Allen the Reincarnated Merchant: A Plan to Get Rich in Another World

“First, let me explain. Magic that requires an affinity, like healing magic, is called special magic. Among these, the magic governed by spirits higher than Naruka, the spirit of words, is called higher special magic. Magic governed by lower spirits is referred to as lower special magic,” Aria began.

“What exactly does that include?” I asked.

“Higher special magic includes healing magic, of course. There are others, such as space-time magic. The difficulty with higher special magic is that you need to learn the language or script of the corresponding spirit to use it. But in return, these are some of the most powerful spells,” Aria continued.

According to Aria, spirits that govern words and letters—let’s call them translation spirits, specifically Naruka—are lower in rank than the spirits that control higher special magic. As a result, higher special magic can’t be understood through Naruka’s authority and must be learned from scratch.

The distinction between the two types is simple: higher special magic requires time and study to master because the words and characters aren’t comprehensible, while lower special magic is under Naruka’s jurisdiction, so you don’t need to learn any complex language or script. As long as you have an affinity for it, you can use the magic immediately.

“Is there any higher magic within the basic spells?” I asked.

“Elemental spirits that govern basic magic are mostly lower than Naruka. You have to memorize the incantations, but you don’t need to study a special language or writing system,” Aria explained.

Basic magic includes the four primary elements: fire, water, earth, and wind. Other types, like Sakakibara’s ice magic or the lightning magic I was curious about due to the looming energy issues in this world, don’t fall under basic magic but are said to exist at the same rank as the elemental spirits. These are considered lower special magic, meaning you don’t need to learn specific words or characters to use them.

“How do you find out what your affinity is? Is there some kind of appraisal magic?” I asked.

“No, those with magical potential typically start by learning simple words and then try casting them one by one,” Aria said, with Eurua adding to the explanation.

To demonstrate, Eurua lifted her right index finger, prompting me to focus on it. As I stared at her fingertip, she recited a short incantation.

“Small Lightning Ball.”

With a crackling sound, similar to static electricity, Eurua’s fingertip emitted a tiny spark, a bright flash of light dancing at the tip of her finger.

“I can use lightning magic, a lower special magic. However, since I don’t have a strong affinity for it, my energy consumption is high. But unlike Aria’s magic, you can understand the meaning of my incantation, right?” she asked.

“Yeah, a small lightning ball… It’s pretty straightforward,” I replied.

“Exactly. Since this is under Naruka’s domain, the magic activates even without precise control,” Eurua explained.

I tried to imitate her by chanting “Small Lightning Ball,” but no sparks flew from my fingers.

“It seems Allen-sama doesn’t have an affinity for lightning magic. As you can see, we test each spell like this, checking if magic activates or not,” Eurua continued.

With lower special magic, it’s relatively easy to determine affinity. You simply chant the word associated with the element. Since we were already at it, I started trying out all the lower special magic spells that we knew of.

“…No luck with any of them,” I muttered after several attempts.

“Well, that’s normal,” Eurua reassured me, noticing my disappointment after failing to cast any of the useful spells.

Despite trying out numerous special magic spells, none seemed to be within my reach. Staring at my fingers, which didn’t respond at all, I felt a little down, but Eurua tried to cheer me up.

“Uh… could you also teach me the one Aria uses?” I asked, feeling slightly embarrassed but curious.

“Alright, the simplest spell in elven healing magic is 『ᐃᓅᓯᖅ』, which is used to restore someone’s stamina,” Aria said.

“Got it… 『ᐃᓅᓯᖅ』!” I shouted.

But, just like the earlier tests, there was no response. Ideally, a faint jade-green orb would appear, glowing gently, but nothing happened. I guess I didn’t have an affinity for this magic either.

Though I didn’t feel as disappointed this time, since I knew beforehand that even fewer people had an affinity for elven healing magic than for lightning magic, I wasn’t too upset.

But then…

“…Hmm? There was a slight reaction. But what’s this?” Aria muttered, looking puzzled.

While I was ready to give up on testing my affinity, something seemed to be bothering Aria. Her expression showed confusion as she observed something I couldn’t quite grasp.