The magic power in the world of [Vengeful Goddesses] is not merely crystallized mana.
There are five 'properties' inherent to the magic power of this world.
And these properties fundamentally determined the techniques a being could wield, their path of growth, and even their style of combat.
"We call those five properties of magic power by these names."
First, Amplification Type.
The type that infuses magic power directly into one's body or equipment to enhance and strengthen abilities.
It amplifies strength, agility, stamina, reaction speed—everything—through magic power, explosively boosting them all.
Simple yet providing an absolute increase in combat power, it was an indispensable trait for knights and soldiers who fought primarily in close quarters.
In real combat, it was the most 'direct' and the most 'reliable' form of magic power.
Second, Emission Type.
The type that shoots magic power out from the body, scatters it, or ejects it in specific forms.
Most magic from mages engaging in ranged combat—bullets, waves, beams, explosions—stemmed from this property.
On the continent, mages of this lineage were commonly grouped together and called 'Circle' mages.
They held overwhelming advantages in range, suppressive power, and area attacks, specialized in shaking the battlefield from afar.
Third, Conversion Type.
The type that transmutes the property of magic power into entirely different attributes.
Flames, electricity, poison, gravity, adhesion, chill, and more.
It could infinitely vary both physical and non-physical attributes.
With the widest range of applications, the quality of techniques varied wildly based on the user's imagination and proficiency.
The most 'creative' and the most 'talent-dependent' property of magic power.
Fourth, Creation Type.
The type that materializes magic power to produce tools or structures.
From simple forms like swords, shields, chains, to complex magic structures governed by specific rules.
Duration, stability, and precision were the benchmarks of skill, holding immense potential in defense, support, and traps.
The moment magic power took 'form', the battlefield's dynamics shifted completely.
Fifth, Domination Type.
The type that controls a target's actions, emotions, or movements through magic power.
The deeper the constraint—contracts, contact, line of sight, specific conditions—the more profoundly and powerfully it delved.
It could manipulate humans, beasts, tools, even created magic structures, boasting the most pronounced influence in tactics and psychological warfare.
Though direct firepower was weak, its ability to command the entire battlefield rivaled any property.
"...And so, the magic power of this world branches out centered around these five properties."
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As Evelyn's final explanation settled quietly, the air in the underground hideout grew thick and tense.
The five properties. The five forms of magic power.
All combat, all techniques, all bloodlines ultimately diverged upon this framework.
And now, in the heart of the Ashen Hand's secret lair, Piel and I were hearing this explanation side by side.
It was a lecture from the princess—who was handling the Proxy Blood Fate's education—well, today, at least, 'Leader' Evelyn, concealing her true identity.
Piel sat beside me, nodding vigorously with her tail rigidly raised.
Her small hands clutched the pen and notebook I'd handed her, trembling slightly, while her ears twitched like they might miss even a single word of explanation.
"Alright, I've given you a general overview of the properties of magic power... Any questions?"
Piel fidgeted shyly with her lips before blurting out,
"Um, th-that... It's a bit too hard, so c-could I write it down somewhere separately? Pr... Princess."
Evelyn's eyes curved sweetly.
"Hehe, of course. A student this eager is more than welcome from a teacher's perspective, Piel. And since I'm currently operating incognito in a secret society... please call me Leader when we're not in formal settings?"
"Y-yes! Got it, Leader!"
No sooner had she finished speaking than Piel slammed her face toward the notebook and began scribbling furiously.
The encouragement I'd given her earlier must have worked wonders; this little fox was bursting with more energy than ever, even knowing the training ahead would be brutally intense.
Her whole body seemed to shout, "I can do it! I can do it!"
That passion made me smile warmly without realizing it.
Probably the same expression a father wears watching his daughter study hard.
I was lost in such idle thoughts, chuckling quietly—
"...Excuse me, Lucas Argent."
Suddenly, a chill ran down my back.
"Why do you call, Princess?"
"Aren't you going to take notes on my lesson?"
"Ah..."
Only then did I realize.
Piel was diligently scribbling with both hands, while I lounged there, arms crossed, not having written a single letter—like the delinquent student next to the model pupil.
Evelyn's gaze scraped sharply across my profile.
A mix of noble princess sternness and leader strictness in her expression.
The exact look a teacher gives the troublemaker sitting beside the diligent top student.
But I just shrugged casually.
Because—
Such magic power settings felt like something I'd seen a hundred times in shonen manga.
To me, who binged web novels, webtoons, and Japanese manga after long days as a doctor in my past life, it was just a bundle of all-too-familiar clichés.
"I've already memorized it all."
Evelyn's eyes widened slightly.
"M-memorized...? After hearing it just once?"
"Yes. And to check these five magic powers, there's a magic tool that reads reactions by circulating magic power through the body, right?"
"!?"
Her lips trembled ever so subtly.
"Y-you even predicted that?"
Piel, seeing that, hugged my arm tightly and beamed,
"As expected of Master! So smart!"
Her words made me feel oddly pleased.
Especially seeing Evelyn's startled face.
She glared at me for a moment, then rose from her seat and returned holding a crystal orb glowing with light.
Silver afterimages flowed smoothly across its surface.
"Oh ho. So you know what magic power you have with this?"
"Yes. This crystal orb is called the 'Orb of Testing'. Place your hand on it, and the person's magic property reveals itself. One property shows one color; more than that, and different colors appear in sequence."
Hearing that, Piel's eyes sparkled as she exclaimed,
"Different colors...? Does that mean one person can have more than one magic power?! "
Her tail wagged excitedly as she leaned forward eagerly.
Like a little fox spotting a toy, eyes alight with curiosity.
"Then if someone had all five properties... that'd be amazing!"
"...Ah."
"That's..."
"...Hm?"
But contrary to Piel's excitement, those last words visibly darkened Evelyn's expression.
Her gaze slowly shifted from the orb to the two of us.
And from the atmosphere alone, anyone could tell.
That question wasn't a 'dream'—it bordered on 'taboo'.
"Not necessarily, Piel. Actually... the best combinations at birth are one property, or at most two."
Piel's ears froze mid-twitch.
"Huh? Why?"
Evelyn took a steadying breath, then smiled faintly, a touch bitter.
"Because... all living beings, humans included, have an absolute experience point total of 10 for their magic power."
Those words rang heavily in the air.
Indeed.
Separate from the five properties of magic power, the 'vessel' of any living being holding those properties always had exactly 10 as its absolute capacity.
And how that 10 was distributed among the properties wholly determined the power's might, growth potential, and path forward.
Born with one? All 10 points poured into it.
Simple, overwhelming superiority.
Two? Say 7:3 or balanced 5:5, complementing each other for 'excellent synergy'.
The problem began beyond that.
From the moment of birth with three, the child became a prime example of mediocre talent.
"Usually, for a magic property to be deemed 'useful', at least one needs 5 or more experience points concentrated in it."
As Evelyn said, born with three meant the 10 split three ways.
Lucky case: 8:1:1.
They could abandon two and max out one.
But most often—3:4:3.
All middling, none surpassing a certain level—'jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none' magic power.
Four or five? Even worse.
Such children were branded 'useless' from birth and raised as such.
Especially harsher for those of noble blood.
And Princess Evelyn herself fell into that category.
"For reference, I was born with Emission, Conversion, Creation—at a 3:4:3 ratio."
She spoke calmly, but deep in her voice lingered an old wound.
"So... from birth, I was mostly confined to a detached palace. All because my talent was 'ambiguous'."
Piel's tail drooped cautiously, and I regarded her impassively.
The lightless air of the underground hideout quivered faintly for a moment.
In this world, magic power was less a blessing or talent—more a 'verdict'.
But that ashen mood didn't linger.
Clap.
Evelyn shattered the heavy air herself with a clear handclap, drawing our eyes to her.
"That's why I hope Piel has two or fewer magic properties!"
Piel's ears perked up vibrantly again.
"Sniff... Leader!"
"Through bloody effort, I've reached 5th Circle mage recognition at my age. But... I know my limits end here."
Her words were steady, weighted by long-buried resignation.
"So for Piel... I don't want you to feel that."
With that, Evelyn gently stroked Piel's hair.
The little fox's fur softly parted under her fingertips, Piel's eyes trembling on the verge of tears.
"Y-yes! I'll work really, really hard...!"
Her purity warmed even my heart strangely.
Anyway.
"Alright then, Piel. Place your palm on this crystal orb? I'll check for you!"
"Yes!"
The moment to reveal Piel's magic property had arrived.
But I lightly grabbed Piel's extending hand, stopping her.
"7 to 3."
"...Pardon?"
"Master?"
Piel and Evelyn looked up simultaneously.
"Piel has two magic properties. Amplification and Creation. Ratio: 7 Amplification, 3 Creation."
Piel froze with her hand midway, mouth agape; Evelyn clutched the orb, stunned.
"H-how... do you know that, Lucas Argent?"
I couldn't exactly say 'I read it in the original story'.
Knowing the tool's judgment took a full day, I shrugged nonchalantly.
"Family."
"...Eh?"
"M-Master...!"
"No secrets between family."
Piel wagged her tail wildly at the joy, chiming in immediately,
"Right! Master's my precious family, hehe... He knows every nook and cranny inside me!"
...The phrasing was a bit risky, but it added conviction.
We could skip the time waste.
And truthfully, my reason for seeking the orb was different.
"Alright, Piel's confirmed... Princess. Test my magic property."
Evelyn's fingers halted.
"Lucas Argent. Your... magic power?"
"Yes."
In the original story, 'Lucas Argent' died meaninglessly.
A side character with no combat prowess or presence, mere decoration.
But I'm different from that fool.
I must survive.
And to survive—
I had to know what power I possessed, the size of my 'vessel' in this world.