Chapter 22: As Expected, Old Habits Die Hard?

“Well, it’s not like there’s no way. This cat learned some adventurer basics from an old friend. I know a bit of magic and divine spells. If you really want, I can teach you a couple moves!”

Miao Miao Niya’s nose tilted high, waiting for praise.

“What spells do you know? At least tell me their names.”

The catgirl seemed unreliable.

But Meng Linna didn’t care.

She wasn’t some rookie priest learning prayers from scratch.

“If you’re aiming for C-rank priest… Mid-tier Recovery, Thunder Spear, Force Burst—I know them all! For higher stuff like Vital Surge or Thunder Pillar, I know those too.

But even if I list them, you probably wouldn’t get it, miao haha…”

Unlike the smug Miao Miao Niya, Meng Linna stayed silent.

She called it adventurer basics.

But those spells were all highly practical.

Even the church required formal procedures to teach them.

A guild receptionist knowing these?

Unthinkable.

Everyone had a past.

Meng Linna decided not to pry.

“Sounds advanced, haha. I’ll learn from you when I’ve got money.”

“Just pay up.”

Miao Miao Niya perked up at the mention of money.

“Oh, can I borrow the guild’s monster codex? I’m solo now. Gotta learn monster traits.”

Miao Miao Niya eyed her suspiciously.

“But you haven’t taken any jobs lately.”

“That’s why I need to study in advance.”

“Makes sense.”

Miao Miao Niya nodded, pleased.

“You’ve grown. The archive’s behind me. Go check it out.”

“Thanks, Miao Miao Niya!”

Meng Linna stood eagerly.

Miao Miao Niya stopped her.

“Wait!”

She pointed at the milk tea.

“Finish that first. No drinks allowed inside!”

***

As a public facility, the guild’s archive was empty but spotless.

Probably thanks to Miao Miao Niya’s upkeep.

Books were neatly sorted by category.

Meng Linna easily found the monster codex.

She’d told Miao Miao Niya she wanted to study monster traits.

True enough.

But her real goal was the Water Spirit.

Absorbing its drop worried her.

She couldn’t ask anyone directly.

So, the archive it was.

Muttering, she scanned the index.

“Water Spirit, Water Spirit… Found it!”

Water Spirit, B to S-rank.

Composed mostly of water, immune to normal physical attacks…

She skimmed the traits, finding what she needed.

“Drops only the Water Spirit’s Heart. What’s that?”

The page ended.

She flipped to the next.

It was a different monster.

“What the heck?”

She felt played.

But codexes only covered monsters.

Drops were probably in a materials codex.

No choice.

She searched for the materials codex.

The guild’s archive had odd books.

Like The Art of Befriending a Sadistic Saintess.

The cover, with two women, was… intense.

No one around.

Meng Linna flipped through it.

Just checking if it was wholesome.

Totally not interested!

“Wow, super unwholesome!”

She read for a while.

Realizing she hadn’t done her task, she stuffed the book in her pocket.

She focused on the codex.

With prior experience, she found it faster.

“Water Spirit’s Heart. Sole drop of the Water Spirit. Automatically merges with the nearest living being. Permanently boosts mana cap and recovery speed. Grants strong water affinity.”

It matched her experience perfectly.

All benefits.

She relaxed a bit.

As she moved to return the codex, a voice came from the door.

“What matches perfectly?”

She’d been so engrossed, she didn’t notice someone enter.

Looking up, it was Na Naya!

“Eek!”

Meng Linna stood straight, hiding the codex.

If Na Naya saw her researching Water Spirits, she’d get suspicious.

“Didn’t expect you studying here.”

Na Naya was surprised by Meng Linna’s jumpiness.

“You seem scared of me?”

“Of course!”

Meng Linna’s voice pitched higher from fear.

“Anyone would fear their executioner!”

“Did I say I’d kill you?”

Na Naya tilted her head.

“I said I’d make you suffer. Guh, you demon…”

Meng Linna backed up.

She tripped over a stool.

“Wah!”

She fell, dropping the book from her pocket.

“You’re so clumsy.”

Na Naya looked down at the book.

“So this is what you were hiding?”

The cover alone screamed scandalous.

“I thought you were here to improve. But you’re reading this?”

Na Naya’s face dripped with disdain.

“Old habits die hard, huh?”

“No, I was…”

Meng Linna stopped.

She wanted to explain she was studying.

But it was better to let Na Naya misunderstand.

“Fine, I’m trash. Satisfied?”

She hid the codex behind her.

Failed nun, fully giving up!