Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

"Follow the one in front and don't fall behind~"

Hexia, wearing a sun hat, walked ahead, occasionally turning back to look at the three little ducklings following her. They quacked ceaselessly, waddling back and forth on the stone-paved ground, forming a rough line, while the Indigo Snake behind them raised its head and slithered, watching the three little ones to prevent any of them from straying.

One person, three ducks, and a snake made their way down the road in the early morning, descending the hillside to the edge of a clear pond with green water lilies. However, it wasn't the season for them to bloom, so only their leaves floated on the water's surface.

Reaching the pond, Hexia took off her sandals and stepped on the submerged stepping stones, then gently guided the three little ducklings into the water.

The cool water and the uneven surface of the cold stones gave a strange sensation underfoot. Hexia's fingers moved through the water, the gentle resistance brought on by the currents remarkably comforting.

The three little ducks swam merrily in the water, occasionally pecking at small fish or insects that appeared, while Hexia, after playing in the water for a while, sat on a stone at the edge of the pond, and the Indigo Snake coiled beside her, basking in the sun.

Propping her head on her hands, Hexia watched the ducks paddle in the water and remembered some things from her childhood. It was also during a trip that she felt afraid of entering the water, watching her sister play in it, while her father stayed by her side, talking to her.

"Aren't you going to play in the water, Hexia?"

"I'm scared of water, I can't swim," Hexia said softly.

"It's alright, the water isn't deep, and your dad can swim. It would be easy for me to pick you up," the bearded man encouraged his child.

But that time, she still didn't go into the water and just watched enviously from the side, Hexia mused on the past.

Her parents had also encouraged her, but she had refused as a child. Now, reflecting on it, she felt a bit melancholic. Perhaps if she had been braver back then, things might have turned out a lot better.

But time could not be turned back, and now she could only reminisce from time to time.

After tiring from swimming, the three little ducklings returned to the shore, stepping on the clean stone slabs and shaking off their feathers before they began quacking around Hexia again.

"I know, you must be hungry," Hexia said, taking out a small bag of pellet food she was carrying, pouring it into her palm, and spreading it on the ground for the three little ones to peck at—a tickling sensation emanating from her palm...

They were still small and did not eat much. After finishing their food, they settled down a bit, and then the Indigo Snake awoke, coiling the three little ducks together for a peaceful midday nap.

Seizing this moment of respite, Hexia too lay under a tree, contemplating her time at Yuanting Academy.

Firstly, she had learned a lot about being a Breeder in this month, even finishing the semester's textbooks ahead of time. It wasn't because she was particularly diligent or rushing through her studies, but rather because the curriculum for the first term wasn't that heavy, and her learning pace was indeed fast.

As for the Transcendent Sequence practice, with the aid of the Academy's rich library of information, she absorbed many Transcendent formulas that she didn't fully understand before. This allowed her to use a variety of Elementary Spells, such as manipulating water currents, creating flashes, and feather-like falling, among others.

These formulas, which can be learned by all professions, though less efficient and effective than the specialized Abilities of each profession, are comprehensive and convenient, making up for some shortcomings. This allowed her to slowly catch up with her classmates, reaching the same standard as them.

Previously, because she studied in an ordinary middle school in Payin City, she had limited exposure to Transcendent formulas, and many teachers there couldn't teach them. So she never had the chance to learn until now, gradually making up for these deficiencies.

In addition, aside from mastering these common formulas, she had also studied several special secret techniques, namely 'Necromancy,' 'High-Speed Freeze,' and 'Frost Protection.' The first two were for her own use, while the last 'Frost Protection' could be applied to other creatures, granting them resistance to cold and a partial freezing ability.

However, one point that needs clarification is that, even when employing the same secret technique, its effectiveness can vary greatly depending on who is using it, much like the difference in effectiveness between a sword in the hands of an ordinary person and a Sword Saint.

'High-Speed Freeze' might be used by an ordinary person to freeze liquids or for Ice Thorn attacks, but in the hands of certain masters, this ability could be employed to carve patterns in water, to instantly freeze an enemy's blood, causing obstruction, or to flourish bursts of ice, letting Ice Thorns bloom from within an enemy, and so on.

This is also why, even among those of Sequence 5, some geniuses can defeat multiple foes of the same rank in an instant, while others can only serve as magical batteries, using Transcendent creations to assist themselves.

Technology, or tools, can have a magnifying effect. If such geniuses are given the best equipment for assistance, their lethality would skyrocket, increasing exponentially. This is why, even though Starships have long been the main force in civilization wars, relentless efforts are still made to cultivate individuals of the Transcendent Sequence. A Transcendent of Sequence 8, equipped with a High Rank Mecha with special systems, can even surpass the battle strength of a Sequence 9 from the third era, for they stand on the shoulders of giants—nations and civilizations built upon a multitude of intellects and technologies.

The autumn sunshine was not scorching. After organizing her recent learnings from Hexia beneath a tree, she took out a small journal and began writing about recent events.

[October 22, Sunny

Took the three ducklings to swim in the pond, made friends proactively

Starting to miss home a bit]

Afterwards, she closed her journal, stood up, and looked up at the bright blue sky, extending her arm so the wind flowed through her sleeve, her white dress fluttering.

The leisurely time was slowly coming to an end, and soon she would have to start fighting again. Although it was a metaphor, life at Edith Academy wouldn't be as relaxed as it had been at Yuanting.

At night, a large gray Flight craft slowly descended into the valley of Northern First District. As the hatch opened, six maid-clad figures in black and white emerged, followed by a silver-haired girl who also hopped down.

Hexia held her skirt with one hand, letting her hair and dress whirl in the airstream before greeting Annelli with a slight smile, then proceeded to board the extended staircase with her luggage in tow.

With each step, she moved farther from the ground until, at last, standing at the Flight craft's hatch, Hexia looked back to gaze upon the dimly-lit world outside the canyon.

"What's on your mind, Tilan?" Annelli asked curiously.

"Nothing really; I just feel that I've spent a wonderful period of time," Hexia replied, pressing down on her hat brim and stepping into the brightly lit interior of the Flight craft.

Before long, seated by the window, she was served a meticulously prepared dinner, with carefully selected ingredients such as pan-seared red meat, crispy vegetable sticks, and delicious juice beverages. These were casually provided meals rated T3 outside, and each time she ate, Hexia marveled at the luxury yet felt slightly uneasy.

However, the unease that used to linger in her heart was slowly dissipating. She had begun to work through some of the obstacles that had been in her mind.

If she were continually nervous and hesitant over such matters, it could lead to many unnecessary internal conflicts.

Since she could no longer avoid her increasingly binding relationship with Edith Academy, she decided to make good use of everything, whether to repay Edith Academy for their kindness or for her own future.

She could no longer shrink into the corner as before; avoidance invariably leads to no outcome at all. Enjoy exclusive content from empire