Chapter 14 – Three more chapters as a treat, thank you, my dears～

Chapter 14 - Three more chapters as a treat, thank you, my dears～

Shock caused Winnas to cough violently, spewing a copious amount of blood from her mouth.

Fei Yi frowned and, without a word, pulled out a bottle of red bloody grass juice from her bag and poured it down Winnas' throat.

This was her own packed meal—a sandwich and red bloody grass juice—prepared in case she got hungry on her shopping trip, but now it unexpectedly came in handy.

Although it was a basic health potion, Winnas was just an eleven or twelve-year-old child, malnourished and without any magical power. Her total HP must have been very low.

Using a powerful healing potion might have overwhelmed her weakened state. The red bloody grass juice was just right.

The girl, still reeling from shock, was suddenly fed a mouthful of the juice.

"It's over, my heart sank to the depths. Witches only bring despair and death. I'm really going to die here—"

"Huh?"

A strange sensation spread through her body, the icy coldness receding, her body temperature rising, and the pain from her wounds lessening.

Especially around her chest and abdomen, what felt like being run over by a wheel was now significantly better.

Winnas took deep breaths, trying to slowly lift her arms.

She could sit up!

Fei Yi watched her with a smile, the moonlight casting a silver glow on her gray hair, making her look radiant, a stark contrast to her earlier pallor.

Winnas clutched her chest and pressed her forehead to the ground.

"Thank you, if it weren't for you, I might have died here."

She used the most respectful form of address, no longer fearing Fei Yi's revealed identity.

Because in this world, there is no person or race more terrifying than her own father.

Besides, the girl had saved her.

Unlike adults, who engrave fear deep in their hearts and flee at the mention of "witch," children not yet grown do not react the same way.

The next moment, the unfamiliar girl supported her.

"Don’t move around," Fei Yi said, "Your wounds haven’t fully healed yet."

Red bloody grass juice could only restore Winnas to half health. Her body bore too many deep-seated injuries, and lacking proper nutrition, she needed more time and care for a complete recovery.

Perhaps starting with inexpensive healing potions would be a good idea?

Fei Yi’s gaze fell heavily on the front room of the potion shop, where the muffled voices of Griffith and a customer in loud conversation drifted out.

"No..." Winnas, looking into her eyes, involuntarily shuddered, "My father... he’s very dangerous... I mean, there used to be a little girl who played outside our house. Then... then I never saw her again."

That girl's parents had even come to the potion shop, but being poor and well-known in town, they couldn’t stand against Griffith.

Griffith claimed no involvement, casually hired a couple of monks with money, and easily brushed the matter aside.

Later, people said that the girl had simply got lost. But Winnas knew that Griffith had sold her.

Because at that time, one of the large boxes used for storing materials at home was missing, yet the frugal Griffith didn’t punish her, nor mention it again.

Also, during that time, a group of traveling merchants frequently visited their house. They gave Griffith a lot of money, but didn't visibly take anything.

"And father bought many… many strange things from the monastery..." Winnas didn't know what those shiny objects were, but she guessed from her father’s few words that they must be harmful to dark races.

Witches... witches are part of the dark, right? Winnas didn't want her benefactor to face any danger. She hoped her benefactor would stay far away from her father, never to meet.

But all this, Fei Yi already knew.

Last time, Winnas was too timid to look directly at Fei Yi's face, so she didn't realize that Fei Yi had actually visited the potion shop once before.

She remembered clearly, there were indeed a few light defense items on the front counter of the potion shop.

Griffith was scum, but also a shrewd one. The ring he wore was for defense against attacks, not to mention the little object he tried to reach under the table...

However, even if the potion shop was as secure as a fortress, Fei Yi could easily think of at least three ways to silently eliminate this bastard, let alone other punishments.

But—

"I have a way to solve the problem you're worried about, but the main point is, what do you want to do now?" Fei Yi turned, looking directly at the pitiful Winnas, "He's your biological father, what do you think should be done?"

She indeed wanted to help, but she was no saint. If the person involved had no intention to fight back, preferring to live a wretched life, she would turn around and leave immediately.

After hearing this, Winnas was stunned.

"Wha-what?" she stammered.

"I mean, what do you want to do?" Fei Yi's voice was low, flowing into Winnas' ears like water from an icy lake in the night.

"Your body is covered in old wounds, your hands are calloused from labor, you wear the cheapest coarse clothes, and you're emaciated from constant hunger."

Winnas clasped her hands tightly together.

"He's your biological father," Fei Yi stated coldly, "He will follow you for life, maybe until you're twenty, thirty, always looming over you like a mountain. And me, I'm only here this once, because witches don’t do futile things."

"Now, what do you want to do?"

Winnas was young, but life's hardships had made her precociously mature.

Now, she strangely understood the implication behind Fei Yi's words.

She wanted to let her choose, and she recommended that she make a final decision.

But that was her father, so the witch wouldn't interfere unnecessarily; everything depended on her own decision.

Winnas' heart started to beat "thump, thump, thump" rapidly,

Suddenly, she remembered many things.

Probably around the age of four, she had already started washing clothes and shoes for her father. Back then, Griffith's shoes were longer than her little arm, and his clothes ridiculously oversized.

But she had to wash them, every day, or else there would be no food.

As she grew older, the chores increased. Hauling, sorting, packing goods, cleaning, cooking, shopping. The entire burden of a household fell on Winnas alone, yet even so, Griffith never showed her any kindness.

Winnas' mother was driven away by Griffith right after giving birth to her. As a man prone to severe violence, Winnas became the sole outlet for his aggression.

A slap in the face was the most "gentle" treatment she got, often beaten to the point where she couldn't even drink water.

But the next day, she still had to get up and work, or else face even fiercer storms of abuse.

She could only eat what Griffith left; she couldn't attend school because it cost money; she wasn't allowed to use the potions from the shop because she was a 'lowly girl'; she never had even a single copper coin of pocket money...

At some point, Winnas found herself in tears.

From childhood to adulthood, she had prayed countless times for someone to take her away from this painful life.

Now that a miracle had truly appeared before her, Winnas suddenly felt a struggle within herself.

After all, Griffith was her biological father...

"Slap!"

Winnas immediately slapped herself, the poor girl biting her lip, letting her tears fall heavily onto her hand.

Griffith was indeed her father, but he was also the source of all her misery.

Griffith had a choice in how to treat her; he could have abandoned her at an orphanage, or simply neglected her, but he chose the most torturous way.

He took pleasure in her pain, in watching her lying on the ground, crying and begging for mercy.

She had a feeling that no matter where she fled, Griffith would eventually catch her and bring her back.

Not just her, but also that little girl he sold, and any other children he might sell in the future.

Griffith was her father, but he was also a bastard, a scum, a true demon!

He... deserved to die.

No, he must die!

Winnas hastily wiped her tears away, and when she looked up again, her eyes sparkled with determination.

Fei Yi watched her quietly.

"Please help me." Winnas knelt with deep sincerity, just as she did when praying to the deity statues.

But this time, she knelt before a witch, bowing her head in the darkness.

"I want revenge, I want him to regret, I want him to disappear from this world forever! For this, I'm willing to sacrifice my soul!"

Growing up hearing stories about witches, which always ended with "the witch took away xx's soul," Winnas subconsciously spoke those last words.

However, as soon as she finished speaking, a black light suddenly shot out from her, piercing into Fei Yi's chest with a "puff."

This sudden turn of events shocked Fei Yi, who quickly pulled open her collar to look inside.

To her surprise, she found that the simple inverted triangle symbol on her chest now had an added curved wave line!

The line was narrow and short, much like the first half of Winnas' life.

More importantly, in that instant, Fei Yi distinctly felt a surge in her body's magical power.

This was a rather abstract concept; previously, when using ancient spells, she had no clear sense of her own magical energy.

She only felt it like water flowing when in use, and couldn’t locate the magic at all when it wasn’t needed.

But now, it was as if she had a holographic projection of a blue bar inside her body, allowing her to feel her magic level anytime, anywhere, with utmost clarity.

Simply put, she could see her own 'mana bar.'

Fei Yi was astonished.

"Night vision—"

Immediately, Fei Yi murmured a spell, her night vision capabilities surged, and a small amount of magical power decreased from her body, but not much.

How much magic remained and how many more spells she could cast became crystal clear in Fei Yi's mind.

What was this situation? Had the essential 'system' of transmigration finally come online?

No, it didn’t quite seem like that. It was more of Fei Yi's 'feeling' rather than a concrete panel or something visual. Most importantly, it didn't display numeric values, only a blue bar.

Forget it, since it posed no danger to her, she’d wait and ask her instructor back at the academy. For now, the focus was still on Griffith.

Fei Yi's vision was far beyond what Winnas could see.

She said, "Making this decision wasn't easy, your courage is more admirable than I imagined. But killing someone is not hard, what comes after is."

Winnas looked bewildered.

Fei Yi gently prodded, "You're only 11, you need to live, to have food and shelter. Without Griffith, how do you plan to survive the days ahead? Any ideas?"

"Can I... can I come with you?" Winnas asked anxiously, "I... I can do anything, I can wash clothes, clean, I'm very efficient at work! Please don’t leave me behind..."

"How is that different from your current life?" Fei Yi smiled gently, her gaze returning to the front of the potion shop, "Revenge isn't just about killing. It's about making them watch their precious things vanish, seeing you live a better life than they ever could while they are powerless, experiencing the pain they inflicted on you a hundred, a thousand times over—"

The young novice witch finally showed her dangerous fangs, her tempting whispers slowly entwining Winnas in the darkness.

"What do you think your father values the most?"

Winnas, still dazed, responded, "The... the potion shop, this potion shop."

The source of all of Griffith’s wealth, the place where he had struggled for most of his life.

Upon saying this, Winnas had a sudden epiphany!

Yes, the potion shop!

She did all the work in the potion shop! Organizing potion materials, categorizing and logging potions, even some of the less important material procurement and potion deliveries were all done by her!

Apart from managing the accounts, some key material procurement channels, and entertaining customers which Griffith never let her handle, she knew every process of the potion shop like the back of her hand.

If she could master these three aspects, she could run the potion shop on her own! Take it from her father’s hands!

She could support herself!

All these years, although each day was filled with suffering, under Griffith’s influence, Winnas gradually developed a basic business acumen.

At this point, Fei Yi finally smiled genuinely.

She had originally planned to turn the potion shop into a stable source of income, but Griffith, cunning and deceitful, was not a good choice for a partner.

Winnas was different; she was willing to sacrifice her soul to a witch.

Fei Yi, accustomed to maximizing her own benefits, saw an opportunity to help a poor girl escape her misery while also finding a suitable partner for her coffers.

Perfect.

Sounds of Griffith opening a wine bottle came from the front room, indicating his guest had left. The opening of a wine bottle signified a big profit, something Winnas knew all too well.

"He's going to call me soon," Winnas said, her shoulders quivering with anxiety.

"Don't panic," Fei Yi gently waved her wand, and a dark, blurry shadow emerged, seeping into Winnas’ body.

This was what the Necro-singer had done to Fei Yi, who now replicated it, slowly learning to control the minion and ensuring it didn’t harm Winnas.

"It will protect you. There's no need to be afraid."

With a dead spirit lying on her back, Winnas stiffened, but she clenched her little face, not allowing herself to show fear.

"Okay, okay," she nodded.

Fei Yi then quickly went over the tasks Winnas needed to do and the potential troubles she might face.

Winnas was only 11 after all, and her considerations weren't always comprehensive. But Fei Yi was different.

In just a few sentences, Fei Yi demonstrated her meticulous logic and strong sense of the bigger picture, leaving little Winnas dazed and increasingly admiring.

The next second, Griffith’s rotund figure emerged from the front room.

"Useless wretch! What are you still doing there? Go and cook! Don’t expect any dinner tonight, you lazy thing!"

Fei Yi, conveniently hidden behind a statue, remained unnoticed by Griffith.

He only saw the child squatting on the ground slowly standing up, limping towards the kitchen.

"What a nuisance, just looking at her annoys me!" Griffith spat, suddenly realizing that his daughter had grown so tall without his noticing.

He abruptly remembered a letter he had received a few days ago from an "old friend."

Considering the successful completion of their first deal, the letter proposed another long-term collaboration with a substantial reward.

"Right, Winnas is almost 12, isn’t she?" Griffith squinted his eyes, scratching his chin, "They only want girls who are 12. I've been wondering where to find one, and I’ve been so foolish! Isn’t she right here?"

The thought of exchanging a useless daughter for a substantial sum of money made Griffith chuckle to himself.

Unbeknownst to him, his expression was being closely observed by someone else.

Fei Yi, hidden in the shadows, watched him coldly as he turned and went back inside.

Now, with no worries left, it was time to play a slow game with this disgusting man.

She then got up and silently moved towards the locked warehouse on the south side.

After Fei Yi had given Winnas a sandwich to fill her stomach, the kind-hearted Winnas had told her about the warehouse and even handed her the key.

"Inside are some unimportant materials. The important ones are in another small warehouse, and the key is personally held by my father."

Unlocking the door, she entered.

Minutes later, a dark shadow crossed the backyard and flashed over the wall.

Griffith, having made a tidy sum that day, plus the new business contact, was visibly happier.

He lay in his oversized rocking chair, lifting a bottle of wine to his mouth.

At that moment, the door opened, and a familiar face walked in from outside.

"A third surprise today!" Griffith leaped from his chair, his greasy eyes gleaming with a green light, "Welcome, my beautiful treasure!"

He had been eagerly awaiting her arrival!

The previous batch of "Hair-Galore" potion had indeed brought Griffith a hefty profit. In all his time selling potions, he had never seen one with such remarkable effects!

Just one bottle had restored the hairline of the Lord Mayor's Mansion's steward from the crown of his head to his forehead. His sparse, messy hair became thick and smooth!

Upon hearing this, other nobles and wealthy merchants hurried to buy it.

Griffith doubled the price with every sale, yet there was still a long queue of buyers.

He was ecstatic!

Unbeknownst to him, the potion formula Fei Yi possessed was from many years in the future, with ingredients and improvements far beyond what this era's formulas could match.

He simply thought Fei Yi was backed by some unknown great potion master, never imagining that this mysterious alchemist would revisit his shop so soon!

"My dear, how many bottles of Hair-Galore potion have you brought this time?" Griffith was desperate to keep her there, but he didn’t dare be too obvious, fearing she might leave.

Fei Yi emotionlessly placed four bottles of potion on the counter, “Sell.”

Upon seeing the color of the potions, Griffith's smile froze. They weren't Hair-Galore potions.

Muttering to himself, he spread out the testing paper and began to drop the potions onto it.

He always took this step seriously, as there were always some who tried to deceive him with a bait-and-switch.

So, the alcohol-soaked owner didn't notice the strange, twisting shadow creeping up from the floor, standing behind him, and sprinkling a powdery substance on his neck.

The powder, feeling the warmth of the skin, immediately extended eight thin, long legs—

Recluse spiders from "The Land of Gods and Demons," the smallest spiders in the book, each no bigger than a grain of sand. Fearing predators, they usually tuck their legs into their bodies, masquerading as real dust.

Only upon contact with a host does it reveal its true form, burrowing into the host's body.

Application range: One of the main ingredients in stimulant potions/power potions/excitement potions.

Danger level: Low (It's safe as long as you don't expose your skin to it)

Now, Griffith's chubby neck had become a playground for the recluse spiders. One by one, they swiftly burrowed into his skin, causing only a strange itch at the back of his neck.

He thought it was just a mosquito bite, common in summer, and scratched it casually.

The slender wraith, having completed its task, awkwardly crawled back to its hiding place.

"3 bottles of 'Skin-So-Soft' potion, 1 bottle of 'Rainbow' potion," Griffith now raised his head, scratching his neck and chin, "Only the 'Rainbow' potion is worth something, worth a bit of money. The 'Skin-So-Soft' potion isn’t that valuable, so I can only offer you 1 gold coin in total."

The 'Rainbow' potion was a dye potion, capable of coloring clothes, bedding, or anything else into rainbow shades. It was marketed for its novelty but wasn't very practical.

The 'Skin-So-Soft' potion, while not cheap, was quite common and plentiful in potion shops.

If it weren’t for his desire to see the pretty young girl again and get closer to the master alchemist behind her, hoping for a longer-term opportunity, Griffith wouldn’t have bothered buying them.

"My dear, next time, how about bringing some more 'Hair-Galore' potions?" Griffith, smiling like a child trafficker, pulled out two honey candies from a drawer, "I believe we can have a pleasant cooperation."

Fei Yi looked at him for a few seconds, then extended her hand, "Okay."

After the customer left, Griffith turned to a shelf, took out a bottle of premium-grade anti-itch potion, and applied it all over his neck.

True to its premium grade, the itchiness on his neck soon subsided.

He didn’t dwell on it, humming a tune and casually placing the 'Rainbow' potion into a beautifully packaged basket on the counter.

These were fragrance potions pre-ordered in bulk by one of the potion shop's regular customers—Madame Lillith, the well-known innkeeper of Ninui Village.

The Rainbow potion wasn't valuable; it was more of a novelty, perfect as a small gift to thank regular customers.

Having finished all this, Griffith comfortably lay back in his chair, squinting his eyes as he opened a bottle of wine.

Outside, Fei Yi stood against the wall. She waited until she was sure Griffith had no intention of leaving the potion shop before she moved away, sticking to the shadows.

Although he was a despicable scoundrel, she had to admit, the man was highly vigilant.

Fei Yi recognized several of the pieces of equipment disguised as jewelry that he wore.

There was a ring that could resist one attack, a necklace that emitted a blinding beam when touched by dark forces, and a holy crystal posed as a decorative item but was actually a rapid communication tool.

If she used ancient witch spells in the potion shop or sent wraiths to attack Griffith, the monastery would likely be alerted immediately.

At that point, it wouldn’t matter whether Griffith lived or died; what mattered was that she would lose her chance to return to Ninui Village for a while.

And how would she make money then!

So, Fei Yi rummaged through the back storage of the potion shop, choosing the most seemingly harmless yet troublesome items.

The recluse spider was a common parasitic creature in this world, widely used in potions, and did not have any dark aura.

Those parasitized by it only experienced itching and were often misdiagnosed by doctors in the short term.

But long-term effects were a different story.

Moreover, she planned to add a little something extra to his potion.

Fei Yi didn’t want the scoundrel to die too easily. Winnas was still young and couldn't handle such a large potion shop on her own.

The night in Ninui Village carried a peaceful and serene atmosphere, and Fei Yi took the opportunity to visit the marketplace.

In this world of swords and magic, even a place like Ninui Village had shops that specialized in selling unique items.

Fei Yi dove into a small, narrow, and fascinating stationery shop.

The shop was small in size but had a wide variety of items. The thin leather-bound notebook she had bought second-hand came from this place.

Fei Yi looked at the prices and compared other types of notebooks. In the end, she chose the cost-effective thin leather-bound one, passing up the dreamlike seagem notebook.

Although the completely transparent seagem notebook, made from jellyfish crystals and Blue Curl Corals and capable of producing beautifully wavy writing, was stunning, it was also genuinely expensive.

A poverty-wary Fei Yi clutched her coins tightly and moved with difficulty to the next counter.

This time, she didn’t choose a feather pen. Though pretty, these were disposable and not very cost-effective.

She put an octopus ink pen and its accompanying ink in her basket. The shopkeeper explained that the ink was made using octopus ink and magic. Though the bottle was small, the concentrated ink inside could last a long time.

Fei Yi: I like things that last a long time, I’ll take it!

She added two bottles of correction fluid to her basket, then paid and left.

Turning, she went to the neighboring clothes shop, where, indeed, she could find lower-level (1-5) equipment.

For example, vests with defensive power, coats that increase various resistances, or shoes that enhance speed.

Fei Yi tried on a pair of shoes and felt swift as the wind.

They were really expensive, though – two gold coins for a pair.

She pondered for at least two minutes before taking heavy steps to pay.

It couldn’t be helped; sometimes such items could save lives. Plus, they could automatically expand three sizes to fit the wearer's feet, so she could still wear them even if her feet grew.

Having spent a lot on the shoes, she had to economize on other items.

Fei Yi, feeling the pinch, left the clothing store and confidently headed to a second-hand stall.

She had to buy a large, thick skirt and coat, along with several pairs of woolen socks, as well as sweaters and scarves. All these were bought one size larger so they could be worn next year too.

This shopping spree cost her 5 gold coins in total, depleting over half of her previous sum of 8 gold coins.

Unable to carry everything, she also had to spend an additional silver coin to rent a small cart.

Fei Yi reluctantly stuffed the coins back into her pouch and pushed her purchases home.

Along the way, she sensed that Griffith was eating, then threw a tantrum because his steak wasn’t cooked to his preferred doneness.

He threw a wine glass at Winnas, but the wraith produced a thin layer of dark energy over her skin, preventing her from getting hurt.

Preoccupied with his own thoughts, Griffith unusually refrained from further anger, allowing Winnas to avoid another ordeal.

Good, let things continue this way.

Pushing a cart full of spoils, Fei Yi couldn’t help feeling pleased.

Although shopping costs money, the act of touching those equipment and supplies, then wearing and holding them, gave her a sense of turning fantasy into reality.

The only problem was their bulkiness, making them hard to carry.

Though teleporting back would bring her right to her dormitory door, her roommate, who was oblivious to such matters, wouldn’t mind her dragging a bunch of stuff in, but it was still inconvenient.

And the more things she accumulated, the less convenient it would become.

A thought sparked in Fei Yi’s mind; she needed to acquire a space storage item.

—Or perhaps, learn an ancient spell to expand space.

The black cloth bag issued by the academy must have a similar spell, as it could hold items exceeding its apparent capacity. But the space increase wasn’t much, as they were just students.

Fei Yi planned to go through her ancient spell textbook until it was worn out.

However, as soon as she stood in her dorm room, before she could even take out the textbook, another piece of news interrupted her.

"What? A test??"

"Yes," Hilary said with her usual haughtiness, though her eyes kept darting towards Fei Yi, "Just now, Instructor Sarilara announced that next week we'll have our first pop quiz. High scorers will receive bonus points, and those ranked at the top will get a surprise reward—we'll join the instructors and senior students in the academy's defense battle. Many are eyeing our castle, but Instructor Sarilara seemed quite relaxed. She told us not to worry at all, as those foes are quite weak. I think she's right."

By the end of her explanation, Hilary herself hadn't noticed her tone had become much lighter.

Bearing the Wyat name, she usually avoided behaving like commoners, hence refraining from befriending them.

Maintaining Wyat's pride while appearing noble was her goal.

But this meant Hilary had to keep her distance from commoners... So since arriving at the academy, she had been almost suffocating! She was relieved to find a talented genius like Fei Yi Luo.

A genius... she could converse with a Wyat, right?

Hilary struggled to suppress a smile, hoping Fei Yi would talk more with her. Or perhaps, they could study ancient spells together in the dorm tomorrow, testing each other on potion formulas.

If they got tired, they could eat helmet frog leg pies with a plate like other girls!

Right, after they both passed the test, they could exchange gifts to celebrate! Hilary had brought a box full of exquisite hairpins, and she could let Fei Yi pick any she liked!

Both wearing the hairpins given by each other at the front lines, everyone would know they were... friends!

Just imagining the scene made the young lady impatient with excitement!

But Fei Yi hadn't noticed her roommate's expression at all, as her own mind was undergoing huge turmoil!

Right, how could she have forgotten about that!

In a holographic online game, when are players most likely to earn high rewards?

Of course, during community events!

Community events not only enhance players' sense of belonging to the game but also strengthen their cohesion. Naturally, the frenzy of players recharging before these events is a major highlight.

Hence, like other games, "Land of Gods and Demons" loves organizing community events on memorable days, including specific events tailored for different professions.

One such event for the Witch profession is — defending the Witch Academy, essentially a simple city defense task.

Given the setup of the Witch's heart, occasionally, other impatient dark professions and creatures band together, attempting to overthrow the "fatty sheep" academy.

Clearly, what Instructor Sarilara referred to was such an event.

Without a system panel, Fei Yi didn’t have a clear idea of her combat strength. She only knew she was quite weak now, but the city defense was an excellent opportunity for leveling up.

She might even pick up some awesome gear!

She had to participate!

However, this would probably blow her cover as a "fool."

Hm? Wait a minute?

Fei Yi suddenly turned to glance at her roommate, who was excitedly selecting new hairpins from a box, oblivious to anything amiss. …Well, let it be, Fei Yi thought. Being found out wasn't necessarily bad. She had too much on her plate to bother with these "elementary schoolers."

After dinner, following the others, Fei Yi found her way to Instructor Sarilara’s office.

She wanted to inquire about the change in the symbol on her chest after Winnas’ oath.

This instructor, who had guided Fei Yi through the game's beginner stages, held a special place in her heart.

Of course, she began her narrative with "I read about such a story in a book…" and omitted many details, including her ability to see her own mana bar.

At first, Sarilara thought she was just listening to a story.

But as Fei Yi narrated, Sarilara's eyes began to sparkle, her expression growing increasingly intrigued.

"Clearly," Sarilara gestured, and immediately an automaton came in to pour them both some red tea.

"This is a tale of a novice witch who unwittingly gained her first contractee."

Fei Yi: "Contractee?"

Sarilara: "Yes, humans always have various desires, don't they? Desires they want but lack the power to obtain. So they make wishes to witches. By sacrificing something of theirs, they gain the witch’s aid — that is the contract."

"The power of the contract helps the witch break through her shackles, gaining strength rapidly. No witch can refuse. See these automatons?"

Sarilara smiled, "These were all once people who made wishes to me, sacrificing their souls. I absorbed their souls, and now their bodies work in the castle. Those were happy times indeed."

Fei Yi paused, stunned.

All the automatons throughout the castle, all of them? How powerful must this great sinner of a witch be? Then why, in the game, was Sarilara merely a guide for beginners rather than a final boss?

What exactly happened in the future?

Though the game had no such setting, Fei Yi quickly grasped the key points from Sarilara's words.

Contract — sacrifice; perhaps this was the true way to level up in this world.

Everything they were learning might be preparing them for this path.

Fei Yi didn’t know how much time was left before the game descended, but before that, she was determined to make herself stronger.

This time she opened the mana bar, next time might she see a health bar? The time after, perhaps a skill bar? If that’s the case, how far off could the [Quit] button be?

She bid farewell to her instructor, oblivious to the long, meaningful gaze that Sarilara cast upon her from behind.

"It seems our lovely freshman has had quite the adventure. Not only has she learned the language, but she's also formed her first contract."

"But how... did our Miss Adventure leave the academy?"

The next day was the Familiar Summoning class.

The class was taught by the plump and ever-smiling Instructor Sharp, always kind to the students.

After being sternly disciplined by several strict instructors, the freshmen relaxed considerably with such a friendly face.

"Every witch has her own familiar. Only by successfully summoning your familiar can you shed the title of witch reserve and become a true witch."

Fei Yi understood; at the end of this class, she could finally progress from level 0 to level 1.

Instructor Sharp released her own familiar, a doll made of bones hanging upside down.

The dolls had large heads with empty, dark eye sockets, looking evil and frightening.

The freshmen gasped; indeed, a witch is a witch, even if she is smiling.

"A familiar is the embodiment of your inner self," Instructor Sharp said, stroking the heads of the hanging dolls, "So, recognize your innermost feelings, find your strongest emotion, and use your magic to bring it, or them, out of you."

"Remember, focus, persistence, precision, and it will be very simple."

As everyone tried, the dolls distributed textbooks for Familiar Summoning — "Communication and Stability Techniques with Familiars," "Personality Analysis of Familiars," "What Your Familiar Will Tell You."

They looked like quirky little guidebooks one might find on the street.

But thinking about the upcoming city defense and looking at the textbooks on the desk and the beaming Instructor Sharp, Fei Yi closed her eyes.

First, channel the magic, which wasn’t hard for her. Then, understand her inner self, searching for her strongest emotion.

Focus.

Persistence.

Precision.

However, before she could succeed, Fei Yi heard a burst of exclamations from the other side of the room.

Susie had become the first person to successfully summon a familiar, and many girls crowded around her, congratulating her enthusiastically.

Instructor Sharp looked at the rat with black flames rising from the floor, her smile fading slightly.

Greed and envy embodied — the rat, a dark and ominous heart — black fire.

"Susie Bottler, plus five points."

Susie, her face flushed, glanced fiercely at Fei Yi as she passed through the crowd.

Fei Yi shrugged, unconcerned, and continued.

After this class, she still had to hurry to the Curved Forest to collect materials for crafting Griffith’s “gift.”

She mulled over several endings for the despicable boss in her mind, eager to see which one Winnas would choose.

Fei Yi examined her heart repeatedly, concentrating her tumultuous emotions.

Yet, she focused throughout the entire class without any change.

Fei Yi: ? What’s happening?

She looked at her classmates; Hilary had succeeded. Her familiar was a few birds bound with golden threads, dripping blood as they flew. Lunien also succeeded, but her familiar wasn’t an animal; it was a group of cotton dolls with oversized mouths.

Instructor Sharp generously awarded points to every successful student and mentioned that those who succeeded might be chosen to participate in next week's castle defense.

Hearing this, Fei Yi became restless and quietly reached into her pouch, summoning three wraiths with her wand.

"Oh, what astonishing magic," Instructor Sharp bent down and patted Fei Yi's head, "Miss Luo, three points for you."

Fei Yi breathed a sigh of relief, though not completely letting her guard down.

In the game, familiars were akin to combat pets for the witch profession. Unlike Necro-singers who relied entirely on their minions, familiars were just one way to enhance combat strength.

However, this enhancement was exponential.

Early to mid-stage witches were relatively weak without familiars, making it hard to advance to higher levels.

She had a multitude of familiars in the game and couldn’t understand why she couldn’t summon even one in reality.

Thus, Fei Yi began to practice extensively.

She practiced while gathering materials in the Curved Forest, during her baths, while helping Winnas steal and memorize the supplier list, and even while secretly casting enlargement spells on the recluse spiders inside Griffith’s body…

She continuously recited the ancient familiar summoning spells, scrutinizing her inner self as the instructor had said.

She delved into many memories and emotions, from her childhood to her older years.

Then, during one of these attempts, her magic suddenly fluctuated strangely, casting a shadow over her.