Chapter 505: A Belated Apology
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 505: A Belated Apology
“Mm-hmm... that’s right, I’m vacationing here in the Bobapus Archipelago. Thank you for your concern, Teacher Ji Niang.”
“Then have a wonderful time. I won’t disturb you any longer.” Teacher Ji Niang’s voice came through the phone. She didn't offer excessive pleasantries; after a bit of small talk to confirm my situation, she hung up to let us enjoy our break.
After all, the semester had come to an end. As my former counselor, Teacher Ji Niang had always kept an eye on me. She’d mentioned that she would watch the livestream of the Joint Exam when she had the time, just to see if I had left behind any "glorious achievements."
I was also technically a member of Teacher Ji Niang’s [Transcendent Knowledge] research group, though I hadn't actually helped her research anything of substance. After a certain “accident,” it seemed I hadn't made any further contributions.
I always felt that accident was a bit too coincidental, but... even if Dean Mei was hiding something from me, it didn't matter. That affair was in the past.
I wondered how Qiu Ruxin was doing. Since she was a transfer student who arrived at the very end of the semester, she hadn't participated in the Joint Exam. Moreover, she still had to deal with the severance of her own Ley Line Shackles and the resulting inability of her Mana Source and spellbooks to bear the load. The pressure she faced was truly immense.
It had been a while since I last saw her. Sister Bai was the one who took her to register... but I didn't dwell on it. I couldn't let my good mood be interrupted by such things.
I was currently reclining on a beach lounger, looking out at the distant waves and the shoreline. A parasol blocked the direct sunlight, casting a warm, hazy glow through its translucent fabric.
Now that I was actually here, the experience wasn't quite as wonderful as I had imagined. Perhaps I had set my expectations for the beach, beautiful girls, the seaside, and "passion" a bit too high.
I adjusted my translucent sun-protection cover-up and the sunglasses perched on my head. Beneath the cover-up, I wore a bikini with a small skirt; my curves were still visible through the sheer fabric. My long, silver-white hair draped loosely behind me, while the hair tie I usually used was looped casually around my right wrist.
Girls passing by on the beach—some I knew, some I didn't, and some who just looked familiar—would all greet me warmly as "Teacher." They did so naturally, without any of the awkwardness one might expect given that we were the same age.
Did they not know that, not long ago, I was a student just like them?
They knew. My attitude toward these students had never changed; only my status had. Status granted me power, which earned their respect, and my strength silenced any potential dissent. Thus, the students who greeted me with a smile were not the ones who would provoke me to my face. Those who remained defiant only did so from the shadows.
“Xiao Han, you said we were coming to the beach to have fun, but are you just going to lie here and watch everyone else play?”
A voice filled with curiosity suddenly broke my train of thought. A figure was slowly walking toward me from the distance—it was Sister Bai!
Sister Bai brushed her long hair back with one hand. She wore a simple bikini that pressed into her skin just enough to accentuate her soft curves.
She walked toward me against the light, her silhouette a perfect blend of sexiness and elegance. Her deep blue swimwear was accented with white wave patterns. As she reached me, the shadow of her perfect figure fell over me. Every movement she made carried an air of intellectual beauty.
“Of... of course! I don't really want to play those games...” Seeing Sister Bai dressed like this made my heart skip a beat, even though I had already seen her earlier.
My words felt a bit flimsy.
But I wasn't lying. Things like surfing or beach volleyball were honestly quite boring to me. Besides, I wasn't very close with the other girls. Given my overwhelming physical stats, if I joined a team, I’d probably just end up crushing the opposition. There was no fun in that.
“Then what do you want to play?” Sister Bai didn't seem frustrated by my answer. Instead, she lay down on the lounger next to mine and looked at me.
“I... I don't know. I imagined I could manage my time with ease, but aside from researching Transcendent matters, I have nothing else. I know I need to enjoy life, but I’ve lost the ability to simply mingle and share in the joy of others. I’ve mapped out the direction and focus of my life, but I don't know how to fill the gaps between those milestones while walking the path...”
“...”
Sister Bai hadn't expected a simple greeting to open such a deep conversation.
The topic was clearly at odds with the current atmosphere, yet it was heavy enough that we could hear each other's breathing and heartbeats.
“So... Sister Bai, can you help me fill those gaps? When I’m free, I’ll think of you. When I’m busy, I’ll make time to think of you. Just... please don't find me annoying?”
“Is Xiao Han already starting to ponder such profound questions?” Sister Bai didn't respond directly, choosing instead to offer a compliment. “But... to put it another way, are you contemplating the meaning of life?”
“Ugh... something like that.”
“Well then, whether it’s the meaning of life or the meaning of living, if a person spends their entire life searching for that meaning, doesn't the process itself count as a form of meaning?”
“Oh... what a cliché answer. But I suppose it counts,” I said, nodding. It wasn't much different from the "chicken soup for the soul" I’d read before. “Forget it, I’m overthinking. Even if I do nothing and just space out, the rest I gain from it is a form of meaning in itself.”
“It’s good that you can see it that way. The worst thing a person can do is think too much. Since... if the meaning of life is something one must search for, then you might as well find some fun in the gaps of living. That is the realization of a lifetime granted by the eternal longevity of a Transcendent Witch.” Having said this, Bai Yu let out a sigh of relief.
She wasn't particularly good at counseling people, especially when it came to philosophical views on the meaning of life.
“Finding fun... that fits my perception of Transcendent Witches perfectly. Oh, right, Sister Bai, why don't you tell me about the Abyssal Demons? How are those guys doing?” I asked curiously.
“Them? They’ve managed to settle into the Main World without too much trouble. Currently, they’re actively integrating into the system established by the various Transcendent Academies. After about half a semester of organization, they should be ready for the next freshman intake.” Sister Bai followed my lead and changed the subject.
“That fast? I thought they’d face a lot more resistance coming in,” I remarked.
“Fast? Several Transcendent Abyss Lords fell during their entry into the Main World. It’s a pity I didn't manage to snag one in time...” Sister Bai said with a look of genuine regret.
“They were that sought after? Even you couldn't get one, Sister Bai?” I was surprised. I had been worried about her back then, but it turned out the Abyssal Demons were that pathetic?
“Of course. I was just a bit slow to act. I didn't expect the others to be so decisive. Still... it won't be long before a Transcendent Academy named 'Abyssal Demon' starts building up hype.” Sister Bai smiled, then picked up a coconut sitting nearby and took a sip through the straw.
“Hey! Hey! Sister Bai, that’s mine!”
“I know. Won't you let me have a drink? Or I could show you how to crack a coconut with my bare hands and open another one for you?” she asked with a grin.
“Huh? No thanks...” I knew Sister Bai was highly skilled in Body Cultivation, but the image of her smashing a coconut with her bare hands... shudder.
Just as I was about to say something else, I froze.
“What is it... hm? Oh.” Sister Bai was confused for a moment, but she quickly noticed the group of figures in the distance. “Heh heh. Xiao Han, your trouble is back.”
“Yeah... can't be helped. But we still have to go through the motions,” I said helplessly. I pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes, pretending I hadn't seen them.
The people approaching were, of course, Tan Han and her group. I imagined she must have been agonizing over this for the past two days.
I instinctively checked the information presented by my Qi Observation Art and quickly found the answer. This was a hurdle that couldn't be avoided.
“Xiao Han, you’re here...”
“Hmm?” I pushed up the sunglasses I had just put on, feigning surprise. “You actually found me here? Are you all here to play too?”
“No. I heard someone saw you here, so I came specifically to find you,” Tan Han explained.
Tan Han and her companions were dressed in light summer clothes, but they didn't look like they were there to enjoy the water. Or rather, they were in no mood for it.
“Specifically to find me?” I scanned them, a slight smile playing on my lips. My gaze eventually settled on the girl named Xiao You. “Here to apologize?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, Xiao Han. Because of my situation, you’ve been subjected to all this undeserved trouble.” As Tan Han spoke her apology, the girls behind her lowered their heads, unable to look me in the eye, murmuring their own apologies.
I would accept their apologies, of course. I would forgive them, but the apology itself was mandatory. Everything has a price. Right now, they were the ones panicking, the ones embarrassed, and the ones suffering.
How I chose to react was my business. An apology is never as simple as just saying "I'm sorry." If a single "sorry" could fix everything, the world would be in chaos.
Just because Xiao You was apologizing sincerely now, did that mean the previous incident never happened?
When she had arrogantly snatched that storage card full of spellbooks before I could even finish speaking, had she thought about this moment?
I still had a record of her face from that day stored within the Tree of Knowledge. That memory was nearly at the point where the Tree of Great Knowledge would automatically purge it as "trash," but I had intentionally preserved it. Until I heard a sincere apology with my own ears, I would never destroy that footage.
I listened as Tan Han offered a formal apology and explained their actions over the past few days. She made several guarantees, her posture incredibly humble. Seeing her like this made me feel a bit dazed; it reminded me of the beginning of the semester.
Time had proven my growth. Our positions had been completely reversed.
Had Tan Han grown?
She probably had. She had learned to stay calm under pressure, to humble herself, and to sincerely admit her mistakes.
On a deeper level, this mistake wasn't even really Tan Han's fault, yet she had stepped forward to shoulder the burden. That was her choice.
She had lost a lot on this trip, but she had also gained a lot. According to Tan Han, she had completely disbanded the Tan Han Fan Club after the Joint Exam. Even though she hadn't been the one to start it—it was just a group of people who had spontaneously organized to support her—once she withdrew her recognition of their "legitimacy," they became the biggest laughingstocks of the Witch Academy. It meant they could no longer use her name to seek personal gain.
In a way, this was Tan Han lightening her own load.
As for what she gained... the people still following her now were her greatest harvest.
Tan Han didn't need a massive crowd of supporters. In this regard, she seemed to be taking a page out of my book. She no longer projected her goodwill toward everyone, but she still maintained her own small circle. This was where her path diverged from mine.
I didn't have many friends. The only ones I truly recognized as followers were the three Fool's Dream spirits.
After Tan Han finished the most important matters, she was the first to express her regrets, followed by the girls behind her—who were also beneficiaries of those spellbooks.
Finally, Xiao You stepped forward, clutching a storage card in both hands. It was the same one Tan Han had given out.
“Teacher Xiao Han... I’m sorry. The spellbooks inside aren't all here yet. As for the missing ones... I—I will find a way to recover them as quickly as possible...”
“You should recover them. After all, if you take something you shouldn't have... you have to give it back eventually.” I smiled as I took the card from her.
I knew very well how difficult it would be to get those books back, but she had brought this on herself. It was only right that she handle the recovery. My words weren't just directed at the people who had taken the books and then cut ties with the Fan Club; they were also a jab at Xiao You herself for taking them from me so easily in the first place.
However, I didn't intend to keep these spellbooks for myself. I never truly wanted them. If I kept them, the entanglement with their Luck would be even greater. For anything obtained without effort, the world has already marked a price on the back. These spellbooks were no exception.
“Tan Han, your performance in the Joint Exam was excellent. When I announced that the exam would continue... I believe I said that if you performed well, I would reward you. I hope you won't turn this down.” I handed the spellbooks back to Tan Han. “As for how to distribute them... that’s up to you. You were one of the leaders for the Witch Academy this time, after all. Naturally, this reward includes the spellbooks that haven't been recovered yet. I won't interfere in this matter any further; you’ll have to work that out yourselves. You know me best—I hate trouble.”
“Thank you...” Tan Han hesitated for a moment before accepting them. I had already discussed this with her previously.
No matter how much she tried to decline, it wouldn't change my decision. Let this game of passing things from one hand to the other return to her.
Otherwise, if I became too entangled in the Luck of the Script, I feared my Qi Observation Art would become too volatile with variables. I suppose that is the price of entering the fray.