Chapter 80: The Essentials of Flight
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 80: The Essentials of Flight
"Right~ Your posture is perfect, but don't be so stiff. Relax a little~"
Senior Sister Tu Qingxue placed a hand on my shoulder, her voice soothing my nerves.
"Now, let's learn how to control the broom and get it airborne." Once she felt I was ready for the next step, she moved her hand to the head of the broomstick.
"Since you're a freshman, Xiao Han, your mental power isn't quite enough to harness mana yet, so controlling flight can be a bit of a hassle. If you could manipulate mana directly, the broom would be like an extension of your own arm—completely effortless."
"Ahem... I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's stick to the basics. An alchemical broom is, after all, an alchemical product, so there are natural ways to control it. Now, grip the handle with both hands."
"Okay..."
I followed her instructions, but before Tu Qingxue could even explain the next step, I felt the mana source within my body begin to stir.
Good grief. My mental power can't do a thing to this mana, yet a mere alchemical product can make it surge like this? How does that even make sense?
"Do you feel the mana surging? That’s actually normal. The broomstick is inlaid with mana superconducting materials, so it guides mana naturally. Combined with the internal alchemical structures, it draws out your mana instinctively."
Tu Qingxue explained as she watched my reaction. She pointed to the handle; if I hadn't been looking closely, I wouldn't have noticed the special threads embedded there, almost perfectly blended with the wood grain.
"The prerequisite is that you don't deliberately block the flow. Your mental power might not be able to mobilize mana yet, but it’s very easy for it to interrupt the process."
At this point, Tu Qingxue seemed to remember something and continued her explanation.
"I really have to emphasize this: you cannot be nervous while riding a broom. Not even a little. Otherwise, if you flinch, your mental power might cut off the mana output, and the broom will spiral out of control!"
"Of course, if you're rich enough, you could buy a broom that stores its own mana. But the experience is pretty terrible. Brooms are meant to be light, and sticking a power storage block on one looks awful. No matter how you design it, it’s ugly. Plus, it feels clunky to use—worse than carrying a passenger."
"I see... I see..."
I listened half-attentively, focusing more on what the broom felt like in that moment.
As mana poured in, the broom seemed to wake up. My mental power threads swept through the entire object.
I couldn't help but marvel at the ingenuity of this alchemical product. Under the scan of my mental power, I could easily perceive an indescribable sensation.
If I had to put it into words, it was like a "mental power interface." It felt as though by plugging my mental power into this point, I could gain full authorization to control the broom.
"Injecting mana is only the first step; that just activates the alchemical broom. The most important part comes next: mental power. Oh, right, Xiao Han—as a freshman, is your mental power sufficient? I'm not asking for mental power threads, but you can at least project it outward, right?"
As Tu Qingxue spoke, a serious concern struck her. It would be a total embarrassment if she spent all this time teaching only to find out the new student wasn't even qualified to learn flight!
Bai Yu hadn't mentioned anything about this to her, and being the butt of a joke wasn't her idea of fun. She looked at me with a worried expression.
If I couldn't do it, she’d have to send me off to study theory instead.
"Of course I can."
My answer was blunt, but I didn't elaborate on how I could do it. There was no need to go around telling everyone about my mental power threads; that kind of showing off might just rub people the wrong way. It was better to save such revelations for people I knew better.
"Phew~ As long as you can, as long as you can~" Tu Qingxue let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "Otherwise, you'd have to go sit in a corner and teach yourself theory."
"Don't worry, Senior Sister. Since Sister Bai recommended me, I naturally have the qualifications to learn. I won't make things difficult for you," I said, choosing my words carefully.
"That Bai Yu actually has a conscience for once. Anyway, let's continue. Since you can project your mental power, do so now. Sense the alchemical broom. Do you feel any specific nodes?"
"That is the mental power interface within the alchemical product—or the access point, whatever you want to call it. Basically, it's the hub for controlling alchemical products with mental power. Establish a connection with it, and you'll have control."
"Yes... I've already felt it," I said with a nod. I had been instinctively sensing it before she even mentioned it, so finding it was quick work.
"Oh? That fast? Well, that saves me a lot of breath. With my vocabulary, I wasn't sure how else to describe the sensation."
Tu Qingxue raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed by my efficiency.
Then, with a wave of her hand, I felt a ripple of transcendent energy. She was casting a spell!
I sensed the effect of the spell with slight surprise. Based on what she had told me earlier, this had to be a protection spell.
I hadn't even left the ground yet and she was already layering on protection? Talk about VIP treatment.
"Since you've found it, let's start practicing. Take it slow. Don't go zooming off instantly; that's just asking for a death wish. One step at a time, okay?"
"Right... I'll try..." I said, a bit hesitantly.
As the mana from my body flowed steadily and my mental power threads teased the "hub" of the alchemical broom, I felt a force rising between my thighs. It was the broomstick.
Just as I instinctively braced for the stick to dig uncomfortably into me, I felt a soft, gentle force supporting my rear. It was as magical as sitting on a plush cushion!
My eyes widened. I hadn't expected a mere alchemical broom to have a feature like this.
The design was brilliant. After all, riding a thin wooden pole and riding a soft cushion were two very different experiences.
"It looks like you've felt it. Amazing, isn't it? If brooms weren't comfortable to sit on, they never would have become the mainstream mode of transport for witches—though tradition plays a big part in it too," Tu Qingxue explained with a grin, noticing my change in expression.
"Now, slow down. Don't go too fast, and don't go too high!"
"Okay..."
I felt the lift of the broom becoming strong enough to carry me, but I was still reluctant to let my feet leave the ground. I realized that even with this small movement, I felt unstable, as if I might tip over at any second.
Moreover, the broom was wobbling slightly.
"Steady now. If you feel like you can't get up, increase the lift a bit more. Lean forward slightly to lower your center of gravity. Try taking your feet off the ground."
Following her lead, I successfully lifted my feet. But the moment I did, the unfamiliarity of the controls made me panic, and I quickly jammed my feet back onto the ground.
"It's fine. Keep trying like that. Every beginner goes through this. Let's start with the basics: just try to hover in one spot."
"Yes! Just like that~ You can bend your knees and keep your feet together behind you. Focus your mind to reduce the wobbling..."