Chise is the student and future bride of the Thorn Sorcerer, Elias. They receive a package from Angelica in London: mostly textbooks, save for one special book.

The magician of the forest invites Chise into his library. Chise is reluctant at first, but they develop a strong friendship that would have a lasting influence on her.

The magician of the forest invites Chise into his library. Chise is reluctant at first, but they develop a strong friendship that would have a lasting influence on her.

Having given up on life, 15-year-old Hatori Chise sells herself at an underground auction, where she is bought by Elias Ainsworth, a not-quite-human mage, for 5 million pounds. She learns that he intends for her to be his future bride, and her world begins to change.

Few people know the truth about the bookstore on the outskirts of London that Elias frequents. He takes Chise there, where they meet Angelica, who teaches Chise a little bit of magic, but... The true power of the Sleigh Beggy materializes a fragment of Chise's memories.

Simon, who is assigned by the Church to keep an eye on Elias, visits with some business. One of his requests brings Chise and Elias to the ends of the earth, where they meet Elias' mentor, Lindel, along with an old race on the verge of extinction. An old one, about to return to the earth, spends his last moments sharing a dream with Chise.

Long ago, the humans and cats of Ulthar, city of cats, were struck by a great tragedy. For generations, the souls of those who were at the center of this tragedy have been sealed away by the king of cats. Chise and Elias travel to Ulthar in order to complete Simon's second task: to purify the spirits that remain.