The Sorcerer's Handbook

At that moment, Sonya finally noticed Angelica and called out, ”Quick, log on to the university forum. Find the post titled ’Regardless of Skill, Is Miss Selby a Stain on Our School?’ and help me tear it apart. Adele, come help too! There are so many trolls spouting nonsense that it makes my blood boil. Join me in shutting them down!”

Angelica pointed at Sonya, bewildered, then glanced at Adele for guidance.

Adele shrugged. ”She’s been at it all afternoon, searching the forums nonstop. She praises the posts that compliment her and tears apart the ones that insult her... she just can’t stop.”

If Sonya had only been a talented swordswoman confined to her department, other students might not have paid much attention. But after last night’s event, where she had summoned a Two-Winged spirit and felled the alchemical bear with a single strike, her fame exploded across Cailleach. The school forum buzzed nonstop with mentions of Sonya Selby.

Of course, not everyone admired her. Like any rising star, she attracted both praise and criticism. The forum quickly split into two camps: those who believed Sonya was destined to become a legendary Sword and Roses prodigy, perhaps even a Saint, and those who claimed she was merely a lucky country girl whose fleeting success would shame the school’s reputation.

Angelica opened the post and frowned. The arguments centered on three main points. The first criticized Sonya for being a country girl from a marginal, impoverished village rather than a commoner, suggesting that ”a dirt-poor peasant might be using her skills to sell herself for a higher price.”

The second questioned her resources, pointing out that with her father dead and her mother a farmer, how could she have afforded her studies? ”Perhaps she has been exploiting her looks since she was a child,” they claimed.

The third attacked her rapid rise to Two-Winged sorcerer in just one month, calling it unnatural. ”No matter how talented, no sorcerer could achieve all that so quickly without outside help. Maybe she has found herself a new father figure.”

All three points were baseless, blatant slander. Angelica was livid. ”Can’t we just find these people and give them a good beating?”

Adele shook her head. ”They’re all new accounts. We can’t trace them. There are dozens of throwaway accounts made today just to bash Sonya. They know their arguments won’t hold up, so they don’t dare use their main accounts.”

Angelica frowned. ”Can’t the school just ban these accounts?”

Adele sighed. ”Look closely. Not a single word is vulgar. Every sentence skirts the line of insult, phrased to nudge readers toward negative assumptions. Even if we report them, the school can’t officially call it harassment.”

”I thought Sword and Roses students were supposed to have better manners...” Angelica muttered, scrolling through more comments. The more she read, the angrier she became. ”Even people in our town wouldn’t speak this nastily!”

Adele shook her head. ”Forget Sword and Roses. Even on Truth University’s forum, posts can be just as toxic. Universities screen for intelligence, perseverance, and family background, not character. That’s just how nobles are. They may seem polite in person, but behind a screen, their true nature shows. They’ll start spewing filth the moment they have the Curtain in hand.”

Angelica glanced at Sonya, worried. ”Are you okay, Sonya?”

”Huh? I’m fine. Look, another one got scared off and didn’t reply,” Sonya said, flipping onto her back. ”The cowards must be from the Wind Department. Look at them, already shaking like leaves even behind the Curtain.”

By then, Louisa had finally shaken off her hangover and waved her hand. ”Don’t worry about her. She’s the type who gets more excited the more people insult her.”

Sonya rolled back onto her stomach. ”You’re making me sound like a pervert!”

”Then tell me, how are you not a pervert? Who else could possibly go from zero to Gold Mana in a month?”

”Hmph, jealousy sounds so sweet coming from you.”

”See? I told you. You’re a total pervert, a complete pervert!”

”Louisa, the way you act spoiled is so weird.”

”Sonya, you’re a huge pervert!”

Angelica blinked. Sonya’s reaction was completely different from what she had expected.

When faced with slander, people generally react in three ways. The fragile-hearted cry and lose sleep. The indifferent get angry but remain mostly unaffected. Then there’s Sonya.

You insult me? Fine, I’ll insult you back. Not only that, I’ll rally others to join me. My anger fuels me, and my words are my ammunition. If I don’t make you surrender with my counterattack, I’ve failed.

Ordinary people might cry over such lies, but not Sonya. She wasn’t from a quaint village; she grew up tough, sharpening her tongue by trading insults. Seeing these backhanded attacks from nobles barely caused a ripple. If anything, she found them mildly amusing.

That’s it? The rats in the city aren’t even as loud as the ones in the countryside.

Angelica carefully scanned the replies on the post and asked, ”Is the account Did the Swordswoman Eat Today? yours, Sonya?”

Adele said, ”No, that’s mine. Sonya’s alt is the one right below it.”

Angelica’s expression turned strange. ”Claw-Stretching Club President? What does that even mean?”

Sonya glanced at her while lying on her stomach. She lifted her hips and stretched her arms forward, arching her back like a cat. Her eyes closed in contentment. ”This is the claw stretch.”

Adele quickly snapped a photo. ”Don’t worry, I won’t post it. It’s just for keeps.”

Sonya replied, ”Of course not. If I ever post personal photos, it’ll be after I’ve put on my battle gear and done my makeup. Besides, the dorm lighting is terrible. I’d need a fill light...”

Watching her, Angelica couldn’t help but remark, ”I used to believe geniuses were all cold and aloof. Professor Trosan fits that image perfectly...”

She never expected a true genius to be so unpretentious, obsessively scrolling through forum posts about herself, using alt accounts to argue online, and even worrying about lighting for photos.

Louisa responded, ”Your impression isn’t wrong. It’s just that the stars misjudged Sonya. It seems those stories about ’a poor boy catching a princess’s eye’ have some truth to them after all.”

”You’re talking trash about me again,” Sonya said, sitting up. ”But since I’m in a good mood today, I won’t hold your jealousy against you. I’ll even take you out to eat.”

Adele jumped to her feet. ”Really? Where?”

”The school cafeteria.”

”You’re taking us to the cafeteria after winning the chief battle?”

Sonya rested her chin on her hand, thinking it over. ”Now that I think about it, since I won, shouldn’t you be treating me instead? Why should I pay?”

Adele stared at her. ”That’s weird... You weren’t this shameless before. Who taught you? I know it wasn’t me!”

Angelica said calmly, ”You all know me. It wasn’t me either.”

Louisa tilted her head, curious. ”I’m usually the one you take advantage of. Other than us, you mostly interact with Felix and Professor Trosan, and they don’t act like this either... Have you been secretly dating someone behind our backs?”

”Let’s go eat,” Sonya cut in, jumping up to change. ”I’m giving you a rare chance to treat me. Don’t waste it.”

”You’re changing the subject!”

”Stop acting tough!”

”Woman, you’ve caught my attention! Hand over your man, and I might spare you!”

The dorm erupted into laughter and chaos as they headed out to eat.

***

At 11 p.m., Sonya arrived at the Meditation Tower like usual, ready to enter the Virtual World.

Tonight, she had much to accomplish. In her dreams, she had learned a new Miracle, upgraded her Sword Class to Gold Rank, and successfully summoned a new Two-Winged spirit.

She had won the chief battle and secured her spot as a Sword and Roses seed competitor in the intercollegiate league. Demilo appeared to be connected to Vlozrada, and the Star Hall seemed likely to be a faction under the Starry Lord. With all of this in mind, Sonya was eager to step into the Continent of Time and show the Watcher what she had achieved.

She summoned her newly acquired Two-Winged spirit, Sword Shadow, captured the Gate of Truth within it, and descended into the second layer of the Virtual World.

As she immersed herself, the village girl slowly opened her eyes. She realized she was seated in the front of the sports car and turned to speak to the Watcher and the Witch behind her. ”You won’t believe what I did last night—”

Her words were cut short. She looked at the Witch, who returned her gaze. Then she scanned the area and noticed that the Watcher was nowhere to be seen.

”Where is the Watcher?” Sonya asked, her voice blank.

”None of my business,” Dia replied, quickly distancing herself from any responsibility.

Their attention was drawn to a note taped to the car’s windshield.

Watcher: Can’t make it tonight. Go for a drive yourselves. Just don’t wreck the car. By the way, Swordswoman, our exploration went smoothly, and we didn’t say anything bad about you. If you don’t believe it, ask the Witch.

Sonya looked at Dia. ”Did you really not say anything bad about me last night?”

Dia’s face flushed. She hesitated, torn between speaking and staying silent, appearing as though she were suffering from a stomachache.

After a brief exchange with her sisters, Dia finally decided to follow Black Butler’s advice. ”Actually... the Watcher lied.”

”What do you mean?”

Dia admitted, ”Our exploration last night didn’t go smoothly. I ran over the Watcher with the car as soon as he entered the Virtual World. We didn’t even have a chance to say anything about you.”