Witch Training Manual: My Water Magic Is Wrong

It was still dark.

Wayne was awakened by the crowing of roosters.

The sky outside the window was a color between gray and blue.

My consciousness hasn't fully returned yet.

Wayne, however, was struggling to breathe.

Something was pressing on his chest.

Wayne paused for a moment.

Is it Emma?

He thought it was Emma. That girl was a restless sleeper, tossing and turning, often rolling the blanket into a ball.

Wayne turned his head away. Emma was still huddled against the wall, but Ella was nowhere to be seen on the other side.

Then what's pressing on his chest must be...

Wayne ignored it.

He was very tired.

Within five seconds, he drifted off to sleep.

As for what dream I had?

He had a beautiful dream; he dreamt of a goddess.

The goddess didn't speak, just smiled and quietly watched him, drinking her milk like a long-lost friend. This goddess looks a bit like Ella, doesn't she? Oh well, never mind, sleeping is more important.

When the rooster crows for the second time.

Wayne was fully awake.

The panel popped up again.

[Ella's Status]

[Status: Confused]

[Note: She dreamed that she had become a goddess.]

[Note 2: She had planned meticulously, intending to begin her story after her master woke up. She wanted him to witness it firsthand, making it impossible for him to refuse. But she was too shy; she fell asleep, half-asleep.]

[P.S.: She remembered a proverb...]

Wayne turned his head to look at Ella, who was pretending to be asleep beside him.

Her eyelashes were trembling.

Wayne smiled.

"Ella".

Ella's body stiffened for a moment.

No response.

"Ella".

He called out again.

Ella finally opened her eyes.

"Master...Master."

"Um."

"When...when did you wake up?"

"When you wake up..."

Ella's face flushed instantly; she hadn't expected to be discovered. She buried her face in the pillow, her voice muffled.

"Then why...why don't you..."

"Nothing?"

"No...don't stop me."

Wayne turned to look at the half of her face buried in the pillow.

"Why should we stop it?"

Ella's breathing stopped for a moment.

"Because...because..."

She couldn't continue.

Wayne reached out and brushed the stray hairs from her forehead.

"How do you like it?"

Ella lifted her head from the pillow, her eyes red, but the corners of her mouth curved into a smile. She looked at Wayne for a couple of moments, then nodded.

"like."

"That's good."

Ella's face turned even redder.

When the rooster crowed for the third time, Emma rolled over, mumbled something, and swung her arm, hitting Wayne in the waist. Wayne tucked her arm back under the covers, Emma groaned twice, and then fell back into a deep sleep.

Ella watched from the side, her lips never twitching.

"Owner."

Ella's voice came from behind me.

Wayne turned around.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just...it's just that after I woke up..." Her voice trailed off, "I...I...was disobedient...are you angry with me?"

Wayne was silent for a moment.

"It's okay."

Ella looked up.

"real?"

"Um."

"Don't you think I'm...promiscuous?"

Wayne walked up to her and reached out to press down the stray strand of hair sticking up on her head.

"You're just sleeping."

Ella's lips curved into a smile.

"Mmm." She lowered her head.

"I was just sleeping..."

Emma finally woke up when it was broad daylight.

She first turned over, lifting her face off the pillow. Her pale red hair was a tangled mess, like straw just blown by the wind. She rubbed her eyes, yawned, and then sniffed.

"Um?"

I took another drag.

"Master, is it raining?"

Wayne leaned against the headboard, holding the scripture in his hand, turning to a certain page in the middle, his posture as upright as if he were reading a sacred text.

He didn't even look up.

"no."

"Why does it feel a bit cold?"

Emma frowned.

Wayne turned a page of the scripture.

"Maybe you're not fully awake yet."

Emma tilted her head and thought about it, then realized it made sense. Her nose was indeed not very sensitive when she first woke up. Back in the slave market, there was a fish stall next door, and she was always woken up by the fishy smell every morning, never getting the smell right.

"Oh," she said.

She crawled out of bed, sat on the edge of the bed, swung her legs, and looked down for her shoes. The shoes were under the bed, one facing east and the other west. She bent down to reach them, but after a couple of attempts she couldn't reach them, so she simply stepped barefoot onto the floor.

"Where's my sister?"

"Going to wash up."

"She got up so early today?" Emma was a little surprised. Ella usually lingered in bed longer than her, and she always had to call her several times before she would get up.

"Yes, I got up early today."

Emma didn't think much of it and walked out, her footsteps clattering on the floor. When she reached the door, she stopped and turned back.

"Master, did you sleep well last night?"

Wien closed the scroll.

"good."

"That's good." Emma grinned. "My sister and I slept so well. Master's bed is so soft, the blankets smell so good, and the pillows are so comfortable. Can we sleep here every day from now on?"

"It depends."

"It depends." Emma's lips twitched slightly, but quickly perked up again. "Anyway, you promised to make it up tonight, tomorrow night, and the night after tomorrow. You can't go back on your word."

"I won't renege on my debt."

Emma nodded in satisfaction, then pushed open the door and went out.

Her footsteps echoed in the corridor, pattering and fading into the distance. A moment later, she came running back, pattering, and the door was pushed open a crack, her head peeking in.

"Owner."

"Um."

What's for breakfast this morning?

"I don't know, let's go check."

"oh."

The door closed again.

The footsteps faded away again.

Wayne placed the scroll on the table.

To be honest, he thought Ella would never be a proactive person, but he didn't expect her to be so bold. You really can't judge a book by its cover. Moreover, Ella's learning speed was a bit beyond his expectations.

At breakfast time.

Ella sat opposite Wayne.

She's different today.

I can't quite put my finger on what's different. The clothes are still the same, and the hairstyle is still the same, but the person looks more relaxed than usual, like a plant that has been thoroughly watered by rain, with a nourished luster from the tips of the leaves to the roots.

Emma sat next to her, holding a piece of bread in her hand, dipping it in milk and putting it in her mouth.

"Sister, you look great today."

Ella paused for a moment.

"Is there?"

"Yes." Emma tilted her head and glanced at her. "Her face was flushed, and her eyes were bright, like...like..." She thought for a moment, "like that day in Mayfair..."

Ella lowered her head, took a sip of milk, and hid half of her face in the bowl.

You've misjudged.

"I'm not mistaken," Emma said confidently. "You weren't like this yesterday, but you suddenly look so beautiful today."

Ella's ears turned red.

Wayne picked up the milk and took a sip.

"Have a meal."

"oh."

Emma lowered her head and continued to work on the piece of bread in her hand.

Vera brought a plate of fried eggs from the kitchen and placed it in the middle of the table. The golden-brown edges were crispy, while the center was still runny, and the yolks trembled slightly in the plate.

"Sir, someone from town came today asking about the elven potion."

Wayne picked up a fried egg and put it in his bowl.

"What did you say?"

"I said you were praying, and I'll respond later."

"Um."

Vera wiped her hands and then rubbed them on her apron.

"My lord, is that... really an elf?"

Wayne glanced at her.

What do you think?

Vera thought for a moment.

"I don't think it looks like it. I've seen portraits of elves; they have pointed ears, long faces, and are taller than average. That…" she lowered her voice, "that invisible man lying in the storeroom, he doesn't look like him at all."

"What does that look like?"

Vera opened her mouth, then closed it again.

She didn't say it aloud, but her expression told the whole story.

Like a town mayor.

But she dared not say it.

She was just a cook.

The mayor's affairs are not something she can discuss.

Wayne didn't press the matter.