Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

Hearing Efnie's question, the girl thought for a few seconds before responding.

"At least, I don't dislike it, and I have some curiosity and fondness for the art style. What about you, Efnie?"

"I liked it more as a child, and I collected quite a few similar poetry picture books." She came over and sat down beside Tilan, lifting her skirt.

"What about later?" Tilan felt there was a hint of regret and loss in her words.

"As I grew up, my parents gradually stopped letting me look at such things. They wanted me to socialize more and make good use of my advantages." She rested her chin on her knees, wrapping her arms around her legs.

"'Fairy tales are for children. You're grown up now, don't indulge in these things anymore,' that's what they told me then."

"After hearing that, I felt ashamed, so I tried my best not to look at or come into contact with similar things again." Efnie's eyes slowly closed and then opened again.

"Inheriting my mother's beautiful figure and even more exquisite looks, I was very successful in my dance practice at that time, often receiving praise from teachers, family, and people around me."

"Of course, a child would be very happy with such praise, so I practiced more and more, my strength also grew, and I could easily perform many challenging moves."

"That seems quite good, doesn't it?" The girl turned her head and looked at Efnie.

"Yes, but the praise slowly became nauseating. Later, I developed a rebellious streak; I didn't want to be just a girl who was good at dancing."

"My mother was a beautiful woman, who was said to be a popular star that many pursued when she was young. My father, on the other hand, was of average looks, somewhat overweight, and spoke harshly without much softness; he rarely smiled. From outward appearances, it seemed my mother had more of an advantage. However, in everyday life, she was always accommodating to my father, even pleasing him, and occasionally acted coy with him."

"I didn't understand it back then, but I gradually came to realize that it was only natural. My father held an important position in Star Domain, courted by many corporate groups, so he didn't need to be approachable. Being a bit harsh could even keep away those with thick skins who sought favors. Although my mother was beautiful, such beauty wasn't rare in the entire Star Domain."

"It's not enough just to dance. Even if my mother was a famous star when she was young, she still had to please others. I don't like using my looks and dance to win people's favor because that means seeking some kind of 'reward' from others, without having any initiative, and it's not secure. Others can easily take back that kind of like and granting."

"So, I began to focus my energy on learning the Transcendent Sequence, the most direct and concrete way to have power."

"My parents found me the best teachers, and because my talent was related to 'Flame,' they contacted the 'Red Robe Death God Sect' from an alien Star Domain, a renowned Transcendent Faction skilled in this area."

"In the beginning, I made fast progress, my power far surpassing those of my peers, becoming almost a topic of conversation within my social circle. There were always people watching my every move, and many peers were urged by their parents to get along well with me."

"Without any effort, I could become friends with many, and to deepen this 'friendship,' they continually invited me to various gatherings, events, travels, and games."

"These kinds of thoughts are actually quite easy to detect, and after having been through a lot, if not nauseating, also feel very twisted and affected. So, I began to withdraw my usual friendly and gentle demeanor, becoming arrogant instead, even ruthlessly rejecting people and expressing my distaste bluntly, because if you show even a little softness in your attitude, those people will cling to you," Efnie slowly voiced some of her inner thoughts, perhaps due to a deepened understanding of the dark-haired girl beside her over time, which allowed her to open up about her hidden past.

"After doing certain things for a while, it seems they can internalize into one's true personality. Without realizing it, I got used to it, and even became the typical girl described by everyone as arrogantly scorning ordinary people and being unapproachable, just because her family has a good background."

After saying this, she sighed, who doesn't wish to be liked and welcomed by everyone? But to avoid some troublesome matters, she had no choice but to act this way.

"Gradually, I had fewer and fewer friends, as I always turned down their invitations, and my life's focus slowly shifted towards the study of the Transcendent Sequence; this was a completely new field for me. My past learning in dance, music, social interaction, etiquette, and other knowledge did not apply at all. Although I made rapid progress in accumulating Magic Power initially, when it came to testing theoretical understanding and constructing Branding formulas, merging them into a complete system—the Transcendent Core—my deficiencies slowly began to show."

"Thus, during the stage advancing from Sequence 3 to Sequence 4, I was stuck for a long time. During this period, my mindset gradually shifted from stable to anxious and even became unbalanced in the end."

"Because I was stuck in the same place for so long with no progress, my thoughts also gradually became confused, and I even began to wonder how I would carry on with life if I couldn't meet everyone's previous expectations and became a mediocre person. Could I really only be a pretty vase good at dancing and spend my life dependent on my father's shade, a young lady complimented to her face but mocked behind her back?"

"The more I thought about it, the more scared I became, the more anxious I was, and the more I couldn't stabilize my emotions and thoughts. Advancement became even more difficult, almost forming a vicious cycle."

"During the holidays, when I locked myself in my room and lay on the floor doing nothing, I pulled out the old poetry and picture books I had put away as a child."

"I have to say, a child's world is just simply beautiful."

"Each dazzling, colorful still image, matched with a little bit of text, could evoke a beautiful world within the imagination. Adults, due to their many experiences and preconceptions, struggle to let go and imagine such distant and beautiful stories."

"Looking back at the picture books from my childhood, my thoughts gradually quieted down. Eventually, after going through all the poetry and picture books previously collected at home again, my mindset finally improved a lot. Probably it was those brilliant colors and moving stories that reignited some hope and fantasy towards life in me."

"Later, after coming to school and receiving the club's notification, I learned Tilan wanted to initiate a trial. At that time, I was also looking to change my mood and thoughts, so I joined in."

"Fate works in mysterious ways; the path that was previously blocked, as my horizons broadened and my mindset changed during the trial, gradually began to loosen. Especially Tilan's explanations and demonstrations opened a new door for me."

"I really like these poems and picture books, just like fairy tales. Although adults say such stories are naive, I still enjoy these simple yet brilliant colors, stories that inspire boundless imaginings and expectations."

"If possible, I hope Tilan, just like the fairy tales in those picture books, always remains beautiful and adorable, keeping her kind-hearted innocence and gentle manner."

"Thank you," the girl replied, somewhat shyly, feeling she was not as perfect as the characters in fairy tales.

"But reality is not a fairy tale..." she murmured softly.

"Still, I'll keep trying, striving to bring everyone a fairy tale-like happy ending."