Witch Training Manual: My Water Magic Is Wrong

Marco and Tomasson left the church together.

The two walked side by side through the foyer, down the steps, and parted ways on the stone path in front of the church. Marco went east to find Diaz. Thomason went west to the mayor's mansion.

On the other side, the bathroom door in the church's backyard opened.

Emma walked in front, followed by Aya, and Ella came out at the very back.

Emma took two steps, then suddenly stopped and turned around.

"elder sister."

Ella looked up.

"Um?"

Why is your neck all red lately?

Ella instinctively touched her neck, her fingers lingering above her collarbone before falling back down.

"From mosquito bites."

"Mosquitoes?" Emma tilted her head, her gaze lingering on Ella's neck. "But it's only early spring, where would mosquitoes come from?"

"A mild winter. The mosquitoes haven't all died yet."

Emma thought about it and realized it made sense.

Then her gaze shifted downwards.

"Sister, why is your butt so red?"

Ella's face flushed red.

"It's hot from taking a shower."

"Can taking a bath make that area red?"

"The water is too hot."

"oh."

Ai stretched out her hand, grabbed her shoulder, and turned her around.

"Let's go, stop looking."

Emma was pushed forward two steps, turned her head, and wanted to say something, but when she met Ella's eyes, she swallowed her words.

The three people walked through the corridor and turned into the backyard.

In the backyard, Wayne was eating at the stone table.

When they saw Wayne and Emma, ​​their eyes lit up instantly.

"Owner!"

She released Aya's hand and ran towards Wayne. Her footsteps pattered on the cobblestones, and the hem of her nightgown fluttered in the wind. She reached Wayne and, without stopping, threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in the crook of his shoulder.

"Master, you're finally out!"

Wayne laughed and said, "You're such a grown man, yet you're still so clumsy."

Emma lifted her head from his shoulder and chuckled.

On the other side, Ella also stepped forward.

"Was it successful, Master?"

"all the best."

Ella's lips curved into a smile.

"That's good."

Emma turned away from Wayne's embrace and waved to Aya.

"Aya, come up here too! Do whatever the big sister does."

Aya stood at the corner of the corridor, her hands hanging at her sides, her fingers clutching the hem of her skirt. She glanced at Emma, ​​then at Wayne, took a half-step forward, then pulled back.

"Come on, come on, don't be afraid." Emma ran two steps toward her, grabbed her hand, and pulled her out from around the corner.

Aya was pulled forward. When they reached Wayne, she stopped, lowered her head, and dared not look at him.

Wayne reached out and ruffled her hair.

"Have you had a tough time practicing swordsmanship these past few days?"

Aya shook her head.

"It's not hard work, I enjoy practicing swordsmanship."

Wayne nodded with satisfaction.

"That's good."

Aya looked up at Wayne, as if she wanted to say something.

Wayne looked at her.

"What's wrong?"

Aya shook her head.

"It's nothing."

But the panel popped up.

[Aya's Current Status]

[Inner monologue: She loved practicing swordsmanship, not just for the technique itself, but because when she practiced, she could think of nothing else. She didn't have to think about her brother, her grandfather, or what the future held. There was only the sword, only the goal, only one simple thought: this strike must be faster, more accurate, and more steady. The sword was a barrier between her and the world, keeping all her sorrows outside.]

[Note: She didn't want Wayne to know any of this. It wasn't distrust, but rather a feeling that it was unnecessary. Wayne had already helped her so much, and she didn't want to cause him any more trouble. She felt she already owed Wayne an unpayable debt; owing him anything more would only make it more impossible.]

Emma rested her chin on Wayne's shoulder.

"Master, I also enjoy practicing swordsmanship! Uncle Marco says I'm improving very quickly!"

Wayne turned his head to look at her.

"Yeah?"

"Yes! Uncle Marco said that if I work a little harder, I can reach level one in two months!"

Ella stood to the side without saying a word.

Wayne glanced at her.

Why aren't you practicing your sword?

Ella shook her head.

"I... am not suitable."

"Why is it unsuitable?"

Ella's ears slowly turned red.

"I'm not strong enough to wield a sword."

"So what do you like?"

Ella shifted her gaze from Wayne's face to the pile of bottles and jars on the stone table.

"Potion."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was very earnest.

"I enjoy mixing potions for my master."

Wayne followed her gaze and saw several bottles of uncollected potions still on the stone table.

"Making potions is boring."

"It's not boring," Ella said confidently. "I like it."

Emma lifted her head from Wayne's shoulder and looked at Ella.

"Sister, when did you start liking potion mixing?"

Ella's ears turned even redder.

"I've always liked it."

Emma thought for a moment, but couldn't remember.

The panel popped up at this point.

Ella's panel appeared.

[Ella's Status]

[Status: She doesn't really enjoy brewing potions; she prefers spending time with you. When the two of you are in the small potions room, something interesting always happens.]

[Note: In a sense, she does possess a talent for potion-making. Her magic allows her to perceive subtle changes in the temperature of potions to a certain extent, an advantage that other witches do not have. Dora once said that if Ella wanted, she could become a qualified second-tier potion master within two years.]

[Note 2: She followed Emily's path. It wasn't a choice she made; you led her down that path. Emily learned to meet the goddess from the shadows; she learned a different kind of gratitude in the potions room. Only Emily's shadows were dark, her potions room was bright. One groped in the darkness, the other succumbed to the light. Different paths, same destination.]

Diaz and Wilford arrived almost one after the other.

Diaz walked ahead, his leather armor still covered in dust from the training ground, and stopped as soon as he entered the backyard.

"Sir, you..."

"He's broken through." Wayne didn't let him guess. "Mid-stage fourth tier."

Diaz was utterly shocked.

He had never seen anyone break through so quickly. From the third rank to the fourth rank, and then to the mid-fourth rank, a path that would take others ten years, Wayne accomplished in less than half a year. But he didn't ask why. There are some things you shouldn't ask, and that's a lesson he learned after so many years in the mercenary group.

Wilford circled around from behind him, panting, a fine layer of sweat on his forehead. He wasn't as perceptive as Diaz and couldn't discern any rank or anything like that; he just noticed that Wayne looked quite well today.

"Sir, you wanted to see me?"

"sit."

The two sat down at the stone table.

Wayne looked at the two of them.

"I'm sure you all know about the bandits."

Wilford's expression turned serious.

"I know. Those sons of bitches, they deliberately chose to come when we were moving. I was just about to come and talk to you about this."

Diaz nodded as well.

"I've also received the news. The Headless Bandits are making quite a stir. It's said they've joined forces with two or three smaller bandit gangs in the surrounding area, and their combined strength is probably over two hundred. There are at least three fourth-tier members, and quite a few others at third and second tiers as well."

Wayne leaned back in his chair.

"What do you think we should do?"