Chapter 416: How About Becoming a Witch as a Birthday Present?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 416: How About Becoming a Witch as a Birthday Present?
It has been several days since I returned to this small world.
After a brief period of deliberation, I finally chose a suitable place to settle down for the time being.
The reason was simple: nearby stood the Lanas University of Science and Technology, one of the most prestigious institutions on Lanas Island. The Lanas Information Science and Technology Research Institute was established as an offshoot of this very university.
The apartment I’m staying in isn't far from here. As for where the money came from… well, there is no faster way to acquire cash than by robbing the rich to help the poor.
Now, holding a significant amount of liquid assets, I found myself pondering how to spend it. Otherwise, aside from slightly improving my quality of life, these funds would do nothing but take up space in my storage equipment.
Besides, bringing this cash or precious metals back with me would be useless. Most of the materials I use now are Transcendent materials, like Orichalcum or Mithril.
After dabbling in Alchemy, I finally understood why those materials are so expensive. They are essentially universal materials for Alchemy; anything involving the Transcendent domain can never be cheap.
Therefore, I needed to find a way to spend this money to turn it into something that could actually assist me.
I recalled a saying: if you have too much money, there are two ways to burn through it quickly. One is charity and poverty alleviation, as this world never lacks for the poor. The other, naturally, is investing in cutting-edge technology. Honestly, even throwing money directly into a fire isn't as fast as the rate at which scientific research consumes funds.
One must not forget that Lanas Island is a nation centered on technological development. The proportion of funds invested in research every year is massive, but Lanas Island is, after all, a small country.
The amount of money a major power might invest with a flick of its finger could exceed Lanas Island’s entire budget. Yet, miraculously, Lanas Island remains the most technologically advanced nation in the world—perhaps even without equal.
It is a holy land in the hearts of the world's geniuses and a cradle for cultivating top-tier talent in frontier technology.
I naturally noticed this anomaly. It wasn't just a rumor; it was the truth.
I had ample reason to suspect that this was the radiating effect of the Transcendent item Qiu Ruxin possessed. Now, I only needed to verify this hypothesis in person. However, I’ve been so busy lately that I haven't had much free time to study it closely. It seems that once life in the real world gets busy, there’s never enough time.
Initially, I only wanted to get my hands on the technological data developed by this world, but unfortunately, I didn't understand a lick of it.
Thus, I had to start with the basics. And if one were to ask where the richest repository of foundational knowledge in this world was, it would naturally be these elite institutions.
That is essentially what I’ve been busy with these past few days.
I am quite interested in this strange and fascinating plant technology, but mostly out of curiosity. Their direction of development doesn't necessarily align with my interests.
The technological frontiers they focus on are predicated on current world trends, and some are even driven purely by profit.
After all, those with the ability to conduct research are not the ones in control of this world. Those who master theory and technique are forever treated as tools by others. To exercise their talents, they must cater to the needs of their patrons.
What truly interests me are the "impoverished" research groups that can't attract investment and wait for the meager annual subsidies from the state. Those among them that catch my eye are my targets. There is nothing that throwing money at can't solve. Even if I don't understand the science, I can use money to let them know that I do understand technology.
In addition to these matters, I also secured a student identity at this academy to facilitate my free movement. Calling it "securing an identity" is a bit of a stretch; I simply used a Disguise Spell to take someone's place. As for the original owner of this identity… she is dead, naturally.
Of course, that had nothing to do with me. Originally, I had planned to give her some money to go travel for a few months. This is an academy, after all, and not everyone’s goal is to advance technology; some are just here to get a degree to pad their resumes and sell themselves for a better price. However, she provoked a Secret Digger, and that was the end of her.
I did avenge her afterward and even cremated her, which I consider payment for borrowing her identity.
Of course… there was another very important reason I wanted to enter this institution: the world's first Omni-Link Main Network Tree was rooted here.
Although that area is heavily guarded, it doesn't mean much to me. One could say that the reason this academy is the most famous is inextricably linked to that Omni-Link Main Network Tree.
* * *
Though things seemed to be going smoothly these past few days, I have been trying to interact with people—something I had never really attempted before. It was novel, but also very uncomfortable.
Perhaps my approach was wrong from the start. I have to admit, having never had experience in this area, I finally felt a sense of inner exhaustion from dealing with others. Social niceties and worldly wisdom exist everywhere, and this world is no exception.
Ordinary people have to endure it just to survive, but I am an exception because I have the power to flip the table.
After the lessons of the past few days, I’ve come to understand a few things. As long as you interact with those in high positions, they will try to haggle and bicker with you. So, I might as well save myself the trouble. To some extent, isn't the reason I want to become powerful so that I don't have to deal with this kind of social interaction that I loathe?
So, after a series of simplifications, I now only maintain contact with my investment projects and my student identity, discarding everything else. Once I relaxed, I felt a wave of physical and mental relief, and my mood brightened considerably.
Of the two remaining connections, one is a channel bought with money to obtain information inaccessible to ordinary people, and the other—the student identity—is to legitimately utilize the academy's educational resources to fill the gaps in my foundational knowledge of this world.
Only now has my daily life officially gotten on the right track.
"Sister Xiao Han, you're back. Were you busy again today?"
"Mhm, I won't be as busy from now on," I said with a nod.
"Eh? Why? Didn't Sister Xiao Han want to learn about..."
"Yes, I only want to understand plant technology, but I don't want to learn things that are useless to me," I said, interrupting Qiu Ruxin.
At this moment, my mind was as clear as a mirror. I had been wrong from the beginning. I shouldn't have followed their rhythm; I should have stuck to my own. I had made everything far too simple. If I were to truly start from the basics of this world's plant technology and work my way to the frontier, I wouldn't finish learning even if I were given decades.
I should have my own pace, my own pursuits, and my own plan. I am not a scientist; I am a Witch who studies spells. While they might seem highly similar, they are fundamentally different.
Their technology should serve as a form of revelation for me, not something for me to learn and then replicate. The act of replication holds no practical meaning for me.
Looking back on these past few days, my self-assessment was that I had been too reckless and took things too much for granted. I was abandoning my own advantages to enter a framework of rules set by others, using my weaknesses to play mind games with them.
Thinking back on it now, I find it somewhat laughable.
But it’s not too late to have realized it.
Just then, my gaze suddenly fell upon a beautifully packaged paper box on the table, tied with an intricate and lovely ribbon flower.
Qiu Ruxin noticed my gaze and quickly began to explain.
"This... is a cake..."
"A cake?" I looked at Qiu Ruxin in confusion, unsure of what she meant by this.
"Um... Sister Xiao Han, today is my birthday, so I ordered a cake. It’s not very big..." At this moment, Qiu Ruxin’s face flushed slightly, a sense of girlish shyness appearing on her features.
"Birthday?" It suddenly clicked.
Qiu Ruxin had told me before that it would be a while before she reached adulthood. If she was celebrating her birthday now, didn't that mean... Qiu Ruxin was now an adult?
A coming-of-age birthday... For a moment, I felt a bit dazed.
"Happy birthday..."
In the end, those were the only words I could squeeze out. Concepts like birthdays felt somewhat distant to me; I didn't really celebrate them, or rather, birthdays in this life held no meaning for me.
"Thank you for the blessing, Sister Xiao Han~"
Qiu Ruxin didn't mind that I had only managed a few words after a long pause. Instead, she thanked me excitedly, as if my words carried a blessing that filled her with joy.
She then stepped forward and opened the small cake. It was indeed as she said, not very big—just about enough for two people. It came with numbered candles, disposable plates, forks, and so on.
People in this world celebrated birthdays in much the same way, centered around a birthday cake. However, there was no singing of birthday songs here; they just lit the candles and made a wish.
"Let me," I said as I saw Qiu Ruxin stick the candles into the cake and prepare to light them.
"Eh?"
"It’s more convenient if I do it."
With a snap of my fingers, the surrounding fire elements gathered at my fingertip into a small flame. The faint light illuminated both my face and Qiu Ruxin’s.
"Is this a spell? It’s... so magical..."
"Is it? Then, do you want to learn?" I asked with a smile.
"I... I can learn too?" Qiu Ruxin asked, somewhat incredulously. She had manifested her desire for this Transcendent power in front of me many times, but she had rarely ever explicitly said she wanted to learn.
Because most of the time, I had ignored the hints of her longing, and she had seen that. So, she hadn't brought it up again.
Now that I was proactively offering, her first reaction was naturally excitement!
And disbelief!
"Of course."
"I’m willing! Of course I want to learn!" Qiu Ruxin spoke excitedly, as if afraid I would take it back or that I was just joking.
"Even if the use of power comes with a price, you are still willing?"
"A price? As long as I can master Transcendent power, I don't care about the price... Um, can I just ask quietly, what is the price?" Qiu Ruxin spoke excitedly, but after finishing, she realized something was off and asked in a low voice.
"The price is becoming a Witch. From then on, you will no longer be human. You will gradually drift away from the opposite sex, and you won't even have the ability to bear children until you reach the Transcendent level..."
"Is that all? I’m willing!" This time, Qiu Ruxin’s voice was even louder.
"Then, if you regret it later, just don't blame me."
"I won't, I won't!" Qiu Ruxin shook her head repeatedly.
"Alright then, time to make a wish." I lit the candle representing '18'. The warm yellow light flickered, illuminating a small area. Then, I remembered something and continued.
"I didn't realize today was your birthday. I had originally said I would give you a gift; it looks like I’ll have to give it to you along with your birthday present."
I had originally thought of giving Qiu Ruxin a Mana Source to turn her into a Witch. Her desire for Transcendent power was obvious, and I had never responded to her expectations. Now that it coincided with her birthday—and her coming-of-age ceremony at that—a single Mana Source seemed a bit underwhelming. Perhaps... I should add a spellbook?
After all, I had acquired quite a few spellbooks, including duplicates, so giving one away wouldn't affect me much.
"It’s okay! A birthday gift is just a symbolic little token. I’m already very happy that Sister Xiao Han is willing to give me a gift!"
As Qiu Ruxin made her wish with a heart full of joy, blew out the candles, and cut the cake, everything seemed so wonderful.
However, the misfortune brought by the Transcendent item was not diminished in the slightest. For instance, there were moths flying toward us, a loose ceiling light that threatened to fall, a small wooden cake knife that snapped, and candles that didn't go out in one breath. I silently took care of all of them.
Holding a slice of cake, I looked up at the loose ceiling light, which I had already fixed in place with a spell. If that had fallen, it would have landed right on the cake.
Even on her coming-of-age ceremony, Qiu Ruxin’s day was fraught with misfortune. I silently shook my head and sighed, putting a piece of cake into my mouth.
Tasting the sweetness of the cream on this world's cake, I found the texture quite unique. I felt I could try bringing some of this world's baking tutorials and innovations to Senior Sister Tang Yihan. I’m sure she could create some new sparks with them.
Happy times pass quickly, and so did Qiu Ruxin’s coming-of-age ceremony.
I was the only one who spent this birthday with her. If I hadn't arrived unexpectedly, Qiu Ruxin might have been spending this birthday all alone.
Although Qiu Ruxin had been very enthusiastic while eating the cake, I could tell she was just trying to liven up the atmosphere. Unfortunately, neither she nor I seemed very good at that.
And for a fleeting moment, a trace of loneliness had flashed across her face. Perhaps she was thinking of her family?
If there were no Secret Diggers in this world, she might still be a happy girl with a complete family.
Of course, if none of that had happened, she would also just be an ordinary girl whom no one noticed, and she certainly wouldn't have any connection to me or the Witch Academy.
* * *
"Are you ready? If you don't back out now, you won't have another chance to regret it later," I asked with a smile, holding a Mana Source in my hand.
"Mhm! Sister Xiao Han, you've already asked many times. I won't regret it!" Qiu Ruxin responded once more, showing no sign of impatience.
"Alright." After receiving her confirmation again, I stepped in front of her.
Qiu Ruxin looked at my half-closed hand. She couldn't see anything, but she still believed that Sister Xiao Han wouldn't lie to her.
Qiu Ruxin did not possess the talent of Spirit Vision. Or rather, in a small world like this, the World Will would not treat the people within it the same way the Main World did; there was no such thing as Talent Awakening here.
I said nothing more. Having made up my mind, I thrust the Mana Source into Qiu Ruxin’s body.
Perhaps a single Mana Source was insignificant to me now, but for Qiu Ruxin, it was the process of going from nothing to something.
I remembered how a single Mana Source had completely transformed my own physical form; that was the moment of the most drastic change. Any subsequent Mana Sources only slightly advanced the Witchification process.
This was my first time inserting a Mana Source into someone else, and it felt quite extraordinary. I felt the Mana Source being taken out and then placed into Qiu Ruxin’s body. This change to a foreign environment caused the mana within the source to suddenly erupt.
It was just like the scene I had witnessed with my own eyes when I first entered the academy. A massive amount of mana burst forth, and the escaping energy quickly transformed into light and heat, enveloping her body like a giant cocoon of light.
This was the initial Witchification modification, and also the one with the greatest changes. I waited quietly, feeling a slight tinge of anxiety in my heart. Perhaps... this was how Sister Bai felt when she inserted the Mana Source into me back then.
A bit of worry mixed with a touch of anticipation. However, Qiu Ruxin was a girl, so the changes in her appearance shouldn't be too exaggerated. As expected, it really is more fun to shove Mana Sources into boys. I think I’m starting to understand the fun those senior sisters with wicked tastes have.
I waited for several hours. This duration was somewhat beyond my expectations, but I didn't pay it too much mind. After all, she was the Child of Destiny of this world; it was fine for her to be a bit special.
I waited a little longer until the mana on Qiu Ruxin’s body had completely dissipated and the Mana Source had settled into a state of dormancy—meaning the mana had been exhausted.
I stepped forward to check Qiu Ruxin’s body. Her skin was burning hot, even hotter than a high fever.
But I could feel her body temperature gradually returning to normal.
Before long, Qiu Ruxin’s long-closed eyelids flickered slightly. I naturally caught this movement.
"Mm... ugh... did I pass out... am I... already a Witch?"
Qiu Ruxin, slowly waking up, asked with eyes full of excitement once she regained her clarity. Then, she instinctively brushed a strand of her long hair. "Eh? Why didn't my hair turn white?"
"Turning white is just my personal preference. Not every Witch’s hair turns white. Did you think that becoming a Witch meant your hair would automatically turn snowy white?" I explained helplessly, meeting her curious gaze.