"Ugh, this is so bitter!"
In a coffee shop, Meng Lian took a sip of her black coffee, the bitterness bringing tears to her eyes.
"Hmm? Bitter? Should I ask for some sugar?"
The black-haired girl across from her, who had introduced herself as Mo Du, asked with concern.
"No, no, it's fine. I can handle this much bitterness."
Meng Lian and Mo Du were currently in a coffee shop, not in the Freshman Zone, but in the actual Witch Academy.
Normally, as a freshman taking the entrance exam, Meng Lian wouldn't be allowed here. But with Mo Du by her side, she had easily left the Freshman Zone and come to this place.
Mo Du had explained to Meng Lian that witches operated Witch Academies in every star system, and the one they were at was in the Andromeda Galaxy. The Witch Academy's territory was vast, encompassing nearly an entire star system. The Freshman Zone, located on a very small planet, wasn't considered part of the true Witch Academy.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think this through. I assumed you could handle black coffee. How about I order you a glass of milk instead?"
Mo Du could tell Meng Lian was forcing a smile. Looking apologetic, she ordered a glass of sweet milk.
"Then... thank you."
Unable to refuse, Meng Lian could only offer her gratitude.
"No problem. Have you considered what I mentioned earlier?"
Mo Du was the person Tao Zhuo had said she wanted to introduce to Meng Lian. Recalling the name of the souvenir shop, Meng Lian understood. During their walk, Mo Du had explained everything: the shop had been commissioned by her through Tao Zhuo, with the purpose of discovering new students with potential in Illusionary Arts.
Mo Du revealed that she was from the Illusion Arts Academy and wanted to invite Meng Lian to join the academy in her second year.
The Witch Academy followed a five-year curriculum. First-year students took nine core courses: Witch History, Elemental Reactions, Magical Potions, Alchemy, Spellcasting, Flight, Divination, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration. In their second year, students could choose a specialization based on their interests and talents, with each specialization corresponding to a specific academy. The Illusion Arts Academy, naturally, focused on the Illusionary Arts specialization.
The Illusionary Arts specialization demanded exceptional talent. Most witches treated it as an elective, and few chose it as their major.
Due to these stringent requirements, Mo Du's lineage was exceedingly small. Including her mentor and Senior Sister, there were only four members in total.
The Witch Academy conducted evaluations for each major. Failure to meet the standards would result in the major's cancellation. The Illusionary Arts lineage had only three students, the minimum required for a major. However, Senior Sister Mo Du was graduating this year, leaving the lineage with insufficient students and facing the imminent closure of its courses.
At this critical moment, Meng Lian's arrival resolved Mo Du's immediate crisis. Mo Du extended an invitation to Meng Lian, urging her to join the Illusion Arts Academy.
"I..." Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
After understanding the situation, Meng Lian fell into deep thought.
If Mo Du was telling the truth, joining the Illusion Arts Academy would be a natural fit. Given her innate talent for Illusionary Arts, she wouldn't need to strain herself learning other subjects, leaving her ample time to gather intelligence.
Having reached this conclusion, Meng Lian looked at Mo Du and smiled. "Senior Sister Mo Du, I've made up my mind. I agree to join the Illusion Arts Academy."
"Phew."
Hearing Meng Lian's words, Mo Du let out a sigh of relief, the golden light in her eyes dimming considerably.
From the moment she saw Meng Lian, Mo Du had decided that this golden-haired junior sister would become her future apprentice. If Meng Lian had refused, Mo Du had been prepared to trap her in an Illusionary Realm, subjecting her to repeated illusions until she relented.
Fortunately, Meng Lian agreed immediately, relieving Mo Du's anxiety while also sparking a hint of regret.
After all, Meng Lian wouldn't remember anything Mo Du did to her in the Illusionary Realm. This meant Mo Du could experiment with certain adult activities without consequence. *What a pity,* she thought.
"Then you're my junior sister now! Welcome! I'll add you to the academy group chat right away."
Suppressing her wild thoughts, Mo Du smiled at Meng Lian, added her as a friend, and invited her to a small group chat: "Illusion Arts Academy: One Big Family."
Meng Lian shivered involuntarily. For a moment, she had sensed a sudden, inexplicable malice, but it vanished as quickly as it came. Soon, she was captivated by the flurry of messages in the group chat.
Fei Xing: "Second Senior Sister found a freshman? Welcome, welcome! I finally have a junior sister!"
Qian Yun: "Wow, a junior sister! Welcome, welcome! I'm Qian Yun, a fifth-year student and your Senior Sister. The future of the Illusion Arts Academy rests on your shoulders now!"
Zi Yan: "Huh? Mo Du found a freshman? Oh, by the Primordial One, thank goodness! We can finally avoid shutting down!"
"This is Zi Yan, our instructor," Mo Du explained to Meng Lian, gesturing to the woman beside them. "And that's Fei Xing, your third Senior Sister. She's a second-year student."
Meng Lian nodded slightly and sent a message to the group chat:
<i>Meng Lian: Hello everyone! I'm Meng Lian. Please take care of me.</i>
<i>Zi Yan: Welcome, welcome!</i>
<i>Qian Yun: Welcome, welcome!</i>
<i>Fei Xing: Welcome, welcome!</i>
<i>Mo Du: Welcome, welcome!</i> The source of this chapter is g.com.
Though the Illusion Arts Academy group chat had few members, they were incredibly enthusiastic. Meng Lian struck up a conversation with her future Senior Sisters and instructor, a faint smile curving her lips.
Across from her, Mo Du was privately chatting with the academy members.
<i>Qian Yun: Senior Sister, what does our new Junior Sister look like? Is she cute?</i>
<i>Mo Du: Why don't you just come see for yourself tomorrow? She's quite pretty, and I think her personality is good too.</i>
<i>Qian Yun: I'm just curious! Senior Sister, could you sneak a photo of her for me?</i>
<i>Mo Du: ...</i>
Almost simultaneously, Qian Yun, Fei Xing, and Zi Yan all messaged Mo Du privately, demanding photos of Meng Lian.
"What's wrong, Senior Sister?"
Meng Lian had also switched to addressing Mo Du as "Senior Sister." Sensing Mo Du's gaze, she couldn't help but feel puzzled.
Hearing the title "Senior Sister," Mo Du's heart skipped a beat. She cleared her throat, her expression remaining impassive. "It's nothing. I just noticed the sun is getting low. Should I take you back?"
Meng Lian glanced at the sky and saw the sun blazing high overhead, clearly midday. Her face filled with confusion.
While Meng Lian was distracted, Mo Du swiftly snapped a photo of her full face and sent it to her fellow senior sisters and their lecherous old mentor.
"Pfft! She's stacked!"
In an office, a white-haired senior sister stared at Meng Lian's photo, her eyes widening.
Qian Yun: "Damn, this junior sister isn't so junior after all! *Slurp!* Sis, you've struck gold!"
Mo Du: "......"
Mo Du stared at their crude remarks, feeling increasingly reluctant to engage with them.
She silently closed her phone, meeting Meng Lian's questioning gaze without a flicker of emotion. "You're still a freshman. It's best not to stay here too long. I'll take you back for now. Once you officially enroll at Witch Academy, I'll bring you back to explore."
"Oh, I see. Thanks, Senior Sister!"