Chapter 8: Affinity Check
Through a tunnel branching off from a small door on the side of the underground cathedral, lay a dimly lit cavern. Faint light emanated from the mineral crystals scattered around the cave walls.
After the apprenticeship rite, Diluowei brought Diye here to begin her magic training.
“These magic crystal ores easily lose their magic power when subjected to external vibrations. Witches with specialized skills are needed to carefully mine them. They are then used or sold to the nearby subterranean gnomes. This is one of the main sources of income for our Underground Witch Church,” Diluowei explained.
“Oh, is this environment more suitable for learning element-related magic?” Diye asked, standing behind Diluowei.
“It’s more accurate to say it’s better for practicing elemental attunement,” Diluowei turned around. “The first step in magic training is elemental attunement. Elements come from nature and are practically everywhere, serving as the source of power for most magic. Different people have varying abilities to perceive and absorb different elemental attributes. We call this elemental affinity.”
Diye listened attentively, but felt a surge of doubt. Magic power comes from nature, meaning it doesn’t come from God? Praying to the Goddess of the Night was merely to gain guidance in understanding elements and magic, not to receive divine power. This was heretical, one of the fundamental reasons the Holy Church condemned witches.
But, to put it blasphemously, magic could be used even when abandoned by her faith, even when receiving no response from the gods, couldn’t it?
“Next, let me see your elemental affinity.” Diluowei walked towards Diye, stopping less than half a meter away.
Such proximity to a girl was enough to make Diye, abstinent for over twenty years, uncomfortable.
“Master Diluowei, h-how do you see elemental affinity?” Diye clasped her hands in front of her, subconsciously taking half a step back.
“There are many methods, the most effective being the use of White Firefly Stone, which is specifically for testing elemental affinity. But I seem to have forgotten to bring it,” Diluowei said, turning her head without a hint of guilt.
“Eh?”
“It’s fine, there are other ways. Let me think…” Diluowei seemed lost in thought, holding up two fingers. “Well, let’s use the tactile test method.”
“Tactile test method?” Diye didn’t know what that was. Although she had no experience with women, she was naturally sensitive, even in the past. She sensed something unsettling.
“The tactile test method is based on the principle of ‘like attracts like, opposites repel’ to detect your elemental affinity…” Diluowei began to explain.
“Wait, Master Diluowei, did you get that backwards?” Diye was confused. Was this small, beautiful silver-haired witch truly reliable? Her silver hair seemed to have a slight bluish tint.
“Call me Teacher Diluowei, remember?”
“This…” Diye lowered her head reluctantly, her heart a mix of emotions. She had been a teacher for several years. Though she kept a low profile, she was highly respected by her students. Even Yedi’s most outstanding student, Qingruo, held her in high regard, showing an unusual warmth for her cold and aloof personality… The word “teacher” made Diye’s thoughts drift and darken. And…
“What’s wrong?” Diluowei stepped closer, her porcelain doll-like face tilted upwards, her light blue eyes more crystalline than the magic crystals here.
“Nothing,” Diye wrapped one arm around the other, shaking her head, dismissing the thoughts.
“Well, I didn’t get it backwards. It’s you, the student, who’s being clever.” Diluowei removed a glove, revealing a delicate, jade-like hand. Chanting a short incantation, a faint light flickered on her two fingers. “I’m talking about elemental attributes. This detection method involves a tester with relatively high magical power concentrating an element of a certain attribute, then making contact with the subject. If there’s no attraction, it means the subject lacks affinity for that element.”
“I see…” Diye nodded noncommittally. Wait, did she say contact?
Before Diye could delve deeper, Diluowei stepped closer, once again within fifty centimeters of her.
“For example, right now, I’ve concentrated wind element on my fingers. I’ll first test your wind element affinity.” As she spoke, Diluowei extended her two fingers towards Diye’s chest, pressing them just above her breasts, below her collarbone.
Having only been a woman for less than a day, Diye hadn’t yet developed the instinctive protective reaction of shame towards sensitive areas like her chest. But now, she began to realize.
Diluowei’s hand was too close to her chest! While there wasn’t the ingrained shame of a noblewoman, she still didn’t want Diluowei to touch or focus on her feminine features.
“Master Diluowei…”
“Hmm? What did you say? Say it wrong again and you’ll be punished. Call me Teacher!” Diluowei’s small, pink lips parted, her voice soft yet firm.
Diye lowered her long lashes, her words catching in her throat. She turned her head away, her eyes tinged with melancholy. “I apologize, Master Diluowei, but I can’t call you Teacher. That title holds a special meaning for me… I’m truly sorry.”
Diye pressed her lips together, offering no further explanation.
Diluowei quietly observed Diye’s profile, sensing a complex resistance in the angle of her avoidance. She fell silent.
“Fine, it’s just a title to me. Call me whatever you like,” Diluowei conceded, seemingly accepting it calmly. “Now, let’s continue the test.”
“Hmm, it seems there’s an attraction,” Diluowei said, feeling the warmth of Diye’s chest.
“Ah? What did you say?”
“I said the water element light on my fingers is being drawn to you. It seems your water element affinity is quite good. Let’s try again.” Diluowei, however, remained serious, continuing her focused examination.
This made Diye feel even more ashamed… Was she, a Temple Knight, less pure than a witch? At least, she should control herself and not overreact, otherwise it would be unseemly.
Diluowei, still focused, slid her fingers downwards. As she applied slight pressure, she seemed to sense an invisible pull.
“Master… Diluowei…” Diye barely dared to breathe, her lips pressed tightly together, constantly reminding herself to control, to restrain. How could a man be as sensitive and shy as a woman?
Diye wasn’t foolish. As Diluowei’s hand moved down, she sensed that the little witch likely had other intentions besides checking her attributes. But then, considering they were both women, she dismissed the thought.
Regardless, Diluowei’s actions had a justifiable reason, so she had to endure, as long as it wasn’t too much.
“Wait! What am I thinking? What do I mean ‘as long as it’s not too much’? This… this kind of thinking, setting boundaries for myself as a woman, where did it come from?”
“I’m not a real woman! Whatever, rationally speaking, as long as she can check my elemental affinity, any method is fine. Isn’t that the correct way of thinking?”
“She’s the girl, a small girl. Why am I acting like I’m worried about being taken advantage of?”
This was… unbecoming!
Diye abandoned the idea of endurance and boundaries, bravely puffing out her chest to cooperate with Diluowei’s examination.
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