Chapter 141: The Senior Sisters' Gifts
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 141: The Senior Sisters' Gifts
After that little farce, I didn't manage to get into the uniform or help Senior Sister Ying Shiqian.
Instead, Senior Sister Tang Yihan stepped up to the front to help out.
Of course, I had mainly come over to chat and keep our relationship from growing distant. As for what we actually talked about, it didn't really matter.
Since they wouldn't let me work, I could only wait for Sister Bai to arrive, as we had agreed to meet here.
It wasn't long before a familiar figure appeared among the customers entering the bakery.
"Sister Bai! Over here!" I called out, waving toward the door.
Upon entering, Bai Yu quickly heard my voice and walked straight toward me.
"Xiao Han~ and... hello to you two as well. Sorry for the intrusion," Sister Bai said with a smile, greeting me and the two senior sisters behind me.
"It's nothing. This is a bakery, after all; there's no such thing as an intrusion," Senior Sister Tang Yihan said with a wave of her hand.
Sister Bai then joined our conversation.
Her arrival wasn't abrupt at all; in fact, the conversation became even more natural. I wasn't particularly good at small talk—I even had a bit of a reputation for being a "conversation killer." If a chat went on too long, things tended to get awkward.
"Oh, right, Xiao Han. I mentioned on the phone that I wanted to bring you some gifts," Bai Yu said, seizing a lull in the conversation to pivot to the topic she had mentioned earlier.
She pulled a small case out of her storage equipment.
The case looked familiar, similar to the one Ji Niang had given me for the Spirit Cat Summoning Spell spellbook, though the design was different.
"This is..." I tilted my head, pointing at the case and looking at Sister Bai with curiosity.
"It's a spellbook for Illusion Clone. It's a very practical spell," Bai Yu explained with a smile. She opened the case, took out the spellbook, and handed it to me.
"I picked this out specifically for you. Here."
"I... this... thank you." I looked at the spellbook she had offered so readily. After a moment's hesitation, I accepted it gladly.
This was a gift from Sister Bai; it would be rude not to take it! Besides, it was right in front of me. If I asked her to take it back, everyone would be embarrassed.
So, I accepted it graciously, making sure to express my gratitude.
"Thank you, Sister Bai! I'm sorry for all the trouble you went to." I gripped the spellbook and merged it into my body. Sensing it briefly, I realized there was actually a user manual inside the spellbook!
"I'm just glad you like it. There are detailed instructions inside, so make sure to get used to it quickly, Xiao Han. I should have given it to you sooner, but I kept putting it off. I hope you don't blame me," Bai Yu said, her expression genuinely apologetic.
"Eh? What are you saying? I'm more than satisfied that you'd give me this!" I hurried to reassure her. I was the type who was easily satisfied; how could I possibly blame her for something like that?
"That's good to hear. Also, regarding Mana Sources—if you don't have enough, I can give you some."
"It's fine, really! I should have enough Mana Sources for now," I said, waving my hands dismissively. While more Mana Sources were always better, looking at Sister Bai's expression, I felt like if I said I was short, she might actually strip her own Mana Sources to give to me. I'd better pass on that; the fifty-plus I had now were barely enough to get by.
"Hmm... speaking of Mana Sources, Xiao Han, we have ten here for you. Consider it... a gift from the Shopkeeper. I almost forgot about it just now. Some of it is also a token of appreciation from us senior sisters. After all, you're a member of our Baking House, and you're heading onto the battlefield the day after tomorrow."
As if remembering something, Tang Yihan hurried to the back and brought something out.
"This... thank you, Senior Sister." I was a bit overwhelmed as I accepted the Mana Sources. I had only received a few from the Shopkeeper before; getting ten all at once was quite a lot.
With these ten, my total count reached 66! Looking at it that way, my Mana Source reserves had become much more substantial.
After accepting them happily, I thanked the senior sisters profusely.
Finally, accompanied by Sister Bai and after saying goodbye to the two seniors, we left the shop.
The two senior sisters breathed a sigh of relief as they watched us leave.
"Xiao Yihan, do you think we should have given Xiao Han some spellbooks? Even a minor spellbook is better than nothing, right?" Ying Shiqian asked, leaning over the front desk.
"Do you even have any in stock? Don't worry about things you don't have... only the Shopkeeper has a decent stash in her private collection."
"But the Shopkeeper has already given Xiao Tan quite a few spellbooks, hasn't she? Xiao Tan is the Class 1 monitor, but isn't Xiao Han the monitor of Class 14? This favoritism is a bit much, don't you think?" Ying Shiqian said, still feeling it was unfair.
"The Shopkeeper has her own reasons. Scrounging up some Mana Sources for Xiao Han was the best we could do. Besides, didn't you see how much that sister of hers cares for her? That Illusion Clone spell is very precious—a rare illusion-type spell. Even I'm jealous."
"Fine, let's leave it at that. We'll go cheer for Xiao Han the day after tomorrow~"
I had no idea what was being said inside the bakery.
At that moment, I had suggested going to the Open-air Arena for a look. This was part of my plan for the day anyway. Sister Bai had no objections and led the way.
Flying through the sky, it didn't take long before I saw the incredibly conspicuous, massive stadium. It was a colossal, circular open-air structure. In the center, Ley Line energy converged, and a massive, irregular floating cube hovered in the air. Enormous light screens surrounded the object; it looked like a giant Ley Line operating system hub.
Sister Bai kindly explained that the giant light screens above the arena were specifically for filming special angles of the matches, and the footage could even be synchronized for live broadcasts.
There weren't many people competing in the arena at the moment. Many senior sisters in uniforms were busy decorating the place, likely making final preparations for the Freshman Competition the day after tomorrow.
The super-massive central field was divided into many sections. I could sense that many spells had been solidified here, and the spectator stands were covered in numerous protection spells. The preparations were very thorough.
Many senior sisters had gathered in the surrounding area, though since the competition hadn't started yet, most were just there to look around.
However, there were also many senior sisters pushing carts and selling snacks, and some clubs were holding team-building events with their new recruits.
I even saw some "eccentric" classes that didn't have lessons; they were waving flags and cheering for their class monitors. It looked like they wanted to claim the best viewing spots in advance.
"Xiao Han, want to go inside and see?" Sister Bai asked, holding my hand.
"Mhm." I nodded. Since we had landed right at the ground entrance, we might as well go in and experience it.
I had never been here before, so I naturally needed Sister Bai to be my guide.
"Let's go. That's Gate 4 up ahead. I'm fairly familiar with it; let's check it out."
We walked into a front lobby area. Since this was an arena, entry to the interior required a ticket.
The ticket prices weren't expensive, but as a spectator, the seats wouldn't be very good—likely toward the back with a terrible view.
Seeing various categories like premium tickets, exclusive tickets, reservations, and VIP passes, I had a general idea of how things worked.
Moreover, during the Freshman Competition, even the cheapest tickets would probably be outrageously expensive.
However, because there were no organized matches today and the arena was still being set up, entry was temporarily free. Since there wasn't much to see yet, it was better to just leave it open.
Thus, we made our way inside easily.
Sister Bai seemed to know a lot about this place. She explained various areas as we walked, such as how to submit an application for a duel, the temporary combat fields, and even private duels that weren't open to the public.
After all, when there were no major events, the arena served as a place for students to spar and, of course, resolve conflicts.
Fighting outside the arena and causing too much collateral damage would lead to an arrest.
The Discipline Squad wouldn't listen to excuses.
Sister Bai then showed me other facilities, like the snack shops, general stores, popcorn stands, and so on.
There were also areas like the lounges, the backstage, and the restrooms.
And most importantly, the infirmary!
According to Sister Bai, the most powerful teacher there could even cast a Resurrection Spell!
That truly shocked me. A Resurrection Spell!
But if possible, no one wanted to die, myself included. After all, technically speaking, I had already died once.
Of course, the current me could be considered reborn!
I also discovered the arena's official betting station. Well, as an upstanding youth of two lifetimes, I never gambled.
Gambling was a quick way to lose everything. What if I ended up having to sell myself to pay off debts?
Besides, my meager savings didn't allow for such recklessness. To be safe, I decided it was best not to touch it.