Magic System

Mana is an innate magical power one is born with and which can be measured. Its quantity is gauged in infancy: in a temple, before a statue of the goddess of light, a priest performs a measurement rite, and the child is sorted into a tier — down to the verdict 'no mana'. In a world where the nobility prizes power, such a verdict brands a person as worthless: this is precisely why Rest's father disowned his son on hearing 'no mana'.

Two distinct traits must be told apart. Mana quantity is the overall reservoir of power, whereas magic output is how much power can be poured into a single spell; the latter depends on talent. Rest's mana reserve is all but infinite, yet his single-blast output is only average, so his strength lies in volume and versatility rather than one heavy strike. High-level spells demand a large mana reserve, and mages with weak reserves cannot master them.

Spells are tiered: low/beginner, mid and high-level. Formally there are five great kinds of magic: elemental, bio/body magic, object magic, summoning and faith magic. Alchemy and barrier arts stand apart. The text shows healing, purification, barriers, body reinforcement, presence detection and elemental strikes — fire, ice, lightning (fireball, lightning ball, lightning storm, etc.).

A magician is a professional, usually titled wielder of magic, whereas (mage) is the broader word. The summit of a magician's career is court magician, a mage in the royal family's service. Together with the Royal Guard, court magicians are deemed the 'shield of the kingdom' and answer directly to the king.

The office of court magician carries the rank of honorary viscount — a title bound to the post: it is not hereditary, grants no land, and is stripped away the moment the mage leaves the office. If a family holds the honorary title for three consecutive generations, it is finally recognised as true hereditary nobility. The court-mage corps is led by its chief — Marquis Rosemary, Rest's patron.

Rest is a reincarnator, and his two gifts are called 'reincarnation perks': infinite mana and the ability to reproduce any spell he has seen even once. He was born with vast mana and the skill to suppress it, which let him pass as 'mana-less' in infancy. Denied books and tutors as a commoner, he learned by copying his half-brother's spells.

Magic and knighthood are taught at the Royal Academy. The Magic Department teaches elemental, bio and object magic; healing, purification and barriers are taught in the Clergy Department. At the entrance interview every applicant is tested with the 'crystal of possibility', which measures not current strength but room to grow: for Rest it blazed dazzlingly bright.