Release that Witch

”What did I just see? A self-generating system of electricity that doesn’t need an external energy supply!

Mystery Moon’s ability is an attaching type of magic so the answer is the answer is clear. She’s added a brand new property to the metal frame, and” her magic power acts as the energy supply,” Roland mused to himeself.

”How did you manage to do that?” Roland asked aloud.

”When you said that there’s an intertwining relationship between electricity and magnetism, and that they’re indivisible, I wondered if I could make the objects generate lightning by magnetizing them. I tried to add a constantly changing magnetic forces to the copper wires because you’ve said creating electricity requires changes in magnetic forces. Then it turned out this way,” Mystery Moon answered cautiously, her eyes sparkling with expectation.

”That’s why... Changes in electric currents do produce magnetic fields, but magnetic fields only generate electricity under certain circumstances. It requires both closed circuits and changes in magnetic flux; changes in the magnetic area and magnetic forces both need external energy supply.

Mystery Moon’s new ability has replaced an energy supply with the self-changing magnetic force,” the prince concluded. Roland would have thought it was a perpetual motion machine prototype, if he saw it in modern times. Yet here in this world, he understood that powers of witches could not be judged by common sense of his time. The magnetic property added to the objects might not be produced by magnetic poles, just as the Blackfire was not natural fire.

They were tangible forms of the magic power.

He could only wonder whether Mystery Moon had noticed any magnetic force change in objects to which she attached her magic power.

When Roland asked her about it, she nodded and then shook her head. ”When I was in the Witch Cooperation Association, I once wanted to change the magnetism of objects according to my will. To avoid causing my sisters any trouble, I tried to make the objects less magnetic when they were not in use. However, it didn’t work. Their magnetic force remained the same. I thought it was impossible, so I gave up on it,” she said.

”Just as I expected,” Roland thought. He cocked his head towards Nightingale and said, ”The form of her magic power... ”

”They have been united.” Nightingale stepped out of her mist and smiled. ”The two are now one.”

Mystery Moon gasped, ”Did I really... ”

”Yes, you did. Your ability has evolved.” Roland confirmed. ”Only a long-term and relentless dedication of practice can lead to enlightenment and evolution that fast. You did a great job. From now on, you’ll be the sixth evolved witch in the Witch Union.”

”Congratulations.” Nightingale went to Mystery Moon and patted her head, smiling.

”Now, am I able to do more for Your Highness?” she asked, her eyes shining with excitement.

”Yes, countless things,” Roland smiled and said. ”As I’ve told you before, you’ve got great potential. But first, go rest. You have dark circles as huge as fists around your eyes. I’ll test your ability in the afternoon.”

”Yes!” she nodded vigorously.

After Mystery Moon left the office, Nightingale purposefully shut the door and turned her attention to Roland. Ignoring her regular perche at either Roland’s desk or the French window, she drew close to him. Grasping his shoulders and leaning in to speak, she stood so close that strands of her fair hair tickled his face. He felt his heart beating violently at the sight of her bright eyes and soft, red lips.

Eh? What’s going on? Is she asking for it in broad daylight?”

”Tell me the method.” These were not the words that the prince had expected to hear from Nightingale, ”Wait... what’s this have to do with anything?”

”What method?” he asked.

”The method to evolve without reading Natural Science Theoretical Foundation?” she said excitedly, ”I can tell from Mystery Moon’s grades that she doesn’t understand the contents of the book, but you taught her how to evolve and gain a new ability! What should I do? Practice with ’little toys’ as well?”

”Eh, she is asking for the evolvement method. What a pity... no, a relief.” Roland thought and cleared his throat, putting himself together. ”I’m afraid your ability won’t evolve through a sudden flash of enlightenment,” he said.

”Why not?”

”According to Agatha, only observing natural phenomena related to your ability can provoke an evolvement. Your Mist is just too incredible for me to understand, let alone guide you to learn about it.” Roland explained. ”Maybe the only method for you to develop your magic power is a sound understanding of natural science, physics and even advanced mathematics.”

Nightingale’s face fell. She feebly walked to the couch and sank back into it, feeling as if her body was hollowed out.

After lunch, Roland spent the whole afternoon conducting a comprehensive test on Mystery Moon’s new ability.

He named it ”Variable Magnetic Force.” It could be applied to any object like her magnetizing ability, and it would create periodic variation based on the magic power she initially conjured. However, as far as insulators, no electricity would be generated.

Roland determined that Mystery Moon’s magic power was the weakest of the the evolved witches. She could only light up two Magic Stones embedded in the Sigil of God’s Will, half a stone less than even Maggie. Unfortunately, the attaching-type magic ability required a vast amount of magic power. The greater and longer variations in magnetic forces, the greater demand for magic power. After a series of tests, Roland found that Mystery Moon’s new ability could serve as a stable battery, but it was far from sufficient to drive a large electric motor or power a steam engine. He tested her ability by transforming an old DC motor, initially used for the electrolysis of water, into an electric motor, and the result was disappointing. The motor, which consumed all of Mystery Moon’s magic power to add a magnetic force, could only work half day. That meant her new abilitycould not practically be used as a source power.

Roland didn’t tell Mystery Moon the bad results. Instead, he encouraged her to keep studying and practicing her new ability, because she was fragile and he feared bad news would be devestating.

Besides, he knew that ability evolvement was not a sudden transformation, but a metamorphosis through learning.

Roland remembered something he had heard from Agatha, the method to jointly produce Stone of Light. He thought,”If there is a witch who can control or transfer magic power, Mystery Moon’s power limitation won’t be a problem anymore.”

In the evening, he went to talk to Tilly Wimbledon.

”An assistant witch with a controlling type of magic?” she said after hearing the prince’s idea. She thought for a while and answered, ”No witch of the Sleeping Island has that kind of ability.”

”Really?” he asked, heaving a sigh. ”It seems that Mystery Moon has to depend on herself to improve.”

Yet what Tilly said next cheered him. ”However, I know where you can find the witch you want.”