+++

High in the blue sky the sun was shining and floating clouds.

* Top * * Top * * Top * - a low, cracked heels of a short young girl running through the city’s streets sounded distinctly.

With an annoyed expression, barely holding back tears, she mentally reproached herself for the recent blunder.

Last night, this girl vowed, upon awakening at the rising of the sun, to finally complete that extraordinarily important task, over which she had fought for several days.

But, by the will of fate, something terrible and irreparable happened.

She overslept!

Returning to the past, we can say that her soft bed simply did not want to let go of its owner from a cozy captivity.

Only after the time began to approach noon, the girl drooling in a blanket and with a contented smile drooling girl, finally bothered to open her eyes.

Milo yawned, she slowly turned her head with heavily disheveled pink-red hair and turned her gaze toward the window.

—...! - instant understanding of the situation in all needs reflected on her face.

Starting a frightened jump, the girl threw back the blanket and, briefly entangled in the sheets, got out of bed.

Without slowing down, she rushed to the large chest of clothes in the corner of the room. With a thud she threw back the lid and, due to her small stature, almost half sank inside the chest, she began to rummage in it, sorting through her things.

Her little butt, tightly wrapped in white panties with a lamb, was swaying intensely from side to side.

Having finally found her inaccurately folded white blouse, short yellow skirt and magic staff, the girl turned to the window again.

- Ooh ~ Again, I slept, - in her voice were crying notes distinctly audible.

Realizing that time is running out less and less, she began to dress hastily.

Soon, the young girl, frowning slightly with her thin eyebrows and squeezing the staff more firmly, gathered all her determination and pushed the door leading to the street.

+++

* Top * * Top * * Top *

Returning to the present, one could see how this girl, sometimes stumbling stumblingly, continued to run through the streets of the town.

Behind her back, a dark blue cape-raincoat draped over her shoulders developed, and the heels of her soft half-boots barely audibly pounded on the stone pavement.

In one hand, the girl gripped the magic staff tightly, while the other held the wide-brimmed witch's hat set on her head.

Without slowing down her move, a young girl, moving swiftly towards the city gates.

At first, the people who met on her way puzzled away in surprise, and then, seeing exactly who had rushed past them, for the most part began to smile.

However, it was not surprising.

Almost every inhabitant of a small town knew that this short girl in an improperly large pointed hat, by some incredible miracle, managed to beg for a student to a powerful sorceress who settled in their city several years ago.

For the local provincial lands, magic was almost a fairy tale, and therefore the townspeople, proudly presenting the bright future of this incredibly lucky young lady, waved her encouragingly to the next.

Soon, the sorceress’s student ran past the wagon, next to which several merchants discussed their important affairs. Having noticed the girl, the men turned to hold her with her gaze, and with the edge of her ear she heard the occasional mention of her magic wand.

“Uh ~ ...”, having uttered a low moan, the pupil of the sorceress pulled her hat on her head more firmly, trying to hide her face reddened from embarrassment.

The whole problem was that according to the girl, the gift given by the teacher was too nice. Its not too long handle of a snow-white tree ended with a topping in the form of a transparent pink crystal.

Frowning slightly and slowly slowing her run, the pupil of the sorceress looked at the rod in her hand. But, unfortunately, nothing has changed. This magic crystal still looked like a pretty heart.

- Ooh ~ Why does the mentor always make fun of me? Because of this embarrassing wand no one takes me seriously!

Sniffing her nose, the young girl shook her head, trying to ward off stupid thoughts.

- Today everything will change! - She tried to give herself confidence. - The teacher for the first time gave me a really serious task! I will complete it and finally get the opportunity to prove myself as a magician!

+++

After some time, the girl, slightly out of breath, stopped at the city gates.

- Hey, little lady, you're here again, right? - the guard guarding the gates smiled good-naturedly, waving a greeting in a gauntlet glove in greeting.

- Do not call me that! - puffed out cheeks girl. - I'm Sophie Infiri. And when I become a great magician everyone will know this name!

“Yes, yes, as you say, Sophie,” the guard dismissed. - Today you will again wait here for a new group of adventurers?

- Not! - shook her head, resolutely said the pupil of the sorceress. - This time I will go to the forest myself!

- BUT? Are you serious? - on the man's face showed concern. “The blackthorn forest is a dangerous place and it’s better not to go there alone.” Especially a little lady like you ...

“I told you not to call me that!” I'm a magician! And I need to complete the task of the mentor. Today is the last day!

“Of course, I understand, but ...” the guard sighed. “Why risk it?” Wait for someone from the Adventurers Guild. They go almost every day through the forest.

- And if today there will be no one, what if it is the same as yesterday? - Sophie said stubbornly - “I can't let a mentor down ...” - all sorts of punishment flashed through the girl’s thoughts that in such a case would fall on her head, and she started.
Sophie didn’t want to imagine how foolish she was, and a mentor could come up with an embarrassing punishment for her. After all, that fantasy was almost limitless.

Recall at least a magic rod.

“Eh ... Act as you know,” the guard finally gave up. - Just be careful.

- Of course! You should not worry, - grinning smugly, the girl passed through the city gates and walked with a confident step towards the forest visible far in the distance.

+++

- Uh ... Mm ~ - looking around carefully, Sophie walked along the narrow path leading deep into the forest thicket. Concentrating and doing her best, she intended in the best way to carry out the assignment given to her.

Speaking about the case, mentor Sophie a few days ago sent her in search of rare magical herbs that grew here in the forest of thorns.

Initially, the pupil of the sorceress was going to explore the forest, relying only on themselves. But several times when faced with monsters, and only by a miracle, having managed to escape from them, she decided to change her tactics.

After some thought, the girl decided to join the group of adventurers.
Many of them, going on their heroic searches, passed along the road leading through this forest.

But even here a sudden failure awaited her.

Under the protection of other people, Sophie really could not fear the attack of random monsters. But the adventurers moved at a pace that was too fast for a girl. She simply did not have time to look around and find the right herbs.

And yesterday, Sophie wasn’t able to find any adventurers willing to help her and stood beside the city gates until late at night.

However, the pupil of the sorceress did not want to give up.

If I don’t get the right herbs, the mentor is terribly angry! She said that this is a very important test for me.I just can not fail! - worrying about such things, the girl twisted all night in bed, unable to fall asleep. And, of course, overslept.

Thus, since today was the last day allotted for ...