"I've heard that if you manage to gain a lot of weight in here and good luck with that then you get more mana for all the additional you you're carrying around, so you could try to keep up with your increasing athleticism that way."

"Seems like it'd be easier to just strap some metal plates to my back, and - that's still a bad idea, right, you get more mana but it slows you down."

"I think you can probably just do exercises that you don't actually need to run away from mals, when you get older. Like, I dunno, pull-ups. I just don't want to be the slowest kid around in three weeks."

"Oh, it's probably pretty easy to install pull-up bars in the rooms. One advantage of them being so narrow." 

"Horrible wall sitting takes longer to get to the point where it's horrible but is just as horrible after that when you're in good shape, and you can do homework in the meantime."

"I wonder what happens if you install a pullup bar and then your neighbor dies and your room expands."

"Probably falls. But I still feel like being good at running is not the thing to trade for more mana generation."

"I'm actually kind of unpersuaded that endurance matters for escaping mals very much? Reflexes do but you don't train those by running, and peak sprinting speed might but I don't think jogging trains that either."

"Horrible wall sitting?"

"I think this probably depends on how sad your cardiovascular system is starting out. We can start with sprints if you want, though?"

"Oh, I introduced everyone else to horrible wall sitting earlier, Bella, it is an exercise done by lowering yourself to a sitting position with your back to the wall and no chair, and it is very horrible."

"It doesn't sound very horrible but I suppose the worst exercises don't."

"Oh, just try it." 

"I will, but we aren't near a wall."

"Sooo, do any of us have plans after dinner, or should I start working ahead on homework and durable trade goods production alone in my room."

"French syntax, if that works for Julian."

"Exploring the library, got it. Down for that."

"I do need to finish my geometry homework, but we'll probably have time for both." 

"I could stand to get to know the library better."

"Doing all my homework except history of artificing which I guess I'll do with you guys tomorrow, then working through my Inquisitive spells. In the library."

"Sounds like we're all headed to the library, then?" And she stands.

"Yeah, do you want to see if there's space for all of us in the reading room we share with Atlanta or is your carrel calling you?"

"Wouldn't turn down a reading room if they don't mind our practicing French in there."

"Suze has French, it's practically obligatory in New Orleans, and if you're quiet it won't carry to the Atlanta kids a rude amount."

Stupid French.