Millennium Witch

Book 3: Chapter 223: Less Hassle

Around the same midday hour, Yvette was standing before the College of General Studies’ club bulletin board, paralyzed by choice. She just wanted a club where she could read quietly or take afternoon naps, but clearly there were few such options among the academy’s officially recognized clubs.Maybe start her own club—except a club needed to have some value. So a Napping Club was out. At the very least it had to be something like Ancient Studies and meet a minimum headcount. Or she could use Necromancy to let a few freshmen get possessed and have them, without anyone noticing, fill out the club application forms… Hmm, that might be a bit much. Yvette rubbed her chin, mulling over a convenient way to satisfy this hard requirement for a club, when a pleasant voice sounded behind her: “Yvette? What are you doing here?”

Yvette turned to see Nixia standing behind her, looking on curiously. The blue-green cascade of her long hair rippled faintly, like a sunlit, crystal-clear lake.

“Browsing clubs,” Yvette said, concise as ever.

“Yvette, you don’t have a club yet?”

“Mm.”

“Then would you like to take a look at mine?” Nixia suddenly asked.

“Okay,” Yvette said. The crisp answer even made Nixia pause in mild surprise.

Then, a bit oddly, she said, “Then—come with me.”

They crossed the on-campus corridor and headed up the club building. In a corner, a cramped room that looked like it had been converted from a storage closet bore the club’s sign: “Ancient History Seminar.”

“Not a Demon Studies Seminar.”

“That club already exists.”

“Figures.” Yvette stepped into the room and looked around, finding no sign of recent activity—there was even a thin layer of dust on the cabinets. “No one uses this clubroom, Nixia?”

“Yeah.”

“Where are the others?”

“There are no others, Yvette. It’s just me—only me here.” Nixia’s face still wore a gentle smile, but something subtle had shifted in her tone. Narrowing her eyes at the expressionless, chestnut-haired girl before her, she seemed genuinely eager to see how the other would react.

Yvette’s mood didn’t change. She said blandly, “Looks like the academy gives you special treatment.”

A one-person club would never be approved in any division—much less be assigned its own room. For Nixia to have this, there was only one possibility: the academy knew she was demonkin, and on that basis still allowed her to continue studying here.

So the Academy of Truth, as the academic sanctum of the Eastern Continent, did have basic security vetting—at least it wasn’t lax enough to let demon influence seep in without any response.

Yvette felt a touch of relief; so she’d misunderstood, after all.

“Mm, it is special,” Nixia said with a smile. “Just like you, Yvette.”

“I am special,” Yvette nodded.

“—Aren’t you going to say anything else to me?” Nixia looked at her, dissatisfied.

She’d taken the initiative to reveal her special status—both a warning and a voluntary swap of information. She’d been playing mind games with this girl for over a month now, and she had to admit that, before the other’s unfathomable patience, she was the first to lose composure.

Still, now that she knew her presence here was tolerated by the academy, Yvette probably wouldn’t dare to weaponize her demon identity to threaten her.

Yvette regarded Nixia calmly, a thoughtful look in her eyes. After an unknowable stretch, she asked, “The person I asked you about before—does he still remain, and how is he doing?”

“You—” Nixia’s brows rose. She had already volunteered information, and the other was still extracting.

“I won’t take information from you for free. I can offer you some pointers in magic,” Yvette said, understanding her meaning.

“What are you talking about?” Nixia didn’t believe a word.

Unfazed by her reaction, Yvette simply reached out and, faster than the other could respond, tapped the girl lightly between the brows.

By the time Nixia snapped out of her shock, swiftly raised a magical barrier, and pulled back to the far side of the room, Yvette’s motion was already over.

She said, “This Light-and-Shadow Magic should be a bit more convenient than what you’re currently using. Consider it my gift to you.”

Nixia stared, dumbstruck. Though she was a student of the College of General Studies, her cultivation had already reached the level of a mid-tier mage. In raw combat power, in her demonkin form, she might even be able to challenge a High Mage. Yet just now, in that instant, she hadn’t reacted at all before the girl tapped her between the brows. If that had been an attack, wouldn’t she be dead—or at least gravely wounded?

Who exactly was this chestnut-haired girl? She was definitely no ordinary student, and certainly not some mere mouthpiece. She herself was a powerhouse hiding her true strength!

Once the brief shock faded, she immediately noticed that her mind really had gained some new knowledge. It had branded itself into her awareness like a seal, to the point she didn’t even need to familiarize or practice—she could use the spell with ease.

“Who are you, really?” Nixia asked, her expression complex.

The Light-and-Shadow Magic she’d been using wasn’t actually a spell at all, but an alchemical device excavated from an ultra-ancient civilization—a pocket-watch-shaped thing that required periodic mana crystal replacements to run steadily, and could break down.

What Yvette had given her, however, was a bona fide spell, usable under any circumstances, with extremely low mana cost and capable of persisting indefinitely. By every measure, it seemed more convenient and useful than the alchemical device.

Of course she wouldn’t dare use it immediately—she’d need time for repeated tests and study. That didn’t stop her, though, from feeling a sharp sense of danger and vigilance toward Yvette’s strength.

Yvette looked at her impassively and said nothing.

That was a refusal. After all, she had no idea whether the message she passed along would stir up a storm among demons and be spread everywhere. Besides, there were Demon Gods on the Western Continent. Whether True Gods or Demon Gods, both were entities Yvette had to treat with caution.

Nixia understood. After a moment’s hesitation, she still said, “The one you asked about—he’s still there and doing very well.” She paused. “Sorry, my lady. That’s all I can say.”

Clearly, in her view, that much didn’t match the value of what the other had given her. Yvette shook her head and smiled. “No, it’s enough.”

With that, she walked happily to a corner of the clubroom, picked up a club application form, blew the dust off it, and started filling it out without a word.

Nixia stood by, unable to fathom what exactly she was pleased about. Then she felt a bit lost—she’d gotten a small benefit, sure, but she still hadn’t figured out the girl’s origins or objectives. She knew nothing. How was she supposed to report back to her people?

1

Yvette’s travel plan was to go from the Eastern Continent to the Western Continent, but she could adjust in the middle. If she learned that Lant was in crisis and things looked bad, she was willing to head to the West at once—even crossing the Great Western Sea would be fine.

Now that it was certain Lant was fine and doing well, she didn’t need to worry for the time being. She could, with an easy mind, leave the Western Continent as the last leg of her Eastern tour.

It was Dugrabi who was the elusive one. There was still no news at all. Had he gone back only to die on the Day of the End?

Surely he wouldn’t be that unlucky—

In the afternoon, after finishing the day’s classes, Yvette returned to the Scholars’ Haven Apartments on Blossom Street.

It was an unremarkable spring evening. The sky wasn’t fully dark yet; on the horizon outside the window, the setting sun had become a vivid red disk.

She lay on the sofa for a bit and saw Lucia come back too, carrying groceries as usual.

She closed her eyes, planning to stay in idle slacker mode until dinner. After a while, something felt off. Opening her eyes, she saw Lucia standing by with a look of wanting to speak but holding back, her violet eyes full of conflict and edged with near tears.

Yvette asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lucia, as if making a big decision, asked, “Yvette, y-you and Anya—did something happen?” She paused. “She’s been a little weird these two days.”

Yvette blinked, then let out an “Oh~,” and said, “A little—probably.”

“Really?” Lucia asked in surprise. “What was it?”

Don’t tell me she really became your disciple?

“I gave her a scare.”

“A scare?” Lucia froze, not expecting that answer at all.

“She had issues with me. It couldn’t go on forever,” Yvette said.

After all, emotions snowball; even small things pile up. “How did you scare her?” Lucia asked reflexively.

Yvette explained, very patiently, “Set a wraith on her and used a bit of Necromancy.”

A ghost—so that’s what Necromancy meant—Lucia quietly exhaled in relief, then thought: that fit her picture of Yvette. No way she’d casually take Anya as a disciple—they’d known each other for less than a month.

Then she said, a little helpless, “Was that necessary?”

She felt Anya was actually a good person, and her problem with Yvette was a simple misunderstanding. With time together, Anya would realize that sooner or later.

“Less hassle,” Yvette said lazily.

Yes. In her view, any method for smoothing out Anya’s issues with her would be a pain. It was far more energy-efficient to just outright control her. And under a wraith’s watch, Anya certainly wouldn’t dare to seek help from anyone—so there’d be no follow-up trouble.

Lucia didn’t know what to say and made a helpless face. So you used a ghost to scare her just because you’re lazy? What could she even say to that—truly a witch.

Still, with her worry dispelled, she didn’t want to say more. She relaxed, turned around, and walked into the kitchen.

As for Anya, well, nothing to be done—she’d have to tough it out for now. Lucia certainly wouldn’t expose it; on the contrary, she’d keep playing the part of a fellow sufferer alongside Anya, hoping it might bring the girl a bit of comfort.