There was a fifteen-minute break between classes. Lila, the Mysticism teacher, had already arrived.
Mrs. Ross sat in her armchair, her loose morning gown redolent with the complex scents of various reagents. Stains from chemical corrosion marked her fingers and the backs of her hands. She sipped a cup of cold black tea she had brewed before class while chatting with Lila.
Hearing a student approach with a question, she turned around. “Is there something from today’s lecture you didn’t understand?”
“Teacher, is there a potion that causes hair loss?” Wang Yue asked.
“A potion to treat hair loss?”
“No. A potion that makes all of one’s hair fall out overnight, leaving not a single strand behind.”
Wang Yue’s plan was to have Veronica drink such a potion. Once her hair was gone, the octopus’s movements would have nowhere to hide. It was a brilliant plan.
Mrs. Ross’s brows knit slightly as she looked at her. “Student Wang Yue, no pranks allowed.”
The teacher’s reaction was exactly as Wang Yue had calculated. She immediately pointed at Dorothy. “Teacher, you’ve misunderstood. It’s not for a prank. It’s just that Dorothy… she has chest hair. She wants to remove it.”
She lowered her voice significantly for the last part.
“What?” Mrs. Ross gasped, looking at Dorothy with a horrified expression.
Dorothy: “???”
Wang Yue quickly pinched the girl’s hand. The little maid caught on and nodded vigorously. “It’s so long, Teacher! Please help me!”
Mrs. Ross shuddered. A young girl with a hairy chest was a tragedy of human proportions, something straight out of a horror film. She felt a deep sense of sympathy.
She wanted to help, but she didn’t have any ready-made potions on hand. Instead, she tore a page from her notebook and scribbled down a recipe.
“This is a ‘Body Purifying Potion.’ Its purpose is to remove body hair and shrink pores. It’s relatively simple to make—even a first-year should be able to manage it. You can use it for practice.”
Wang Yue took the recipe and thanked Mrs. Ross.
Returning to her seat, she whispered to Dorothy, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Your lips must be sealed.”
“Master, what are you going to use it for?”
“Don’t ask.”
“Is it… is it actually you who has chest hair? Don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul even if it kills me!”
Wang Yue didn’t answer, nor did she bring it up again. Dorothy wasn’t like her; the girl couldn’t control her facial expressions perfectly. If she knew the truth, she would likely act unnaturally in front of Veronica, which might lead to an accident.
Based on her experience playing MOBA games like League of Legends, success relied on two things: first, don’t trust your teammates too much; second, don’t let your teammates down.
Wang Yue scanned the recipe. It required six medicinal ingredients, the primary one being ‘Silver-strand Cinderhorn Fungus,’ a type of Carbon Stick Family Fungus(Xylariaceae) mushroom. One had to use the powdered stroma.
As first-year students lacked the ability to protect themselves, they were forbidden from leaving the academy. However, there were two breaks a year, and they were allowed to visit a small town a few hundred meters away on weekends, provided they were accompanied by a teacher.
The town was nestled in a dried-up river valley—a place of deathly silence. When the wind blew, the sand shifted and flowed, giving the place its name: ‘Quicksand Lowlands.’
She had already agreed to go with Dina to buy ingredients and a small stove so they could bake bread and make pizza in the dormitory. She could buy the potion ingredients at the same time.
There were three classes in the morning. Aside from Pharmacology, there was Mysticism and Antiquities. The first class in the afternoon was also Pharmacology, followed by two consecutive periods of Physical Education.
In certain regions of the Evernight Realm, there were whispers and murmurs that could madden the mind, along with various strange phenomena. Mysticism was taught to help witches resist natural magnetic fields or mental monsters that affected their sanity.
Simply put, it was about maintaining one’s SAN value.
Antiquities was a subject Wang Yue paid special attention to. She had seen more than one ancient relic, and they all seemed to possess primitive yet formidable power. Whether it was the Soul Lamp or the Seed of the Inverse Link, they were existences that subverted her understanding of reality.
–
Afternoon.
“Students, we meet again.”
Mrs. Ross stood on the laboratory podium. At her feet was a large basket of materials wrapped in oil paper and a small lamb that was bleating softly.
“In this class, we will learn how to concoct a basic Witch’s Ointment,” she announced.
The laboratory was a separate building shaped like an oval cake. The two curved walls were lined with candle holders, leaving the interior brightly lit. The lab benches were made of firestone—long, wide tables shared by two people, equipped with common chemical apparatus like crucibles, mortars, and molds.
Wang Yue and Dorothy shared a table. Both leaned their arms on the surface, listening intently.
However, Dorothy didn’t even last two minutes before she started talking. “What’s the lamb for?”
“Weren’t you listening this morning? The ram symbolizes the demon, while the ewe is the ram’s mate, symbolizing the believer—the spirit of worship and service to the demon. Ewe’s brain is one of the ingredients for Witch’s Ointment,” Wang Yue taught her.
“Then… then the lamb is going to be killed!” Dorothy got agitated, her voice rising.
Mrs. Ross’s stern gaze immediately swept over. Dorothy quickly covered her mouth.
In the back row, Lilith gripped the edge of her table until her knuckles turned white. She complained in a low voice, “How boring. When do we get to learn actual Witchcraft?”
“Lilith, no talking in class!” Mrs. Ross, who had intended to scold Dorothy, shifted her focus and looked at the blonde girl with displeasure.
Feeling that her authority wasn’t enough, she tapped the blackboard with her pointer and raised her voice. “What is the definition of Witchcraft? Witchcraft is a derivative of magic power. If your magic is depleted, you won’t be able to cast a single spell, even if you are a Hush-Name Witch. Witch’s Ointment is used to draw Stigmata, and Stigmata are the tools used to cultivate magic power. Therefore, Witch’s Ointment is the beginning of everything. Beyond that, you will also need a wand…”
