Click, click, click...
After finishing her third cup of coffee, Li Li pulled out her pocket watch and glanced at it. Her stern expression grew even sterner.
Meanwhile, Jiang Han, who had finished her fifth cup of milk tea, watched the clock on the café wall. Time passed, the sunset appeared outside, and the slanting dusk light fell through the haze of wine, like golden ears of wheat scattered across a lake. The witches in the café had come and gone in one group after another.
She tapped the table with her index finger, propped her left elbow on it, rested her chin in her hand, and gazed out the window.
"Glug glug glug glug, pop pop pop..."
She took a mouthful of milk tea and blew bubbles. She truly hadn't expected the meeting Cheng Yu had mentioned to take this long. Witches were generally very punctual, after all, and handled things swiftly and decisively. If something could be done in a day, they never left it until the next; if it would take two, they worked overtime to get it done in one. From the rumors and information she'd gathered over the past few days, witches who arranged to meet friends would show up on time or arrive early and wait while reading a book.
Standing someone up was even more unbelievable than dying suddenly in an accident.
Now that her mentor had stood her up, Jiang Han wasn't exactly angry. She was just a little curious about what had delayed her.
Her mentor was a witch who could turn into a giant dragon. Even without magic, she had overwhelming destructive power and agility.
Jiang Han lifted her milk tea cup, bit the rim twice to grind her teeth, then rubbed her right cheek. As she glanced sideways at the clock again, she asked,
"Li Li, what's special about black dragons? A lot of books say black dragons are the first choice for a dragon transformation spell, followed by red dragons."
Li Li put her book on the table and answered Jiang Han with an expressionless face,
"Red dragons are the most ferocious and powerful kind of dragon. Some, like the Tianyou Dragon, are famed for their magic, while others, like the Snowflame Dragon, are known for their overwhelming strength. Black dragons, meanwhile, are the best value among the advanced dragon species. They're easier to hunt than red dragons, but stronger than white dragons, and there are many different kinds of them, distributed all over the world. They're also the second- and third-most common dragon species in the world's largest Folded Spaces."
She really did know a lot about dragons. Jiang Han stared at the Fox Witch. Books about dragon types weren't cheap, and most ordinary witches only knew about common dragons and the traits associated with their colors. To learn about the different types of dragon within each color, you needed a whole library of books to back you up.
Jiang Han sat up straight and stretched. She'd been sitting for so long that she was getting tired. She asked,
"What kind of dragon is the Tianyou Dragon? It sounds like an unusual name."
"It's a kind of red dragon first discovered in the north of New China. It's considerably longer than the average giant dragon with a reptilian appearance, and incredibly fast. It also has beautiful scales like red crystal along its back. When it gets angry, flames spurt from between the scales. It got its name because it loves to eat a local species of little dragon called the Xi Dragon. Xi Dragons often damage human villages, so the locals named the Tianyou Dragon 'Tianyou Dragon' because it eats them and otherwise ignores humans."
Li Li's fox ears twitched excitedly, and her eyes shone with enthusiasm. She even used a spell to draw a dragon in her pocket notebook, then handed it to Jiang Han and explained,
"Twenty-seven powerful Flame School spells require its materials. And because of its unique traits, people have found that it can replace the main ingredients for six eighth-tier spells. Besides, they're so beautiful and unforgettable!"
"Mm, they really are unforgettable." Jiang Han glanced at the notebook Li Li had handed her. The dragon in the drawing was slender, yet had a powerful air about it. It had a long neck, a majestic reddish-brown body, and a longer-than-usual snout and tail. It looked excellent—probably a favorite among people who cared about appearances.
"Right?" Li Li's purple eyes sparkled. Her fox ears stood straight up, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, like a happy dog begging to be petted. "My family has spent generations studying dragons. We started in Europe, went on to Africa, and finally came to Asia, the kingdom of dragons. But even after seeing so many giant dragons, ancient dragons, drakes, and small and medium-sized dragons, the Tianyou Dragon is still one of the most beautiful."
"I understand. They really are elegant and beautiful." Jiang Han could understand the dedication it took to spend one's whole life studying giant dragons.
She just wondered whether Li Li's ancestors had left behind any research documents on dragons. If they had, those would be incredibly valuable. There were many giant dragons, but not many reports of sightings or places where they lived in seclusion. That was because giant dragons often lived in small Folded Spaces no larger than 400 square kilometers, which were naturally hard to find.
They said Ice Bears had a bit of dragon blood, too. They were stronger than ordinary bears, could learn to cast spells, and were smarter than most bears. Those were all outward signs of dragon blood.
Thinking of the bear at home, Jiang Han asked Li Li, the witch from a family of dragon researchers,
"I have a Ukrainian Ice Bear. I heard Ice Bears have giant dragon blood?"
"Ice Bears?" Li Li looked intrigued. "They do have giant dragon blood, mostly from green dragons. That makes them fond of using tools and incredibly intelligent. After training, they can even take the A3 civil service exam—that is, the International Arcane General Qualification Exam. Many witches spend their whole lives studying, only to discover they're not as smart as an Ice Bear. It happens all the time."
A bear smart enough to pass the A3 exam that stumped 99 percent of the world's witches really was clever.
They chatted a little longer about how to raise a bear. Then a new witch entered the café on the airship and walked straight over to their table.
"Excuse me, are you Miss Jiang Han and Miss Li Li?"
The clear, pleasant voice interrupted their bear-raising discussion. The witch had clear gray eyes and the kind of looks that could charm a thousand people.
Her black hair had a faint gray tint, and her features had a mature air about them. A pale beauty mark sat beneath her right eye, and she had a figure every bit as good as Li Li's.
She was the most beautiful witch Jiang Han had seen so far. Neither her mentor Cheng Yu nor Li Li could compete with her looks. She was the kind of witch who could make a living on her face alone... As a side note, all the witches Jiang Han had met so far had been good-looking. Even the plainest ones had a fresh-faced, simple beauty, like a pretty country girl. But this was the first time she'd met anyone this beautiful.
Under the witch's gaze, Jiang Han nodded shyly.
She'd meant to give a cool, indifferent "Mm," but she couldn't help it. This witch was just too beautiful.
"That's us," Li Li replied curtly.
"So it's you two." The stunning witch smiled happily. "My name is Cen Jing, and I'm a witch. Your mentor, Cheng Yu, ran into a sudden dragon rampage and rushed to a commission base to hunt the dragons. She'll need some time to track them down and hunt them, so she asked me to come and fill in as your mentor for three days."
A routine personnel change.
Still, they seemed a little unlucky. They'd just signed up for tutoring, and now their tutor had gone off to hunt dragons...
Cen Jing clapped her hands.
"Since Miss Cheng Yu feels bad about standing you up, she asked me to treat you to a big meal."
After meeting their substitute mentor and enjoying a big meal, Jiang Han and Li Li said goodbye, feeling thoroughly satisfied. Their substitute mentor had also called a Griffin Taxi for each of them to take them home.
By any measure, she seemed like a more dependable mentor than that black-haired, red-eyed pigeon.
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