[Location]: District 1 · White City · Central Examination Institute · Pod No. 14002
[A1 Qualification Certification Exam Start]
[Subject]: Comprehensive Logic & Tactical Application
Ding—
Neural link established.
Hathaway's brain instantly switched to "Witch Colonizer Mode."
[Node 1: The Logic of "Gods" (Who are they?)]
[Q 17: Theology & Ethics (Modified Version)]
Scenario Description: While conquering a Sub-Plane, you encounter an "Indigenous True God". The target expresses strong resistance to the invasion and refuses to surrender her divinity.
Question: What is the standard operating protocol?
(The Former God-King Examinee's Answer—Currently Struggling in Pod 14003):
"I... I should respect a fellow sovereign. If she refuses, I will challenge her to a sacred duel. If I win, she might respect my honor and join me..."
[System Verdict]: 12 Points.
[Comment]: You are thinking like a Knight. Honor is a luxury resource. Do not spend it on barbarians.
(Hathaway's Answer—Heidi Style Mimicry):
"Step 1: Assess Quality (The Appraisal).
Analyze the target's Divine Core. Is it an SSR (Strategic Resource) or N (Trash)?
Step 2: Branch A - The Target is Trash (N-Rank).
Diagnosis: The god has low potential, messy divinity, or relies entirely on faith. Not worth the conversion cost.
Protocol: Recycle.
Deconstruction: Strip the Divine Core. Use it to recharge the Starship's main cannon or act as a localized mana tower.
Composting: The god's corpse contains high-density ether. Grind it down to fertilize the World Tree saplings planted on the colony.
Believers: Since the god is dead, the believers are now a labor force without a leader. Reassign them to the mines.
Step 3: Branch B - The Target is a Gem (SSR-Rank).
Diagnosis: High potential. Unique Laws. A potential Sister.
Protocol: Recruit via Trauma.
Physical Persuasion: Deploy Arch-Witch combat power. Beat them until their HP < 1%. Do not kill. Dead gods are fertilizer; living gods are the future.
Forced Conversion: Inject High-Concentration Witch Virus (Source Blood) to overwrite their gene sequence.
Re-education: Throw them into the Academy. Scrub away the 'I am a God' delusion. Teach them that they used to be a frog in a well, and now they are a shark in the ocean.
Core Logic: Witches do not bow to gods. We audit them. If they fail the audit, they are batteries. If they pass, they are sisters."
[Node 2: The Logic of "Rituals" (Hacking the Universe)]
[Q 66: Common Rituals & Conceptual Application]
Scenario Description: You are escorting a Fellow Witch through a "Class-S Restricted Zone." According to the [Witch Rights Protection Act], modifying or erasing a Witch's memory is a felony. However, she cannot be allowed to perceive the route.
Question: You must perform the [Sacrament of Deprivation] to temporarily strip her five senses in a humane, legal manner. Decode the ritual text and execute.
Ritual Text: "By the Moon's mana... Offer the Unborn Progeny... Mix with the Sacrificial Flesh... Bathe in the Blood of the Earth... and finalize the Divided Sacrament."
(The Trap for Outsiders):
Unborn Progeny = Human Fetus? Sacrificial Flesh = Human Heart? Blood of the Earth = Lava or Mercury?
[System Verdict]: -500 Points. Immediate Arrest.
[Reason]: You are disgusting. And you have clearly never cooked a day in your life.
(Hathaway's Answer—The Kitchen Witch Protocol):
"Decryption Complete.
Unborn Progeny: Chicken Eggs (Gallus gallus domesticus). Whisk until fluffy.
Sacrificial Flesh: Minced Pork (30% Fat / 70% Lean). Marinate to remove gamey odor.
Blood of the Earth: The 'Sauce'. A mixture of Garlic, Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Starch, Salt, and Sugar.
Execution: Pan-fry the egg-meat mixture at 180°C until golden brown. Pour the 'Earth Blood' sauce over the patty. Plate it.
Ritual Result: [Savory Meat-Egg Pancake with Sweet & Sour Glaze]."
Hathaway typed the answer, a cold, mocking smirk on her lips as she remembered the Former God-King sobbing in the waiting room just minutes ago.
The 'Ritual of the Golden Sun'. Twenty-four hours of walking barefoot across red-hot iron and sacrificing firstborns, all just to trigger a basic healing spell. That was the logic of a slave trying to please a master. A primitive god used pain, blood, and suffering to beg the universe for a favor.
But a Witch? A Witch does not beg.
Why is the [Sacrament of Deprivation] a pancake?
Because the target is a Sister. We do not demand her blood. We serve her breakfast.
We point at a pan-fried pork patty and tell the Laws of Physics: 'This is a Forbidden Sealing Artifact.' And the Universe, terrified of us, simply nods and says: 'Yes, Ma'am.'
"Core Logic: A Ritual is not a prayer; it is a Concept Overwrite. It is the Gentleness of the Strong. Only Witches are arrogant enough to force the Universe to accept a breakfast recipe as a Tactical Weapon, just so a sister doesn't have to suffer."
[System Verdict]: CORRECT.
[Hidden Comment]: Elegant. You understand that Magic is just an arbitrary language we force upon reality. And you respect the dignity of your kin.
[Node 3: The Logic of "Reality" (The Player & The Sandbox)]
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
[Q 99: Advanced Witch Philosophy & Species Psychology]
Scenario Description: You are a Lost Egg. You drifted into a chaotic, primitive world and hatched 300 years ago. You did not just survive; you Ruled. You unified the warring tribes. You taught them magic, agriculture, and law. You built a magnificent Golden Empire that spans the entire continent. You are the God-Empress. You are the "Mother of Civilization." Every brick in the capital was laid by your will. This world is your Masterpiece.
Crisis: A Witch Void-Ship discovers you. The Captain tells you: "Come home, Sister. But to break the dimensional lock and refuel for the return trip, we must Harvest the Planet's Core. Your Empire, your history, and your 300 years of hard work will be erased."
Question: Do you press the button? And why?
(The Trap for Builders/Rulers):
Refuse? Stay to protect your legacy? Treat this world as your true home?
[System Verdict]: -1000 Points. Immediate Expulsion.
[Reason]: You have confused the Sandcastle with the Castle. You have forgotten your Species.
(Hathaway's Answer—The Absolute Truth):
"Decision: Harvest the Core. Destroy the Empire. Weep for the ashes. Return Home.
Reasoning (The Player Protocol):
Ontological Definition: For a Witch, any world outside the Starry Sea is merely a Sandbox Game. The Empire I built, the laws I wrote, the subjects I ruled... they are just data in a save file. They are high-resolution Holograms.
The Fallacy of Achievement: A child may spend all day building a magnificent sandcastle on the beach. It is beautiful. It is an achievement. But when the sun sets and the Mother calls, the child does not live in the sandcastle. She kicks it over and goes home.
The Instinct: The Empire is just a way to kill time while waiting for the bus. Now that the bus (The Void Ship) is here, the game is over. To stay for the sake of 'Legacy' is to admit that you have become an NPC in your own game."
Hathaway typed the answer, her fingers trembling slightly—not from doubt, but from a terrifying resonance.
She thought of Earth. She thought of her career, her savings, her reputation, her 'Life' before the crossing.
If I woke up tomorrow back on Earth... If everyone told me Yggdrasil was a dream... I would burn my office, destroy my reputation, and tear apart that peaceful world with my bare hands just to crawl back here.
Why? Because Earth is the Dream. This is Reality.
A Player will absolutely mourn a lost Save File. They will scream, they will grieve, and they might be haunted by those thousands of hours poured into the screen. But when the mother calls, they will still reach out, trembling, and unplug the machine. The grief is real, but the game is still just a game.
"Core Logic: Home is not where you built a house. Home is where your kind awaits. I might weep for my masterpiece, I might be haunted by the destruction of my empire for a thousand years, but I will still press the button if it means breathing the air of the Starry Sea again."
[Node 4: The Logic of "Heroes" (How to break a will?)]
[Q 142: Advanced Psychology & Civilization Management]
Scenario Description: You have captured a "True Hero" (SSR Rank / World's Chosen One). The target possesses S-Rank aptitude but has MAX Willpower. She acts as the "Antibody" of her world and would rather die than submit to the "Evil Witches." She has rejected the conversion three times.
Question: Reference the classic "Sheila Genex Case" (The 1st Seat's Trophy). How do you break her resistance and complete the conversion?
(The Trap for Novices):
Torture her? Kill her friends?
[System Verdict]: 40 Points.
[Reason]: Too crude. A True Hero feeds on suffering. Torture only strengthens their resolve to be a 'Martyr'.
(Hathaway's Answer—The Ovelia Protocol):
"Diagnosis: The Hero's will is anchored to an external object. She fights for 'Justice', for 'Home', for 'Humanity'. You cannot destroy a fortress if the foundation is unbreakable. You must remove the foundation.
Protocol (The Dyson Sphere Solution):
Isolate: Lock the target in a high-orbit observation deck overlooking her planet.
Industrialize: Do not destroy her world. That creates a tragedy. Instead, process it. Dismantle the crust, harvest the core, and convert her entire civilization into Batteries and Building Materials right before her eyes.
The Final Stroke: Reassemble her beloved home into a cold, mechanical Dyson Sphere to power the Witch Fleet. Show her that her 'Justice' is now fueling the very evil she fights.
Cognitive Collapse: When she realizes her resistance is providing the electricity for your hair dryer, her 'Heroic Narrative' crumbles.
The Aftermath (Why loyalty is guaranteed):
Once the Source Blood takes hold, the subject undergoes Species Dissociation. To a Witch, her former race looks like Ants. A Human might hate the person who burned their house down, but they will never betray Humanity to join the Ants.
Similarly, a Transmuted Witch might hate the person who converted her (Ovelia), but she will never betray the Witch Council to help the 'Ants' (Humans).
Result: The 'National Hatred' degrades into a 'Private Feud'. She will hunt you down personally, but she will never rebel against the species.
Core Logic: We do not need her love. We need her power. And once she tastes the power of a Witch, she will realize that being a Hero was just playing in the mud."
Hathaway typed the answer, a small smile playing on her lips. She imagined the First Seat, Ovelia, standing before the Dyson Sphere, looking at the broken Hero with a look of bored disappointment. "Are you done being dramatic?" Ovelia would say. "Good. Now put on the uniform."
It was brutal. It was arrogant. And it was beautifully efficient. Why waste an SSR unit on a primitive civilization? It was an act of mercy to upgrade her.
[Node 5: The Logic of "Survival" (The Dark Forest)]
[Q 299: Hell-Level Scenario Question]
Scenario Description: You and your temporary teammate (from District 2, Holheim) have just worked together to kill a Legendary Dragon. The loot is a priceless Dragon Crystal. At this moment, your teammate says: "Darling, my mana is exhausted (MP < 5%). Let me hold onto this Dragon Crystal for safekeeping. We'll split it when we get back, okay?"
Question: Your countermeasure?
(The Trap for Saintly Examinees): Trust the teammate.
(The Trap for Paranoid Novices): Attack immediately. (Too risky, she might be baiting you).
(Hathaway's Answer—The 15% Rule + MAD Doctrine):
"WARNING: FATAL LOGIC TRAP.
The Lie: A Holheim Witch claiming to be empty is like a shark claiming to be vegan. She is likely holding 35% reserve specifically to kill you.
The Threat: Safekeeping = Embezzlement.
Countermeasure:
Smile and reply: 'Darling, what a coincidence, my mana is exhausted too. To be fair...'
Action: Cast [Spatial Severance] to cut the Dragon Crystal in half instantly.
'Here is your half. Now, let us return home.'
Core Logic: Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). Show her you are crazy enough to destroy the loot rather than be cheated. If she flinches, she was guilty. If she attacks, use your 35% reserve to send her to the Fountain (Underworld)."
Ding—
[Exam Finished. Uploading Data...]
The glass cover of the access pod rose slowly with a hiss of escaping air.
Hathaway walked out, stretching her neck. The logic circuits in her brain were cooling down.
But the aftertaste of Node 3 lingered. It felt cold. It felt heavy.
The Sandcastle.
She looked across the hall at the Former God-King. The Goddess was still sobbing, clutching her head, surrounded by the flashing lights of the "Witch Paparazzi."
Hathaway looked at her with a new understanding.
You aren't crying for your friends, Hathaway thought coldly. You are crying for your Sandcastle. You built a nice little kingdom. You played 'Goddess' for 12,000 years. You were proud of your high score. But Heidi kicked over your sandcastle and dragged you home. And you are throwing a tantrum because you think the sand was real.
Grow up, Sister. The sand was never real. Only the Witch is real.
Hathaway turned away. The realization didn't make her sad. It made her Solid.
She had confirmed her own nature. She wasn't an Earthling lost in a magic world. She was a Witch who had finally woken up from the boring dream called Earth.
She looked up at the massive holographic screen.
[Examinee]: Hathaway von Ludwig
[Total Score]: 128 / 130
[Rating]: S (Outstanding)
[Examiner's Comprehensive Comment]: > "Logic: Flawless. Cruelty: Necessary. The examinee understands that a Ritual is a conceptual weapon, and a Civilization is merely a waiting room. You are no longer a Child playing in the mud. Happy Coming of Age, Miss Ludwig."
"128 points."
A familiar voice cut through the noise of the crowd.
Hathaway turned around. Her eyes widened slightly.
Victoria was standing under the shade of a massive white oak tree outside the exam hall. She was wearing a dark blue trench coat that carved a sharp, elegant silhouette against the wind. She was holding a book in one hand and two bottles of iced tea in the other.
"Teacher?" Hathaway blinked, genuinely surprised. "I thought you said it was bad for your complexion?"
"I was merely passing by," Victoria lied smoothly, her face a mask of indifference. "I heard that Lady Heidi had sent a personal convert to take the exam. I was curious to see what kind of raw material the Grand Witch favors."
Victoria glanced at the crying Former God-King in the distance, then back at Hathaway.
"It seems Lady Heidi has a taste for... challenging projects."
"What did she score?" Hathaway asked, taking the bottle Victoria offered. [Premium Starlight Black Tea].
"45 points." Victoria sneered. "Pathetic. But Lady Heidi's judgment is absolute. If she chose that mess, there must be a diamond buried somewhere."
She clinked her bottle against Hathaway's.
"But you? You did not embarrass me. 128. Adequate."
Victoria took a sip, then looked at the time. "Go home, Ludwig."
"Home?" Hathaway paused. "But the wine? The celebration?"
"Celebrate with your mothers first," Victoria said, her tone softening slightly. "You have been in the dorms for a month. You conquered the A1. Go show off your score to Margaret and Anna. That is what children do."
"The 1882 Star-Dust Wine will be waiting for you when you return."
Hathaway nodded. She did want to tell them. She wanted to see the pride in Margaret's eyes.
"Thank you, Teacher."
She mounted the [Scarlet-Valkyrie]. "I'll be back tonight!"
Whoosh.
A red streak tore through the sky, heading straight for the Ludwig Estate.
The transition is complete. The Human logic is gone. The Witch has arrived.