Chapter 12 …
Feeling a little embarrassed, Chloe voiced the question she had been wondering about.
“Um, what’s the difference between a witch and a mage, exactly?”
Both of them use magic, right? she asked, and Erich nodded.
“Yes. First, in this world, there are people who have magic power and people who don’t. The majority, by far, are those who don’t.”
For Chloe, who knew nothing, Erich explained in detail.
“Are there very few people who can use magic?”
“Not many. However, even those without magic power can use simple magic by using magic stones. Because of that, magic stones are extremely expensive.”
Those who use magic stones to cast spells are apparently called magicians.
Magic stones are made by infusing crystals with magical power.
Since people with magic power are rare to begin with, they are highly valuable and very expensive. Moreover, even with such costly magic stones, it seems only basic attack spells can be used.
“Hm… that’s very inefficient.”
“Even so, there are monsters in this world that can only be defeated with magic. Many people are willing to pay a high price for them.”
A mage, on the other hand, is someone who can use magic without relying on magic stones.
There are only about five such mages in this country, though there are said to be several hundred in the northern regions.
(Still, considering the entire continent, that’s not many…)
As Erich had said earlier, most of the magic used by mages is offensive magic. Because of this, those with magical talent are often taken into service by the state.
“So there are only five mages in this country?”
“Yes. And all of them serve the kingdom.”
“Only five… that’s considered few?”
“It’s quite few for this continent. Because of that, many nobles take wives from the north.”
“Come to think of it, I heard my half-brother’s mother is from there too. I’ve never met either of them, though.”
Her older brother apparently saw her half-brother as an enemy, but she had heard that the half-brother was born with a small amount of magical power. Under those circumstances, unfortunately, the half-brother might have an advantage over her brother.
(Well, it has nothing to do with me anymore.)
No matter who became her father’s successor, it had nothing to do with Chloe.
“So, a witch is just a woman who can use magic?”
“No. A witch is a completely different existence. First of all, their magical power is on a completely different level compared to mages.”
“More? Me too?”
“Probably. It seems that a witch’s magic power is so vast that only another witch can recognize it.”
“I see…”
Chloe looked at her palm in curiosity, but she still couldn’t sense anything.
(Do I really have magic power?)
If it really is that great a power, it was almost frightening.
“Also, witches don’t need spells or formulas. They make things happen just by wishing for them.”
“Just by wishing?”
That sounded truly like magic itself.
“Can anything be granted?”
“It seems there are limits, so it’s not like anything at all can be granted. But I think Chloe’s power is quite strong. Even though you’ve only just awakened it, you managed to dispel the princess’s magic.”
Of course, there are limits.
Still, in a world where only attack magic and healing magic exist, a witch who can make things happen just by wishing was practically overpowered.
“Having things happen just by wishing… that’s a little scary.”
“Actually, it seems that if you infuse your desire with magical power and put it into words, it becomes reality. So things don’t activate just because you think them lightly. You’ve only just awakened, so you probably can’t control it yet.”
“I see. That’s a relief. But I shouldn’t be careless about what I wish for right now. Hmm… I’ll have to learn how to control my magic somehow.”
The item box ability was useful and convenient, but if she wished for something strange, it could become disastrous.
“You don’t need to worry that much. However, during unstable periods, it seems that wishing harm upon others makes it easier for it to come true. The princess was especially terrible.”
Erich laughed softly.
He had become so knowledgeable about witches because he had desperately searched for a way to counter that princess’s magic. It must have been quite a struggle.
(I won’t let you fall into the hands of someone like that princess. Erich is my partner.)
Just as she made that decision, she suddenly remembered something.
Back when she had been trying to escape the mansion after being told her engagement was broken off—at that time, she might have harbored negative feelings toward her father and her former fiancé, Prince Kirifa.
“What should I do? I think I might have wished for misfortune upon my father and Prince Kirifa.”
“Two people?”
“My older brother too, maybe. I wished they’d all go bald. That they’d suffer from thinning hair for the rest of their lives…”
At her words, Erich froze for a moment—then burst out laughing.
“T-that’s…”
“Do you think it came true?”
It would be far too cruel a punishment, especially for her brother and Kirifa, though perhaps not as much for her father.
Beside the flustered Chloe, Erich continued laughing.
“M-Meltygaru Marquis and Prince Kirifa… going bald…”
“What should I do? Isn’t that a bit too excessive as punishment?”
“…No. Considering what those two did to you, I’d say it’s light. Let them worry about their hair for the rest of their lives.”
Erich said this while laughing more than he ever had before.
“It’s the first time I’ve laughed this much,” he added.
If she could become a source of relief for someone who had lived a life too harsh to even laugh, then maybe even the hair that had fallen out would be worthwhile.
“Oh, right. If my magical power is greater than normal, could I make magic stones?”
If she could make a lot of magic stones and store them in her item box, she might never have to worry about money. That thought led her to suggest it.
“It might be possible. I’ll go buy some crystals tomorrow.”
“Okay, please do.”
According to Erich, female mages often didn’t go into battle but instead made magic stones and sold them. In this country, mages served the state, but there were also mages from other countries who made a very comfortable living by selling magic stones.
It seemed she might not need to become an adventurer after all to survive.
(I do want to try adventuring, but if people find out I’m a witch it’ll probably be troublesome… Hmm, maybe I could carry the magic stones I make myself and fight as a mage?)
In any case, she would try making magic stones tomorrow first.
(I also want to test my item box…)
There were so many things she wanted to try.
She also needed to learn how to control her magic power.
Starting tomorrow, it was going to be busy.
