Sorcerer’s Handbook

Swordflower College, Training Hall.

The moment Sonya stopped, time seemed to stand still throughout the Training Hall.

Apprentices gazed in amazement at the genius swordswoman, a young girl who commanded attention. They glanced at the time on their bracelets, confirming it was only 9 PM.

She had been training for just an hour. Why had she stopped?

Though she had been training in the Training Hall for only two weeks so far, Therave had undoubtedly become the most dazzling sight for the swordsmanship apprentices—the unwavering two-hour evening training sessions without any break, her undivided focus, and precise movements. Simply watching her sweat-drenched training was a visual feast.

Not to mention, Therave’s swordsmanship realm was exquisite. Many a swordsmanship apprentice, stealing glances in their spare time, had sudden epiphanies that deepened their understanding of swordsmanship, adding a +1 to their slash rotations. She was a sight for the eyes and a fountain of knowledge.

Strangely enough, there were plenty of swordsmanship geniuses at Swordflower College—Leoni, Lorein, and Felix, to name a few. But their training sessions never drew the apprentices’ eyes as much.

For one, their training schedules were not fixed. Secondly, they took breaks during their training, lacking the ‘no rest throughout’ spectacle. And thirdly… though it was hard to pinpoint exactly why, everyone just felt that Sonya’s swordsmanship was a cut above the rest.

Thus, in recent times, the Training Hall was almost always packed in the evenings. When Sonya entered, the apprentices would scarcely dare to breathe, welcoming the arrival of the queen with eyes full of admiration.

What could possibly make someone so devoted to swordsmanship change her unwavering daily routine?

Indeed, not just among the students but in the eyes of everyone, including the professors, Sonya Therave was a genius born for swordsmanship. Her talent was extraordinary, and her love for swordplay was undeniable. Even after achieving great success (defeating Felix, besting Leoni, and unfurling her Silver Wings), she never lost sight of her passion, persisting in intensive nightly training. Could this dedication be called anything but ‘love’?

The apprentices, in the prime of their youth and full of fervor, couldn’t help but have the same thought pop into their heads: Could the Queen be in love?

As the apprentices’ resentful gazes converged on Felix, nearly setting him ablaze with their intensity, Felix himself felt quite helpless—he was just as curious as to why Sonya had stopped.

The most confused of all, however, was Sonya herself.

She was accustomed to two-hour training sessions, having been successfully ‘conditioned’ by the observers.

Tonight, she had also arrived at the Training Hall conscientiously, starting her routine promptly without any need for coercion from the observers.

That morning, on her desk, she found the familiar glass bottle filled with an unknown potion. After drinking it, she remained energetic throughout the day, never feeling fatigued even during intense swordsmanship training.

And indeed, the swordsmanship training was quite engaging. With every swing of her blade, every slash, Sonya felt an indescribable pleasure.

As these pleasures accumulated, they turned into an odd, unshakable craving. Only in the Virtual Realm, by slaying Knowledge Creatures and feeding their bodies to her blade, could she slightly ease this hunger.

Sonya didn’t think much of it, assuming it to be a side effect of the potion given by the observer. After all, this hunger did seem to enhance her performance slightly during hunts, increasing her output, so the observer was a likely suspect.

It couldn’t possibly be that she herself was a bloodthirsty maniac with an innate craving for battle, could it?

Although Sonya no longer resisted training, she couldn’t sustain non-stop sessions solely on willpower. Roughly half an hour later, her attention would falter, and she relied entirely on the Observer’s mysterious power to continue training automatically.

So when she suddenly stopped after an hour of training, Sonya immediately realized something had happened—the force that the Observer used to compel her training had vanished.

What had occurred?

Could it be that the Observer had a sudden change of heart?

No, that seemed unlikely. Could the Observer be dead?

Despite her wild speculations, Sonya wasn’t overly concerned.

The recent Destiny’s Inquiry had posed several questions that suggested the Virtual Realm held the Observer in high regard; it was improbable that the Observer would just drop dead in the Prison.

That brought up a question… What should she do next?

Sonya stared blankly at the wooden sword in her hand, trying to recall her activities from the evenings before.

The peaceful life of just a fortnight ago felt like a distant past.

‘Well, I have no other plans, so why not continue with Swordsmanship? It’s quite enjoyable to practice…’

Sonya startled herself with the thought that popped into her head—goodness gracious, she could rest now, and yet she was thinking about training?

No, she must not train and fulfill the Observer’s wishes! If the Observer found out she was so obedient, it would only lead to increased training intensity. Even if it was just to spite the Observer, she must not practice!

It was a terrifying thought, almost becoming the ‘Swordswoman’ the Observer spoke of.

She aspired to be a Songstress, a performer, anything but a Swordswoman!

The best course of action was to leave the Training Hall, even if it meant going back to bed to watch the latest Shadow Drama starring Delarose…

Just then, a series of gasps echoed from the entrance of the Training Hall, and Sonya turned to look, her eyes landing on the distinctive orange hair—it was ‘Orange Dancer’ Leoni!

“Sonya, have you finished training? Do you have time for a drink with me?”

Although Sonya had previously had a skirmish with Leoni, not only did she retain her dignity, but Leoni also apologized to her afterwards.

It was heard that Professor Trozan had taken in two new apprentices, and since Sonya was acquainted with Lorein, she heard about Lorein’s intention to confront Felix and took the opportunity to gauge the caliber of the first-year students.

After all, it was just a minor dispute between students, and the other party had taken the initiative to apologize and make amends. Sonya wasn’t one to hold a grudge over such matters, especially against a potential Sword Saint. Moreover, Leoni was a very straightforward and traditional Female Swordcerer—easy to utilize, to put it simply.

Such a renewable source of high-quality connections was not something Sonya would overlook. Their relationship quickly warmed up after a few interactions. However, seeing Leoni coming to her was quite a surprise: “Senior Sister, you came looking for me?”

“Yeah, I just got back not long ago and was excited to go out for a drink. I happened to be passing by the Training Hall and thought I’d see if you were here,” Leoni said with a giggle, turning to Engulite who stood nearby: “Engulite, do you want to come too? It’s my treat!”

As Sonya’s roommate who trained with her every day without fail, Leoni had also met Engulite a couple of times and had a good impression of this diligent Apprentice.

Engulite shook her head: “I don’t drink, and I haven’t finished training for the evening.”

“I knew it.”

Leoni turned to Felix, who was watching them, and smiled: “Men are not welcome at a ladies’ drink gathering, Felix.”

“I’m not fond of alcohol either,” Felix said indifferently. “Besides, it’s hard to understand how a swordsman could actually enjoy drinking.”

“That’s because you are still students. Wait until you step into the Abyss and experience Battle; then you’ll understand that even the sharpest Blade needs alcohol for proper maintenance. Let’s go, Sonya!”

Watching Leoni and Sonya leave, the Swordsmanship Apprentices let out a sigh of relief—thank goodness, they were just going out for drinks with Orange Dancer. Our Queen Therave remained the pure, romance-free maiden.

“Going to your dorm?”

“I’d like to, but my roommate probably wouldn’t be too happy about it,” Leoni shrugged. “Let’s head to the Secret Garden instead.”

The Secret Garden is the only Tavern within Swordflower College. Sonya had been there before but found the drinks too pricey. Being budget-conscious, she had declined further invitations to gatherings there, opting out with a straightforward ‘I’m too poor to go’. Even when others offered to treat her, she would refuse, and eventually, the group moved their gatherings to the more affordable Water Café.

The ‘poor student’ label was still relevant when necessary.

But things were different now—she had money. Even though Leoni, the Senior Sister, was treating her this time, Sonya could find an opportunity to return the favor. She could readily accept the Senior Sister’s invitation without hesitation.

The biggest difference between wealth and poverty is that wealth allows one to graciously accept the kindness of others.

The Secret Garden was scented with a faint aroma of lavender. There were no lights inside; the ceiling was completely open, with a mirror design that guided Starlight into every corner, providing illumination that was both bright and mysteriously dim.

The soothing sounds of music gently flowed through the Tavern. A trio band was playing on stage, likely students from the Sound Magic Department making some extra cash in their free time. Couples and groups of students were gathered in small circles, sipping drinks and enjoying the ambiance, which helped Sonya relax as well.

“A Screwdriver and a Summer Sunshine,” Leoni ordered with ease and led Sonya to a small booth, casually drawing the curtains for some privacy.

“Do you come here often, Senior Sister?”

“I swing by after every trip to the Abyss. How else could I deal with the pressure down there without a bit of alcohol to numb the senses?”

“Sigh, I thought Senior Sister was like super, super tough.”

“Even the toughest people need to find their own way to decompress. Drinking is pretty tame for me. I had a teammate who liked to streak down the main street after completing missions. You’ve heard that rumor, right?”

“Ah, so that urban legend is true? That’s kind of scary~”

“Listen, but don’t spread this around… actually…”

As Leoni shared various amusing stories from her Abyss Adventures, Sonya couldn’t help but get excited.

She also talked about her recent experiences in the Virtual Realm. Even leaving out the part where the Observer cheated, the Knowledge Creatures she hunted and the Swordcerer Inheritances she witnessed were fascinating to Leoni. Every now and then, Leoni would interject with her own insights on dealing with Knowledge Creatures. As fellow Swordcerers, their battle experiences were incredibly valuable, and Sonya learned a lot.

“Sonya gained some Swordsmanship experience.”

Gossiping, talking about the Abyss, discussing the Virtual Realm, they didn’t notice how quickly their drinks had emptied. Sonya’s cheeks were flushed as she asked with newfound enthusiasm, “Senior Sister, did you participate in some special event a few days ago?”

As soon as she asked, she realized her mistake and quickly apologized, “Sorry, that was presumptuous of me.”

Casually chatting about experiences in the Virtual Realm was one thing, but asking about actions that required a Contract of secrecy? That could be seen as testing Orange Dancer, tempting Leoni to make a mistake.

Leoni shook her head with a smile, indicating it was no problem, but then she added, “I can’t give you the details… but that event was actually a game organized by the Church.”

“A game?”

“Yes, have you ever played role-playing games on your Bracelet? It’s similar to that.”

The Miracle Bracelet has many functions. Ordinary people can use the Bracelet to connect to the ‘Curtain’, communicate with others miles away, and sorcerers use the computational power of the Bracelet to create Curtain games, allowing everyone to enjoy the entertainment provided by sorcerers.

As a result, Illusion Sorcerers who can develop Bracelet functions have seen their value rise. Sonya also considered choosing Illusion, but since she wasn’t familiar with Curtain games, she ultimately chose Water Art.

Sonya rarely engaged with Curtain games, not because she didn’t like them, but because—she couldn’t afford them.

The poor rustic girl from the countryside was only deemed fit to diligently study and was not entitled to high-end entertainment activities. Her spiritual life was entirely satisfied by watching dramas.

Hearing Sonya, with flushed cheeks, admit she had never played such games, Leoni was somewhat surprised and explained with a laugh, “The Church sent me into a completely virtual Illusionary Realm, filled with monsters that we needed to kill. The more monsters you kill, the higher your score and the richer the rewards from the Church… The whole game lasted two days and nights, it was exhausting.”

“That sounds pretty interesting.” Sonya’s interest was piqued, “Were the enemies strong?”

“No, not strong. Some were very weak, wouldn’t even run away, and only occasionally would there be a Sorcerer-level Monster chasing me… They would even cry, beg for mercy…”

Leoni’s voice grew softer, her expression more distant. Sonya casually responded, “Sounds quite relaxing, slaughtering some weak enemies… Senior Sister? What’s wrong?”

Leoni snapped back to reality, “It’s nothing, I might be a bit drunk.”

“You were talking about the monsters in the game, right?”

“Of course, what else would I be talking about? Waiter, another round of Quinn Leoni, please!”

After parting ways with Senior Sister, Sonya strolled leisurely towards the Meditation Tower.

Ah, it had been so long since she had experienced such a pleasant evening.

After a refreshing session of swordsmanship training and a pleasant chat over drinks with a friend, all that’s left for a perfect day is to test out the newly researched Miracle in the Virtual Realm, to skillfully slaughter several Knowledge Creatures, shred them to pieces with a Blade, and watch their blood bloom like flowers…

“Huh?”

Sonya looked up and realized that the White Tower had disappeared at some point, and the Virtual Realm Turbulence that had been suspended in midair was also gone without a trace. The brilliance of stars scattered like rain across the college campus.

The disappearance of the White Tower meant the end of the campus’s state of emergency, and classes would resume tomorrow… Tch.

Sitting in the Meditation Room, Sonya, feeling slightly dizzy, summoned her spirit, located the Gate of Truth, and sank into her consciousness to connect with the Virtual Realm.

Opening her eyes to the Observer, Sonya said with a foolish grin, “Observer, let me tell you about tonight—”

“Tonight is the last night I’ll accompany you in Exploring the Virtual Realm.”

Sonya instantly sobered up.

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