Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

"Alright, alright, but I'm getting old, so I might not teach quickly."

"This..." Tilan thought for a moment and decided to speak frankly.

"Actually, it's mainly for the celebratory competition in three days. I want to learn the 'Dawn Cloth' secret technique temporarily."

"There are quite a few people who know this secret technique, I'm not sure why you specifically came to me to learn it." The old man seemed a bit puzzled and unhappy.

"I know this might seem a bit presumptuous and urgent, but I really must participate in this celebration and win the prize." Tilan answered sincerely.

The old man listened and then looked at Tilan for a long time.

"I don't know what's causing you to rush like this, trying to learn such a high-level weaving secret technique in just three days, but seeing your earnest attitude, you don't seem like someone who's shallow or profit-driven."

"As for the reason, there's no need to explain. I can do my best to quickly teach you the skills of this secret technique, but the condition is, in the following three years, you must make up for any lacking knowledge and foundation. I don't want to see anyone treating this craft with a rough or disdainful attitude, because it's like a treasure I've researched and cherished for many years, being treated as worthless scribbles."

"Three years, huh, that should be doable." Tilan thought for a moment, she was pretty quick at learning things.

"Heh, it's not that simple, many people can't learn it even in ten years, but seeing the spirit in your eyes, unlike those kids brainwashed by worldly gains, that's why I agreed." The old man shook his head.

The glass teapot for brewing tea emitted a clanging sound, and steam occasionally lifted the lid.

"The tea is ready." The old man walked over slowly, picked up the glass teapot, and then poured it into the prepared glass teacups nearby. A gentle cold breeze constantly blew, quickly cooling down the cups of tea.

"Have a sip, it might taste slightly bitter, but the sweetness that follows lasts exceptionally long."

The two people who were a bit anxious initially now held the floral tea, gradually settling down and becoming calm.

That day, the two stayed in the old man's small house, first helping him gather herbs and flowers planted in the backyard. Then, under the old man's guidance, they separated the stalks and petals, picked and sorted them, and then began to grind and purify them. At every step, the old man would explain many things, what to pay attention to, and what goal each step aimed to achieve.

"The 'Dawn Cloth' is a special secret technique created by the Fairies during the First Era, later passed down among some Elves with talent."

"There are many branches of this weaving secret technique, like 'Fire Sunset Cloth' using Fire-colored Cloud, 'Sea Dawn Cloth' using Sea Sky Rosy Clouds, etc. During the Mercury Dynasty, those Wizards captured many Elven craftsmen, obtaining this secret technique. Later, Witches created 'Dusk Cloth' using the evening glow."

"Each 'Dawn Cloth' material varies; if you simply want to win this competition, choose the dye purified from 'madder stem' and 'orange flame chrysanthemum petals'. Prepare special 'Cloud Silk' before weaving. Don't worry about this, as the organizers will prepare it in advance for the competition. But if you truly want to master it, you must start from cultivating 'Cloud Cotton', then proceed to wash the cotton, draw the silk, spin the yarn, and so forth."

"The process is lengthy." Tilan sighed.

"Of course, every step is crucial and influences the final outcome. Just now, industrialization has hidden many things' original appearances." The old man leaned on his cane, standing in front of the two, watching them complete each operation step by step.

"A lot of kids think food just appears on shelves, pineapples grow on trees, cucumbers are green, and butterflies can fly as soon as they're born." The old man shook his head.

"Too much bizarre information, various trend hypes, many things are only seen on the surface, and yet people think they understand it all, like assembling blocks with existing pieces, modifying it a bit, and calling it their own creation."

"If you really let them start completing a piece from scratch, they wouldn't know what to do."

"When I was young, I was fascinated by various fashion styles, often merging popular styles from the past with some unique elements to create 'new' items."

"Later, learning the local weaving techniques, I found another world within them. Whether it's the weaving of thread, the effects brought by various dyeing techniques, or the color shifts presented by the fabric's structure itself, it all provided me with endless inspiration and imagination space. Eventually, I truly entered this field, gaining respect and praise from others."

"Therefore, if you want to complete a piece to perfection, you must thoroughly master all the components it consists of."

"Is that so..." Tilan mumbled while mixing the dye in her hand, her mind drifting to other thoughts.

If she wants to build an ideal world, what is needed to ensure the smooth flow of each section, avoiding the various errors of the current Federation?

It seems she still has a long way to go, and the talent of a Songstress is merely the key to opening this path.