(˙o˙) Elena's Confidence
So many candidates had been interviewed that, before long, it was nearly noon.
By then, the sun had climbed high. The transparent dome let the approaching midday sunlight pour in unhindered, nourishing the countless magical plants and flowers competing in beauty.
The air here was filled with a refreshing medley of floral scents, mingled with the fresh smell of moist soil and plant roots. In the center of the flower hall, a carefully tended pond of lotuses bloomed more brightly than ever, while several colorful magical goldfish still swam leisurely among the green lotus leaves.
As ever!
Serie, the elven Archmage and Founder of the Continental Magic Association, was still sitting alone on the smooth jade stone at the edge of the lotus pond, barefoot.
Her slender, fair elven toes still occasionally stirred the cool water, startling the goldfish into flicking their tails and darting deep among the lotus leaves. Then... perhaps because she had interviewed so many candidates, although her gaze remained fixed on the water, it seemed to pass right through the surface. She stared into space, as if lost in some distant thought.
At last, after who knew how long, the inner door of the flower hall, woven from intertwined vines, soundlessly opened a crack once more.
A candidate wearing a witch's robe and a broad-brimmed witch's hat then walked in at an unhurried pace.
"..."
Hearing the footsteps, Serie's toes paused in their gentle stirring of the water.
But she did not turn around at once. Only when the footsteps approached at an unhurried pace and stopped not far behind her did she slowly straighten up, composed as though countless ages had settled within her, and turn around.
"!!"
The moment her gaze met the newcomer's, surprise flashed through the golden eyes that