A little demonstration.
Ian was all smiles, ready to receive praise.
However.
"As it happens, your current level is already qualified, perhaps you can start repairing my guards... if you have been learning the Alchemy I taught you."
The Witch's gaze turned scrutinizing. Never in a million years did Ian think that by showing off his improvement, he'd immediately be saddled with such a big workload.
Is this the fate of the capable?!
"Of course I've been studying, and I've made some very good pieces, but there wasn't enough time to make a second one." Ian hesitated for a moment before testingly inquiring.
"Maybe when I come next time, I can help you fix those damaged guards? Today I want to visit the town to see Ariana and Pandro."
"I have a greeting from Ariana's family to pass on to her." Ian expected the Witch to at least be displeased, but she just pouted slightly and nodded in agreement.
"That's actually part of your mission."
She didn't even show any curiosity about the situation, just gave Ian a slightly peculiar look, then spoke with a bit of amazement.
"I really didn't expect you to hold it in this well, keeping your mischievous thoughts to yourself all this time—by now, I thought you would've blurted it out five minutes ago."
A very abrupt comment.
It left Ian a bit stunned.
He quickly realized.
"This must be Mind Reading, right? No! It's Soul Stealing!" Ian initially wanted to craft a dramatic scene, but didn't expect the Witch to break the deception first.
"You think I need to read your mind for that little thought of yours?"
The Witch rolled her eyes.
"From the moment you appeared, you've been calling me 'teacher' instead of Teacher Mara... I just bluffed you a bit, didn't expect you'd really find something."
She laughed happily.
As if Ian had provided her several months' worth of joy.
"Did you learn this when helping me find the mirror? Soul Stealing... hmm, that child understands it like that. It looks like you really put effort into helping me find the mirror."
The Witch looked at Ian with approval.
Of course, Ian wouldn't explain.
"I encountered a bit of trouble using this magic, a professor used some sort of shedding technique to withstand my mental assault."
He was more interested in knowing how to outsmart Old Bidden from the Defense Against the Dark Arts class next time.
"Tsk tsk, you even want to control a professor, you're indeed getting naughtier." The Witch's eyes flashed with surprise, and she tore off a tiny piece from her ceremonial dress.
"I guess your professor is likely very familiar with Legilimency, though his technique isn't particularly brilliant, he just created a Transformed Creature to mislead your mental direction."
"Hmm, he might also be proficient in the Human Body Transformation Technique." The piece from her dress that the Witch tossed to Ian was obviously the key to the solution, and Ian received it eagerly as if it were a treasure.
"Thank you, my mentor... or perhaps I should call you Teacher Morgan?" Ian looked at the little piece of dress in his hand, vaguely anticipating the next Dark Arts exchange class.
"My apprentice, apart from this, didn't you discover anything else?" The Witch glanced at the other two little snacks and a Chocolate Frog Ian was carrying.
"I also discovered that my senior sister actually regrets her betrayal? She felt guilty towards you her whole life." Ian blinked, somewhat uncertain as he spoke.
"I know that... I did it on purpose." The Witch continued to support her face with one hand while reading, a bit lazy, with a brilliant smile on her exquisite face.
"Actually, I wasn't even dead yet when she died."
Goodness!
The case is solved!
No wonder that senior sister can't be found here.
"????"
Ian gained new insights and understanding about bad women.
Poor senior sister.
She probably died with regrets.