Fortunately for Lyra, she was no ordinary witch.
Her magic power was not only of a higher quality but also more durable, lasting far longer than that of her classmates. While other young witches struggled to stretch their limited mana across multiple spells, Lyra had reserves that allowed her to practice tirelessly. She had more freedom to explore a variety of magic and experiment at length, opportunities that most witches her age could only dream of.
If she were like the others, she wouldn't have been able to practice the 'Clear Spring Technique' for hours on end. Most witches had to be strategic; carefully rationing their mana for only the most essential spells. This was why many only cast the 'Clear Spring Technique' when they needed water and saw no reason to perfect it beyond daily use. They preferred to focus their limited energy on mastering higher-level spells that were more practical or impressive.
But Lyra wasn't satisfied with just 'enough'. She wanted mastery, full control over every spell, even those deemed simple or ordinary. And 'The Ding Dong of Clear Springs' had given her a structured path forward. With a clear understanding of each stage of the technique, all that was left was consistent practice.
She set the book aside with a contented sigh, but her work was far from over.
There were more books waiting for her on the bedside table: 'What is Magic?', 'A History of Witches', and 'Ignition, Lighting, and Water-Making'. Each of them begged to be read, promising deeper insights into the magical arts. Without realizing it, she had read deep into the night, the quiet hum of magic and the thrill of learning keeping her awake.
Before she knew it, half the weekend was gone, and a sense of urgency crept in. There were still so many books to finish before the next week began, so many new spells she wanted to try. But time was a relentless adversary.
To keep herself on track, Lyra allowed herself only five hours of sleep, just enough to stay within the healthy range for young witches aged thirteen to eighteen. She even crafted a special alarm card, enchanted to alert her exactly when she needed to wake up, ensuring she could stick to her schedule.
Despite her meticulous planning, however, she fell short. By the time Sunday noon rolled around, she hadn't finished 'Ignition, Lighting, and Water-Making', let alone started practicing new spells from it. She grumbled under her breath, frustrated with herself.
Last weekend had been a disaster. She'd invited her senior classmates Lilith, Vasida, and Sylph to dinner, only for everything to go spectacularly wrong; burnt food, missing ingredients, and spells that fizzled at the worst possible moments. Thankfully, the older witches had saved the day with their skillful magic, but Lyra couldn't forget the sting of embarrassment.
Today, she was determined to redeem herself. She grabbed her basket and prepared to head to the food collection point for fresh ingredients. This time, dinner would be perfect.
Just as she stepped outside the dormitory door, she noticed something odd, clusters of older witches hovering in the air on their flying brooms. They weren't moving, just floating in place, as if waiting for something.
Curious, Lyra called out to a familiar face. "Senior Lilith! What are you all doing up there?"
Lilith looked down from her broom, her long dark hair fluttering in the breeze. "We're waiting for the Golden Bird Letters!" she replied, a sparkle in her eye.
Lyra tilted her head in confusion. "Golden Bird Letters? What are those?"
Lilith smiled knowingly. "Ah, I forgot; this is your first term, so you probably haven't heard about it yet. Every even-numbered Sunday at exactly 12:30 p.m., the academy opens the Golden Bird Letter channel. That's when all the letters sent to us arrive in a single burst, carried by enchanted golden birds. You'll see for yourself soon enough!"
Lyra's eyes widened. "Wait… Is that how we got our acceptance letters? The ones with all the fancy security spells?"
"Exactly!" Lilith nodded. "That was the highest-level Golden Bird Letter, with top-level secrecy and bound to the magic of the contracting witch who invited you. Today's letters won't be as formal, but they follow the same enchanted delivery system."
A memory sparked in Lyra's mind, before she enrolled, she had made a correspondence agreement with her mother. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized what this meant. "So… how do I reply to the letters? Can I send one back?"
Lilith let out a small, exasperated sigh. "Ah, that's the catch. You need special golden bird letter paper to send a reply, and it's only taught in the second-year alchemy class. I haven't even learned how to make it yet!"
Lyra groaned in frustration. "So we can receive letters, but we can't send any back? That's so unfair!"
"Tell me about it," Lilith muttered. "It's just the academy's way of making sure we're motivated to learn alchemy."
Lyra huffed but couldn't deny the cleverness behind the system. 'Of course they'd dangle something important just out of reach. Now I have even more reason to look forward to alchemy class next year.'
Before she could complain further, someone shouted from above, "The golden birds are coming!"
Lyra's gaze shot skyward.
A hundred brilliant golden streaks lit up the afternoon sky, racing down toward the academy like shooting stars. The glowing birds scattered across the dormitory area, each carrying a shimmering envelope in its beak. A few veered off toward the main buildings, but most of the birds descended directly toward the student residences.
Lyra watched in awe as one of the birds swooped toward her, its feathers glinting in the sunlight. With a graceful flutter, it landed on her outstretched hand, the weight of the letter surprisingly light.
The bird chirped once before vanishing into golden sparks, leaving behind a neatly sealed envelope with her name written in delicate, looping handwriting.
Her heart thudded in her chest. She knew exactly who the letter was from.
As Lyra looked closer, the shimmering bird perched in her hand revealed its true nature, it was a golden paper bird, smaller and dimmer than the grand one that had delivered her acceptance letter. Its golden sheen flickered faintly, clearly less powerful and concealed than that earlier enchanted missive.
Lyra watched as the other birds made their way to their recipients with the same elegant precision. One pecked playfully at Vasida's window before slipping inside, while another flew straight through the closed door of Sylph's dormitory, disappearing without so much as a sound.
Her own golden bird settled neatly into her palm. It tilted its tiny paper head, as if acknowledging her, and the faint golden glow faded away. In the blink of an eye, the bird unfolded itself into a simple sheet of parchment. Lyra eagerly read the familiar, messy handwriting.
---
"Little Lyra, how's college life treating you?
I bet the golden bird reached you by now, second week's Sunday, right on time!
How are you holding up? Is the water tower empty again? Finished that theory paper yet?
Hahaha, don't stress about it. Every little witch goes through this. Believe me, what seems tough now will feel sweet when you look back on it someday.
And hey, at least you know your way around the kitchen; no need to suffer through breadfruit soup like the others..."
---
Lyra grinned, barely holding back her laughter. "'Mom would never have guessed I've already mastered the Clear Spring Technique and in just two weeks!'" she whispered to herself. "'And I finished my paper before the weekend, too! I'd love to see the look on her face when she finds out.'"
---
"Remember what I told you: eat as many Dudu bird eggs as you can before you reach third grade, because once you do, they stop serving them. The juniors wipe them out every semester.
I'm heading to Moon Harbor now, heard the mermaids sneak ashore there sometimes, so I thought I'd stay for a while.
That's all for now. I'll write again once I'm settled. I know you can't send a reply yet, but don't stress over it.
Love you lots,
Elara"
---
Lyra stared at the letter, torn between amusement and exasperation. She shook her head with a sigh.
"'Typical Mom,'" she muttered under her breath. Elara was as unpredictable as ever, with her carefree attitude and restless nature. No wonder even Elara herself had no idea who Lyra's father was; her mother seemed to change boyfriends faster than some witches changed broomstick polish.
One of her mother's favorite sayings echoed in Lyra's mind: '"Ugly hearts are all the same, but beautiful faces are each unique."' It made sense, in a strange way, especially for a psychic witch like Elara, whose talents were both a blessing and a curse.
The letter was brief, the handwriting hurried and messy, just like Lyra expected from a witch constantly on the move. Elara was probably already halfway to Moon Harbor, chasing adventure and gossip wherever it called her.
As Lyra tucked the letter into her bag, she heard footsteps approaching.
"Lyra! Did you get one too?"
Sylph, her friend from the next dormitory, came running over, excitement and curiosity sparkling in her eyes. She glanced at the folded letter in Lyra's hand.
"Yep," Lyra said, holding it up with a grin. "The seniors told me the golden birds come every even-numbered Sunday at exactly 12:30. They bring all the letters at once, but we can't send replies until we learn how to make golden bird stationery."
Sylph threw her hands up in frustration. "Ugh, 'second-year alchemy class?' That's so unfair! Does that mean we have to wait an entire year before we can write back to anyone?"
Lyra nodded sympathetically. "Yep, unless you want to plow through all the first-year books, apply for a pass to the second-year library, and figure it out yourself."
"Like that's an option," Sylph groaned. "And asking the older students won't work either. The dean made sure none of them are allowed to help us."
Lyra shrugged, a wry smile on her lips. "It's just the academy's way of keeping us motivated."
Sylph crossed her arms with a huff. "Motivated or tortured, take your pick."
Lyra folded her letter carefully and slipped it back into her bag. Though she couldn't respond yet, she knew one thing for sure: when she 'did' learn how to make that enchanted stationery, her mother was in for a surprise. 'Elara thinks I'm still struggling with daily chores? Just wait until she finds out how far I've come.'
With that thought tucked away in her mind, Lyra turned her attention back to her original plan. There were ingredients to gather if she wanted tonight's dinner to be a success and no way was she going to mess it up this time.
"I'd better get to the food collection point before the good stuff's gone," Lyra said, adjusting the strap of her basket.
"Good luck!" Sylph called after her. "Make sure tonight's dinner doesn't turn into another disaster."
"Not this time!" Lyra grinned over her shoulder. "I've got this under control."
As she walked off, the golden paper bird's words stayed with her. Even though Elara's letter had been short and filled with her usual teasing, it gave Lyra a strange sense of comfort. Life at the academy was demanding, but she was beginning to understand what her mother meant, these struggles would one day feel like cherished memories.
For now, though, there were spells to perfect, books to read, and dinners to cook. The life of a little witch was just beginning, and Lyra was ready to embrace every challenge it threw her way.