Ever since Ethan arrived in the Magical World, he wondered if having a wand would be able to let him use magic.
However, as he and Professor Ophelia walked towards the Magic Wand Store, the Professor told him that wands were similar to Flying Broomsticks.
Even if you had a magical wand in your possession, If you didn’t have an ounce of magical power, you would never be able to cast spells.
This dampened Ethan’s mood, and he no longer felt excited about acquiring a wand. However, since they were already there, Professor Ophelia was determined to get him one.
Right now, Ethan was technically her “chosen candidate”. Because of this, she needed to at least give him the proper tools in order for him to properly study in Brynhildr Academy.
Truth be told, even the Professor didn’t know if what she was doing was right. However, she believed that, even if Ethan couldn’t really use magic for the duration of his stay in Brynhildr Academy, there would be no harm as long as he tried his best to learn magic.
Everyone in the Magic World knew that the magic of Duds was unreliable at best, and non-existent at worst. However, since the Appraisal Stone had detected a trace of magic, even though it barely existed, it still allowed the blue-haired boy to stay in Brynhildr Academy to study magic.
“Don’t be so down, Ethan,” Professor Ophelia. “Have you forgotten? Fortis Dud is just like you. He was called a talentless and magicless Wizard in the past. However, he was still one of the heroes of the continent that defeated the Demon Lord. You may not be able to surpass his glory, but that doesn’t mean that you couldn’t distinguish yourself from the rest of the wizards, and witches in Brynhildr Academy.”
Ethan reluctantly nodded his head as he walked beside the Professor.
A few minutes later, they arrived at a store that was called Sanders.
“Sanders… makers of wands since 300 B.C?” Ethan blinked. “Is this some kind of advertising campaign just to get customers?”
“Of course not, silly boy,” Professor Ophelia. “Sanders has been on this continent for a very long time. This is just one of their branches in Eastshire.”
“Did the existence of Wizards and Witches start during that time?”
“They have existed for far longer than that. Magic has been around since time immemorial. The long-lived Elves were the first one to harness its power because they are the guardians of the World Tree, Yggdrasil. The other races slowly learned through trial and error.
“As for Humans, although we are a short-lived race, we are more numerous and like innovation the most. The concept of using wands to channel magical powers from our body, and amplify them was our creation. Of course, there are also Wizards and Witches who channel the magical powers around them to use as their own, and cast magic in that manner.”
Ethan, who was listening seriously to the Professor’s explanation, suddenly had a brilliant idea.
“Professor, can I also channel the power in my surroundings and use it as my own to cast my magic?”
“It is possible.”
This information gave Ethan hope that he would still have a way to use magic, even if he didn’t possess any magical powers inside his body.
“Ah… good morning customers,” an old man with glasses greeted Professor Ophelia and Ethan as soon as they entered the door. “What may I do for you today?”
“Mr. Mason, we need a wand for this boy,” Professor Ophelia said. “Can you give him a recommendation?”
The old man adjusted his glasses and smiled.
“My, if it isn’t Professor Magnolia.” Mr. Mason smiled. “How is everyone in the Academy?”
“It’s Ophelia, Mr. Mason,” Professor Ophelia corrected.
“Yes, I heard you the first time, Camillia,” Mr. Mason made a gesture for his two guests to come closer. “A wand recommendation for this boy you say?”
Mr. Mason eyed the blue-haired boy for half a minute before taking out a wooden box behind him.
“Your name is Ethan Gremory, right?” Mr. Mason asked. “Seventeen years old, and currently staying in Dud Manor.”
“H-How?” Ethan looked at the old man with a dumbfounded look on his face.
He couldn’t believe that the same person who kept getting Professor Ophelia’s name wrong was able to know his full name, age, as well as the Manor he was staying in the Academy with just a glance.
“How isn’t important,” Mr. Mason replied. As he took the lid off the box and presented its contents to the blue-haired boy, who was looking back at him in disbelief. “What is important is that you give this wand a wave.”
The old man handed a gray wand to Ethan and took a step back.
“Go on, try it,” Mr. Mason urged.
The blue-haired boy stared at the wand in his hand and pointed it at the wooden target practice at the corner of the store with great expectations.
“Ignis Fulmine!” Ethan shouted.
This was the spell that Chloe used inside the dungeon, allowing her to hurl Fire Bolts at the zombies that attacked them.
Ethan had wished he could do the same, so the first spell he tried to cast was his cousin’s Fire Bolt Spell.
A few seconds of awkward silence passed by before Mr. Mason cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention.
“Some people have specific Elemental Affinities,” Mr. Mason explained. “For example, even if someone has strong magical powers, but their affinity lies in Ice Magic, they will not be able to cast fire magic.
“Of course, there are exceptions. There are several individuals who have multiple affinities allowing them to use two to three, sometimes even more, elements. However, it seems that you’re not one of them, Mr. Gremory. What you need to do is cast a universal spell that anyone can use. Now, say the words, Lux Aeterna.” 𝑂𝗏𝔩xt.𝚌𝗈𝓶
Ethan took a deep breath before raising his wand high up in the air.
“Lux Aeterna!”
Another awkward silence passed before Mr. Mason took the wand out of the blue-haired boy’s hand and returned it inside the box.
“Maybe some other wands will do,” Mr. Mason returned the wooden box to its rightful place as he rummaged through the other shelves of his shop. A minute later, he returned with another wooden box in his hands and presented it to Ethan.
“Okay, try this one,” Mr. Mason stated.
Ethan nodded and once again raised the wand high up in the air and shouted the magical words that would bring light to the world.
“Lux Aeterna!”
A few seconds later, Ethan returned the wand to Mr. Mason with a face-filled with disappointment.
“Forget it, Professor,” Ethan sighed. “Just get me a mass produced wand. Spending gold on an expensive wand is just a waste of money.”
Mr. Mason shook his head helplessly before lightly tapping the boy’s head with the wooden box in his hand, making the latter cry out in pain.
“Boy, are you making fun of me?” Mr. Mason asked with a smile that wasn’t a smile. “We don’t make ‘mass produced’ wands in this shop. Every wand in this shop is tailored to perfection. You see, it’s not the person who chooses the wand. It’s the wand that chooses the person. We just haven’t found the right wand for you.”
Ethan chuckled before shaking his head. “Mr. Mason. For example, I’m just an ordinary person who happened to fancy myself into buying a wand in your shop. Then, as the good man that you are, you tried to help me find a wand that will suit me.
“However, since I have no magic power whatsoever, even if you allowed me to test every single wand in this shop, it would be useless. I have no magic power, therefore I can’t use mag-ouch!”
While Ethan was talking, a wooden box that was on a shelf above his head, mysteriously fell, stopping the blue-haired boy’s pitiful monologue.
Mr. Mason hurriedly picked up the wooden box to see if the wand inside it was damaged. However, after seeing its model, a thought came into his head.
‘I wonder…,’ Mr. Mason thought as he stared at the black wand inside the box, completely ignoring the blue-haired boy who now had a bump on his head.
A minute later, the old man turned to look at the teary-eyed boy, who was being treated with a magical potion by Professor Ophelia.
“Ethan, hold this wand,” Mr. Mason said.
“I told you already Mr. Mason,” Ethan replied as he reached out his hand to hold the wand presented to him. “It’s usele–”
As soon as he touched the handle of the wand, something unbelievable happened.
He found himself standing on what seems to be a clear, blue sea that spanned for miles on end. A moment later, he heard a playful giggle behind his back, which made him slowly turn his head to see where it came from.
The moment he laid his eyes on her, the blue-haired boy stood frozen in place due to the sheer beauty of the lady that was smiling back at him.
She had deep blue hair, and her upper half was bare for him to see. However, something else caught his attention. Instead of legs, he saw what seemed to be a rainbow-colored fish tail from her waist down.
Seeing his reaction, the mermaid giggled before opening her arms wide as if to welcome Ethan with a big hug.
For some reason, his body moved on his own, and floated in the air. A moment later, the blue-haired boy found himself being hugged by the beautiful mermaid.
“Finally, I am now a part of your world,” the beautiful mermaid whispered in Ethan’s ears.
The mermaid then cupped Ethan’s face and kissed his lips, making him taste something sweet like honey.
A few seconds later, that beautiful blue world disappeared, along with the mermaid who had stolen his first kiss.
Ethan found himself back inside the wand shop. Mr. Mason and Professor Ophelia were looking at him in a weird manner.
“Well, I know that the wand in your hands is a work of art, so it is perfectly normal for you to kiss it,” Mr. Mason chuckled. “I assume that you find this wand to your liking, Ethan?”
“We’ll be taking this wand, Mr. Mason,” Professor Ophelia said in a voice filled with amusement. “But, can you tell me what the core ingredient used to create this wand is?”
Mr. Mason nodded as he looked at the wand in Ethan’s hand, who was currently blushing due to embarrassment.
“The core of this wand is made from a rainbow scale of the Mermaid Princess,” Mr. Mason replied. “It is one of a kind, and no other wand here in my store, nor any of the wands in the other branches of Sanders, that is like it.”
After hearing Mr. Mason’s explanation, Ethan stared at his wand with a flushed face. For some reason, the sweetness of his first kiss still lingered in his lips, just like the memory of the Mermaid Princess, that was still fresh in his mind.