As they chatted, the two finally arrived at Hyacine's home. The moment the door opened, Little Ica flew straight into Hyacine's arms, and she instinctively hugged the creature close, gently stroking its head.
"So, so adorable!" Pela exclaimed, her face lighting up with excitement at the sight of Little Ica. No girl could resist such a charming creature, and she was no exception. "Can I hold it too?"
Hyacine replied, "Sure, but be careful. Little Ica's a bit heavy..."
Before she could finish, Little Ica nudged Hyacine's flat chest with its tiny crown and let out a soft dudududu sound, as if expressing its displeasure.
Pela brushed it off. "That's okay! A little chubby just makes it even cuter!"
As she spoke, Pela reached out and took Little Ica from Hyacine's arms, gently nuzzling her cheek against the creature. "It's not heavy at all! You made it sound so much scarier, Hyacine!"
Hyacine, however, could see that Little Ica, nestled in Pela's arms, was constantly fluttering its tiny wings. In truth, Little Ica was incredibly heavy—so heavy that Anaxa had once tried to lift it and failed completely. Hyacine could carry it effortlessly only because her strength was superhuman.
Pela was able to hold Little Ica now solely because the creature was actually flying.
Hyacine sighed, changed her shoes, and entered the house. Her first act was to strip off the drab Wizard Robe and change into her usual attire: a cute pink top, a short skirt, and white stockings—needless to say.
As she chatted with Pela, Hyacine began preparing dinner. She dragged a stool to the cooking area and stood on it to reach the pots. Seeing this, Pela hurried over to help, washing vegetables and passing ingredients while exclaiming, "Little Hyacine, you're amazing! You even know how to cook?"
This comment only puzzled Hyacine. "Cooking isn't exactly a big deal, is it?"
Pela shook her head. "Someone like me? I can't cook at all. I've barely even set foot in a kitchen."
Hyacine replied, "That's perfectly normal! Everyone has different strengths. Pela, you may not be able to cook, but you're amazing at your studies, right?"
Hearing this, Pela fell silent for a moment. It was precisely because her parents had only ever pushed her to study—ever since she was a child, every day was spent buried in books—that her magic was so advanced. But consequently, she was utterly clueless about everything outside of magic!
All of this was for the sake of passing the Basic Campus exams and advancing to one of the Eight Mage Towers for further study. After all, the teaching style here was notoriously rigorous; if you didn't work hard enough, you'd be weeded out.
Because the Teacher had gone to check his Crystal Ball, they were dismissed early that afternoon. Hyacine then invited Pela over to play. It was no exaggeration to say that this afternoon was the only truly free time Pela had enjoyed in recent years.
After a pause, Pela asked, "Hyacine, have you ever thought about things outside of magic?"
"Me?" Hyacine pondered for a moment before replying, "Of course! Like becoming a doctor who heals people, or an idol who brings smiles to everyone's faces."
Or perhaps those are my true callings, Hyacine thought. Pela had never considered these possibilities before; to her, magic seemed to be everything. Not that she blamed her parents—she found studying magic quite interesting herself—but now, occasionally fantasizing about futures beyond magic also seemed rather intriguing.
"An idol... what's that?" Pela asked.
Her expression was like that of a diligent student encountering a video game for the first time—filled with confusion, bewilderment, and a hint of curiosity.
Hyacine explained, "Like a bard, singing and dancing in front of crowds. Though, truth be told, I can't sing or dance at all right now."
Pela's face lit up with genuine interest. "Eh? Really? Well, we have some free time right now. Why don't we practice later? I'd really love to see you sing, Hyacine!"
"R-really? You want me to do this?" Hyacine's expression turned awkward. Surely, this kind of thing is practiced alone in private until you're confident enough to perform in front of others, right?
But seeing the boundless anticipation in Pela's eyes, Hyacine finally nodded. "Alright..."
After Hyacine finished cooking and they ate together, they tidied up the kitchen and moved to the living room. Pela settled on the sofa while Hyacine stood nearby, mentally reviewing some of Okhema's most famous songs.
Without any instruments at hand, she would have to sing a cappella. Clearing her throat, she clasped her hands together in front of her chest, interlacing her fingers:
"Distant wind that roams afar, ♪~ when will you return home?"
"No matter how long, no matter how far, the door to your homeland will always remain open for you. ♪~"
As she sang, Hyacine swayed gently from side to side. She wasn't much of a dancer, but standing perfectly still while singing—like a zombie—was a major faux pas! Even a few simple movements would greatly enhance the audience's perception.
Mid-song, Hyacine even winked at her sole listener, Pela, delivering a cute little wink.
Hyacine remembered how, in her past life, whenever cute girls in short videos acted coy, the comments would often flood with "She knows she's cute!" Now, in this moment, Hyacine truly knew she was adorable, and she was actively leveraging that cuteness, deliberately making adorable gestures and expressions.
As the song ended, Hyacine wiped away nonexistent sweat from her forehead and looked at Pela, whose eyes were shining with adoration and whose expression suggested she had completely fallen under Hyacine's spell. "How... how was it?"
Pela immediately choked up. "Too cute... oh, wait, too beautiful! I'm almost crying!"
No, no, no, is she really being this dramatic?
In truth, Hyacine had no real singing talent. She knew it herself—she had even gone off-key several times. The entire performance had relied solely on her soft, sweet voice and her deliberate, cutesy mannerisms.
But there was no denying Hyacine's exceptional natural gifts. With just a little practice—she wasn't sure about the Arcane Federation, but in Okhema, becoming a viral sensation would be effortless!
After all, she knew the Okheman's fetishes all too well.