Dear Star of my Nights,

It was planned that I was to attend a public school in the vicinity, but Mikaere changed his mind overnight.

He told me this the day after Mr Dragicevich came for another visit. When I asked Mikaere if he was a regular customer, Mikaere looked deep in thought and mumbled, “No”. He told me not to leave the house when the veiled man came to visit and then turned the black briefcase he had left this way and that.

He opened the briefcase and to my surprise I saw the red notes of New Zealand’s hundred-dollar bills stacked neatly to the edges, complete with the white currency straps.

I was certainly impressed! If I had three jaws, two of them would have cracked on the floorboard. Master Seo had clients that paid him a lot of money for his potions, but perhaps two stacks of 10,000 yen bills? And never with those straps (they call them obi in Japan). Mikaere certainly didn’t drive those fancy cars and have thirty butlers, and I’ve seen him give away expensive potions for next to nothing. We have custard slices, brownies and banana bread received as payment flooding the pantry. This was my first time seeing Mikaere accept money as payment.

Before I could ask him about his methods of payment, contrary to my appreciation, Mikaere grabbed several bottles of brown potions from the drawers and poured them all over the bills. The red money and the black case unravelled into thin, transparent wisps of teal smoke and dissipated in the air.

“Well, that’s done, want some tea?” Mikaere asked as he dusted off his hands. He didn’t bring up the briefcase again.

Instead of going to school, I’ve learnt I will be privately tutored by Mikaere and a former student of his. As you can imagine, I was thrilled to hear this new turn of events. Ma, Dad and Master Seo all agreed noma schooling was paramount to my education and I adhere to their thoughts. You may be wondering, “If you’re trying to be a potion master, why bother with noma education?” Great question Snu, I wouldn’t have expected any less from you. The answer from my parents was simply that it was important to me. Seo Sensei said it was because we aren’t so different from noma and it was important to understand them. After all, they are our clients. I agree with this in theory, but in application I believe noma schools would do nothing to shape me into a great potion master.

Therefore, you can see why I gave no objection to his sudden change of mind.

The good news doesn’t stop there. Mikaere was so impressed (as no doubt, I’m sure you’re thinking) with my Heighten Sensitivity Potion, that he said I was to grow my own belladonna as promised.

He drew a distinction between nightshade and belladonna. I was confused as you would have been Snu. Nightshade is another name for belladonna. So why the need to differentiate?

Mikaere said that would also be explained as I grow my belladonna.

“Who knows, it might grow into a belladonna or a nightshade. It doesn’t matter,” he said.

“It matters a lot,” I said.

“Then I’ll just have to teach you everything I know, huh?”

There you have it. I have it in writing. He can’t back out now!

Your Favourite Friend