Sorcerer’s Handbook

"Who do you think I am? An on-call escort who comes and goes at your beck and call?"

The swordswoman crossed her arms, thrust out her chest, and lifted her chin: "Why should I have to report to you about where I go? Should I submit an application before I even use the bathroom?"

"I wouldn't mind that actually, but do you even need to use the bathroom? Do you prefer squatting or sitting toilets?"

"I'm not talking about the bathroom!"

The swordswoman suddenly stood up and approached Ashe, causing him to retreat until his back was against the wall. She stared at him fiercely, jabbing her finger into his collarbone.

"Although you previously promised to respect me, it seems you don't really think that way. You still see me as just a stream of data, an illusion born because of you, a paper doll who should rightfully serve you... Even after we've talked so much, even after we explored the virtual world together, you still haven't changed your...condescending view."

Ashe did not refute, because he could not refute.

The swordswoman was not asking, she was stating facts.

With her ability to hear his thoughts, any lies were meaningless.

"I can't change how you think. I just need you to remember one thing - I'm also a person."

The swordswoman enunciated clearly: "I have my own life, my own hobbies, my own pursuits, my own world to live in... You're not my everything, just an accident in my life. Even without you, I can live perfectly fine in places you don't know about. Understand?"

"Be grateful if I help you. Don't complain if I don't help you. Understand?"

"Understood, thank you Swordswoman Mom for all your help!"

"Don't call me that!" The swordswoman jabbed Ashe's forehead fiercely. "What woman wants to be called Mom at such a young age!"

"Who said so? I don't mind you calling me Dad..."

Sensing the swordswoman about to jab her finger at him again, Ashe quickly changed the topic: "Then Swordswoman, can you tell me if anything interesting happened to you today?"

The swordswoman sat back down on the bed, gazing at the glass of water on the table, lost in thought for a long time.

Just as Ashe thought she didn't want to reveal her whereabouts to a smelly man like him, she spoke again.

"This morning I took out my Torrent spirit in front of the Meditation Hall to show off a bit. By the afternoon, the whole school knew I got a Torrent spirit from the virtual world. Heh, even my cocky roommate was licking up to me, asking if I wanted to sell the Torrent spirit..."

"So you had a great day today right?"

"Boring!" She rolled her eyes at him. "What's so happy about such superficial vanity? Why care what strangers praise or envy? Only preteen girls would feel smug about that."

But I remember you're a preteen girl... Ashe had just formed this thought when the swordswoman glared sharply at him.

Damnit, so I can't even say she's young? The swordswoman is so strict!

"The air in a single man's bedroom is so turbid and smelly, I'm leaving."

"You apologize to the air purifier hanging from the ceiling this instant! Right now! Immediately!" Ashe was nearly roaring. "And I haven't done anything the past few days. At night I was exploring the virtual world with you, where's this supposed turbid smelly air coming from!"

"Maybe it's from your breathing, or your heartbeat is too strong."

Ashe decided not to bother arguing with her. "So continuing our virtual world explorations tonight?"

"Of course." The swordswoman paused. "Unless there are special circumstances, I won't normally appear. If you have anything to discuss with me, save it for the virtual world. Our nights in the virtual world are our shared leisure time."

Ashe naturally had no objections, or rather, he had already vaguely expected the swordswoman would not continue providing 24/7 personal service after reaffirming her human rights and freedom earlier.

"Then if something happens and I urgently need to find you, will you appear?"

"Didn't I already say, you're not my everything."

Hearing this, Ashe nodded to show he understood and turned his head away to look elsewhere.

"But you're an accident in my life," the swordswoman glanced at him. "If you really do have an accident, I'll appear as soon as I can - and then mock you when I get to the scene."

"So don't expect me to show up to chat with you when you're feeling lonely. I don't provide that service."

"I'm a mature member of society, I won't feel lonely at all."

Ashe patted his chest as he refuted, though the delight in his eyes was hard to conceal.

Hmph, how laughable...

At this time, the Apocalypse Observer is actually still afraid of loneliness, afraid of the unfamiliar prison, and even clinging to me like a lifeline, panicking if he doesn't see me for a day...

Behaving like a child...

It seems he wasn't born so...

But fortunately his mind isn't working well right now. I had thought it would be difficult to keep secrets from him...

Various thoughts flashed through the swordswoman's mind before she disappeared from the bedroom, returning to where she should be.

Star Domain, Training Hall.

"Sonia, can you still walk?"

Ingrid looked at Sonia who was practically melted into the ground, having used up all her strength but still unable to levitate the other girl - she herself was also exhausted from the increased training intensity.

"No, my legs have no strength left. Rest first, rest first..."

The two girls plopped down on the grass at the roadside, leaning on their sword bags as they panted heavily.

"Ah-choo!"

"What's wrong?"

"Bra's soaked through." Sonia pulled at her collar to cool down. "Feels a bit cold when the wind blows..."

"Hehe, I recommend Fista brand sports bras, quick drying and breathable."

"Really? Let me check them out."

After discussing bra purchases for a while, Ingrid let out a puff of hot air and twisted open her water bottle, only to find it already empty. She turned to look at Sonia, "Where's your water bottle?"

"What water bottle?"

"You came to train without a water bottle?"

"I...I just brought my sword bag and came over. I forgot I needed to bring water too."

Reminded by Ingrid, Sonia also felt her throat gulp thirstily, her lips dry. "Do you have any water left?"

"None! ......Maybe one or two drops?"

Ingrid lifted her head, waiting a few seconds before another drop fell from the bottle. She licked her lips, murmuring in wonder, "How come the water's so sweet?"

"Let me try some too!"

Sonia also tipped the bottle over her mouth to catch a drop, letting out a melodious sigh, "This isn't water at all, it's practically a priceless vintage even finer than the palace banquets!"

"You've drunk the palace banquet wines?"

"Never drank them, but doesn't saying this make me sound amazing?"

"I have!" Ingrid giggled. "My father has a bottle he keeps in the basement that he never opens. He said it was a fine wine presented to him by Her Majesty when he attended a palace banquet... When I was little I was so curious I secretly went to the basement and drank a mouthful. And to avoid my father noticing, I added water back into the bottle. But I still got caught, it was the worst beating from my father in my childhood."

"How did you get caught?"

"My footprints were too small. As soon as my father entered the basement, he saw my little footprints leading all the way to where the wine bottle was placed."

"How did it taste?"

"I forgot, but it was probably very awful. Otherwise I wouldn't have added water to the bottle, I would've turned the entire bottle into water instead."

"Hahaha, you were such a naughty kid."

"Of course, when I was little I could beat all the boys in town." Ingrid lifted her chin proudly, stroking her sword bag. "It's still the same now."

Above was the glittering starry sky, below the green grass they sat on. Students passed to and from the training grounds before them, yet the two girls simply sat here with knees folded, resting and chatting happily, uncaring of the sweat rolling down their cheeks and dripping into the dirt.

The rumbling of an engine sounded in the distance as a silver luxury sedan slowly cruised down the campus driveway, stopping before the two of them.

"Want a ride?" Felix poked his head out and calmly asked, "It's no trouble for me."

Ingrid shook her head. "No need, walking back can help alleviate muscle fatigue, and we're drenched in sweat, don't want to dirty your car."

"Sylvia didn't come pick you up tonight?" Sonia asked instead.

"We broke up."

"Oh~" The two didn't know how to react, simply oh-ing in response.

Felix said nothing more, simply driving off directly.

Watching as the silver sedan gradually disappeared, Ingrid patted her bottom and stood up. "Rested enough? Let's head back, the water pressure gets low after 10pm so we won't have water to shower if we're back too late."

"You go back first, I'll go straight to the Meditation Hall."

Ingrid wasn't too surprised. "Avoiding Iris? You still haven't decided what to do with the Torrent spirit?"

"Yeah." Sonia also sighed. "Not that I haven't decided...I just want an actual sword spirit more."

Ever since news that Sonia had a Torrent spirit spread, her roommate Iris immediately came to ask if she could buy it. Iris didn't intend to take advantage of her, even offering 20% above market price. Sonia couldn't sell for that price on the school trading platform, so selling to Iris meant no loss at all.

The Sonia from before would have eagerly sold it right away, then secretly laughed under her blanket at night as she imagined how to use the 'huge sum' of money to make more money.

But under Professor Trotzam's guidance, Sonia's horizons had expanded. She deeply realized spirits were the fundamental basis of a sorcerer's strength, money only secondary.

Therefore, she hoped more for a 'spirit exchange', using the Torrent spirit to exchange for a sword spirit she wanted, increasing her own strength to better explore the virtual world.

However, spirit exchanges weren't always available. Common spirits were one thing, but a rare spirit like Torrent would naturally need to exchange for an equally rare sword spirit. Even if Professor Trotzam said he would help Sonia look, it would still take time to find a buyer.

On one hand there was Iris who could pay a large sum of money anytime, on the other an as yet unseen seller, leaving Sonia a bit conflicted as she decided to hide for two days to carefully consider her options.

"You actually have a third path, use it yourself."

Sonia turned her head to find the Observer sitting next to her.

She suppressed the slight joy rising in her heart, casually asking in her mind, "When did you come back?"

"When you were discussing bras."

"..."

"Don't buy Fista brand bras, Fista specializes in small to medium sizes. With your proportions, I recommend Dorslin, very good shaping effect."

"Alright, I'm not going to discuss this topic with you."