Otaku Witch

"I'll just say it straight, I will be serving as an instructor for the Combat Magic System at the Armed Society for the foreseeable future, and I plan to select some talented students to form a special training class. Would you like to join?"

Euphilia didn't beat around the bush as she laid out her intentions. However, considering her daughter's feelings, she added another statement.

"This is not an order, just a normal invitation. It's entirely up to you whether to accept or not, but I doubt there is a better Combat Magic instructor than me in the whole academy."

Since they had previously agreed on a 50-year pact stipulating she wouldn't excessively interfere with her daughter's growth trajectory, Euphilia had no intention of breaking that promise.

However, as the mother of her own flesh and blood, the Dragon Witch couldn't truly leave her completely unattended, at least not when it came to offering her daughter any beneficial opportunities or advantages that came to mind first.

Her original plan for coming to Witch Academy was simply to spend quality time with her daughter and to nurture their mother-daughter relationship.

But given her status, she needed to check in with the Academy Head, and when she visited the head yesterday, they, seeing her unoccupied, offered her this job invitation.

Euphilia didn't decline the Academy Head's invitation for two reasons: first, it seemed like a fairly easy task that wouldn't take much of her time; second, mentoring the next generation was a duty of a powerful witch, and a race unwilling to invest energy in their successors simply couldn't progress far.

Euphilia herself graduated from Witch Academy, and now as an esteemed alumna, it was only proper for her to give back to her alma mater. Moreover, the Academy Head had once been her mentor—while not a master in the truest sense, the connection was nevertheless there.

Thus, given it was her former teacher extending the invitation, it was both emotionally and rationally impossible for Euphilia to refuse.

Although it may sound a bit self-absorbed, the guidance she could offer to these not-yet-graduated little witches was truly a significant opportunity.

And since it was an opportunity, the Dragon Witch certainly wouldn't overlook her own daughter.

If Dorothy genuinely had no interest in the Combat Magic System, she wouldn't force it. However, since her beloved daughter had already achieved what all Nine Major Factions demanded, she would need to learn anyway. It made no difference from whom she learned, so it might as well be under her personal tutelage.

Her previous claim that no better Combat Magic instructor could be found within Witch Academy wasn't bragging; in fact, she was being modest. After all, even within the vast expanse of Witch World, there was but one witch confident enough to claim a deeper understanding of the Combat Magic System than her, and that was none other than the Dragon King, the creator of the system itself.

Although she wasn't yet 200 years old, she had already reached the pinnacle of the Combat Magic System, becoming one of the few Peak Martial Gods just below the Dragon King—Euphilia was sure of her own capabilities.

Usually, others would plead for her to offer them guidance. Unfortunately, now facing her own daughter, even a Peak Martial God like herself had to eagerly await approval from her rebellious child.

The Dragon Witch, who had never been so humble in her life, awaited her daughter's response.

.....

Meanwhile, Senior Mia, familiar with her own instructor's imperious, no-nonsense character, widened her eyes in disbelief once more.

She had just gotten over the shocking news that her crush was the daughter of her most revered Devil Instructor when she witnessed said fearsome instructor speaking so meekly before her little fairy. Your next journey awaits at empire

Ah, Instructor Euphilia—I never thought you, of all people, known for being unfeeling and cold-hearted, would turn out to be such a devoted daughter-slave behind the scenes.

Tsk, this news, if it were to spread to the Dragon Kingdom, is guaranteed to leave many a jaw dropped.

....

On the other side, Dorothy too found herself deep in thought upon hearing her mother's invitation.

She was slightly conflicted.

Logic certainly told Dorothy that this was a good opportunity, one not to be missed.

After all, whether she chose to become an Armed Witch or a Research Witch, and regardless of whether she'd enter the battlefield, becoming a bit stronger was invariably a good thing.

You should know that when facing a threat, there's a completely different mindset between having a gun in your hand and not being in a hurry to use it, and not having a gun at all.

She just didn't want to abuse her power, but when it came to purely strengthening herself, Dorothy had no objections. She was actually very happy, even quite fond of that feeling of gradually becoming stronger.

For her, now blessed by the Devil King, mastering the Nine Systems was definitely the path to take, and since she aimed to dominate all systems, the Combat Magic System was inevitably a part of it, something she would have to learn sooner or later.

In fact, after her battle with Madeline, Dorothy realized that those few moves she had sneakily learned from Senior Mia were fine for bullying amateurs in the Magic Network, but against real professionals in the harsh reality, they were hardly sufficient.

The reason she agreed to the Succubus Witch's invitation to become a sort of nutrition consultant for the Armed Society was precisely because she coveted the clause that allowed her access to the Armed Society's armory. She was here to learn and fill in her gaps.

And now with a top-tier power like her mother offering help, it truly wouldn't make sense for Dorothy to pass it up. This mother-daughter tutoring was way more effective and helpful than learning from those Senior Sisters of the Eye of True Sight.

It's just...

Sigh, only those who understand would get the misery of having one's own mother as a teacher; it's much too easy to discipline your own child without any psychological burden.

Senior Mia had just been beaten up so badly; if Dorothy herself went up against her, she felt it could likely be several times worse.

It looked awfully painful, and as shameful as it was to admit, Dorothy was really quite afraid of pain, just as she had been in her previous life. She wondered if there was a training method that didn't involve as much suffering but still made one stronger.

Forget it, no use dreaming. Even in the Witch World where magic exists, there's no such thing as getting something for nothing, no such luck as a pie falling from the sky.

Especially with the Combat Magic System, a famously tough Faction, one truly had to endure hardship to see the rainbow.

Alright, she admitted, it's not that she couldn't handle the hardship. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to sneakily learn from Senior Mia, who's a severe disciplinarian. Getting beaten into 'Dorothy paste' time after time was oppressive even when it didn't hurt, something not everyone could stand.

The reason she hesitated was more due to the fear of owing her mother even more and then never being able to disentangle herself from her.

Sigh, she was someone who couldn't be forced but could be coaxed. If her mother forcefully took her back, she could still try to resist, but this kind of selfless offering made her feel truly undeserving.

That was also the reason she'd rather agree to work for the Armed Society than to directly ask her mother for Combat Skills from the Combat Magic System.

It's just...

Looking at Mother Dragon being so "humble" before her, Dorothy sighed.

"I'll learn, I'll learn. After all, she's my own mother; I can't just sever ties with her. We'll worry about the future when it comes. Anyway, Mother Superior is less than 200 years old, still young. By the time she retires and truly needs me to take over the family business, who knows how many years that will be."

That's what Dorothy thought to herself, and then she nodded.

"Yeah, I'll participate, but Mom, please go easy on me, I really am afraid of pain," said the homebody witch, trembling slightly.

Across from her, the Dragon Witch paused upon hearing this and then showed a genuine smile, looking very happy.

"I'll try my best," she promised, nodding her head.

.....Amidst maternal love and filial piety...