Lyra hesitated, her eyes darting toward the radiant energy sphere floating just above Lilith's outstretched hand. The warm, soft glow filled the surrounding air, casting long shadows beneath the trees. "Senior Lilith, is this... light magic?"
The light coming from the sphere was so pure, so intense; it reminded her of the light magic she'd seen before, but this was on a different level. She thought back to the magic lamps they used at home when her family forgot to charge them. Shana's mother would use a simple light spell to illuminate the room, something modest but functional. If Shana's mother's magic was like the gentle flicker of a candle, then what Lilith wielded was the blinding, precise beam of an LED spotlight. The contrast between them was staggering.
Shana's mother often boasted that her light magic had reached the elementary level, but this? This was something else entirely.
Lilith, noticing Lyra's awe, smiled slightly. "Yes, it's light magic," she confirmed, her tone patient but proud. "However, witches, true witches; have magic of a higher quality compared to what we call witches in the lower realms. It means that even basic spells like light magic, when cast by us, are far more potent. With just a fraction of my magic power, I could keep this light going for hours without effort."
She raised an eyebrow, glancing at the younger witches. "Most lower-level witches wouldn't waste this much magic power on something like a light spell. It would drain them too quickly."
Sylph's eyes widened. "Is the difference really that great?"
Lilith chuckled. "Oh, it's vast. You see, magic power is the most refined energy we know of. It's what we call first-level energy, far superior to the powers of angels, demons, or dragons; those are second-level energies. Magic power stands a full grade above. And as you can imagine, each grade makes a world of difference in quality and strength."
Lyra felt a shiver of excitement. "So, the power of witches surpasses all others?" she asked, her voice tinged with awe.
Lilith nodded. "Indeed. But don't let that go to your head just yet," she cautioned. "While our magic is incredibly powerful, it's our talent for magic manifestation that truly sets us apart. Spells like this light magic are just the tip of the iceberg. When we move on to the more advanced, large-scale magic, even we have to be cautious."
Just as Lilith finished speaking, she gestured toward a nearby tree, now illuminated by her light. There, dangling in the branches, were several strange fruits, their elongated shapes resembling baguettes. "Look over there; those are breadfruits!"
Lyra, Sylph, and Vasida stared at the fruit in fascination. As the name suggested, each one hung from the tree in clusters, their long, thin bodies almost comically resembling loaves of bread, right down to the golden brown color of their skins.
"The breadfruit tree," Lilith explained, "is a species brought back from another world by Lady Tracy. It's named for the way the ripe fruit smells, just like freshly baked bread. Not only are they delicious, but they're also packed with nutrients and have the added benefit of restoring a bit of magic energy when eaten."
Sylph's stomach growled audibly, causing the group to laugh. Lilith smiled but continued, "Some witches even gather breadfruits to help speed up their recovery after casting spells. However, they only grow well here at the Witch Academy. The trees can't adapt to the laws of the Valen Continent, so they remain a rarity. Otherwise, I doubt anyone would ever go hungry in Valen again!"
Lyra, ever curious, picked up on something in Lilith's explanation. "Wait, the Witch Academy isn't part of Valen?" she asked.
Lilith turned to her with a sly grin. "Ah, you're perceptive. No, the Academy exists in a demiplane; a pocket dimension of sorts. Lady Carmela obtained it on one of her journeys to another world. The three Witch Matrons then worked together to bring it here, anchoring it near the wilderness. This entire plane is under their control."
The revelation sent ripples of astonishment through the group. A whole demiplane, solely for witches? It was beyond anything Lyra had ever imagined.
"It's said," Lilith continued, her voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper, "that beyond the outer grounds of the Academy lies the hidden residence of the three Witch Matrons. But no one, at least no young witch, has ever found it."
The news left Lyra and her friends momentarily speechless, their minds swirling with visions of secret sanctuaries and unimaginable magic. Before they could recover, a loud rumble interrupted the silence. Vasida blushed, her hand covering her stomach. "I guess I'm hungrier than I thought..." she muttered.
Lilith chuckled and gave a small nod. "Well, there's no need to wait any longer. Let's pick some breadfruit!" she said. "Just remember; there's only one way to eat these, and that's raw. Don't even think about cooking them. Trust me, if you expose them to heat, they explode! The last thing you want is to be covered in sticky yellow fruit flesh. It's harmless, but terribly messy."
The fruit hung just out of reach, clustered high in the branches. The tree wasn't tall, but the breadfruits were still beyond what they could grab from the ground. Lilith, still holding her glowing sphere aloft, made no move to help. She simply watched with a bemused expression as the younger witches figured out how to harvest the fruits themselves.
Lyra and her friends quickly divided up the tasks with the efficiency of hungry witches. She and Sylph took charge of climbing the breadfruit tree, their stomachs growling with anticipation, while Vasida, who was beginning to feel lightheaded from hunger, stationed herself below, ready to catch the fruits they picked.
Fortunately for them, the breadfruit tree wasn't difficult to climb. Its broad, sturdy branches made it easy to scale, and in no time, Lyra and Sylph managed to pluck two large clusters of breadfruit from the tree. They counted them out, eleven in total. The smallest was about twenty centimeters long, while the largest stretched nearly half a meter.
"Here, try this one!" Lyra called down, tossing the largest fruit to Vasida. The senior witch, Lilith, hadn't given them any clue as to what breadfruit actually tasted like, adding an air of mystery to the meal.
Vasida, ravenous and not one to be shy, grabbed the fruit and took a hearty bite. The moment the taste hit her tongue, her face contorted in a grimace. "Ugh!" she exclaimed, trying her best to swallow the mouthful despite the overwhelming sourness and bitterness.
"Senior Lilith, are you sure this is ripe? It tastes awful, like a mix of sour and bitter," she groaned, looking betrayed by the innocent-looking fruit.
Lilith, ever calm, smiled as if she had been expecting this reaction. "It's ripe, don't worry. Once it starts smelling like bread, it's ready to eat. Yes, it's a bit sour, but rest assured, it won't harm your teeth or stomach. You'll get used to it the more you eat."
Vasida stared at the fruit in disbelief. Used to it? She wasn't sure she wanted to get used to this sour torture. But hunger was hunger, and she didn't have much choice. Resigned, she prepared herself for the struggle ahead.
Meanwhile, curiosity got the better of Lyra and Sylph. They each picked a smaller fruit and took a bite, wanting to see just how bad it was. In an instant, their faces mirrored Vasida's, the same twisted expressions of disgust as the sourness hit them.
"Now I feel sorry for Vasida," Sylph muttered, shaking her head as she struggled to swallow her bite.
Vasida wasn't sure how much more of the breadfruit she would need to eat to feel full, but since there was nothing else available, she gritted her teeth and forced herself to continue, one sour bite at a time.
After finally finishing an entire breadfruit, Vasida blinked in surprise. Despite the unpleasant taste, she felt remarkably full. "This is strange… It's so filling! I feel like I just ate an entire basket of bread."
Lilith nodded approvingly. "That's the breadfruit's energy-restoring effect. Normally, one is enough to keep a young witch satisfied for the whole day. It also seems to confirm my earlier theory; your innate manifestation has been absorbing energy from the food you eat. The more energy-rich the food, the more satisfied you'll feel."
Vasida's eyes lit up at this revelation. The breadfruit, though unpleasant in taste, was incredibly practical. If it could keep her full for so long, she was willing to overlook its sourness. Mustering her courage, she reached for another fruit, but before she could take a bite, Lyra stopped her.
"Wait, Vasida," Lyra said thoughtfully. "Isn't your innate manifestation a stomach? If it's a stomach, can't it just digest the food directly? Do you even need to eat it the normal way? Maybe you could just put the breadfruit into your stomach and skip all the chewing."
Vasida froze, blinking in realization. In her exhaustion and hunger, she hadn't even considered using her manifestation to simplify the process. "You're right! I didn't think of that!"
Excited, Vasida summoned her stomach manifestation, the magical organ materializing before them. As soon as it appeared, Vasida felt the pang of hunger hit her again.
Lilith observed carefully. "Your magic power is being consumed as you summon your manifestation. That's why you're feeling hungry."
Vasida nodded, understanding now. Without wasting another moment, she opened the magical stomach and dropped the breadfruit inside. It disappeared into the void of her manifestation with ease.
"Well, that's one way to deal with it," Sylph said, impressed. Lyra couldn't help but smile, knowing Vasida had just found the perfect shortcut to avoid the sour taste of the breadfruit altogether.