I love this game so far!
The gameplay mechanics in the "Study" wouldn't have been enough to hold my interest for long, but then you unlocked the *Laboratory,* which gave the mana purpose. I very much enjoyed using your hints to discover all of the recipes. Very nicely done!
The user interface is gorgeous. You've done a really good job with the atmosphere and the descriptions. The hints were perfect.
One tiny way to improve the game: if you click on the three dots in the top right corner, and open "Statistics," "Achievements," or "Arcane Insights," those pages pop up with a light background. The titles are also very light, which makes the titles tricky to read.
From a gameplay perspective: on the first life, there isn't much to do while waiting to unlock the familiars. I ended up playing another game while the mana slowly accumulated.
Now that I've unlocked the Homunculus, it looks like I have another long wait ahead of me before I can try the Expeditions. If there were something that the players could do during this slow part, then you could keep them from wandering off!
Anyway, I hope this feedback is helpful! The game has been *excellent* so far, and I'm excited to see where it goes.