The Midnight Trickster (Wistoria: Wand and Sword X Female OC)

Chapter 1: The Unteachable Enigma

--------Caldron POV--------

Several days had passed since Caldron had taken Hanabi under her wing as her apprentice.

In those days, Caldron had expected to nurture the young girl's abilities, to guide her through the complexities of magic and help her harness the immense potential she sensed.

But as the days stretched on, she found herself more unsettled than ever.

From the very beginning, Hanabi was unlike any others Caldron had ever taught.

Most childrens struggled with the basics, stumbling through incantations and concepts.

But not Hanabi. She absorbed everything Caldron taught her with frightening ease.

Caldron stood at the edge of the training hall, watching Hanabi effortlessly control a torrent of fire magic.

The flames danced between her fingers, obedient and precise.

With a single flick of her wrist, Hanabi extinguished the blaze, leaving the room in an eerie silence.

She turned to face Caldron, her fluorescent pink eyes calm and emotionless, black mask still perched at an angle on her head.

There was something in her gaze that Caldron couldn't quite place-a stillness, a depth that felt far too old for a child of her age.

"Is that enough?" Hanabi asked, her voice devoid of any strain.

It was as if controlling such powerful magic had required no effort at all.

Caldron nodded, her fingers curling tightly around the staff she held.

"Yes, that's enough for today."

Hanabi tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable as she walked over to stand beside Caldron.

"What's next?"

Caldron took a slow breath, trying to steady herself.

"We'll continue tomorrow. You've made remarkable progress, Hanabi."

A faint smile touched Hanabi's lips, but it wasn't the innocent smile of a child.

No, there was something about it that unsettled Caldron.

The smile was too sharp, too knowing-like the brief flash of a blade.

"Thank you, Caldron," Hanabi said softly, her voice carrying a hint of something Caldron couldn't name.

As Hanabi left the room, Caldron felt a wave of relief wash over her. Yet, the lingering unease remained.

Ever since their training had begun, Caldron had noticed strange things-small, fleeting moments that were gone before she could fully comprehend them.

It started subtly. She would catch glimpses of Hanabi's mask, the black mask seeming to shimmer in the dim light.

And sometimes, when Hanabi turned her head just right, Caldron could swear she saw the child's eyes change-momentarily gleaming with something darker, more malicious.

Then came the hallucinations. Or at least, Caldron hoped they were hallucinations.

In the quiet moments between lessons, when Hanabi's back was turned, Caldron would see it-a smile.

A wide, unnaturally sharp grin that seemed to stretch across Hanabi's face for only a split second.

But when Caldron blinked, the smile was gone, replaced by Hanabi's usual impassive expression.