"..."
After hearing the little girl's words, Ilena said nothing. She only blinked, her dark brown eyes filled with astonishment.
But...
Three years old when she burned a dragon, an Archmage at five, and a Demigod at seven...
Obviously, Ilena didn't believe a word of the little girl's brazen claims. As far as she was concerned, the girl was jealous of her talent and had blurted out a bunch of nonsense in a fit of anger, just to fool her.
That had to be it. Ilena was the youngest and most talented apprentice witch in the entire world—or at least in the peaceful nation of Lobeta. She was the very best, bar none!
So, after her initial surprise, the look on her face gradually turned to disdain. She turned to the Stardust Witch beside her, who had furrowed her brow slightly and seemed lost in thought.
"Lady Stardust Witch!"
"Since you're unwilling to take me as your student, I'll be going. Sorry to have troubled you..."
Ilena spoke coldly, feeling rather disheartened.
She knew that the Stardust Witch had only said that to find an excuse to reject and mock her. She was surely just like all the other witches in Lobeta, unwilling to take in the most talented apprentice witch in the nation's history.
So she was going home...
"Huh?"
"Wait!"
"Ilena, won't you reconsider? Annie really is strong. I'm not even worth one of her fingers! She'd be more than qualified to teach you. Won't you at least think about it?"
Seeing Ilena lower her head in disappointment and climb back onto her witch's broom, Stardust Witch Fran hurriedly called after her.
She truly had Ilena's best interests at heart. The girl was simply too talented... Fran had promised Ilena's parents that she would accept her application to