October 10th, Sunny
I can't believe it—Alisa actually chose me! She even praised me for being smart and talented. Oh my, it's so embarrassing. The other students are envious, whispering behind my back. After all, being chosen as a disciple by a Violet-level mage is a rare honor.
October 27th, Cloudy
Today marks the beginning of my magical training under Alisa! I'm beyond excited, but... I also heard that we'll be traveling far, far away. Leaving my mom and dad behind is hard, but if it means learning powerful spells and becoming a great mage, then it's worth it! I have to stay strong. Go, Serena!
November 15th, Sunny
I finally arrived at Alisa's home, and it's breathtaking—rolling mountains, glistening streams, and a vast flower field stretching beyond sight. Even the animals here are different; they flock to Alisa as if she's their mother. She told me they are like her children, always by her side. I love animals too, but preparing over twenty portions of food for them in one meal? That's exhausting!
November 17th, Sunny
Learning magic is harder than I imagined. I sat through Alisa's lecture all day and barely understood half of it. My head is spinning, and the thought of doing this again tomorrow makes magic seem... less thrilling.
November 25th, Rainy
Finally! I completed all my assignments. Alisa was going to let me play in the mountains as a reward, but then it started raining. Just my luck. Now, I'm stuck inside with picture books.
November 30th, Sunny
I miss home. I miss Mom and Dad.
Yarrow turned the page. The handwriting suddenly shifted—neater, more refined. A date was marked at the top, alongside a year he hadn't seen before.
Violet Calendar Year 356, April 20th, Sunny
I found my old diary today. Reading these entries, I can't help but long for those carefree days. Today is my 16th birthday—my coming-of-age ceremony. It's just me and Teacher Alisa, but she made it special. Mom and Dad wrote me letters too.
In a few days, I'll be taking the Silver-level mage qualification test. If I pass, I can finally leave to train. It's been five years since I last saw Mom and Dad... I wonder if they'll recognize me. Will they be proud of how much I've grown? How strong I've become?
May 8th, Sunny
The qualification test is tomorrow. I should be excited, but instead, I feel nervous...
Yarrow turned the page, and a shiver ran down his spine.
This page was filled—crammed—with writing. The letters were jagged, erratic, as if the writer's hand had trembled violently. The ink dug into the parchment, the words overlapping and distorted. A single name repeated over and over:
Serena Edson.
Yarrow swallowed. He hesitated before flipping to the next page.
The handwriting had deteriorated further. The diary's neat format had vanished, replaced by frantic, desperate scrawls:
The name is Serena Edson. I am 16 years old. Do not forget this name. I am Serena Edson.
I am not a bear.
I am not a bear.
I am human.
I am human.
I am a woman.
I have a mother and father.
I am Serena Edson.
Alisa is not trustworthy.
Alisa is not trustworthy.
I must escape.
I must write this name down. This diary keeps me awake, keeps me human.
I must read it every day.
This diary is important.
It is the key to my salvation.
I want to go home.
Yarrow felt his stomach twist. The room suddenly felt colder.
That bear...
His suspicion was no longer a mere guess. That bear wasn't a familiar—it was a girl. Serena Edson.
But how? How had she become this way? If the diary was to be believed, it had something to do with Alisa. Could this transformation have happened after the qualification test?
His fingers tightened on the edges of the diary. If the diary helped her retain her human consciousness, did that mean she was still aware inside that monstrous form? Was she trapped in her own body, clinging to whatever remnants of her former self she could grasp?
There were still too many unanswered questions.
He needed to keep reading. He needed to understand how she ended up here, what Alisa had done, and—
A deep, guttural growl cut through the silence.
Yarrow froze.
Slowly, he turned his head.
The bear stood behind him, breath heavy, eyes gleaming blood-red.
It was staring directly at him.
Wait! I have no malice!
Yarrow's hands shot up instinctively in a gesture of surrender—only to realize, too late, that he was still holding the shovel.
Yarrow took an unconscious step back, gripping the shovel tightly.
"You... how did you follow me here?"
The massive bear—Serena—let out a hoarse but unmistakably human sound.
Yarrow forced a nervous chuckle. "Uh, I know a little tracking magic." He quickly polished his words. "Just a little."
Serena let out a low, guttural growl.
"Don't be anxious! I didn't come to offend you or your home. It's just... well, you know how valuable the treasure is. Anyone would take the risk to get it back, right?" Yarrow blurted out, speaking faster than he intended.
Serena's crimson eyes narrowed. "You read my diary?"
There was no use hiding it. Yarrow nodded.
"How much?"
"Just up to the part where you turned into a bear... and how you use the diary to remember your human identity." Yarrow hesitated, then added sincerely, "I sympathize with your experience."
Serena let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Stop pretending. I know what you'll do. The moment you leave, you'll tell those adventurers."
Yarrow raised his hands. "We've barely known each other for half an hour! We've spoken less than five sentences! How can you assume my character so quickly?"
"You chased me all the way here for money. Do I really need to assume?" Serena's voice was cold.
"Greed and bad character are two different things," Yarrow argued. "Even if I want to get rich, I wouldn't harm an innocent—uh—an innocent bear... No, wait—a person! A person!"
Serena let out a thunderous roar. The hot, damp air from her breath hit Yarrow's face like a wave.
"Alright, alright! Miss Serena, tell me—what do I have to do to make up for reading your secrets? How can I prove I'm not your enemy? You wouldn't... you wouldn't eat me, would you?" Yarrow asked quickly.
He suddenly recalled the rumors he had heard in the tavern. His unease grew. His lips parted hesitantly as he asked, "You... you don't eat people, right?"
Serena's body stiffened. A tremor ran through her large frame.
Without a word, she turned away.
Yarrow noticed the saddlebag slung across her back—bulging with supplies. He watched as she moved to an alchemy table. With a flick of her paw, items from her bag floated into the bubbling cauldron with soft plopping sounds.
Then, as if guided by invisible hands, the tools on the table sprang to life. A spoon stirred the potion. A knife expertly chopped petals.
Yarrow recognized the magic—levitation. But what unsettled him was that Serena hadn't uttered a single spell to activate it.
After securing the cauldron's lid, Serena turned to him. "Stay here until I complete the ritual. Then you can leave."
"Ritual...?" Yarrow glanced toward the cave entrance, unsure how much time had passed. "Will it take long?"
A pocket watch floated from her saddlebag and snapped open in front of her.
"It's 1 a.m. You can leave in four hours. Don't even think about running—you're just an ordinary human. I can catch you."
Yarrow sighed in resignation. "Okay..."
Seeing that Serena's hostility had lessened, he decided to sit down. The bear was still busy, brewing whatever mysterious concoction she was working on.
After a moment of silence, curiosity got the better of him.
"Can I ask something?" he ventured. "What's the effect of the spell recorded on that iron sheet?"
Serena didn't even glance at him. "None of your business. And don't think about taking it back. It was mine to begin with. I lost it while traveling—that's how it ended up in your hands."
"I was just curious," Yarrow muttered. He had already given up hope of reclaiming the treasure, but that didn't mean he wasn't disappointed.
Serena finished preparing the last ingredient and placed it carefully on the table. Then, she dragged herself toward the bed and collapsed onto it. She closed her eyes, looking utterly exhausted.
Yarrow, now with nothing to do, found himself in an awkward situation. He was too self-conscious to read her diary again while she was right there.
So, he sat in silence. One human, one bear. The only sound in the cave was the steady bubbling of the cauldron.
After what felt like an eternity, Yarrow couldn't resist breaking the silence. He hesitated, then asked, "So... if you turn into a bear and don't wear clothes, does that technically count as streaking?"
....
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