"Your Majesty." Murphy beckoned, turning the boot that had transformed into a bat and flown away back into its original form, then slipped it onto Sophia's foot.
Then he stood up and said, "What I want to do has never really changed."
"From the moment I came to this world, that idea has been brewing and gathering strength in my mind. After I graduated, it began to sprout and grow. Now, I'm merely continuing to water and nourish it."
"One principle runs through everything I do. That principle is understanding magic."
As he spoke, he waved his hand. Flowers kept blossoming along the spear formed from a vine until it became an ordinary flowering vine again.
Since his last battle with the shaman, Murphy had gained another layer of understanding of "wands." Now, for some minor magical effects, he could use his fingers instead of a wand as the focal point of his magic, producing them at will.
"What I truly want is to understand magic—more clearly, more intuitively, more precisely, and in a way that brings me closer to its essence and truth."
"Whether I'm selling potions to Muggles, establishing Muggle businesses, or now trying to save the Soviet Union, it's all for that purpose."
The empress set her foot on the ground and tapped it lightly. It seemed to have stopped hurting. She tilted her head slightly in confusion. "Sorry, Mr. Darkholme, but I don't see the connection between those two things."
Murphy smiled. "What do you think magic is, Your Majesty?"
"Magic?" Sophia thought for a moment. "Isn't it just magic?"
"Exactly. To most wizards, magic is as natural as breathing or eating."
"And that's why so few wizards try to understand it."
"Wizards merely use magic, just as they use fire. We know fire can provide