Chapter 516: Coming Clean to the Dean
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 516: Coming Clean to the Dean
After playing with the kittens in the Witch Cat Cafe and spending some time with the Fool's Dream spirits, I finally took my leave, accompanied by their lingering, reluctant gazes.
There were many Witch Cat Cafes throughout the Witch Academy, but I hadn't visited many of them. I usually stuck to one or two regulars, which was why the Fool's Dream spirits here were so excited to see me.
One had even treated me to a cup of a Fool's Dream Drink she had mixed herself.
Holding the takeaway paper cup, I was surprised to find that the cafe had transitioned from made-to-order drinks to offering portable versions. It seemed the Fool's Dream Drink was quite a popular blended juice.
If only it weren't so expensive for a cup of juice...
Then again, the cost of the raw materials was high; they were all fruits infused with Transcendent power. Usually, only places like the Witch Cat Cafe, where drinks and desserts had a heavy markup, would have a market for them. After all, the senior sisters and teachers who frequented these places generally weren't short on cash.
"What are your plans now that we're back at the academy? Or are you going straight to see the Dean?" Sister Bai asked.
"Hmm... I'll head over to the Dean's office first to see if she's free. If not, I'll come back," I replied, taking a long sip of the drink. I savored the complex, fragrant aroma of the juice and the ritualistic derivations woven into its preparation.
A ritual rune flashed briefly in my eyes before being recorded into the Tree of Great Knowledge. It was a revelation contained within the Fool's Dream Drink. Comparing it to the runes I had gathered by chance before, I realized that drinks mixed by different Fool's Dream spirits didn't just taste slightly different—even the revelations they provided had subtle variations.
If I had the chance, I really ought to collect more of these revelations. There might be secrets hidden within that I hadn't discovered yet.
However, those were just incidental side projects. I had more important matters to attend to right now.
Since this involved the realm of a Great Spellbook, I naturally needed to consult the witch with the most insight on the subject. Among the witches I was familiar with, Teacher Ji Niang was still researching her [Transcendent Knowledge] and likely wouldn't have time. Thus, seeking out the Dean because of the Great Knowledge Seed wasn't too abrupt.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, I sent a message via my phone beforehand. If the Dean was busy, I didn't want to disturb her.
It didn't take long for the Dean to receive my message and reply.
"The Dean has a clone in her office right now. We can go see her," I told Sister Bai after seeing the response.
Sister Bai had mentioned earlier that she wanted to accompany me. Since I was going to see the Dean, she felt more at ease coming along.
After all, Sister Bai was a formal mentor, and having received favors from the Dean in the past, she had plenty of legitimate reasons to pay her a visit.
"Let's go, then. I'll go with you," Sister Bai said, taking my hand.
A teleportation channel suddenly tore open in front of us. Once we stepped through, we arrived at the Dean's office.
I had been here more than once—sometimes brought by Teacher Ji Niang, other times summoned. I felt quite at home here. Navigating by the familiar teleportation landmarks, we quickly reached the Dean's office.
"Is Xiao Han here? That was fast. Oh... and another one... Xiao Bai? Are you here with Xiao Han?"
As we entered the research-lab-turned-office, Dean Mei's voice drifted over.
When Sister Bai and I saw who was inside, we both froze for a moment. Aside from Dean Mei's clone, there was another figure sitting leisurely to the side.
And I recognized her!
"Hello, Dean Mei... Hello, Dean Bev," I greeted them hurriedly. This was the Dean's office, after all—was it really that strange for two Deans to be here?
Of course not...
But still... an epic meeting between two Deans... were they plotting some world-shaking secret?
I suppressed my curiosity and didn't ask. Sister Bai also politely greeted the two Deans. Wait... did the Dean just call Sister Bai "Xiao Bai"?
That was certainly an affectionate nickname...
"I didn't expect the person Old Mei said was coming would be you, Xiao Han. Long time no see," Dean Bev said with a smile.
"Is there something you need, Xiao Han? I happen to be free right now, so if you have questions, ask away," Dean Mei said, ignoring Bev Alanna and getting straight to the point. She skipped the small talk entirely.
"Yes, Dean," I nodded, stepping forward with Sister Bai. "I've recently derived a spell, and I wanted to ask for your opinion on a few things. Mostly, I'm just a bit unsure of myself."
"A spell? If it's something that brought you all the way here to ask me, it must be quite extraordinary," Dean Mei said with a smile.
She had a good understanding of this little girl. Usually, Xiao Han wouldn't ask for help unless she hit a real wall.
Take those dream spells she created in Ninglan New City, for instance. If others hadn't actively sought her out, those spells probably would have just sat in her hands while she researched them alone.
Furthermore, if it were just an ordinary spell, based on her knowledge of Xiao Han, the girl would have gone to Teacher Ji Niang first, not the Dean. She could still sense a faint, instinctive distance the girl kept from her, as if Xiao Han didn't quite realize how close their actual relationship had become.
"Yes, it is indeed a bit extraordinary," I nodded.
I glanced instinctively at Dean Bev, wondering if she had told Dean Mei about the Great Spellbook I had created. But even if she hadn't, I had to get past the Dean eventually, so there was no use worrying.
"It's a sequence derivation spell from a Great Spellbook," I said, taking out a seed I had "incubated" earlier. As soon as the seed appeared, the runes surrounding it surged. Upon closer inspection, the aura of a permanent spell effect characteristic of a Great Spellbook made both Deans catch their breath.
Dean Mei didn't even bother standing up from her chair; she simply teleported directly in front of me, her expression solemn.
"A Great Spellbook derivation spell?!" The Dean's gaze was locked onto the seed. "Have you named this derived spell?"
"Yes. The Great Knowledge Seed spell," I replied with a nod.
"The spell's aura... it doesn't seem like a derivation of the Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art..." Dean Mei's brow furrowed.
The Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art was a Great Spellbook she had created herself. No one knew it better than she did.
But the effect of the spell before her... its aura was clearly different from the Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art. Even if it were a derived spell, it should have shared the same source as the prototype.
At that moment, Dean Bev leaned in, her gaze somewhat helpless. "Xiao Han, why do you show everything to everyone?"
"What do you mean by that?" Seeing Bev Alanna's reaction, Dean Mei immediately sensed something was up and fixed her gaze on her.
"Exactly what it sounds like." Dean Bev didn't explain much, seemingly enjoying the look of confusion on Mei Lind's face. She even looked a bit smug.
"I don't recall you having a Great Spellbook of your own..."
Mei wasn't belittling Dean Bev; it was just that Bev wasn't the type to enjoy researching [Transcendent Knowledge]. She was a "violent blockhead" who preferred developing combat techniques and spellbooks, and she spent most of her time looking for fun. Where would she have gotten the means to create a Great Spellbook?
Even with her status as a Dean, Bev was the type of person that most research groups wouldn't want to include in Great Spellbook studies. At most... they'd let her test the power of the spells.
"Heh~ I don't have one, but there was a piece of [Transcendent Knowledge] in that small world we visited~" Bev Alanna turned her head away, a smile she couldn't hide playing on her lips, as if she were too dignified to explain further.
"Do you realize what you're saying!" Mei Lind froze for a moment, then asked in a low voice.
Was she implying that Xiao Han had completed the creation of a Great Spellbook in the few days she spent in that small world?
"Facts speak louder than words. I wasn't going to tell you, but since Xiao Han came here to bring it up herself, I might as well," Bev Alanna said complainingly before looking at me. "Xiao Han, remember this: don't always go around revealing your trump cards to others. Otherwise, a certain witch might get so discouraged she'll shut herself away..."
"Shut up, Bev Alanna... What do you take me for? I'm not that fragile. Admitting one's own limitations is the most basic quality of an Academic Witch. If Xiao Han encounters a problem she can't solve, she should be brave enough to ask. As her senior, would I ever harm her?"
"But Xiao Han isn't a Transcendent Witch yet. She still needs to be cautious where caution is due."
"Xiao Han is a Little Witch now. Believe it or not, I could go to the Little Witch Association right now and apply for her certification."
"Then go ahead," Bev Alanna said, looking like she was enjoying the show.
This actually left Dean Mei momentarily speechless.
"Hah... I fell for your trap..."
Mei Lind rubbed her forehead, feeling a bit of a headache. She had actually been played by Bev Alanna, that blockhead who only knew how to cast spells with brute force. But the shock of the idea that Xiao Han could create a Great Spellbook on her own was simply too great...
"I'll find time to handle that matter," Mei Lind said.
The community of Transcendent Witches was extremely exclusionary toward non-witches. Even Prospective Witches with implanted Mana Sources were only given a bit of extra consideration. A Little Witch certification, however, would make Transcendent Witches much more accepting of her. The difference was like the gap between looking at a gorilla versus a disabled person—it was the difference between being a different species and being one of their own.
"Let's get back to this," Dean Mei said, ignoring everyone else's opinions as she turned back to me. "This is called the Great Knowledge Seed, right? Is it a prototype Great Spell or a derived spell?"
"Yes, it's a derived spell," I said.
By now, I was also a bit confused. Dean Bev hadn't told Dean Mei about this?
Looking at how Dean Bev had just lectured me, it seemed she had intended to help me keep it a secret. Unfortunately, a Great Spellbook was destined to be impossible to hide.
"Then what is the name of the prototype spell?" Mei Lind asked.
The name of every Great Spellbook was typically chosen by the witch who created it. However, names weren't chosen randomly; no witch would "insult" their own achievement by giving such an important thing a nonsense name.
"The Tree of Great Knowledge."
"The Tree of Great Knowledge... it doesn't sound like a direct offensive spell." As she spoke, she looked at the seed floating in my hand. Even this derived spell didn't radiate any aggressiveness.
"Correct. It's a support-type spellbook, similar to the Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art."
"Another support-type?" Dean Mei nodded. She didn't look down on such spellbooks. A support-type spellbook could often achieve far more than an offensive one. Take her own Great Weakening Spell—it had no direct offensive power, but who would dare say it wasn't strong?
In the entire Main World, no one would call that spell weak.
"So, how did you create this spellbook? You shouldn't know the technique of Real Editing yet." Soon, more questions popped into Mei Lind's head. It was as if she were the one with questions for me, rather than the other way around.
"Mei, aren't you asking too many questions? I recall Xiao Han was the one who had questions for you," Bev Alanna interjected.
"Is that so? I suppose you're right. But I'm just trying to understand the situation. Aren't you curious? Just humor my curiosity, and let me get a better understanding of this Great Spellbook. Only by understanding it first do I have the right to speak on it. If I don't know anything, how can I answer Xiao Han's questions?" Dean Mei made no effort to hide her curiosity and thirst for knowledge. She asked directly about things she didn't understand, even if the person she was asking was just a student.
"It's fine. If it involves any privacy, you don't have to say. I won't pry. But if Xiao Han is willing to explain, I would be very happy."
"It's alright, it's not really a secret. Dean Mei is one of the teachers I trust," I said. At my words, the smile on Dean Mei's face grew even warmer.
"I indeed don't know Real Editing, so I couldn't use it to create a Great Spellbook. This spellbook was more of a lucky coincidence. Originally, it wasn't a Great Spellbook. I just gained some revelations from [Transcendent Knowledge] while in that small world. Based on those revelations, I derived a spell from the Memory Bookshelf spellbook. That was the initial prototype of this Great Spellbook. I called it the Tree of Knowledge."
"Memory Bookshelf... oh, that spellbook?" Mei Lind naturally remembered it. After all, she had encountered it during the Metamorphic Incubation process. She was the one who had helped Xiao Han preserve the memories within the Memory Bookshelf back then. "That spellbook could actually produce such a derivation? And then you used that derived spell to carry the [Transcendent Knowledge], right?"
"Yes, so it was very coincidental," I nodded.
"You can't call that a coincidence. If that derivation hadn't been guided by the revelations from that [Transcendent Knowledge], the spellbook would never have been qualified to carry it and evolve into a Great Spellbook. However, a Great Spellbook created this way is considered incomplete. How did you handle the Void Rift that appeared when it was created? Do you remember how many there were?"
"I helped handle it! There was one Void Rift. That's not a small amount; it at least reached the threshold for a Great Spellbook, didn't it?" Bev Alanna chimed in, her tone tinged with a hint of pride.
"Hmph~ Look at you, acting all high and mighty just because you got to help out a bit." Dean Mei rolled her eyes at Dean Bev, but she noted the information.
The birth of a Void Rift was the recognition of the Void itself. This proved that it truly possessed the rank of a Great Spellbook.
However, with this "shortcut" method, if she wanted to continue perfecting the Great Spellbook, the difficulty would be no less than the full preparation required to create one through the normal process. Moreover... this was a miracle that was nearly impossible to replicate.