Chapter 547: Starting with the Witch Academy?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 547: Starting with the Witch Academy?
After returning to my laboratory, I contacted Sister Qiong immediately. She was currently helping me with the deep construction of the theoretical firewall and wasn't particularly busy. Once I explained the situation, she agreed to help me import the information Dean Mei had given me into the Tree of Great Knowledge.
After all, it was best to leave this to a professional. Manually inputting everything using my Identification Art would be incredibly inefficient. It was much better to take a shortcut by interfacing the Ley Line Operating System with the Tree of Great Knowledge for a rapid data transfer. Moreover, the storage device the Dean had given me was the same model used by the Ley Line Operating System, which saved me from having to "brute-force" the process with my Identification Art.
Sister Qiong didn't ask what was inside, but I could tell she already knew. As a senior witch who dealt with such things constantly, she had likely developed specialized software to assist the Dean or other academic witches in researching [Transcendent Knowledge].
"There’s quite a lot in here. Looks like I’ll need to break out the old equipment," Qiong said after assessing the situation. "I didn't expect to use this again. I’ve forgotten how many years it’s been since the last time."
Of course, the "last time" Qiong referred to was when a Great Spellbook was successfully created and required a data backup.
That project had exhausted her. As for the data this time, she could guess what it was: the Great Spellbook created by Mei Lind, known as the Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art—though some secretly called it the most useless Great Spellbook.
Naturally, she just laughed off the "useless" label. Anyone who took such ridiculous rumors seriously was the real joke. Even the "most useless" Great Spellbook would have witches crawling over each other to grab it if it were ever released. That wasn't an exaggeration.
"I’m really going to have to trouble you again, Sister Qiong," I said, my tone full of gratitude.
"It’s no trouble. Finding something to do isn't a burden, and I’m living quite well here," Sister Qiong said, picking up a cup beside her. It was a Fool's Dream drink prepared by Fool's Dream. "Besides, who could say no to free afternoon tea?"
I knew Sister Qiong wasn't just doing this for a free drink. This was likely the "elder's affection" that came after earning a witch's recognition. I couldn't think of any other explanation.
I was surprised to learn that even with Sister Qiong’s help, it would take two or three days to finish. However, this was still much faster than moving the entire Witch Academy library into the Tree of Great Knowledge, so I agreed to the plan.
I did remind Sister Qiong not to overwork herself. I wasn't in a desperate rush; after all, this was the culmination of the Dean's work over a century, and it deserved some respect.
After saying my goodbyes, I headed over to Sister Bai’s place.
With the holidays more than half over, Sister Bai had mostly finished arranging the upcoming Body Cultivation courses, so she seemed quite free... Well, actually, since it was her first time being a teacher, she didn't have that much to do anyway.
In most cases, she just found things to occupy herself—either researching her own subjects, studying something new, or teaching herself various skills to enrich her life.
Recently, Sister Bai had started teaching herself "Real Editing" techniques.
She had expressed interest in this before. Although the idea had come a bit late, now that she was a Transcendent Witch, it was never too late to try anything, even if it meant starting from scratch.
I arrived at Sister Bai’s office.
"Hello, Sister Miao~ Hello, Sister He~ I’m back to bother you again~"
Pushing the door open, I saw two familiar figures. Because of my relationship with Sister Bai, I was naturally very close to these two.
They had even used that connection to get two Great Knowledge Seeds from me ahead of time. The other girl here, Sister Stacy, was the same, though she didn't seem to be in the office at the moment, likely busy with her own affairs.
"Xiao Han is here again today?"
Miao and He weren't surprised by my arrival.
In their eyes, given my unique status, they certainly didn't treat me like an ordinary teaching assistant. However, they didn't engage in too much small talk, knowing my target was Sister Bai. If they were too enthusiastic, a certain witch might get jealous.
"Mhm~ I came to see how Sister Bai’s progress is going today." I nodded in response and hurried to the innermost part of the office where Sister Bai was.
"It’s going reasonably well," Sister Bai said, rubbing her temples to give herself a moment of rest.
Internally, she couldn't help but marvel. As expected of a technique that required a Transcendent level just to begin learning, it was on a completely different level compared to things like alchemy or forging.
"I knew Sister Bai was a hidden genius."
"I wouldn't go as far as 'genius.' I’m still far behind Xiao Han," Bai Yu said, moving aside a failed attempt at a small spellbook. This was the first time she had gained such a profound understanding of spellbooks.
In the past, she hadn't thought much of small spellbooks; now she realized they were currently beyond her reach. However, she also knew that creating a spellbook was a long process. Even for a small spellbook, taking several days was normal—especially for a beginner like her. Failure was to be expected.
"Oh, Sister Bai, don't be so modest! You’re the most amazing person in my heart!"
"Alright, Xiao Han, stop being a flatterer. Did you come for something specific? Or just to see me?"
"Originally, I just wanted to see you..."
"Oh? From your tone... is there something else you need to do?"
"Of course~ I want to go out and cause some trouble! Sigh, it’s a shame Sister Bai can't come with me," I lamented.
Sister Bai was now a Transcendent Witch. According to the current agreement between the various Transcendent Academies, Transcendent experts were not allowed to take action or even appear in the outside world. Their mere presence could have a deterrent effect on the students.
The Main World currently belonged to the students.
Furthermore, with so many incidents occurring in the Main World, a large number of senior sisters from the Witch Academy had been dispatched to maintain stability, such as cracking down on the evil deeds of Abyssal demons.
Quite a few of them were also conducting deep investigations into those "players." Although they didn't know the players' true backgrounds or even that they were "players," they knew exactly who their targets were.
By now, some people might have developed suspicions, but the truth was so bizarre that they didn't dare jump to conclusions.
"Xiao Han, you’re going out to cause trouble? You must be careful," Sister Bai said, looking up at me with some surprise. Compared to before, her eyes held less worry; she was trying her best to understand and support me.
Besides, Xiao Han’s current strength was nothing to scoff at.
"Sigh... I’m almost not used to you not lecturing me," I teased.
"If you put it that way, should I start nagging?"
"No, no, never mind..." I quickly stopped her. "I think you’re great just the way you are. But aren't you curious why I made this decision?"
"I am curious... but compared to seeing you buried in work at the academy, I’d rather you go out and have some fun, even if it’s just to kill time and find some amusement."
"Hehe, Sister Bai really does care about me~ Then I’ll be off~ Oh! Right, before long, the Tree of Great Knowledge’s capabilities will be updated. It’ll have a live streaming platform similar to a gaming platform. I’ll try streaming every now and then. If you have time, why not tune in?" I was delighted by Sister Bai’s approval, but then I remembered something and quickly added.
"A live streaming platform? Why would you suddenly want to do that, Xiao Han?"
"Well~ mostly just for fun. I’ll be reporting directly on major events in the Main World as a battlefield reporter. You could say I’m contributing to the perfection of the Qi Observation Art project," I explained, borrowing Dean Mei’s reasoning.
"I see. You really do maximize every opportunity you get," Bai Yu remarked. For a moment, she wasn't sure if this trait was good or bad for Xiao Han.
Many things in life don't need a grand reason; maintaining a happy and joyful mood is the greatest significance. This was a truth she had gradually realized after becoming a Transcendent Witch.
"Do you think it’s a bad idea?" I asked, catching a hint of something in her voice.
"Of course it’s good~ Chasing efficiency isn't a bad thing, but you shouldn't force it, right? Just don't do anything... questionable... just for the sake of collecting data for the Qi Observation Art."
"Of course~ I know my priorities. The Qi Observation Art has been taken over by the Dean and her team; why would I risk my life for it? If you’re worried, I’ll just set a teleportation mark here. If I run into danger, I’ll just teleport back. How about that?"
"As long as you know what’s important. But that’s a good suggestion."
"You’re serious?" I raised an eyebrow in surprise.
This office didn't belong to Sister Bai alone; there were at least three other witches here. If I just teleported in whenever I felt like it, it would be like entering without knocking. Who could stand that? That was why I had never set a teleportation mark inside—at most, I had one nearby outside.
After getting their consent, I left a spatial marker. Sisters Miao and He didn't mind; given my value, they saw me as a very promising little witch. After all, what mentor who just joined the Witch Academy wouldn't want to move up in the world?
I didn't leave immediately, though. I stayed to chat with Sister Bai about the events of the past few days. Sharing my daily life with someone I liked felt quite nice.
At the very least, the Miao and He sisters were listening intently. The circles they moved in at the Witch Academy didn't necessarily give them access to this kind of information, and even if they did, it wouldn't be as detailed as what they heard from me.
Only after lingering for a long time did I finally leave, feeling satisfied.
As they watched me disappear from the office, the hint of envy in Miao and He’s eyes was no longer hidden.
"Little Bai... every time we see her, we have to come over and sigh. That girlfriend of yours is truly something. Share some of your secrets~"
"I heard you went to a Love Course recently. Why not recommend it to us?"
"Um... you two... shouldn't need it, right?" Bai Yu looked up at them, a trace of helplessness in her eyes. Did they really think she didn't know about their relationship?
Even though they were biological sisters... she respected the traditions and perceptions of different worlds. Besides, between Transcendent beings, there were truly no such concerns.
"We still want it. We’re just expressing our admiration... Little Bai, is this what a genius is like? Having a girlfriend like that... honestly, don't you feel any pressure?"
"Of course I do. But... I’m currently turning that pressure into motivation," Bai Yu said matter-of-factly.
* * *
After leaving Sister Bai’s place, I chose not to use a teleportation spell to go directly to my destination.
I had realized that ever since I mastered teleportation, every trip I took was driven by a strong sense of purpose, causing me to ignore the journey itself. This had made my understanding of the Witch Academy increasingly narrow.
It had also inadvertently fostered a restless, results-oriented temperament in me.
Wasn't it better to walk slowly or fly on a broom?
I didn't have anything urgent to do. If there was anything "urgent," it was that my heart couldn't settle down. I finally understood why many senior sisters, despite having their flight licenses, still preferred driving or walking. Perhaps it was a way of cultivating a personal interest.
Besides... I hadn't walked along the tree-lined paths of the Witch Academy in a long time. Taking the time to experience it, I realized just how beautiful the academy’s landscaping was.
As I walked, however... I found myself in a place I had never visited before.
Did I just unlock a new map of the Witch Academy?
I felt a surge of excitement, as if I had returned to the mindset I had when I first enrolled, when everything was new and curious.
Scanning the area, I noticed a significant amount of foot traffic, even though it was still the holidays.
"Hmm... this is... the Jack-of-all-trades Club headquarters? Heh~ I guess it’s fate~"
I walked over and found a large crowd of students gathered in the front hall of the Jack-of-all-trades Club, mostly upperclassmen.
It seemed something had happened.
"Excuse me, sorry, could you tell me what’s going on here?" I stepped forward, squeezed into the crowd, and pulled someone aside to ask.
"Hmm? Not entirely sure. I heard a student from our academy was killed in a terrorist attack. They’ve brought her back to the academy to use a Resurrection Spell."
"What?"
"I heard the culprits have been identified. It’s that... civilian terrorist organization everyone’s been talking about online. But they’re actually invaders from another world."
"Is the rumor really that wild? How was that confirmed... it’s not just another baseless rumor, is it?"
Listening to the chatter, I made my way to the very front. I saw the girl who had been brought back, lying on the ground. With just one look, I could tell she no longer had any signs of life.
Subconsciously, I used the Ley Line Identification Art to gather some data.
But as I skimmed through her information, my pupils suddenly constricted.
Because... she was actually a Child of Destiny that the Witch Academy had recruited from another small academy!
My eyes widened in disbelief. Had those players... managed to hunt down a Child of Destiny while I wasn't looking?
And they had actually started by targeting a student of our Witch Academy?!