While there were many types of mage in this world, as Dinah had already explained, the word witch had some… negative connotations. It was mostly used by those who considered themselves to be ‘against’ all forms of magic, like it was inherently evil or dangerous. Which in the opinion of Dinah and most other magic users, was no more true for magic than for gravity or light.
Magic was just another force that existed in this universe and could be used or abused at anyone’s discretion.
She didn’t even blink at Virgil’s reply. “No, I understand. Figuring things out for yourself is half the fun of knowing. It’s especially fun if you have to work hard for it…” Or get it out of someone, she mentally added, but she figured that that sounded a bit too dark to say out loud for now. She assumed he didn’t know her well enough to take that the right way yet.
The book was held as still as she could, allowing Virgil to take in the details of the illustration. Even if he had seen it before, considering this book did belong to him, she understood why he might need to make sure.
“Harper’s Foe,” she repeated, thinking for a moment as she turned the book back around. “That doesn’t sound familiar. Not the name or what it does. We have some acidic flowers that might be related, but… nothing that really matches such a thing.”
The flowers she was referring to could also work as a food additive. The sap from these yellow flowers, which tended to grow in shadowy areas and have large root systems, was very sour… so small amounts could be used similarly to, say, lemon juice.
She looked back at him with a glimmer in her eyes. “You wouldn’t happen to have some seeds on you, would you?”
“My homeland tends to have such oddities when it comes to plants, I have found in my Wanderings,” Virgil admitted, looking down at the plant etched carefully upon the page. “There are only a few I’ve discovered that are similar or the same, but there are so many plants you never know when you simply mistake it for something else! There’s always so much to learn, you have to look at your feet sometimes to find out.”
He was happy to discuss plants. Plants were safe, like creatures and rock structures. Magic was always a hit or miss depending on where he Wandered to, and sometimes deviating from that conversation to a safer topic was always wise. So he smiled and let Dinah hold the book as he reached for his bag.
“I might have something-” his entire arm disappeared into the bag up to the shoulder as he rummaged. “Oh, I know I just sorted it out not too long ago- aha!”
A leather case was produced with a triumphant noise, the flap of the bag falling shut as he carefully lifted the lid. Inside was tiny compartments, each holding a small jar or vial of plant clippings, seeds, flowers, sap, sometimes an entire plant if it was small enough. He hummed as he lifted the first level up, exposing a second layer of vials as he looked over the labels.
“I must’ve left it on my desk,” he muttered, collapsing the case and latching it shut again. “I’ve been meaning to sort things out, but of course, when I do, I always needed the thing I leave out! Don’t you hate that? I’ll have to go through it and see what I have with me once we stop somewhere. It isn’t too far from a town now, yes?” They had been walking for quite some time now- he wondered if they would have to camp for the night, if the sun ever set that is. It was well into the afternoon by now. Perhaps it was summer here?