Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

The mist from the mountain streams brushed past, bringing a slight chill, but beneath it, the great sparrowhawk's feathers were warm. Grasping the saddle ring on the sparrowhawk's neck, it then plunged downward sharply, swooping through the mountains like a roller coaster.

Peaks and valleys rose one after another, amidst which buildings clung to the mountainsides, resembling castles yet exuding a modern vibe.

Sitting on the back of the chestnut-feathered sparrowhawk, soaring through the sky, was an experience that could never be matched by sitting in a hover car. That feeling of the wind caressing the ears, hair dancing in the air, was something one could never grow tired of, no matter how many times experienced.

It was for this reason that many people preferred to keep giant birds capable of flight rather than the dull, rigid hover cars. Perhaps to some wealthy folks, such majestic birds were more like 'hover cars' of a higher class and special appeal.

The air stream supported the sparrowhawk's broad wings, allowing it to glide for long periods without flapping, even with the weight of a person on its back, the flight remained leisurely and effortless.

Hexia sat on the back of one of the sparrowhawks, feeling the light-hearted mood of the creature beneath her, seemingly as leisurely and fun as carrying a little kitten while strolling the streets.

Hugh Neil did not lead the sparrowhawks directly to the academy but let them fly freely through the mountains, giving the two new students a chance to properly enjoy the scenery of the Northern First District.

After having their fill of fun, the sparrowhawks slowly altered their course, carrying the few of them towards their destination, the academy set on a wide plateau amongst high mountains, with white elegant buildings spread about.

After landing on a designated platform, Hugh Neil fed some food to the sparrowhawks before taking the three newcomers into the academy. Since they still had a day before registration, there weren't many new students inside the academy yet.

"Hexia will be staying at the Ring Bird Wind Tower, which is not far from here. Orcas will stay in the Forest Tree House over there, which might not be the easiest place to find on the first try," Hugh Neil pondered for a moment and then decided.

"Let's do this, Vitelina will take Hexia to the Ring Bird Wind Tower; you're both girls, so it will be more convenient. I will take Orcas to the Forest Tree House area."

"Once you're settled, meet at the restaurant by Fragrant Leaf Lake at 1 p.m. We'll have lunch there and then continue to talk about the school."

"Alright, teacher," the three responded in unison.

Vitelina then led Hexia to a corner of the academy, where a large house made of brown wood was situated.

"What is this place?" Hexia asked curiously, wondering why she had been brought here first.

"Here we have special beasts of burden that can help us carry our luggage. It would be troublesome to drag it around otherwise."

Vitelina explained, then walked in. Inside were several straw-filled stalls, three of which were empty. Only one held a large creature.

"Uhh, is this the only one available today?" Vitelina hesitated, looking at the big brown-furred boar.

"There should have been a few swift stallions here as well, but it looks like they've been rented out by other students," she said, stepping aside to reveal the large sleeping boar snoring in the pen.

Compared to the common perception of a pig for meat, this boar was covered in smooth brown fur, appeared healthy and sturdy rather than fat, and was clean with no foul odor. (In fact, pigs are very clean animals; even in cramped pigsties, they differentiate between toilet and bedroom areas and do not mix them up.)

Hexia blinked, carefully sensing this sleeping creature, which also appeared to be a Sequence 3 Transcendent animal with a stable core of Magic Power.

Seeing that they were stuck here, Vitelina shrugged, "Fine, it'll do. In fact, it's quite obedient, or else it wouldn't be living in a place like this."

After saying that, she shook the bell hanging near the pen, "Wake up, lazy pig~"

A chime rang out, and the large mountain boar opened its eyes. It stopped snoring as if it took a few seconds to register, then, with a push of its hooves against the ground, it clumsily stood up, shook its body to shed some dry straw, then turned around to look at Vitelina.

"Huff huff~" It seemed to recognize the student council president and was quite delighted, continuously nosing the air in her direction.

"You'll do, help us carry some things on the road." Vitelina swiped her personal chip over a machine beside the fence, which opened to let the large mountain boar out. It was slightly taller than the two girls, weighing in at around 800 pounds.

"Choose a saddle you like, we'll put the luggage on it in a bit."

Vitelina spoke to the large mountain boar, knowing it understood her. Although it was only a Sequence 3, it was much smarter than those big hawks.

"Huff huff~" The mountain boar headed to the middle of the room, tapped on the display on the floor with its hooves, picking out a lightweight saddle it preferred. Then a mechanical arm from the ceiling secured its chosen saddle on its back, and there appeared a large mountain boar carrying a saddle.

They hung suitcases from the saddle buckles on either side, so it could easily carry them as it walked.

The main campus of Yuanting Academy was paved with floors, clean and tidy, but the Academy encompassed more than just that. Some buildings and animal breeding grounds were located between the forests or on rugged terrain, not suitable for road paving, as it would disrupt the harmony of the natural environment. Thus, the Academy raised these beasts of burden to assist with chores and, of course, they were compensated for their work.

The philosophy of Yuanting Academy has always been that the best way to get along is to have Transcendent animals participate in human work and life, advancing together rather than just providing them with food and lodging and keeping them in a yard to be watched.

This idea, though conceived by some in the very early ages, did not come to fruition as the intelligence of regular animals was generally low. Even if you expressed friendliness, they could not understand well, making cohabitation difficult and only feasible in a specific environment.

The Transcendent effect brought not only many special abilities and possibilities but also significantly enhanced the intelligence of many animals, laying the foundation for mutual understanding and cooperation.

As they walked towards the hill, Vitelina explained Yuanting Academy's philosophy and history to Hexia, with a big mountain boar following behind them. It walked and stopped intermittently, occasionally sniffing the wildflowers by the path, but always staying within eight meters of the two, lumbering along with the luggage.

Leaving the densely built center of the Academy, they slowly stepped onto a grassy hillside. A road wound down from the slope, atop which stood three towers of varying heights, their roofs tiled in red, yellow, and green, while the bricks below were mainly white with a light beige, giving off a cozy and tranquil vibe.

"At the top of the towers are red-footed falcons' nests. They aren't as big as the hawk falcons and can't carry very heavy things, but they'll have no problem taking you gliding through the sky," Vitelina said, introducing the special features of the Ring Bird Wind Tower dormitory.

"Once you're familiar with each other, all you need to do in the morning to get to class is stand on that platform; just grab onto the red-footed falcon's feet, and they can glide with you from the high tower straight to the classroom you want to go to, saving you a lot of time on the road," Vitelina explained with a smile.

"If you're willing to spend a little more money and buy their favorite food, they can even come to pick you up after school. It would be much more convenient for you to come and go," she continued, chuckling.

"Wouldn't that seem too lazy?" Hexia blinked.

"Being lazy is perfectly normal. In fact, humans are among the most diligent in the animal kingdom; it's just that everyone is accustomed to modern life and forgets the true face of nature."

Slowly, the pair climbed up the hillside to the plaza beneath the three towers. A gentle breeze swirled around the hills, and looking down from above, the beautiful, cozy campus spread out before them.

"Lastly, I want to say," Vitelina brushed the hair beside her ear and looked at the young girl next to her.

"Welcome to Yuanting Academy, Hexia. We are the successors of 'Wind Yuanting Court,' the descendants of those who tread 'The Path of Bonds,' the spiritual inheritors of the Tree of Life Sect."

In the warm breeze, she gently opened her arms.