Sorcerer’s Handbook

Stars twinkled above the Swordsmanship Department at Swordflower College, within the professor’s office.

“What was that supposed to mean?”

“It means I forgot to tell you. Just happened a couple of days ago. Two team members died in the Virtual Realm.”

“Were they badly injured?”

“Not severely. But one suffered an eye injury and the other an ear injury. It affected their combat capabilities too much, so they were replaced. Then Leoni recommended you, and naturally, you became part of the team. I’m leading the team for the mixer with Orbit College. I didn’t want you to compete so soon, but this batch of students in the Swordsmanship Department is the worst I’ve ever seen. We had no choice but to rely on a newcomer like you, who has been learning swordsmanship for less than a month.”

“Why didn’t you ask me?”

“I figured you’d agree, so I didn’t bother asking, and then I forgot to tell you.”

“But why the Chief Battle?” Sonya complained while holding her forehead. “I enter the Virtual Realm every night at exactly 11 PM, Professor, as you well know. The Chief Battle doesn’t start until midnight, completely throwing off my schedule—not to mention the two hours of swordsmanship training I do every night.”

“And if someone hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have known I was supposed to attend the Mixer Party tonight! The whole college knows I’m in the Chief Battle, everyone but me!”

Thud!

A pair of boots landed on the desk as Trozan leaned back in the chair, arms crossed over the chest, an expression of clear impatience. “Are you done yet? So, I forgot to tell you. Do you have to nag me about it? Next time I’ll bombard your Curtain with ten messages about anything concerning you, okay?”

Despite the harsh words, Sonya knew the professor was listening.

After half a month of working together, Sonya had already figured out Trozan’s personality. Though the Swordsmanship Professor was as prickly as a hedgehog in conversation, domineering and autocratic in teaching style—always a stance of ‘are you strong or am I strong? If I’m strong, then listen to me’—it was because from a young age her exceptional talent had breezed her through to becoming a Sanctuary Sorcerer, her gifts completely overshadowing any lack of emotional intelligence, hence she never needed to learn how to interact with others.

In other people’s eyes, dealing with Professor Trozan must be an ordeal, but Sonya didn’t see it that way at all. In her hometown, there were plenty of villagers with even lower emotional intelligence than Professor Trozan, who relied solely on Shadow Drama for their knowledge and prenatal influence for social interactions. Sonya had ample experience dealing with such disagreeable people.

Or rather, Sonya was quite pleased that Professor Trozan was a genius with low emotional intelligence, which allowed her to quickly grasp his personality traits and even know how to make him ‘obey’.

Sonya spoke so sternly this time because she knew Professor Trozan wouldn’t blame her, and only by doing so could she make him listen—honestly, Trozan was the kind of person who wouldn’t remember unless you snapped at him.

“I get the impression that you’re not too keen on attending the mixer or participating in the Chief Battle,” Professor Trozan tilted his head. “If you’re really eager to enter the Virtual Realm, I can change the order, let you fight in the vanguard battle first, then hurry back to school, or even pull you out altogether… How about that?”

“But even during my most intense period of addiction to the Virtual Realm, I wasn’t as obsessed as you are. Missing the Virtual Realm for a day or two, would you really miss anything?”

Miss anything? Miss the crucial moments of the emotional escalation between the Observer and the Witch.

Although that was her internal complaint, Sonya knew nothing significant would happen in just one night. If progress could truly be made overnight, it would only show how inadequate the rustic girl was—she hadn’t been able to counter-manipulate the Observer for the past half month, could the Witch really win him over in just one night?

Is having a girlfriend with multiple personalities really that appealing? Isn’t it just being able to simultaneously interact with a confidante, a dark humorist, an energetic young girl, and a cold-hearted killer? What’s so great about that?

Well, actually, the Witch did have quite a few advantages.

Upon analysis, Sonya realized that besides showing up early, she didn’t seem to have much more competitive edge.

Even in the battle prowess debate that the Observer favored most, the future of the Witch, who could cultivate the Time Faction, surpassed her own—the Time Faction in the Time Continent grows automatically, meaning the Witch would always have one more specialty faction than her.

Although Sonya’s position in the team seemed precarious, she wasn’t too worried about being neglected. Even when the Observer spoke sternly about ‘status,’ ‘struggle,’ ‘survival of the fittest,’ ‘wolf spirit,’ and ‘the capable take the lead,’ she knew these were just motivational tactics to encourage her to train harder.

It was like before every quiz, the Professor would say, “This test is crucial for your overall grade” to make students feel the pressure and motivate them to study on their own.

Sonya’s half-month lead was not insignificant; she had already subtly understood the Observer’s character. This seemingly resurrected Legend was a delicate person; his absurd jokes contained undercurrents, and his silent actions were wrapped in good intentions.

Without the Observer’s initiative, Sonya would never discuss the Witch’s personality disorder in Battle, and even if she did, it would only be after several more incidents and further development of their relationship. However, the Observer seemed impatient, as if holding back would affect his very being.

It was unclear whether his actions were driven by a sense of responsibility, concern for the team, or simply out of kindness.

Such a sensitive person would take much longer to accept someone than usual. And not just the Witch—Sonya felt that she hadn’t truly been accepted by the Observer either, even though he claimed she was the pillar of his life. Occasionally, the way he looked at her hinted at an indescribable distance.

It was as if he was looking at something unattainable.

This sense of distance was deeply hidden, perhaps because they were not in the same Kingdom, and the physical space between them translated into emotional distance.

If Sonya couldn’t break through this barrier, she doubted the Witch could either.

Moreover, if the Observer was truly reckless and lustful, choosing Operators as if selecting a consort, then why was Sonya still perfectly fine? Could it really be because the Observer couldn’t defeat her?

Sonya could come up with a thousand reasons to prove that there was no issue with the Observer and the Witch conducting Exploration in the Virtual Realm alone.

But she just couldn’t convince herself.

Sometimes, rationality isn’t very useful; emotional thoughts occupy every inch of the mind, and the army of reason retreats in defeat.

The thought of the Observer and the Witch traveling through the Virtual Realm without her caused Sonya a pain as if she were being torn apart.

She couldn’t know what they would do or say there. Perhaps they would speak ill of her? Perhaps the Observer would share his past? Perhaps they would encounter Virtual Realm Adventures, like Miracle Park, Hall of Magic, or even Destiny’s Inquiry…

Those treatments that once belonged solely to her, the attention she used to receive exclusively, the privileges that were once hers alone, were gradually being handed over to someone else.

If she hadn’t declined the Chief Battle or skipped the Mixer Party, then the Observer and the Witch would have their own memories, exclusive experiences, and secrets shared with a smile.

She despised this feeling of being out of control and feared being marginalized.

She knew her suspicions were irrational and dwelling on these emotions was pointless, but she couldn’t help herself.

Sonya Therave was just that incapable rustic girl, unable to pick up, put down, let go, or hold on.

All the reason in the world couldn’t outweigh a moment of heartfelt impulse.

“So what are you suggesting?”

Professor Trozan asked, “Are we changing the order of seats for the battle, or are we cancelling the mixer altogether? Well, I can understand prioritizing Virtual Realm Adventures over real-life events…”

“No.”

Sonya’s answer surprised not only the Professor but herself as well.

The rustic girl stared intently at the Professor, her fists clenched tightly, shaking her head stiffly: “Let’s stick to the Professor’s plan. I will take responsibility for the final Chief Battle, and I will stay until the end of the university-level Mixer Party.”

“The Virtual Realm should yield to reality.”

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