273: Book Of Witchcraft

Book Of Witchcraft

Seeing the anger in Oriana's eyes, Rosetta proceeded to ignore it.  1

"As the deal is done, from now on, you must address me as 'Teacher'. Tell me, when do you want to start your lessons?"

Oriana was forced to swallow her anger. She was sure she wouldn't break the deal and this innocent third person wouldn't have to suffer. 

"Can we start right away? However, I need to end our lesson today before His Highness returns."

Rosetta crossed her arms over her ample bosom, an unfathomable smile on her lips, "So impatient you are, my apprentice."

Oriana did not back down. "Time is a precious commodity, my teacher." 

The way Oriana sarcastically emphasized those last two words made Rosetta laugh. "Indeed. So I shall head back now and not waste my precious time on you."

Sudden panic gripped Oriana's heart. Was Rosetta already reneging on their agreement?! 

"What? Wait! Our deal—"

"Our deal is for me to teach you, not to spoonfeed you," the black-haired witch mocked. "How can you even begin lessons when even a five-year-old witch knows more than you?" 

Rosetta snapped her fingers, and the next moment, a thick heavy leather-bound book appeared in front of Oriana, floating in mid air. The young woman looked at the book in surprise and awe. 

Making objects appear out of thin air!

For a split second, Oriana wondered how long it would take for her to do this too.

Thud! 

The leather-bound book fell on the center table, its weight enough to cause the table frame itself to wobble. Its reddish brown cover was weathered and worn with age, adorned with ornate symbols and sigils Oriana could not understand, the pages visibly yellowed from the sides. From its thickness, its contents ought to be at least worth a thousand pages.i

"Finish this book today," she heard Rosetta say. "I want it memorized by tomorrow." 

Oriana raised her head in shock, staring at Rosetta like she's crazy. "Forget about reading this in one day, you even want me to memorize this?"

Rosetta raised her brow. "We haven't even started and you are already giving excuses?"

"No, I mean, I have work after this and…" 

"...and that is not my problem. Figure things out by yourself."

Oriana shut her mouth under the older witch's taunting gaze. In a way, it was foolish for her to imagine it would be easy to learn under Rosetta. 

Rosetta was not Yorian, that kind elf who would patiently explain concepts to her and answer her questions even though they must have sounded stupid to their kind. 

Staring at that ancient book, Oriana wondered how she would allocate time to study. Arlan would return to the mansion in less than three hours, and she did not even have time to read at night as she had to stay with him in his chamber. This book would take her about two or three days for her to finish even if she were to lock herself up in her own room and read all day.

Oriana opened the book. She flipped through a few pages and found them full of symbols belonging to an unknown language. Her brows creased and she looked at Rosetta. 

"How can I read this when I don't even understand this language?"

Rosetta's expression didn't soften. In fact, she did not even bother to hide her disdain,  looking at Oriana as if she was a fool to ask her this. 

"You are a witch, and all witches can read this, even the most stupid one. Think of this as the first part of your lesson." Then, Zaria's voice turned cold. "If you could not even understand these runes, then consider going back to your human life. Accept that witchcraft is not for you. I will not be wasting time on a useless witch in name."

Oriana felt bitter inside. She knew she was ignorant, but she was not stupid! Despite being on the receiving end of such mean words, she had to swallow her anger. 

Rosetta was the only Black Witch she could get hold of, and Oriana had to keep up with her if she wanted to continue learning. 

"I will try my best," was all Oriana could say.

"You better, or forget about learning anything from me," Rosetta said. 

Oriana sighed and looked back at that book once more. "Isn't it possible to extend the limit…?"

However, by the time she looked up towards Rosetta, the woman was no longer there. Oriana was all by herself inside the room.

'She left already?' Oriana gritted her teeth. She was annoyed at the way Rosetta's attitude flipped after she received her as her student.  'Who does she think she is? How dare she look down on me? Just give me some time, and I will make you so amazed, you will swallow back all those insults…'

Oriana then focused on the ancient book. She had to make the best of the three hours she had until Arlan returned. 

'Will I really be able to understand this just because I'm a witch? A magical language that can be read without learning? Could it be that these symbols are also a kind of spell?' 

Her thoughts wandered to the agreement she and Rosetta made, especially on how the lady ridiculed her for being a witch yet doing things the way humans did it.

She remembered Rosetta saying all witches could read this book. Her new teacher had no reason to lie over something like this.

Then, what do witches have that humans don't? 

Magic.

As such, Oriana began to slowly concentrate, focusing her magic on her fingers, injecting it into the book the same way she injected her magic into the ancient pendant when Rosetta paired it with hers. The book had no reaction.

It was a failure.

'If it's not the book, then...'

Pondering once more, Oriana changed tactics. She focused her magic within her eyes, and hazel eyes turned black, darker than midnight. Before she realized what was happening, the cryptic runes on the yellowed pages began to organize themselves inside her head, forming words she could strangely comprehend. 

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