— Year 413 of the Imperial Era, Courtenay Mansion.

"Boss!... Boss!" Envy exclaimed, shaking her like a sieve full of sand.

"It's time for lunch! Why do you stay up so late? I'm sure you didn't sleep past midnight yesterday."

"Good morning, Envy... I'll be there in a moment." Ai began to change her clothes and get ready.

It had been three years since I reincarnated as a girl named Ai in an unfamiliar world, during a time reminiscent of the feudal era.

During these three years, I had been absorbing the nuances of this new world, which, though similar to my previous one, held variations in things like territory, customs, and languages. But most importantly, the emergence of fantastical beings referred to here as the "Otherworldly Races": Elves, ogres, trolls, and more.

And the most significant development in these past three years: I have Dissociative Identity Disorder... Or at least, that's what I would have thought in my past world.

Every night was spent delving deeper into the intricacies of manipulating mana. I referred to it as such instead of magic, as I had come to understand most of its terminology, and, being non-supernatural, it lost some of its mystical connotations.

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"Boss, I've finished planting what you asked me to do yesterday afternoon in that vacant lot. Do you remember what you promised me? I want my reward! Please!"

"Okay, okay... I'll give you the lesson as a reward, listen carefully." Ai continued to change.

"Magic is the process by which we use our minds to manipulate mana, which makes up all of space. This process of manipulating the medium is constrained by our self-suggestion. In other words, if we believe that the spell we're casting is powerful, it will consume more mana...

"Yet, it's impossible to deceive ourselves to try and change the outcomes." This fact explained why molecules or atoms like gold took significantly more mana for me to produce. Following this rule, I could estimate how much mana it would roughly take to enact a specific change in matter... Roughly.

"So... Does that mean our level of magical power means nothing?"

"Indeed, it's unrelated. I believe it has to do with blood type."

"Blood type?"

"Yes, a person's blood type. There are many blood types, some rarer than others." And if my hypotheses are correct, the magical sphere used to measure magical power reacts to the blood antigens.

"I see... But why can you do more now that you have my mana?"

"Because the fact that your magical power is gray alters my self-suggestion, and I believe I have more power. These are truths we understand at the core of our thoughts... Or something like that. Let's say they are undeniable facts. For instance, I could claim all of this is a lie, but deep down, I know your magical power is greater, and it must grant me more power."

"Whatever. Don't speak of this. Keep it between us, Envy."

"Yes boss!" It makes sense now... This certainly explains magic much better than saying it's the spirits who answer our calls or similar things. Without a doubt, my boss is on another level.

Ai made her way to the dining room, while Envy continued to contemplate her thoughts.

"W-Wait, boss!"