Chapter 184: Store Manager Shali Out of Control
“Well, Store Manager, you should properly ask the custom shop.”
I looked at the Thread of Fortune in my hand; I had never feared something so tangible, aside from Spirit Vision.
It can manipulate a person’s behavior and thoughts so easily; is it serving the script?
Then, at this moment, would this Thread of Fortune on me eventually become a binding line at some crucial point? It’s hard to imagine such a scenario, even though these fine threads lie quietly and harmlessly in my hand right now.
If I actively tie it to someone, will it behave like before?
No, Teacher Lina said that the Thread of Fortune belonging to me should not be easily taken by others. It seems I need to find an opportunity to ask more about this Thread of Fortune.
“Xiao Han, you don’t have any threads on you either, are you lying to me?”
“Eh? Really? Maybe I misread it.” I scratched my head and said awkwardly. Although my behavior just now was indeed strange, Shali didn’t actually see what I did, so it just resolved itself.
“By the way, Store Manager, what about that proposal from earlier? Aren’t you going to show it to me?”
“I must have lost my mind to show you; who told you I have **Extraordinary Knowledge** in my small treasury? Was it Ying Shiqian or Tang Yihan?”
“Eh?”
I looked at Shali, the store manager, who was now acting like a protective cub. Is this how she gets after the Thread of Fortune is pulled away, and her mind becomes clear?
But after thinking it through, is **Extraordinary Knowledge** really that important? She doesn’t even want Tan Han anymore?
“But didn’t you just say you would show it to me?”
I continued with my previous words without mentioning who told me; after all, I had forgotten who said it. Anyway, changing the topic now is a good move.
And this feeling of cognitive disconnect put both me and Store Manager Shali in a very awkward situation.
I was inexplicably brought here by Shali, and Shali almost gave away her most cherished possession because of my coaxing. Now that there was no outside interference, Shali felt as if she had been possessed just moments ago.
I could sense Shali’s awkward and embarrassed expressions here, even if she covered them well, many things cannot be hidden, and I could even see her embarrassed toes gripping the ground, pushing so hard she could almost dig up a three-room suite.
“I… I regret it, Xiao Han. Just now the store manager felt like someone tricked me, as if I had been cursed. Please don’t take my words seriously, really! Don’t take them seriously. Whether Little Tan is first or not has nothing to do with me, but don’t touch my **Extraordinary Knowledge**.”
“Eh? But Store Manager, didn’t you say that **Extraordinary Knowledge** was reserved for Little Tan?” I pressed on.
“This… When someone is cursed, they can say anything!” Shali thought within, cursing herself in frustration, but she also realized some things.
No one would randomly curse her like this, unless it benefits someone else.
Everything she just said in defense of Tan Han was highly suspicious; she should find an opportunity to test Tan Han with a lie detector alchemical item. Even though she didn’t believe Tan Han was behind this, knowing a person’s face but not their heart, she wasn’t a naive child trusting anyone blindly.
“Really? But Store Manager, you called me here; shouldn’t there be a reason? Bouncing everything off on a curse feels too irresponsible.”
“Sorry, Xiao Han, this is also my fault. Huh… I will compensate you. Also… congratulations on making it to the top ten in the new student competition. Eh, I’ve been overlooking this issue; I should have given you something before the competition. I hope you don’t mind. You and Little Tan are both members of my bakery club, the Magic Source, the Spellbook… also, wait, looks like you don’t lack those anymore…”
At that moment, Shali’s tone was filled with apology and sincerity, carefully trying to gauge whether I would blame her at this moment.
But when she spoke of compensation, she recalled my earlier words.
I had passed the stage where I lacked Magic Sources and Spellbooks.
It’s easier to add flowers to embroidery than to provide timely help; this made Shali unsure how to give me the Spellbook she held.
“Look, um… Xiao Han, this is my small treasury; take whatever you like as my compensation, but… but **Extraordinary Knowledge** is off-limits.”
At that moment, in her oversized small treasury, Shali guarded the safe behind her while the other areas felt open for my taking.
“This… Store Manager, how can I do that?” Though I said this, my body was very honest.
It seemed like Shali didn’t treat me unfairly, but when it came to differentiation, a sense of imbalance still arose, even if it shouldn’t rightfully belong to me.
“Uh… Xiao Han, it isn’t easy to maintain such a large club. If we could negotiate, please just hold back a bit. After all… after all…” Hearing my words and seeing my decisive actions, Shali realized she’d exaggerated a bit; what if the other party really emptied her treasury?
“Store Manager, I naturally know how to be measured; actually, I do have a goal right now, which is a Spellbook. Can I just take one Spellbook?” I asked with a smile.
“A Spellbook? One Spellbook… good, that’s great. Xiao Han really knows how to consider the store manager’s situation. In the future, I will definitely take good care of you. If you encounter any problems, feel free to contact me. Wherever I can help, I will!”
Upon hearing my request, Shali breathed a sigh of relief. She had been truly afraid I would ask for a lion’s share, even including saying, “Aside from **Extraordinary Knowledge**, I want everything!” That would truly be too much!
How had she not noticed how understanding Xiao Han was? That shouldn’t be!
“Um… Xiao Han, what type of Spellbook do you want? Even if it’s the Excessive Consumption Spellbook, I… wouldn’t refuse… haha…”
Recalling my performance in the arena, Shali knew I had a hundred-point consumption Spellbook. To really think just to use one Spellbook like settling matters would involve a cost; she might have to give away an Excessive Consumption Spellbook. Such Spellbooks are valuable resources in various clubs within the academy.
However, with **Extraordinary Knowledge** in mind, offering such a Spellbook wasn’t a big deal, especially since Xiao Han wasn’t lacking either—it was just an investment in Xiao Han, and it wouldn’t end up in loss.
And she indeed felt a debt towards the other party, especially upon reflecting on how she had treated both Tan Han and Xiao Han differently; that feeling of debt grew stronger.
If Xiao Han had had more Magic Sources and a more powerful Spellbook in their first competition, the favorite to win might have switched from Tan Han to Yang Yuelan!
Thinking of this, Shali instinctively swallowed, then looked at me, waiting for my decision.
“I want a Spell that can enhance learning efficiency, improve memory, or rapid memorization, enhance comprehension ability, or a Spell that can simply spark interest in learning.” I briefly explained, as I truly needed this spell, and the sooner, the better. Even though I now had quite a few potions, they had side effects! If Shali had this kind of spell, that would be perfect!
“Eh? Such spells? These are hot items; even comparable Spellbooks of the same level would be worth more!” Shali hadn’t expected me to make this request, which hit her sore spot.
It wasn’t that she didn’t have them; she did, and high-level ones at that. Even though most of these spells are non-restricted with no fixed consumption, there are settings for maximum consumption limits for such Spellbooks. Generally, their values are assessed based on these limits.
Shali had a Spellbook with a consumption limit reaching hundreds; its value was even more precious than an Excessive Consumption Spellbook!
This was indeed a selective matter…
“Xiao Han, why do you want this type of Spellbook?”
“Um… I’ve hit a bottleneck recently. I originally thought I could pick one of these unrestricted Spellbooks as a reward after tomorrow’s new student competition, but due to well-known reasons, it’s… all gone. If there’s none here, I won’t push it.”
I pretended to look pitiful, waving my hand. In fact, I could tell from Shali’s expression that she indeed had it; if she didn’t, she wouldn’t look so pained.
Seems I underestimated the value of such Spellbooks.
“However, if possible, can I buy it? I can trade with Aoqin.” Offering Aoqin for trading the Spellbook surely showed enough sincerity, right? After all, I have plenty of Aoqin and am not stingy about it.
“What are you saying? I’ll give it to you; it’s just one Spellbook, leaving it here is just gathering dust.” Upon hearing this, Shali gritted her teeth and directly agreed, seeing it as an investment in Xiao Han—even if it weren’t an investment, at least it wouldn’t sow discord.
Creating enmity with a group of people in Witch Academy was quite uncomfortable; you can’t k*ll or chase them away—they only come to annoy you. Moreover, if they became Extraordinary Witches, they would press you further.
There’s a distinct difference between a preparatory witch and an Extraordinary Witch.
She had offended many people while running the bakery, so she knew this very well. Of course, she had her own connections and backing; otherwise, how could she protect **Extraordinary Knowledge**?
“Eh? Really? Thanks in advance, Store Manager!” I said cheerfully, preventing her from reneging on the deal.
After obtaining the Spellbook, I accompanied Shali back to the bakery’s front desk.
After briefly explaining the situation as per the Manager’s request, I departed directly.
After all, I had already reaped the benefits; why hang around?
Obtaining this Spellbook was indeed an unexpected surprise.
After leaving, I carefully checked the introduction of the Spellbook.
The Spellbook contained an introduction to the spell; at least it explained how to use it and what effects it would have.
I just wonder if this Spellbook could be magically modified?
This spell doesn’t have a very specific name, as many spell effects cannot simply be described using words. Numerous spell effects can differ significantly from their names; this characteristic often occurs in many minor Spellbooks.
However, Shali casually assigned a name to the spell based on its effects for convenience’s sake, so she wouldn’t lose it later.
She named it “Practical Application Spell.”
This is a continuously consuming Spellbook containing several effects, including a degree of enhancement to memory, comprehension ability, and even providing a certain focus level so that the mind won’t be disrupted by external interference. These are the spell’s accompanying effects. Its main function is in linking “learning” and “application,” that is, using what is learned to enhance brain activity and associative ability.
So, Shali’s naming of this spell as the “Practical Application Spell” is indeed appropriate.
As for the actual effects, I would only know after using it myself. I hope it doesn’t disappoint; this is the Spellbook that even Shali would feel pain giving away.
After walking a short distance, I returned directly to the villa.
At this time, it wasn’t yet evening, but my roommates weren’t in the living room. They might be in their bedrooms or out strolling; as for what they were doing, I couldn’t be bothered, after all, everyone has their own privacy.
I do too.
Back in my bedroom, I couldn’t wait to start trying out the effects of this Spell.
After simply activating the spell and feeling the rate of magic consumption, it seemed to consume about one bit of magic every minute.
Once activated, my mind indeed felt much clearer.
However, this wasn’t the limit of the Spellbook’s capabilities; it was merely the normal consumption. I could naturally enhance it further, as no one would reject faster efficiency, right?
But I couldn’t raise it too much; otherwise, even with over seven hundred Magic Sources, I might struggle, and Magic Sources also require time to recover.
To expedite recovery, one would need special recovery spells or potions, etc.
Or simply alchemical items that store magic, like the one Tan Han used back then.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any of those.
This time, I didn’t continue studying Rune Literature but directly searched the online library within the Earth Vein System for aspects related to elemental theory.
After all, spells are for practical application, and I’m not in a hurry to study runes; I began to tackle the foundational shaping spells. I want to thoroughly master those basic shaping spells.
Then based on that, I will see if I have free time to study other spells, like the Illusionary Clone that the Senior gave me; that is quite useful. Other spells like Silence, Binding, and Blindness provided by the academy are also great. I don’t need to research these spells too deeply; they just have to be useful to me.
For instance, can the Blindness spell become a group effect, or a flashbang-like effect?
Whether it can succeed is of course questionable; after all, spells are divided into various categories, and without corresponding specialized knowledge, it’s challenging to conduct in-depth research on them.
When I finally walked out of the bedroom, someone had returned to the villa.
“Oh? Guan Qiuling? Why are you the only one back?” I leaned over the second-floor railing, looking at the weary Guan Qiuling who had just come back.
“Eh? Sister Xiao Han, I don’t know. I usually… didn’t go out with them this time either.”
“Alright, I was just asking.” In my impression, Guan Qiuling was still relatively shy, so since she didn’t know, I wouldn’t pry.
“By the way, have you been getting along well with your seniors these past few days?”
“Um? Uh… Sister Xiao Han, don’t ask about this kind of thing…” Guan Qiuling subconsciously tugged at her clothes, as if trying to cover something, which seemed a bit too obvious.
“Okay, I won’t pry anymore. I was just a bit concerned about the roommates. If there are any difficulties, remember to tell me. By the way, did Hong Chanyi give you anything? Earth Vein Memory, something like a crystal.”
“Oh, yes, Hong Chanyi found me purposely to help me with it, saying it was given by you, everyone has one. Thank you, Sister Xiao Han; it’s really useful for me.”
“Alright… I’m glad you like it.” Seeing Guan Qiuling like this, I didn’t ask further. Among the memory pieces I gave, if that one satisfied Guan Qiuling… then that was probably the only one.
Although it felt quite superfluous to me.
