So I Became a Witch and Started Doing Daily Quests

Chapter 145: Blackbone Grove Academy

When they heard the greeting from Gushan-Rav, Grace Eva and Mary Margaret, who stood behind Anthony-Rook, did not show any unusual reaction.

Instead, they responded with due respect:

"Long time no see, Sage."

Gushan-Rav, who was much older than Anthony-Rook, the Undead Wizard, had already been a renowned and seasoned wizard when Grace Eva and Mary Margaret were just little apprentices.

Moreover, despite Gushan-Rav’s friendly and affable demeanor, his reputation for cruelty, bloodthirst, and extreme vindictiveness was widely known among the two Postborn Wizards.

Even though all three were already First Tier Wizards, Gushan-Rav’s Spirit Power and Magic Power had long since reached the threshold of a Second Tier Wizard.

What remained was only further insight into the [Law Authority].

"Since everyone’s here, no need to wait—come in."

Crash—

At Gushan-Rav’s command, vast bone forests rapidly grew under the feet of all the White Coral members.

Caught off guard, the apprentices who had never seen such a scene before fell into chaos once again.

"Don’t move."

Aside from the telepathic voice from Anthony-Rook ringing in her ears, Janna found her legs rooted firmly onto the white bone trunk, as if petrified by a spell.

It wasn't just her.

The other apprentices, who had been wobbling, also stood firm at that moment, no longer showing any signs of instability.

"What an intimidating show of force."

Barely managing to steady herself, Vivian noticed she was standing on a massive bone branch.

As they quickly moved toward Blackbone Grove Academy, she grabbed Janna’s hand and couldn’t help whispering a magical message.

"This is normal procedure. A few years ago, when the 'Three-School Joint Examination' was held at White Coral Academy, our headmaster’s method was much worse than the Bone Sage’s—"

According to Richard Eva, Headmaster Anthony’s method of welcoming apprentices from other academies involved having the Tree Spirit bind their legs with vines and drag them straight into the academy.

It could be said to be quite the aggro generator.

"Crack—"

As the mist dispersed and buildings came into view, the bone tree branches that had carried the White Coral apprentices to Blackbone Grove Academy instantly crumbled into powder, ready to throw everyone down.

Seeing this, Grace Eva, who had long anticipated this, lightly waved her wand.

A large swarm of black bats swiftly gathered beneath the apprentices, gently lowering them to the ground.

"What a delightful welcome gift."

After everyone landed, a white bone coral once again rose from the ground.

Watching Gushan-Rav walk out from it again, Anthony-Rook did not seem angry but calmly "praised" him.

"A gesture of courtesy, that’s all."

Unlike the exchange between the two official wizards, Janna, visiting Blackbone Grove Academy for the first time, looked around with great curiosity at the Gothic black architecture surrounding them.

Unlike the all-white buildings of White Coral Academy, Blackbone Grove Academy was entirely black in its color scheme.

There were bizarrely shaped black dwarf trees with not a single leaf, brown butterflies flitting between the buildings like withered leaves, and black wizard apprentices with the strangest hairstyles and clothing imaginable.

Based on first impressions alone, the overall atmosphere of Blackbone Grove Academy closely resembled the scenes Janna had seen in “gothic horror films” in her previous life.

"Let’s go. Lucia Heigel is still waiting for you at the secret realm’s entrance."

Out of respect, all the official wizards, including Anthony-Rook, walked forward under the lead of Gushan-Rav once they entered the academy.

"The smell might get pretty bad soon. Be sure to remind those delicate little ones behind you to cover their noses—don’t let them throw up inside."

Gushan-Rav’s voice was loud.

Though it seemed directed at Anthony-Rook, all the apprentices behind heard it clearly.

Following the principle of "heed advice, eat well," Janna quickly sealed her sense of smell with magic after tugging on Vivian’s sleeve.

Seeing this, Vivian didn’t dare be careless either and did the same.

Crash—

Gushan-Rav led everyone to a pond surrounded by buildings.

Hundreds of Rotleaf Butterflies suddenly flew overhead.

As the pond water boiled, a dense mist rose like clouds, gradually engulfing everyone.

Seeing this, Gushan-Rav, who had been leading the way, slowly turned around, his pale face adorned with a refined and friendly smile.

"Welcome to Blackbone Grove—"

Gurgle gurgle—

A violent boiling sound erupted once again from the pond.

As the mist grew thicker, Janna’s vision became a boundless white. Only after a moment did her obscured view become clear again.

"Whoosh—"

As the wind blew the mist away, what appeared before them was a mercury-like world stretching to the horizon. In the center of the mercury sea was a hollow, twisted gray-white vortex, endlessly rotating.

In addition, a stench like rotting corpses wafted continuously from the vortex’s center.

Even though Janna had sealed her sense of smell, the overwhelming stench still made her feel nauseous.

"Ugh—"

If it was this bad with her sense of smell sealed, a few apprentices who had not heeded the warning threw up right there in the mercury world.

"This secret realm space is much more stable than it was last time."

Squinting slightly and watching the surging mercury tides around them, Anthony-Rook’s expression revealed no extra emotion.

"That’s thanks to the trial slots White Coral Academy contributed a few years ago."

As the mercury condensed, a figure appeared.

Lucia Heigel, clad in a dark blue wizard robe, appeared from the other end of the mercury vortex with nearly a hundred Second Tier Wizard Apprentices in tow.

"If it weren’t for your generosity, Blackbone Grove might not have received that resource granted by the White Tower."

"Mutual assistance is only natural. Just don’t forget to repay the trial slot Blackbone Grove still owes us."

In response to Lucia Heigel’s sarcasm, Anthony-Rook countered bluntly.

But this time, Lucia Heigel seemed to be in particularly good spirits.

Not only did she not continue the retort, but she even replied with a smile:

"Of course. After all, we’ve been old allies for many years—"