Chapter 289: The Cat Witch is Checking Your Mental State

“Hm? Little Han, we meet again. What a coincidence to run into you again in the library.”

Just as I was registering the books I was borrowing at the front desk, a familiar voice sounded behind me.

Silently, this figure had come up behind me.

When I turned around, I met those cat-like vertical pupils.

In that instant, a playful look, as if having caught its prey, flashed and disappeared.

The next moment, the black cat in her arms meowed softly at me, pulling my dazed thoughts back.

“Dana… teacher.”

I subconsciously greeted her.

This Transcendent Witch’s full name was Dana Landon, and she was the real “manager” behind the Witch Cat Cafe.

To my greeting, Dana chuckled and said nothing.

She just found it interesting to meet someone she recognized here.

“The last time we met, we only chatted briefly for a couple of sentences. It’s the same this time. I saw a lot of anxiety and impatience in your eyes that couldn’t be resolved. I thought I had seen wrongly last time.”

“Uh…”

Facing this Transcendent Witch’s greeting, I didn’t know how to respond.

My gaze subconsciously sized her up and then quickly moved away.

And the most eye-catching thing about this Transcendent Witch was the pair of cat ears on top of her head.

As her gentle voice spoke, they seemed to be twitching slightly.

“Would you like to come over to my place for a while? I still have a lot of things I want to talk to you about. I love to guide lost children the most.”

As Dana spoke, her other hand gently teased the chin of the small cat in her arms.

“I… mm…”

I subconsciously shook my head.

I always felt that when I faced such an existence, I would subconsciously fall into their rhythm.

“I also work part-time as a teacher in the Witch Academy’s psychological counseling room. In the Witch Academy, every student may feel stressed for various reasons, and at this time, most of them will come to me. I will quietly listen to them confide in me.”

“Are you interested? I see fatigue in your eyes. It’s a kind of emptiness caused by long-term internal mental consumption. It seems you are trying to fill yourself with these books, aren't you?”

Dana took a step forward and came close to me, one hand gently pressing on the cover of the books I was holding to my chest, and asked with a smile.

“Doing this is not good for yourself.”

“Uh… actually, I’m fine, right? There shouldn’t be too many problems.”

I forced a smile to face Dana.

That’s why I had run away after a few hasty words with this teacher last time.

I simply couldn’t handle a woman like this.

“Mm Alchemy. It seems you’ve chosen a path that makes you lose your hair the fastest.”

Dana Landon didn’t directly deny my claim that I was fine, but instead changed the subject.

“I’ve also met quite a few children who have become psychologically abnormal from studying alchemy. I can help you with some counseling this time for free. Just take it as an early thank you for the new cute little ones you’re about to bring me.”

“Mm…”

I nodded, holding these books.

I naturally knew what she meant by the new little cuties.

She was naturally referring to those Fool’s Dream.

It seems this cat witch has already started to covet those little ones of mine who haven’t even had their forms shaped yet.

But I still followed her out of the library at this moment, as if she had some kind of inexplicable charm, leading me to her other residence.

The Cat Psychological Counseling Room.

“Meow.”

Upon arriving here, the group of cats gathered here immediately dispersed, as if welcoming their master, and walked over here.

They sized me up with curious eyes.

I don't know if it was an illusion, but I saw a glint of wisdom in their vertical pupils.

They circled around me, rubbing their faces against my calves, purring as if they were enjoying it very much.

“It seems they like you very much.”

As Dana Landon’s voice sounded, I was as if awakened from a dream.

My body subconsciously stiffened… but I quickly covered up that moment of unnaturalness.

Although there was no evidence that this Transcendent Witch had used any spells or means on me, the fact that I had followed her here so obediently was very problematic.

But looking at the enthusiastic kitten that had jumped into my arms and was meowing at me, I suddenly felt that my whole body and mind had been healed.

“Although the academy has a psychological counseling room, not many students actually know about it, so most of those who can find this place are brought here by fate.”

Dana Landon pushed open the door and led me inside.

The first thing I saw was a soft, light green tone.

A faint sound, like background music, slowly rose.

When I listened carefully, it disappeared without a sound.

The layout inside was like the most common living room layout, giving me the illusion of coming home.

Every arrangement here, the furniture, the sofa, the cushions, the green plants, and the lazily lying kittens, they were quietly lying on the cat climbing frame, only slightly opening their eyes to see if someone had come when I passed by.

“Alright since you’re here, sit down and relax. You should rest.”

Dana came behind me, her hands on my shoulders, and gently pressed me down onto the sofa with a backrest.

The soft sofa directly made me sink into it.

“Now… you are my guest, a very special guest. Relax.”

“Mm.”

I agreed softly, my hands still holding the cat that had jumped into my arms from the beginning, carefully stroking its fur, over and over again…

“Alright Little Han, have you heard of meditation?”

“Meditation? Which kind?”

I asked curiously.

After all, I had come into contact with quite a few types of meditation now.

The meditation to nourish mental power before entering the academy, the Witch Meditation Method I learned after entering the academy, and the meditation method with the help of a spellbook from the Academy Head.

“Just the most ordinary kind of meditation, the kind where you close your eyes and quiet your mind. Have you tried it?”

Dana asked with a smile.

“No…”

I shook my head, indicating that I had not done so, because doing so was meaningless.

It could not improve my mental power, nor could it bring about other improvements.

“Your eyes tell me you really haven’t, because… it’s not worth it, right? I saw your disdain for this most primitive form of meditation.”

“It’s very normal, it’s really very normal, because it can’t bring you any tangible improvement, right? But… this is a reflection of your impatient nature. Every effort has a reward. It’s never the effort itself that is wrong, but the individual’s choice. Let me lead you to experience the most primitive meditation.”

Dana Landon came behind me, and then reached out to cover my eyes.

“Since you’re not resisting, then I’ll take it as you’ll cooperate with me by default.”

“Now… close your eyes, even out your breathing, empty your mind, exhale inhale.”

Following Dana’s words, my actions subconsciously followed her instructions.

My chest rose and fell.

It was as if time had slowed down.

“Your breathing is still a bit chaotic. Now I’ll teach you some experience in meditation. The first step is breathing.”

“Do you think it’s not a big deal? The act of breathing is just the act of your lungs exchanging air, but it truly reflects your own situation.”

“Adjusting your breathing, the real purpose of this behavior is to let you confirm the existence of your own body.”

“Just like when you’re nervous, you will subconsciously take a deep breath, but deep breathing cannot eliminate the emotion of nervousness, and you don’t need to eliminate this emotion, because your consciousness, that is, your body, is superior to emotions like nervousness and impatience. Feeling your breath will gradually make you understand this point. Don’t let emotions control you, but you should control your emotions…”

Under the guidance of the witch Dana, I seemed to have entered a brand-new spiritual realm, different from the self-forgetfulness of the initial meditation method, nor was it like the cultivation of the advanced meditation method, but a higher level of sublimation…

This was a feeling I had never experienced before, the feeling of having no worries, of being in complete control of myself, had already reached a state that words could not describe, until… a crisp snap of fingers.

Snap!

“Huh?”

Suddenly awakened, I subconsciously wanted to savor that feeling again, but everything was like waking up from a big dream and I couldn’t go back.

I subconsciously stroked the cat in my arms, only to find that there was nothing in my hands.

“You’re awake how do you feel? This kind of guided spiritual meditation usually has the best effect the first time. Looking at you, you seem to be savoring it.”

“No.”

I shook my head and denied this claim.

I didn’t deny that that state was really wonderful, but I couldn’t immerse myself in that state all the time.

“Such a stubborn child.”

The witch Dana shook her head with a smile as if she had seen this situation many times.

“Can you tell me about your past? You must be a child who is very lacking in love…”

“…”

As for the request made by the witch Dana, I acted as if I hadn’t heard it.

I didn’t like to bring up past matters with others like this.

The night of the exchange competition was a special night.

I had clearly said that I had said goodbye to the past.

“You don’t want to say? Your thoughts are already written all over your face. No one… can truly say goodbye to their past life. I’m not saying that saying goodbye to the past is right or wrong, but stating a fact. No one can do this. The remaining choice is obvious. Facing it is the only thing that can be done. It’s good enough not to deceive yourself.”

“Deceiving myself…”

“Yes… the essence of self-deception is actually your own pointless internal mental consumption. The more you don’t want to care, the more you care.”

“You must have been a very obedient child in the past, right? You were praised for being mature and sensible, but you knew very well that your heart was suppressing a sense of lack and trauma. Most of your energy was spent taking care of your emotions. This is the root of your internal consumption…”

I lay there quietly without speaking, letting the witch Dana speak.

Was she right?

Half right.

That was the me of my previous life.

In this second life, I experienced it again.

I saw things more clearly than anyone else, but Dana was right, I was just deceiving myself.

It has become a habit for me to spend my energy to soothe my heart, and it is even taken for granted, so I won't express it, and I don't want to express it…

“You always think too complicatedly in your heart. Your eyes have already given the answer after the other party said the first sentence. The impatience that shows in your eyes before the words are even spoken is the best proof, because you understand that this will be a meaningless conversation.”

“But conversation and communication themselves are part of the meaning. Speaking is no longer a simple acquisition and exchange of information, but a process of promoting relationships and feelings, an art of communication. You have lost the ability to appreciate the beauty of this art, and that is the sad part.”

“After saying so much, I’m not expecting you to change it all at once. Even… you don’t have to change it. It’s precisely because everyone’s experiences and thinking are different that there are different ways of speaking and collisions between communications, whether it’s pleasant, awkward, happy, or angry. When you can control your emotions, these naturally occurring emotions become the seasoning for you to enjoy the conversation, otherwise you are just a slave dominated by emotions.”

“Hehe it seems I was just talking to myself. I can see that you’ve listened to everything. I have to say, you really know a lot. You’re the… person I’ve ever met with the clearest mind, but who lives the most muddled life. It’s hard to imagine what kind of evolution the outside world has gone through to create an existence like you. It seems I should take a long vacation to experience life in the outside world and feel the changes in the outside world.”

The witch Dana said to me with a smile and a shake of her head.

“Maybe I’m just an exception?”

I got up and said.

“Then it can only mean that your experience is very special and worth savoring. When you can read your past as if you were reading a story, you won’t be so tired. I’ll tell you this first. When you truly understand, I hope this sentence of mine can still echo in your ears, which proves that what I said was not in vain.”

“Thank you, I understand what the closed loop of education is.”

“That’s why I said you know too much. Do you know? For psychologists, the people we fear the most are people like you. It gives me a feeling of helplessness and not knowing where to start.”

She said with a smile and a shake of her head.

“So it was a mistake for you to trick me into coming here.”

“The word ‘trick’ is so ugly I was just curious about you. And I never said it was a mistake.”

Dana’s previous gentleness changed in an instant.

This change was as fluid as a cat’s.

“Then… let’s change the topic of Those Fool’s Dream, I heard from the Academy Head that you plan to turn their shells into the appearance of little cat girls, right? A finished product made by the Academy Head, I think it will definitely be worth petting.”

“That might still be a long way off…”

“Is that so? I’m already looking forward to their innocent figures appearing in the Witch Cat Cafe. Can you give me a specific time?”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. But… Teacher Dana, as a Transcendent Witch, did you go to such great lengths to abduct me here just to ask when the Fool’s Dream will arrive?”

“Of course When we first met, I expressed my request. I’m only interested in cat girl Fool’s Dream. What bad intentions could a cat have? The cat just wants to know when its new friends will arrive.”

“Really?”

Anyway, I don’t believe it.

The feeling that the witch Dana gave me from the very beginning was very gentle, but also very dangerous, just like when I first met Teacher Ji Niang.

But time will give me the answer.

I just need to wait slowly.

“Of course it’s true. But guiding a lost child along the way is also something I like to do very much. I can see the most primitive desire and obsession for something in your eyes. Unfortunately, you are working hard in the wrong direction. When you don’t know what to do, it’s best to put everything down and start looking for answers from yourself.”