Beneath the massive banyan tree, the girl named Avila stood in the shade.
When she looked into Aurora’s eyes, there was joy, gratitude—and something else, something more complicated.
“Miss Aurora… don’t you hate me? I’ve done so many terrible things to you…”
“I was the one who brought Professor Eisenberg to find you. I was the one whose clumsiness got you hurt. I…”
“Even so, you never meant any harm, did you?”
“You helped me the moment we met. When I was facing off against the cultists, you sought help instead of running away. All of that tells me that you’re a kind and brave girl. I could never hate someone like you.”
As she spoke, Aurora gazed gently into her golden eyes and smiled.
A soft breeze brushed past. Her smile was like the first warmth at winter’s end, melting the thick snow.
Like a silent silver blossom blooming quietly—tender and serene.
Avila’s heart pounded uncontrollably, her thoughts thrown into chaos.
She could smell a rich floral fragrance—the unique scent of the silver bloom. It overflowed from the flower before her… from Aurora… seeping straight into her heart.
“Miss Avila?”
A voice snapped her drifting thoughts back. At some point, Avila had dazed off, staring at Aurora for quite a while.
“Ah—s-sorry!”
She averted her eyes, and beneath her beautiful golden hair, her cheeks had turned a soft pink.
Aurora looked at her in mild confusion. Why was Avila suddenly acting like this? She seemed almost afraid to meet her gaze.
“By the way, Miss Avila, were you practicing flight with instantaneous magic just now?”
Hearing the question directed at her, Avila glanced back at Aurora a little bashfully.
“Ah… mm-hm.”
“I overheard some of the teachers say the academy will soon pass through a wide open field. Since it’s a perfect place for flying, they’re holding a competition.”
“Are you planning to participate, Miss Avila?”
“Y-Yeah, I already signed up…”
Avila nodded, somewhat lacking in confidence. Then she gave a dry little laugh and said, “But I doubt I have much of a chance. Haha…”
“Don’t say that!”
Aurora suddenly grabbed both of her hands, holding them tightly with enthusiasm.
“Miss Avila, you’re someone who works really hard. That’s why you’re definitely going to succeed!”
“Really? Hehe.”
Avila scratched her head a little sheepishly as she withdrew one hand.
“I… I’m really happy.”
“Happy?”
“Mhm. Because you didn’t give up after what happened yesterday. Miss Avila, you’re really strong.”
“I’m not much better, honestly.”
Aurora released the hand she had been holding.
At that moment of separation, Avila instinctively wanted to reach out and hold it again—but once she realized what she was about to do, she didn’t have the courage to follow through.
“Miss Avila, I want to help you. I can teach you how to control mana particles.”
As she spoke, she picked up a broom lying nearby.
She closed her eyes and gathered her mana. Golden particles of magic appeared in her hands, flowing down toward the broomstick, gradually imprinting magical runes onto it.
She sat astride the broom. It slowly lifted off the ground, rising gently into the air, then hovered steadily in place.
“Wow, that’s amazing!”
To hover that smoothly midair—none of the other students could do it. Most would wobble or sway while flying. Being this steady meant her control over mana was nearly flawless.
Avila stood below, looking up at Aurora with a touch of envy.
Even someone who wasn’t a witch like Aurora could fly so freely… while she, a witch by blood, could only rely on etched magic runes to achieve the same. It was humiliating.
Aurora slowly descended. The moment her toes touched the ground, the glow on the broomstick finally faded.
Avila jogged over to her, excitedly saying, “Miss Aurora, that was incredible! You learned it all by yourself? Were you a witch in a past life or something?”
“Actually… Beatrice taught me. Hehe.” Aurora rubbed her cheek with slight embarrassment.
She owed everything to Beatrice. Back when they traveled together, Beatrice often scolded her for being slow and gave her one-on-one lessons.
“That’s still way better than most people. I can’t even lift off properly right now.”
A flicker of frustration passed through Avila’s heart. She picked up her broom, ready to give it another try.
“This time, let me teach you.”
Aurora walked over to her and gently held the hand Avila had just raised to gather her magic.
“M-Miss Aurora?!”
Avila’s voice unconsciously rose in pitch, and a blush bloomed across her cheeks.
“Miss Avila.”
“Huh?”
She glanced away from that fair, delicate hand and, just as her gaze met Aurora’s eyes, she instinctively looked off to the side again.
“Please look into my eyes, Miss Avila.”
There was a trace of displeasure in Aurora’s voice. She didn’t understand why Avila always avoided meeting her gaze.
Was there something on her face?
“Ah… okay…”
Avila nodded lightly. Her gaze slowly drifted upward until it met Aurora’s beautiful eyes.
Her mind immediately started racing with stray thoughts: Is there something on my own face? Did the wind mess up my hair earlier? Are my eyes weird or not pretty?
These chaotic thoughts crowded her head—until a soft, gentle voice pulled her out of the spiral, forcing her to concentrate on what the girl before her was saying.
“Miss Avila, your cheek…”
“Wh-what about it?!”
My cheek? Did she really have something on her face? If Miss Aurora noticed, that would be so embarrassing!
“There’s a bloodstain on your cheek…”
As she spoke, Aurora pulled a handkerchief from her maid uniform and gently wiped the blood from Avila’s face, revealing the injured skin underneath.
It must’ve been from when Avila fell earlier during practice. At that thought, a hint of pain flashed across Aurora’s expression.
“Please don’t push yourself too hard, Miss Avila. Balance between training and rest is important to keep your body healthy.”
Her voice, as soft as a breeze, brushed gently against Avila’s ears. Just moments ago, her thoughts had been on the verge of collapsing—and now, that kindness shattered what was left.
Her brain felt like a tangled ball of yarn.
“Close your eyes. I’ll teach you how to control the mana.”
“Ah—okay!”
Inside, Avila had already turned completely into a puppy—figuratively speaking. At this point, she could practically obey Aurora’s every word on pure instinct.
“Feel the magic I’m gathering.”
She felt a cool touch on her forehead—Aurora’s hands. Avila could even sense the warm breath brushing against her wrist.
Those soft, slender hands were holding hers gently. Suddenly, she began to panic—Were her palms sweaty? Were her hands clean enough?
Her thoughts started to spiral again. Just as she was about to completely drown in Aurora’s softness, a wave of warmth surged through her from her hands inward.
It wasn’t overwhelming—it was gentle, comforting, like a warm spring breeze carrying the trickle of a mountain stream.
The warmth circulated through her body, then slowly returned to Aurora.
“Did you feel it? This is what it’s like to control mana. Once you learn it, manipulating the magical essence becomes much easier.”
“I think… I get it now!”
Avila’s face lit up with joy.
She quickly grabbed her broom, eager to try it out.
The broom slowly lifted her into the air, hovering unsteadily.
“I did it… I really did it!”
“That’s wonderful,” Aurora said, smiling up at her.
And that smile—it was like an arrow piercing right through Avila’s heart.
The broom wobbled again but stabilized just as quickly.
“Miss Aurora!”
Avila called out from the sky.
“Hm?”
“If—if I’m just saying if! If I win first place in the competition… will you be happy?”
This time, she looked directly into Aurora’s eyes with determination, nervously awaiting her reply.
“Of course I’ll be happy! If Miss Avila takes the top prize, I might even stay happy for a very long time.”
A breeze passed through, completely scattering the confusion in her heart—but in the next moment, her gaze turned resolute.
“If that’s the case… then maybe I can really do it!”
“Wait for my good news, Miss Aurora!”
With a wave, she guided her broom and soared off into the distance.
No wonder even Professor Eisenburg likes Miss Aurora… With how gentle she is, maybe even I…
High in the air, Avila’s thoughts began to spin wildly once again…
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