Jacqueline had just turned twelve that year.
She was the niece of Jeanette, a receptionist at Danhaag.
Though she was young, she already counted as an "old employee" of Danhaag's reception desk. Danhaag received many walk-in visitors every day, and since they had no appointments, not every pet they brought could receive proper care. Jacqueline's job was to help her aunt temporarily look after some visitors' pets.
Of course, Danhaag did not officially recognize this job. It was merely a side gig she had "contracted" from her aunt, paid by the hour. She earned five Copper Coins for every hour she looked after a pet.
For a child her age, that was a substantial bit of extra spending money, so she took the work especially seriously.
Today, some strange people in blue robes had arrived at the reception desk.
Her aunt had taken them to Solomon Hall.
Jacqueline lay listlessly across the soft chair before the reception counter, her eyelids drooping as she stared weakly at the Brazilian turtle in a glass jar. An old wizard who had gone inside earlier had left it behind, and it was also her only chance to earn pocket money that day.
Near noon was when Danhaag had the fewest visitors.
In her drowsiness, Jacqueline vaguely heard an unfamiliar voice beside her. "Excuse me, how do I get to Solomon Hall?"
It was a young wizard.
The Little Witch sluggishly arrived at a precise conclusion in her heart, one that also failed to interest her in the slightest. Having "worked" at Danhaag for so long, she saw all sorts of visitors every day and had learned many tricks of the trade through experience.
For instance, old wizards.
The old wizards who came to Danhaag always wore stiff, boring black robes. They spoke at an