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Chrestomanci, sometimes branded The Worlds of Chrestomanci, is a series of seven children's fantasy books by the British author Diana Wynne Jones, published from 1977 to 2006. In the context of the parallel universe setting of the books, Chrestomanci also refers to the eponymous British government office that is responsible for supervising the use of magic and Chrestomanci Castle in southern England, which is both residence and headquarters. The word "Chrestomanci" may be derived from the Greek ''khrestos'', meaning "useful", and -mancy, "divination". In turn -mancy is derived from Ancient Greek ''manteía'', "prophecy or divination". Jones gives the pronunciation "KREST–OH–MAN–SEE" herself〔''Mixed Magics'' (Greenwillow Books, 2001), preface. "You pronounce it KREST-OH-MAN-SEE."〕 and one of her characters writes the same instruction for using the word as a spell.〔''Witch Week'', chapter 11. "The old lady had written just one strange word three times at the top of the paper. Under that, as she had told them, she had written, in shaky capitals, how to say this word: KREST-OH-MAN-SEE."〕 == The Worlds == The "The Worlds of Chrestomanci" label on some 21st-century editions〔Beginning with a matching set (Collins, May 2000) comprising the first edition of ''Mixed Magics'' and reissue of the four extant novels.〕 alludes to their general setting, a multiverse called the "Related Worlds". The worlds have branched from common ancestors at important events in history such as English and French victories in the Battle of Agincourt, or the success or failure of the Gunpowder plot. Some people can move between worlds, at least in spirit, and twelve Series of similar worlds have been labelled in the English of the stories. It is common for people to have parallel selves in other worlds. The principal setting for the series is World 12A. World 12A is reminiscent of Britain during the Edwardian Era. There are known to be other worlds with British governments, probably all of series 12 and some others; even more worlds have an England in or near Europe. The Chrestomanci has representatives in some other worlds but does not know all other worlds. Indeed, ''Witch Week'' is set in a world even closer to ours, yet its existence is a surprise to Chrestomanci Christopher Chant and he cannot easily identify it.〔WW ch. 12 to opening pages of ch. 15. Especially: "I think there has been some kind of accident. You shouldn't get a civilized world where witches are burned. As I said, it ought not to exist. ... I urgently need a short history of witchcraft, in order to discover what kind of accident happened here. Was Elizabeth I a witch?" (ch. 13)〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Chrestomanci」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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