Amisha had one role: guiding the little witches on their learning path, ensuring they progressed steadily, and nudging them toward the next challenge when they were ready. Each young witch, however, was responsible for the pace of her own development.
In today's class, Vasida had outdone herself. She crafted a batch of black bread that won Ms. Amisha's rare approval. "You're ready to move on," Amisha told her, allowing Vasida to advance to white bread in the upcoming cooking magic lessons.
As soon as the lesson ended, Vasida bolted toward Lyra with an excited gleam in her eyes. "Give me a 'mobile kitchen card'!" she demanded, breathless with excitement.
Lyra arched a brow and grinned. "Installments or full payment?" she asked coolly. She rarely bothered with this question; most witches opted for the safer route of paying over time.
"Full payment, of course!" Vasida said confidently. "But we'll finalize it in the breadfruit forest."
Just then, another witch, Sylph, chimed in. "I want one too. I'll pay 400 mana now and the rest tomorrow."
Sylph, like many young witches, wasn't worried about mastering cooking magic. Her natural talent would get her there eventually. But having a mobile kitchen was a matter of practicality, it ensured she could practice and experiment whenever inspiration struck.
"Done!" Lyra said, scribbling out a quick contract and handing over Sylph's card.
Not all the little witches were destined to become gourmet witches; many struggled with the basics of cooking magic. But even the least talented knew that having kitchen tools ready was essential. After all, food was a necessity, and magic or no magic, every witch needed to eat. It didn't take long for the other witches to line up for their own kitchen cards.
Lyra's sharp business instincts kicked in. If they were going to spend hours fumbling through black bread recipes, they might as well invest in tools upfront. One by one, the little witches bought 'portable kitchenware cards'. Some even bought them on impulse, tempted by the convenience.
By the time the flurry of transactions ended, Lyra had sold 23 kitchenware cards at 100 mana each. Almost everyone opted for the installment plan; 11 mana a day for ten days. Lyra's magic ledger hummed with new energy, the collective payments steadily feeding her growing magic reserves.
This system of crafting and selling enchanted items on demand was efficient and far more profitable than Lyra's earlier methods.
"Alright! Time to head to the breadfruit forest!" Vasida said eagerly, grabbing Lyra's hand and pulling her along before she could catch her breath.
"You two go ahead. I'm visiting Bea," Sylph called from behind, already tucking a freshly copied storybook under her arm. She had a habit of visiting Bea daily, and today was no exception.
Lyra let herself be dragged through the plantation, following Vasida's determined strides into the orchard.
By now, Vasida knew her way around the breadfruit forest like the back of her hand. She quickly located a tree heavy with ripe breadfruit, one no other witch had touched yet. With practiced ease, Vasida plucked several fruits and dropped them into a pile at her feet. Dusting off her hands, she turned to Lyra with a satisfied grin.
"Alright, let's get that contract signed!" Vasida declared.
Lyra handed over the written contract, her pen at the ready. Vasida scrawled her name across the bottom, and with a flicker of magic, 500 mana vanished from her reserves.
The sudden drain of magic hit her hard; hunger gnawed at her instantly. Without missing a beat, Vasida pulled out her enchanted 'swallowing stomach' and began stuffing it with the breadfruit.
Lyra watched, mesmerized, as Vasida devoured fruit after fruit until the pile was gone. When Vasida let out a satisfied burp, she looked positively energized.
"Not only did I skip dinner," Vasida said smugly, "but my magic power's back, and I've got some extra saved up too."
Lyra couldn't help but stare enviously, her eyes glimmering with admiration.
Vasida shivered theatrically under Lyra's intense gaze. "Stop looking at me like that, Lyra. You're giving me chills!"
Lyra smirked. "Mark my words, once you figure out how to replicate that spell, I'm buying it."
Vasida gave her a puzzled look. "But can't the energy storage card that Senior Lilith mentioned solve your magic shortage?"
Lyra sighed deeply. "The problem is, I don't have enough magical knowledge to craft those storage cards properly. If I could figure out how to make them reusable, not just for card-making but for anything; then I'd really be onto something."
"I'll do my best to help," Vasida said earnestly, though magic theory wasn't exactly her forte.
Lyra clapped her on the shoulder, grinning. "I know you will. Come on, let's keep moving. We've got work to do."
And with that, the two young witches ventured deeper into the orchard, their minds buzzing with spells, bargains, and the promise of magic yet to be discovered.
After returning to the dormitory, Lyra carefully stored all her new kitchen utensils and tableware in the utility room attached to the tiny communal kitchen. The mobile kitchen card contained everything she needed for cooking, but the cramped dorm kitchen wasn't designed for such luxuries.
"Guess I'll just pull things out as I need them," she muttered, eyeing the stationary kitchen cabinets that were bolted to the walls. There was no way she could unpack the entire mobile kitchen setup here, it simply wouldn't fit.
With her kitchen dilemma temporarily shelved, Lyra settled at her desk to tackle her homework. Fortunately, the 'History of Witches' assignment was easier than yesterday's, though it was a bit longer. After scribbling down the final line of her essay, she even found time to dive into her latest read, 'What is Magic?', flipping through the familiar pages of magical theory.
The next day, in 'Basic Magic Theory' class, the little witches were better prepared. Having struggled through Monday's and Tuesday's lessons, they now took their time answering each question carefully, hoping to avoid misunderstandings.
Ms. Amisha, standing gracefully at the front of the classroom, didn't rush them. Instead, she patiently responded to their questions, her voice calm and deliberate, giving them plenty of time to jot down notes.
"Before we wrap up," Amisha said, her sharp eyes scanning the room, "have you asked all your questions?"
The little witches exchanged glances and shook their heads, silently praying that the class would end without any additional burdens.
"Good," Amisha continued with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Then it's 'my' turn to ask."
The collective groan from the students was nearly audible.
"Today's chapter focused on magical factions," Amisha began. "Who can tell me how many factions exist in witch magic, and name the representative magic of each?"
The classroom fell silent, an awkward tension hanging in the air.
Lyra stared at her notes, biting her lip. She remembered seeing a list of magical factions during her talent test, but the names of their signature spells? That was a mystery she hadn't cracked.
Amisha's eyes twinkled knowingly. "No answers?" she said, her tone sweet but sharp. "Then, as always, you'll submit a paper. This one will be on ''Witch Magic Factions and Their Representative Spells.'' You'll find your reference in the 'Witch Magic Catalog.'"
Lyra let out a small sigh, thinking that the worst was over. But Amisha wasn't done yet.
"Also," she added with a sly smile, "since you all took such detailed notes and asked so many questions today, I want a second paper: a summary based on the questions you raised and what you learned in class."
The witches' faces fell in unison. Two essays in one class? The room buzzed with silent frustration and despair, the little witches exchanging looks of disbelief.
Double assignments; what a cruel reward for their enthusiasm.
As soon as Amisha left the room, Vasida stormed over to Lyra, her expression desperate. "Hey! You mentioned a card that can record sound, can you make one? Or better yet, a card that writes essays for you?"
Lyra laughed softly at Vasida's misery. "It's only Wednesday, and we've already got four essays," Vasida groaned. "If this keeps up, I'll spend the whole weekend writing papers!"
Lyra shook her head. "I don't have the magic to make a card that writes essays for you. But I 'can' make a recording card."
With a quick flick of her fingers, Lyra pulled out her enchanted card book and sketched the design. She calculated the cost aloud. "A recording card with 24 hours of cumulative storage time… five mana. Do you want one?"
"Yes! Absolutely!" Vasida said eagerly.
The other witches, overhearing the conversation, perked up.
"Wait; did you say recording card?" one of them asked, eyes wide.
"Count me in!"
"Me too! I need one!"
In no time, Lyra was surrounded by a small crowd of eager customers. Every first-year witch, except for Lyra herself, bought a recording card on the spot. They had all realized the same thing: dragging out their answers during class to dodge questions was no longer a viable strategy. If they kept that up, Amisha would only punish them with more assignments.
Instead, they needed to work smarter. With the recording cards, they could capture the entire lecture and use the recordings to write their summaries later.
In Amisha's theory class, there was no escaping homework, it was inevitable. But at least with a recording card, they could make the process a little less painful.
As Lyra tucked away her now-bulging card book, she grinned to herself. Business was booming. "If I can't avoid the homework," she thought, "at least I'll profit from it."
The next class would bring new challenges, but Lyra was ready and so were her customers.