Chapter 530: Choosing a Custom Weapon
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 530: Choosing a Custom Weapon
The class finally came to an end.
"So? Did the content of my lecture help resolve any of your troubles?" the witch mentor asked with a smile. Class was over, and while the other students were filing out, she remained behind to tidy up her teaching materials.
"Thank you, Mentor. I've benefited greatly," I said, speaking up before Sister Bai could.
"Then it seems this lecture wasn't a waste of time. Now that we're dismissed, is there anything else you'd like to consult me on? I can spare a bit more time to chat with you."
"Thank you, Teacher, but I haven't run into any real difficulties yet. I just felt bad for dropping into your class so suddenly and causing extra trouble. I've already settled the course fees, and I'd like you to have this—consider it a small token of my appreciation," I said, presenting a small, square crystal.
This crystal was something a certain Witch Sister had created by accident. Its only function was to serve as a carrier for a Great Knowledge Seed. Since the Great Knowledge Seed was a Great Spell effect—permanent and self-sustaining—it didn't actually need a carrier. This made the crystal practically useless, serving as nothing more than a physical shell for the seed, but it did make for a more formal-looking gift.
However, that sister wasn't satisfied with just that. I heard she had started working on a way to mimic the crystals found in the Sea of Consciousness, which would allow the Great Knowledge Seed to sprout directly within the carrier. That way, one could observe the seed's growth directly in the material world.
"This! A Great Knowledge Seed?" The mentor froze for a moment upon seeing what I had produced, but she recovered quickly. "To give away a Great Knowledge Seed as a gift... you must be that Xiao Han everyone’s been talking about lately, aren't you? I didn't make the connection immediately."
She let out a soft laugh, looking genuinely surprised, but reached out to accept the seed regardless. "Since it's a gift from Xiao Han, I'll gladly accept. I wish you two eternal happiness~ Of course, if you ever run into any little 'problems,' feel free to contact me. I'm quite an expert at handling relationship issues. Though, I hope you never have a reason to call me, so... I won't give you my contact info just yet."
"Oh... is that so? Then I'll take that as a blessing~" I replied quickly. Her logic was certainly unique—but then again, she was a witch.
"Mhm. Of course, if you do want to consult me, aside from my regular lectures, you can also get in touch with that girl Dinah. She keeps insisting she's your best friend, your 'bestie,' and all that. I've heard her talk about it so much these past few days that I've practically grown calluses on my ears. But no matter how much I heard, it doesn't compare to seeing you in person. Xiao Han, you really are... even cuter than the rumors say."
"Thank you for the compliment. We'll be taking our leave now~"
"Until fate brings us together again."
After saying goodbye to the mentor, I followed Sister Bai out of the teaching building. This class had truly shown me that the Witch Academy really did have a course for everything—even one that taught people how to be in love. Come to think of it, it wasn't that strange.
As for Sister Bai...
"Sister Bai, after all those love lessons these past few days... did you actually learn anything? How about I give you a chance right now to try those techniques out on me? I'll be very cooperative~" I teased, nudging her with my elbow and grinning.
"Sure~" Sister Bai didn't hesitate. But as I waited to see what she would do, I felt her hands dart toward my waist.
"Wait, tickling? That's your—haha... Hey! Eek~ Haha, stop... stop it, haha! Spare me!" I tried to act tough when I realized what she was doing, but the next second, my body's instinctive reaction to the tickling completely shattered my confidence.
"Foul! That's a foul! What kind of technique is that!?" I shouted as soon as I managed to escape her clutches.
"Well, did you laugh happily just now? You looked very happy when you laughed, Xiao Han. And your voice sounded lovely~" Sister Bai argued, looking as innocent as could be.
"Is... is that so?" Being praised so suddenly made me blush instinctively.
It felt like... I really hadn't let go and laughed like that very often.
Besides, as a Body Cultivator, the fact that I couldn't even suppress my physical instincts just now meant Sister Bai must have pulled some kind of trick on me.
"I guess your 'technique' passes, then." I decided not to press the issue. After all, I had paid attention during that lecture too.
For a couple where both parties are taking love courses, constantly expecting the other to create "expectations" for them is actually a way of putting unilateral pressure on the partner. One shouldn't expect too many surprises; it's a never-ending gamble. One wrong move, and instead of a surprise, you get disappointment—something neither side wants.
Therefore, the best approach is to actively suggest things that both parties can enjoy, a process built on mutual understanding. Otherwise, asking for something the other person can't provide would just be awkward.
"Sister Bai, do you have any plans for the rest of the day?"
"Nothing urgent. But what about you, Xiao Han? I heard you've been quite busy lately."
"Oh, well~ I'm not busy anymore. I just wasn't used to having so many people around to help me before. Let's not talk about that headache-inducing stuff. Since we're both free, why don't we do something more meaningful?"
"Okay~ What did you have in mind?" Sister Bai asked expectantly.
"Hmm... Sister Bai, do you think I should... make myself a weapon?" As I spoke, I pulled out the short magic wand that had been sitting in my storage equipment for a long time.
Thinking back to the opening ceremony, Sister Bai had spent so much time meticulously selecting the materials and craftsmanship for this wand. It was a shame I'd hardly used it.
"You want to get a new weapon?" Sister Bai asked, looking at the wand. "It does seem like you haven't used that one much."
"Yeah. There aren't many occasions where I need it. I admit it gives me a bit of a boost, but honestly, the effect is negligible."
"And yet you want to get a new one?"
"Mostly because I have nothing better to do~" I said, twirling the wand in my hand with a smile. "And as you know, many mentors in the academy have received Great Knowledge Seeds recently. This promotion has the Dean's full support. Well~ one of the rewards for me is a custom-made weapon, crafted from a rare material in the Dean's personal collection. The Dean even introduced me to a master alchemist. All I'm missing now is the inspiration for the design."
"I see."
"Exactly. As they say, idleness is a waste, so why don't we brainstorm together? After all, I'm a Teaching Assistant now; it's only natural to have a weapon that reflects my status, right? Oh, Sister Bai, do you want to get one customized too?" I asked curiously.
"That's true. But I'll pass. I don't have much need for a weapon. Don't forget, I have spells to summon weapons. They're quite handy."
"That's true, but... a spell effect can't really compare to a solid, physical weapon, can it?"
"True, but if a summoned weapon breaks, I can just summon another one~" Sister Bai said with a smile. "In Body Cultivation combat, weapons break all the time. You should worry about yourself. Do you have any idea what you want?"
"Not at all... that's why I'm asking for your help~" I playfully stuck my tongue out at her. "Any good suggestions?"
"Suggestions... I haven't really thought about it. Do you still want something in the form of a magic wand?"
"A wand... it's a bit too standard, no personality. I think I'll pass. I don't have a strict requirement for the weapon's function; I mostly want it to show off my 'special features.'"
"And what are your special features? Being 'specially' alluring?"
"I-I'm being serious! Sister Bai, stop with the dirty jokes." I lightly swatted at her. But she did have a point. If I was looking for something that reflected my "features," what exactly were they?
What was I good at... That was actually a difficult question to answer.
I was good at... Spellbooks? Alchemy? Rune... research?
Then what was my "feature"?
"Alright, alright. Have you thought about whether you want this weapon to handle both spellcasting and Body Cultivation power?" Sister Bai asked again.
"I... hadn't thought about that either. How do you even incorporate Body Cultivation power into a weapon?"
"The category of the weapon. For example, swords, canes, or other types that are compatible with spellcasting," Sister Bai explained.
"Oh, I see..." I thought she meant literally channeling Body Cultivation energy; I didn't realize she just meant a weapon type that aided in combat. "But... if I pick a sword or something, wouldn't that be clashing with your style?"
"You're worried about that? Didn't you used to love that kind of thing? Back when you'd pick up any straight stick you found and swing it around..."
"Hey, hey, hey! Don't bring up my dark history!"
"Fine~ So, no swords then? Hmm... In that case, let's go talk to the master alchemist the Dean arranged for you. Since it's a custom job, she should be able to give you some good options if you ask." Sister Bai ultimately refrained from giving more personal opinions. Professional matters were best left to professionals.
I completely agreed. Since the two of us couldn't come up with anything, I'd leave the choice to the expert. This time, I was going to be the "Client from Hell" and pile on the demands!
Your proposal is great and very inspiring. Although I don't know what I want, you've helped me realize what I don't want.
Suddenly, I understood the pain of being a service provider...
So, following Sister Bai's suggestion, I contacted the master alchemist.
According to the contact info the Dean gave me, her name was Natalie Bloomfield.
The call went through and was picked up almost immediately. A slightly lethargic voice came from the other end.
"Hello, who is this?"
"Hello, Teacher Natalie. I'm Yang Yuehan, introduced by Dean Mei Lind. I'd like to ask—"
"Oh! You're Xiao Han, right! You finally called me!"
"Eh?"
Before I could finish my polite introduction, the person on the other end spoke up with an excited tone, as if she had just spotted... prey.
I had expected to have to be humble and plead for her help. After all, a master alchemist recommended by the Dean must be incredibly sought-after in the Witch Academy, right?
I figured she'd be busy around the clock.
Her reaction caught me completely off guard.
"What is it? You want a custom weapon, right? Are you free now? Should I come to you, or are you coming to me?"
"Oh... I do want a custom weapon. I'm free, so I'll come to you. Could you send me your location?"
"Sure, sure. Hurry up and get here~"
"Mhm, okay. I'll hang up now."
I hung up, still feeling a bit overwhelmed. I looked at Sister Bai, who I'm sure had heard the conversation.
"That's so weird, Sister Bai. A master alchemist being so enthusiastic toward me... Shouldn't someone of her status usually be all aloof and high-and-mighty?" I asked curiously.
"Xiao Han, where do you get these strange ideas about how the world works?" Sister Bai looked at me with an odd expression.
"Is it not like that? I mean, she's a master alchemist. There must be tons of people begging her to craft weapons for them."
"Well, yes, but it's not as exaggerated as you make it sound. We're all Transcendent Witches. At least within the Witch Academy, she's not in a position where everyone is at her beck and call. Just stay calm and treat her like any other mentor. As for why she's so enthusiastic... she's probably just heard of your fame. You've been a hot topic in the Transcendent Witch circles lately, after all."
"Really? That just makes me feel even more overwhelmed..."
"Don't overthink it. Maybe she's just close friends with the Dean. Most witches are very passionate; you'll get used to it. Besides... this makes it easier for you to discuss the customization with her, doesn't it?"
"Mhm." I nodded.
Sister Bai was right. Regardless of the reason for her enthusiasm, I was the one asking for a favor. This kind of friendly dynamic would definitely help when it came to discussing the weapon's design.
However, I still hadn't made a final decision. It wasn't so much a lack of inspiration as it was me being too greedy.
I had this illusion of wanting everything. Since I didn't have a fixed combat style, I wanted to try a bit of everything. A wand would be convenient to carry; a sword would let me learn a few moves from Sister Bai; a magical artifact with an exquisite mechanical structure floating over my hand would be very novel; even a book would work—it would perfectly suit my vibe as an aspiring Academic Witch!
Plus, I could use it as a focus when it was open, and then deliver a "critical hit of knowledge" by slamming it shut on someone's head.
Thinking about it that way, a book actually seemed like a pretty good idea... but I wasn't set on it yet.
Anyway, I'd go see Teacher Natalie first. Sometimes you have to broaden your horizons before you truly know what you want.