The Wandering Witch Celeste

The week passed in a blur, with me defeating slimes tirelessly and using [Creation Magic] to create various supplies. Each evening, I would retreat into my tent, pondering the day's events. Afterward, I'd turn to my [Scholar] knowledge to deepen my understanding of magic. Without its help, I studied on my own, learning to feel the mana within me and around me. There were even moments when I could sense it in the tiny creatures that roamed the land. 

A whole week had passed, and now, I was at level 13 with 237 mana. I had noticed that, up until level 10, my mana had always increased by a modest 10 points—peaking at 15. But after reaching level 11, I saw a significant change. The limit for my mana increase seemed to have risen. Perhaps I would see another rise at level 21. 

The most surprising development this week was my growing familiarity with [Creation Magic]. I could now sense whether I had enough mana to create certain items. I also learned to gauge how much mana was needed for each creation. Though the magic was powerful, it had its limits. For instance, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't create life—not even something as simple as an ant. It wasn't a matter of mana or imagination; it was just something [Creation Magic] wouldn't allow. 

My magic had also improved over the week. At first, I had to concentrate deeply, picturing a flame in my mind before shaping it with my mana. But now, it felt different. All I needed was a thought, and the mana would follow, responding to my simple chant. Thanks to [Scholar], I had gained access to [Fire Magic] early on, and now, I could use spells like [Fire Arrow], [Fireball], and a tiny flame I called [Fire] for practice. 

[Fire] was a small flicker of flame that danced on the tip of my index finger. I would use it to light the campfire or illuminate small areas at night. It was also helpful for practicing my mana control, so I'd shape the flame into a tiny ball and let it float. Sometimes, I'd make another flame to follow it, creating a delicate dance of fire around me. This helped me develop [Mana Manipulation] and [Mana Sense]. 

Another skill I had acquired was [Mana Regeneration]. It was slow, but more efficient than constantly relying on mana potions. And if I activated [Mana Regeneration] while drinking a potion, the effect was far quicker. 

I felt stronger than I had when I first arrived here. I could now use [Fire Magic] for offense and had become more comfortable with [Creation Magic]. It was time to create the skills I would need to navigate the forest—both offensive and defensive skills that I hadn't been able to create before. 

One of the greatest surprises this week was the discovery that the [Nameless Fruit] could only raise my mana permanently once per day. My mana problem was mostly solved now, and my constant training with mana seemed to slowly increase my mana capacity as well. My mana had gone from 237 to 253, an impressive leap. 

If I wanted to find a village or a city, I would have to pass through the forest surrounding the large meadow where my tent was set up. Tomorrow, I planned to explore the forest, hoping to find either a village or a small city. There were so many things I needed—like a proper bed, a toilet, and, most of all, a real shower. 

But before I set off, there were a few things I needed to prepare. First, I needed to create more skills. I also needed defensive measures in place and a physical offensive skill—something I could rely on if I ran out of mana or was unable to use it. 

"<>!" 

I had used [Creation Magic] over the past few days to create a variety of clothes, but nothing enchanted—nothing like the magical items you might see in games. The first item I created was a black hooded robe with violet accents. The second was a simple black witch's hat, adorned with violet and gold highlights. The final item was a pair of black-rimmed round glasses. With the last of my mana, I took a moment to rest, sipping a mana regeneration potion. 

The robe had several properties: it aided in the recovery of both mana and fatigue, adjusted its temperature based on my mana control, and offered a bit of physical and magical resistance. It was also more durable than typical robes. The witch's hat shared many of these traits but also provided a small boost to magical power. As for the glasses, they had the same function as my [Monocle]—the ability to use [Appraisal], the advancement of the skill [Identify]. They were designed in such a way that they wouldn't easily fall off, no matter how I moved.