I looked at the tired faces hidden behind the stoic military gazes of the soldiers on the mats before me. Without looking, I could feel Saki frown at their sorry state.

"Remember the feeling of exhaustion you felt after using a lot of magic," I approached the exhausted Stellans, sensing your magic levels. Thankfully, no one had permanently drained their magic, though some were still dangerously low. "All of you are lucky you didn't completely drain your mana. When you start to feel like this, stop using magic. Most people feel tired, but headaches and weakness are also potential effects of low mana. Do not push yourself to a dangerous degree."

"The books say most people will faint before they run completely out. I know I faint." Saki laughed nervously.

"Sleep is the most effective and fastest way to recover mana." I started to go back to my position next to Saki. "But since that is not always safe or possible depending on the situation, meditation is the next best thing."

"Meditation is more than sitting in silence. It's finding your inner self and focusing on it." Saki sat on the ground. "By focusing on the magic inside of you, you can help it recover. It's like nurturing a plant to help it grow."

I glanced at the faces of the soldiers on their mats. The ones who have displayed various levels and combinations of boredom and tiredness in their countenances. General Helios was just generally unhappy to be there, but at least he was present.

"Now that you're familiar with summoning your magic, you need to learn how to sense magic as well. Meditation is the perfect way to start since you start by sensing your own magic." I laid down next to Saki with my best attempt to appear fully relaxed.

"The book suggested you close your eyes, but I know some of you have trust issues with that," Saki admitted with a slight mumble. "But either way, you need to find your inner star."

"Inner star?" Lunatide scoffed. "What nonsense is that?"

"You can call it whatever you want. It's where your magic comes from. Your soul, your mana pool, your core. But I thought Stellans believed in the stars, and you're scoffing at your star." I restrained myself from calling him dim. "So think of it however you want."

The blue-eyed captain gritted his teeth but stayed silent as he clenched his fists.

"Any more concerns?" I snarked, ignoring Saki's warning glare. When no one voiced concerns, I moved to continue. However, I paused as the doors opened.

Magastron Kosmos strode into the room, with the head general herself at his heels. He approached the front of the room and focused on Saki and me. "I'm joining the session."

"I highly disapprove of this," Courage kept a sideways glare on me as she surveyed the line of silent, stoic guards on each wall. "I advise against fraternizing with the monster. He could be planning something."

"Head General," Magastron spoke in an exasperated drone. "Get a mat with me and participate." He approached the back wall and pulled a mat off the stack and started to drag it over.

With a sigh, Courage picked up the magastron's mat, then got one for herself and hauled them to a space. She set the mats down in a space. "Your majesty," she offered a hand to help him sit.

Magastron Kosmos ignored the head general's offered hand as he sat cross-legged on the beaten blackish mat.

Courage kept her composure as she sat next to him, her eyes fixed in a distrusting stare on me.

I glanced at Saki. "You should instruct his highness, I doubt Courage would allow me to get close."

Saki slowly nodded as she stood. "You can keep teaching everyone else."

I nodded to Saki as she carefully approached the royal and his guard. She sat on the cold floor a small distance away from them before the head general's intense warning stare became a threat rather than a warning. With my companion's safety partially assured, I continued the lesson. "Like how you train muscles or practice a skill, magic also needs practice. Many of you have been suppressing your magic your entire life, and now it is a speck compared to what it could be. Now, you have to nurture and strengthen it."

Sergeant Shinestar studied me, then closed his eyes with a slight huff. After a moment, I sensed her tired magic sparkle within her as she meditated.

I subtly nodded in approval, then glanced at Helios.

The southern general's eyes remained locked on my calm posture. I sensed he wasn't trying.

Before verbally responding, I looked at Saki and the magastron. His majesty's mana was highly suppressed, but he was at least trying.

I returned my gaze to Helios with a subtle grin, testing how much he wanted to rebel while his king was in the room. I flicked my ear to his majesty.

Helios's eyes glowed gold as he glared into my soul. His fists briefly clenched as he closed his eyes. He released a slow, controlled, and silent exhale as his shoulders relaxed and his ears moved to a calm position. Admittedly, I was surprised at his familiarity with meditation.

I cast a protective glance toward Saki. Though his majesty was not a physical threat to Saki, Courage had plenty of fighting experience. The head general carried herself as if she was ready to strike at any moment. She was also headstrong, she obeyed the boy king's orders because of her position, not because she liked it. I don't trust her outside of the magastron's sight.

The general was also not making any progress towards summoning her magic. The minuscule speck of magic flickered dimly, suppressed and dying.

Magastron Kosmos had a faint glow on his fingertips. I couldn't identify its color every time I decided on a hue, it seemed to change.

Reluctantly, I stood with a stretch and approached, mentally preparing myself for the inevitable conversation.

"Courage, if you keep suppressing your magic, it will extinguish." I restrained an annoyed huff. "I can tell you are not trying to summon it. If you do not want to participate, you can leave or stand at

the edge of the room with the guards." Saki gave me a warning look of subtle panic, but I kept my focus on Courage

The head general's eyes blazed with fury as her hand twitched on the hilt of her sword.

I remained calm under her silent threat. Even with her extreme emotions, her magic still did not spark.

Magastron Kosmos gave his head general a sideways look, his silver-ish eyes tinted with an angered red. "General," his teenage voice rang with a firm tone and the magic in his fingers brightened with a reddish tinge. "For the love of the stars, comply and try to learn magic."

"Sir, with all due respect, magic was banned for a reason all those years ago." Courage failed to restrain a glare in my direction as she addressed her superior.

"Head General Courage," the magastron's white eyes blazed with gold determination laced with red determination, "those laws were made

generations ago, in a land that is no longer ours. Perhaps the stars forsake our ancestors because they forsake the light within ourselves. I do not know for sure, but I know magic is the best way to win this plague of a war. You heard the reports of how those monsters crumbled at its touch. If you do not want to be part of this resolution, then I will appoint a new head general."

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Helios glance over with an unreadable expression.

Courage took a moment to compose herself. "Apologies, your majesty," She bowed lowly, "I will obey your orders, sir."

Magastron Kosmos nodded slightly. "

"Good," he faced Saki and me, "if you see the head general refusing to cooperate again, please please inform me."

Saki gave an unsure nod while I looked at Courage.

The head general fumed, her magic flickering in failed attempts to spark. It was weak, and I was unsure if Courage would ever use magic. Admittedly, I had never seen anyone who surprised her mana as much as the head general did. I wasn't confident she would ever summon her star gift, much less wield spells.

"Of course, sir, but Courage will have difficulty due to her suppressed inner star. Do not take her inability to summon her star gift as a lack of effort." I returned to my seat, ignoring the shocked gazes of the other students. "Some of you aren't meditating." I gave an ambiguous huff as I resettled on the mat in the front of the room.

The few who were distracted quickly refocused with various levels of success.

Thankfully, the remaining lesson time passed smoothly. Some military personnel slept on the mats, carefully balanced in a seated pose.

I wished I could join them in their rest, and did not bother them. Sleep provided a more efficient way to restore magic, though for me sleep came at the cost of nightmares. Meditation provided a decent enough substitute, especially in public.

Admittedly, I lost track of time. Once all the instructees properly settled into meditation, they did not need any further instruction.

1 occasionally checked on Saki, but she was fine and in no danger. Courage, despite her anger issues, would not disobey the Magastron. At least, not in front of him.

At some point, the Magastron summoned a small sphere of rainbow magic in his hands. However, he struggled to sustain the multicolored mass and it wavered wildly.

The color was still an enigma to me, but I suspected his status as royalty explained his special magic. I wondered if the magic was what separated the royal family from the rest of the populace, or if the stars gifted them such magic because they were royals. I doubted I would ever receive an answer. The country needed to unite against the monster attack, not a child king on the cusp of ending it. I hope the stars are proud of him.

I caught myself in those thoughts and briefly evaluated my sanity. When have I ever cared about royals or the Magastron? I stifled a tired groan. I need more sleep; the mana exhaustion is getting to my head. I rubbed my forehead and eyes in a pathetic attempt to ease the mana's exhaustion-fueled headache and tiredness.

I shifted my thoughts to the spells I would teach first. Usually, it was simpler to teach spells similar to the person's star gift, but not for a group of people with different gifts. After a bit of thought, I decided to teach light-based spells first. Saki picked up on those spells faster than the others, and her gift is mind-based.

After that, I'd move to light-adjacent spells like fire and lightning before continuing through the rest of the elements and spell types.

I withheld a yawn as I mentally approved of the plan.

Eventually, the clock reached the hour and Courage stood with a frustrated gaze. "Alright troops! Times up! Get to your next drill!" Her booming order started the sleeping and meditating Stellans to full attention as they burst to their feet.

"Yes, sir!" They saluted.

Even Helios participated, though his stoic countenance contained a hint of annoyance.

The soldiers filed out of the room, but Helios remained. His foul mood returned as he rose to his feet and he approached Courage. "Sir," he begrudgingly saluted his superiors, though his subtle frustrations seemed solely directed at the head general.

"Dismissed, general." Magastron Kosmos nodded.

"General Helios," Courage eyed Saki and I. "Are those two assigned to a basic training regime?"

I withheld a bristling glower at the idea.

"Sir, there's no time for them to teach and complete basics. They're civilians, and we have contained them here." Helios answered with a flat tone. He briefly glanced at the magnetron's Courage-directed disappointed gaze.

"I will give you the girl being a civilian, but the monster is a war machine." Courage stated.

"General Courage," Magastron Kosmos stood, his silver eyes locked in an unwavering gaze. "These people are civilian instructors and should be treated as such. Furthermore, both of them have proven they are more than capable in battle. Basic is not necessary."

"Of course, sir." Courage bowed to the magastron's orders.

The magastron nodded in approval. "You are both dismissed. I will return to my quarters onsite, as these two," he gestured to Saki and I, "will also. Dismissed."

Both Helios and Courage saluted, then followed the boy king out as Saki and I returned to our quarters.

I knew what I wanted to do with the time: sleep.