It was only after a long and hard track did Magnus make it to the orphanage, he felt like dropping dead at the doorsteps and letting somebody carry him inside. However, that would raise too many questions for him, and Mother Selin would peck at him like a mother hen if she found out the sort of training he did.

So Magnus hauled himself into the orphanage and tried his best to silently make it to his room, once there he can collapse into his bed and sleep for days on end.

Despite his best efforts of sneaking around and trying out what he learned today, he still ran into somebody. That person turned out to be the Matron herself, who came to a halt once she saw him and the state he was in.

"What happened to you?" The Matron asked with her eyebrows slightly raised in bewilderment.

Magnus came to a pause and silently cured under his breath. He has a long way to go until he becomes a professional thief. Nevertheless, thanks to his quick thinking Magnus already came up with an excuse.

“Oh, sorry Matron, I did not see you there,” Magnus said as he put on a facade of nervousness which didn’t take a lot of effort since that was what you could sum up as his feelings right now.

“How are you doing?” Magnus then asked now fully into character.

“I am doing good like always,” the Matron responded with, “and do not try to dodge my question, young man. Why are you in this state?”

“Ah, you see, I was doing a bit of training,” Magnus answered as a hint of shyness crested his face, and that was the truth, even if it wasn’t the whole truth.

“Why were you doing some training,” the Matron asked now very confused on why he would drive himself to this state.

“Well, I will need to be in tip-top shape for whatever profession I choose, whether it be a hunter, gangster, or soldier. So I thought, why not start now.”

At Magnus’s statement, the Matron’s face soured; the limited deadly jobs that the orphans have available to them is a sore spot to the Mothers and Matron. Magnus felt awful for poking at that very spot, but he did not want to include them into his new dealings.

Magnus was pretty sure that these rich and powerful people that they steal from were not quite thrilled about it. Magnus knew that they would unleash hell upon those who dared to perpetuate that offense.

So the less they knew about it, the safer that they could be because sometimes ignorance can be bliss.

Then just as Magnus expected, the Matron replied by saying, “Well then carry on doing whatever training that you were, just make sure that Mother Selin doesn’t catch you.”

“Thank You, Matron,” Magnus said as he nodded his head to the Matron in appreciation. In addition to that, he also added deep inside his mind, ‘and I am sorry too!.

Magnus turned around and walked off to his room, still unsure on his feet and feeling quite trippy ever since he practiced that technique.

Magnus took only a few steps when the Matron called him back to her, Magnus did as he was told and returned back to face the Matron. She surviewed like a hawk, and under her gaze, a small sheen of sweats started to form under Magnus’s skin.

For a moment there Magnus thought that the Matron caught on to his lie, but the next few words that came out of her mouth made the situation take on a whole nother fause.

"Are you practicing a technique?" The Matron asked in a hesitant tone.

At her question, Magnus’s eyes widened, and his jaw nearly dropped to the floor, he couldn’t answer back since his mind was too shock ridden.

“So you do, huh?” The Matron asked though it wasn’t a question but a statement.

“Ho-... How do you know that I was practicing a technique,” Magnus asked, finally forming some words.

“There are signs and indications,” the Matron answered, “However, those that are new to it are always easy to spot. They have no control over the sudden gains, so they are always too twitchy and trippy. So, where did you find the technique, boy?”

At the Matron’s question, Magnus’s mind settled down, and his thoughts came back into focus. The words of Soykan came back to him and on how people would kill for techniques which basically represented power in its self.

Though Magnus knew that the Matron would never kill him over the technique, Magnus also knew human nature. People would feud over fame, scheme for power, fight for land and territory, kill for wealth, and so much more.

That is why Magnus needed some questions answered so that he could get a clear and full picture of the Matron, and that is why he asked, “How do you know of techniques? You know what forget that just answer me this. Who the hell are you?”

“Well, I am a practitioner just like you,” the Matron simply answered back.

At her response, it hit him like a truck, why hadn’t he picked on about it when he entered this world of ‘practitioners.’ It made so much sense, and the Matron could never be defined as an ordinary person; she was so unusual with her many enigmas.

Magnus wanted to smack himself for not connecting the dots much earlier; the Matron could only be defined as a practitioner. The knowledge that she passed down to us, orphans, like reading, writing, history, social studies, and so much more- subjects that no commoner should have any idea of. The money she collected, which could only be raised through ill-gotten means like we did or through unusual ways.

Still, though the Matron’s confession raised even more questions, Magnus knew it would be rude to pry into her secrets. However, he couldn’t help himself from asking, “What sort of practitioner are you, Matron?”

“I practice a meditation technique,” the Matron responded, not hiding a single thing from Magnus.

“I see you do not know what that is, huh?” the Matron asked as she addressed the confusion written on Magnus’s face.

Magnus nodded his head, and since they were being honest with each other, he replied back by saying, “Yeah, I have no clue what you are talking about, Matron. All I know is that I have a breathing technique.” Then Magnus took a step further and removed the technique itself from his pocket and handed it over to the Matron.

Magnus made that move for many reasons, whether it be for gratitude for the knowledge she is giving him or just to clear up the air. However, the chief part was that he wanted to test the characteristics of the Matron.

The Matron silently took the technique and skimmed over it. She nodded her head along as she looked over it then she closed the technique and finally spoke up as she took on the pose of a teacher.

“Well then, let me fill in the blanks for you. There are five types of technique which go hand in hand; the mental exercise technique, the breathing techniques, the meditation techniques, the elemental techniques, and the ambient energy techniques.”

“Wow,” Magnus said, breath taken and without words to describe what he was feeling, who know that there were so many techniques out there which basically meant more power.

Despite Magnus’s interruption of excitement and shock, the Matron continued on speaking, “For clarification, breathing techniques focus on might, speed, or physique. While mental exercise techniques focus on the mind, and meditation techniques focus on the spirit. Finally, the elemental techniques focus on gathering the elements, and the ambient energy techniques focus on producing energy.”

“Anyways, who gave you this technique?” The Matron asked the million-dollar question.

Magnus couldn’t answer that question thanks to the magical contract he signed, so he stayed silent and once more hoped that the Matron wouldn’t pry for answers.

Thankfully this time, it looked like the Matron was understanding and asked, “You can’t say, huh?”

Magnus bobbed his head up and down, hoping that wasn’t breaking the magical contract since he did not want to find out what happens when you break something so enigmatic and preternatural.

The Matron sighed as she shook her head then said under her breath, “Of course they would make you sign a magical contract.”

Magnus wasn’t surprised that the Matron knew about magical contracts, right now he wouldn’t even be surprised if she had all the answers in the universe. But jokes aside, the Matron herself could be under a magical contract or she might have put other people under it as well.

The Matron looked Magnus head-on as she asked him in a serious tone, “Are they or he/she good folks?”

Magnus awkwardly scratched at the back of his neck, could thieves be described as good folks? Even so, those band of thieves took him in when he was at the end of his road, even if it was just so that he could show them around the city.

That is why Magnus answered back by saying, “They aren’t Saints if that is what you are asking, but deep down they are good folks in my view. Also, they give me work, which nobody has done.”

The Matron chuckled in amusement as Magnus’s response, “Well, in my books, those are the best sort of people you could ever know. Anyways here is your technique back.”

Then the Matron handed Magnus over his technique, which he took a bit gingerly as he was feeling ashamed for even putting forth that test towards the Matron. That is why he said, “Matron, you can practice this technique if you want. I already memorized it, so I do not need it.”

“Ah, my boy, I appreciate the offer, but it is too late for me. There are many reasons why one can’t practice a technique, and old age is one of them. So it would do me no good if I practice it.”

“Oh,” Magnus said, now feeling a bit foolish for making that empty gesture, and doubly ashamed for that test he put the Matron through.

However, what was even more worrying was that he once more saw how little he knew about this new world of practitioner and its rules. Magnus just wished that there was a guidebook out there, or he will just keep on coming off like an idiot, and maybe one day, he might even offend someone while not even having a clue.

The Matron must have noticed how Magnus felt because she said, “Don’t feel down, boy, like I said I greatly appreciated the offer. Not many would share in their prosperity when they gain it.”

Now that the Matron raised up the point of sharing gains, it brought forth the idea that Magnus had. “Matron, I was wondering if you could give me some input into an idea that I have.”

The Matron shrugged her shoulders, not seeing any reasons against it, then signaled for Magnus to go ahead and share. “I wanted to share my technique with the other kids. I know that it would be a big help for the older kids, especially. Tamer and Andrew could hunt much safer, Erhan chances of surviving through the war would go up, Etkin's job would be easier, and even Mazhar could use it by shelving books faster, I guess.”

The Matron looked at Magnus, so sadly, as he put forth his idea, there was so much joy and exuberant on his face with the very prospects of helping his siblings out. The Matron sighed deeply in mournfulness for cutting short his pure-hearted intents, “You can not do that, Magnus.”

Magnus looked at the Matron in confusion with a why plainly written on his face.

In a voice, a bit too harsh, the Matron answered, “because of the people. They would start to wonder why there are speedy orphans. Then they would ask questions after that they would be jealous. Even if you share it with them, they would always suspect that you have some more hidden away, because that is what they would do. So they would desire it and even kill for it.”

“Oh,” Magus said once more this time feeling crestfallen instead of foolish, though there was a bit of that too.

The Matron’s hand rested on Magnus’s shoulder, and her voice took on a softer tone as she said, “We already raise too many questions, you kids are much more educated and well mannered than those other kids. So it would be better if we do not try to stick out any more than we already do.”

Magnus glumly nodded his head. It wasn’t anything new for his hopes and dreams to be dashed down. Even so, like the idiot he is, he continues to dream for a better future for the orphans who are basically now his brothers and sisters.

Magnus didn’t know what came over him, whether it be the stubbornness in him or his foolishness, but he wanted this idea to work out. Hence that is why he voiced his will, “Matron, what about I give the technique only to the older boys, they are the ones in danger, so they need it. And I promise I will not give it to anybody else since they will not be needing it.”

The Matron looked at the young mech builder disoriented with what he said. Thus she asked him to repeat or clarify what he said.

That is when Magnus got into his great crazy plan about how he wants the orphanage to be self-sustainable. The young new practitioner spoke in great detail about the idea he came up with and all the while the Matron listened on without making any interruptions.

Finally, Magnus’s presentation came to a close, and he waited on bated breath for the Matron’s response. “I must say, you have put a lot of thought into this idea, huh?”

Magnus nodded his head in response, eyeing the Matron for her next few words.

“Well, it is going to be tough to care that out; getting that many children apprenticeship is going to be a haggle, very costly, and downright crazy, but still, I like it!” the Matron said as she cackled in excitement.

Magnus smiled and even said the idiom, “I am always of the opinion that you either go big or go home!”

The Matron once more laughed in glee, “I like that statement, it is very well said! Anyways this plan will require a lot of gold; I mean thousands upon thousands. So does your new job with those people who gave you that technique, pay well?”

Magnus nodded his head, thinking back to the chest filled with gold, it could pay for this plan already.

“Good,” the Matron said, “It is time this old sack of bones also gets out. I will let the Mothers handle things here in the orphanage, while I go look for real work instead of healing or delivering babies.”

Magnus’s ears perked up at the last few words of the Matron, a question he had about where the Matron earned her money was just answered. It wasn’t as imaginative as he had it out to be, but the Matron did fit the profile of somebody who would heal or deliver babies.

In a move that Magnus did not expect, the Matron reached into her shawl and took out a book. Magnus knew what it was right away since he already had one, “Here take this boy,” the Matron said as she offered the book to Magnus.

“Matron,” Magnus said, “You do not have to do this, I already have a technique.”

The Matron rolled her eyes, “This is a spiritual technique, so it will not conflict with the one you have. Do not even try to refuse me; you have done more for this orphanage than anybody else, so you deserve a reward. I do not have much in the way of things like I used to in the past, but I can offer you this. So take it!”

The Matron literally forced the book into Magnus’s hand with no other option, Magnus accepted it. Written in the front of it in large bold letters was;

[Basic Meditation Technique: Superlative Manifest]

“I know it is much since it is the lowest technique but..”

Before the Matron could continue with her sentence, Magnus’s shout of exclamation cut her short, “What do you mean this is the lowest technique?”

“Well,” the Matron said in a matter of fact tone, “this is a basic technique, and just like its namesake, it is the most basic. There are much more powerful and rarer techniques out there, if that is what you are wondering.”