Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 354 - 322 Core Work

Chapter 354: Chapter 322 Core Work

Xu Yang brought Yamano Sanae back to Shijin Mansion. The first floor wasn’t much to speak of, barren as it was; she even thought she walked into some shell company.

The elevator ascended, and she entered the Witch Activity Room on the 12th floor.

Her eyes flew wide open.

Passing through the long corridor and stepping into the glass door, Yamano Sanae looked around, holding her breath, completely enchanted by the modernized, advanced facilities. The spacious area provided everyone with ample room for activities, furnished with sofas, tables, chairs, bookshelves, and display cabinets. The amenities included basic diner equipment, gaming consoles, large smart screens, and an ecological plant garden.

"This is what the boss calls the ’Witch Home,’" Xu Yang said with an exaggerated gesture, showing Yamano Sanae around, "behind here is our dormitory, where you can pick any room you like."

Yamano Sanae wandered aimlessly on the checkered carpet, sitting on a brand-new fabric chair, her body sinking bit by bit, trying to adapt to this extreme comfort. Her sore body hadn’t experienced high-quality furniture for a long time, and now her wish was finally granted, as if it relieved centuries of agony.

"Ah..." she let out a laborious sigh.

"Oh, dummy Xu Yang." Shallow Dream appeared in her pajamas, just out of bed and looking to drink some yogurt, "Who’s this?"

"Nice to meet you!" Yamano Sanae quickly stood up and bowed deeply to Shallow Dream, "My name is Yamano Sanae, and I am about to start working here. Please take good care of me!"

"Humph humph, the work here is quite busy," Shallow Dream said while pouring herself a bowl of white yogurt from the machine, "You have to take care of more than two hundred little, little, little witches."

Just caring for the lives and well-being of around two hundred kids? The workload isn’t full... Yamano Sanae thought anxiously. Would they fire her? Once she got into the swing of her job, she could effortlessly manage and properly care for nearly a thousand patients.

In the past, Health Company went all out to record patient complaints, attempting to fine Yamano Sanae and reduce payroll expenses, but the patients were all deeply grateful for Yamano Sanae’s nursing work, without a single complaint.

Now, she would give her all to take care of more than two hundred children.

"I’ll do my best! Thank you very much!" Yamano Sanae came back to her senses and quickly nodded to Shallow Dream.

"Time for bed." Xu Yang took Yamano Sanae by the hand to the dormitory area. Just on this floor alone, the number of single rooms was enough to accommodate 50 witches, and most of them were vacant and finely decorated, just waiting for occupancy.

Yamano Sanae had never imagined that she would one day live in such a beautiful room. She couldn’t help but think of some horrific cases where some would carefully raise witches, then deal with them using twisted means in front of an audience. The mere thought of such a calamity made Yamano Sanae tear up.

"Oh no, the crying and sobbing." Xu Yang, afraid of seeing someone else’s tears, walked out annoyed, "Anyway, you’re one of us now. You start at 9 o’clock tomorrow, heading to the Cub-Class Witch dormitory on the 4th floor."

Yamano Sanae spent an uneasy night, feeling as if she had fallen into a giant illusion and cage. She had read the confidentiality agreement, which set extremely harsh conditions for leaving Shijin Mansion on her own, almost completely cutting off outside contact. What on earth were they supposed to do here?

When it was 6 o’clock in the morning, Yamano Sanae awoke. She instinctively wanted to check the surveillance screens and handwrite real-time reports for each patient, but there were none. This place was no longer Ankyu City Health Company, but the New World Mechanism, a brand-new, mysterious enterprise.

Thinking of the 4th-floor Witch dormitory Xu Yang had mentioned yesterday, she moved towards it with trepidation, fearing what shocking scenes she might encounter. But there were none. As she approached the Witch dormitory, she only saw a large group of peacefully sleeping young witches and an unprecedentedly massive Blanket Castle, entirely prepared for play, along with several very small witches lying in pajamas on the top of the castle, surrounded by scattered balls after what seemed like a fierce battle which left them all exhausted.

The night patrol Shallow Dream saw Yamano Sanae and quickly had her take over her shift.

"You have to take good care of them," Shallow Dream warned, "Even if just one young witch gets hurt, Lady Farosa will be far from lenient."

"Yes," Yamano Sanae nodded.

Lady Farosa?

Yamano Sanae watched over the peaceful night of these young witches. She found these toddlers to be surprisingly well-behaved; even if they wet the bed, they simply stood up from their little beds and waved at her, requesting a diaper change. Yamano Sanae completed her work with ease, and when it came time to get up, the young witches lined up to go upstairs. Out of curiosity, Yamano Sanae followed them to the study room.

Then, she saw the "Lady Farosa" the other witches spoke of.

She was the most noble witch Yamano Sanae had ever seen in her life, wearing a complex court dress. Her hands crossed in front of her, she stepped behind a stone altar, her supreme, majestic gaze sweeping over the young witches who entered one after another. In front of Farosa, they were exceedingly well-behaved, sitting quietly in their places.

Farosa, like a real mother, tenderly cared for the young witches, talking with them. They wore tidy clothing and showed adoration for Farosa akin to a mother’s love.

"Mother Farosa!" they called her name earnestly, which made Farosa’s expression even more pleased and her gaze more profound.

Yamano Sanae listened to the tender calling of the young witches, her heart racing for no reason, covering her chest and looking at Farosa, only wishing to bask in her glory like the young witches.

Afterward, she went back to clean the dormitory, watch over the young witches playing in Blanket Castle, feeding them milk and softened cookies. They crawled around like newborn animals, full of vitality, spirited for the slightest of things, laughing carefreely and enjoying the best living conditions.

Then she went to the Infant Witch nursery at the core of the entire floor, where preterm infant witches slowly grew. She checked every health monitoring device, replenished formula, and adjusted the temperature. The equipment provided here was of even higher quality than the medical company’s, achieving a zero fatality rate.

She sighed softly, suddenly understanding why the confidentiality rules were so strict. This was an institution that genuinely nurtured "witches" in the direction of true "witchhood," allowing them to grow according to their full natural witch tendencies, without skull trepanation or physical and mental torture. Struck by the thought, she wondered, how wonderful would it have been if she had been sent to such a place at birth?

Later, Lady Farosa came to see Yamano Sanae in person.

"I have seen your work, it’s very good," Farosa said, "You can solve the needs of the young witches hundreds of times more efficiently than other witches."

"These hands are... they became like this... for the sake of caring for everyone." Yamano Sanae showed Farosa her prematurely aged hands.

"You are striving with us for a greater cause." Farosa took Yamano Sanae’s hands, "With you dedicating yourself to their care, you have nearly solved three-quarters of our daily troubles."

"Thank you, really, thank you so much," Yamano Sanae was almost in tears, "Lady Farosa."

"You already know my name," Farosa whispered, "and it’s necessary for you to serve my cause now. They tell me you are a Cub-Class Witch, and your magic power manifests as the sea. Is that correct?"

"Only in part..." Yamano Sanae opened her right hand, which quickly dissolved into pure seawater that started to flow downwards, thinning out swiftly from solid flesh to liquid, with only the wrist still connected to her body.

Farosa severed the middle of the flow of seawater. Yamano Sanae was shocked and recoiled, terminating the release of her magic power. Consequently, a large puddle of seawater spread across the ground, and, correspondingly, Yamano Sanae’s right hand was left in a mutilated state, pocked and missing half of her palm, a shocking sight.

Yamano Sanae was agape, staring at her severed hand, while a mysterious look of satisfaction appeared on Farosa’s face, as if some of her expectations had been confirmed.

Then she unleashed the Law of Recovery.

Yamano Sanae only saw a swift flash of red light before her, like the birthing of flesh, and then her right hand was restored to its original state, with the water on the ground also completely disappearing.

"This... this is..." Yamano Sanae stuttered.

"Continue to practice," Farosa whispered, "your magic circuit is still rough and immature. You have not had the chance to practice your magic power for an extended period, but now I am allowing you to practice, and you must do so persistently, repeatedly trying. As soon as you feel your magic circuit full, tell me immediately, and I will promote you to Lower-rank Witch without delay."

"Power enhancement?" Yamano Sanae was even more astonished at the generous reward she hadn’t imagined possible.

Whether it was the ease with which a witch could advance or the allowance of advancement, these were things the company could not accomplish.

"Provide service to us, and then we will repay you generously," Farosa smiled, "This is the place where you can prove your worth."

In the afternoon, Yamano Sanae received a message to meet with the company’s boss at the top floor.

She speculated about the boss’s appearance and capabilities, and arrived at the topmost floor of Shijin Mansion, entering an office of simple style, devoid of extravagant but impractical decorations, everything arranged for efficiency.

"Welcome," Xu Yang handed the printed documents to Yamano Sanae, "You are now officially a part of Shijin Mansion."

"This... all of this... Did you create it?" Yamano Sanae couldn’t describe her feelings.

It was an institution for the growth of witches unique in every aspect, as its name, New World Mechanism, suggested. The witches raised in such an environment would undoubtedly become the central force in shaping the new world.

And the man before her, without a doubt, was the leader here, or else he wouldn’t be situated above Lady Farosa’s floor.

"I wouldn’t dare claim it as my sole achievement; everyone has worked very hard," Xu Yang shook hands with Yamano Sanae.

"It must cost a lot of money," Yamano Sanae murmured, "...I can work without pay, this place is just too wonderful."

"Unpaid work is absolutely unacceptable, I will pay you a salary of $150 per hour. In fact, this is hardly comparable with your immense contributions, so I will consider additional bonuses."

"No, no... I’m just doing what should be done," She spoke hurriedly, overawed by the generosity, "The company has expenses everywhere, but I’m not costing anything."

"The expenses are indeed significant, but I will do my utmost to ensure everything functions normally." Xu Yang nodded, "I try to make sure everyone works and grows in a suitable environment. If you have any ideas, feel free to bring them to me."

"No... none," Yamano Sanae bowed to Xu Yang, "...Thank you very much."

Xu Yang bid farewell to Yamano Sanae, then turned back to review the collected information on Hosoda Yoshiyuki, a notoriously difficult so-called "habitual criminal," no wonder the Kamibayashi Family was willing to pay 40 million for security hire.

Luckily, with Yamano Sanae and the other regular witches recruited by Du Qianqian, the daily living issues of the young witches were quickly resolved, freeing up members of the Witch Council from domestic affairs to take on more challenging tasks.