Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva
Chapter 892 - 63: The Fighting Spirit of the Nameless Pawn_2

"This... this has nothing to do with you. Right now, I just want to get my lizard back and leave." The other party wanted to leave.

"If you insist, I can only help you retrieve that lizard. But let me ask you something—what are you planning to do next?"

Seeing Tilan agree, Suoga breathed a sigh of relief, feeling slightly more at ease.

"What else can I do? Continue looking for buyers, obviously. It's adult business; you kids shouldn't get involved." She glanced at Tilan's young age, guessing she was probably still a high school student, and regretted divulging so much to her earlier. She must have been desperate, grasping at straws in her panic.

"That's not the way to do it. Even if you really intend to sell it, you should get it treated first. That way, it'll look better. Those buyers who can afford high prices have sharp eyes—they're industry professionals and won't be easily fooled." Tilan kindly advised.

"How do I treat it? Didn't you say the advancement process went wrong? Can that even be fixed?" She clearly had no understanding of the breeder profession.

"It can be reverted—back to Sequence 4. Once it stabilizes, it can undergo proper learning and accumulation before advancing again." Tilan suggested.

"How long will that take?"

"About 2 to 3 years." Considering the lizard had never received proper training before, the timeline wouldn't be short.

"That's too long; I can't wait that long." Suoga waved her hand dismissively, making it clear she wouldn't consider it.

"You're such a cold-hearted person," Tilan muttered sarcastically.

"Yes, I'm cold-hearted. I raise pets; I'm not their babysitter. How could I possibly spend all my time fussing over them?"

"If you don't like it, then why did you buy it in the first place?" Tilan asked curiously.

"Well, back then, the 'beast fights' trend was pretty popular in my circle. Basically, you'd pit Transcendent animals of the same rank against each other, and the winner would earn gambling money."

"At the time, I spent a lot of money to get it when it was still Sequence 4. Because it could turn invisible and had decent venom, it often ambushed animals less skilled in those areas and defeated stronger opponents."

"I won some money, made back my investment, and kept raising it. Later on, my circle caught on, and nobody wanted to bet on this anymore. So, it stopped being profitable."

"So that's how it was." Tilan sighed.

Such 'beast fights' exist in a gray area within the Federation. Since most of them involve gambling, they're tainted, but calling them entirely illegal isn't accurate either. After all, breeders are considered a legitimate profession in the Federation, and there are officially sanctioned competitions within the breeder industry, which always achieve high viewership ratings.

However, the difference is striking: one involves heavily private, underground fights with uneven standards, while the other is an official competition with comprehensive rules and a higher average level of competence.

"Wait here for a moment; I'll go get the lizard for you." After understanding the situation, Tilan directed her to the store's rest area to wait while Tilan went to retrieve the lizard.

A few minutes later, Tilan returned with a box. Compared to earlier in the morning, the lizard now appeared much healthier, and its Transcendent Core was noticeably more stable, no longer at risk of sudden breakdown. Naturally, it was Tilan who had adjusted it, using her Talent Ability to stabilize the core.

"I helped smooth out its core and improved the situation. Although it's still weak compared to others of the same rank, at least it won't die from illness." Tilan explained.

"You did this?" Suoga examined the lizard with a look of surprise. Even as an outsider, she understood this was beyond what ordinary breeders could achieve.

"Yep, I'm a High Rank Breeder." Tilan blinked. Generally speaking, High Rank breeders are over 30 years old, with only graduates from prestigious academies reaching this level in their twenties.

"No wonder you had so much to say." Suoga realized she might have misjudged the girl before her.

"Uh, thanks." She felt a bit embarrassed.

"It's nothing, actually. I am curious, though—about that strange sensation I felt when I touched it earlier. Could you tell me more about it?" Tilan placed the box on the counter.

Gripping the handle of the box, Suoga hesitated for a moment. "Since you helped me, I won't lie to you. But this ability is actually a secret of our gang. I can't disclose it to outsiders."

"A gang? Does Academy City actually have real gangs?" Tilan was skeptical, given how strictly the area was policed.

"Not the sinister kind of gang you're imagining—like murderers or arsonists. But some cooperative groups from the lower classes don't have another name for themselves, so they just call it a gang."

"I see. Can you tell me about your gang's philosophy? You don't seem like a bad person, not the typical gangster type." Tilan prodded.

"You're really curious, huh? Fine, I guess I was pretty abrupt earlier anyway." Accepting Tilan's help made it harder to refuse her request, and philosophy wasn't something that needed to be hidden.

"Our gang's philosophy is roughly about equality. Like I mentioned this morning, the Federation is far too dominated by Songstresses, forming a kind of cultural and spiritual monopoly. It stifles other voices. Those Songstresses live such privileged lives—how could they possibly understand the thoughts and emotions of people like us at the bottom?"

"That's not entirely true. There are Songstresses who speak up for the lower classes; you're just not paying attention to them." Tilan shook her head.

"For example, May, the 'Polka Dot Recorder,' and Glide, the 'Bubble Wine' singer from ten years ago. There were others too who raised awareness about issues affecting the lower classes." Tilan seemed well-informed about these pioneers.

"May, the 'Polka Dot Recorder'? That retro-obsessed steam-era Songstress? What's worth knowing about her? She's way too tame and compliant. As for Glide, sure, she sang about lower-class struggles, but her songs were filled with a sense of despair and defeat. There wasn't a trace of fighting spirit. She has no right to be my idol; she doesn't even sing anymore." Suoga spoke with growing agitation, expressing her dissatisfaction with current Songstresses.