"Fairy? You encountered a fairy too?" Lyra's voice was filled with surprise, and her eyes widened in curiosity. She wasn't the only one caught off guard; several other little witches had gathered around, their faces lighting up with excitement.
One by one, the witches began to share their stories. Each of them had encountered the same mysterious figure while passing through the farmlands. A fairy, they all claimed, a small, ethereal being who appeared to them just as they wandered by. Her name, they learned, was Bi'er.
It was strange. Bi'er always said she was leaving, yet she never truly left the farmland. Instead, she seemed to wait, lingering just long enough for the next witch to wander by. And then, in a moment of pure enchantment, she would "accidentally" reveal herself, sparking a new chase. It was almost as if she was playing a game, drawing the witches closer and closer with each encounter, only to disappear just as quickly.
Every time Bi'er reappeared, the startled witches would gasp in unison, their hearts fluttering with a mix of fear and delight. For most witches, seeing a fairy was an extraordinary event. Fairies were known to be elusive and shy creatures, rarely showing themselves unless they had good reason. Yet, when they did reveal themselves, they often brought gifts; a blessing, perhaps, or even the offer of a magical contract.
But Bi'er, as they soon realized, was not like other fairies. She had no interest in making a contract, no desire to grant magical blessings. Instead, she was drawn to the witches' stories. She wanted to listen, to learn, to know about each of their lives. Bi'er was more fascinated by their adventures than by any formalities or magical pacts.
Lyra frowned slightly as she thought about it. "All that talk about a fairy's blessing and contracts... it's just nonsense, isn't it?" she muttered under her breath. Her disappointment was palpable. She had hoped for more, something tangible, a magical helper who would tend to her fields, perhaps. But it seemed that Bi'er was more interested in gathering tales than sowing crops.
"Forget about it," Lyra sighed. She turned toward the shelves laden with supplies. "We still need to figure out what we're going to eat tonight. The day's almost over, and we haven't even settled that much." Grabbing a basket, she began rummaging through the shelves.
Though she longed for the idea of a fairy companion, someone cute who could help around the farm, Lyra knew that such dreams often depended on luck. And even if Bi'er had been interested in signing a contract, her playful, time-consuming methods didn't suit Lyra's busy lifestyle.
"Senior Lilith was right," she thought, recalling her mentor's words. "If we have this much time to chase after fairies, we'd be better off studying a few more spells."
In her heart, Lyra knew that there were other witches, older ones perhaps, who might be willing to spend the time charming a fairy like Bi'er. But for her, a student at the Witch Academy, these five years were critical. This was the golden period for mastering her craft, and any time wasted now would have to be repaid tenfold in the future.
Fairies were wonderful creatures, no doubt. They were charming, capable, and often full of surprises. But they weren't irreplaceable. Lyra had plenty of spells to choose from, practical ones that could help her manage her farm without the hassle of chasing after an elusive fairy.
As she scanned the shelves, her eyes lit up with surprise. The selection of ingredients was more extensive than she had imagined. There were familiar spices and herbs from her previous life, but there were also strange, otherworldly items she had never seen before.
Yet, something crucial was missing. "No soy sauce?" she murmured, furrowing her brow as she checked the shelves again. The ingredients were scattered haphazardly, with no labels or organization. It was impossible to tell what half of them were. She dared not take anything unfamiliar, fearing she wouldn't know how to cook with it.
Suddenly, in a corner of the spice section, she spotted a small cloth bag. Curiosity piqued, she opened it and took a pinch. She tasted the familiar warmth of cumin on her tongue. "Ah, cumin!" A satisfied smile crossed her face as she tucked the small bag into her basket.
Thinking back to the delicious lamb chops her friend Amy had praised the day before, she wandered over to the meat section, her eyes scanning the selection. And there, among the shelves, she spotted Amy herself, carefully picking out the best cuts of meat.
"Looks like we're both thinking the same thing," Lyra said with a grin, ready to face the rest of the day with a renewed sense of purpose.
Lyra picked up a small cloth bag of cumin and handed it to Amy, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. "Trust me, sprinkle some of this on the barbecue, and you'll be in for a treat."
Amy raised an eyebrow, taking the bag and bringing it closer to her nose. She gave it a curious sniff. "What is this? A spice?" Her tone was cautious but intrigued.
Lyra nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! I'm pretty sure the lamb chops they served at the entrance dinner had this on them. I call it cumin, but who knows if that's its actual name in this world." She shrugged with a smile, clearly enjoying the discovery.
Amy's eyes widened, a spark of excitement flashing across her face. "Where did you find it?"
"Over here!" Lyra gestured to a shelf tucked away in the corner, where she'd unearthed the hidden treasure. Amy wasted no time and hurried over, grabbing not one but two extra bags of cumin. While she was at it, she also picked up a few other seasonings she hadn't recognized before, tossing them into her basket with the ease of someone ready to experiment.
As Amy loaded up on spices, Lyra's approach was more balanced. Her basket filled steadily with a variety of grains, oils, vegetables, meat, and eggs. She even added a few seasonings herself. By the time she was done, her basket was brimming with ingredients, every corner filled.
Amy soon caught up, her own basket leaning heavily with an assortment of meats and spices. Together, they carried their heavy loads toward the door, waiting for the rest of their group.
The sight of their companions was amusing. The other little witches, who had been wandering aimlessly, were in stark contrast to the two of them. Most of them clutched baskets filled only with fruits and vegetables, things they could eat raw. Anything unfamiliar was left untouched, their fear of the unknown stopping them from exploring further.
Lyra and Amy exchanged knowing glances.
"Should we help them?" Amy asked, her tone light but filled with understanding.
Lyra smiled. "Yeah, let's give them a hand."
Amy took charge first. "Okay, listen! If you don't know how to cook, just fry a steak! Even if you don't do it perfectly, it's still edible."
Lyra chimed in with a playful nod. "And maybe throw together a vegetable salad. I spotted some salad dressing earlier."
She pointed toward a small kitchen area. "We can work there."
Lyra, with her extensive planetary memories of Blue Star, had knowledge of countless dishes from different countries and eras, both modern and ancient. However, she knew now wasn't the time for anything too fancy. The other witches didn't need culinary masterpieces; they just needed something simple, easy to make, and forgiving in case of mistakes.
Steak and salad were the perfect solution. Common across Valencian tables, these dishes were nearly impossible to completely ruin, and they'd give the witches something quick to fill their stomachs while they waited to learn more advanced cooking magic.
After a brief discussion with Amy, Lyra clapped her hands loudly, drawing the attention of the other witches. "Hey! We're making fried steak and a vegetable salad. If anyone wants to learn, come over!"
In an instant, the little witches, previously overwhelmed by their cooking woes, flocked to Lyra and Amy like bees to honey.
"I want to learn!" one of them cried, her eyes shining with relief.
"Me too! Teach me!" another added, eagerly joining the group.
One witch, close to tears, threw her arms around Lyra. "Wooo! Lyra, Amy! You two are lifesavers! I love you!"
Lyra laughed, gently patting the witch on the back. "Alright, alright, let's get started before you starve!"
"Alright, let's start with the ingredients! Follow us this way!" Lyra called out, leading the excited group of little witches toward the steak shelf with Amy by her side.
Within moments, the witches were grabbing steaks left and right, eagerly filling their baskets. "One for you, one for me!" The shelf was emptied in a flash, but Lyra and Amy made sure to even things out, ensuring that each freshman had at least one piece of steak in hand.
Satisfied with their haul, the group turned their attention to picking out fresh vegetables. But when they returned to the meat section, they were met with a surprising sight; the steak shelf, once barren, was now fully stocked again.
Lyra blinked in disbelief. "Did anyone see what happened?"
The little witches exchanged confused glances, all shaking their heads. Not a single one of them had noticed anything out of the ordinary. There was no sign of an administrator or anyone working the food area. Just them and yet, the steak shelf was mysteriously restocked.
Curious, Lyra examined one of the steaks. It wasn't exactly the same as before, but it was just as fresh, as if an invisible hand had placed it there. "This is... strange," she muttered under her breath.
Before they could speculate any further, Lilith, their senior witch, strolled over, having overheard the commotion. She smirked knowingly. "You're curious about the steaks, huh? Well, if you read the History of the Witch Academy, you'd know."
The witches gathered closer, eager for an explanation.
Lilith continued, her voice taking on a storyteller's cadence. "The entire planting area and the food management office are actually maintained by the fairy clan contracted by Lady Carmela herself. The fairies, part of that clan, do all the restocking, but they only work when no one is paying attention."
The witches gasped in unison.
"So you're saying..." one witch ventured, her voice shaky, "that fairies just restocked those shelves? And we didn't see a thing?"
Lilith nodded, casually picking up a fresh steak and placing it into her basket. "That's right. The fairies are invisible to us most of the time, working in their own spatial dimension. No magic can make them appear unless they want to. They're completely hidden from view."
"!!!" The little witches were wide-eyed with shock.
"Then... could it be that the fairies overheard everything we were saying about Bi'er earlier?" another witch asked, her voice dropping to a fearful whisper. The thought of unseen ears listening to their private conversations sent a shiver down the group.
Lilith chuckled lightly, brushing off their fears. "Of course they did. But don't worry. The fairies aren't troublemakers. When they moved into the academy, they signed a clan-wide contract, ensuring they wouldn't harm any witches. In fact, they're usually quite good-natured. Before Bi'er came along, most witches didn't even realize the fairies were here until they graduated!"
The little witches exchanged nervous glances. They weren't worried about harm; they were worried about Bi'er being offended! The hope of contracting a fairy, slim as it was, now seemed utterly hopeless if the fairies had overheard their chatter. Would Bi'er be angry? Was there any chance left at all?
With a resigned sigh, one of the witches muttered, "Forget the fairies... we still have dinner to prepare."
The group's attention turned back to the pressing issue at hand; cooking. After tasting breadfruit once, none of them wanted to repeat the experience unless they were absolutely starving.
Amy clapped her hands, breaking through their thoughts. "Alright, enough fairy talk! Let's get cooking!"
Lyra smiled as she joined her, ready to begin their simple cooking lesson. Together, the two of them worked seamlessly, demonstrating the process step by step. They broke everything down into small, manageable tasks, showing the witches how to fry a steak to perfection and whip up a basic vegetable salad.
"We'll keep it simple," Lyra said, her voice confident. "Just a few easy steps and you'll be able to make something delicious."
Amy nodded in agreement. "Even if you've never cooked before, trust us, this is foolproof."
The witches gathered around, eager to learn. Lyra and Amy's instructions were clear and precise, and soon, the kitchen novices were slicing vegetables and searing steaks like pros. The scent of sizzling meat and fresh greens filled the air, and a wave of excitement spread through the group.
"I think I'm actually doing it!" one witch exclaimed, holding up her perfectly seared steak with a look of amazement.
Another witch grinned as she mixed her salad, the nervousness from earlier replaced by a sense of accomplishment. "This is way easier than I thought!"
Lyra chuckled. "See? A little confidence, and you can do anything."
As they worked together, the group's initial fears and anxieties melted away, replaced by the joy of learning something new. And for now, the worries about fairies and unseen fairies were forgotten, as the little witches focused on enjoying the simple pleasures of cooking and sharing a meal.