Chapter 64 – History of Witches

“Let’s think up as many questions as we can and ask about everything we don’t understand. If we resolve all the questions during class, maybe there won’t be any homework.”

“Yes! Today we’ll definitely catch Lady Amisha off guard!”

“Make the questions dense enough to keep asking until class ends, so Lady Amisha won’t have time to quiz us!”

“Exactly! That’s the plan! Write down all the questions on parchment ahead of time so we don’t forget any!”

…

In 《History of Witches》 class, Lady Amisha did the same as yesterday’s Fundamentals of Magic Theory—she had them read the first chapter on their own, then ask her questions.

The young witches, armed with a mountain of prepared questions, were eager to begin. Wasting no time, they started jotting down their questions one by one on paper.

Amisha watched the young witches scribbling furiously, swirled the wine glass in her hand, and offered no comment.

When it came time for questions, every young witch raised her hand.

“Everyone’s very enthusiastic about asking questions today! Then let’s go one question per person, taking turns!” Amisha said. “Starting with Vasida.”

Vasida stood up. “How long have witches existed? Who was the first witch? The book doesn’t seem to mention any specific dates.”

“This 《History of Witches》 was only compiled after witches gathered in the Wilds.

Who the first witch was and when she came into being—there are no precise written records.

But what can be confirmed is that witches have existed for as long as humanity has.”

When it was Mo Lan’s turn to ask, she raised a question that had been troubling her for a long time:

“The book says that witches are human women who awakened through adversity and suffering. Are adversity and suffering the key to a witch’s awakening? And is there any difference between an awakened witch and one born through bloodline?”

“In the past, many witches did indeed awaken during life-or-death crises.

But ever since the Sorceress appeared and the Wilds rose to power, and the various races of the continent no longer dared to openly hunt witches, truly fewer witches have awakened through suffering.

However, every woman who awakens as a witch is someone who refuses to submit to oppressive systems and authority, and has the courage to resist.

More than adversity and suffering, it is a brave, unyielding, resilient, and kind soul that is the true key to becoming a witch.

Only such a soul can forever hold fast to its true nature amid adversity, unbowed and unbroken.

Back when the Church held dominion, the reason angels and demons targeted witches so relentlessly wasn’t merely to consolidate their rule—it was because witches could not be brainwashed by the Church into offering up their faith and souls.

If witches have any faith at all, it is only in this world itself—the world that gave birth to us.

There is no difference between an awakened witch and one born through bloodline. Both are outstanding souls chosen by the world, endowed with the same bloodline abilities.”

Mo Lan sat down, but Amisha’s words kept turning over in her mind.

No wonder that even though the Witch Council placed no restrictions on witches, there had never been a single traitor among them.

Bravery, resilience, kindness—these were qualities embedded in a witch’s very soul.

The world’s selection was rigorous. It did not make mistakes.

Had her own soul, a wanderer from Earth, also been recognized by Valen’s world consciousness?

“Moira! Your turn!”

After completing one round, it had come back to her. Mo Lan couldn’t help but ask the question aloud:

“Are Souls from Another World who are reborn as witches also recognized by the world’s consciousness?”

Amisha understood immediately. “Of course. Every witch is the same. No matter who you once were, once you become a witch, you are a child of this world.”

“Thank you, Headmistress. I understand now.”

A wandering soul had found its second home.

The young witches’ questions came one after another, continuing until the bell signaling the end of class rang, finally bringing the questioning session to a close.

Surely she won’t assign homework now? The young witches watched Lady Amisha with bright, expectant eyes.

“Today, everyone read with genuine thought behind their questions. They were dense, thorough, and well-considered. I have no questions left to ask you.”

“Yay!” The young witches couldn’t help letting out a small cheer.

Amisha gestured for them to quiet down.

“However, with so many questions comes a great deal of knowledge, and how much you’ve actually absorbed and gained remains to be seen.

Therefore, after class, please write a comprehensive summary essay covering all the questions you asked today. No word limit.

Turn it in to me next Tuesday at the start of class.

Class dismissed!”

Lady Amisha never kept class overtime, leaving behind a classroom full of devastated young witches.

“How is there still homework?!”

“If our questions aren’t thorough enough, we have to research and write an essay.

If our questions are thorough, we write a summary essay.

So there’s definitely going to be an essay no matter what, right?”

“I really regret it—why did I prepare so many questions? How long will this essay have to be to cover everything?!” Iris held her question sheet, her hands trembling.

“It’s over. I was so focused on asking questions today that I didn’t listen carefully to what the Headmistress actually said! How am I supposed to write this essay?” Vasida felt like the sky was falling.

“I only vaguely remember each answer. That’s hardly enough for a whole essay.” Sylph’s face was full of worry.

Young witches in the same predicament were everywhere.

Everyone had focused all their energy on asking questions. Some questions had even been forced—stretching far beyond the chapter’s content.

“If you can’t remember something, just ask me. I remember everything,” Mo Lan said.

“This one! This one! Moira, look at this!” Vasida pointed at her question list. “I can’t clearly remember a single one.”

“For the first question, Lady Amisha said that this 《History of Witches》 was compiled after witches gathered in the Wilds…”

Mo Lan remembered every word Lady Amisha had said in class with perfect clarity. She took the list right out of Vasida’s hands and began answering each question in order.

“Slow down, slow down—let me write it down!” Vasida immediately pulled out a sheet of parchment and began recording frantically.

After Mo Lan had reviewed everything with her, Vasida finally had a clear picture of what her essay would look like.

“Anyone else want to ask?” Mo Lan offered.

The young witches swarmed over at once. “Me! Me! Me!”

Mo Lan truly did remember—every single word, without missing a thing.

That afternoon, the young witches didn’t even have time for lunch. They only grabbed a Breadfruit on their way past the Breadfruit Grove, taking a few bites as they walked.

They used every moment on the way down the mountain, and only then did they manage to sort out the answers to all the bizarre questions they’d come up with.

“How are we going to manage if this keeps up?!” Even after resolving the immediate problem, the young witches couldn’t help worrying about future classes.

Besides Moira, who could possibly remember every single word of what Lady Amisha said in class?

They couldn’t keep relying on Moira to tutor them after every lesson, could they?

“Take notes! When the Headmistress answers questions, we just ask her to slow down and write down the answers.”

“That way we can also ask fewer questions, and the essay will be shorter too.”

“Exactly—that’s what we’ll do!”

…