In a vast, sunlit farmland, two figures moved stealthily, bending low and tiptoeing as if they were on a secret mission. Their movements, though meant to be subtle, were all too obvious against the open landscape.
Up ahead, a tiny fairy was busy directing a group of oversized butterflies, each one lifting baskets of crops with delicate precision. Her shimmering wings caught the light as she waved her arms like a maestro conducting a symphony. Suddenly, she paused mid-action, her keen eyes noticing the sneaking duo. With a nonchalant flick of her hand, she straightened her tiny dress and, before anyone could blink: vanished into thin air.
"Hey, where'd that little fairy go?" Sylph muttered, squinting into the air where the fairy had been just a moment ago. Confusion clouded her face.
Lyra, standing beside her, glanced upwards as well. "The big butterflies are still floating around, but... no sign of the fairy. Did we miss her?"
A playful, crystal-clear voice chimed from behind them. "Were you looking for me?"
Sylph and Lyra whipped around, their eyes wide in surprise. There she stood, her wings glittering in the sunlight, her hair the soft green of forest leaves, and her eyes as bright as emeralds. Her delicate features; rosy cheeks and soft pink lips; looked like they belonged to a creature from a dream.
Sylph, eyes practically twinkling, wasted no time. "Oh my goodness! Hello! I'm Sylph, a new witch, and... oh my, you're even cuter than any fairy I've ever read about! Seriously, you're like a little sparkle of perfection!"
Lyra, unable to contain a smirk, rubbed his arms as if warding off a chill. Sylph's voice had taken on an almost absurdly sugary tone, like someone who had just seen the most adorable kitten in existence. Her eyes were practically overflowing with hearts, and her excitement was palpable.
Sylph wasn't just being friendly, she was on the verge of swooning over the little fairy, as if she wanted to shrink her down, tuck her into a pocket, and keep her forever. Lyra chuckled under his breath. The normally calm and collected Sylph was suddenly acting like an overly doting mother who'd fallen in love with her child's new doll.
The fairy, seemingly unfazed by Sylph's exuberance, fluttered her wings and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Sylph!"
She then turned her attention to Lyra. "And you are?"
"I'm Lyra," he responded, still a little stiff from surprise.
"Hello, Lyra!" The fairy beamed at both of them. "Welcome to Farmland No. 8! I'm Bi'er, the intern fairy manager here. I'm so happy to meet two such lovely witches. Don't worry, unlike some of my fellow fairies, I don't mind being interrupted. In fact, I quite like company!"
She flitted closer, her voice light and joyful. "Here, a little gift for you both!"
With a delicate wave of her hand, two small bundles of leaves floated into their hands. As the leaves gently unfolded, a handful of plump, juicy raspberries were revealed inside.
Sylph was practically glowing with delight. "Thank you, Bi'er! You're so sweet!"
Bi'er giggled, her wings catching the breeze. "No need for thanks! I like your energy, it smells nice. Whenever you have some free time, come by and visit me. Tell me stories about the world beyond this place. You see, I've been in the Witch Academy all my life, and I've only heard bits and pieces about the outside. I can't wait to learn more!"
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, as though the mere thought of the wider world set her imagination alight.
"Of course!" Sylph exclaimed, practically bouncing on her heels. "I'd love to tell you everything!"
Lyra, who had been quieter up to this point, suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for the little fairy. He realized that despite her cheerful demeanor, she was as curious and eager to explore the world as any witch who had just earned her wings. She wasn't just an intern fairy; she was a dreamer, waiting for her chance to glimpse life beyond the farm.
"Next time you visit, just call out my name, and I'll come to see you!" Bi'er chirped. "Goodbye for now, Sylph! Goodbye, Lyra!"
With a final flutter of her shimmering wings, Bi'er vanished into thin air once again, leaving no trace but the sweet scent of flowers lingering in the air. Even the butterflies she'd been directing had disappeared, returning to their hidden work among the crops.
Lyra stood there, pondering what had just happened. Were there more fairies hiding in the fields, working in secret, never revealing themselves unless they truly wanted to be seen?
Sylph, still buzzing with excitement, interrupted his thoughts. "The books say fairies only show themselves to those they really like. Do you think that means Bi'er likes us? Maybe if we tell her enough stories about the world, she'll grant us a fairy's blessing!"
"Maybe," Lyra said thoughtfully, his mind drifting to the practical side of things. "Having a fairy's help with the garden and the medicinal plants would make things a lot easier, wouldn't it?"
Sylph nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, definitely! My parents told me so many tales from outside the Starlight Forest. I'll gather up the best ones and share them with Bi'er next time we visit!"
Lyra smiled, realizing they'd made an unusual and enchanting new friend. Bi'er wasn't just a fairy managing a field; she was a kindred spirit, longing to learn about the world outside her own.
As the two witches left the farmland behind, one of them was still deep in thought, enchanted by the fairy's graceful appearance, while the other was preoccupied with dreams of harnessing the fairy's abilities. Even outside the food collection area, their conversation revolved around a single topic: how to win over Bi'er, the little fairy who had charmed them so completely.
The food collection area, with its neat rows of containers brimming with provisions, looked like a magical version of the supermarkets Lyra vaguely remembered from his previous life. Shelves were stacked high with all sorts of colorful ingredients, many of which were unfamiliar to him.
As they entered, they noticed two other little witches already there. Their baskets were empty, suggesting they had just arrived, but their faces were lit up with excitement, and they were whispering feverishly.
Lyra and Sylph exchanged curious glances. These two witches looked so familiar. As they got closer, snippets of conversation floated over to them; words like "fairy" and "story" hung in the air, catching their attention.
In the hands of the other witches were raspberries, wrapped in leaves, exactly like the ones Sylph and Lyra had received from Bi'er.
Sylph called out, "Amy! Alba!"
The two little witches jumped, hastily hiding the raspberries behind their backs as if caught in the act.
Sylph, unable to suppress her curiosity, pulled out her own bundle of berries and grinned. "Did you meet a fairy too?"
Amy and Alba blinked in surprise. "Too?"
Lyra stepped forward, intrigued. "The fairy you met… was she called Bi'er?"
Both Amy and Alba nodded slowly, exchanging confused looks. "Wait, you know Bi'er too?" Amy asked, astonishment creeping into her voice. "But fairies are supposed to be rare! They hardly ever show themselves, right?"
As the four witches huddled together, sharing their stories, they quickly realized how similar their encounters had been. Each of them had stumbled upon Bi'er in the farmland, greeted her, and been rewarded with the same leafy bundle of berries.
Bi'er had complimented them in different ways; she had told Sylph and Lyra that she liked the way they smelled and wanted to hear stories about the outside world. To Amy, she'd praised her passion for cooking, and to Alba, she had admired her golden hair, saying it reminded her of the sun.
The more they compared notes, the more confused they became.
"Wait a minute…" Lyra's brow furrowed. Something didn't feel right. "Do you think Bi'er appeared to us on purpose?"
Amy, always sharp, narrowed her eyes. "You're saying we didn't accidentally stumble upon her? She wanted us to find her?"
Lyra nodded slowly, the pieces starting to fall into place.
"But fairies only show themselves to people they really like," Alba chimed in, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "The Young Witch's Book says that when a fairy appears to someone, it means she's ready to offer a fairy's blessing."
"Maybe," Lyra said cautiously, "this fairy just happens to like a lot of people?"
Before any of them could respond, a new voice joined the conversation. "Are you talking about Bi'er?"
The four little witches turned to see Senior Lilith standing nearby, her arms crossed, a knowing smile on her face.
"Senior Lilith, you know Bi'er too?" Lyra asked, surprised.
Lilith chuckled. "Oh, everyone at the academy knows Bi'er. For the past ten years, every little witch who passes through the farmland for the first time meets her. She's made friends with just about every witch who's come through here."
The four witches stared at her, stunned. Lilith continued, "Bi'er has always been clear about wanting to send a fairy blessing and form a contract with a witch. But, despite meeting countless witches, she's never actually signed a contract with anyone. No one has impressed her enough."
"Wait… what?" Sylph's eyes widened. "So, every witch meets her, but no one ever gets the blessing?"
Lilith nodded. "Exactly. The moment anyone brings up signing a contract, Bi'er disappears. She won't be seen again by that witch."
A heavy silence fell over the group as they processed this new information.
"Some say Bi'er never intended to grant a blessing at all," Lilith added, her tone serious now. "They think she's just lonely and loves hearing stories. But as time went on, fewer and fewer witches visited her. The workload at the academy is no joke, and not everyone has time to sit around telling stories to a fairy all day. And you can't just tell her the same ones over and over again."
Lyra, Sylph, Amy, and Alba exchanged glances, their earlier excitement dampened by the realization that they weren't as special as they'd thought. They weren't the first to meet Bi'er, and it seemed they wouldn't be the last.
"So… what do we do now?" Alba asked, looking to the others for guidance.
Lyra shrugged, a mix of amusement and frustration tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I guess we decide if we want to keep telling her stories or just… let it be."
Sylph frowned, her earlier enthusiasm waning. "I was so sure we were special…"
Lilith gave them a sympathetic smile. "Don't let it get to you. Bi'er's not trying to trick anyone; she's just… different. It's up to you if you want to keep visiting her. But don't expect a contract or a blessing anytime soon."
With that, Lilith turned and left, leaving the four witches standing in silence, each lost in their thoughts about the mysterious little fairy who, it seemed, had cast her net much wider than any of them had realized.