Chapter 767: Abducting My Idle Roommates Too
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 767: Abducting My Idle Roommates Too
After a bit of digging, I finally understood what Hong Chenyi was talking about.
Because they had missed the deadline to apply for course exemptions last semester, Hong Chenyi and Guan Qiuling couldn't skip classes like Yu Yuetian and Dongli Yiren. This had Hong Chenyi worried sick.
Furthermore, those who had been granted exemptions last semester were allowed to enter the Expansion Realm to broaden their horizons. After hearing Dongli Yiren and the others describe their experiences there, Hong Chenyi was dying to go herself.
Consequently, none of the four had left the academy during the break. Instead, they had formed a group to petition the teachers for course exemptions.
However... their exemptions wouldn't be granted with a single word like mine. They had to go through a formal application and examination process. At the very least, they had to master the material for the upcoming semester before they were even eligible to apply.
So, after submitting their applications, they received the study materials in advance and began self-studying.
Hong Chenyi was in Teacher Ji Niang’s class. The "chance" I heard Teacher Ji Niang mentioning earlier was because Hong Chenyi had actually failed her first assessment; she only succeeded after begging for a second try.
This was the first time I truly realized just how complicated the process was for an average student to get a course exemption.
The fact that Hong Chenyi passed at all was actually related to the Great Knowledge Seed. Without some special assistance, it would take an incredible amount of energy to self-study an entire semester's worth of knowledge over a single break.
Unfortunately for Hong Chenyi, the Expansion Realm would not be reopening this semester.
The Expansion Realm was entering a period of independent development. Centered around the Ninglan Territory, the entire world was being linked together.
Ninglan Qiuyue’s role in this process was vital. She wasn't just responsible for the Expansion Realm as a whole; she represented the will of the Witch Academy.
"So, that means the four of you are going to be pretty idle this semester, huh?" I looked at the group. No wonder they were hanging out so casually; they had all been waiting to see if Hong Chenyi, the only one doing a "make-up exam," would pass. If she had failed, she really would have been the only one left behind in the dorm.
Luckily she passed, though it meant she now had to endure the relentless teasing of the other three.
Perhaps that’s what friends are for. When they heard she might fail, the three of them were ready to tutor her; now that she’d passed, they immediately reverted to being frenemies.
"Of course! This time, we finally get to experience what you felt back then, Sister Xiao Han!"
"I have some bad news for you, though," I said, deciding to burst Hong Chenyi’s bubble since she looked like she’d start floating away if she had a tail to wag. "The Expansion Realm won't be open to the public this semester, or for a long time after. So, have you thought about how you're going to kill time without any classes?"
"Huh? Ah... ahhh..."
Upon hearing my "confirmed report," Hong Chenyi collapsed onto the sofa in disappointment, throwing a tantrum like a spoiled brat.
"I think Hong Chenyi should just go back to Sentiment Street and resume her role as Princess Hong Chen..." Guan Qiuling suggested wickedly.
"Shut up! You jerk, don't bring that up!" Hong Chenyi bolted upright to interrupt the roasting.
"Then how about going back to chasing your Shi Huiyu?"
"Forget it, don't mention her..."
"I'm impressed, Hong Chenyi. Have you actually turned over a new leaf and abandoned your life as a simp?" I asked with a laugh.
"Sister Xiao Han, even you're making fun of me! I'm gonna cry... I'm really gonna cry!"
"Ugh, that look on your face makes me want to puke," Guan Qiuling added, dismantling her further. After a year of living together, Guan Qiuling had become much less introverted than before.
Since they shared a dorm, they all knew each other's secrets, including their past genders. While they understood that entering the Witch Academy meant a total break from the past, there was no need to force a hyper-feminine act when it was just the five of them.
Of course, in Hong Chenyi’s case, this was just her true personality coming out.
"Anyway, it's getting late. Have you guys eaten yet? If not, dinner's on me. We're all together for the new semester, and who knows when I'll be able to catch you all in one place again."
"Sister Xiao Han is treating? Awesome!"
"Aw, we're making Sister Xiao Han spend money again."
"It's fine. It's not really 'spending' anymore. I've moved past the stage of worrying about money, so don't be polite," I said grandly.
"Right! We definitely won't be polite! So, where are you taking us? The night stalls downstairs, or are we hitting up Snack Street?"
"Sister Xiao Han is a big deal now, Hong Chenyi. Are you sure you want to suggest those kinds of places?"
"What, should we go to those hotels in the commercial district that are overpriced and serve mediocre food?"
"How about... we go to Magic City?" I suggested. "The Witch Academy is built right on top of Magic City, but you guys have been here so long and probably haven't visited the city itself much, right?"
"That's a great idea! I really haven't seen much of Magic City. When I was first scouted for the academy, I was whisked straight from the city limits into the school grounds."
"Hehe, I've been! I didn't go straight home during the break after the first semester. I actually spent a few days playing in Magic City before heading back. Let me tell you, the prices there are insane!" Hong Chenyi said with a grin, ending on a complaint.
"Wait... shouldn't you guys be worried about how we're getting to Magic City? Leaving the academy requires an advance application," Dongli Yiren reminded us. "Even if it's orientation week, it doesn't mean we can just come and go as we please. Unless you have a way, Sister Xiao Han?"
"Um... good point."
"Did you not consider that, Sister Xiao Han? Can a teaching assistant write us off-campus passes?"
"I'm actually not sure about that. TAs can enter and leave freely, but I don't think we're supposed to take people with us..." I mused. While a Transcendent Witch could probably sign off on it, I didn't want to bother Sister Bai.
"Then... should we just stick to the commercial district?" Hong Chenyi suggested.
"We could just sneak out. I have teleportation spells; taking you guys along won't be a problem at all!"
"Huh? Sneak out? Is... is that okay?"
"Don't worry. The academy is actually pretty lenient about this stuff." I recalled the expression on that senior sister's face when Sister Bai had actually bothered to use the "official channel" to take me out once...
As long as you didn't cause a major incident, the academy couldn't be bothered to police such things.
"If Sister Xiao Han says so, then I'm in!"
"Alright... me too..."
"Count me in!"
"Looks like I don't have much of a choice, do I?"
"Relax. If anything happens, I'll take the fall for you," I promised confidently. In the Witch Academy today, there was truly no one who would dare give me trouble.
"It's fine. Even if we get caught, consider it a way to make our academy life feel complete. Everyone needs a little rebellion now and then, right?"
And so, the five of us reached an agreement.
We left the Witch Academy directly via teleportation.
Once outside, the scenery—so starkly different from the academy—filled us with a sense of novelty.
Magic City was one of the most developed regions in the Main World. Other areas developed in completely different directions depending on which Transcendent Academy influenced them. Some places were even quite primitive.
"Wow... so this is Magic City?"
The five of us strolled down the street. Even the hurried passersby couldn't help but be drawn to the sight of five beautiful young girls walking together.
However, any thoughts of hitting on us were quickly extinguished. In Magic City, if you saw a group of beautiful girls who looked slightly out of place with their surroundings, you didn't need to guess—they were students from the Witch Academy.
Since it was currently orientation season, the risk of hitting on a Witch Academy student was extremely high.
Furthermore, to the average person, Witch Academy students were "unable to reproduce," and rumors persisted that their sexual orientations were... complicated. Many were said to be repulsed by the opposite sex, and rumors claimed that if you annoyed them, they’d slap a curse on you. This resulted in a remarkably low rate of street harassment in Magic City.
You might get away with harassment a thousand times, but if you hit the wrong target just once, your life was effectively over.
Moreover, Magic City at night was full of urban legends. These weren't just myths; they were real occurrences, mostly caused by the witches from the academy. Long-time residents of Magic City had mostly grown used to it.
"Alright, Hong Chenyi, stop showing your true colors. No one's even looking at you."
"Oh, really? That guy has been glancing at us dozens of times since he turned the corner. You're telling me I can't give him a little 'lesson'?"
"Well, in that case..."
"Anyway, the sun is about to set. Have you decided where we're eating?" a hungry Dongli Yiren asked.
"How about we walk a bit more? The night view in Magic City is amazing!" Hong Chenyi suggested.
"Let's go to that place, then. It's high enough that we can see the city lights. Let me see if I have a membership card for that hotel." I pointed toward the tallest building visible in the distance.
In Magic City, many businesses were closely tied to the Witch Academy. An ordinary-looking student you met at school might belong to a family that owned prime real estate in a place like this.
"Wait, Sister Xiao Han, you even have a membership card? Do those even exist? Are you a regular there?"
"Not really. A lot of people in the academy want to get on my good side. If I don't have one, we'll just find somewhere else," I said with a shrug. I started rummaging through the pile of gifts I’d received. With Identification Art to categorize everything, finding what I needed was easy.
"Phew, found it."
* * *
"Finally here. That's the longest elevator ride I've ever taken."
Guided by a waiter, we were led to a private room on one of the top floors. Originally, we had only asked for a high floor with a window view, but after I flashed my "credentials," they brought us straight here.
As they say, if there are perks to be had, you might as well take them.
"Here, order whatever you want. Treat it like a buffet," I said, tossing over the understated yet luxurious menu.
"Then we won't be polite, Sister Xiao Han! Haha, as expected of a high-end restaurant—I've never seen these dishes in the cafeteria."
Hong Chenyi was the first to grab the menu, huddling with Guan Qiuling to discuss what to order. Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to admire the night view of Magic City.
The timing was perfect. As the last sliver of the sunset dipped below the horizon, the city's neon lights took the stage.
"Sister Xiao Han, what are you reading...?"
"Hmm? Oh, the Book in the Box. You guys should know about this; it's just something I read to pass the time." I waved the book in my hand, explaining it to Yu Yuetian.
"I heard that's also your weapon?"
"Of course. Normally, it's my reading material; in a fight, it's the most reliable brick in my arsenal."
"I see. I was wondering why it's suddenly become trendy in the academy to use thickened spellbooks as casting focuses. So you're the one who started that trend, Xiao Han?"
"I suppose so. You want a custom one?"
"I'm actually more curious about the content. Is it pre-downloaded?"
"Mhm... it's knowledge collected from the Tree of Great Knowledge. I review it when I'm free. After all, you understand that 'knowing' something and 'learning' it are two different concepts."
"True. The Great Knowledge Seed feels the same way. It's more of a learning aid than a tool for being lazy."
"I'm glad you understand that. If Hong Chenyi and the others start straying off the path in the dorm, try to pull them back. I get the feeling they're a bit unreliable and lack self-awareness."
"You don't need to 'get the feeling.' Hong Chenyi is exactly like that."
"That's not good," I joked.
While Yu Yuetian and I were chatting, Hong Chenyi and the others had finalized our dinner order.
They ordered quite a lot, but whatever we couldn't finish, they could just pack up and take back to eat later. Even a high-end hotel shouldn't be above providing a doggy bag service, right?
"By the way, have you guys really not thought about what you want to do this semester?" I asked during a lull in the meal.
"Sister Xiao Han, if you need us for anything, just say the word! There's no need to test the waters. The fact that you still remember us roommates means we already consider you a friend! As long as you don't find us a nuisance... hehe," Hong Chenyi was the first to speak up.
"Alright, Hong Chenyi, you're even more direct than I am," I said, feeling a bit helpless. It seemed I really couldn't hide my intentions. "I do have something I'm working on. Whether it's a good or bad thing... you can judge for yourselves. I won't force you if you're not interested. I've been working on a project lately: Self-Generated Mana..."
"Wait! Self-Generated Mana?! You mean that one? The one everyone's talking about on the Academy Network! I heard you even recruited Tan Han!" Upon hearing the term, Hong Chenyi practically jumped out of her seat in excitement.
"You already know? It spread that fast on the network?"
"Of course! Ever since I found out the Great Knowledge Seed can access the Academy Network, I've become a pro at surfing the forums! I've made it my mission to visit every thread and short video that mentions you, Sister Xiao Han!"
"That... really isn't necessary..."