Release that Witch

The next morning, Mystery Moon ran to the office in a hurry with bigger dark circles under her eyes.

”Why would the glass ball light up? It didn’t work afterwards, no matter how hard I tried to apply my power... ” she could not wait to spit it all out after pushing open the door.

”That... fast?” The prince was a little surprised. He put down the quill, took the small object from Mystery Moon and said, ”I thought it would take you two or three days.”

Mystery Moon bent over, propped up her chin on the edge of the desk, and asked with a blink, ”What on earth was glowing?”

”That was electric light.” The prince smiled and said, ”You released lightning from the sky.”

”Lightning?” She could not help repeating the word in a quiet voice, and then shook her head. ”But it didn’t look like it at all. This light was a red-orange color, and kept glowing—lightning is always just a flash. ”

”The lightning lit the filament, making it glow continuously.” The prince twisted the glass ball and took it off, then said, ”It’s fine that you don’t understand it. I’ll let you see the real electric light later.”

Mystery Moon’s eyes were wide open. She gazed at Roland’s every single movement, afraid of missing something. The prince drew the two copper wires closer and put the glass ball back again. ”There you go. Now continue to practice.”

”That’s it?” She took the wire frame, utterly disappointed.

”That’s right,” the prince covered his mouth and said, ”and don’t forget to draw the curtains when practicing.”

...

Lily was sitting at the end of the bed reading Natural Science Theoretical Foundation when Mystery Moon returned to the bedroom.

”Why are you up so early today?” she asked in surprise. ”Since you’re up, bring me breakfast. An omelet and bread, please. No porridge.”

”No, I won’t bring breakfast for a traitor,” Mystery Moon said with a grunt. She drew the curtains, and the room turned completely dark in an instant.

”Hey, what’re you doing?” Lily frowned and asked.

”Practicing my ability.” She threw herself on the floor and said, ”Draw the curtains and hide the Stone of Light—that’s His Highness’ requirement.”

”Fine, fine,” the little girl rolled her eyes and said, ”I’ll do my reading in the hall.”

”No, you can’t!” Mystery Moon hollered.

”Why?” Lily darted her a look, ”I can’t read when I’m starving, and I have to stay with you here?”

”Um... ” Mystery Moon paused a moment, ”I’ll bring you breakfast. Can you stay here?”

”What?” Lily asked with great interest, ”Are you afraid of the dark?”

”Not at all!” She puffed out her cheeks and muttered after a while, ”I just need company.”

She wanted somebody to witness her progress and be amazed at her ability. Even if she failed, she hoped someone would still comfort her, but she would rather carry these words to her grave than confide in Lily.

”Okay then. I’ll stay with you this time, since you sound so pathetic,” Lily said with a yawn. ”Breakfast, quick!”

Mystery Moon finally got ready to practice after reluctantly bringing the breakfast over.

Lily swallowed the egg in content and asked, ”What’re you going to do? Magnetize the stuff in your hand?”

”No, I’m going to let the magnetic forces in my hand change quickly. His Highness says that’ll produce thunder and lightning.”

Lily was stunned—”Thunder and lightning?”

”Yeah, I’m going to start... ”

”Hold on,” the little girl shouted, drawing closer to the door. ”It’s good now. Go ahead.”

Mystery Moon exhaled a long breath and mobilized her magic power as she had earlier. If this happened at the camps of the Witch Cooperation Association, Supervisor Cara would definitely scold her for such behavior. However, His Highness had intentionally replaced all the wares in the bedroom that contained iron, including iron nails with copper-made items, making it easy for her to practice.

She was generously treated in Border Town and would not allow herself to sit idle.

Reminiscences of her experience in the town swarmed back upon her, image by image, as vivid as a merry-go-round. This time Mystery Moon found herself quickly in a ready state. The magic power danced between her hands with increased movement and growing intensity.

Then she saw the electric light. Like a blue ghost revealing itself from layers of clouds, the light was transient, and disappeared instantly. Nevertheless, she clearly saw a trace of electric light. It was like a tiny arc, spanning from one end of the copper wire to the other, bursting out gentle popping sounds.

It was far from the end.

Then came a second arc, and then a third... She noticed in dismay that every time the magnetic forces transformed, there was dazzling electric light springing up, the traces of which also changed correspondingly with its movements. With the direction of magnetic forces quickly switching back and forth, a bridge of blue and white gradually took shape between the two copper wires.

”What’s that?” Lily who stood far away asked, her eyes wide open.

The electric light was insignificant compared with the red-orange blaze of yesterday, but it made Mystery Moon quiver in excitement—this was her first time witnessing her own ability! In comparison to the invisible lines of magnetic forces she could not understand in the slightest, the rythm at which the electric arc danced and the direction of its movement were completely under her control. This was truly ”lightning” created by her.

Electricity generates magnetism, and vice versa. That’s what it is. She sensed the power in her body had become more visible and clear.

Mystery Moon got up on her feet and put the metal frame on the desk. She slowly released her hands to let the magic power die down, but the ends of the copper wires were still glittering, like flickering stars in the darkness from a far distance.

She now had a better understanding of these words.

In other words, electricity is magnetism, and vice versa.

*******************

Roland kneaded his sore neck with a quill between his teeth.

”Do you need a hand?” Nightingale’s voice popped up by his ears.

”Ah, thank you,” he nodded slightly and said. Nightingale thus laid her two fair hands on Roland’s shoulders and started to massage his neck with just the right amount of strength.

Roland half closed his eyes, enjoying this moment of serenity. In order to draft the first code of the town, which would later serve as the Basic Laws of all the primary laws, he had been up earlier than even the guards for the past three days. It wasn’t until today that he finally finished the draft. As Roland had no knowledge of the laws, he could only jot down some ten articles in plain language based on his understanding of the system, which was no longer than two pages altogether.

Nonetheless, these articles contained ideas and ideology from the new world. He believed this code would enable him to carry out a brand new system which was entirely different from the ancient feudal system across the whole continent while expanding his territory. With this code as its base, his new kingdom would indubitably distinguish itself from the others.

”Your Highness!” The office door was suddenly flung open. Mystery Moon rushed in with the copper wire frame in her hand, shouting, ”I finally got it!”

Roland opened his eyes, and saw the girl withdraw her hands and put the ”little toy” on the desk.

”Look!” She did not touch the wire frame, but there was still an arc of light where the copper wires were cut open.

Looking at this incredible scene, Roland could not help dropping his jaw. The quill slid off the corner of his mouth and fell on the floor.