Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

"You mentioned before that you wanted to participate personally, and this year is different from three years ago. Back then, you still seemed a bit green, and now, amidst the current turmoil, it's the perfect time to highlight your strength and reputation..." The other person was getting more and more excited as they spoke.

"Ahem..." Inor interrupted Phyllis.

"You're being a bit too enthusiastic. Actually, I've suddenly decided not to participate this time, and I've already given that temporary disguised identity to someone else."

"Ah." Phyllis was a bit taken aback, surprised with a mix of disappointment and regret.

"Why aren't you participating, Inor?"

"Not participating means not participating, Cousin Phyllis. We've known each other since we were kids, right? You know that I'm pretty spontaneous, and it's normal for me to change my mind occasionally."

"But..." Clearly, there was more they wanted to say.

"But I do know how hard you've worked. I'll remember the good things about you, Cousin Phyllis. You're the best." This little elf girl's triple play of words immediately lifted the other's spirits, and then they went downstairs contentedly.

After the other person left, Inor tossed aside the seven-stringed zither in her hand and took out the record board from under her pillow to read a novel again.

"He's so easy to please, that Cousin Phyllis." She munched on a cookie snack from the table while reading the novel.

"I wonder if Tilan has gotten cold feet over there. Although these five competition events aren't extraordinarily difficult, it's not easy at all to prepare thoroughly in just a few days. Well, if she fails, I might generously let her come begging to me, and maybe I'll agree, hehe~" Thinking of something amusing, she lay on the bed, her little feet kicking in the air.

——————

Elsewhere, Tilan and Deloris traveled through the forest brimming with giant trees, where there were extremely quaint walking paths paved with cobblestones, heading along the creek.

"Ahead is Aunt Elena's house. She has been living here ever since, and I visit her once every 2-3 days." Leading the way was a young elf, wearing a traditional white headscarf and dressed in attire of emerald green and white, reportedly a custom of a branch of the Forest Elves.

"Aunt Elena is my mother's sister, though they are nearly 100 years apart, and she's currently the eldest in the family."

"When she was young, she went to study in the Central Star Domain, worked there as a fashion designer for 30 years, then returned to the Moonthorn Star Domain to create her own clothing studio. Later, she grew tired of constantly chasing trendy designs and returned home to study traditional weaving techniques, eventually becoming a master in this field."

"Later, as she got older and less energetic, she let go of many things and lived quietly in a small house upstream from the river, occasionally taking walks in her small garden."

"Most people don't know she resides here; it's impressive that you managed to get a recommendation letter." The elf spoke as they walked.

"You don't seem like locals from your appearance; you must be here to learn from Aunt Elena, right? I've seen similar people before, but there have been fewer in recent years."

"Now that the Aijieka Network is highly developed, many prefer using immersive networks to learn and are unwilling to travel such distances, dealing with the hassle of arranging accommodation and various daily issues."

"However, I still quite like this offline teaching method because the process is more detailed and life-like."

She led the two across the creek, lightly hopping from stone to stone above the water surface.

"We're here; under that cherry tree ahead is Aunt Elena's house. When it was built, I had just started high school, and now, almost 20 years have passed."

Saying this, she led the two to the courtyard, slightly knocking the bell on the Upper Gate, and the sound carried into the yard.

All the facilities here were antiquated, with few modern traces.

Hearing the sound, an old woman approached the gate, opened the picket fence.

"Xiao Wuni is here again, bringing people this time? What's going on?" The elf elder, slightly hunched, with white hair, was a bit short and wore an orange woven coat.

"Aunt Elena, two people with recommendation letters are looking for you, wishing to learn some weaving techniques."

"Oh, people still come for that? Look at that..." The elder raised her deep-set eyes, gazing at Tilan and Deloris, her eyes lingering for a long moment.

"It's been a while since guests came, please wait a moment." With that, she returned inside, taking a few minutes before returning.

"I just tidied up briefly; you may come in now."

"Okay, Aunt Elena." Following this, the elf led the two inside.

Tilan curiously glanced around the room's decor; many herbs and dried vegetables hung around, the red-brick kitchen and wooden dining table were directly visible. On the stove lay a cat that, upon seeing strangers in the room, meowed once, then leaped and vanished behind the bedroom door.

"Please have a seat; I'll make some tea for you." The local elf flower tea is also a tradition; the elder took a glass kettle, placed some dried petals and herbs from a drawer into it, and then poured in clear water, proceeding to slowly brew it over the stove fire.

Soon, the water boiled, and the elder discarded the first round of water, then refilled it before sitting by the table with the three.

"It'll be ready shortly." She simply explained, then once again eyed the two.

"You're also here to learn weaving techniques, right?"

"Yes." Tilan and Deloris nodded.