Sorcerer’s Handbook

“You really aren’t afraid of losing all your Scholarship money, huh…”

Freya shook her head: “And don’t overestimate yourself; at a Tea Cafe, you might not even make it to the lowest tier of Green Tea. To make money at the Tea Cafe, you’d at least need to take out a loan for a full-body Medical aesthetics makeover. Body curves, facial features, hair, lips and teeth, scent, and all the various structures down to your charm points need to be adjusted…”

Adra was terrified: “Is it really that horrifying?”

“Let me paint you a picture.” Freya pointed to herself: “If I go to the Tea Cafe, I could, at most, be a Blue Tea level Tea Master, and even then, my performance would be mediocre.”

“The Tea Cafe has taken Internal competition too far! Can even a Bewitcher barely scrape by!?”

“In my opinion, the Mud Café is even more wrapped up in Internal competition than the Tea Cafe. Next time you go with me to the Mud Café, I can introduce you to an Orc who’s even prettier than a Bewitcher.”

“It’s all the healers’ fault!” Adra grumbled with vexation: “These days, even a naturally beautiful girl like me can’t earn money with her body.”

“That’s why you need to study hard. Sorcerer is the least competitive Occupation,” Freya said as she packed her bag: “The Virtual Realm doesn’t care about ranking, only whether you’re qualified or not.”

Adra got up to join her: “Let’s go to Saleth.”

Saleth was a music restaurant near the university, popular with students for its wallet-friendly prices and diverse menu. It even had separate Moon Sugar and non-Moon Sugar sections, so students didn’t have to worry about dining next to someone getting too high on Moon Sugar and having a fit.

“I’m not going with you.”

“Ah, why? It’s my treat.”

“I’ve got plans tonight.”

Adra was slightly taken aback: “Two nights in a row at the Mud Café? Are you that rich?”

“It’s not the Mud Café.” Freya said, propping her chin in her hand: “It’s something I shouldn’t tell you about.”

Before heading out in the morning, Ashe made sure to ask Freya for her class schedule and instructed her to come home as soon as her classes ended. Freya, conscious of her role in harboring an escapee, planned to return and check on the situation first.

Adra, hesitant upon hearing this, suddenly grabbed Freya’s shoulder, her curiosity piqued: “You’re not in love, are you? Don’t fall for those Mud Workers at the Mud Café!”

“Of course not, how could that be?” Freya laughed and waved her hand dismissively: “Have you ever heard of a Bewitcher being fooled by the opposite sex?”

Adra thought about it and indeed, it made sense. Since she had known Freya, she had frequented numerous Mud Cafés near the university, never lingering over any Mud Worker — Bewitchers were notorious for their one-time affairs; they would be very affectionate before mating and very disdainful after. Only a rare few could be an exception to a Bewitcher’s nature.

Falling in love was naturally incompatible with Bewitchers, as they couldn’t stand long-term intimate relationships with the same person.

Adra clicked her tongue: “If you’re not going, I can’t be bothered to go to Saleth either. I’ll go to the buffet at Fortune High then.”

Fortune High was the most famous casino near the university, offering a free buffet as long as you purchased a certain amount of chips. Freya cautioned: “Don’t lose all your money on food, I don’t have any to lend you.”

“Pfft, I’m feeling lucky today, don’t jinx it!”

After leaving the Classroom and parting ways with Adra, Freya silently prayed to the Blood Moon Sovereign, hoping He would protect Adra from losing everything — otherwise, Adra would definitely be mooching off her.

Adra was her college friend, a Human female with green hair and eyes, whose hobby was gambling. Despite her serious gambling nature, it wasn’t unusual in college — gambling and intimacy were nearly unavoidable for students, and the probability of indulging in both was even higher. Of course, those who abstained from both, the ‘wooden people’, would find themselves ostracized and isolated by everyone else.

The proportion of Sugar Addicts among college students is relatively low; although there is no survey to confirm this, it’s a common belief that consuming sugar can lower cognitive abilities. Hardly any Sugar Addicts possess the academic prowess needed for university admission.

However, Adra is not the type of gambler who loses her mind over gambling. She is confident for good reason; her grades are among the best. With a little more effort, she can easily qualify as a Graduate Student at the Red Mist Research Institute upon graduation, at which point the institute would naturally waive her Student Loan.

In popular terms, she’s close to “Landing

1

” — securing a stable future — so she’s not overly concerned about what’s ahead.

For someone like Freya, who won’t make it as a Graduate Student, repaying the Student Loan becomes a reality after graduation. If she can’t find a good job and fails to pay back the loan, the bank will introduce her to ‘more lucrative’ jobs — like becoming a Tea Master at a Tea Cafe, for instance.

How many of her seniors have turned into Mud Workers at Mud Cafés, tailored to cater to all sorts of customer preferences…

Lost in her thoughts, Freya returned to her apartment.

Inside the stairwell, she ran into Auntie Mulan from the second floor. Just as she greeted her, her arm was seized. The forearm’s downy area is a Bewitcher’s weakness, and Freya didn’t dare to resist forcefully, only to listen to Auntie’s nagging: “Freya, don’t trust men, no matter how nice they seem, it’s all deception. Men are inherently incapable of empathizing with women, I was once…”

After hearing the classic story of a ‘young and beautiful Mulan who was cheated out of her money by a scoundrel’ once more, Freya seized the opportunity to break free: “I know, Auntie Mulan, I’m a Bewitcher, I won’t be fooled by men!”

Auntie Mulan sighed in resignation, calling out from behind: “Men love to tie you down with small favors, any man who isn’t willing to spend a lot of money on you is a liar!”

Auntie Mulan was particularly agitated today; perhaps she had encountered the man who cheated her out of her money at the Mud Café?… Freya’s mind wandered as she took out her keys to unlock the door, and suddenly she remembered that a Cult Leader was now living inside.

Why did he ask me to come home early?

What would a Cult Leader do when alone?

It must be some sinister Ritual, right?

Could it be that he called me back to be a Sacrifice?

But that can’t be right; the Contract last night clearly stated ‘no harm shall come to either party.’

Perhaps he’s short-handed for the Ritual and wants me to help out?

But then, wouldn’t that make me an accomplice rather than just a bystander?!

And even if the Cult Leader himself can’t harm me, what about his followers? There could be a bunch of thugs in Black Robes holding torches hiding around!

Despite these thoughts, Freya knew she still had to open the door and take a look. If there was any danger, she could immediately run away. This is a downtown area; an escapee from prison surely wouldn’t chase down a female college student in the street, right?

Freya opened the door and her nose twitched at the scent of food. Suspiciously, she stepped into the entryway and saw Ashe, wearing an apron, busy in the small kitchen with utensils she hadn’t touched since moving in.

Little String was winding around his feet, meowing now and then, seemingly eager to taste his cooking.

Upon seeing her, Ashe smiled and said, “Take a seat for a moment, I’ll be done with the last dish soon, and then we can eat.”

“Welcome back.”

Footnote:

1. Landing(上岸):

   This term has a special meaning in China, referring to passing the civil service exam and thus securing a stable income; the corresponding term is “going to sea(下海),” which refers to engaging in business, because the sea is fraught with risks, but the potential returns are high.

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