimed at making himself as strong as possible. The only thing that had changed was his future plans. While that meant he would need to make a few modifications to his routine, they weren’t particularly significant.

When Zack left his room, the maid gave a small bow before leading him to his destination.

As he followed her to the dining room, Zack’s thoughts returned to yesterday’s lesson.

Regardless of what kind of magician Albert truly was, it was clear that he knew enough to teach at the level of Austin and the others. Yesterday, Albert had taught them a method for absorbing mana from the environment. While the process wasn’t all that different from what Zack had read in books, the lesson introduced a few subtle differences.

Last night, when Zack tried to absorb mana using those variations, he was surprised to find that his absorption rate had improved.

For all his flaws, it seemed Albert knew what he was doing.

Zack’s steps quickened as his thoughts shifted to what was about to happen.

He wasn’t the only one who had been in yesterday’s class. If his theory was correct, Austin and the others had also tried to use the technique Albert taught.

Albert had mentioned that learning to absorb mana usually took several months. Now, Zack wanted to find out whether his fast absorption rate was unique to him or something his teammates shared.

He doubted anyone would openly admit such a significant advantage—not even Austin. They would likely keep it to themselves. That meant Zack needed to broach the topic with subtlety.

By the time Zack entered the dining room, he had already formulated a plan. He would act normal, eat for a bit, and then casually ask Miyu about her experience. That would likely prompt Shun to join the conversation, and…

“Guys, I have mana!!”

So much for subtlety.

Hearing Austin’s enthusiastic yell, Zack turned to see him grinning from ear to ear, his expression practically begging for praise. Zack debated whether to pat him on the head or slap him.

“Congratulations,” Zack said, walking to the table where Shun and Miyu sat with awkward smiles.

“You too?” Zack asked silently with his eyes.

Both nodded, confirming Zack’s suspicions, while Austin continued to boast about his accomplishment.

For a moment, Zack felt like a seasoned artist praising a three-year-old for their finger painting.

As he reached for some food from the table, Zack couldn’t help but notice that one of the servants was missing. Most likely, they had gone to inform their superiors about the development.

While this situation could be problematic, it at least confirmed one thing: His unusual ability to absorb mana quickly was something the others shared.

He wasn’t sure if it was because they had been summoned from another world, their classes, or some other unknown factor. Whatever the reason, it was a good thing. At least now that others knew it, Zack hoped this would lead to increased support and resources. Judging by their hopeful expressions, his teammates were thinking along the same lines.

Their daydreams were interrupted when the missing servant returned, slightly out of breath. She paused to catch her breath before approaching their table.

“Gentlemen heroes, Wizard Albert would like to see you. Please follow me.”

The four of them stood and followed her.

Unlike previous times, the maid led them down a different route, this time toward one of the gardens at the rear of the building.

When they arrived, they found Albert drenched in sweat. It was unclear whether he had been exercising or had rushed to meet them.

“Explain to me what I’ve been hearing about you absorbing mana,” Albert demanded, panting.

Definitely the latter.

“We did it! It wasn’t that hard,” Austin said with a wide grin, clearly enjoying the instructor’s stunned expression.

Zack instinctively took a step back. If there was one thing he had learned, it was to avoid getting caught up in pointless confrontations.

“Ha! As if I’d believe that! There’s a better chance of demons throwing down their weapons and begging for mercy than you managing to absorb mana in a single day.”

“It’s true! I managed it in just one day,” Austin declared proudly.

(So you admit you’re a fool…) Zack and the others thought simultaneously.

“Prove it!” Albert snapped, clearly annoyed. The notion that someone could achieve in a single day what had taken him six months was absurd.

“How?” Austin asked, puzzled.

“Simple. Give me your hand,” Albert replied, extending his arm.

Austin complied, and as their hands met, a warm current surged from Albert’s palm into Austin’s body. Almost instinctively, Austin’s mana responded, meeting the current in a brief, automatic exchange before retreating.

“That’s impossible,”

Without explanation, Albert grabbed Shun and Miyu’s hands and repeated the process.

When he withdrew, his expression showed pure disbelief.

“You really have learned to absorb mana,” Albert said softly, almost to himself.

Austin’s proud expression faltered as he looked at the others, realizing they weren’t surprised by Albert’s words. Embarrassed by his earlier boasting, his face turned red as he clenched his fists.

Zack watched this unfold from the back, keeping his distance in case Albert attempted to test him as well. If Albert used the same method on Zack, he would likely discover that Zack’s mana reserves were far greater than his companions’.

Absorbing mana wasn’t easy. Without the proper technique, the process could fail—or worse, cause injury. While Zack could explain away his progress by claiming he had started earlier, he feared it would lead to questions about his title.

Under normal circumstances, revealing his title would have been advantageous. But given the current situation, the nobles would likely do everything in their power to keep the summoned heroes under their control. The worst-case scenario was that they might uncover Zack’s true class.

The thought alone made him shudder.

“Wizard Albert, what were you doing before we arrived?” Austin suddenly asked.

Albert, clearly looking for an escape from the awkward situation, quickly replied, “I was training.”

“Brilliant! Can we watch?” Austin asked eagerly, clearly intrigued by the chance to see a real magician in action.

Zack and the others also perked up at the suggestion. Aside from watching Austin get slammed into the ground, they hadn’t seen much magic since arriving.

“Of course! I’ll show you what a real magician can do!” Albert declared, his tone as condescending as ever.

Under normal circumstances, he might not have agreed, but it seemed the earlier events had shaken his confidence enough that he wanted to reassert himself.

“Follow me.”

Zack and the others trailed after Albert as he led them inside the castle.

Although they had been living there for a week, their exploration of the castle had been limited. Other than their bedrooms, the dining room, and the library, they had seen very little of the place.

Despite the world’s lack of technological advancement, Zack had to admit that the magic tower’s library was impressive. Its vast collection rivaled any modern library he had seen. He guessed it would take a decade to read all its books, though Zack planned to finish them in just one year.

After climbing several flights of stairs and passing countless closed doors, Albert finally stopped at a room filled with strange instruments and training targets. Judging by the wear and tear on the targets, the room had been used recently.

“Are you ready?!” Albert called out, moving into position a short distance away.

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