Chapter 75: The Wand Arrives
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 75: The Wand Arrives
As the so-called celebratory banquet drew to a close, the afternoon once again transformed into paid time off.
I wasn't surprised by this anymore. Ever since I learned that the bakery was actually a club base, it wouldn't shock me if they closed for days on end. After all, selling desserts and bread was just a side gig.
Then again, who told them to name the club "Baking House"? Without a legitimate front, the Academy might reclaim the land, causing the club to lose its final stronghold and exist in name only.
After saying goodbye to the senior sisters and Tan Han, I prepared to head back. I wasn't sure what I’d do with my time, but who would complain about getting paid to do nothing?
Before I left, Tan Han took the initiative to exchange contact information with me. She mentioned she might reach out if she ran into trouble with her meditation. I didn't mind, though I thought it was a bit odd—wouldn't asking a senior sister be much more reliable than asking another freshman like me?
Regardless, I swapped info with her quite readily.
As for what to do at home, that was a bit of a dilemma. It wasn't that I lacked options; for instance, I could go check on Quan Xiuzhu. I hadn't seen her since we parted ways, and we hadn't been in touch at all.
I wondered how she was doing. She should have adjusted by now, right? It had been a few days, after all.
But that wasn't my best option. My time wasn't so cheap that I could afford to waste it like that. What I really wanted was to contact Sister Bai and ask about the Flight License.
Sister Bai had only briefly mentioned it without going into detail. Now that the idea had taken root, I naturally wanted to give it a shot.
Even if I couldn't afford a Flying Broom right now, there was no harm in getting the license first.
Back at the villa, I habitually checked the mailbox for letters and packages to see if my magic wand had arrived.
My intuition told me it would be today. After all, it was just a standard-issue wand; how many days could it possibly take?
The box showed signs of having been handled. If it wasn't my wand, I really didn't know what else would be delivered at a time like this.
With a fluttering heart, I opened the box. Sure enough, it was different from the previous times. Inside lay an exquisitely packaged, long rectangular case.
I didn't even have to guess—this was the wand!
I pulled the case out. It had the shipping information on it; I had left my name and address, and since the name matched, there was no mistake.
"It really is here."
My eyes widened. Seeing it in person still sparked a surge of irrepressible excitement. I couldn't wait to tear the box open.
The interior was lined with foam for cushioning, and nestled within was a wooden short wand.
The shaft was crafted from a single piece of wood without any joints—likely the Mithril Gradient Wood Sister Bai had mentioned.
It actually had a texture reminiscent of metallic mithril, with fine metal threads inlaid and spiraling around the entire shaft. Between the shaft and the handle sat a modest white crystal. It was likely a non-attribute crystal; since my mental power was the Pan-Affinity type, it was best for the crystal not to have a specific elemental bias.
I tossed the packaging into the trash can outside the villa and gripped the wand, ready to give it a test run.
Even though my mental power wasn't yet strong enough to directly interfere with mana, that didn't mean I couldn't use spells.
For example, the Cleaning Spell.
A Cleaning Spell was definitely a spell. It counted! And it was a very useful one at that!
I just wondered what kind of boost a wand would give to something like a Cleaning Spell.
After all, I had filled my request form with talk of high-quality mana superconducting materials, Mithril Gradient Wood, and specific craftsmanship. If this thing couldn't add some special effects to a basic Cleaning Spell, how was it any different from a decorative prop?
However, the moment I cast the spell, the magic mobilized mana from my hand and released it. The power of the spell was guided through the wand... channeled... and released...
It was a completely new experience!
I could feel the white crystal on the wand light up as the energy was guided through it.
The Cleaning Spell activated quietly, and the release was incredibly silky smooth!
It felt as if an external force was guiding the process, removing the clunky, awkward sensation of casting spells barehanded.
Furthermore, the controllability of the spell became much more flexible. To a certain extent, the spell could even maintain its operation without me having to constantly focus on sustaining it.
If this were applied to other spells, the effect would surely be terrifying, wouldn't it?
"So this is a magic wand? Incredible," I couldn't help but marvel.
At a moment like this, words felt hollow. Only by experiencing it firsthand could one understand just how monstrous the assistance provided by a wand truly was.
Of course, I couldn't rule out the possibility that it was so good because Sister Bai had given me such high-end specs. I had filled that request form to the brim, so at least my efforts hadn't gone to waste.
Cradling my beloved wand, I walked happily into the villa.
Unfortunately, it seemed no one else had been there yet. My unseen roommates were certainly taking their sweet time to show up.
Once inside, I kicked off my shoes. These were all gifts from Sister Bai. The pair I wore today had rather high heels, which I wasn't quite used to, but high heels did help compensate for my height disadvantage.
I wasn't exactly tall; in fact, I was quite a bit shorter than Tan Han.
There was no helping it. It was common for girls to wear high heels, and I just wanted to get used to them early.
But adaptation came with a price.
I slumped onto the living room sofa. That feast earlier had completely made up for my lack of breakfast.
I had to admit, the food in this world's high-end restaurants wasn't bad at all. At the very least, we had all enjoyed ourselves.
Checking the time, I decided to rest for a bit and take a nap. Once I woke up, I’d see if Sister Bai was free. If she was, I’d ask about the Flight License.
If Sister Bai didn't have any arrangements for that, I’d ask Senior Sister Tang Yihan for help.
If applying for the license required a fee, I’d just have to beg Senior Sister Tang Yihan for an advance on my wages.
Anyway, since I had already succeeded in my meditation, the meditation room and incense were no longer strictly necessary.
While my efficiency might drop without the incense, I didn't mind suffering a little if it meant not spending money.
The lingering effects of staying up until dawn last night were still very apparent. Even though I had slept until nearly noon afterward, I was still drowsy—especially now that I was actually thinking about napping.
I let out a yawn and went to my bedroom. I tidied up my long hair; having such long hair was a real hassle when sleeping, but I couldn't bring myself to cut it, so I just had to put up with it.
The moment I lay down on the bed, my breathing quickly evened out.
* * *
Meanwhile.
Tan Han followed Xia Li to the library. Along the way, she had already finished reading the introductory book I had given her.
If Tan Han had to give the book a rating, it would be "padded." She seriously doubted anyone could actually succeed in meditation relying solely on such a basic primer.
How could that even be possible? Tan Han felt she needed to do more preparation.
She would try meditating only after she was fully prepared. Originally, she had planned to just dive right in, but she hadn't expected to encounter such a terrifying genius.
As the saying goes, comparison is the thief of joy. Having been tacitly accepted as the top student of this year's intake was now her greatest shackle. She could only break free if she was willing to give up everything she had gained, but how could she be satisfied with that?
Therefore, she needed an opportunity—a chance to succeed in meditation on her very first try!
But Tan Han knew very well that even achieving that would only put her on par with Xiao Han.
Her pride wouldn't allow her to remain beneath someone else. If given the choice, who wouldn't want to be number one?