The Sorcerer's Handbook

Chapter 234: Such Upright Morals!

In the Curiosity Room, Ashe and Dia were locked in a fierce battle.

"Reverse Wave, Hazy Strike, Light Attack, Floating Boat, Heavy Attack, Twin-Headed Dragon Slash, Crouching Heavy Attack, Midnight Rain..."

The Wandering Sword Saint executed an intricate, high-level combo, cornering the Time Witch against the edge of the stage, leaving her completely unable to retaliate.

Ashe pressed forward, ready to finish his rival. He unleashed the Sword Saint's ultimate move, Eternal Day and Night Reversal, aiming for a flawless, decisive end.

However, that brief pause was all Dia needed. She slipped away with the dodge Miracle, Memories Like Flowing Water, cleanly evading the ultimate. In the same breath, she countered with Zero Hour Echo, a throw Miracle that flipped the pressure straight back onto the Wandering Sword Saint.

The momentum shifted in an instant.

The Time Witch had only a sliver of health left, yet her innate ability turned the situation deadly. Every Miracle attack extended the enemy's freeze time by five frames. With perfect timing, she could lock her opponent in place, leaving no chance to escape.

Ashe had fallen victim to this more than once. He knew that if Dia landed even a single hit, he might as well set down the controller and watch the Sword Saint get erased in an infinite combo.

The Sword Saint's ability worked differently. His attack power quadrupled at the start of the battle but steadily declined as the fight wore on. It demanded that the player finish the opponent in one opening strike. Otherwise, the advantage would vanish.

Now, that window was closing. Watching the Sword Saint struggle, Ashe's impatience surged.

If this match ended in another crushing defeat, he could let it slide. This time, however, was different. The Time Witch had only a sliver of health left, and he was almost within reach of getting his revenge. It was like a progress bar frozen at 99.9%. He couldn't accept failing here.

His gaze flicked around the room. The only people left in the Curiosity Room were him and Lys. Harvey and Iger had no interest in watching. Pankey might have cared, but Annan had other plans, leaving him unavailable as Ashe and Lys's game coach.

That meant whatever Ashe did to Lys would go unseen, unstopped, and unchecked.

Lys, I am out of options. I hadn't wanted to use this move, but the situation has left me no choice.

Ashe kicked Lys's chair out from under her. As she tumbled back and landed hard, he executed a clean Miracle combo and finished off the Time Witch.

"Games should be played in moderation. Minors shouldn't play for more than an hour. Time to shower. That's it for tonight. Good night!"

Before the Secret Princess could even react, Ashe had already fled the Curiosity Room.

Lys rubbed her sore bottom and glanced at the half-open door. Through the light-screen, the announcer's voice rang out, "The winner has been decided."

Two small whimpers escaped her lips. She set the controller aside and pouted so dramatically that it could hold a kettle. She couldn't hold it in any longer!

Secret Princess flopped onto the carpet, rolling in frustration. Her throat tightened with anger. "Ahhhh! Damn it! Don't try to calm me! I'll beat him! I'll kill him! Not even the Bronze Dragon can save him!"

After a while, she finally steadied herself. With a dark expression, she stood, shut off the light-screen, and gave Ashe's controller one last thump before heading to the shower.

At eleven, she linked her consciousness to the Virtual World, leaving her body to the Little Witch. When she arrived, her irritation still lingered.

Lys stretched lazily on the bed. Sleep tugged at her, but she resisted. She was at the age of being endlessly curious and energetic."

The afternoon had been lively. Under the Watcher's persistent urging, she had played hide-and-seek with Pankey. Even Aunt Perskin and Uncle Harvey joined in for several rounds before leaving.

She had wanted to play with her daddy, too. Ashe, inside the game pod, cheerfully went along with it. But after searching everywhere, she discovered him hiding inside the virtual pod the entire time, completely still, declaring with confidence, "The most dangerous place is the safest."

That was when Lys realized her daddy was an expert at slacking off, just like a genuine salary thief who always found ways to play games during work hours.

The day had been fun, but Lys didn't feel like she'd had enough. At this hour, there was no one left to play with her, and with her older sisters all gone to the Virtual World, it could only mean...she was free?

Lys sprang upright, her small fists clenched with excitement. Her drowsiness had vanished without a trace.

Right. With her sisters gone, she could do anything she wanted. But what should she do?

Her gaze dropped to the bracelet on her arm. Inside it sat ten thousand copper coins. Earlier that afternoon, Sister White Queen, Sister Secret Princess, and Sister Black Butler had argued over how to spend it, but never reached a decision.

Lys's eyes lit up. Alright. I'll decide myself. I'm going shopping.

She twisted the bracelet, summoning the light-screen. As if responding to her thoughts, the shopping interface appeared instantly.

Her eyes gleamed with anticipation. Let's see what's for sale.

***

As soon as Dia entered the Virtual World, she found herself already seated in the back of the sports car. The Watcher sat beside her, while the Swordswoman occupied the front. Still in a foul mood, she failed to notice that this arrangement might trouble another young woman.

She crossed her arms. "Can we find a sorcerer projection to spar with tonight? Preferably a guy. I need to vent a little."

Ashe almost replied, Tell us what bad luck you ran into so we can enjoy it. The words rose to his lips, but he stopped himself. He remembered his promise to the witch not to pry into her life and swallowed the remark.

He valued his promises.

Perhaps it traced back to childhood, when his father kept his word and bought him a game console after he scored a perfect double hundred in elementary school. Or perhaps it came from watching his older brother place in the top ten, earning their father's protection from the teachers' pressure and even the freedom to pursue an early romance.

Ashe's father had never been a traditionally "good" parent. He lacked ambition, stayed rooted to his post, enjoyed a couple of drinks each evening, and paid little attention to his children. What truly consumed him was forging swords. At home, he kept a forging room where the clang of hammer on steel every Saturday morning was louder than any alarm.

Other children dreamed of wonders. Ashe dreamed of hammers crashing down on him. His brother had it worse. In his dreams, just as he began to undress, a hammer would come crashing down.

Despite everything, neither of them spoke ill of their father. Partly, they could show off their unsharpened swords to friends. More importantly, he respected them. He struck when necessary, scolded when appropriate, and always kept his promises. He never coddled them nor ever compromised. He expected little, much like he expected nothing from the swords hanging on the wall. Yet he still tempered the rough edges of their adolescence. When they showed even a hint of backbone, he returned it with respect.

Back then, Ashe never thought much of it. Only later, after meeting people without fathers, did he realize not everyone had been so fortunate.

Compared to his father, his mother was the real eccentric, but that was for another time.

Ashe had just decided not to press the witch about her mood when the Swordswoman turned and asked, "Tell us what bad luck you ran into so we can all enjoy it."

Ashe would never admit he had influenced her that way.

Aside from the Secret Princess herself, her other sisters didn't care about such trivial matters. The Swordswoman's tone carried a strange edge, yet the Witch went ahead and poured out her grievances. "I ran into a most despicable man today. In a fair duel, he knew he would lose, yet he still used outside interference to ensure my defeat. Then he humiliated me and left without even a hint of apology."

It felt less embarrassing to call it a duel than a game. After all, they were really just playing Sorcerer Duel 14.

Ashe reacted at once. "How vile! I despise a man who can't accept his own defeat!"

Sonya nodded. "Indeed."

She didn't oppose outside tactics in principle, but given her current status, she would inevitably end up on the receiving end of such interference. Standing firmly on the side of fairness, she added, "A proper duel shouldn't be corrupted."

Dia brightened at once, delighted to find someone who shared her outrage. It felt like gaining an ally. "Exactly! That man is outrageous..."

Sonya had not set out to befriend the Witch, but Dia's mood was like a jar ready to be opened, and instinct pushed her to respond. Women knew how to respond to women.

Before long, Dia's negative impression of Sonya faded. She even felt Sonya understood her better than her own sisters, sharing the same sense of justice.

As Ashe steered the sports car in pursuit of the Celestial Ox's hooves across the sky, Dia adjusted her glasses slightly and continued chatting with her sisters.

***

Within Dia's inner world.

White Queen asked, "Are you sure you don't want me to handle communication and intelligence gathering tonight? You refused contact so firmly last night."

Secret Princess replied, "I can't always rely on you. Besides, it's just the Watcher and the Swordswoman. I can manage. Like always, I'll handle the Virtual World tonight."

Black Butler interjected, "You disliked the Swordswoman last night, yet now you talk freely with her. Do you really think you can handle this? Sooner or later, you'll probably sell us out completely... Were it not for the new Little Witch, Princess, you'd be the undisputed social inept of our group."

Red Death Apostle added, "Even with Sister Little Witch around, Princess, your social skills are still the worst."

Secret Princess bristled. "Little Red, how dare you say that?"

Black Butler countered, "Little Red lacks social exposure, not ability. It's the difference between never having played a game and being bad at one. She has every right to judge you."

Secret Princess snapped. "White Queen, look at them!"

White Queen stepped in, trying to ease the tension. "Since the Princess insists on handling this, let her. She has always been responsible for Virtual World exploration, while I handle negotiations, Butler handles schemes, and Death handles combat. Occasional crossovers are fine, but ideally, tasks should match our roles. We all want to feel needed."

Black Butler pressed on. "It's been ages since I acted. You really don't plan to let me participate? The Watcher and Swordswoman are at a delicate point. White Queen, your gentle touch won't lift their veil. Let me try. I could alter their relationship... maybe for the better, but there's a risk it could backfire. Even if it's just limited to the Virtual World, our bodies are still sharp weapons."

Both Secret Princess and White Queen opposed him.

"No, I don't like that."

"No, the Watcher and Swordswoman are our key allies."

​​Black Butler shrugged. "Ah, another day of being sidelined... but I'm not worried. My existence means I am needed. I'll eagerly await my turn."

Despite the disputes, Secret Princess reaffirmed her role as the main decision-maker for Virtual World exploration. White Queen reminded her that the focus wasn't just on exploration, but on raising her status within the team.

Since Dia could now interact smoothly with the Swordswoman, the next step was the Watcher. The Watcher had agreed with her earlier view, suggesting that while he was morally dubious, his worldview was sound, so interacting with him should be fine.

"Watcher!" she called.

Faster than Ashe, Sonya turned, curious to see what the "new sister" intended.

Dia wracked her brain for social tactics. She knew that the best way to build rapport was often to compliment someone's appearance. But the Watcher's face remained a mystery, hidden beneath his trench coat, giving him the look of a self-inflicted comic villain from a fairy tale.

And so, Dia went blunt. "Your hands are beautiful. May I touch them?"

Ashe blinked in surprise, while Sonya froze.

So direct? Normally, it'd be something like, I put on extra hand cream... want some?