Ep 6. The Faerie Queene

SPOILER WARNING: This episode description contains spoilers for previous episodes of The Ancient Magus' Bride.

In episode 6 of The Ancient Magus' Bride, titled The Faerie Queene, Chise continues to adjust to life as a mage's apprentice. She travels with Elias to a faerie market, where Elias is set to perform some errands. There, they run into an old acquaintance of Elias's, a young woman named Angelica who is a faerie researcher. Angelica is accompanied by her familiar, a dragon named Hugo.

Chise is fascinated by the market and all of the different creatures she sees there. She is especially interested in a plant called mandrake root, which is said to have medicinal properties. While Elias is busy with his errands, Chise wanders the market on her own and encounters a strange creature known as a spriggan. The spriggan attempts to attack her, but she is saved by the timely arrival of Angelica and Hugo.

Angelica explains to Chise that spriggans are dangerous creatures and should be avoided at all costs. She also reveals that she is a faerie researcher who studies the different types of faeries and their properties. Chise is fascinated by Angelica's work and questions her about the different types of faeries she has encountered. Angelica tells Chise about the faerie queene, the ruler of all the faeries in the land.

Later on, Chise meets the faerie queene herself, who is taking a break from her royal duties to attend the market. The faerie queene is a beautiful creature, with long hair and gossamer wings. She is accompanied by her loyal subjects, who bow and scrape before her.

While Chise is talking to the faerie queene, Elias appears and reveals that he needs the faerie queene's help to cure a sick creature. The faerie queene agrees to help, but only if Elias can answer a series of riddles. Elias agrees, and the two engage in a battle of wits. In the end, Elias is able to answer the faerie queene's questions, and she agrees to help him.

Together, Elias and the faerie queene travel deep into the forest to find the creature in need of their help. They find a sick unicorn, whose horn has been stolen. Elias is able to use his magic to help the unicorn, and it is soon on the road to recovery. As a reward for his help, the faerie queene returns the stolen horn to the unicorn.

The episode ends with Chise and Elias heading back home, the beautiful mandrake root in tow. Chise is excited to use the root to help heal her own wounds, and Elias is pleased with the success of their mission. The episode is a wonderful showcase of the mystical world of faeries and the magical abilities of Elias and Chise.