Chapter 517: Support from Two Deans
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 517: Support from Two Deans
Dean Mei took a moment to compose herself and process the situation. Once she had verified the information, she returned to her seat.
Taking the [Great Knowledge Seed] from my hand, she began to inquire about its specifics.
I answered her truthfully, holding nothing back—especially regarding the precautions for the second stage of the seed's growth. If the Dean were to try stuffing her own "dark history" into it, I was terrified my only patron might just wipe me from existence.
I had a feeling even Dean Bev wouldn't be able to protect me then, so it was best not to go looking for unnecessary trouble.
As for Dean Bev, she was exactly as Dean Mei had described: a true amusement seeker. She asked me for a seed of her own and immediately began tinkering with it.
Facing two Deans at once, it would be a lie to say I wasn't nervous. However, they both felt quite approachable and didn't put too much pressure on me. Moreover, Sister Bai was right there beside me. Though she remained silent, her presence gave me immense courage; I knew she was firmly on my side.
"So this is the Tree of Knowledge nurtured within the Sea of Consciousness by the seed... It’s merely a spell effect, yet it inherits the permanent spell properties of a Great Spellbook. Better yet, it requires no additional consumption during use..."
As Mei Lind felt the [Great Knowledge Seed] sprout within her own Sea of Consciousness, she muttered the information she was gathering, recording it all into the Tree of Knowledge to share with me.
In just a short while—barely after getting her hands on it—the Dean used her vast experience and insight to complete the testing and categorization of the basic data I had gathered since condensing the seed.
Then, a figure appeared within both Dean Mei’s and my field of vision.
Since the [Great Knowledge Seed] was my spell effect, I could see the figure even when the Dean manifested the [Knowledge Shadow], despite it having no physical presence in reality.
"Hello, Dean Mei~ I wonder why you've called me out? What I know currently won't help you understand the [Great Knowledge Seed] any further, you know~"
The figure that suddenly appeared spoke to Mei Lind in a relaxed tone, though it carried a hint of respect for a senior.
"Interesting."
Regarding this "Xiao Han" before her, Dean Mei offered only a single-word critique: "Interesting."
She could tell that this auxiliary ability seemed to be a linked derivation borrowed from spells like [Illusion Clone]. Compared to the real Xiao Han, this illusory version lacked that sense of distance; she possessed a more vibrant, active personality. Perhaps this was what Xiao Han was supposed to be like in her own subconscious?
The real Xiao Han had never overcome the self-loathing rooted in her own self-perception. She maintained a distance in her social interactions and lacked the ability to perceive emotional nuances between people. Combined with her inferiority complex, this created a "combo skill" of sorts, resulting in the current situation where Dean Mei showered her with care, yet Xiao Han kept her at a respectful distance—a total mismatch in emotional communication.
Recognizing this gap in their perspectives, Mei Lind felt a wave of wry amusement. However, she didn't point it out directly; she didn't dislike their relationship as it was.
If Xiao Han were the lively, boisterous type, the Witch Academy would likely be in a state of even greater chaos. In fact, this so-called [Great Knowledge Seed] might have been promoted across the entire Academy before the Dean even knew what it was, leaving her to belatedly drag Xiao Han in for a lecture.
But... it would have only been a lecture.
She glanced at Xiao Han again. Mei Lind silently continued to fill the Tree of Knowledge with information. Among these "seeds of information" was a subtle hint of her own attitude; she hoped Xiao Han would be able to more clearly feel the affection she held for her.
However, as soon as that suggestive information was entered into the Tree of Knowledge, Mei Lind realized a problem.
"Xiao Han, you intend to promote this [Great Knowledge Seed] to the public, don't you?"
"Eh? Yes." Hearing the Dean address me suddenly, I nodded quickly.
"Then, have you thought about creating a 'Knowledge Firewall' for your Tree of Great Knowledge?" Mei Lind asked.
In truth, she didn't even need to ask; she knew the answer was no. She only needed to present the concept to make the girl realize there were domains she hadn't even considered.
"You must understand that while you wish to acquire knowledge from others, knowledge itself is a very abstract concept. Even knowledge that doesn't involve Transcendent power often carries a degree of suggestive influence. Long-term exposure to such knowledge can subtly alter a person's cognition."
Dean Mei’s expression suddenly turned solemn, as if what she was about to say was of the utmost importance.
"Furthermore, there is a category of knowledge in this world where simply perceiving or knowing it inflicts irreversible cognitive damage upon the understander. Xiao Han, have you considered the consequences if you were to receive that kind of information?"
"This..." My face paled slightly at the Dean's words. I truly hadn't thought about that... I had been too busy thinking about how to fleece everyone for benefits...
Of course. I had been blinded by my own habitual thinking and this massive achievement. This was a Transcendent world!
Beyond ordinary knowledge, there was [Transcendent Knowledge]. And if there were things like polluted knowledge, memes, or forbidden knowledge... I hadn't considered that those might be real threats.
"You haven't thought about it, have you?" Dean Mei offered a kind smile. At this stage, solving such a problem wasn't an immediate necessity—at least, she didn't believe such knowledge existed in the Main World specifically to harm Xiao Han.
Still, one couldn't be too careful. For instance, the seeds of memory and cognition she had shared contained her own goodwill, intended to indirectly bridge the distance Xiao Han felt toward her.
Because the current Xiao Han deserved better. Why shouldn't a student favored by the Dean have privileges?
Moreover, she was truly exceptional. No—given the achievements Xiao Han had already reached, "exceptional" was no longer enough to describe her.
"It's alright. Take it slow. Let's continue discussing this... Oh, right, Xiao Han, what was the original question you wanted to ask me?" Mei Lind was doing her best to show the gentleness a Dean should have toward her student.
Perhaps she had been too stern in her previous interactions with Xiao Han?
Well, it wasn't too late to change that first impression.
"Um, actually... I just wanted to ask if this could be promoted within the Witch Academy? Since this thing... well, it seems like it would have a pretty big impact on the Academy... I wanted to ask if there's anything I should watch out for..." Seeing the Dean finally return to the main topic, I hurriedly explained the reason for my visit.
While it was great that the Dean was helping me research the [Great Knowledge Seed] and providing constructive feedback, the prerequisite for all of it was that I needed an "audience" to serve as the carrier for this ability's spread.
"Why wouldn't it be allowed? This should be a good thing for the students of the Witch Academy. What are you afraid of?" Mei Lind affirmed my idea without hesitation.
"If you have an inspiration, follow it. There's no need to be timid in the Witch Academy. At worst, if you make a mess of things, am I not here as the Dean to cover for you? You should know that true geniuses do not fear so-called rules. Of course, ignoring rules doesn't mean ignoring your bottom line. No matter what one does, they need a bottom line; that is the one thing that cannot be broken."
"I understand." I nodded, unable to hide my joy. This was even more freedom than Sister Bai had predicted. These words were essentially the Dean personally giving me her backing and endorsement.
And seeing Dean Bev Alanna playing around happily on the side, I realized I now had the support of both Deans of the Witch Academy... This was a god-tier start!
"Of course, before you promote it, there are many details that need perfecting. For example... this thing you named the [Ley Line Information Identification Art]? That is a truly fascinating concept." As Mei Lind spoke, she looked at the information light screen before her, which displayed incredibly detailed records.
It was roughly on par with the Witch Academy's own research into the Ley Lines. This technique was both the foundation and the core technology of the Academy Network; the Ley Line Operating System was a piece of information interaction equipment built upon this very architecture.
With supreme authority over the Ley Line System, one could indeed retrieve the history and past recorded within the Ley Lines. With external equipment, one could even use Ley Line energy to accomplish incredible feats—essentially bypassing the restrictions of "Ley Line Spells" to manipulate Ley Line energy.
Yet, this ability bypassed the "dominating Ley Line energy" stage entirely through a spell, using the fundamental nature of a Great Spellbook to read Ley Line information directly. It was an irreproducible ability, but it had to be said that this method allowed her to "overtake on a curve," reaching a level comparable to the Academy Network in certain aspects.
Furthermore... Mei Lind noted that the identified information could even form basic images and sound. With a few more technical breakthroughs, it could fully reach the high-definition standards of the Ley Line Live Streams on the Academy Network.
"Xiao Han, have you thought about placing restrictions on the information identified by the [Ley Line Identification Art]? Or perhaps grading the display of identified information? This ability is simply too heaven-defying..." Mei Lind began, but she didn't finish. After all, she had just boasted that she would cover for her. However, if every student possessed such a terrifying means of information acquisition, the impact on the Witch Academy as a whole would be monumental.
Even she had to admit that the thing Xiao Han had cooked up this time was a bit too influential.
"Information grading... Right! It definitely should be graded. Some information really shouldn't be known by everyone, or it might cause a degree of mass panic. In fact, the identified content should be linked with the [Knowledge Shadow] to filter itself, censoring anything inappropriate to maintain the harmonious atmosphere of the Witch Academy!" I nodded, in total agreement with the Dean.
"Ha... there's no need to be quite so official about it," Mei Lind said, feeling a bit sheepish. Even as the Dean, she hadn't thought this much about the Academy's well-being.
"Xiao Han, since you plan to promote the [Great Knowledge Seed], knowing your personality, do you want to stand in the spotlight and be admired, or would you rather stay in the shadows and quietly reap the benefits? I'm guessing you'd choose the latter?" The Dean decided to change the subject; she was worried Xiao Han might say something even more outrageous.
"That... I actually haven't thought about it. But at this stage, my cultivation rate for the [Great Knowledge Seed] can't keep up, so I'm not in a rush. If I had to decide now, though, I'd definitely choose the latter. I don't like being too high-profile." I replied after a moment of thought.
"In that case, have you tried changing the image of the [Knowledge Shadow]? You probably don't want everyone running around with a 'Little Xiao Han' in the future, do you? Perhaps you need a substitute to replace your image."
"A substitute..." At the Dean's suggestion, an image quickly came to mind. "Fool's Dream! How about trying Fool's Dream? After all, Fool's Dream is quite popular at the Witch Cat Cafe..."
"Fool's Dream? That's an idea." Mei Lind was naturally familiar with Fool's Dream. Thinking of the image she had helped create, it was indeed a cute little thing.
With that, the promotion plan and prototype for the [Great Knowledge Seed] reached its initial conclusion.
The conversation that followed moved into professional domains that Dean Bev Alanna and Sister Bai couldn't participate in.
"Bai Yu, sister~ we've been excluded by those two." Bev Alanna was the first to approach Bai Yu, sounding like they were in the same boat.
After all, she had come here to talk to Mei Lind about the Game World they had encountered in that small world. She had already "acted first and reported later" by throwing out the bait; now, that world had already begun sending "Vanguard Players" to descend upon the Main World, bold as brass.
One had to remember that that world held a fragment of [Transcendent Knowledge].
The various academies were "fairly" competing for that fragment. While the Witch Academy didn't lack such things, they weren't generous enough to just hand it over.
Thus, the next script node would be the collision between the Main World's Child of Destiny and these players, as well as the seizing of the Main World's Luck collected by those players.
However, the Witch Academy knew its own business. Once something was included in a script node, it was a tacit rule that the Transcendent level could not intervene. But they had Xiao Han as their trump card, so they weren't too worried. Xiao Han was a natural troublemaker; if she had the ability to get her hands on that thing, what would be the harm in giving her another piece of [Transcendent Knowledge]?
"Yes. But I truly don't have the ability to participate in a conversation of that level. Since you've come to see Dean Mei, you must have something very important to discuss, right? Are we being too much of a disturbance?" Sister Bai responded to Bev Alanna.
"Just call me Bev, or we can call each other sisters. I did come to talk to Old Lady Mei about some things, but I'm in no rush. How about I tell you instead? Since they're chatting, we might as well chat too. I'm sure we have plenty in common." Bev Alanna acted like an old friend, putting an arm around Bai Yu's shoulder. "Want to hear some of the deeper secrets of the Main World? As a Dean, I know quite a bit, and I rarely get to tell anyone. This time... well, consider it a special occasion."