Chapter 425: A Conversation with the Dean
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 425: A Conversation with the Dean
The Witch Academy’s Void Exploration Team arrived much more suddenly than I had anticipated.
Fortunately, I had booked the entire guesthouse; otherwise, there wouldn't have been enough rooms for all these witch mentors.
According to the mentors, they didn't actually need to sleep, but they still preferred having a bit of private space to themselves at night.
After a brief interaction with Dean Bev Alanna, I gained a general understanding of the exploration team's situation.
Naturally, Dean Bev Alanna was the one leading the team. As for Dean Mei Lind’s claim that she was the only dean left at the academy, Bev said she had no idea what that was about. However, she was indeed the only dean who had traveled to this small world, bringing along a dozen or so Transcendent Witches.
According to the Dean, they had sensed fluctuations in mana the moment they arrived in this small world. Since I wasn't a Transcendent Witch yet and hadn't truly mastered a Mana Source, I couldn't autonomously suppress my mana leakage. That was how they had pinpointed me the moment they arrived.
Still, the thought that they could lock onto my location in an entire world based on such a minute trace of mana was honestly a bit terrifying.
My original plan of watching the witch mentors make fools of themselves had turned into a complete joke; instead, I was the one providing the entertainment.
After talking for a while, I found that the Dean was actually quite easy to talk to, much like Dean Mei Lind.
She even chatted with me about how I, a non-transcendent, had achieved Self-Generated Mana. That achievement was her strongest impression of me, largely because Dean Mei had published research based on that experiment, which was currently featured in the Academic Section of the academy.
Later, the Dean and several other mentors crowded around. This was especially true for the ones I had met briefly back at the Witch Academy. I remembered a few of them quite vividly because they had once run up to me specifically to pinch my cheeks before dashing off, leaving me standing there in a complete daze.
Now, seeing so many witches gathered around, Dean Bev asked the question many of them were curious about: how exactly did I get here?
I saw no reason to hide it and explained the details of the Reverse Summoning Spell.
Naturally, this involved matters of Luck, which meant mentioning that Qiu Ruxin was a Child of Destiny. However, the mentors didn't seem surprised at all by her status; it was as if they already knew, and they didn't seem to place much importance on it.
The conversation eventually shifted back to Dean Mei.
Dean Bev took the lead in giving Mei Lind a thorough tongue-lashing right in front of me. After all, since May knew about such a method, she had still stood by and watched them trek through the Void to get here. No wonder she had been so willing to stay behind and guard the academy.
After venting for a bit, they dropped the subject as if nothing had happened and quickly pivoted to learning about the general state of this world.
They had come here to investigate, and since there was nothing to do in the Main World and no other worlds nearby in the surrounding Void, they were quite bored. It was telling that they had dispatched over ten Transcendent Witches just for a single small world.
I suspected most of them were just here to find some fun.
In my opinion, a small world like this could be turned upside down by a student like me who wasn't even a Transcendent yet. Bringing this many Transcendent Witches was like using a railgun to swat a mosquito.
While explaining the situation, I took the opportunity to bring Qiu Ruxin over. As a native, she knew far more about this world than I did. As for information regarding the Secret Diggers and other such details, I handled those myself.
The briefing lasted until the sky outside turned dark.
The Transcendent Witches were incredibly enthusiastic about learning the local lore and trivia. They were especially intrigued when they heard about the plant technology; their eyes lit up with genuine interest.
"Alright, Ruxin—go ahead and take a bath. Didn't you say you were sweaty earlier? Go on while you have the chance..." I patted Qiu Ruxin on the shoulder and spoke softly.
"Huh? Right now?" Qiu Ruxin asked instinctively, but she quickly caught on. "Okay. Actually, I’ve been wanting to wash up for a while."
Once I had sent Qiu Ruxin away, I turned back to the Dean. My intentions were obvious to anyone watching.
These Transcendent Witches had seen it all; there was no way they were that interested in simple plant technology.
The reason they had shown such expressions was that they had already made their own deductions.
Specifically, about the Transcendent item Qiu Ruxin possessed—or rather, the [Transcendent Knowledge].
Although Dean Mei Lind had promised me that the Witch Academy wouldn't seize it by force, the woman in front of me was also a dean. What if their philosophies clashed?
I needed to gauge Dean Bev’s attitude. Even if I couldn't help Qiu Ruxin keep that [Transcendent Knowledge], I at least wanted to secure some benefits for her. Even if I wasn't in a position to bargain with a dean, I wanted to ask for an alchemy item or some other method to suppress the Bad Luck Curse she would face after severing the Ley Line Shackles.
"Xiao Han, is there something else you want to say?" Bev’s gaze followed Qiu Ruxin for a moment before settling on me.
"Yes. It’s about the plant technology. There seems to be a lot more involved, including the Secret Diggers I mentioned earlier."
"It’s fine, you can take your time. From the look of things, you’ve probably already sent the information back, haven't you? We’re in no rush to report back ourselves. That woman May has probably already reaped the rewards before we’ve even mapped this world's coordinates in the Void," Bev Alanna said nonchalantly, making sure to take another jab at Dean Mei Lind.
Dean Bev had essentially checked out, listening to me with the air of someone watching a play.
"What I want to talk about is the [Transcendent Knowledge] in this small world." Taking a deep breath, I spoke plainly, my eyes surreptitiously scanning the faces of every mentor present.
To my surprise, none of them looked shocked. In fact, their expressions were entirely indifferent.
I was stunned.
What happened to [Transcendent Knowledge] being incredibly precious?
What happened to even Transcendent Witches valuing it so much they might steal it?
Was my understanding of the value of [Transcendent Knowledge] completely wrong?
"Haha, alright Bev, stop teasing her. She’s starting to question her life choices," one of the witches spoke up first, teasing the Dean.
"We obviously know about it. How could we miss such a massive chunk of [Transcendent Knowledge] right on Qiu Ruxin’s chest? From your expression, did you think we were going to take it? Were you already prepared for us to rob her?"
"Uh..." I stood there awkwardly, watching them all start to laugh.
Fine, fine... you're all Transcendent Witches or Deans, and you're still playing with me like this?
"Setting aside the fact that you've already turned that girl into a Prospective Witch, even if one of us wanted that knowledge, we’d just say so. Besides... that [Transcendent Knowledge] seems to be quite a bit of trouble," said the witch who had given Qiu Ruxin a lap pillow earlier. It seemed her interest in the girl had indeed been largely due to that knowledge.
"Trouble... do you mean because of the Luck involved? Or because it’s a Transcendent item?" I asked instinctively.
"Both. That’s why I’d rather not touch it. The formation of that Transcendent item was a miracle. Since Fate chose her, I have no reason to seize it."
"Eh? Even mentors like you find Luck troublesome?" I asked, surprised.
"Of course. While we won't force her, she will eventually have to make a choice."
"What do you mean?" I asked. The mentor’s train of thought was moving too fast for me.
"That [Transcendent Knowledge] uses that Transcendent item as a carrier. When this small world merges with the Main World, its World Will will be assimilated, and their Scripts will collide. The bond Qiu Ruxin formed through Luck will eventually snap. Once the world is fully integrated, the item will enter a state of ritual failure due to the shift in Luck. At that point, it will no longer be a Transcendent item, but pure, sourceless [Transcendent Knowledge]. That is when she will have to decide: keep it for herself or use it for something else."
"So that’s how it is..." I looked at the mentor with surprise. I hadn't expected her to learn so much from just a brief encounter with Qiu Ruxin. It was a good thing I hadn't tried to show off my own deductions, even though they were roughly the same.
After the mentor finished her explanation, the Dean offered a few words of comfort. Their attitude toward the matter was unexpectedly similar to Dean Mei Lind’s.
With that settled, I felt much more at ease. The next order of business was the Secret Diggers.
The civilization behind those Secret Diggers had remained hidden. Although I didn't know why they were suddenly retreating, I wasn't about to let them off the hook so easily.
"Dean, you know how it was. Dean Mei Lind tricked me into coming here without telling me anything. I was in a strange land, and I ran into those lawless Secret Diggers. Even I suffered a setback; their methods are just too bizarre."
"They treat worlds like games, using Luck to manipulate ordinary people into killing and looting the natives. And they aren't afraid of death at all—they just respawn. Those guys really disgusted me..."
"Stop, stop..." The Dean interrupted as my tone became increasingly strange while I tried to steer the conversation toward the Secret Diggers.
Bev Alanna could tell I was up to no good. She spoke bluntly, "Just tell us what you want."
"Eh? Oh..." Being cut off so suddenly caught me off guard. I had been planning to play the victim to convince the Dean to wipe them out. "That civilization doesn't view people as human beings; they have no respect for life. They must be evil. And I heard a rumor that they don't just have this one small world. According to them, every world is an open-world game, and they supposedly have nearly ten thousand of them... Aren't you mentors interested in a civilization like that?"
"Nearly ten thousand small worlds? That’s not a small number," another witch chimed in from the side.
"True. We did encounter some interesting little things when we arrived—likely the Secret Diggers you mentioned. Their little toys are indeed interesting, but my initial assessment is that they definitely lack the power to invade and rule ten thousand worlds in the manner you described."
"Wait, you already encountered them? Can you track their world coordinates or something?" I asked curiously.
"We tried, of course. I’ve never seen little things like them before. Unfortunately, we failed. They use this world's Script as a springboard, and it’s not even their consciousness descending into this world, so we have no leads," the mentor said, shrugging with a look of slight disappointment, as if she were sad to have missed out on a good show.
"Even the Dean can't do it?" I looked at Bev instinctively.
"The facts are as she said. I suspect the Abyssal Demons pushed this world toward our Main World largely because of those guys. Oh, I forgot—did May tell you about that?"
"She did. Dean Mei said the Abyssal Demons wouldn't give us a gift for free, and that this world must be a lot of trouble," I nodded quickly.
"If you know that, then it’s simple. Let’s put it this way: anyone who can make Abyssal Demons find them troublesome definitely has some tricks up their sleeve."
"And the fact that they can do this suggests the shadow of [Transcendent Knowledge]," another witch added. She was fiddling with a small, square object surrounded by runes. I glanced at it and guessed it was some kind of sealing technique. "I managed to snatch a bit of their power. It’s quite fascinating. What should we call this? A Transcendent Pixel? I think I’ll keep it as a souvenir."
I stared in shock at the pixel block as it shifted in size in the mentor's hand. I had tried to capture and hold onto that power myself, but I had no way to retain it. This Transcendent Witch, however, made it look effortless. It was a testament to how formidable their skills were.
But... if they were that powerful, why couldn't they track the coordinates? I wanted to complain, but I didn't dare say it out loud.
Then again, considering it had taken a team led by a Dean this long just to secure this one small world, I began to understand. Perhaps some things weren't as simple as I imagined.
"What’s wrong? You were badmouthing that civilization and trying to stir up hate just now. Did they offend you?"
"Um... something like that..." I thought back. The Secret Diggers hadn't actually done anything to me personally, but whenever I thought of them, I just felt a wave of annoyance.
In short, I just didn't like them!
"It’s fine. There’s no need to get worked up over a group like that. Besides, I see they’re already retracting this world's Script and Luck threads. It looks like they’re preparing to run."
"I suppose... at least the trouble with the Secret Diggers is leaving. That saves us some effort," I said, trying to comfort myself.
It seemed the Dean and the mentors weren't very interested in that world. Or rather, they were interested—like the one who kept the pixel—but they weren't looking to start unnecessary trouble.
In that case, I decided to drop it.
If they wouldn't do it, I’d do it myself. Maybe I could stir up the public opinion on the Plant Network regarding the Secret Diggers' "final carnival" and escalate things further.
As for the rest... I’d just wait for a sucker to take the bait.
