Iordera’s New Beginning and an Unexpected Visitor

Having finished their meal, Iordera settled onto the sofa and declared her intentions to her two maids.

Her primary objective was to secure a position at the academy, spend a few days acclimating, and once settled, approach friendly colleagues for insights into the city and potential part-time work.

Should her earnings as a librarian prove insufficient, she intended to devise a means of earning money during the evenings…

“Young Mistress, if you venture out for evening work,” Nina interjected, her voice laced with concern, “the Witch might take offense.”

Iordera blinked, a bewildered expression on her face. ‘Why would her anger have anything to do with me? No, more precisely, why would she even be angry?’

“Because you’ll be earning money at night,” Nina explained. “I suspect Miss Witch might rather be the one to dispatch you first, with just two fingers.”

Yuna elaborated, “However, if you go out to earn money, someone else might beat her to the punch.”

Iordera considered this for a long moment, her small face flushing an increasingly vivid crimson with each passing thought.

“What utter rubbish are you spouting? I’m seeking legitimate employment, truly legitimate work!”

Why were these two treacherous maids constantly fixated on the idea of her being dispatched by a mere two fingers?

Could they possibly be devotees of Thanos?

“But Young Mistress, won’t you be sleeping at night?” Yuna asked, a rare flicker of concern in her tone.

“In truth, I don’t require extensive sleep during the night, and I can always find opportunities to nap during the day,” Iordera declared with an air of complete confidence.

As the adage goes, one does precisely the amount of work commensurate with their pay. Since Principal Louisa offers meager wages, I, as a diligent worker, shall simply ‘muddle through’ (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘moyu,’ referring to slacking off or doing the bare minimum at work).

“At any rate, the most crucial step is to secure the position first. I shall go and ascertain the situation!”

****

On her second day in Saroyan, Iordera meticulously examined an assortment of maps.

This included the intricate route map of the alchemical railcar, which was akin to taking a public bus to work, requiring careful study.

As the day drew to a close, all her preparations were largely complete, and Iordera retired to bed, peacefully drifting into slumber.

A new city, a new occupation, a new existence.

No masked instigators of chaos, no insidious conspirators, and most importantly, no wicked women.

It was as though even the very air around her had turned delightfully sweet.

Zzzz

****

Deep in the night, Louisa concluded her day’s labors and retreated to her private chambers.

With the new semester merely days away, a multitude of tasks still awaited her attention.

Upon pushing open her door, she was startled to discover a figure seated in the living room.

It was a grey-haired maiden.

Louisa’s brow furrowed, and her gaze flickered, subtly sweeping the surroundings.

There was no one else present, merely the maiden.

She calmly pulled out a chair and settled into it, as if nothing untoward had occurred. With a deliberate adjustment of her collar, she finally spoke, her tone unhurried: “What an exceptionally rare visitor this is.”

“You are too kind,” Hecate responded with a soft chuckle, “though I wouldn’t describe myself as particularly cherished.”

Louisa offered a faint smile in return. “I daresay no one would ever believe you would actually set foot in Saroyan. The city’s defenses here are impregnable, brimming with powerful individuals, and even legendary figures hold dominion. While they might not be your match in a one-on-one confrontation, surely you couldn’t withstand a collective assault?”

The unspoken implication of her words was clear: this was a veritable den of dragons and tigers (TL Note: A Chinese idiom, ‘longtan huxue,’ referring to a dangerous place), and Hecate would do well to tread lightly.

“Indeed, and they possess the advantage of home ground,” Hecate affirmed, nodding gravely. “The Continental United Academy is teeming with the empire’s future, or at the very least, the scions of royalty and nobility—oh, forgive me, their precious sons and daughters. Naturally, a great deal more thought must be dedicated to their protection.”

Louisa’s brow tightened. “So, why have you graced us with your presence? With a single thought, I can activate a red alert for the academy, or even the entirety of Saroyan. Every teleportation gate across the city will seal, Aether channels will be locked down, and you would find escape impossible, even if you sprouted wings.”

“Ah, Principal, you know me so well,” Hecate uttered with a ‘sincere’ air. “I genuinely adore the noble pursuit of teaching and fostering young minds. Those years I spent as a school board director were, without a doubt, the most fulfilling period of my life. Now that I’ve finally managed to escape, my paramount aspiration is to become a professor and dedicate myself to educating here.”

No sane person would credit her words; any objective she voiced was, by definition, certainly not her true one.

Louisa, however, was keenly aware that discerning Hecate’s true motives was an impossibility. Thus, she cut straight to the chase: “What reason could I possibly have to assist you? You should instead consider what bribe you might offer to dissuade me from immediately raising a red alert.”

Hecate rested an elbow on the table, her gaze fixed downwards. “Esteemed seeker of truth, tireless pursuer of knowledge, devout follower of Sheila, tell me… have you managed to unravel the enigma of the ‘Century Manuscript’?”

Louisa’s pupils instantly contracted.

The Century Manuscript referred to The Guardian Sheila’s research notes penned over the last century or so, a tome that not only chronicled some of the world’s most profound secrets but might also hold the key to her mysterious current disappearance.

Ever since Louisa acquired that manuscript half a year prior, she had been utterly absorbed by its contents. Alas, Sheila had encoded it using a peculiar method, and to this very moment, Louisa had failed to decipher it.

“The seals left by the teacher aren’t exactly simple to unravel, are they? Especially for someone of your… caliber. Of course, I’m not singling you out,” the 97th-level Hecate remarked with a playful grin. “For those of you dozens of levels below her, attempting to break her enchantments does present a considerable challenge.”

Louisa offered no reply, her silence profound.

“I will assist you in deciphering the manuscript, and you, in turn, will help me realize my aspiration of teaching. A mutually beneficial arrangement, wouldn’t you agree?”

Hecate gathered her grey hair with one hand, twisting it into a ponytail that cascaded over her shoulder (TL Note: A common Chinese internet meme, ‘taitai de weixian faxing xilie,’ referring to a hairstyle that makes a woman look alluringly dangerous, often associated with married women). Then, cloaking it with Aether, she transformed the grey strands into a soft, lustrous jade hue.

“Tell me,” she purred, “don’t I look precisely like a gentle, benevolent teacher now?”

****

As morning dawned once more, Iordera settled before her dressing table, meticulously attending to her appearance.

She donned a crisp white blouse, a subtly form-fitting black mini-skirt, and styled her hair into a neat, refreshing ponytail, embodying the image of a chic urban professional.

Nina stood behind her, a bewildered expression on her face. “Young Mistress, why must you complicate things to such an extent?”

“You wouldn’t comprehend,” Iordera retorted, rising and pirouetting twice before the mirror. “This is what’s known as a ‘job-seeking demeanor,’ designed to convey my utmost reliability.”

She hadn’t realized until this very moment; twirling before the mirror, she discovered, ‘Turns out I’m truly adorable.’

Ah, no, rather, ‘truly reliable.’

“I simply cannot fathom it,” Nina declared, shaking her head. “It’s all so ostentatious.”

“Hmph, that’s precisely why I maintain you’re all mere children, underage, utterly oblivious to the intricacies of society’s ways.”

Iordera, now perfectly poised, hummed a tune as she stepped out of the house.

“Combing my hair like a grown-up, donning a handsome suit~”

The air in Saroyan, just as she had envisioned, was wonderfully sweet, imbued with an omnipresent aura of freedom.

How utterly comforting it felt, free from the Witch’s menacing, tiger-like gaze (TL Note: A Chinese idiom, ‘hushi dandan,’ meaning to eye covetously or menacingly).

Iordera had ascertained yesterday that Saroyan unequivocally stood as the empire’s foremost city beyond the imperial capital, fortified by an impeccable defense system and guarded by innumerable masters.

Therefore, the Witch would assuredly not dare to approach.

How truly splendid, how truly splendid.

To reach the academy, she would need to board an alchemical railcar, as the distance was rather substantial. This otherworldly alchemical railcar resembled a subway from her previous life, with the sole distinction that it operated entirely above ground.

Upon reaching the station, Iordera waited for the railcar to arrive, then dutifully joined the queue to board.

She then retrieved a silver coin, rose onto her tiptoes, and attempted to deposit it into the slot…

“Little one, you needn’t insert a coin,” the ticket attendant remarked with a warm smile. “You’re still not quite tall enough, you see. You can pay when you’ve grown a little taller.”