Chapter 18: The Aftermath of Resonance and the Quest for a Bath

Perhaps it was due to the resonance with the Witch’s Heart, but something like this happened after the resonance.

With such obvious changes to my body now, there’s no way I can hide it tomorrow, right?

This truly vexes me. Teacher Qieluo never mentioned that resonating with the Witch’s Heart would cause such a phenomenon.

If I had known, I wouldn’t have bothered with white hair… No! White hair is my creed!

I won’t regret it!

Tomorrow… tomorrow will be another troublesome day, even though it’s only the second day. Still, the good news is I no longer have to worry about being eliminated!

It turns out resonating with the Witch’s Heart wasn’t that difficult after all.

It seems the most crucial aspect is still the refinement of spiritual energy.

Given these changes to my body, I focused my attention on my stats. The achievement I had just unlocked granted me one point each in Spirit and Physique, yet my current data didn’t seem to match.

Perhaps it was a bonus increase from the Witch’s Heart as it transformed my body?

[Physique: 2.1

Spirit: 3.5]

As I observed my stats, I noted my Physique was now more than double what it had been. Though I hadn’t paid much attention before, the feeling of clenching my fist now revealed a body brimming with power!

That flaccid sensation was gone for good!

As for Spirit… the change didn’t feel as significant.

Perhaps it was related to the threads of spiritual energy. Could one point of Spirit be refined into a single thread?

When I had time, I would investigate if there was a correlation between one point of Spirit in my data and one standard thread of spiritual energy. Personally, I suspected they were similar, which would mean I could refine three threads of spiritual energy?

Although Teacher Qieluo had mentioned that introductory meditation helped in refining the first thread of spiritual energy, I felt that the meditation technique wasn’t particularly helpful for my own refinement.

Its primary function, for me, seemed to be as a reference. So, could I simply proceed on my own?

With that thought, I sat directly on the bed, intending to try it myself.

Anchored by the Star Trails, I steadily entered the meditation space after a period of time. I observed the stars I had chosen previously; they had increased from two to three.

It appeared that three points of spiritual energy were now pulling three stars to orbit along three distinct paths.

In that case, the stars themselves didn’t signify much. Only the number of orbital paths the stars followed truly represented my spiritual value.

While I could place many stars on a single path, it was the refined threads of spiritual energy that actually condensed into Star Trails.

This clarified things for me considerably.

Given my foundational spiritual energy, refinement shouldn’t be difficult, though it might consume a significant amount of my energy.

The introductory meditation technique I had previously studied seemed designed to cultivate one point of spiritual energy, then refine a single thread.

Therefore, it wasn’t that the introductory meditation was useless; rather, it was simply too rudimentary for me. If I wished to elevate my spiritual energy to a higher ceiling in the future, I would certainly need superior meditation methods.

However, in these early stages, I had accumulated a vast quantity of spiritual energy directly through achievements, which made the introductory meditation seem rather redundant.

After all, meditation techniques served two purposes: increasing spiritual energy and refining it.

Both of these functions had been thoroughly bypassed by my unreasonable cheat system, and there was little I could do about it.

However, the spiritual energy gained from achievements was inherently unstable, meaning I still required more advanced meditation techniques.

Even though I knew my talent might be lacking, this gradual accumulation was the fruit of my efforts.

What if my cheat system vanished someday? Wouldn’t I be rendered useless? Thus, it was far better to prepare for a rainy day and not become overly reliant on external aids.

Perhaps it was due to my enhanced Physique, but only after refining two threads of spiritual energy did I finally feel the familiar exhaustion from mental exertion.

However, when I attempted to refine a third thread, I failed. It seemed that insufficient spiritual energy indeed made refinement impossible.

Moreover, one point of Spirit barely equated to the amount needed for a single standard thread of spiritual energy.

At that moment, I lay on the bed, utterly exhausted, yet incredibly excited!

There was even a hint of exhilaration, a stark contrast to my physical fatigue.

I managed to sit up, my gaze falling upon the adjacent bathroom. Should I take a bath?

It boasted not only a shower but also a single-person bathtub. I realized I had rarely experienced such a luxury, having previously only visited large public bathhouses with their communal pools.

The more I considered it, the more I yearned to indulge.

After all, I was destined to become a witch. It was prudent to familiarize myself with washing long hair in advance, to accumulate more experience.

Should I also look into hair care routines? I certainly didn’t want my long hair to split, frizz, or deteriorate in quality after just a few days. Such an outcome would be unacceptable.

Upon entering the bathroom, I found it fully stocked. There was even a bath towel, which I hadn’t used before, but presumed was similar to a regular towel.

Or was it meant for wrapping myself up entirely?

The thought alone made me blush.

Beside the shower, numerous products were arrayed: facial cleanser, shampoo, conditioner, and many others.

After a prolonged inspection, I decided against using any unfamiliar products for the time being. Who knew what strange chemical reactions might occur if I combined them all?

However, bathing necessitated a change of clothes. The outfit I currently wore was clearly the one my original body came with, leaving me with no other options.

So, should I check if the academy had any clothing available for purchase?

Surely the academy would have such a facility? Otherwise, what would students wear?

Silently, I returned to the bed and picked up my phone. Within its interface, I discovered that the academy indeed had a dedicated shopping center.

It was a place where virtually all daily necessities could be met, provided one possessed enough academic credits.

So… should I go browsing?

A primal reluctance stirred within me; after all, I detested shopping. I decided I would only consider whether I enjoyed browsing after I became a witch and developed a fondness for changing outfits.

For now, I genuinely disliked it, finding it utterly troublesome.

I was also incredibly weary at the moment, truly not wanting to venture out.

Then… what about checking the Odd Jobs Agency?

Didn’t the Odd Jobs Agency handle all sorts of tasks? Could they perhaps procure clothing and deliver it to my door?

I tapped open the Odd Jobs Agency app on my phone and, to my surprise, actually found a merchandise section within it!

Well, I’ll be! Online shopping was already a thing here? Judging by the labels, it seemed these were stores from the school’s own shopping center.

It felt like it would be even more expensive, with service fees, delivery charges, and all sorts of other potential costs.

Could I truly afford such a luxury?

My heart churned with indecision. If there were delivery fees, then surely there must be part-time couriers, right?

Perhaps I should try applying for a part-time campus courier job myself?

Ultimately, I decided to abandon that notion. The courier part-time job seemed already saturated; a quick search revealed no related openings.

Moreover, it didn’t appear to be particularly lucrative, requiring constant running around. My physical stamina remained a weakness.

Even with recent improvements, my physical prowess still couldn’t compare to those with innate racial advantages, meaning my competitiveness against such individuals was simply lower.

In the end, I resolved to go out and buy clothes myself. Even if it meant a bit more exhaustion, saving money was paramount.

It felt as though my current predicament revolved solely around buying several outfits just to take a single bath.

Perhaps it was a matter of differing priorities. It was akin to pouring out a small amount of vinegar, then feeling it was a waste, and consequently making dumplings specifically to justify it…