Chapter 126: The Young Spider Teacher

As a long-lived race, the concept of time for witches is naturally different from that of humans. For a witch, twenty or thirty years of no contact is no different from a year or two for humans.

Ordinary witches are already like this, let alone those existences above the rank of Grand Witch who are nearly immortal; twenty or thirty years might just be the time they spend taking a nap. It is said that the more ancient the witch, the more they enjoy slumber.

And even if we don't count those powerful beings above the Grand Witch rank who can achieve immortality, just looking at ordinary witches, the magical nature of this race's age stages is quite wondrous.

Witches still retain a portion of human characteristics, such as taking about sixteen years to grow from an infant to near-adulthood, much like ordinary humans; this 1-16 age stage is known by witches as the Childhood Stage.

However, after the Childhood Stage, the differences between witches and humans become prominent.

The Juvenile Stage for a witch is generally 16-200 years old, followed by the Youth Stage from 200-350, and then the Prime Stage from 350-650. If a witch has not grown into a Grand Witch and achieved immortality before 650, she will enter the Elderly Stage, where she gradually weakens.

Among these, the Childhood and Juvenile stages are the most important periods in a witch's life, as these two stages are the witch's rapid growth phases, where attributes grow the fastest.

The Childhood Stage is primarily for physical growth, and once the body has developed, the Juvenile Stage becomes the explosive period for a witch's Mana growth.

Generally speaking, 70% of the Mana an ordinary witch gains in her lifetime is accumulated during the Juvenile Stage.

Once a witch enters the Youth and Prime stages, although her Mana growth never ceases due to racial characteristics, the rate of increase slows down significantly.

In the Elderly Stage, the growth rate is not even enough to offset daily consumption, much like a business whose expenses exceed its income, eventually leading to demise.

However, because a witch's lifespan extends greatly once she reaches the Grand Witch rank, the time limits corresponding to the original age stages also extend.

It is like how the Juvenile Stage for a human with a 100-year lifespan is only a few years, while a witch with a 1,000-year lifespan has a Juvenile Stage of over a hundred years.

Therefore, theoretically, as long as you grow fast enough that your lifespan increase outpaces your age increase, you will remain in the Juvenile Stage forever, keeping your Mana growth rate at maximum.

Witch history is filled with records of late bloomers who were mediocre in the first half of their lives but suddenly surged due to some fortuitous encounter, some even achieving a "death-line breakthrough" when they were near the end of their Elderly Stage, returning to their youth overnight and reaching the pinnacle of life.

Well, these legends are somewhat exaggerated; in fact, a death-line breakthrough cannot directly return one to youth. After all, the lifespan gained at the Grand Witch stage isn't given all at once, but in installments.

Achieving the Grand Witch rank and completing the first true qualitative change in Mana only doubles a witch's lifespan; thereafter, every bit of growth extends it further.

The so-called immortality of Grand Witches is simply because, under normal circumstances, the lifespan increase of a Grand Witch exceeds natural wear and tear.

Furthermore, because a witch's Childhood Stage is too short—truly only a dozen years—even if one were to return to youth, it would at most be back to the Juvenile Stage. Childhood is truly gone forever. Unless there are special spell effects, like the time-series forbidden spell "Life Regression," it is impossible for an elegant lady to suddenly reverse growth into a loli overnight.

Unless it is a special spell effect, like the time-series forbidden spell "Life Regression," which can not only reverse growth but also strike you back to your mother's womb, or even erase your existence entirely.

"So you see, Dorothy, Audrey, you two have just entered the Juvenile Stage. You must work hard and strive to become Grand Witches or even Peak Witches during this stage. Only then will you have the hope of touching the realm of the Sage,"

Nuo'eluosi said earnestly to her two disciples.

Dorothy: "......"

Audrey: "......"

The sister-disciples looked at each other, both seeing confusion in the other's eyes.

So, what exactly happened? Why did the Spider Teacher suddenly close her spellbook and lecture them on common knowledge that every little witch already knows? Is this a test of their Witch Physiology grade?

"This teacher must have been triggered by something just now,"

Dorothy conveyed this message to her junior sister with her eyes.

"Get used to it, Senior Sister. Second Aunt often has these episodes, especially during the annual family gatherings, where she emphasizes that she, at 170 years old, is still a young girl,"

The little fox replied, her gaze shifting from confusion to realization as she blinked her alluring purple fox eyes.

Dorothy: "......"

Alright, understood. It's just the last stubbornness of an aging single woman.

The homebody witch looked with pity at the Spider Teacher, who was currently turning grief into appetite and stuffing her mouth with snacks. She thoughtfully took out a pile of backup snacks from her magic bag to replenish the supply.

Alas, poor teacher. She was probably just triggered by a wedding invitation from some old classmate or best friend.

Dorothy reasoned logically, recalling the scene where the Spider Teacher was chatting with someone using her spellbook.

The little witch felt a bit disdainful.

Heh, this teacher really can't see the big picture. Is gaming not fun, or is magic not interesting enough? Why be so desperate to get married and fall in love? Being alone is great. Look at me; my body is the companion of my soul. How wonderful.

Dorothy thought with extreme superiority.

Yes, when she reaches the teacher's age, she will definitely still be a happy single aristocrat. She will absolutely not become as pathetic as the teacher.

The homebody witch firmly believed this.

Meanwhile, Nuo'eluosi felt much better after venting to her two students and turning some of her grief into appetite. She felt she could now view the fact that the Dragon Senior Sister—who should have been destined for solitude—actually had a child, with a calm mind.

Hmph, so what if she has a child? What's so great about that? My disciple is super amazing! The child of that Senior Sister definitely isn't as good as my disciple.

The Spider Witch comforted herself.

Then, she continued to take out her spellbook.

【Living with Puppets for Life: Indeed, there is a matter I would like to ask Senior Sister for help with. If you have time, I will come find you after the opening ceremony.】

【Yufiliya...: Opening ceremony? Are you at the Witch Academy now? When did you return from the front lines?】

The Dragon Senior Sister replied instantly, though her tone was puzzled, sending several "Dragon Confusion" emojis.

Nuo'eluosi felt a pang of bitterness. Senior Sister didn't even know she had retired from the front lines to hang a title as a teacher at the academy? Had their classmate bond really faded to this point after only twenty-some years of no contact?

Tsk, truly a case of having a family and forgetting her junior sister. We clearly agreed to go to the front lines to expand territory together; how did things turn out like this? What were you doing all those years I was fighting on the front lines, Senior Sister?

She felt sour, but she still prepared to explain. However, her spellbook vibrated again; it seemed the Senior Sister had sent another message.

【Yufiliya...: I'm at the Witch Academy too. Just entered the Grand Hall. Send me your box number, and I'll come find you.】

Nuo'eluosi: "???"

Goodness, as expected of you, Senior Sister. Your efficiency is as high as ever, and it seems you still have this junior sister in your heart, coming over so quickly.

The Spider Witch immediately sent over her department name.

【Living with Puppets for Life: Great, Senior Sister, I'll be waiting for you. The box is the Department of Automated Mechanical Civil Engineering at Brewster Academy.】

And then...

【Yufiliya...:?】

【Yufiliya...:??】

【Yufiliya...:???】

Nuo'eluosi looked at the frantically vibrating spellbook in her hand, then at the dozens of "Dragon Confusion" emojis from her Senior Sister, feeling quite bewildered.

Ah, what's wrong? Did I say something wrong just now?

【Living with Puppets for Life: Senior Sister? What's wrong?】

She asked cautiously.

However, there was no response this time, but she soon received a notification from the Grand Hall.

【Someone wants to enter your private box. Do you agree?】

No need to ask; of course, she agreed.

The Spider Witch, still unaware of what the future held, clicked "Confirm" without hesitation, waiting happily for the arrival of the Senior Sister she hadn't seen in ages.

..... Long Ma is teleporting over, rolling up her sleeves.....