“Everything seems in order,” Hestia murmured after a few moments. “Though… your mana core is still in a fragile state.”

  Non raised an eyebrow but remained silent, waiting for further expnation.

  “This time,” Hestia tinued, putting away the instrument, “we’ll use a slightly differehod.” Her eyes studied him for a moment before adding, “I want you to lie on your bad close your eyes. We’re going to access your mind to induce greater resistao pain while we use yitil… well, until your core breaks.”

  Non looked at her in silence, processing those words.

  “Break my core?” he asked, more as a statement than a question.

  Before he could say more, it was Emily who, with a ed expression, intervened.

  “Won’t that be painful?”

  Hestia, with a serious but calm expression, nodded.

  “Yes, it will. But that’s precisely why we’ll use a method to dull the sensation of pain while Non pushes his own limits.”

  Non was watg her closely, analyzing every word that came out of the healer’s mouth.

  “Is it really possible to create a new core after destroying the current one?” he asked gravely.

  Hestia smiled slightly, surprised by his doubt.

  “Oh, it seems you’re not familiar with this research yet… It’s ret, published just a few months ago. You see, when a core is destroyed, it be repced by a new one, and this one is eveer than the previous.”

  As Non remained silent, she tinued:

  “The new core learns from the remains of the old one how it broke. Therefore, the new core is more resilient aer adapted. Before the war, the general belief was that breaking a core was the end of someone’s magical abilities. But this ret research has disproven that.”

  Emily looked on with i, though still visibly worried.

  Turning her gaze back to Noia added with a bit of teasing in her voice:

  “I know it may sound impossible, and it’s normal to think so. That’s what we all believed before. But now we know f a new core is a much more advaeique than using rings.”

  Hestia’s face hardened a bit.

  “The people of Bravka boast about their magical rings as if they’re the best thing in the world. But that’s just ego. Their teique was good in the long run, but it doesn’t pare to the creation of a renewed core.” Hestia coughed lightly to softeone. “Do you have any other questions, Non?”

  He reflected for a sed before asking:

  “If this teique is so effective, why did they focus on repairing me before instead of f me to break my core?”

  Hestia gave a soft, almost pyful smile.

  “It’s not that repairing is a bad option. In fact, it’s a viable alternative. But… this destru and renewal teique is superior. It’s just more ret, and… some prefer to stick with safer paths.”

  No out a sigh, feeling a bit indecisive.

  He couldn’t deny that all of this sounded risky, but at the same time, the opportunity tee his core and tinue his research pushed him to move forward.

  And if it were true that the new core would be more resilient, that meant he could undoubtedly travel even further ba time.

  Finally, he y down on the bed, exhaling deeply as he tried to rex.

  “Good,” said Hestia with a satisfied smile. “Take several deep breaths, rex. We have time. I won’t start until you’re fully asleep.”

  Non closed his eyes, trying to find some fort in the bed.

  He shifted positions, but none seemed to rex him enough to fall asleep.

  After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and looked at Hestia.

  She was sitting nearby, swayily from side to side as if patiently waiting for him to fall asleep. Wheiced him looking, she smiled with amusement.

  “Having trouble sleeping?” she teased.

  “I’m just w why no oold me about this earlier,” Non remarked, raising an eyebrow. “I could have slept less st night to make this easier.”

  Hestia let out a soft ugh as she leaned slightly toward him.

  “We wereirely sure if we should use this teique on you,” she admitted. “That’s because there are some beliefs—unfounded in my opinion—that certain mages ’t form another core after destroying their first one.”

  “Why?” Non asked, intrigued.

  Hestia raised a fihoughtfully.

  “It’s a debated issue. Some mages, particurly those who failed tee their cores, cim it’s impossible. But in my opinion, I think they simply didn’t try hard enough or, at worst, wao discredit this research. I’m vihe mages from Bravka have something to do with this, though I have no proof—nor any doubt.”

  Then, tilting her head toward Non, she looked at him with a mixture of admiration aermination.

  “But I don’t think that will happen to you. You’re a great mage, Non. I’m sure you’ll succeed.”

  Non remained silent for a moment, processing what she had just said.

  Though doubt still lingered, he khat if there was a ce to restore and strengthen his magic, he had to try.

  It was that or remain stu his current state.

  “Rex,” Hestia said softly, “we’ve got all the time in the world for you.”

  Non g Emily, who was sitting nearby on a chair. Though she was still watg with some , she seemed fortable, as the other healer had brought her a small pillow to help her sit more fortably.

  With that thought, Non y back down on the bed, trying to ighe cold of the room.

  He closed his eyes once more and began to take deep breaths, attempting to clear his mind of his worries.