TV-Series
Description
Angelica Burley is a mage and a skilled artificer who runs her own magical shop in London. As an artificer, she specializes in imbuing tools and objects with magical properties, creating accessories and devices that serve specific supernatural functions. Her workshop is hidden behind the facade of an old bookstore, which serves as a front for her clientele in the modern city.
Born to an alchemist father, Angelica inherited a natural affinity for magic, though she had to learn to practice it in her own way due to the differing methodologies between alchemy and magecraft. During her childhood training, she suffered a serious accident that caused gemstones to become permanently embedded in her flesh, particularly in her arms. This incident serves as a lasting physical reminder of the dangers of breaking magical laws and the importance of careful study. As a result, she typically wears long sleeves or special coverings to hide the crystals fused into her skin.
Angelica has known Elias Ainsworth since she was a child, making her one of the people who understands him best despite never having been his apprentice. This long history gives her a unique position from which she can address Elias without hesitation, and she frequently scolds him for his inappropriate or strange behaviors. When she first learned that Elias had purchased Chise at an auction and planned to make her his bride, she punched him in the gut as punishment for treating a person like a product. Her willingness to confront Elias stems from genuine care and a desire to guide him toward more humane behavior.
As a person, Angelica is kind but can be stern when the situation calls for it. She takes great pride in her craft and her family, approaching both with dedication and responsibility. Her demeanor is described as boyish and dependable, and those around her place considerable trust in her abilities and judgment. She possesses a no-nonsense attitude that helps temper some of the more unsettling aspects of the magical world, particularly for newcomers like Chise. Her speech occasionally includes dialect terms such as lass, suggesting possible Scottish or Irish origins, though she is from England.
Angelica serves as something of a distant mentor figure to Chise Hatori. She is one of the first people to learn of Chise's nature as a Sleigh Beggy, a rare type of mage who unconsciously absorbs and produces vast amounts of magic. When Chise inadvertently caused Angelica's workshop floor to become covered in crystal flowers by manifesting a memory of her mother, Angelica did not blame the girl but instead chided Elias for withholding information about Chise's condition. Following this incident, Elias commissioned Angelica to create magical tools, including a ring and a bracelet, that would help inhibit Chise's ability to absorb excess magic and thereby prolong her lifespan.
Over time, Angelica becomes a secondary guardian to Chise, treating her almost like a second daughter. She sends magical supplies, books, and learning materials to help Chise in her studies. When Chise later became afflicted with the Dragon's Curse, Angelica slapped her as punishment for what she saw as foolish recklessness, stating that she would have done the same to her own daughter. This moment illustrates how deeply Angelica cares for Chise's wellbeing and how she expresses that care through tough honesty rather than gentle indulgence. She encourages Chise not to strain herself by trying to do everything alone but also warns her against becoming overly dependent on Elias.
As a mage, Angelica practices magic by borrowing power from spirits, allowing her to interfere with the natural laws of the world. She possesses expansive magical knowledge that she applies to her work as an artificer. She has a familiar named Hugo, who is a vodanoi, a type of water spirit, and other spiritual neighbors reside in her shop as well. Like other mages such as Lindel, Angelica possesses an extremely long lifespan that extends far beyond that of normal humans. This longevity has shaped her personal life significantly, as her husband David is a non-magical human who fell in love with her when he was still a young boy. He courted her for many years, and she initially rejected him repeatedly, likely because she was afraid of watching her loved ones pass away while she continued to live. They eventually married and have a daughter named Althea, who inherited her mother's gift for magic. David has admitted that while he is relieved he will not die alone, he worries about leaving his wife and daughter behind since they will both outlive him.
Throughout the story, Angelica remains a steady and reliable presence, offering both practical assistance and emotional guidance. Her role as an artificer proves essential for managing Chise's dangerous magical abilities, while her personal connection to Elias provides a bridge between his inhuman nature and the human world. Her own past mistakes and the permanent scars they left on her body inform her cautious approach to magic, and she passes this wisdom on to younger mages. She represents the importance of boundaries, both in magical practice and in relationships, while also demonstrating that genuine care often requires difficult honesty.
Born to an alchemist father, Angelica inherited a natural affinity for magic, though she had to learn to practice it in her own way due to the differing methodologies between alchemy and magecraft. During her childhood training, she suffered a serious accident that caused gemstones to become permanently embedded in her flesh, particularly in her arms. This incident serves as a lasting physical reminder of the dangers of breaking magical laws and the importance of careful study. As a result, she typically wears long sleeves or special coverings to hide the crystals fused into her skin.
Angelica has known Elias Ainsworth since she was a child, making her one of the people who understands him best despite never having been his apprentice. This long history gives her a unique position from which she can address Elias without hesitation, and she frequently scolds him for his inappropriate or strange behaviors. When she first learned that Elias had purchased Chise at an auction and planned to make her his bride, she punched him in the gut as punishment for treating a person like a product. Her willingness to confront Elias stems from genuine care and a desire to guide him toward more humane behavior.
As a person, Angelica is kind but can be stern when the situation calls for it. She takes great pride in her craft and her family, approaching both with dedication and responsibility. Her demeanor is described as boyish and dependable, and those around her place considerable trust in her abilities and judgment. She possesses a no-nonsense attitude that helps temper some of the more unsettling aspects of the magical world, particularly for newcomers like Chise. Her speech occasionally includes dialect terms such as lass, suggesting possible Scottish or Irish origins, though she is from England.
Angelica serves as something of a distant mentor figure to Chise Hatori. She is one of the first people to learn of Chise's nature as a Sleigh Beggy, a rare type of mage who unconsciously absorbs and produces vast amounts of magic. When Chise inadvertently caused Angelica's workshop floor to become covered in crystal flowers by manifesting a memory of her mother, Angelica did not blame the girl but instead chided Elias for withholding information about Chise's condition. Following this incident, Elias commissioned Angelica to create magical tools, including a ring and a bracelet, that would help inhibit Chise's ability to absorb excess magic and thereby prolong her lifespan.
Over time, Angelica becomes a secondary guardian to Chise, treating her almost like a second daughter. She sends magical supplies, books, and learning materials to help Chise in her studies. When Chise later became afflicted with the Dragon's Curse, Angelica slapped her as punishment for what she saw as foolish recklessness, stating that she would have done the same to her own daughter. This moment illustrates how deeply Angelica cares for Chise's wellbeing and how she expresses that care through tough honesty rather than gentle indulgence. She encourages Chise not to strain herself by trying to do everything alone but also warns her against becoming overly dependent on Elias.
As a mage, Angelica practices magic by borrowing power from spirits, allowing her to interfere with the natural laws of the world. She possesses expansive magical knowledge that she applies to her work as an artificer. She has a familiar named Hugo, who is a vodanoi, a type of water spirit, and other spiritual neighbors reside in her shop as well. Like other mages such as Lindel, Angelica possesses an extremely long lifespan that extends far beyond that of normal humans. This longevity has shaped her personal life significantly, as her husband David is a non-magical human who fell in love with her when he was still a young boy. He courted her for many years, and she initially rejected him repeatedly, likely because she was afraid of watching her loved ones pass away while she continued to live. They eventually married and have a daughter named Althea, who inherited her mother's gift for magic. David has admitted that while he is relieved he will not die alone, he worries about leaving his wife and daughter behind since they will both outlive him.
Throughout the story, Angelica remains a steady and reliable presence, offering both practical assistance and emotional guidance. Her role as an artificer proves essential for managing Chise's dangerous magical abilities, while her personal connection to Elias provides a bridge between his inhuman nature and the human world. Her own past mistakes and the permanent scars they left on her body inform her cautious approach to magic, and she passes this wisdom on to younger mages. She represents the importance of boundaries, both in magical practice and in relationships, while also demonstrating that genuine care often requires difficult honesty.