After class ended, Aurora packed her things and prepared to leave.
She hadn’t seen Leonora come to class all day, nor had Albert mentioned anything about her.
But Aurora knew Albert must know where Leonora had gone—after all, she was the kind of teacher who would personally catch anyone even a minute late.
Still, she couldn’t help but feel somewhat concerned…
“Teacher Albert.”
Before Albert could leave, Aurora finally couldn’t hold back and called out to her.
She really wanted to ask about that girl.
“Is there something you need, Aurora?”
Albert stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Aurora.
“Um… do you know where Edron went?”
“She has some troublesome matters to deal with…” Albert said, glancing aside briefly.
“More importantly, you should focus on the Potion-Making exam coming up in a few days. Since you enrolled late, you’ve missed quite a few lessons, haven’t you?”
Albert seemed to intentionally avoid the question, and before Aurora could ask more, she turned and left without looking back.
Not getting the answer she wanted, Aurora sulked and prepared to leave.
“Ah, Eve.”
Suddenly, a somewhat gentle voice called out to her.
Following the sound, she saw it was the girl with pink hair.
She was the class president—if Aurora remembered correctly, her name was Saga.
Beside her was a blonde girl who also glanced toward Aurora as Saga spoke.
“Saga, do you need something?”
“Eve, do you have plans today?”
“Nothing in particular.”
“That’s great!”
She clasped her hands together and gave a sweet smile.
“Would you like to come gather herbs with us today?”
“Gather herbs?”
Aurora recalled what Albert had said earlier.
The Potion-Making exam was in a few days, and the test would be brewing potions.
Materials could be prepared individually or taken from the school for free.
But most of the school’s herbs had been stored for a long time, and some potions required fresh herbs to succeed.
So many students preferred to collect their own fresh herbs as brewing materials.
Aurora thought it over and nodded in agreement.
She hadn’t made any friends since enrolling—this might be a good chance to change that.
“Ah, but I need to tell my family first.”
Aurora suddenly remembered this and felt a bit troubled.
If she didn’t return home soon, Lorabel would definitely worry.
“I’ll help you send a letter.”
“Send a letter?”
Saga took out a sheet of white paper and rolled it into a cylinder.
“Like this.”
She spoke into one end of the paper tube: “I’m going to gather herbs with friends today, so I won’t be home for dinner.”
After speaking, she brought the other end of the tube close to Aurora’s ear.
The voice came out again from inside the tube, which made Aurora widen her eyes in surprise.
“Is this magic?!”
“Mm. It’s my familiar’s ability. It can store sensory experiences on an object.”
“What an incredible ability…”
Saga continued, “No time to waste—just speak what you want to say to the paper.”
She handed the rolled-up paper to Aurora.
Speaking to a sheet of paper felt awkward, especially with two others watching her.
Still, Aurora repeated the words as Saga had instructed.
After finishing, a new question popped into her mind—who would deliver the letter?
Before she could ask, the silent blonde girl beside them suddenly said, “Give me the letter. I’ll deliver it for you.”
“Ah, um… but won’t you come with us?”
“I will, but I have a way.”
After Aurora handed the letter to the blonde, she folded it once, then clasped it firmly between her palms.
She blew gently through the gap in her hands, and the paper inside seemed to tear into countless tiny fragments that floated into the air.
The scraps swirled in the air, gradually assembling into the shape of a sparrow right before Aurora’s astonished eyes.
When the last piece settled, the sparrow miraculously moved and perched obediently on the blonde girl’s shoulder.
It lifted its head, opened its pointed beak, and the sound that came out was the message Aurora had just spoken.
“This is!”
Watching this magical scene, Aurora felt as though the world was full of wonders.
“My familiar is a paper worm that can reshape broken objects into new forms and grant them temporary life.”
As she spoke, something crawled at the girl’s sleeve.
She pulled back the cuff to reveal a rather plump caterpillar seemingly folded from paper.
It rested on her wrist, and under the gaze of the three, it seemed uncomfortable.
The next moment, it transformed into countless paper fragments and then reformed into a white butterfly that flew above the girl’s head.
“There’s one more step.”
The girl took the paper sparrow from her shoulder, placed it in Aurora’s palm, sniffed it, and then released it into the air.
“Soon your family will receive the letter.”
“Let’s go, Eve.”
“Mm.”
After a slight nod, Aurora lifted her bag and followed them.
“By the way, Eve, do you have a familiar?”
“Contracting a familiar is the first test for enrollment, and it troubled us for a long time, right, Mo?”
Saga glanced at the blonde girl beside her.
The girl called Mo didn’t respond verbally, only nodded lightly.
It seemed she wasn’t fond of talking.
“I do have one, but…”
Aurora took out Guda from her bag.
Looking at the little creature peacefully sleeping in her palm, she said helplessly, “His name is Guda. He’s my familiar.”
“Oh, he’s sleeping.”
Mika approached and tilted her head slightly, peering closely.
“Yeah, but I don’t know why he’s been sleeping for almost two days. Every time I wake him, he only stays awake briefly before falling asleep again.”
“Can I see him?”
Mo suddenly spoke up.
“Sure.”
Carefully, Aurora placed the small spirit into Mo’s hands.
Mo held it up to her eyes, then said, “He’s a flower spirit, right?”
“Correct.”
“I think I’ve never seen a flower spirit of this color in my garden at home—it must be a rare type!”
Saga covered her mouth in surprise.
“Yeah, he is quite rare.”
“I think I know why.”
Mo returned Guda to Aurora and explained, “You contracted him too early, Eve. This flower spirit is still growing and needs nectar from flower stamens to meet its nutritional needs.”
“His long sleep is probably due to a lack of nutrients. He has to reduce activity to conserve energy.”
“I see…”
Aurora stroked the pink hair of the little spirit and felt a twinge of guilt.
She should have read some books about this earlier—Guda wouldn’t have to suffer.
“It’s not too late to start providing nutrition now. Just be careful in the future, Eve.”
“Mm.”
“By the way, what kind of abilities do flower spirits have?” Saga suddenly asked.
“To be honest, flower spirits are low-tier creatures, so usually no one contracts them. At most, they’re used as flower decorations.”
“Mo!”
Saga looked at Aurora awkwardly. “Don’t mind her, Eve. That’s just how Mo talks; she means no offense.”
“Ah, it’s nothing. I’m not bothered.”
“I just hope he grows healthy. That’s all I care about.”