Chapter 289: The Cat Witch is Checking Your Mental State
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 289: The Cat Witch is Checking Your Mental State
"Hmm? Xiao Han, we meet again. What a coincidence to run into you at the library."
As I was at the front desk registering the books I wanted to borrow, a familiar voice sounded from behind me.
Silent as a shadow, the figure had approached without me noticing. When I turned around, I found myself staring into vertical, cat-like pupils. For a fleeting second, a playful glint flashed in her eyes, as if she had just cornered her prey.
In the next moment, the pitch-black cat in her arms let out a soft meow, pulling my dazed thoughts back to reality.
"Mentor... Dinah."
I greeted her instinctively. This Transcendent Witch’s full name was Dinah Landen, and she was the true "Shopkeeper" behind the Witch Cat Cafe.
Dinah gave a light chuckle at my greeting but said nothing more. She simply found it amusing to run into a familiar face here.
"The last time we met, we only had a hurried chat. It seems today is the same. I see a great deal of deep-seated anxiety and restlessness in your eyes. I thought I might have misread you last time."
"Uh..." Faced with the Transcendent Witch’s observation, I didn't know how to respond. My gaze instinctively drifted toward her before quickly darting away. The most striking thing about this Transcendent Witch was the pair of cat ears atop her head.
They seemed to twitch ever so slightly in sync with her soft voice.
"Would you like to come to my place for a bit? I have quite a few things I’d like to discuss with you. I simply love giving guidance to lost children," Dinah said, her other hand gently scratching the chin of the kitten in her arms.
"I... well..." I shook my head reflexively. I always felt like I was being pulled into her rhythm whenever I faced someone like her.
"I also work part-time as a counselor at the Witch Academy’s psychological counseling room. Here, every student might feel pressured for various reasons. Most of them come to me when that happens, and I listen quietly to their troubles."
"Interested? I see exhaustion in your eyes—the kind of emptiness caused by long-term mental friction. It looks like you’re trying to use these books to fill yourself up, aren't you?" Dinah took a step forward, leaning in close. She placed a hand gently on the covers of the books I was clutching to my chest and smiled.
"Doing that isn't good for you~"
"Uh... actually, I’m fine? I don't think there are many issues." I forced a smile. This was exactly why I had run away after only a few words with her last time; I simply couldn't handle a woman like this.
"Hmm... Alchemy. It seems you’ve chosen the path that leads to the fastest hair loss," Dinah Landen didn't directly contradict my claim that I was fine. Instead, she shifted the topic. "I’ve met many children who studied alchemy until their mental states became... abnormal. I can give you a counseling session for free this time. Consider it an early thank-you for the cute little ones you’ll be bringing me soon~"
"Um..."
I nodded, still holding my books. I knew exactly what "cute little ones" she was referring to—the Fool's Dreams.
It seemed this cat witch was already eyeing my little ones, even before their forms had been fully shaped.
And yet, I still followed her out of the library. It was as if she possessed some inexplicable charm, leading me to her other residence.
The Cat Psychological Counseling Room.
"Meow~"
As soon as we arrived, the cluster of cats gathered there scattered and then trotted toward us as if welcoming their master. They studied me with curious eyes. I wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but I thought I saw a spark of wisdom in their vertical pupils. They circled me, rubbing their faces against my calves and purring contentedly.
"It seems they like you very much." Dinah Landen’s voice snapped me out of my daze. My body stiffened instinctively... though I quickly masked the momentary lapse.
While I had no proof that this Transcendent Witch had used any spells or tricks on me, the fact that I had followed her here so compliantly was highly suspicious.
However, as a warm little kitten suddenly jumped into my arms and meowed at me, I felt my entire mind and body instantly begin to heal.
"Even though the Academy has a counseling room, not many students actually know about it. Most who find their way here do so by fate." Dinah Landen pushed open the door and guided me inside.
The interior was decorated in soft, pale green tones. A faint, almost imperceptible sound, like background music, slowly rose.
If I tried to listen closely, it seemed to vanish. The layout was like a common living room, creating the illusion of having returned home.
Every detail—the furniture, the sofa, the throw pillows, the green plants, and the lazy kittens lounging on cat trees—was meticulously placed. The cats only cracked an eye open to see who had entered as I passed by.
"Alright~ Now that you’re in, sit down and relax. You need to rest." Dinah came up behind me, her hands resting on my shoulders. She gently pressed me down into a recliner. The soft cushions seemed to swallow me whole.
"For now... consider yourself my guest. My most special guest. Just relax."
"Okay," I whispered in agreement. My hands were still busy stroking the cat that had jumped into my lap earlier, smoothing its fur over and over again...
"Good. Xiao Han, have you ever heard of meditation?"
"Meditation? Which kind?" I asked curiously. After all, I had encountered quite a few types by now: the meditation to nurture mental power before enrollment, the Witch Meditation Method I learned after entering the Academy, and the meditation technique I used with the help of the Dean's spellbook.
"Just the most ordinary kind. The kind where you close your eyes and quiet your mind. Have you ever tried that?" Dinah asked with a smile.
"No..." I shook my head. I had never done that because it seemed pointless. It didn't increase mental power or provide any other tangible benefits.
"Your eyes tell me you haven't. Because... it’s not worth it, right? I see your disdain for this most primitive form of meditation."
"It’s normal. Perfectly normal. Because it can't give you any visible improvement, right? But... that exactly reflects your restless nature. Every effort has a reward. It is never the effort itself that is wrong, but the individual's choice. Let me lead you through an experience of primitive meditation~"
Dinah Landen moved behind me and reached out to cover my eyes.
"Since you aren't resisting, I’ll take that as your consent to cooperate."
"Now... close your eyes. Level your breathing. Empty your mind. Inhale... exhale..."
Following Dinah’s words, I instinctively obeyed her instructions. My chest rose and fell. It felt as if time itself had slowed down.
"Your breathing is still a bit erratic. I will teach you some experience in meditation. The first step is the breath."
"Do you think it’s trivial? Breathing is just the lungs exchanging air, but it truly reflects your internal state."
"Adjusting your breath... the true purpose of this act is to allow you to confirm the existence of your own 'self'."
"Just like how you instinctively take deep breaths when you're nervous. A deep breath doesn't eliminate the emotion of nervousness, and you don't need to eliminate it. Your consciousness—your true self—is an existence that stands above emotions like nervousness or restlessness. Feeling your breath will help you gradually understand this. Do not let your emotions control you; instead, you must master your emotions..."
Under the Cat Witch’s guidance, I felt as if I had entered an entirely new mental realm. It wasn't the selflessness of my initial meditation, nor was it like the cultivation of advanced meditation. It was a sublimation on a higher level...
It was a feeling I had never experienced before—a sense of having no attachments, of being in complete control of myself. It reached a state that words could no longer describe, until... a crisp snap of fingers.
Snap!
"Hmm?"
I startled awake, instinctively wanting to savor that feeling again, but it was like waking from a grand dream; there was no going back. I reflexively reached out to pet the cat in my lap, only to find my hands empty.
"You’re awake~ How do you feel? This kind of induced mental meditation usually only has the best effect the first time. Looking at you, it seems you’re still savoring it."
"I’m not." I shook my head to deny it. I wouldn't deny that the state was wonderful, but I couldn't allow myself to stay immersed in it.
"Such a stubborn child," Dinah chuckled, shaking her head as if she had seen this many times before. "Can you tell me a bit about your past? You must have been a child who lacked love..."
"..." I acted as if I hadn't heard her request. I didn't like bringing up the past with others. That night during the exchange competition had been a special exception. I had already said that I had bid farewell to my past.
"You don't want to talk? Your thoughts are written all over your face. No one... can ever truly bid farewell to their past life. I’m not saying whether saying goodbye to the past is right or wrong; I’m simply stating a fact. No one can do it. The only choice left is obvious: facing it is the only thing you can do. Just make sure you aren't lying to yourself."
"Lying to myself..."
"Yes... the essence of self-deception is actually your own pointless mental friction. The more you try not to care, the more you actually do."
"You must have been a very obedient child in the past, weren't you? People praised you for being precocious and sensible, but you knew very well that your heart was suppressing voids and traumas. You spent most of your energy just managing your own emotions. That is the root of your internal friction..."
I lay there quietly, not saying a word, letting Dinah speak. Was she right?
Half-right. That was the "me" from my previous life. In this second life, experiencing it all again, I saw through things more clearly than anyone. But Dinah was right—I was just lying to myself.
Spending energy to soothe my inner self had become a habit, something I took for granted. So, I wouldn't express myself, nor did I want to...
"You always think too much. Your eyes already provide the answer before the other person even finishes their first sentence. That look of impatience that appears before a word is even spoken is the best proof—because you believe it will be a meaningless conversation."
"But dialogue and communication are part of the meaning itself. Speaking is no longer just about acquiring and exchanging information; it’s a process of fostering relationships and feelings. It is an art of communication. You’ve lost the ability to appreciate the beauty of that art. That is the truly tragic part."
"I’ve said all this not because I expect you to change instantly. In fact... you don't even have to change. It’s precisely because everyone’s experiences and thoughts are different that we have different ways of speaking and different collisions in communication—be they pleasant, awkward, joyful, or angry. When you can master your emotions, these naturally occurring feelings become the seasoning that allows you to enjoy a conversation. Otherwise, you are just a slave ruled by your emotions."
"Hehe~ It seems I’ve been talking to myself. I can see you’ve taken it all in. I must say, you know quite a lot. You are the most clear-headed thinker, yet the most muddled liver... of a person I have ever met. It’s hard to imagine what kind of evolution the outside society has undergone to produce an existence like you. It seems I might need to take a long leave of absence to experience life outside and feel the changes for myself." Dinah shook her head and smiled at me.
"Maybe I’m just an outlier?" I said, sitting up.
"Then that only means your experience is very special and worth savoring. When you can read your own past like you’re reading a story, you won't be so tired anymore. I’m telling you this now so that when you truly understand it, I hope my words will still echo in your ears. That would prove my words weren't wasted."
"Thank you. I understand what a 'closed loop' in education is."
"That’s why I say you know a bit too much. Do you know? For a psychologist, people like you are our greatest fear. You give me a sense of powerlessness, like I have nowhere to start." She shook her head, chuckling.
"So, tricking me into coming here was a mistake."
"Tricking is such an ugly word~ I was just curious about you. And I never said it was a mistake." Dinah’s gentle demeanor shifted instantly, a transition as seamless as a cat’s. "Now... let’s change the subject. Those Fool's Dreams—I heard from the Dean that you plan to turn their shells into little cat-girls, right? A finished product made by the Dean herself... I think that will definitely be worth a good petting."
"That might still be a long way off..."
"Is that so? I’m already looking forward to seeing their innocent figures appearing in the Witch Cat Cafe. Can you give me a specific time?"
"I’m afraid I can't. But... Mentor Dinah, as a Transcendent Witch, did you really go to all this trouble to kidnap me here just to ask when the Fool's Dreams will arrive?"
"Of course~ I expressed my request the first time we met. I’m only interested in cat-girl Fool's Dreams. What bad intentions could a kitty have? A kitty just wants to know when the new companions are coming."
"Really?" I didn't believe her for a second. Dinah had felt gentle from the start, but she was dangerous—just like when I first met Teacher Ji Niang.
But time would give me the answer. I only needed to wait patiently.
"Of course it’s true~ Though, guiding a lost child along the way is also something I enjoy doing. I can see the most primitive desire and obsession for something in your eyes. Unfortunately, you’ve put your effort in the wrong direction. When you don't know what to do, it’s best to put everything down first and start looking for the answer within yourself~"