Chapter 370: Throwing Myself at Her... a Failure?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 370: Throwing Myself at Her... a Failure?
"Sister Bai~ that outfit you were wearing just now... it was seriously suggestive."
As soon as we left, I couldn't wait to start teasing her. But I wasn't lying—the graduation set they issued was definitely provocative. Despite being a high-level alchemy item, it felt like wearing nothing but a few scraps of fabric draped over the body. Yet, you couldn't exactly say it was "too little" fabric, as it technically covered everything.
"Is it? I'm glad you like it, Xiao Han. I originally thought doing something so tedious was a waste of time."
"Eh?"
Seeing Sister Bai give such a flat evaluation—without the blushing, shy protest I had expected—I felt a sudden wave of disappointment.
"Normally, this photo album wouldn't be issued to anyone other than the graduates. But if you like it, I can apply for a second copy for you. After all... you made an appearance in it too."
"Ah! Is... is that really okay?" Hearing her say that, I couldn't help but remember the bold, scandalous poses we took during the shoot. My heart skipped a beat instinctively.
I didn't try to suppress that physical reaction. After all, these bodily anomalies brought me a unique kind of mental pleasure.
"Of course it's no problem."
"Mhm, then I won't be polite~" I felt Sister Bai’s hand rest on my head, her fingers running through my hair and sliding smoothly down to my back. But I knew there were questions I had to ask now.
"Sister Bai... are you leaving tomorrow?"
"Yes. I can't keep the Primal Witch waiting too long."
"Eh? The... Primal Witch?" My eyes widened. I hadn't expected Sister Bai to have a connection like that!
"Xiao Han, you've got the wrong idea. Actually, every witch who promotes to a Transcendent Witch needs to be guided by the Primal Witch to the Great Library of the Witch World to register their identity."
"Oh, I see. I thought you were so incredible that you actually had a personal connection with the Primal Witch."
Hearing her explanation, I felt a sense of relief. "But... I heard the world outside—the Void—is infinitely vast. There are even other Witch Academies besides ours. If every single witch who promotes to Transcendent has to register... wouldn't the Primal Witch be worked to death?"
"I had the same question at first. I thought I'd have to wait in line forever. But my Mentor told me that the one who registers me is a clone of the Primal Witch. Rumor has it that whenever a Transcendent Witch is born, the Primal Witch senses it. At that moment, she creates a dedicated clone specifically for that witch to guide them to the Witch World. No matter how harsh or dangerous the environment in the Void, she will be there, come rain or shine."
"A clone, huh? Then it's not... wait, a dedicated clone? Doesn't that mean the Primal Witch has..."
"Yes. No one knows how many clones the Primal Witch has, just as no one can count the number of witches in the Void." As Sister Bai spoke, a flicker of instinctive admiration flashed in her eyes—the primal reverence a member of a Transcendent Race feels for their Racial Primal.
"That's... honestly terrifying to think about."
"Well, if the Primal Witch weren't powerful, how could she provide a sanctuary for all witches within the Void?"
"True~ but that's far too distant for us. Let's focus on the present. Sister Bai, is there anything else you want to do while you're still here?"
"Anything else... hmm..." Bai Yu seemed stumped by my question.
"If you haven't thought of anything~ we can just wander around." I hooked my arm through hers, pressing close to her side in an intimate gesture.
As I leaned into her, I felt her body stiffen for a split second, though she hid it well. It seemed Sister Bai couldn't quite handle me being this forward.
"Xiao Han, you're acting strange today. Did something happen?"
"Strange? I think I'm fine. Maybe... it's just that knowing you're leaving makes me realize how important you really are to me..."
"Am I really that important to you?" A faint smile played on Bai Yu's lips. Her hand, which had seemed a bit awkward and out of place, finally found its mark.
She gently pulled away from my embrace, only to reach behind me. Her arm brushed against the cape on my back as her palm came to rest softly against my other side.
Every movement she made was cautious, as if she were afraid I might struggle or swat her hand away at any moment.
I, however, waited with a beaming smile for her to be even more proactive.
As we walked, I felt her shy movements through the thin layer of my clothes until she finally settled into the position.
"This was your idea, Sister Bai~" I pressed my hand over hers where it rested on my waist, palm to the back of her hand, pulling her into a tighter embrace.
"So, how does it feel? Not bad, right? Honestly, if you aren't more proactive, you'll never know how much you're missing out on."
"Proactive..." Sister Bai looked at me with a complicated expression. "I thought since you used to be a boy... you would be the proactive one..."
"But I'm a girl now! Honestly, think about it—who was the one whose friendship 'spoiled' first?"
"Eh? Xiao Han, you knew?!" For a moment, Bai Yu looked mortified at being found out. She had thought she’d hidden it so well.
"I know now~ I didn't pay much attention before, but looking back... if I still couldn't tell, I'd be pretty dense. So~ you really do have feelings for me, don't you, Sister Bai?"
I spun around, slipping out of her arm to stand in front of her. I began walking backward, facing her, teasing her with a playful tone while watching her expression closely.
"Xiao Han... you... you're baiting me, aren't you?"
"But you do like me, right?"
"I didn't admit to anything."
"But you didn't deny it just now! And you just admitted your friendship turned into something else!"
"I didn't say it turned into love."
"Aha... isn't that basically a confession?"
"I suppose it is..." Sister Bai let out a self-deprecating chuckle. Then, as if she had made a sudden resolution, her aura shifted.
Thud—
Sister Bai lunged forward, her sudden change in momentum catching me off guard. I instinctively stepped back until my back hit a hard wall. Sister Bai slammed one hand against the wall beside my head.
Was I... just kabedon'ed by Sister Bai?
After the initial daze, my panicked eyes gradually filled with delight. I couldn't suppress the grin spreading across my face.
Once I regained my composure, I blinked. The panic that was about to fade surged back, but with a different flavor.
"Sister... Sister Bai... what... what are you doing?"
"Oh? So Xiao Han can get flustered too? Weren't you just teasing me a moment ago?"
"I... I..."
I was pressed flat against the wall, looking for all the world like a cornered prey with nowhere to run. I could feel Sister Bai’s warm breath on my face. It was a sensation I had never experienced before—my heart raced, and I felt myself sinking into the moment.
We were still in a public area. Although there weren't many students around, a pair of senior sisters happened to walk by and glanced our way.
They were chatting and laughing, not finding the scene strange at all. It seemed that in the Witch Academy, they were already used to such things.
"We... we're being watched..." I whispered.
"Hmm?"
In that instant, the momentum Sister Bai had been building collapsed. A flash of panic crossed her eyes, and her posture lost its dominance.
"Sorry, Xiao Han..."
"Wait, that's it?" I watched her hand as she started to pull it back, my lingering desire finally showing through.
"Sister Bai, don't you think you skipped a lot of steps just now?"
"Sorry, I acted on impulse. Maybe I haven't adjusted to my promotion yet... I was being too reckless..."
"No... Sister Bai, you went through all that trouble, studied for so many years, worked so hard, and overcame so many obstacles just to promote to a witch. Now that you've achieved it... don't you want to... go a step further?"
"Alright, Xiao Han. Um... didn't you say you wanted to look around? How about I take you somewhere fun?"
"Don't change the subject, hey..." I practically regretted what I’d said. Sister Bai was already a Transcendent Witch, so why did she still care so much about what others thought? So what if we were seen?
They didn't even say anything.
"I'll cover all the expenses today, how about that? Consider it compensation..."
"Compensation?"
I really wanted to grab Sister Bai by the shoulders and ask her if monetary compensation could really make up for a failed confession!
That posture just now—she clearly wanted to assertively define our relationship!
All that buildup, all that clarity, all that atmosphere... gone in an instant. Fine, fine... maybe I was overthinking it.
"Sigh..."
I let out a heavy sigh and reorganized my emotions.
"What's wrong, Xiao Han? Why the sigh?"
"I really give up on you, Sister Bai... Fine. Since you're paying for everything tonight, I'm going to spend until you're bankrupt!"
"Alright, alright. Let's go then." Sister Bai returned to her usual self, her tone sounding doting.
With my vow declared, our first stop was naturally to find somewhere interesting.
To my surprise, under Sister Bai’s recommendation, we ended up in the jurisdiction of the Witch Secret Realms.
Witch Secret Realms—graduating seniors often left various surprises for the underclassmen.
Aside from the Trial Secret Realms, there was another category known as Amusement Secret Realms. They were affectionately called that because they contained no trials, only pure entertainment facilities. These were massive amusement parks built by graduated witches for the Academy!
Ever since the first such secret realm was accepted by the Academy, they had been categorized separately and operated as semi-open entertainment venues.
Naturally, you had to pay for a ticket to enter. They weren't cheap, either; since they were for entertainment and saw high traffic, maintenance costs were significant.
When Sister Bai accompanied me inside, it felt like entering a whole new world.
Looking into the distance, the amusement parks built within this valley all looked incredibly thrilling. After all, these were parks designed for witches; they pursued pure excitement, using the most direct methods to trigger a witch's "death-seeking" instincts.
Just a quick glance at the rides revealed things similar to my previous life. For example, there was a roller coaster that shrieked down from a towering peak, skimmed the ground, and then detached from the tracks to free-fall through the air... Or the water park facing the sea, where a man-made tsunami several meters high came crashing in from the distance. I could see people surfing under the giant waves before they slammed into the crowds playing on the shore.
Every single one of these facilities would have been illegal to operate in my previous world, yet here they were treated as perfectly ordinary.
I could also see groups of girls walking together, acting intimately, occasionally "eating tofu" (teasingly touching) each other, playing and chasing...
Then I looked at Sister Bai, who was acting like a wooden block. She didn't even know how to "eat tofu."
"Xiao Han, what do you want to play?"
"Everything! I want to experience it all!"
Following my loud declaration, Sister Bai offered no objection.
"Let's go~ Roller coaster first! I've never been on one!" I grabbed her hand and said excitedly.
After all, even in my previous life, I had never been to an amusement park.
I had never ridden a roller coaster, never bungee jumped, never sat on a Ferris wheel at night to admire the sky from the highest point...
But here, in this moment, I experienced it all.
And crucially, Sister Bai was with me. I had never released my emotions like this before; I had never screamed so loudly.
It was the first time I felt the exhaustion that comes after truly letting go—an extreme contrast between mental satisfaction and physical fatigue.
Those thrilling rides constantly triggered the "suspension bridge effect," causing my hidden feelings for Sister Bai to explode.
I had never realized just how much weight Sister Bai held in my heart until this moment. It felt like... I could never leave her...
"Xiao Han, how was it? Are you satisfied?"
"Mhm! Mhm! I'm so happy!"
I suddenly threw myself onto her. It would have been even better if Sister Bai were like those other couples and took the initiative to tease me back.
"Since you've vented most of your energy, shall we go have dinner?"
"And after dinner?" I asked, reluctant for the day to end.
"After dinner, I'll take you somewhere else. I'll let you experience the joy of shopping. Xiao Han, it's about time you replaced your old clothes, isn't it?"
"Eh? You noticed too, Sister Bai?"
"Of course. Your body has changed so much, your old clothes definitely don't fit anymore."
"You're right, the size isn't right anymore~ Do you like me like this, Sister Bai?"
"Of course. I like you however you are, Xiao Han."
Leaving the Amusement Secret Realm, Sister Bai took me out for a meal. We didn't go just anywhere; we went to Senior Sister Isha’s place. Sister Bai wanted to take the opportunity to say goodbye to her as well.
* * *
Late night.
Normally at this hour, I would have long since entered the world of dreams. But now, I didn't feel the slightest bit of drowsiness. Walking along the streets at night, I truly experienced the nocturnal nature of the Witch Academy.
Night was when the witches' social lives truly began.
Sister Bai and I were each carrying several bags. It wasn't that we didn't have storage equipment, but carrying them by hand just felt more "real." Of course, our storage equipment was also stuffed with things—everything Sister Bai had bought for me. Useful things, useless things... she seemed to have bought everything. I didn't even know how much she had spent; I was actually a little worried I’d bankrupt her... I’ll never be able to pay her back at this rate~
"Sister Bai, are we heading back now?"
"Yes, Xiao Han. I can see you're exhausted. Even if you are a Self-Awakened Body Cultivator, your energy has its limits. You were really wild today."
"Fine, fine... Sigh~ I really am tired. I never thought I'd actually get tired from just playing." I moved the things in my hands into my storage equipment.
It wasn't the pom-pom storage item Teacher Ji Niang had given me before.
Instead, it was a storage hair accessory with a much larger internal space that Sister Bai had given me.
The accessory was shaped like a four-leaf clover. Here, the four-leaf clover also represented luck, symbolizing her wish for me to escape my Bad Luck Curse soon. In truth, it was her hope that I would quickly become a Transcendent Witch as well.
"Then let me walk you back. After a rare moment of relaxation, you need to rest well. Careful you don't find yourself unable to get out of bed tomorrow."
"Walk me back? No, I don't want to!" Hearing her words, I stopped in my tracks. "I'm going back with you, to your place! Even if I can't get out of bed, I want it to be your bed that I can't get out of!"