Chapter 1: The Witch and The Tin Knight (1)
For Dorothea, an apprentice witch living in a small forest in the eastern part of the continent, carrying out her teacher’s unreasonable instructions was almost a daily occurrence.
She had nearly died searching for herbs in a forest full of poisonous vapors, faced off against a bear armed with nothing but a wooden staff, and spent three sleepless days and nights to prevent evil spirits from escaping a barrier.
Whenever Dorothea complained about these unbearable hardships, her teacher would look at her with disdain and say, “Tsk tsk, you foolish girl. You’re whining over just that? When I was your age, I was forced to do far worse.”
Nothing irritated young people more than an old person’s “When I was your age” talk.
Dorothea tried to argue with her teacher, citing the changing times and individual aptitudes, but her teacher’s response was always the same.
“If you don’t like it, quit being my apprentice. The way out is that way.”
Faced with her teacher waving her off dismissively, Dorothea, the weak, pitiful, and unlucky beautiful young girl—self-proclaimed—could only swallow her frustration.
The difference between “the apprentice of a great witch” and “a former apprentice kicked out by a great witch” was too immense to bear.
For the sake of her future job prospects, Dorothea would do whatever it took to get a proper graduation certification from this ill-tempered teacher.
Bear with it.
Just bear with it a little longer.