It's afternoon class with yours truly, the one and only Master Merlin. As always, she greets us with her energetic smile
"My beautiful, handsome, sweet potato mashed jelly bean apprentices and students, do you miss me or do you miss me?" [Merlin]
"Again. She equates us to her breakfast" [Tio].
This is her usual greeting to all students in all classes, from the youngest to the oldest. When you live more than a thousand years, I guess everyone, especially us, looks like a baby, I guess that is why she greets her students the way she usually does.
Just as we are about to start the last class before our break, a large parrot that I recognize lightly taps its beak outside. This makes everyone alert, but
"Grandma Farhah's parrot! Oh! That must be the branch from the World Tree she was preparing for! Wait a second, big parrot, I'll cast a spell to make you smaller so you can enter this classroom" [Diana].
Before casting a spell to make the target smaller, the parrot put the branch from the World Tree on the floor inside our classroom. Adnan and Auger help me pick it up and place it on the table in front of her as requested by Master Merlin. After making it smaller to the size of a normal parrot, it enters the classroom and lands on my shoulder.
"Message from Madam World Tree Priestess. Message from Madam World Tree Priestess to Diana Vars."
"Oh! Is that a magic motion orb that was given to her before she depart towards Elven Kingdom? Let me see it! Let me see it!" [Diana]
I miss her so much! I hope we can communicate more often! Letters are nice and all, but a voice and her face are even better.
"Careful now, my dear, better open the message when you're alone" [Merlin].
"Right!" [Diana]
Master Merlin is right. I'm sure Grandma Farhah will also mention how to use the branch, and if I open it now, I'm afraid the other one upstairs will know how we wanted to save Ophelia Vars. I almost screwed up. Luckily Master Merlin is here to save the day.
For now, let us focus on the class, or so I thought. Everyone can't help but see the shiny branches of the World Tree. It's heavy, considering its appearance. It smells nice. This is the smell that usually lingers on Grandma Farhah's clothes. It calms me.
"What will you use it for?" [Neloufa]
"Many things. I can strengthen my wand or my dresses, or if I want, I can use it for exorcism or to break a curse. It has a number of uses" [Diana].
"Diana is right. This is a rare opportunity for all of you, and even the students next door are peeking around to see it. All right, everyone, back to your seats. Students in the next class, please call out to the others as well. I'm going to change the subject today and we're going to focus on the Tree of the World. It should be a good teaching material, even though it's outside your curriculum" [Merlin].
Everyone took their seats and the students from other classes and even some teachers came to see the branch of the World Tree. Grandmother Farhah said it would take her three months to prepare this branch for Ophelia Vars, it's a week or two early, but still, it arrived just in time. I'm sure Kara and Mara will tell Auntie Amleth about it. For me, it would be better to tell my family member
"And the Refind product will undoubtedly be better. For example, Little Neloufa, please cast a water ball spell. A simple one should be enough" [Neloufa].
"Right!" [Neloufa]
Neloufa does so. Then, with a branch of the World Tree in her hand, she casts the exact same spell with the exact same amount of mana.
"It's bigger and shinier!" [Neloufa].
"Correct. Well, Little Diana, how about you let Little Neloufa use your wand for a while and let us all see the difference" [Merlin].
"Sure" [Diana]
My wand is made from the World Tree and strengthened with the Water Core from the Sea Diamond Serpent, so when Neloufa uses a water ball, it will make the difference.
"So big, and it even has a holy attribute! To think that you're actually compatible with holy attribute as well!" [Diana]
"Am I?" [Neloufa]
"Yes, you are" [Merlin]
Master Merlin explained that since my wand had been refined many times from the branch of the World Tree, it would make it easier for one to cast a spell, and it even allowed Neloufa, who didn't know she was compatible with the Holy Attribute, to cast a spell, even though it was only a tiny amount, but Master Merlin and I could detect it, so no doubt she could use it if she practiced hard. Others wanted to try it as well. Sure, I wouldn't mind. It's fun to see when they know their other traits that they're compatible with.
"Lucky you, you get all the good stuff from Madam World Tree Priestess" [Tio].
"Grandma Farhah is always nice, even though I miss her so much... How I wished the magic orb would let us communicate freely at any time!" [Diana]
"Is that even possible? Even within Amleth itself, communication is difficult" [Marianne].
"Technically, it is possible. Einstein, Nar, Sas, Master Merlin, myself and everyone from the Magic Department have theorized that if we can place a suitable magic stone along the way from Amleth to the Elven Kingdom, it's definitely possible..." [Diana]
"The cost of labor. The cost of the magic stone. Not to mention the need for an expert to actually do it. Plus, what happens if the magic stone that was placed is stolen by bandits or eaten by monsters" [Mara].
"It's definitely doable, though. According to the Magic Department, you can actually take the stone from Diana's mirage dungeon" [Kara].
"It is, but it's hard. It's not like we can get all the students to lay the foundation from Amleth to the Elven Kingdom, though if that happens, I can finally call her whenever I want" [Diana].
"That's just your wishful thinking, there's no way that... Teacher Merlin, why are you grinning so devilishly..." [Adnan]
"Oh no..." [Marianne]
"Please, no!"
"I don't like where this is going..."
"Please no. I'm begging you!"
"Oh Goddess... Me and my big mouth..." [Diana]
"Diana!" [Marianne]
"I'm sorry! I really am sorry! Master Merlin, please don't do this!" [Diana]
And as Master Merlin begins to open her mouth, our hopes fall to the ground.
"My beautiful, handsome, strong, intelligent, hard-working students, rejoice, for little Diana has given me a wonderful idea for your next trip. Don't worry, I will make sure that every single student and staff member of the school is involved. I'm sure you'll all look forward to it." [Merlin]
"NOOOO"
"This isn't happening! This isn't happening!"
"This is a nightmare! Somebody please wake me up!"
"I'm scared..."
"Diana..." [Kara]
"Great job..." [Mara]
"Honestly..." [Stacy]
"Blabbermouth" [Auger]
"My plan... My beautiful plan..." [Tio]
"Same here, Tio. Same here" [Marianne]
"Sigh... I can feel the pain already" [Adnan].
"I'm sorry... I really am sorry everyone..." [Diana]
"Blabber mouth. Blabbermouth Diana"
"Even the parrot chimes in..." [Neloufa]