Chapter 123: A Three-Year Starting Point, Maximum Death Penalty

When Catherine returned to the dormitory to wait for Andy, she took out the vial Vivienne had used to throw at her and began examining it. Upon opening the cap, she immediately sensed a strong aura of life emanating from within, accompanied by a series of strange, alluring fragrances wafting from the liquid inside.

Originally, Catherine had intended to wait for Andy’s return so they could use the Magic Mirror together to study what kind of potion this was. But her curiosity grew too strong to resist. She decided to take a small sip. After all, when she was in Dallas, Bill had told her that she was immune to toxins. To satisfy her curiosity, she even tested a few poisons and found that to be true. So she wasn’t afraid of any adverse effects now.

After that first sip, Catherine found the liquid sweet and refreshingly cool, delightfully tasty. Unable to stop herself, she took another sip, then a second, then a third…

Just as Catherine was cautiously drinking, Andy walked in. Naturally, she wasn’t about to keep such a good thing to herself. Having confirmed it was harmless, she handed the vial to Andy so he could try it too.

But before Andy could take a drink, he noticed something was wrong with Catherine. Her amber cat-like eyes were turning a deep, fiery red, and her sleek fur was standing on end.

Seeing her in distress, Andy quickly set the vial aside and lifted Catherine into his arms. “How are you feeling?” he asked urgently.

“Hot… so hot!” Catherine’s voice trembled, her vocalizations barely audible. Andy immediately felt the intense heat radiating from her body, as if he were holding a glowing-hot iron. This was no ordinary fever.

Her body seemed to grow hotter by the second, as if it might ignite at any moment. Andy hastily fetched a large basin of water and soaked a towel before pressing it against her. To his surprise, after only a short while, smoke began rising from the towel…

Without hesitation, Andy submerged Catherine fully in the water, keeping her nose above the surface. But soon the water itself started to boil. He quickly replaced it with fresh water, but it boiled just as fast.

Recognizing the urgency, Andy decided to carry Catherine to the academy’s infirmary to find out what was happening. At that moment, he also realized it must be related to whatever potion Catherine had just drunk.

However, when he went to lift the small, burning-hot kitten, he found he wasn’t holding her feline form at all. Instead, a supple, warm-bodied woman rested in his arms.

Catherine had transformed again.

Though curious about the reasons behind her transformation, Andy’s immediate concern was her condition. He couldn’t help but ask, “How are you feeling? Is there any pain or discomfort?”

Catherine didn’t answer but instead began giggling foolishly on the spot. She had just discovered that this transformation could last at least an hour and a half—far longer than before.

This was a dream come true for Catherine, who had long been frustrated by how short her transformations lasted. Now she realized the potion she had consumed was responsible for this remarkable extension.

After a moment of joyous laughter, Catherine hurriedly explained the potion’s effects to Andy. Listening carefully, Andy then took the remaining potion he had set aside earlier and gave it all to Catherine to drink, wanting her to test how long she could maintain her human form.

An hour and a half—it lasted a full ninety minutes. Catherine was overjoyed, hugging Andy tightly and bouncing around with excitement.

Andy wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he thought Catherine’s human form seemed to have a slightly fuller chest this time. As she bounced energetically, the subtle friction made his face flush and heart race.

They had now confirmed that Catherine could stay in human form for an hour and a half each day. Andy couldn’t help but wonder: if they could obtain enough of that potion, would Catherine be able to remain human indefinitely?

Eager to find out more, Andy immediately consulted the Magic Mirror for information on the liquid. Since it was an item that had existed for more than three days, he didn’t have to wait the usual three days for results.

“One million magic stones!” The Magic Mirror’s answer struck Andy like a thunderclap. It made him realize how incredibly precious this potion must be; otherwise, it wouldn’t cost so much just to get information about it.

Unfortunately, Andy’s current supply of magic stones was far from enough. Even if they could learn more, acquiring the actual potion was not guaranteed. Catherine and Andy had no choice but to accept that for now, her transformation time would be limited to an hour and a half daily.

Still, this was enough to fill Catherine with boundless excitement. In her joy, she rolled up her sleeves and insisted on cooking a grand meal to celebrate with Andy.

This was the first time Andy tasted Catherine’s cooking, and he had to admit—it was quite good. He felt he could only manage the same level himself. Knowing when to encourage others, Andy praised her enthusiastically, causing Catherine’s eyes to curve into delighted crescents.

After dinner, Andy and Catherine discussed their experiences following the assassination, with Andy doing most of the talking. Upon hearing that Stein’s corpse had been turned into a reanimated puppet by Alvis, Catherine’s anger flared. She vowed to find that man and curse him to death.

Andy comforted her and promised to accompany her in a few days to pay respects to their mentor. He also mentioned they could rent the academy’s “Astral Meditation Chamber” to aid their meditation.

Surprisingly, Catherine showed no interest in the meditation chamber’s ability to accelerate meditation efficiency. She was far more eager to study some witchcraft formations at the academy’s Mixed Institute. Now that she could maintain human form for an hour and a half daily—enough for two lessons—she was more eager than ever.

Reflecting on Catherine’s formidable mental talents, Andy felt relieved. Meditation efficiency had never been a problem for her, though it was a significant challenge for him. So tomorrow, they would have to split up.

After the morning’s assassination, dealing with the disciplinary committee, and burying Stein, Andy was already tired. He had no desire for inefficient meditation and only wanted to rest early.

But as he prepared to sleep, he realized a problem.

Because Catherine’s transformation time had just been extended, she was still full of energy and unlikely to shift back to her feline form before the time ended.

Previously, it had been no big deal for them to sleep together—him in human form and her as a cat—but now, when bedtime came, things were a little awkward.

Andy’s embarrassment went unnoticed by Catherine, who curled up in his arms as usual and closed her eyes. Only the slight twitching of her eyelashes betrayed a restless mind.

Andy tried to act nonchalant and fall asleep, but tossing and turning kept him awake. He quietly recited a protective mantra, which surprisingly helped him drift into a drowsy state.

Suddenly, Catherine opened her eyes and shook him gently. “Andy, Andy, what do you mean by muttering ‘three years of blood profit, death penalty is not a loss’?”

Startled fully awake, all tiredness vanished. He cleared his throat awkwardly, “Uh… did I say that? Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue. I clearly said ‘minimum three years, maximum death penalty,’ didn’t I?”