Bracken Veil and the Exorbitant Cost of Magic
Bracken Veil, Bracken Veil. A gray port shrouded in fog year-round. One of the major hubs of European wizarding society, it was a town where wizards from all over the world gathered to live. Being an isolated society, their culture and lifestyle resembled the Middle Ages, but wizards could freely travel between the normal world and the magical one without restrictions. They weren't lacking in connections, wealth, or power either—this was more like stubborn tradition. Still, it wasn't purely medieval; towering marble buildings lined the central avenue, interspersed with traces of modern conveniences, highlighting the unique nature of magical society.
After exiting through gate 4, I took a moment to gaze around the otherworldly scene with curious eyes. But the sidelong glances from passersby quickly reminded me of what I needed to do.
"First things first, let's find the Drunken White-Bearded Whale tavern."
Calling it a tavern when I'm underage might sound off, but magical society didn't have strict laws dividing children and teens, and these places usually doubled as inns anyway. Nothing too weird about it.
Pointy-hatted Gandalf wannabes in floppy cloaks—one. Mad hatters—two. Great Gatsbys—three. And the occasional kid my age scattered about. I approached a young guy in relatively modern clothes.
"Excuse me. Could you point me in the right direction?"
"Hm? What's up?"
"Trying to get to the Drunken White-Bearded Whale tavern, but I don't know the way."
"Ah, head straight down the central road here, and you'll hit the town hall. That white marble building with the tower. Turn toward the harbor where you can see the sea and keep going straight—look for a big sign with a whale on the main street. You'll spot it easy if you focus."
"Thanks."
Luckily, the town wasn't as huge as I'd feared, so I found the tavern just as the guy described.
"Hahahahaha!!!"
"Kekeke!"
As I got closer, raucous noise poured out through the door. One look, and I knew I'd nailed it.
"Well, look at this—a young customer. Where're your mom and dad, kid?"
Ricas Grayson. Mid-forties, stocky build, sharp eyes, reeking of thick pipe smoke.
"Came with Nil Kapoor, but we got separated midway."
I gave him a rough rundown of events, and he clicked his tongue, pulling a key from behind the counter.
"Eldmier freshman, huh? You'll need to crash here at least two days. Got money? I'll hook you up with a room. Bill it to Nil."
"Nah, I have cash."
"Alright then. Room and meals, 7 denars. Dollars work too, but there's a fee."
Over 600,000 won in Korean currency. Are they nuts? The inside looked like a total rip-off, but not knowing local prices, I meekly pulled out seven silver coins from my pouch.
Should've just said I was broke.
"Meals are three times a day—tell us when you're ready. Eat or skip, your call, but no refunds. Need anything else, speak up."
"Yep."
"Oh, and the ship to Eldmier docks at the harbor for five hours starting noon the day after tomorrow. Get your admission letter and supplies ready early so you don't miss it."
"Got it. If Nil shows, let him know. I'll grab some food for now."
It was getting late, sun dipping low. Wandering alone seemed like it'd draw too much aggro. With a day to spare, crashing hard tonight and starting fresh in the morning sounded perfect.
Had a quick breakfast and headed out. Britain's rep for awful food is legendary, but magic must've helped—it was decent enough.
"What kind of school makes kids buy their own textbooks? Don't they hand 'em out? And personal lab gear? Insane."
Even with free tuition, this crossed the line. Commoners' mental states: shattered.
"Parents' spines are gonna snap."
Uniform, cloak, hat, shoes—everything slapped me with Italian luxury prices. And spares? Silver turned to gold real quick. Books weren't just a couple either; piled up, my load was massive. Borrowing a cart from Ricas was a godsend.
I skipped the optional stuff entirely. Last up: wand and grimoire.
Note: Grimoires here aren't textbooks. Originally, just books of magical knowledge. But as mystery faded and magic weakened, the term evolved. Desperate wizards birthed countless artifacts to compensate, growing ever reliant on tools.
Rarely, a plain knowledge book awakens special power, amplifies spells, or even gains sentience. Wizards studied this frenzy, and after trial and error, created grimoires: tomes resonating with one mage's life, all their spells. True ones like that are ultra-rare.
Simply put, grimoires aren't textbooks—they're amplifiers boosting spell power. Like sidearms. Wand's the main weapon, grimoire the backup. Top-tier mages barely need artifacts, but noobs? Every tool jacks damage massively.
"Hmm, should be around here... This the place?"
Glossier than any shop so far. Felt more like a jewelry store than a magic shop.
Interior matched the flash. Neatly sectioned by category. I recalled Ricas's advice.
"Wand? Cheap ones are all the same—don't fuss, just grab a basic. Grimoire? Whatever fits budget."
Lingering at the entrance, an employee approached.
"Welcome. How can I help?"
"Looking for a wand and grimoire for myself."
She eyed me up and down, smiling.
"Eldmier Academy freshman, by any chance?"
"Yep."
She guided me to a display near the window stocked with wands and grimoires.
"This corner's for new students—basic attributes sorted. Browse freely; let me know if you need more."
"Thanks."
Even a glance showed premium glow. Whoa—this a wand? Whoa—that a grimoire?
Wand crafted from 400-year-old oak grown near a volcano, cored with red-tailed fox spirit tendon. Tipped with flame stone housing a low-grade fire spirit to amplify fire attributes.
Orca inner skin soaked in special reagents, stretched thin, and dried long-term for parchment. Bound with blue coral processed after centuries absorbing mana under pressure. Adds slight water attribute on spellcast.
"Huh, not bad?"
Didn't expect much from "beginner section," but the descriptions screamed high-end materials. True to newbie gear—no insane powers, but each specialized in one attribute.
"So the price..."
Whoa—prices. Whoa—fuck.
"Wand 55 solis... Grimoire 102 solis?"
Even the cheapest wand blew my budget. These were sold near cost to support young wizards, but clueless me was floored.
Wand from birch snapped in a typhoon, cored with highland owl bone, sealed in resin with feathers. Finished with fairy wing scales to slightly amplify wind magic.
"38 solas... Anything cheaper?"
Checked every tag—nope, nothing under Parched Wingbeat. Couldn't afford jack with all my cash pooled.
Masaka... No money, no school?
"Gotta ask the clerk."
Ting—
Heading to the desk for help, a small bell chimed as the shop door opened. Before I could turn, blinding noon sun poured in.
"Mind moving?"
Blinded, a haughty voice hit my ear. Realizing I'd frozen gawking only after her small, pursed lips spoke.
Flushed cheeks on porcelain skin, mysterious gray eyes piercing straight through. Long doll lashes blinked, revealing deep, translucent ash irises. Waves of hair cascaded past her shoulders like refined gold threads scattered under cold moonlight.
"Whoa—a doll."