Chapter 447: Bai Yu: Xiao Han Was Always Mine
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 447: Bai Yu: Xiao Han Was Always Mine
"Hey~ something’s happening... something’s happening!"
As Dongli Yiren spotted movement through her telescope at the academy’s boundary curtain wall, she waved her hand in excitement.
"What... is there finally some action? I didn't waste my last penalty-free skip of the semester for nothing..." Hong Chenyi scrambled to her feet and made a framing gesture with her hands. The image within the area she outlined began to magnify.
This was a minor spell Hong Chenyi had bought for herself. Its effect was identical to a telescope, with the sole advantage of being convenient to use. As for what she usually used it to look at, only she knew. For instance... right now?
At this moment, it wasn't just Dongli Yiren and Hong Chenyi; Guan Qiuling had been dragged along as well. Yu Yuetian seemed to have left early, so she had escaped Hong Chenyi’s recruitment.
"Let me see too..." Guan Qiuling leaned in.
Even someone like Guan Qiuling was susceptible to curiosity when it came to gossip; otherwise, she wouldn't have been so easily persuaded to join them.
"Forget it, Hong Chenyi, enlarge the image more. Let me in on it too." Dongli Yiren put away the cheap telescope she’d bought and officially joined Hong Chenyi’s gossip squad.
"Don't squeeze, don't squeeze! This spell can only enlarge the image so much. It’s just a small spellbook, so just deal with it~" Hong Chenyi was being jostled so much by the other two that she nearly lost her lock on Sister Xiao Han.
Ultimately, their curiosity for gossip won out, and the three of them accepted their cramped circumstances. They were quite far from the boundary, and they didn't dare get too close for fear of being discovered.
"Huh? Why isn't Sister Xiao Han doing anything? She’s been standing there for hours. If the person doesn't show up soon, I’m going to have to order delivery."
"No idea. The other senior sisters have all moved forward..." Hong Chenyi muttered while staring at the image, unable to fathom what Xiao Han was doing.
"Maybe the person Sister Xiao Han is waiting for hasn't appeared yet?" Guan Qiuling whispered.
"Hmm... very likely. What did Sister Xiao Han say her partner’s name was? Bai Yu? Didn't she visit our villa once?"
"Did she?"
"I think so, just once. Ah! Sister Xiao Han moved! Wait, why did she stop again?"
"Look at where she’s pointing her gaze. She definitely saw her partner just now, but she must have run into some trouble."
"That... that looks like her. I’ve seen her come to our villa before!"
"Uh... the one with the twins by her side?"
"Twins? Oh man... Did Sister Xiao Han just get cheated on in her long-distance relationship? Those two are clearly mentors..."
"Then it’s over... How could Xiao Han possibly compete with Transcendent Mentors for her Sister Bai?"
Seeing this, the trio immediately felt a wave of pity for Sister Xiao Han.
This was the first time they had seen Sister Xiao Han look so joyful, only for it to seemingly end in such a tragedy.
"Um... what should we do when we get back? How about we treat Sister Xiao Han to a meal? To comfort her. Even if she lost her girlfriend, she still has us!"
"Right. Sister Xiao Han never gave up on us. Now that she’s hit a low point in her life, we’ll stay by her side."
"Should we go back and prepare?"
"Good idea. But don't make the preparations too obvious, or we’ll expose the fact that we were stalking her."
* * *
"Sis~ter~ Bai~ Welcome back~"
Upon seeing Sister Bai again, I swallowed the countless words I wanted to say, letting my overflowing emotions manifest as a playful, teasing tone.
At this moment, I wanted nothing more than to fly into Sister Bai’s arms and feel her scent and warmth.
However, mindful of the other Transcendent Witches present, I forced myself to show restraint so as not to cause trouble for her.
This sudden "flirtation"—and the fact that I had called out Bai Yu’s name so accurately—made the twins beside her eyes light up. It was the unmistakable spark of curiosity for gossip and entertainment.
"Xiao Bai, you’re quite the lady-killer~ You just got here and someone’s already throwing themselves at you?" Miao nudged Bai Yu with her elbow, her voice thick with teasing.
Since the girl could call out her name directly, she was clearly someone Bai Yu knew. The fact that she had come specifically to welcome her was a testament to how much she valued Bai Yu.
More importantly, this white-haired girl stood in stark contrast to the opportunistic behavior of the other students. Expressions didn't lie.
And as "experienced" witches, how could they not see the emotions this girl held for Bai Yu—emotions that clearly transcended mere friendship?
They were practically spilling over.
It was truly nice to see. Even within a Witch Academy in a peaceful world, students could still have such pure relationships.
"She’s not 'throwing herself' at me." Bai Yu rolled her eyes at Miao, refuting her words. Then, her gaze settled on me, her eyes filled with a suppressed possessiveness. "Xiao Han was always mine."
"Eh?"
"Ehh!?"
The two let out cries of confusion. They had just been teasing her, but Bai Yu had dropped a bombshell to claim her sovereignty?
This move left both Miao and He stunned.
"Let me introduce you. This is Xiao Han. We are in that kind of relationship—the kind that was confirmed a long time ago," Bai Yu said, reaching out to grab my wrist and pulling me into her embrace.
I froze for a second. Sister Bai’s reaction exceeded my expectations; she was so decisive... but feeling her warmth against my back, I instinctively leaned in a little closer.
"Hi~ Hello, Mentors~" I waved my hand at the two of them. "My name is Yang Yuehan. You can just call me Xiao Han."
"Xiao Han, is it? I’m Miao, and that’s my younger sister, He." Miao smiled and introduced themselves, completely lacking the self-importance of a mentor or the aloofness of a Transcendent.
"Xiao Han, how did you know to come here to meet me today?" As she spoke, Bai Yu’s hand instinctively brushed through my long hair, letting the silver-white strands slide through her fingers before twining a single lock around her fingertip to play with.
"Um... the Academy Dean told me, so I came."
"I see. What a coincidence. We have to go see the Academy Dean in a bit as well. Is it Dean Mei?"
"Yes."
Sister Bai and I thought nothing of our simple exchange, but the two beside us took it all in. As expected of a "big thigh" who could pull strings with the Academy Dean!
The Dean had actually gone out of her way to tell her little girlfriend that Bai Yu was back so she could come to welcome her.
By now, the commotion here had naturally drawn some attention.
The other Transcendent Witches who were also mentors watched with an air of amusement. Given the situation, it wasn't hard to guess what was happening: a Transcendent Witch who had graduated from the Main World had returned and reunited with her former junior.
As for the other girls who were students, after a series of rejections and failures, their gazes were filled with nothing but envy and jealousy.
Some even wished they were the ones being held, but they had to accept reality.
Not everyone had the luck to run into a senior sister they knew under these circumstances.
As for causing trouble... what a joke. They couldn't wait to suck up to her. If the other party decided to make things difficult for them, they wouldn't be able to handle it at all.
Couldn't they see she was on speaking terms with three of the new mentors? As senior students who had spent years scraping by in the Witch Academy, they saw through things clearly. Mentors were the absolute power in the academy.
Without reaching the Transcendent level, one was nothing. The Witch Academy didn't care about "talent theories"; everyone was an ordinary person, and under the witchification of a mana source, all living beings were equal. Because of this, for some to live comfortably in the academy, they needed the protection of a Transcendent Witch. Such individuals were the true winners.
If they were going to be envious, they should be envious of this lucky girl for following the right senior sister.
The reunion was brief. The newcomers wouldn't stay long just because of the students' unsolicited actions.
Most of the students' interactions with the new mentors consisted of handing over their business cards. Being too pushy would only be counterproductive. Their goal in coming here was simple: to gamble. They gambled that these new teachers would need a trustworthy student to help out, and only after a period of contact would the topic of becoming a teaching assistant even be raised.
It was a gradual process. Those who didn't understand the nuances and tried to make a direct, suggestive move were destined to fail; they had been weeded out long ago.
Even if such a "lucky" person existed, they would eventually bring about their own ruin.
As the mentors departed, only the students who had come to try their luck remained.
They looked at each other, and many of the senior sisters turned their gazes toward me.
After all, if there was a "biggest winner" from this opportunity, it was undoubtedly me.
"A pleasure to meet you. I’m Vian. May I get to know you?" The girl closest to me was the first to approach.
"Sure. My name is Yang Yuehan, but I don't have a business card on me at the moment. My apologies." I accepted the card she handed over—likely out of habit. It was small and very exquisite, and I tucked it away.
"Yang Yuehan? Are you the Xiao Han everyone’s been talking about lately?" A flash of surprise crossed Vian’s eyes. If she remembered correctly, wasn't that Xiao Han a freshman?
"If there isn't another one, then I’m the one you’re talking about." I didn't hide it.
After all, one must have different attitudes for different people.
"Seeing you is truly better than just hearing about you." Vian studied me more closely.
Perhaps this girl was rumored to be terrifying among the freshmen, but in the eyes of the senior sisters, she was someone who had reached their level of strength shortly after enrolling... an even more terrifying existence.
And now that they had witnessed the relationship between this Xiao Han and that Transcendent Witch, they believed they had found the key reason for her success.
But no one found this behavior shameful, because weren't they chasing the same thing right now? Being able to have a deep connection with a Transcendent Mentor was a testament to one's own ability.
With her lead, several other senior sisters took the chance to introduce themselves to me. I nodded and smiled at each of them without saying much.
As for the girl who had nearly started a spat with me earlier, she chose to slip away immediately. I thought she might either come over to apologize or throw out some parting threat, but she was so intimidated she just ran for it.
I didn't care, though. Who would hold a grudge when they were in such a good mood?
At this moment, nothing made me happier than reuniting with Sister Bai.
Just now, before Sister Bai left, she told me they had to go to the Academy Dean’s office. Although I knew exactly where that was, I didn't plan on barging in. I knew that even though my relationship with the Dean was ostensibly quite good, that wasn't an excuse to act recklessly. Showing up at an inappropriate time would likely annoy her.
At least, that’s what I thought.
Now that Sister Bai was back, I found myself acting in a way that contradicted my usual impulses. Perhaps I realized that I didn't just want to be stuck to Sister Bai’s side all day; rather, I wanted a sanctuary for my soul—a harbor that I could reach out and touch whenever I needed.
Yes, that was it!
Perhaps... I should create a special gift for Sister Bai. A gift that would allow her to summon me whenever she wanted to see me.
Combining the research materials on the Reverse Summoning Spell that Teacher Ji Niang had sent me, I had more or less mastered the technique.
Now, I just wasn't sure what to use as the medium for this summoning ritual.
The random things I’d given out before definitely wouldn't do. So... what should I send?
Myself?
That seemed like a great idea. As soon as the thought appeared, a concept quickly formed in my mind. It would be wonderful to send a figurine modeled after myself that she could place on her desk.
I took out several pieces of Mithril. Initially, I had considered Orichalcum, but the silvery-white of Mithril better complemented my white hair, so I settled on that.
Then, a refining array condensed in my hands. The pieces of Mithril turned into a soft, liquid-like fluid within the array, and under the guidance of my mental power, they began to slowly take shape.
In truth, for transcendent materials, using high-temperature flames to melt and reshape them was the crudest method. The heat and fire elements could even damage the internal transcendent structure, turning the material into scrap.
Red Copper, Mithril, and Orichalcum were among the few transcendent materials whose properties wouldn't be destroyed by high temperatures, which was one reason they served as currency.
However, the most efficient and convenient way to shape transcendent materials was through material refining techniques within alchemy.
After a short while, the refining array in my hand faded away.
I then gripped the small figure—the figurine—which was small enough to fit in my palm.
"Mmm~ I really am cute."
I held the little figurine between two fingers up against the sky. The exquisite little person wore a detailed witch outfit, her face glowing with a confident smile. One hand pressed down on the brim of her witch hat, while the other held a book.
Originally, I thought about having her hold a magic wand to fit the stereotype, but then I remembered that my wand was somewhat optional for me, so I changed the image. A book represented my pursuit of knowledge.
After admiring it for a moment, I solemnly put it away. I would give this to Sister Bai once she was finished with her business.
Just as I was about to head back, my phone suddenly rang. It was Hong Chenyi.
"Hello? Hong Chenyi, is there something important?" I asked as soon as I picked up.
"Sister Xiao Han, it’s almost noon. How about we go grab a bite? Yiren and Qiuling are here too."
"Wait, have you guys become addicted to group meals lately? Also, Hong Chenyi, I recall you have class today. Calling me at this hour... are you out of class already?"
"Uh... that, Sister Xiao Han, calm down, don't be so angry... our get-together is just a coincidence."
"I feel like you’re hiding something from me. You didn't get into trouble, did you?" I asked tentatively, my gaze instinctively drifting into the distance.
"How is that possible? We’re all good students! How could we get into trouble?"
"Is that so? By the way, you didn't follow me today, did you?" As I spoke, I looked toward the roof of a distant building again, but there was nothing there now.
Earlier, I had a faint sensation of being watched. It was like an instinctive sixth sense that had lasted for several hours, but now it was gone.
"No, no, definitely not!" she denied quickly.
But her tone only made me more suspicious.
"Really? Hong Chenyi, let me tell you something... I’ve been dumped."
"What? Sister Xiao Han! So you really were cuck—" Hong Chenyi blurted out in a panic, but halfway through, she realized she’d slipped up and quickly covered her mouth.
"Exposed, aren't you? I was lying. How could I be dumped? As for you three... are you that bored? The ones peeking at me from that rooftop earlier... it was you guys, wasn't it?"