Bang.
Closing the door behind her, Hilxi lit the stove casually and then lay down by the bed.
After a while, she took out a vial containing a pale red liquid— a Magic Potion— and stared blankly at it.
“I can’t sell this. Maybe I should just throw it away. It’s basically useless.
But still, it’s a Magic Potion… feels like such a waste to just toss it…”
Shaking her head, Hilxi placed the Magic Potion carelessly on the wooden table nearby.
After resting for a bit, she got up and went outside to eat.
She hadn’t achieved her original goal, but it wasn’t a loss either, though she’d probably be a bit down for a while.
Life went on, just as ordinary as ever.
One month later, nearing noon.
Inside the classroom at the Association Branch, the low murmur of whispered conversations filled the air—not too loud, not too quiet.
When Teacher Sheila announced the end of the lesson, Hilxi closed her notebook and stuffed it into her robe pocket.
After more than a month of intensive training, she was already quite familiar with the curriculum, including but not limited to handling Commissions, response tactics, and various applications of Magic.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call her one of the best newcomers.
Of course, that was mostly because most of the other freshmen didn’t bother to study seriously.
Judging by the classroom atmosphere, most of them just wanted to make the class into whatever they preferred, not really treating it as a learning environment.
As Sheila’s voice faded, the freshmen left the classroom one after another.
The noise quickly erupted outside the classroom, then gradually died down as they dispersed.
“What should we have for lunch today…” Hilxi tidied her things and lingered a moment before planning to leave.
“Bread.”
Monica spoke up, her striking purple hair catching the light.
She packed up and came over to Hilxi’s side.
“…I’m a bit tired of it.” Hilxi also got up and looked toward Saya, who had just approached them. Her tone was resigned:
“What about you, Saya-san? What do you want to eat?”
Saya’s jet-black hair had quietly reached her shoulders.
She tilted her head to think for a moment before smiling brightly:
“Hmm… steak!”
“Are you sure? You still haven’t paid me back what you owe.”
Since Saya hadn’t repaid her debt within the month, she now owed Hilxi one Silver Coin.
“…Uh.” Thinking about her finances, Saya suddenly lost all energy, feeling the weight of a heavy burden pressing down on her shoulders.
Of course, it was heavy—because, without warning, Sheila suddenly appeared behind Saya, pressing her hand down on her shoulder.
Hilxi looked at her curiously: “Teacher Sheila, what do you think we should eat?”
Had Sheila heard their discussion? Was she here to mooch a meal?
“What to eat… how about a cigarette?” Sheila joked half-seriously, and the faces of Hilxi and the others immediately darkened.
Of course, it had to be you.
“But I didn’t stay here waiting for you just to discuss lunch…” Sheila ignored Saya’s overwhelmed expression.
Her emerald eyes narrowed slightly as she noticed their interest being piqued, then continued:
“I have a Commission that needs hands, Hilxi.”
Called out? Hilxi blinked slightly, then instinctively responded:
“Yes!”
“You say ‘yes’ to what? This Commission is a missing person case. Your Divination Magic suits this kind of task well.”
Sheila gave her a sidelong glance, then rummaged through her pocket.
Just as Hilxi and the others expected her to pull out some info about the Commission, Sheila instead smiled and produced a cigarette.
“…”
She lit it with her wand, took a satisfied puff, and then exhaled billowing smoke.
“Ha, I was suffocating! Finally can have a drag.”
“Isn’t smoking banned during class?”
“We’re not in class right now, ha.”
As she spoke, Sheila took another drag, and the surrounding air quickly became thick with smoke, visible to the naked eye.
“Can I report you?” Hilxi pinched her nose, waving her hand to fan the smoke away.
Monica did the same beside her.
“Report me? Hah, this missing person Commission pays several dozen Gold Coins~” Sheila said, holding the cigarette nonchalantly.
As expected, upon hearing there was a good pile of Gold Coins to earn, Hilxi’s face instantly brightened. Her previously furrowed brow smoothed, and a radiant smile appeared:
“Ahahaha, Teacher Sheila~ You were so, cough, so cool when teaching, but now smoking is even, cough cough, cooler and more dashing~”
Seeing Hilxi nearly choking on tears but still insisting on showering praise, Sheila couldn’t help but be speechless.
“You’re such a money-grubber.”
Saya straightened her back and shrugged off Sheila’s pressure, unwilling to keep quiet:
“Do you have to be this obsessed, Hilxi-san? It’s just some money!”
“No, this isn’t just some money; it’s a whole lot of money, ehehe~” Hilxi dreamed for a moment, as if a bag of Gold Coins was waving at her.
Quickly, she shook her head to banish the fantasy, tidied her Magic Robe, and kept her smile:
“Well then, Teacher Sheila, leave the Commission to me! I absolutely won’t let you down!”
At that moment, Monica quietly reminded her:
“You haven’t even asked what the Commission is about.”
“Does the content really matter?”
She easily accepted the Commission Sheila offered.
For the record, Monica would also take part in this missing person Commission.
Saya wanted to join too, but under Sheila’s somewhat sinister gaze, she eventually gave up and obediently continued her Witch Training.
Hilxi was relieved—if Saya joined, once the Commission was completed and the payment received, Saya could repay her debt, and then how could Hilxi keep charging interest?
Soon after lunch, Hilxi and Monica returned to the Association and found the other two participants involved in this Commission.
“Familiar faces…”
Not far from them, sitting on a bench, Jiai and Naersha—one with black hair and brown eyes wearing a red headband, the other with pale yellow hair and golden eyes—were looking over the Commission documents, occasionally exchanging remarks.
Hearing footsteps, both turned toward the sound.
Naersha, now dressed in a white Magic Robe, smiled politely and stood.
“What a coincidence, Naersha-san, Jiai-san, didn’t expect you two to be the others!” Hilxi greeted cheerfully, as if genuinely happy.
Damn, that means the payment gets split four ways!
“Indeed, quite the coincidence! Hilxi-san and, uh… Monica-san! Didn’t expect you two either!”
“Don’t you have your own lines?”
“Ha, just the same feeling~” Naersha laughed it off, secretly delighted.
Hilxi-san’s Divination Magic is very useful! This makes the Commission much simpler.
“This Commission isn’t simple. Have you read the Commission letter?” Jiai, dressed in a sky-blue Magic Robe, stood and asked.
Seeing Hilxi shake her head, she sighed:
“Really, not even looking at the Commission letter? That’s careless.”
She handed the letter to Hilxi, who caught it.
“Monica-san, take a look too… though I feel it’s not that necessary.”
“Mm.”
There wasn’t much information on the Commission letter.
Hilxi skimmed it quickly.
It was about a Magician named Avia who apparently failed in her Magic research, resulting in a sudden and mysterious disappearance.
The Magician had now been missing for five days. During this time, the Association had sent people to search domestically, but the results were obvious—the person vanished as if from thin air, leaving no trace.
However, it wasn’t a total dead end.
The Association personnel found a large amount of Magic documentation and a messy scene at her residence, leading them to conclude that the disappearance was due to a failed Magic experiment.
So at least they understood the cause.
“Why conclude it’s a disappearance and not death?” Hilxi asked curiously.
“You’re not the only one who can do Divination Magic. The Association has already confirmed it’s a disappearance.” Jiai explained casually.
“Ah? Then why send us to search?”
“Not everyone is as free as you. And the distance is far; right now, we only have one direction.” Jiai shook her head.
Do I look that free?
Hilxi frowned.
She often practiced Magic and Magic Potions, sometimes staying up until dawn—though that was just to replicate others’ Magic… but she worked hard.
Well… even if she had nothing else to do, she’d still go out on the streets to scam… cough, earn some money.
But Hilxi noticed another point and tilted her head to ask:
“Far away? How far exactly?”
“According to calculations, even flying full speed on a Broomstick, it would take at least a whole day—probably further.”
Oof… that is quite far.
“There should be countries or cities along the way, right?”
Jiai glanced at her and crossed her arms with a sigh:
“There’s beautiful nature scenery on the way.”
Hilxi’s mouth twitched—was that her polite way of saying they’d be camping outdoors? Her mind conjured cold nights in the wild and howling wolves.
She could already see herself shivering inside a tent…
But, for the money… and to find the missing Magician! All of that was bearable.
Hilxi nodded, then asked again:
“Looks like we’ll need to prepare supplies. Does the Association provide them?”
“No, you have to buy whatever you need yourself.”
“They don’t even reimburse basic supplies? The Association’s so stingy! Wouldn’t that discourage those who take on Commissions??”
When Jiai was at a loss for words, Naersha smiled and said:
“Well… you’re probably the only one who gets discouraged over saving money.”
Half an hour later, at the National Border.
“Are you ladies planning to go abroad?” a young soldier asked somewhat awkwardly.
Can’t you see? Having spent several Silver Coins already, Hilxi was annoyed but kept her composure and offered a polite smile:
“Yes, we have a Commission that requires us to be abroad for a few days. Sorry for the trouble.”
“No trouble at all,” the young soldier quickly waved his hand, then stepped aside to let them pass.
“Wishing you ladies a safe return.”
Why does that blessing sound like a bad omen?
Hilxi said nothing more, thanked him, and with Monica, Jiai, and Naersha, they took to their Broomsticks and flew out of the border.
The deep blue sky and endless golden plains stretched before them.
The gentle breeze brought fresh air, evoking a refreshing feeling.
“Ah, going abroad again.” Naersha, who seemed used to traveling, sighed and gazed toward the distant horizon.
“This journey is long. It’ll probably take several days to return.” Jiai said casually, also looking far ahead.
Finally getting to go abroad, it was only natural to feel relaxed and happy.
Even usually cold Monica showed a slight smile, seeming quite eager for this Commission.
“But thinking about sleeping on the grass at night…” Hilxi glanced at the large pack of supplies strapped behind her Broomstick, her interest waning as she tapped her forehead with a troubled look.
Oh well, for rescuing the missing Magician! This trouble is nothing.
Taking a deep breath, Hilxi brightened her spirits and turned to Monica with a smile:
“Let’s set off.”
“Mm.” Monica nodded, her purple hair fluttering lightly in the breeze as she focused on maneuvering her Broomstick.
Whoosh—
The four flew low on their Broomsticks.
The withered grass below either swayed or was stirred up, drifting off in the wind toward the distance.