Chapter 416: How About Turning into a Witch for Your Birthday Gift?
It’s been several days since I returned to this small world. After an intense period of contemplation, I finally decided on a decent place to temporarily settle down.
Not for any particular reason, but because there’s a Lanas University of Technology nearby, which is one of the most prestigious universities in Lanas Island. The Lanas Institute of Information Science and Technology was established in connection with this university.
The place I’m staying isn’t too far from here. As for where I got the money… There’s nothing faster than robbing the rich to help the poor when it comes to earning cash.
Right now, with a fat stack of cash in hand, I’m also pondering a question: How am I going to spend it? Otherwise, these bills are just going to clutter my storage equipment, only improving my life a little.
Besides, bringing this money and precious metals back home wouldn’t do much good since I’m mostly using extraordinary materials like Aoqin and Secret Silver.
After getting into alchemy, I understand why these materials are so expensive—because they are universally used in alchemy. Anything that involves the extraordinary field can’t be cheap!
I need to find a way to turn this money into something useful.
That got me thinking about a saying: If you have too much money and want to burn it quickly, you have two options—charitable giving, because this world is overflowing with the needy, or investing in cutting-edge technology. Let’s be real; nothing burns money faster than scientific research.
But let’s not forget, Lanas Island is a country driven by technological development, and its annual spending on research funds is substantial, although the country is quite small. Even a small gesture from a big country could easily surpass Lanas Island’s contributions. Yet, astonishingly, Lanas Island remains the most technologically advanced nation in the world—bar none.
This place is a holy ground for geniuses and a cradle for nurturing cutting-edge tech talent.
I’ve noticed this bizarre situation because it’s not just rumor; it’s real. I have good reason to suspect this is a result of the extraordinary items radiating from Qiu Ruxin. Now I just need to verify this theory personally, but I’ve been too busy lately to explore it in depth. When life turns active, time just slips away!
Originally, I just wanted to get my hands on the tech documents from this world, but unfortunately, I don’t know the first thing about it.
So I need to start from the basics, and if you’re looking for the richest information hub in this world, it would be these prestigious academies.
That’s what I’ve been busy with over the past few days.
I’m quite interested in the unknown and fascinating plant technology, mostly out of curiosity, but their development direction might not be particularly appealing to me.
The tech they focus on is always aligned with the current trends of the world, sometimes with profit as the primary goal.
After all, not everyone in this world has the ability to develop technology, and those who master theories and skills tend to be treated as tools. Hence, they must cater to others’ demands to unleash their talents.
But what truly interests me are the “poor” research teams that can’t attract funding, waiting for their meager annual allowances from the government. They’re my target because nothing money can’t solve. Even though I know nothing, I can still use money to show them I understand technology.
Besides, I’ve also managed to secure a student identity at the academy to facilitate my activities within it. It’s not that I created an identity; I simply used disguise skills to take over someone’s identity—who, naturally, is dead.
Of course, that’s not my issue. Initially, I planned to pay her to travel for a few months, but this is an academy, and not everyone here aspires to advance technology. Some simply want to pad their résumé and sell themselves at a good price, but she crossed paths with an Excavator, and let’s just say things didn’t end well for her.
But I avenged her later and, on top of that, gave her a proper cremation—consider it a payment for borrowing her identity.
Naturally, there’s another important reason I wanted to enter this academy: the world’s very first Wanlian Main Network Tree took root here.
Although that area is heavily guarded, it doesn’t concern me much. You could say this academy’s fame is also tied to this Wanlian Main Network Tree.
…
Even though things have seemed to go smoothly these past few days, I’ve been trying to socialize with people—something I’ve never attempted before. It’s all very new yet quite uncomfortable.
Perhaps I was wrong from the start. I must admit, my lack of experience in interacting with others has left me feeling mentally drained. Human relations aren’t easy anywhere, and this world is no exception.
Ordinary people have to bear it to survive, but not me—I can flip tables if I want to.
After these past few days of lessons learned, I’ve come to realize that interacting with those in higher positions means they won’t hesitate to put you on the spot. So, I’ve decided to simplify matters; I aim to get strong partly to avoid the kind of socializing I despise!
After sifting through everything, I’ve retained only my contacts for investment projects and that student identity, discarding the rest. Now, I feel a wave of relaxation wash over me, and my mood has brightened.
The remaining connections involve one that allows me to access information that ordinary people can’t get, and the other is my student identity, which helps me utilize the academy’s educational resources to fill in my gaps in foundational knowledge.
From here, I’m finally set to establish a proper routine.
“Xiao Han, you’re back! Were you busy again today?”
“Yeah, but not anymore,” I nodded in response.
“Huh? Why? Didn’t you want to learn…”
“Yes, I want to understand plant technology, but not all that useless stuff,” I interrupted Qiu Ruxin.
At that moment, I realized I had been completely wrong from the start. I shouldn’t follow their rhythm; I should stick to my own. I’d grossly oversimplified things. If I truly wanted to learn all about this world’s plant technology from basics to frontiers, I could spend years and still wouldn’t finish.
I need my own pace, my own pursuits and plans. I’m not a scientist; I’m just a witch researching spells. They may look similar, but fundamentally, they’re different.
Their technology should inspire me, not make me want to replicate it. That sort of replication doesn’t hold practical value for me.
After all these days, I summed it up: I was too hasty and too presumptuous. I had given up my advantages to play by their set rules, using my weaknesses against them.
Thinking back on it makes me chuckle.
But realizing this now is better than never.
At that moment, my gaze fell upon a beautifully wrapped box on the table, adorned with an intricately tied ribbon.
Qiu Ruxin caught my eye and hurried to explain, “This… is a cake…”
“A cake?” I looked at Qiu Ruxin, confused about what she meant.
“Well… Xiao Han, today is my birthday, so I ordered a cake. It’s not too big…” Qiu Ruxin’s cheeks flushed slightly, the kind of shyness that only a girl can exhibit.
“Birthday?” I suddenly put two and two together.
Didn’t she say she was still a while away from adulthood? Today, with her birthday, does that mean… Qiu Ruxin has officially reached adulthood now?
An adult birthday, huh… for a moment, I was a bit dazed.
“Happy Birthday…”
In the end, those were the words that slipped out. Birthdays feel like a distant concept to me, and I don’t really celebrate them. In this life, my birthdays hold no significance.
“Thank you for the wishes, Xiao Han!”
Qiu Ruxin didn’t mind that it took me a while to say it; instead, she responded with excitement, as if my words had some magical blessing.
Afterward, she moved to unbox the small cake. Just as she said, it wasn’t too big—about enough for two people. It even came with candles shaped like numbers and disposable plates and forks.
People in this world celebrate birthdays mainly with cakes—no singing involved—just lighting candles and making wishes.
“I’ll do it.” I stepped forward as Qiu Ruxin placed the candles atop the cake.
“Eh?”
“I’ll make it easier.”
With a snap of my fingers, fire elements gathered at my fingertips, forming a small flame that lit up our faces with a gentle glow.
“Is this magic? It’s… so amazing…”
“Really? So, do you want to learn?” I asked with a grin.
“Can… can I really learn?” Qiu Ruxin asked incredulously. She had often expressed her desire for extraordinary powers in my presence but rarely voiced it outright.
Most of the time, she hinted at her desire, but I brushed it off. She noticed, so she stopped bringing it up.
Now that I was the one bringing it up, of course, she was excited!
And skeptical!
“Of course.”
“I want to! I absolutely want to learn!” Qiu Ruxin exclaimed, as if afraid I might change my mind or joke around.
“Even if using that power comes with a cost, you’re still willing?”
“Cost? As long as I can master extraordinary power, I don’t care about the cost… uh, just to ask subtly, what’s the cost?” Qiu Ruxin said eagerly but then realized something was off, her voice dropping a notch.
“The cost is becoming a witch. From then on, you will no longer be human. You will gradually distance yourself from the opposite s*x, and even before you ascend to the extraordinary, you would lose the ability to bear children…”
“Is that all? I’m willing!” At that moment, Qiu Ruxin’s voice pitched higher.
“Well, if you regret it later, don’t blame me.”
“I won’t, I won’t!” Qiu Ruxin shook her head vigorously.
“Alright, time to make your wish.” I lit the candle that represented 18, the warm yellow light flickering softly, illuminating a small area. Then I realized something and continued, “I didn’t expect today to be your birthday. I was actually thinking of getting you a gift, but now it seems I’ll have to combine it with your birthday present.”
Originally, I planned to gift her a magic source to turn her into a witch since her longing for extraordinary power was evident. I hadn’t responded to her hopes until now, turning it into a combination of a birthday and coming-of-age present.
So, just one magic source might not be enough; perhaps… I should throw in a spellbook too?
After all, I’ve collected quite a few spellbooks and have duplicates, so giving one away won’t affect me much.
“It’s alright. Birthday gifts are just symbolic little trinkets. I’m already happy that you’re willing to give me a present, Xiao Han!”
With Qiu Ruxin joyfully making her wish, blowing out the candles, and then cutting the cake, everything felt so perfect.
Yet, the misfortune brought by extraordinary items was not lacking – like the moth that just flew by, the hanging lamp that might fall, the small wooden cake cutter that snapped, and the candles that refused to be extinguished! I quietly dealt with all of them.
At that moment, I held the already cut cake and looked up at the wobbly lamp, which I had fixed with magic. If it dropped now, it would land right in the cake.
Even the ceremony of adulthood has its share of disasters for Qiu Ruxin today. I silently shook my head and sighed, taking a bite of the cake.
Feeling the sweetness of the frosting on this world’s cake was a strange sensation. I thought maybe I could bring some baking tutorials and innovations from this world to Sister Tang Yihan, imagining the kind of creative sparks they might ignite.
Time flies when you’re having fun, and so did Qiu Ruxin’s coming-of-age celebration.
Today, I was the only one here to celebrate her birthday; without my unexpected arrival, Qiu Ruxin might have otherwise been alone on this day.
While she was exceedingly enthusiastic during the cake cutting, I could see she was trying to lighten the mood, but sadly, neither of us seemed particularly adept at that.
And for a fleeting moment, I noticed a hint of melancholy cross her face. Perhaps she was thinking about her family?
If it weren’t for the Excavator in this world, she might have been a happy girl with a complete family.
Of course, had all this not happened, she would have just been an ordinary girl who went unnoticed, with no ties to me or the Witch Academy.
…
“Are you ready? No turning back now; you won’t get a second chance,” I said with a smile, holding a magic source in my hand.
“Yes! Xiao Han, you’ve asked me so many times! I will not regret it!” Qiu Ruxin replied with repetitive enthusiasm.
“Alright then.” After receiving confirmation once more, I stepped in front of Qiu Ruxin.
Qiu Ruxin looked at my open hand, seeing nothing there, yet she trusted that Sister Xiao Han wouldn’t trick her.
Qiu Ruxin didn’t possess Spirit Vision or any such aptitude; not in this small world, where its world spirit doesn’t treat the inhabitants like those in the main world, nor do they have talent awakenings here.
With nothing more to say, she made up her mind and thrust the magic source into her body.
For me, a single magic source might be trivial at this point, but for Qiu Ruxin, this was a transformational experience from nothing to something.
I recall how a magic source completely altered my form back then—that was the moment of maximum transformation. Beyond that, more magic sources just slightly advanced my witch transformation progress.
This was my first time giving someone a magic source, and it felt strange. I felt the magic source being taken out and then put back into Qiu Ruxin’s body. The exchange in this unfamiliar environment triggered a surge of power from the magic source.
It felt like the dramatic scenes I witnessed during my enrollment—the immense energy burst forth, transforming into light and heat that enveloped her whole body like a massive glowing orb.
This was the initial transformation into a witch, and also the most significant change. I waited quietly, my heart slightly anxious. Perhaps this was how Sister Bai felt when she gave me my magic source—worried yet hopeful.
Qiu Ruxin is a girl, so her physical changes shouldn’t be too drastic. Confirming that, it seems that giving a magic source to a boy would really be more exciting! I think I understand the mischievous fun those senior girls find in this!
Well, after waiting several hours—a stretch longer than I expected—I didn’t mind too much. After all, she is the child of luck in this world; a little delay is no problem.
A little while later, as the magic power within Qiu Ruxin began to dissipate, the magic source sank into a period of quietude, indicating the magic had been entirely consumed.
I stepped closer to check on Qiu Ruxin. Her body was burning hot, even more than a fever; it felt like her temperature was gradually returning to normal.
Not long after, her eyelids, which had been shut for ages, fluttered slightly—an action I couldn’t miss.
“Oh… I blacked out… Have I… turned into a witch?” she asked excitedly as she regained consciousness.
As she emerged from her daze, she pulled a strand of long hair, asking curiously, “Huh? Why isn’t my hair white?”
“White hair is just my personal preference. Not every witch turns white. Did you really think being a witch meant you’d end up with grey hair?” I explained to her, facing her inquisitive gaze.
