Chapter 441: What Kind of Cat-girls Drink Juice and Eat Fruit at a Dinner Party?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 441: What Kind of Cat-girls Drink Juice and Eat Fruit at a Dinner Party?
With the conclusion of the monthly exam's practical test, this night was destined to be sleepless.
After experiencing the day's trials, many freshmen lay in their beds that night, only for the white figure from the dreamscape to flash across their minds the moment they closed their eyes.
Unlike the previous monthly exam, which focused on endurance, the sheer scale of this test had made them realize just how terrifying the gap between individuals could be. At this moment, the Academy Network was flooded with the wails and lamentations of the vast majority of the student body.
The senior sisters, meanwhile, watched the drama with great relish. After all, this was only the second month since the practical test had been added to the monthly exams, and the novelty of watching the freshmen suffer hadn't worn off yet.
The grade levels were still exploring which format of testing would best showcase a student's combat power.
Initially, these tests were meant to use the strongest students of the same year as motivation, forcing the others to recognize the distance between themselves and the elite. Since the tests took place within a dreamscape, students were allowed to choose their own spellbooks and mana sources, ensuring that even the most average students wouldn't be entirely defenseless.
However, looking at the current results, the faculty felt that further improvements were necessary—specifically, refining the scoring system. At this stage, the identity of the opponent wasn't as important as establishing a tiered hierarchy of strength to allow for better grading.
But those were merely the considerations of the faculty. The student body had no such professional detachment; they were the ones who had personally experienced the meat grinder.
Who could possibly understand their pain?
When they saw that most of the comments under their posts were senior sisters "looking for a laugh," it only served to provoke them further.
While the entire Academy Network was buzzing with questions about the identity of the white figure, a group of people with the prefix "Xiao Han Fan Club" appeared. They loudly and proudly announced that the silver-haired girl was none other than Xiao Han—the legendary freshman who had been constantly in the spotlight since the start of the term, rising like a meteor only to vanish completely once the dust had settled.
Faced with the sudden appearance of such a fan club, the other students and the spectating seniors naturally treated them like clowns. The comment sections were filled with mockery. Their memories might have faded, but they hadn't developed amnesia; wouldn't they know what Xiao Han looked like?
Many even posted saved Xiao Han memes from before, pointing out that the two didn't look alike in the slightest.
The Academy Network descended into a fierce debate. Those claiming to be part of the Xiao Han Fan Club had personally witnessed Xiao Han's current appearance, so they were full of confidence, yet they found themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of skeptics.
Throughout this process, the person they were supporting—Xiao Han—didn't say a single word in their defense. Even members of the fan club began to grumble in their private chats, asking if they had made a mistake, only to be met with the firm answer that there was no mistake.
Still, the pressure was mounting. The Academy Network operated on a real-name system; at most, one could use an overlay nickname, but clicking on a profile would still reveal a student's actual information.
It was fine to talk big online, but they were genuinely afraid of being "reality-checked" offline. Especially when they saw senior sisters joining in for the laughs, they didn't dare talk back to them. They limited their bickering to students of their own year. After all, everyone was a freshman—who was afraid of whom?
Of course, the Xiao Han Fan Club wasn't the only group stirring the pot. The largest fan club among the freshmen, Tan Han's supporters, immediately clashed with them.
In the eyes of Tan Han's supporters, Yang Yuehan's rise had been built upon Tan Han's defeat. Even if they were on the losing side, they maintained their pride.
After all, among the freshmen of the Witch Academy, Yang Yuehan was the only one who had ever surpassed Tan Han, and she had personally destroyed her own Luck Seed. This meant she no longer had the right to compete with them in the future. Thus, they mocked the others as people with no future who had picked the wrong side from the very beginning.
This collision on the Academy Network quickly escalated into a full-blown flame war, nearly spilling over into offline confrontations.
But no matter how intense the bickering and insults became, it had little to do with me. As the saying goes: Stay out of the drama, and school life is a dream.
At that moment, I was staying at the Fool's Dream residence. When night fell, I didn't head back.
During the day, I had been teaching the Fool's Dream girls the art of brewing the Fool's Dream Drink. They were quick learners and seemed to have a natural talent for it. One could say the only thing standing between them and a finished brew was the lack of raw materials.
* * *
The next day.
After my routine meditation and body tempering, I realized I was almost out of meditation incense. While incense wasn't strictly necessary for meditation, it helped quickly stabilize one's mental state and recover energy afterward.
However, that wasn't a major concern. My priority was waiting for Mentor Dinah to deliver the ingredients for the Fool's Dream Drink.
Dinah did not disappoint. She arrived with the goods by mid-morning.
"Phew~ It took all night, but it's done. This is the entire batch."
"I've troubled you, Sister Dinah." I accepted the storage equipment with a smile. After a quick peek at the contents, I was stunned. "So much?"
"Of course. It wasn't much trouble for me, though. If you want to thank someone, thank Aphra. She worked through the night, using precision cultivation to make plants with long growth cycles fruit and be ready for harvest in a single day. She went to great lengths to ensure there was no difference between the forced-growth fruits and natural ones..."
"Then please convey my thanks to Teacher Aphra."
"Fine, fine. But I think it would be better if you thanked her in person when you get the chance."
"True. I will," I nodded. Teacher Aphra had indeed done me a massive favor that deserved a face-to-face thank you.
With the materials in hand, I turned and entered the Fool's Dream residence.
Yesterday, I hadn't just been teaching them how to brew the drink; I had also purchased a complete set of equipment for them. Without the proper tools, even if the Fool's Dream girls knew the recipe, they would have been helpless.
"Everyone, gather 'round! Time to divide the work!" I called out. Immediately, several Fool's Dream girls dropped what they were doing and rushed to my side, eager to help.
"Those who aren't feeling well, go get some rest. You can help after the first batch of Fool's Dream Drink is ready~" I reached out and patted the heads of a few listless girls. Though they were unwell, they had insisted on coming over, but I firmly turned them away.
"Oh? You've already taught them how to brew it?" Dinah asked, looking slightly surprised at the scene.
"Mhm. Perhaps there's a natural connection between the drink and the Fool's Dream race. They learned very quickly." I nodded, confirming her surprise.
"But you didn't have the ingredients. How did they learn? Pure theory?"
"Spells. I just used spells."
"Is that so?" Dinah was intrigued but didn't press further. She could think of several spells that could help someone learn a craft, but few were in general circulation at the Witch Academy.
As the energetic Fool's Dream girls threw themselves into this "self-rescue" mission, I found myself becoming somewhat redundant.
Watching them work together in such an orderly fashion, combined with the focus and earnestness unique to the Fool's Dream girls, was quite a beautiful sight.
"It seems there's nothing left for the two of us to do?" Before long, Dinah picked up a bottle from the first batch produced by the girls. While it differed slightly from the version I brewed, one sniff told me that this was the authentic flavor of the Fool's Dream!
I was a bit surprised myself.
The girls used the same techniques I did, yet the finished product wasn't identical. One thing was certain, though: the effects were the same.
Once the drinks were ready, Dinah and I got busy, helping the girls drink them.
I have to say, seeing the drowsy Fool's Dream girls regain their energy after drinking the brew in my arms was incredibly satisfying.
By the time the raw materials were nearly exhausted, quite a few fruits remained due to the specific ratios required, and there was even a surplus of the Fool's Dream Drink.
Finally, I organized a small gathering for the Fool's Dream girls to celebrate overcoming their crisis.
Dinah was dragged into the festivities by the girls. Since there were so many of them and not enough drink or leftover fruit to go around, I placed an emergency order for a large quantity of other fruits. At a time like this, it didn't really matter what they ate; the joyful atmosphere was what counted.
During the party, Dinah officially announced that the Fool's Dream Drink would become a permanent fixture at the Witch Cat Cafe and an exclusive benefit for the Fool's Dream employees!
Every working Fool's Dream girl would receive a fixed daily allowance of free drink and the privilege of purchasing raw materials at cost. After all, they were formal employees and earned their own wages.
Of course, all of this required a complete supply chain to fulfill Dinah's promise, but that moment was fast approaching.
After all, Sofiri had an entire plantation!
I had a feeling that once Sofiri got things running, she would be swamped. She might even need extra help.
As the celebration drew to a close and the girls had had their fill of fun, Dinah granted them all a three-day break to recuperate.
"Hehe~ This is the most unusual cat-girl dinner I've ever attended. It's my first time seeing cats gather to drink juice and eat fruit." Dinah toyed with a strangely shaped fruit and glanced at me.
"Maybe... that's just the way of the Fool's Dream race? Back in Fool's Village, the banquets they held were mostly various fruits. It's a pity those fruits vanished when the secret realm was destroyed."
"True. Regardless, as long as they stay this cute, it's fine." Dinah said, taking a bite of the fruit. Juice ran down the skin and onto her palm, but she didn't seem to care. "Xiao Han, what are your plans after this?"
"Plans?"
"I mean... if this crisis with the Fool's Dream girls hadn't happened, what were you planning to do?"
"Oh, I see. I was planning to use the Fool's Dream Drink to make a little bit of money."
"Just that? Are you short on cash?"
"No, I have enough. All the money I have now is basically a windfall, so I don't have much of a concept of it. Why do you ask, Sister Dinah?"
"No reason, just curious. You're a celebrity on the network now, so I was wondering what you do with your days," Dinah said casually with a smile.
"A celebrity?"
"Yeah. Don't tell me you don't check the Academy Network? After the monthly exam ended yesterday, your identity was debated for ages. Your fan club almost got into a physical fight with people."
"A fan club? They're quite bored, aren't they?" I said flatly.
"You don't care about them? They're your loyal followers, you know. They'd be heartbroken if they heard you say that."
"That has nothing to do with me. If something like that is enough to break their hearts, what could I possibly expect from them? If I actually accepted them, who knows when they might turn on me?"
"You see things quite clearly. Or are you just bad at communicating with them?"
"A bit of both," I shrugged, not bothering to argue.
"Actually, you could try communicating with them. If you don't like a certain way of doing things, then do it your way. You're special. From this moment on, your eccentricity won't be seen as affectation; your uniqueness will be embraced and understood by your supporters—it might even become your trademark. They're like these Fool's Dream girls. The Fool's Dream are innocent and kind, and they listen to you. Your supporters might be a bit extreme, but are they really so different from these girls?"
"That comparison... haha... is it really appropriate?"
"What's wrong with it? Of course, this is just my suggestion. Your life and your attitude are your own business; I have no right to tell you what to do. Also... I'm leaving."
"Hm?" I was surprised. I had been expecting more profound insights, only to be told she was leaving. "Then... safe travels?"
"You... Xiao Han, what I mean is that I'm leaving the Witch Academy for a while."
"Ah? Sorry, I thought you just meant leaving the room. Where are you going, Sister Dinah?"
"Where... that's hard to say. I'll probably have to visit every Transcendent Academy you can name. I'm leaving tomorrow. While I'm gone, help me look after these Fool's Dream girls. And! Be careful of Dean Mei Lind."
"Eh? Why?" I noticed Dinah's voice suddenly drop, her tone becoming grave. I couldn't help but be curious.
"Because she's far too devious. She press-ganged me into service, and her next target is you."
"Huh? What do you mean?" I was baffled. Press-ganged?
"You'll understand. Anyway, I'm off. See you around."
"Mhm! See you around."
After saying a final goodbye to Dinah, I helped the Fool's Dream girls clean up the party before bidding them farewell one by one.
Now... I finally had time to do my own things. Maybe I should go buy some incense before heading back?