Chapter 452: Tan Han Accepts Her Defeat
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 452: Tan Han Accepts Her Defeat
"So... Xiao Han, you've actually been through so much. It's completely beyond my expectations."
After listening to my story, Bai Yu finally snapped out of her slight shock.
Though I spoke lightly and kept the details brief, Bai Yu could hear the hardships hidden between the lines. Whether it was facing an unknown world or those eerie Secret Digger players, none of them were easy to deal with.
And... the fact that there was a Child of Destiny in that small world trying to steal Xiao Han away from her—that was what she found most intolerable. That was blatant poaching!
"Well, whatever happened is in the past. Neither the natives of that world nor those players can hurt me anymore. The only pity is that the Reverse Summoning Spell can't lock onto that world's coordinates."
"Even if you could, Xiao Han, you mustn't go there recklessly. Do you understand?"
"I know, I know~ Anyway, it's not my problem to worry about, and I'm too lazy to take that kind of risk." I waved my hand to reassure Sister Bai. As expected, whenever my personal safety was involved, Sister Bai would become exceptionally serious and persistent.
The topic of the small world finally came to a tentative end as we finished our meal.
However, given the upcoming written exam and my current mastery of the material, I had no reason to keep lingering with Sister Bai. Before we parted ways, I finally presented her with the Mithril Figurine.
"This is a figurine for you~ It's the most special summoning beacon I've ever made. If you ever want to see me, Sister Bai, you can activate it at any time. No matter where I am, even if we're separated by two worlds, I'll be able to feel its call. It's the most unique one I've produced."
"Is that so? Then... I'll accept it." Sister Bai looked at the little Mithril figure in her hand. She didn't refuse; after all, she couldn't turn down a figurine that could summon Xiao Han at a moment's notice, could she?
"Actually, I finished making this a long time ago, but I never found the right chance to give it to you. Now that it's yours, don't do anything weird to it, okay?~"
"What do you take me for? How could I do anything to a little figurine? Alright, alright, if there's nothing else, you should head back, Xiao Han. The teaching assistant written test is in two days. Don't go dropping the ball on that." Sister Bai spoke with mock annoyance, quietly tucking the figurine away.
"Don't worry~ I won't be tripped up by a little hurdle like that... Hm?" Just as I was speaking, my phone suddenly buzzed.
"Who's calling? Is it something important?"
"Oh, it's nothing." I glanced at the caller ID. It was actually Tan Han.
I didn't pick up immediately, choosing to decline the call for now. Given my current relationship with Tan Han, her contacting me at this time was most likely related to those spellbooks of hers, which was a minor matter to me.
"Are you sure it's nothing?"
"Aiya~ It's fine. Let me walk with you a bit longer, Sister Bai. Think of it as helping our digestion?"
"Alright then."
* * *
"Sister Tan Han, did she... just hang up on you?"
The girls gathered around Tan Han saw her put her phone down before she could even say a word, and they easily guessed the outcome.
"Yeah, she declined the call. Maybe she's busy," Tan Han said, shaking her head.
"Sister Tan Han, maybe she really doesn't want those spellbooks?"
"Exactly, Sister Tan Han. To be honest, there's no need for you to practically beg that girl to take them."
"This is more than half of your net worth. If you give it all away, your strength will definitely take a massive hit."
The girls around Tan Han were all trying to persuade her to stop being so persistent. From their perspective, Tan Han had never done anything wrong. On the contrary, that Yang Yuehan was cold and aloof all day, had no friends, yet had lucked into a massive windfall.
The other girl could get all of Tan Han's spellbooks without doing a thing... It wasn't that they were greedy, but if Tan Han distributed those spellbooks among her supporters, their group would reach a level in the freshman class that others could only dream of. They could even use it to build momentum and launch a public relations strike against the other Children of Destiny.
"Enough. This was decided from the start. This is the second time I've failed to seize the opportunity. I accept my defeat. I know she might not necessarily want these spellbooks, but I cannot not give them. Do you understand?" Tan Han had already explained the reasons and her considerations to them before, but clearly, they hadn't listened.
Perhaps some had, like Minian and Hettie. They were close friends who had fought alongside Tan Han. But in the face of so many people, the best they could do was refrain from joining the clamor; their voices were simply drowned out by the crowd.
"I still don't get it. I don't understand why anyone would refuse spellbooks. Sister Tan Han, you're even giving away an Over-consumption Spellbook! What reason does she have to say no? With that, Yang Yuehan would have at least three Over-consumption Spellbooks, wouldn't she? She's a freshman just like us. Can she even handle a gift like that?"
Tan Han fell silent after hearing the girl's resentful words. It wasn't because she thought the girl was right, but because she was also wondering if Xiao Han could handle the reality of a freshman owning three Over-consumption Spellbooks.
When Tan Han had only one, she had already been harassed by upperclassmen. As for Xiao Han... she wasn't sure. Perhaps she had been bothered by those seniors as well.
Just as Tan Han thought things were at a standstill, she suddenly received a text message from Xiao Han.
“I was busy just now. If you want to talk, let's meet in person. How about the Witch Cat Cafe?”
Looking at the message and the location pin, Tan Han understood immediately. Xiao Han wanted to meet offline. This was for the best; face-to-face communication was more convenient than talking over the phone.
"Xiao Han replied. She was busy earlier. Um... she wants to meet me at the Witch Cat Cafe."
"She actually replied? Does she really want those spellbooks?"
"Alright, stop with the nonsense. You're acting like you want to drag her through the mud regardless of whether she accepts them or not." Tan Han finally slammed her hand on the table.
This was the first time she had shown her emotions to the group. Previously, Tan Han had always been mindful that they were people who chose to follow her voluntarily, and she wanted to honor their support.
But as time passed, she found herself trapped and unable to act freely. She was subtly changing herself to cater to others, a feeling that was particularly sharp in this moment, yet she felt powerless to stop it.
With Tan Han's outburst, everyone could hear the restraint in her voice. Even so, the unintentional pressure she radiated made her supporters catch their breath.
Whether Tan Han's emotional words caused any of them to reflect was unknown.
One shouldn't think these people were simply ugly or greedy; they were just "striving" for their interests in their own way. If they could gather under Tan Han's banner, wasn't it because they were a community of shared interests?
They believed Tan Han could be a leader who brought them more benefits, not someone who went out of her way to give her own things to someone else.
In this moment, it seemed as if no one was wrong, yet everyone was. But one thing remained certain: Tan Han would not change her mind.
Tan Han typed out a reply, agreeing to the meeting. "Alright, I'm heading over now. Everyone else can head out."
"Sister Tan Han! Let me go with you!"
"Yeah, I'll come along. It's better to have someone there for backup."
"No need. Thank you for the offer, but this isn't a situation for a third party. I can handle it alone. Let's just put a final period on this matter."
Seeing Tan Han's resolve, the girls had nothing left to say and watched her leave.
Once Tan Han was out of sight, the girls remaining in the room looked at each other.
"Um... what do we do now?"
"I still don't get it. I'm going to follow her and see."
"Hey! Isn't that a bit much?"
"What's wrong with it? I'm going too. I don't believe Sister Tan Han is giving those spellbooks to Yang Yuehan willingly!"
"Count me in. By the way, does anyone know where she's going?"
* * *
Witch Cat Cafe.
After parting with Sister Bai, I replied to Tan Han's message. After all, I was the one who hung up on her, so I invited her out to clear things up in person.
Our meeting during the last monthly exam had been a bit rushed; this time, I wanted to be more explicit.
I arrived at the Witch Cat Cafe early. Since it was a place I frequented, I had already left a teleportation mark nearby.
It wasn't very late yet, but Sister Bai and I had eaten an early dinner.
The Witch Cat Cafe wouldn't close so early. In fact, it had a night shift. Cats are nocturnal creatures, after all, and some high-end cat-petting guests enjoyed "hunting" the late-night, dejected hostess cat-girls. This was one of the cafe's unique features.
It was just a bit hard on the front desk senior sister, who had to work the shifts. Night shifts were truly boring.
"Is there any Fool's Dream Drink left? I'll take a freshly prepared one."
"A fresh one is a bit pricey~"
"It's fine," I said nonchalantly, pulling out my Gold Cat Card and handing it over.
"Understood. I'll go see which Fool's Dream is available right now~" Seeing the Gold Cat Card, the girl didn't hesitate and immediately got to work.
Before long, a cat-girl waitress arrived carrying a tray of tools. A cute little Fool's Dream sat on her shoulder, leisurely swinging her tiny feet.
From the waitress's satisfied smile, it was clear she didn't mind at all. After all, who could refuse a tiny cat-girl sitting on their shoulder, swinging her little feet?
"Ah! It's Sister Xiao Han!" The Fool's Dream had thought she was just preparing a drink for a regular guest, but she hadn't expected to be serving Sister Xiao Han!
It was an absolute honor! She scrambled down impatiently.
"Hehe~ It looks like you're doing well at the cafe. I'll have to trouble you to help me mix the Fool's Dream Drink this time, okay?" I patted the cute Fool's Dream and smiled.
The tiny Fool's Dream stood on a raised platform specially made for her kind by the cafe. Dressed in a cute cat-girl uniform, she was the perfect trigger for any girl's love of cute things.
"Ehehe~ It's my honor to mix a Fool's Dream Drink for Sister Xiao Han!"
Seeing the Fool's Dream enter her "work mode," I decided not to tease her further. Watching the tiny Fool's Dream mix the drink with such efficiency was a unique aesthetic experience. From juicing the fruit to blending the liquids, every step was a perfect visual treat.
Soon, the Fool's Dream Drink was ready. The Fool's Dream who made it personally handed the glass to me.
"Thank you~"
I took the glass and swirled the liquid, admiring the brilliant colors of the setting sun refracting through the drink.
Finally, I took a small sip. That unique sensation exclusive to the Fool's Dream Drink immediately made me feel refreshed. Although the taste of a Fool's Dream-prepared drink was slightly different from one I made myself, the difference in the experience was refreshing in its own way.
The leisurely Fool's Dream didn't rush to leave. As a cat-girl Fool's Dream in the Witch Cat Cafe, no one could force them to do anything they didn't want to do. If she wanted to stay here, no one would object.
I waited for Tan Han to arrive.
During the interval, I chatted with the Fool's Dream to learn a bit about how they were doing, mostly just to pass the time.
To my surprise, before I could even finish my drink, I saw a familiar figure at the door. I admitted I was drinking slowly, but... Tan Han had arrived incredibly fast.
Did she fly here at top speed on her broom? I had high confidence in the speed of an alchemical broom, after all.
"Um, could you get me another set of ingredients for a Fool's Dream Drink?" I asked the Fool's Dream, who was now lying lazily on the table.
"Mm, wait a moment, Sister Xiao Han. I'll go right now~"
As the Fool's Dream sped off, I turned my gaze to Tan Han.
"Tan Han, over here," I said, smiling and waving her over.
"Sorry, I'm a bit late." Tan Han let out a sigh of relief upon seeing me and sat down directly across from me.
"You're not late at all. I'm the one who called you out. Let me treat you to a Fool's Dream Drink. It's a new specialty here at the cafe."
"Thank you. I've heard of the cafe's Fool's Dream Drink." She had actually had it before in the Fool's Village Secret Realm, but she didn't mention that.
"Is that so? I didn't realize it had become so famous." I chuckled, then got straight to the point. "But let's talk business first. I was busy when you called earlier, so I should apologize for that. However, I'm still a bit curious—what did you want to talk to me about?"
"It's nothing. But as for why I'm looking for you... you're being a bit coy by asking that, aren't you?" Tan Han said with a faint smile.
"True." I was indeed stating the obvious. But before we dove into that topic, I was curious about something else. If Tan Han was returning the spellbooks, it meant she hadn't succeeded in the Monthly Exam Combat Test. She had failed the challenge.
What had that failure brought her, and would she rise to the challenge and try again?
"I'm curious, though—did you go back to challenge it again?"
"Yes, of course," Tan Han replied succinctly.
"And did you succeed?" I asked with a smile, appearing completely unafraid that she might surpass me through constant practice.
"No. I took out all the spellbooks that no longer belong to me, which made the gap between us even more apparent. But I believe that one day, I will defeat the data you left behind."
"Is that so? Then I wish you success. After all, it's just data—it won't improve. It's only a matter of time before you surpass it. Here's a suggestion: maybe you should try challenging yourself—challenging a data-synced version of yourself." I offered her my sincere encouragement.
During the monthly exam, she had used the spellbooks I had temporarily returned, and even then, she hadn't won. Now, she had stripped those spellbooks away to face the challenge head-on...
That kind of spirit deserved my respect. In my eyes, Tan Han wasn't trying to defeat me at this stage; she was trying to defeat herself.
As for me, defeating that data that was once my equal had only taken a single battle.
"Then I'll thank you in advance for the blessing and the suggestion."