Chapter 37: The Last Day Before the New Year

[Your guidance of the witch has been very successful.]

[She has mastered the four major elements of Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire.]

[The emotional defect makes the witch different from ordinary people, but it also makes her magic cultivation speed extremely fast, and in some aspects, she has a unique understanding of magic.]

[You are very pleased because this means that the witch's talent is not bad.]

[You feel that such growth and progress can, to a certain extent, fill the void in Klisa's fragile and sensitive heart.]

[You begin to teach her more and deeper magic knowledge.]

[Klisa learns very seriously, keeping all your teachings in her heart, and at the same time, her attitude towards you is extremely respectful. Besides learning magic, she also takes the initiative to do housework.]

[You do not stop her.]

[Because you know clearly that to make a damaged heart return to normal, besides giving confidence, you must also give a sense of existence.]

[Blindly helping the girl and displaying kindness and love without reservation will not make her return to normal; it will only make her feel lost and helpless.]

[Therefore, you have given the girl a "value" for her existence.]

[Through the busyness of housework, you let the girl feel that she is needed and has value, rather than being trash that could be abandoned by you at any time.]

[Such an approach can effectively enhance the sense of security in the girl's heart.]

…

[Time flies; in the blink of an eye, two months have passed since you adopted the witch.]

[It is now the end of December.]

[Your popularity in Alenson City has declined slightly, but among the common people at the bottom, you are still a well-known topic of conversation. People often discuss how pious your faith is, capable of moving the Goddess of Life to bestow divine grace.]

[You laugh it off, because you are not a follower of the Goddess of Life.]

[Alenson City is located on the north side of the world. Winter here comes earlier and more fiercely than in other cities. Snowflakes begin to fall from the sky, and pedestrians on the streets are shivering.]

[Heavy snow is falling, and the cold is biting.]

[In such an extreme environment, even breathing becomes an extremely painful thing. The cold airflow ruthlessly cuts through the mouth and nose, sneaks into the human body, and impacts and destroys without restraint.]

[But this has nothing to do with you. Your house is equipped with a full set of steam equipment, and you yourself can also use Fire Magic to keep warm.]

[You unexpectedly learn a piece of news from the Mages Association in the city center: in a border city further north from Alenson, orcs are launching an assault.]

[The bleak winter torments not only humans but also these exotic races with extraordinary physiques.]

[This incident did not cause a stir in Alenson. Multiple mage legions are stationed within the border, and multiple Church of the Gods are assisting in the defense, so there is no possibility of breaking through the defense line at all.]

[The new year is coming.]

[From nobles to commoners, everyone has started preparing for the first day of the new year.]

[This day is known as "God Creation Day." Among the many Church of the Gods, it is the great day when the gods jointly created the world, and it is a day of enthusiastic celebration in the cold winter.]

…

Lively.

Noisy.

And clamorous.

Xu Xi sits in the warm and comfortable study, quietly listening to the frolicking sounds coming from outside.

Since the weather turned cold, he hasn't heard such lively sounds for a long time—there is the playing of children and the laughter of adults, adding a little color to this cold and silent winter.

In previous years, Xu Xi spent it alone.

But this year is different; Xu Xi has a witch by his side.

"Mentor, please."

A calm voice rings in his ear, without intense ups and downs, and containing no emotion, like a murmuring flowing stream, or like a light breeze brushing over the treetops.

This is the beautiful tone unique to Klisa, one that only she possesses.

"Thank you, Klisa," Xu Xi looks to his right.

After two months of nutritional supplementation.

The little girl who was once skinny and miserable-looking.

Has recovered the most basic complexion and physique.

Her gray-silver long hair is very smooth, flowing naturally like a waterfall. She is wearing a black and white Magic Apprentice outfit, standing quietly, holding a hot drink in her hand.

[Chaka]

This is a magical drink circulating in human society.

Xu Xi understands it as the coffee of the Magic World.

He takes it from the girl's hand and takes a light sip. As the warm current flows down his throat to nourish his body, he can feel his spirit becoming clearer and his perception of magic deepening.

This is the effect of Chaka.

One cup for 1 gold coin.

"Heartless," Xu Xi smacks his lips, feeling that this so-called Chaka is nothing special, far inferior to his three traits.

However, thinking about it carefully, the local mages in the simulation world do not have trait bonuses. For the tiny bit of bonus that Chaka provides, it is not incomprehensible that they would inflate the price of Chaka to this level.

Shaking his head.

Xu Xi pays it no more mind.

He puts the cup back on the tray and then stands up.

"Klisa, I am going out for a while; I leave the house in your care."

"Yes, please rest assured."

Xu Xi wears the robe of an Official Mage, casts a Wind Barrier and Warmth of Fire on himself, and then uses a Wind Riding Technique to ride the airflow and fly out of the courtyard.

The girl stands at the courtyard gate, quietly watching the receding back.

Until it is completely out of sight.

She then returns to the house to continue doing housework.

…

Today is the last day of the old year.

Xu Xi prepares to head to the Mages Association in the city center to settle some commissions, purchase some new magic books, and at the same time, show his face.

Xu Xi is not keen on interpersonal interactions, but the popularity brought by the identity of "Slum Mage" is simply too high. Many mages, holding a curious attitude, are rushing to befriend Xu Xi.

Through these networking channels, Xu Xi has obtained quite a few useful extraordinary Materials and learned a lot of information.

The news of the orc invasion of the border was learned from this.

Thus, gradually.

Xu Xi developed the habit of occasionally visiting the Mages Association.

"Yo, Xu, long time no see!"

"Isn't this the famous Light of the Slums? Come, come, drink to your heart's content!"

"Damn it, Tidolf, you old thing, you're using Wind Magic to cheat on my dice again; your tricks are the most useless!"

"Heh, can a mage's affairs be considered cheating!"

After entering the Mages Association of Alenson City.

There are acquaintances greeting Xu Xi, and strangers immersed in entertainment.

Compared to usual.

The association hall is much quieter.

"It seems most people have gone back to celebrate the New Year," Xu Xi thinks thoughtfully, nodding in response to those he knows, and then skillfully walks into the interior of the association to settle some commissions he had previously accepted.

The commission money is in hand, and his wallet is suddenly much fuller.

Xu Xi purchases some extraordinary Materials and some magic books he hasn't read yet.

Through the red trait of Mortals Wisdom, Xu Xi can quickly master extraordinary Materials and extraordinary knowledge, convert them into his own knowledge reserve, and go further and further on the path of a mage.

There is a famous saying in this world: The stronger one is, the more knowledgeable one is.

It means that powerful mages possess profound knowledge.

Conversely, it can also be understood that the more knowledgeable a mage is, the more powerful they are.