Though Lyra's enthusiasm for studying cards had dimmed somewhat lately, her sharp mind remained focused on refining her business strategy. She spent most of her free time reading and absorbing new knowledge, but she never lost sight of one thing: cards that had passed the market test needed to sell and sell well.
The moment she confirmed that the latest batch of cards worked as intended, Lyra updated the display. She added the new 'Mobile Kitchen Card', 'Portable Kitchenware Card', and today's fresh release, the 'Recording Card', to the large posters pinned outside the castle warehouse. The once-drab bulletin board had unofficially become her personal marketplace; a hub for advertising her wares.
On her way down the mountain that morning, a senior witch approached her, coins jingling in hand, eager to buy a card. Lyra was getting used to these impromptu transactions, her reputation spreading quickly through the academy.
Later that afternoon, after her cooking magic class, she headed back toward the dormitory. As she neared her courtyard, she spotted a familiar figure pacing near the gate. It was Senior Lilith, looking unusually anxious.
"Senior?" Lyra called, tilting her head in curiosity.
Lilith spun around abruptly, startled. "Lyra! Finally!" she gasped, the last flicker of hope dancing in her eyes. Without wasting a second, she blurted, "How's the energy storage card research going? Any progress?"
Lyra gave a small, apologetic shake of her head. "Not anytime soon, I'm afraid."
Lilith's shoulders slumped, her face clouded with disappointment. "Ugh... Fine then," she groaned. "In that case, just give me a 'Portable Kitchenware Card'! Can you cut me a deal, at least?"
Lyra chuckled, her smile teasing. "Nope! It's already priced at the 'Little Witch Friendship Rate.'"
Lilith sighed dramatically, knowing there was no winning this negotiation. Even though the utility of Lyra's enchanted cards made them worth every mana, it still stung to hand over so much magical power.
"Ugh, I knew you'd say that." Lilith shot Lyra a rueful glance before steeling herself. "Fine, forget it. Let's just go big. I'll take the 'Mobile Kitchen Card' and be done with it, might as well get everything at once. Who knows what kind of prices a goblin witch might set a few years from now?"
Lyra grinned, already pulling out a neatly folded parchment from her satchel. "Installments or full payment?" she asked, quill poised to draft the contract.
Lilith shot her an incredulous look. "Installments, obviously! Who has 500 mana lying around? Even a witch like me can't afford that all at once."
Without missing a beat, Lyra scribbled down the terms of the contract, handing it over to Lilith with the eagerness of someone who feared her customer might back out. Lilith signed with a heavy sigh, and the deal was sealed. As soon as the magic from her reserves transferred, Lyra handed over the card with a triumphant smile.
"There you go, Senior! With your magic capacity, you'll have that 500 mana replenished in no time," Lyra assured her cheerfully.
Lilith scowled, rubbing her temples in mock frustration. "That's easy for you to say! Just wait until you start practicing advanced spells. Magic isn't free, you know. Every spell drains your energy, and so does researching new abilities. Do you know how long it's been since I managed to save half my magic power by midnight?"
She threw Lyra a pointed glare. "Your cards are getting more expensive every time I see you. I'll have to ration my mana just to survive the next few days!"
Lyra grinned mischievously. "Thanks for the warning, Senior! I better start saving my mana too; who knows when I'll need it."
Though Lyra hadn't yet built up enough reserves to cast powerful spells directly, she had discovered a different path: using her magic to create cards. With each new card she produced, her skills sharpened and so did her profits.
As the conversation wound down, Lyra's expression turned thoughtful. "By the way, Senior, do you know what's going on with the fifth-year witches? Everyone from the lower years has come to buy cards, but I've never seen any of the fifth-years."
Lilith frowned, tapping her chin as she thought. "Hmm, that's just how it is. After the entrance banquet each year, the fifth-year witches leave the main part of the academy and go to the outer zone. No one sees them until graduation. They're practically ghosts."
Lyra exhaled in relief. "So they'll still be around by the time they graduate?"
Lilith nodded. "Yeah, but they only show up at the very end. You'll have to catch them then if you want to sell anything."
Lyra's mind began to race. The academy's rules prevented students from sharing anything about their magic with outsiders until they came of age, limiting Lyra's market to witches still within the school. If she missed the chance to sell to the fifth-years before they graduated, it would be a significant loss.
"Well, as long as I can catch them before they disappear," Lyra muttered to herself, determination settling in her gaze.
Lilith gave her a sly smile. "You've got ambition, kid. I like that. Just don't work yourself to death trying to squeeze every last mana out of us."
Lyra smirked. "No promises. A witch has to plan ahead, after all."
With a final wave, Lilith turned and disappeared down the path, muttering something about needing a nap before her magic reserves hit zero. Lyra watched her go, satisfied. Another card sold, another contract signed and plenty more witches yet to charm.
This was only the beginning.
Lilith stormed back to the dormitory, her magical reserves dangerously low and her mood even lower. With a defeated groan, she scaled the stone wall, landing clumsily in the dormitory courtyard. Too exhausted to care, she stumbled to her room, slammed the door shut, and flopped face-first onto her bed.
Pressing her face into the pillow, she let out a frustrated, muffled howl.
"Why is there such a HUGE gap between witches!?" she screamed, kicking her feet in frustration. "Witch magic, witch magic! What good is it if all I do is 'spend' magic and never get anything back in return?"
Her pillow muffled the rest of her complaints, but it was clear she was on the verge of a magical meltdown. If she didn't figure out how to harness and regenerate magic more efficiently, she'd be stuck bleeding mana like this forever. And that was not an option.
---
Meanwhile, Lyra returned to her own dormitory, feeling quite the opposite; lighthearted and satisfied. Selling another card had put her in a great mood. She plopped into her favorite chair, enjoying the savory chew of jerky fed to her by Amy, her enchanted familiar, who floated lazily by her side.
She set the half-eaten snack aside and got to work. The first task was to organize the notes she had taken during today's lessons, methodically combining them into a neat summary paper. With her pen gliding effortlessly across the parchment, she finished the summary in no time.
"Not bad," she murmured to herself, setting it aside.
However, the other assignment, ''Witch Magic Factions and Representative Magic'' was more complicated. This paper required more than just notes; it meant diving into research.
Lyra pulled out the hefty 'Witches' Magic Catalog' from her shelf, the thick encyclopedia thudding heavily onto the desk.
"This should help," she whispered, flipping through the well-worn pages.
The catalog was a treasure trove of magical knowledge, listing all known factions of witch magic along with detailed descriptions of their effects, mana costs, and recommended uses. It even included advice on the ideal learning levels for each magic type and which study materials to consult.
For example, the section on 'cooking magic' recommended a few key books: 'Learning Cooking Magic from Scratch', 'Valen Continent Food Picture Book', 'Choice of Ingredients', and 'Cooking Chef's Training'. With these guides, any witch could learn the fundamentals and beyond, though mastering them, as Lyra had discovered, was another story entirely.
She jotted down the information she needed for the paper, organizing it into a clear and concise article on parchment. As the pages filled, she realized with relief that the assignments, though intimidating at first glance, weren't nearly as difficult as she had feared.
"Two down," she muttered, setting her quill aside. "Not as bad as they looked."
But even after completing her assignments, Lyra found herself reluctant to put the catalog away. Flipping through its pages, she noticed that the cooking magic classes would still be running for a while. That gave her time maybe enough to learn a new type of magic on her own.
Her fingers drummed on the desk thoughtfully. "What about... spring magic?" she mused aloud.
She glanced out the window toward the backyard, where the water tower sat. Despite her efforts to conserve water, it was running dangerously low. If she could master the 'Clear Spring Technique', she wouldn't have to worry about it.
Her heart quickened with excitement as she retrieved the perfect book for the task: 'Ignition, Lighting, and Water Making' a beginner's guide to flame, light, and water magic.
Without hesitation, she flipped directly to the section on the 'Spring Water Technique', the spell for conjuring pure spring water.
"Let's see..." she whispered, running her finger across the page.
"Preparation before learning: a basin of pure spring water, free of impurities; a magic wand you are comfortable using; and an empty basin to collect the water."
Lyra nodded to herself and began gathering the necessary items. Once everything was in place, she returned to the book, eagerly reading the next instructions.
"Step one: Feel the water, observe it closely, and develop a precise impression of it in your mind."
Lyra tilted her head, studying the clear water in the basin, watching how it rippled gently under the dorm room's faint breeze. She dipped her fingers in, feeling the cool, silky texture glide over her skin.
"Step two: Hold your wand, focus, and give your magic a clear and precise command to transform into pure spring water."
Lyra blinked, flipping the page to see if there were any more instructions.
"...That's it?" she muttered, staring at the sparse text in disbelief.
Two steps. That was all.
She turned the page again, only to find that the next section detailed techniques for controlling the flow and volume of the water; a skill she wouldn't need until she mastered the basics.
"It's even simpler than cooking magic," Lyra whispered, skeptical.
Her experience with cooking magic had taught her that even seemingly simple instructions could be deceptively tricky. The first time she had tried making bread with magic, the process had seemed easy; until it wasn't. Every word in the recipe had mattered, from kneading the dough with precision to using enchanted spoons for mixing.
She knew better now. 'If it looks simple, that just means it demands even more care and focus.'
She picked up her wand and closed her eyes, concentrating. She imagined the sensation of the cool water she had touched earlier, how it felt against her skin, how it flowed. Then, with slow precision, she whispered her intention to her magic:
"Pure spring water, gather and flow."
A faint hum of magic buzzed in the air, and the wand in her hand grew warm. When she opened her eyes, a delicate stream of water flowed from the wand's tip, splashing gently into the empty basin she had prepared.
Lyra gasped in delight. She did it, on her first try!
The stream slowed to a trickle and then stopped, but she knew she could practice controlling the flow later. For now, she was just happy to see it work.
A triumphant grin spread across her face as she wiped her wand clean and leaned back in her chair.
"That wasn't so hard," she said to herself, though a part of her knew there was still much to learn.
With her assignments done, new magic practiced, and water back in the tower, Lyra finally allowed herself a rare moment of relaxation. She kicked her feet up and glanced at the stack of books on her desk, wondering what she might try next.
After all, there was always more magic to master and more cards to make.