Under the bioluminescent glow of the fungi, the witch gulped. She looked at the bag Theo offered and peered inside. Her pupils shrank instantly.
"What?! These are—"
"That's right, Lady Dorita," Theo interrupted with a confident chuckle. "Rainbow Lizards, Slumber-mats, and Mud-wraiths. All sourced from places someone in your position can't easily enter... like the Academy."
Dorita stared at the rare ingredients. With these, she could perfect potions she had only dreamed of. But her suspicion outweighed her excitement. She leveled her staff—the Home of Fungi—directly at Theo's chest.
"I don't let anyone know this much about me," she hissed. "How do you know exactly what I need? Who are you?"
Theo didn't flinch. Instead, his eyes sparkled as he looked at the staff. "Oh? Is that truly it? The legendary branch of the World Tree, cultivated into a perfect conductor for fungal magic! To see it in person... it's even more magnificent than I imagined."
