The door to the office was pushed open, and in walked a woman with a gentle, warm smile —
It was none other than Teacher Shalina of the Summoning Department.
“Ah, everyone’s here.”
Shalina looked around at Sefina and the three student assistants in the office, a little surprised, but then her smile became even brighter.
“Teacher Shalina, is there something you need?” Sefina set down the files in her hands and asked directly.
Shalina smiled as she explained her reason for coming: “Actually, it’s nothing major. It’s just, you know, the Magic Festival is coming. My family sent me a lot of fresh local ingredients from my hometown—there’s quite a lot.
There’s no way I could finish it all myself, so I was thinking, why not cook a hearty dinner in my dorm tomorrow night? I’d like to invite you, Teacher Sefina, to join me and have a taste.
Let’s treat it as a little festival celebration. What do you think?”
Hearing this, Sefina thought for a moment. She truly had no plans for tomorrow.
Over at [Black Utopia], an order had just come down for everyone to stay put, and she’d been worrying about how to spend the three-day Magic Festival holiday.
Staying alone in the villa felt rather lonely. Teacher Shalina’s invitation was just what she needed.
So, Sefina nodded, a gentle and soft expression appearing on her face. “Alright, I’m free tomorrow. I’ll trouble you, then.”
“Wonderful!” Shalina clapped her hands in delight.
However, upon hearing their conversation, Mia’s heart gave a sudden jolt.
She had secretly been planning to invite Teacher Sefina, along with Kefi and Ellaria, to spend the festival together, and to carry out her own “perfect plan.” But now that Teacher Sefina had accepted Shalina’s invitation, wouldn’t her plan be ruined?
No way! Absolutely not!
Without even thinking, Mia blurted out, her voice tinged with urgency:
“Sha, Shalina, Teacher! Um… can we… can we come and have the big dinner too?”
Her big eyes trembled a little, full of anticipation—and a touch of nervousness, as if afraid of being turned down.
The others in the room, however, didn’t notice her little scheme, simply chalking it up to Mia’s usual lively, outgoing personality.
Ellaria, too, was inwardly tempted. Spending the festival with Teacher Sefina would, of course, be wonderful, but she worried that asking so directly might seem a bit presumptuous.
She carefully chose her words, and asked softly, “Teacher Shalina, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble… could we join as well?”
Kefi shared the same thought, looking at Teacher Shalina with expectant eyes.
Shalina looked at the three pairs of eager eyes in front of her, stunned for a second, then let out a cheerful laugh, her tone light and welcoming:
“Of course you can! The more the merrier! In fact, I was planning to invite my assistant, Feliel, as well as Teacher John and Teacher Ben, who started with me.”
Sefina did a quick calculation and spoke up: “Adding my three assistants, Feliel, and Teachers John and Ben, that’s eight people in total. Teacher Shalina, will you have enough room? Will there be enough food?”
Shalina waved her hand confidently. “It’s fine, it’s fine! There’ll be plenty of food—my family sent enough for several more people! The only thing is, I might not have enough chairs, but that’s no problem. I’ll just buy a few folding chairs from the Academy’s general store tonight.”
Seeing Shalina’s thoughtful arrangements, Sefina said no more and nodded. “Then let’s settle it like this.”
Seeing this, Mia was overjoyed, her earlier gloom vanishing completely, and she couldn’t help the smile that crept onto her lips.
It looked like her plan still had a good chance of success!
Hehehe Delicious Teacher Sefina, here I come.
***
Time passed quietly, and soon, the day of the Magic Festival arrived.
Oselenka Academy was on break, and the streets and alleys of the Capital City were livelier and noisier than usual.
The sun was shining bright, and even the air seemed to be filled with a cheerful spirit. The streets were packed with people, bustling and lively, several times busier than on normal days.
Most people wore relaxed and happy smiles, enjoying this rare holiday.
Many citizens were busy shopping, especially at the central market and various shops, which were absolutely packed.
Housewives carefully picked out ingredients for their festival feasts—baskets brimming with fresh bread, fragrant roasted meats, colorful vegetables, and fruits symbolic of the season’s bounty.
The shouts of vendors and the bargaining of customers intertwined, brimming with the energy of everyday life.
Most eye-catching were the small magic performances happening in streets and alleys.
To heighten the festival atmosphere, some mages had spontaneously started performing in open spaces. They weren’t using sharp, combat-ready magic, but instead, elegant and showy performance magic made just for people to enjoy.
Some mages conjured sparkling, multi-colored globes of light from their fingertips, which danced in the air like lively little sprites.
Others shaped streams of water into lifelike animals, earning excited shrieks from children.
There were even mages who drew glowing lines with elemental magic, weaving them into symbols of blessing in the air…
These magics might not be powerful, but their visual effects were dazzling, attracting passersby to stop and watch, while applause and cheers rose in waves.
At that moment, Sefina, Mia, Kefi, and Ellaria were making their way through the bustling market.
They had been sent by Teacher Shalina to buy drinks and various juices for the evening’s gathering.
“Wow! Look at that—it’s so pretty!” Mia, one hand pulling Kefi, the other pointing excitedly at a street performer conjuring a giant rainbow with magic.
She was as thrilled as a little girl visiting the city for the first time, her eyes sparkling, wanting to see every lively spot.
Kefi was being pulled along and couldn’t help but laugh. “Mia, slow down! We still have shopping to do!”
“Got it, got it! I just want to take a look!” Mia agreed, but her steps stayed lively, curiosity shining in her eyes as she took in everything around her.
In contrast, Ellaria was much more reserved. Although the festival’s liveliness was new and fascinating—she’d rarely seen such a vibrant street scene in the palace—
She still maintained her princessly poise, though her gaze often lingered on interesting magic shows and the dazzling array of goods.
Ellaria obediently followed at Teacher Sefina’s side, keeping about a step’s distance, as if staying close to her teacher would bring her that much nearer.
Sefina walked ahead, her wine-red eyes calmly surveying the bustling scene around them.
Though she wasn’t fond of overly noisy environments, the holiday atmosphere was infectious, making her usually tense nerves relax a little.
Sefina kept an eye on the two overly energetic students so they wouldn’t get separated, while also searching for a shop selling drinks.
Her thick dress and warm white stockings kept her cozy in the cool autumn breeze.
But it wouldn’t be long before Sefina started to feel cold.