Chapter 9: The Rewards of Effort (Ten Thousand Words, Including Additions)
“Joining the student council, huh…”
Faced with the choice Cecilia had presented, Mu En fell into a brief silence.
At St. Maria Academy, known for its liberal atmosphere, the student council was granted significant power; just the fact that they were responsible for attendance from the very first class spoke volumes.
Moreover, the prestige of the student council among students was substantial. Once he joined, the “scum” label attached to him would surely be diluted, and it was even possible to completely shed the prejudices others had placed upon him, becoming the “good student” he had always dreamed of.
Cecilia must have thought of it this way.
No matter how one looked at it, it was a good choice.
But…
“Do I even qualify to join the student council right now?”
Mu En looked into Cecilia’s eyes and asked seriously:
“Or is this a special privilege you’re granting me, Cecilia?”
“…Whether you’re excellent or not right now doesn’t matter.”
Cecilia lowered her gaze, staring into her cup of coffee:
“What’s important is whether you have the heart to become excellent. Mu En Campbell, do you think you don’t have that?”
“Of course I do, but that doesn’t relate to the topic we’re discussing, does it?”
The special status of the student council meant that every year, countless students scrambled to join, so those who made it in were undoubtedly the elite of each grade.
Take Ariel Bugal, for example; if she were to join the student council, no one would raise any objections, as anyone who had issues with her had basically been beaten up by her last semester.
But Mu En Campbell was different.
—
Mu En Campbell is the notorious playboy, slacker, and troublemaker of the year.
He only learned one spell in a year, and it was the simplest lighting charm.
He scored just three points in last semester’s Introduction to Magic.
With someone like him suddenly joining the student council, anyone would suspect foul play.
Not to mention, he has an engagement with the current student council president, Celicia.
This only fuels others’ sense of injustice and hostility.
“This will become your stain, Celicia.”
“Do you think I care?”
Celicia raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery curling at the corners of her mouth:
“Let outsiders say what they want; when have I ever…”
“But I care.”
Mu En interrupted Celicia, speaking earnestly:
“I care.”
“…”
Sunlight spilled through the gaps in the light blue curtains, casting bright lines across Mu En’s face. Celicia stared blankly at the man before her, her eyes revealing a clear astonishment for the first time.
“I’ve already let you taint me once, so please don’t make me bear that guilt again, alright?”
Mu En gently set down the empty coffee cup on the table, sincerely praising:
“The coffee is really good.”
“…Thank you,” Celicia replied.
“Well then, I’m off. Goodbye.”
“Mm.”
Mu En walked out of the student council room, gently closing the door behind him.
The light dimmed slightly.
It accentuated the flickering light in Celicia’s eyes, making it even more pronounced.
“Ha…”
Celicia let out a soft breath, resting her chin on her hand, gazing into the void.
Suddenly, a delicate smile blossomed on her stunning face.
Like the melting of spring snow.
“Mu En Campbell…”
“You really have changed…”
……
……
“President! President!”
Cecilia withdrew her gaze and saw the girl with the bun, Vail, rushing in from outside.
“I brought what you asked me to pay attention to.”
After saying that, Vail leaned against the table, panting, then noticed the coffee cup on the table.
“Hey? Did someone come by just now?”
“It’s normal for someone from the student council to come, isn’t it?”
Cecilia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “So where is it?”
“This… here!”
Vail handed a stack of newspapers to Cecilia, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she exclaimed:
“The content this time is so shocking that I was left dumbfounded! I didn’t expect there to be so many secrets behind that Mu En Campbell who has one foot in fourteen boats!”
“… Didn’t I tell you? To watch less.” Cecilia took the newspaper, her tone slightly reproachful. “The content in here is not as real as you imagine.”
“Hehe, who could resist such eye-catching headlines? I accidentally caught a glimpse.” Vail scratched her head shyly.
“…”
Cecilia knew that the curiosity of this girl before her couldn’t be suppressed, so she didn’t pursue it further and lowered her gaze to the content of the newspaper.
—”The Sinking of the Fearless-Class Warship! The Strong Comeback of the Male Terminator!”
“Did they dare to fabricate something about the teacher too? That guy really has guts.”
After glancing at the headline, Cecilia completely lost interest in reading further.
She stood up and walked towards the door.
“Hey? President, are you going out?”
“I have something to take care of.”
“But what about all these documents?”
Vail patted the mountain of documents piled on the desk, speaking a bit flustered:
“These are all urgent.”
Cecilia turned her head, her gaze calm.
“Secretary?”
“Eh?”
“You are the student council secretary, right?”
Cecilia said:
“Then I’ll leave this to you for now.”
“Huh?”
Weir was frozen in place, her expression one of utter disbelief.
So many documents…
It could kill her!
“Good luck, Secretary.”
Celicia patted Weir’s shoulder and gently whispered in her ear:
“By the way, if I come back and find you mishandling things… you’ll never see your beloved domineering evil god fall in love with me novel again.”
“…Are you going to throw away my novel?” Weir looked pitiful.
“No, I will directly prohibit the publisher from publishing such a book.” Celicia was as cold as iron.
“…That’s so unfair! President, that’s so unfair!”
……
……
News Agency.
“Min! Got! Senior!”
Ariel slammed a stack of newspapers onto the desk, shouting angrily at the flamboyantly dressed man lounging in a recliner:
“Can you explain to me what these things you wrote in the newspaper actually mean?”
“Oh, isn’t this the renowned Ariel Bougard?”
The news agency president, Mingote, who had dyed his hair green, was focused on filing his nails. He only slightly lifted his eyelids when Ariel yelled, still appearing indifferent.
“What’s wrong? Today you actually have the time to visit my news agency, it truly brings glory to my humble abode.”
“Stop playing dumb!”
Ariel grabbed the newspaper, pointing at the highlighted report, and shouted angrily:
“What does ‘Dreadnought-class battleship’ mean? What does ‘Mu En Campbell’s ex-girlfriend’ mean? And abortion? Snatching men? Is your news agency this irresponsible with your reporting?”
“Oh, you mean that.”
Mingote glanced over and scoffed:
“It’s just gossip news; don’t all regular news publishers have that?”
“Even if it’s gossip, it should be based on facts, right?”
Ariel slammed the table, “But this is all completely made up, isn’t it?”
“So…”
Mingote finally sat up a bit straighter, picked up the newspaper in front of him, flipped it to the back, pointed at the last line of small print, and smiled.
“I’ve been reminding you all along, haven’t I?”
Ariel leaned in closer and widened her eyes in disbelief, only to realize that it was merely a statement: “The above content is merely the subjective speculation of the news agency, meant to amuse you, and does not represent any real situation.”
“Who can see that!”
Ariel was taken aback for a moment, her anger boiling over as she shouted, “You’re clearly doing this on purpose!”
“Oh, so it seems that classmate Ariel has some complaints about me.”
Mingte sneered:
“So, what do you want?”
“Withdraw all the newspapers and issue an apology, telling everyone the truth!” Ariel said through gritted teeth.
“Is that so? I understand what classmate Ariel means now.”
Mingte nodded as if it were a serious matter, then said:
“But that’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“Withdraw the newspapers? Apologize? Isn’t that asking for the life of my news agency? How could I agree to that?”
“But you’re infringing on my personal rights like this?”
“Hmm, it does seem like I’ve done something wrong.”
Mingte stroked his chin, pondering for a moment, then suddenly said:
“How about this: I’ll give you ten percent of the profits from these newspapers?”
“…”
“What do you think? To tell you the truth, these newspapers are selling quite well. Even just ten percent is a significant amount of income.”
Mingte raised his eyebrows exaggeratedly and chuckled, “You only need to sacrifice a bit of useless reputation to gain a hefty sum of money. Isn’t this a blood profit deal?”
“What do you think people’s reputations are, you jerk?”
Ariel dug her fingers into the desk, leaving clear marks, glaring fiercely at Mingte, her body leaning forward like a beast ready to pounce.
“I don’t want a single cent of your filthy money! But you must withdraw all the newspapers and apologize to everyone who has been troubled by the false rumors in your papers!”
“Sorry, I can’t do that.”
“You—”
“Oh? Does classmate Ariel want to take action against me?”
Mingte looked at Ariel, who seemed ready to throw a punch at any moment, his expression still remarkably calm, even wearing a mocking smile.
“Go ahead, make your move. After all, a second-year junior challenging a sixth-year senior is quite a story. As long as it’s news, I won’t refuse.
But…
Junior Ariel should think carefully, do you really… think you can beat me?”
“……”
Ariel’s eyes were wide with fury, as if she wanted to devour the life before her, raw and alive.
But in the end, she still held back.
Because for now, she truly wasn’t a match for the insufferable guy in front of her.
After all, Mingte was in sixth grade, and he was quite notorious among the sixth graders.
Even though Ariel could technically take on opponents above her level, there were limits.
Currently, four years ago was her limit.
Unless…
But using that power on a scumbag like him was clearly not worth it.
“Don’t get cocky…”
Ariel trembled with rage, glaring at Mingte, gritting her teeth as she said:
“Thirty years on the west bank, thirty years on the east bank, don’t bully a girl…”
“Knock, knock…”
The sound of knocking interrupted Ariel’s fierce tirade.
Without waiting for a response, a silver figure walked into the room.
“What’s going on? Didn’t I say no one is allowed to enter without my permission…”
Mingte tilted his head in annoyance, ready to scold his subordinate waiting outside, but he froze upon seeing the silver figure.
“C-Council President?”
“Hello, Senior Mingte.”
Celicia coldly nodded at Mingte, then turned to Ariel, greeting her:
“Good afternoon, Ariel.”
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“Celicia, what are you doing here?”
Ariel blinked, then immediately realized how improper her earlier gesture had been. She straightened up, cleared her throat, and asked with a concerned expression:
“It’s just the start of the school year; isn’t the student council work too much for you?”
“It’s fine, someone is helping me with those tasks. As for why I’m here…”
Celicia glanced at Mingte, her tone slightly cold:
“Senior Mingte should know.”
“Uh…”
Mingte’s cheeks twitched.
Looking at the woman before him, as cold as an iceberg, even he found it hard to keep his composure.
He certainly knew why Celicia had come.
He also knew she would come sooner or later.
But he didn’t expect her to arrive this quickly!
During this time of the school year, it shouldn’t be the busiest for the student council; how could she have the time to deal with him?
But calm down, there’s no need to panic.
He had anticipated this long ago, so he was already prepared.
He had gone over the school rules no less than ten times, and he was absolutely not at the point of violating them.
The newspaper club’s accounts had been fabricated; she wouldn’t be able to find any flaws if she looked at them casually.
Even his subordinates were well-prepared; the items to apologize to the teachers were already on their way.
He just needed to keep her steady.
Even if she was the student council president, and even a princess of the empire, in the academy she was just a fourth-year kid.
As long as he hadn’t violated the academy’s rules, what could she do to him?
Thinking of this, Mingote’s slightly tense heart finally calmed down a bit.
Don’t panic, the advantage is mine!
Let’s see what move she makes first!
“It seems you already know my purpose for coming, so I’ll be straightforward.”
Celicia found a chair, dragged it to sit directly across from Mingote.
With her legs crossed and fingers intertwined on her thighs, her posture was straight as a rod, like a meticulously programmed machine, precise and elegant.
In the suffocating brief silence, Celicia’s cold gaze fixed on Mingote as she said:
“Mingote Raymond,
Do you—want to die?”
“What—”
At that moment, even Mingote, a sixth-year student, couldn’t help but lean back, as the pressure from Celicia’s sudden aura was overwhelming, and her words were completely unexpected.
In an instant, it overturned all of Mingote’s long-accumulated strategies.
But Mingote was not a weak-minded person; he quickly reacted and retorted angrily:
“Is the president saying this to me in her capacity as student council president, or as Princess?”
“In what capacity? Does it matter to ask that question?”
Celicia’s gaze remained cold, her expression still calm; it was hard to imagine that she would suddenly utter the word “die” at this moment.
“What does it matter that you’re a princess?
What does it matter that you’re the student council president?
Even if I abandon these two identities, what does it matter to speak to you as just Celicia?
Is it meaningful?
No, it is not.
Because no matter which identity I take, I have the right to speak to you like this.
I could even say it more than once—until you no longer want to hear it.”
Celicia spoke each word as if she intended to etch these few words into Mingot’s heart with blood, her voice chilling:
“Mingot Raymond, do. You. Want. To. Die?”
In that moment.
The girl sat in the twilight.
A chilling aura surrounded her.
……
……
“Truly worthy of Celicia!”
In the corridor, Ariel looked at Celicia with admiration, sincerely praising her:
“When you said those two sentences just now, it was so cool! Just those two sentences made a sixth-grade senior apologize to me. Heh heh, it was absolutely amazing!”
“It’s nothing.”
Celicia flicked her silver-white hair, unconcerned, and said: “Dealing with someone like Mingot, if you try to reason with him, he’ll just twist it around, so you have to be a bit tougher.
And part of it is because he himself is a bit guilty; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so easily scared by me.”
“But it was still so cool!”
Ariel felt like she was about to sparkle with stars in her eyes.
Oh no, Celicia seems to be even more attractive to me now. What should I do if I want to get close to her right now?
Speaking of which…
Celicia appeared just in time; could it be because…
Ariel touched her slightly flushed cheeks, starting to indulge in delightful imagination.
“Ah.”
Lost in thought, Ariel suddenly bumped into Celicia in front of her.
“What’s wrong?”
Ariel rubbed her nose and followed Celicia’s gaze.
Then she saw the person she least wanted to see.
Muen, with his golden hair, was sitting under a nearby tree, holding a book with an unreadable title, reading it intently.
Occasionally, one could see him frowning, as if he had encountered a difficult problem, and then he would take out a small notebook to jot down notes and sketches.
Or perhaps he had solved a long-standing issue, revealing a captivatingly handsome smile.
Throughout the entire process, he appeared incredibly focused, completely undisturbed by external distractions. Even if someone occasionally passed by, he remained deeply immersed in the world of the book.
“This guy actually reads? And looks so serious about it?”
Ariel watched this scene, unable to suppress a look of astonishment, as if she had seen someone climb a tree for the first time, then she pouted in disdain and mocked:
“Anyway, with his personality, he’ll probably lose interest in no time.”
“Ariel.”
Celicia withdrew her gaze, her cold eyes glancing at Ariel:
“He is trying hard; you shouldn’t say that about him.”
“But he’s that Mu En Campbell. You don’t know what kind of person he was last semester, Celicia. How could he really be trying?” Ariel retorted.
“This has nothing to do with who he is or how he was before.”
Celicia turned her head and continued walking forward.
Yet her footsteps seemed to have softened considerably.
To avoid disturbing that youth, who seemed like a new person.
“As long as one is making an effort, they shouldn’t be mocked.”
……
……
“Is today the martial arts class?”
After a morning run, a cold shower, and a simple breakfast at the cafeteria, Mu En stepped into today’s class.
This time, he felt much more at ease.
Because compared to the theoretical class on the fundamentals of magic probability, for which he had no foundation at all, he found the practical martial arts class much more manageable.
After all, although he had wasted a lot of time last year, the foundation laid by his cheap old man was not weak.
Moreover.
“I haven’t slacked off at all during this period.”
Mu En clenched his fist, a gleam flashing in his eyes.
“Just right, I also want to know what level I can reach among my peers based solely on my qualities as a warrior.”
……
……
The martial arts class was naturally not held in a classroom, but in a huge training arena.
These training arenas, or rather, stages, were mostly prepared by the academy for students to duel, always monitored by teachers, and equipped with magical arrays, designed to allow duelists to unleash their full power without any worries.
When Mu En arrived, quite a few people were already there.
What relieved Mu En was that, after all, this was a relatively “rough” class, so there were hardly any girls present. With so few girls, gossip naturally couldn’t get started.
But soon, that relief was snatched away.
Because Ariel was there too.
However, this time Ariel merely shot him a cold glance and said nothing.
Mu En scratched his head, giving up on the idea of greeting her, as she seemed to be in a bad mood.
“Oh, looks like everyone’s here.”
As class time began, Cade, the instructor for the martial arts class, whose build was as strong as a gorilla, scanned the room:
“Same old rules, first class of the new semester, we’ll draw lots for duels. Let’s see if you little rascals have slacked off during the break!”
“Yay!”
A small cheer erupted among the students, as these duels not only allowed them to watch for free, but also gave them a chance to slack off while others were on stage. It was, without a doubt, their favorite class compared to the dullness of learning martial arts.
“Heh, laugh all you want now. If I find out you’ve regressed, just wait and see how I deal with you!”
Cade sneered, throwing down a harsh warning before pulling out the box for drawing lots, calling the students up one by one.
“Number one?”
Mu En paused for a moment, looking at the number in his hand.
Is my luck really this bad?
He had wanted to gauge the skill levels of his classmates before the duel.
“Well, whatever. It won’t affect much; I’ll just give it my all.”
With a carefree smile, Mu En stepped onto the stage at Cade’s call.
Facing him was a classmate with a robust build, his powerful pectoral muscles nearly bursting through his uniform.
“I remember you—”
Mu En racked his brain, feeling like he had some impression of this person.
“My name is Ryan.”
The muscular classmate said.
“Ah, Ryan.”
Mu En recalled.
In the original owner’s memories, Ryan was among the top tier in the entire grade.
Especially with his well-trained muscles, his strength and explosiveness were often praised even by Cade.
Not to mention, he had already broken through to the second tier in the last session, currently at a mid-second tier level in martial arts.
“Seems like a formidable opponent.”
Mu En scratched his head, then smiled wryly:
“Well then, please take care of me, classmate Ryan.”
“Please take care of you, Mu En Campbell.”
“Just go easy on me later.”
Ryan paused for a moment, then nodded vigorously: “I will.”
……
……
“That guy is actually the first?”
Watching Mu En Campbell take the stage, Ariel raised an eyebrow.
But then, a cold smirk appeared on her face.
“Perfect, let me see how you get humiliated.”
You were still pretending to read in front of Celicia earlier?
Effort?
I can’t wait to see just how astonishing your so-called efforts turn out to be.
“The match is starting, the match is starting.”
Among Ariel’s classmates, one with a monkey-like face rubbed his hands excitedly and called out to those around him:
“Mu En Campbell versus Ryan, an exciting match you can’t miss! Anyone want to place a bet?”
“Seriously, sir, are we really opening a match with such a predictable outcome?” A nearby classmate leaned in, looking puzzled.
“Exactly, that’s Ryan we’re talking about! Mu En Campbell spent an entire year last semester just floundering around. Sure, he has some foundation, but even if Ryan fought with one hand, he wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“Be more confident! He wouldn’t even be able to handle one hand and one foot.”
“Be even more confident! He wouldn’t be able to handle two hands and two feet!”
“Two hands and two feet is pushing it! Are we expecting Ryan to use his head against Mu En Campbell?”
“I actually think using his head against Mu En Campbell might not even guarantee a win, haha…”
“……”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry.”
The monkey-faced classmate wore a knowing expression, chuckling: “I know there’s a big gap in their strengths, but when did I say we were betting on the outcome?”
“Oh, you mean?”
“Time, oh time. How long can Mu En Campbell hold out, or how long will the match last? Five minutes or ten minutes? The closer guess wins, and the winner takes all. Simple rules—anyone want to join in the fun?”
“Count me in!”
Immediately, someone responded.
Studying at the academy is inherently dull, so why not indulge in this rare opportunity for some fun?
“I bet one hundred Amyr on five minutes!”
“Five minutes is conservative.”
Someone tossed over a fifty Amyr bill, “Three minutes.”
“You call that conservative and only bet fifty?”
The young man, clearly from a noble background, showed disdain and waved his hand dismissively: “One thousand, I bet one minute.”
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“Wow, you b*stard, didn’t you used to want to cling to Mu En Campbell’s leg? And now you’re betting so high?”
“Heh, it’s not like I got to cling to him anyway. That b*stard Mu En Campbell only takes in upperclassmen.”
…
“Should I join in on the fun too?”
Watching her classmates enthusiastically placing bets, Ariel suddenly felt a stir of interest.
Not only could she watch Mu En Campbell face a setback, but she could also earn some pocket money—what’s not to like?
However, being a poor student, Ariel was quite cautious with her spending, so she immediately called upon her all-powerful master in her mind.
“Master, what do you think?”
“Mu En Campbell’s strength? I’m not very familiar with martial artists, but it seems he’s a bit different from last semester.”
“Different?”
“It seems like… he has advanced?”
Ariel heard her master’s voice tinged with a hint of doubt, but soon, that doubt turned into certainty: “That’s right, he has advanced.”
“I see, he actually advanced. That despicable Mu En Campbell almost tricked you.”
Ariel gritted her teeth, glaring fiercely at Mu En on the stage.
This guy must be secretly leveling up, planning to amaze everyone.
Fortunately, she had her master, or she would have definitely bet one or two minutes, and then she would have lost even her meal money!
“I bet ten minutes!”
Confirming that Mu En was already a second-tier martial artist, Ariel stepped forward and boldly wagered her entire week’s worth of meal money—two hundred Amyr, already crumpled and wrinkled from her handling.
There was no choice; the black market was closed, and all her money had been spent on materials—she was broke.
But.
Looking at those who were completely oblivious to Mu En hiding his strength, continuously betting within a mere two minutes, Ariel couldn’t help but smirk.
With Mu En Campbell advancing to the second tier, even if he still couldn’t beat Ryan, dragging it out for about ten minutes would definitely be no problem.
At that time, the winner would surely be her.
“Hehe.”
Thinking of this, Ariel couldn’t help but rub her little hands excitedly:
“I’m here for the days when I can add chicken legs to every meal~”
……
“Both of you, choose your weapons.”
Since it was a duel, they naturally had to seek true strength, so before the battle began, Cade instructed the two to go to the weapon rack that had been prepared earlier to pick their preferred weapons.
Mu En naturally took the dual short knives he was already accustomed to, while Ryan picked up a huge broadsword that looked quite intimidating.
“Short knives?”
Cade looked at the weapon in Mu En’s hand with a hint of surprise:
“Weren’t you using a sword last semester?”
“Haha, the sword doesn’t suit me, so I switched.”
Mu En chuckled.
He couldn’t just say that he learned new moves from an assassin and completely forgot the sword techniques you taught him.
“Well, it’s your freedom to choose any weapon.”
Cade didn’t pay much attention, as Mu En had only been playing around with the sword last semester anyway.
Since it was all just for fun, why care?
“Let’s get ready to start.”
Cade reminded the two to warm up first, and he gradually stepped back, leaving space for them to display their skills.
“Okay.”
Mu En moved his body a bit and then looked over at Ryan, who was also testing the feel of the broadsword in his hands.
“Ryan,” Mu En suddenly spoke up.
“Mm?” Ryan cast a puzzled glance.
“Your muscles are really enviable, they must have taken a long time to develop.”
“…I’ve been training since I was little.”
“I see.”
Mu En nodded and then continued to ask:
“Actually, I didn’t mean to strike up a conversation, I was just a bit curious.”
“?”
“I remember someone saying that moderate exercise attracts the opposite s*x, while excessive exercise attracts the same s*x. I was thinking, with your muscles, Ryan, it can’t be that…”
Mu En leaned forward, smiling as he asked:
“Ryan, have you… never had a girl like you since you grew up?”
Crack.
It seemed like something had shattered.
Rein froze for a moment, then the veins on his forehead bulged, and his eyes instantly turned red.
Damn it, if you’re going to fight, then fight! Why poke at someone’s sore spot?
So what if no girl has ever liked me? I still have my beloved dumbbells for company!
Do you know the joy of lifting weights every day?
Just then.
“Begin.”
Teacher Cade issued the command to start the duel.
In an instant, Mu En dashed out like a hunting cheetah.
Shadow Step!
Mu En vanished from his original spot.
When he reappeared, he was already in front of Rein.
Dual blades swept out, like shadows following their master.
Rein’s eyes widened suddenly.
The brief delay in his brain caused by anger made him lose the initiative right from the start.
Thus, facing the dual blades slashing at him, he could only hastily raise his broadsword to block.
The enormous advantage of the broadsword’s size manifested at this moment; just by standing it up, it nearly sealed off all of Mu En’s attack routes.
However.
Not all.
Mu En’s gaze flickered slightly.
He suddenly changed tactics, stepping onto the wide broadsword.
Using the force, he jumped back while throwing one of his short knives, aimed directly at the opening that the broadsword couldn’t cover—his face.
Rein quickly tilted his head, narrowly dodging the flying knife.
But Mu En stomped hard on the ground and charged again.
A hint of panic showed on Rein’s face.
He knew that if he continued to be attacked by Mu En’s tempestuous onslaught, he would inevitably lose.
He had to push him back to regain his footing.
So, he focused his energy into his dantian.
The fighting spirit gradually began to condense.
Martial skill, Iron Mountain Shock!
With a sudden burst of fighting spirit, it can knock away all surrounding enemies, making it a useful technique for facing multiple attackers and engaging in close combat.
The only drawback is that fighting spirit needs to be gathered.
Thus, there is a brief wind-up.
And just at the moment before this wind-up was completed, Mu En charged over.
However, he did not swing his knife.
Instead, he extended the free hand, fingers curling.
Like the claws of a beast.
The next moment, thunder rumbled!
A massive shockwave hit, and Rein immediately felt his internal energy surge.
The fighting spirit that was about to be gathered was instantly dispersed.
This move did not cause much damage, but it threw Rein into a brief state of confusion.
“Truly worthy of being a technique that interrupts.”
Mu En whispered in admiration, casually walking up to Rein.
He swung his fist with force, striking Rein’s cheek.
The outcome was already decided.
A silence fell over the arena.
Everyone looked on in shock.
It wasn’t until Mu En gazed at him with a puzzled expression that Teacher Kaide snapped back to reality, looking at the stopwatch he had subconsciously paused, and announced loudly:
“Time taken: ten seconds. The winner is… Mu En Campbell!”
The arena remained silent.
Mu En, unfazed by the audience’s lack of enthusiasm, elegantly bowed towards the fallen Rein,
“Thank you for your guidance, classmate Rein. What I said earlier was all nonsense, so please don’t take it to heart. Even if no girls like you, I believe you are a very charming man.”
Mu En smiled, “Isn’t being passionate about exercise also a joyful life?”
Rein: “……”
Please don’t speak if you can’t say anything nice.
That hurt even more.
Mu En turned and walked back to his position.
“Wait.”
At that moment, Teacher Kaide called out to him, his eyes filled with an unprecedented intensity, as if he was meeting the golden-haired youth before him for the first time:
“Well… aren’t you going to say something? Your thoughts or something?”
“Thoughts?”
Mu En carefully reflected on the feelings from the previous battle and replied earnestly:
“It felt… this fight was easier than I imagined.”
“……”
Just as Ryan was about to struggle to sit up, he heard this and his vision went dark, collapsing back to the ground.
……
……
It wasn’t until Mu En left the stage that the atmosphere among the audience suddenly erupted.
“No way, Mu En Campbell actually won?”
“I’m not dreaming, right? Someone punch me, ugh—this isn’t a dream!”
“Ten seconds? Even a sixty-year-old grandpa isn’t as fast as him. Is Ryan okay?”
“After just one holiday, Mu En Campbell is this strong? He must be on something.”
“By the way, who actually won in the end?”
Someone said this, and all eyes turned to the Monkey Face.
Monkey Face swallowed hard, looking at the notes in his hand that recorded everyone’s bets, and said:
“Since the bet was on the end time, it doesn’t matter who lost or won, so naturally, the person whose bet was closest to ten seconds wins.”
Thus, the winner of this all-encompassing gamble was a certain bystander who, thinking it was impossible, placed a one-dollar bet on the absurd time of fifteen seconds.
With odds of one to five thousand, this terrifying payout became a legend in St. Maria for a long time.
……
After Mu En, it was the turn of the other students to duel.
Compared to Mu En’s fierce precision, the other students’ matches were much more ordinary and flashy.
The flashy moves flying everywhere, but lacking any real effectiveness, nearly made Mu En unable to resist shouting, “Stop! You guys can’t kill anyone like this!”
The only thing that left Mu En astonished was Ariel.
She defeated her opponent even faster, taking only seven seconds.
Moreover, she seemed to be holding back a surge of energy, landing lethal blows that even startled Teacher Cade beside her.
“Have I unknowingly become this strong?”
Mu En rested his chin on his hand, watching the fierce battles of his classmates, feeling a bit wistful.
When he first crossed over, he was so weak that he couldn’t do anything.
He could only endure the mockery of fate like a coward, powerless.
—
After more than a month of relentless struggle and study with the records in the dark book, he finally felt a genuine sense of progress at this moment.
He was no longer that useless young master.
He had grown stronger.
And he would become even stronger.
—
Potions and Dreams (Ten Thousand Words, Including Additions)
—
“I heard that you shone brightly in the martial arts class, surprising quite a few people.”
In the spacious ancient Potions Society classroom, Mu En looked up in astonishment at the senior sitting beside him at the desk:
“Word spreads that fast? Even you know about it?”
“Mu En, you’re a celebrity now; news about celebrities travels quickly. Plus, there’s this…”
Senior Anna handed him a newspaper.
“Hmm? What’s this?”
Mu En took the newspaper with confusion, his gaze casually scanning the page.
Then, he froze.
“Apology Statement?
The previous reports by the news agency regarding Mu En Campbell and his Ariel Bugal were all false information. We sincerely apologize to both individuals and will…”
The newspaper was filled with a lengthy apology.
It was all about the false information published regarding Mu En, Ariel, and others, stating that the news agency would deeply reflect and make serious corrections, concluding with a notice of the agency closing for a week for rectification.
From noble mtl dot com
“An apology… false reports…” Mu En frowned.
“Oh my, look at you, not even aware?”
“Aware of what? I’ve been so busy studying lately that I haven’t had time to pay attention to the college newspapers or anything.”
“No wonder! I thought it was strange that you, with such a good temper, didn’t go after that Ming Ge Te guy to settle the score after being slandered like this.”
Senior Anna handed him a few more newspapers.
Mu En took a look and was momentarily stunned, then his anger surged, blood pressure skyrocketing.
“Ex-girlfriend? Abortion? Juggling thirteen boats? What is this?”
“Your tabloid news! Don’t you find it strange? Why is your image so poor in the eyes of other students?” Senior Anna propped her chin on her hand, giggling.
“You look quite adorable with that dazed expression.”
“I thought…”
—
Mu En opened his mouth, but like a fish that had just come ashore, he couldn’t produce any sound.
In the end, he could only smile helplessly.
He was too focused on his own world, believing that as long as he worked hard, one day he would change others’ opinions of him.
However, he did not expect that compared to his own lack of ambition, the malice from the outside world was the more frightening thing.
“However…”
Mu En looked at the apology statement and rectification notice published on the newspaper in his hand, and couldn’t help but feel a warmth in his heart.
Only Celicia had the ability to accomplish such a thing in such a short time.
“I didn’t expect that in the end, I still have to accept her care.”
Mu En couldn’t help but scratch his head with a bitter smile: “Now I wouldn’t even know how to thank her.”
“It’s very impolite to think about other women while talking to your senior sister, you know.”
Anna suddenly extended her slender finger and playfully flicked Mu En’s forehead.
“Time is precious, let’s start our first lesson, Mu En.”
“At your command, Teacher Anna.”
Mu En immediately perked up.
No matter what, studying was the most important thing.
How to thank Celicia could wait for later.
“First, let’s do a little quiz.”
Anna sat on the desk, her waist curving perfectly, her long legs crossed, and the black stockings reflected a faint, shimmering glow under the sunlight streaming in through the window.
Anna opened the textbook and, really like a teacher in class, said seriously:
“Well, I need to know Mu En’s level first. But I think with Mu En’s impressive martial arts skills, you shouldn’t be lacking in this area, right?”
“Hehe…”
Mu En’s gaze wandered:
“Maybe… perhaps… I might be a little lacking.”
“A little lacking is fine. I still have a bit of confidence in my teaching ability.”
Anna smiled with pursed lips: “Come on, don’t be nervous, just answer a few questions for me.”
…
A few minutes later.
Even Anna couldn’t help but have a serious expression at this moment.
She put down the textbook and looked at the awkward-looking Mu En, her brows raised in disbelief.
“Junior, you wouldn’t be saying that you don’t know anything about the Fundamentals of Magic, would you?”
“Hu… nonsense!”
Mu En’s cheeks flushed slightly, but he still forced himself to straighten his back and stubbornly retorted:
“Who says I can’t do anything? I know the biography of the great archmage Meladomir, don’t I?”
“But that’s not on the exam.”
“…” Mu En averted his gaze, feeling guilty.
“Oh, so this is what it feels like to be deceived by a scumbag?”
Anna reached out her index finger to dab at the corner of her eye, putting on a pitiful expression that made her look even more endearing:
“I never thought I’d have a day where I’d be deceived by a scumbag, boohoo… What should I do? I’ll never get married now…”
“I’ll make it up to you! Senior Anna, I beg you, don’t…”
“Really?”
Senior Anna leaned in closer, tilting her head, and giggled like a little devil:
“What kind of compensation will you give me, junior?”
“I will… I will…”
The enchanting fragrance wafted into his nostrils, and at such a close distance, the beauty mark at the corner of Anna’s eye became even more captivating, making it hard to look away.
“A million?” Mu En asked tentatively.
“Oh? Do you think I’m that kind of woman who loves money?” Senior Anna feigned sadness.
“No, no, I just…”
“Actually, I really do like money.” Anna smirked again.
“…”
“Haha… Your expression is so amusing, junior.”
Anna laughed heartily, clearly enjoying herself.
“Senior Anna, you’re too much…” Mu En felt like crying without tears.
What level of fairy is this? He was completely at her mercy.
“Alright, enough of the jokes.”
Anna wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes, returning to her original desk with a more serious demeanor.
“Let’s officially start the class, Mu En.”
“Yes, Teacher Anna!”
Mu En puffed out his chest and raised his head in response, like a true honor student.
…
The sunlight scattered, and a gentle breeze brushed by.
In the afternoon, when time seemed to flow slowly, Mu En’s “Teacher Anna’s Little Classroom” officially began.
I must say, Senior Anna is indeed very skilled at teaching, just as she herself claimed.
The content progresses from simple to complex, layer by layer, sometimes using vivid metaphors, making even the dull textbooks quite lively and interesting. Even someone like Mu En, a complete novice in magic, could follow her rhythm and gradually delve into the wonders of this world known as magic.
Especially during her lessons, the occasional hint of charm she displayed really made it easy for one to inadvertently become deeply captivated.
……
……
“By the way, Mu En, would you like to come and experience it?”
After the afternoon class ended, as Mu En was preparing to pack up and leave, Senior Anna suddenly suggested.
“Experience what?” Mu En momentarily didn’t catch on.
“Of course, the activities of the Ancient Potion Society.”
Anna shot Mu En a playful glance, full of charm.
“Forgot? Didn’t I ask you before if you wanted to join the Ancient Potion Society? I thought you’d need to experience it to make a decision.”
“That’s true.”
Mu En blinked and smiled, “Then I’ll trouble you, Senior.”
“Not a trouble at all.”
Anna tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled:
“It would be even better if you could enjoy the content of our Ancient Potion Society.”
“I will try my best to like it.”
“Is that so? That’s good.”
Anna’s eyes curved slightly as she smiled gently.
Yet that smile, in a moment unnoticed by Mu En, held a hint of significance.
……
“The so-called Ancient Potion Society is a club that studies ancient texts to recreate potions that have been lost to time.”
Anna guided Mu En through the entire society’s classroom. The classroom was quite large; the area where Mu En had class was just a specially partitioned space, and as they walked further along the partition, Mu En could see a whole row of bookshelves.
The shelves were filled with books that looked quite old. Mu En randomly pulled one out and found that not only were the pages tattered and the text hard to discern, but much of the content was also incomplete.
“Are we going to recreate ancient potions just based on these books?”
Mu En was somewhat taken aback:
“Is it even possible to succeed?”
“The probability of success is very low, and often recreating an ancient potion takes a lot of time, with the results usually falling short of expectations.”
Anna reached out and gently stroked those ancient texts, as tenderly as if she were caressing a child.
“This is exactly why I am the only one left in the Ancient Potion Society. A great deal of effort, yet only returns that are completely disproportionate. This sense of loss from unreciprocated effort causes many people who have just joined the Ancient Potion Society to choose to leave soon after.”
“After all, if one really wants to learn about potions, there are legitimate potion clubs in the academy. Why choose this arduous and thankless path?”
“This is also why I want you, junior, to think carefully before deciding whether to join. I wouldn’t want a new junior to join and then leave after just a few days; that would make me very sad.”
At that moment, Senior Anna stood in the shadowy corner, her stunning profile appeared particularly lonely.
It made Mu En’s heart flutter involuntarily.
His hand subconsciously brushed over the idle instruments around him, which had clearly been unused for a long time and were piled in the corner, yet still remained dust-free.
She must really love this club.
“What can I do then?”
Mu En asked:
“I can’t make potions, and I don’t understand ancient scripts. It seems like I can’t help you at all, Senior.”
“Indeed, Junior Mu En is quite a useless junior,” Anna nodded seriously.
“…You really don’t have to say it so bluntly, it hurts, Senior!” Mu En said indignantly.
“Hehe… But even a useless junior like you can help me,” Anna said with a light laugh:
“The activities of this club are not just about reproducing ancient potions.”
“Huh? How can I help?” Mu En’s eyes brightened.
Having received so much care from Senior, he felt he had to show his earnest determination somehow.
As long as it’s something Senior says, whether it’s climbing a mountain of knives or walking through a sea of fire, I will…
“This.”
Suddenly, Anna placed a bottle of light red potion in front of Mu En.
“Drink it, Junior Mu En.”
“Huh? Drink it?”
The corners of Mu En’s smiling mouth instantly stiffened.
He looked down at the bottle, the color of which always reminded him of not-so-pleasant memories, and cautiously asked:
“If I may ask, what exactly is this potion for?”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t know?”
Mu En’s eyes widened, almost jumping up on the spot:
“You don’t know and still want me to drink it? Are you trying to murder your junior?”
“Because this is another activity of the club, testing potions.”
Anna tilted her head, lightly tapping the glass container holding the potion, causing the light red liquid inside to ripple as well.
Her tone remained gentle and calm, as if she had already anticipated Mu En’s reaction.
“After all, this potion is recreated from ancient texts, and due to missing records, the specific effects of the potion can be ambiguous. At this point, we need to determine the potion’s effects accurately through testing.”
“But isn’t that very dangerous?”
Mu En was shocked by Senior Anna’s selfless dedication to science: “What if I drink poison?”
“How could that be?”
Anna rolled her eyes and flicked Mu En on the forehead with her finger.
“Do you not trust your senior’s potion-making skills? Although the specific effects are unclear, I can at least analyze its effects roughly based on the potion’s ingredients and preparation methods. Testing is just to obtain precise data.”
“I see.”
Mu En scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed about his ignorance.
“So, what are the general effects of this potion…”
“This should be a transformation potion.”
“Transformation potion?”
“Yes, exactly. It temporarily turns the drinker into something else, like a kitten or a puppy, or even some kind of object. Of course, this change is merely superficial; the essence won’t change at all.”
Anna rested her chin on her hand, shaking the potion:
“In fact, I’ve already drunk this potion.”
“You drank it?”
“Yes, but after I drank it, there was absolutely no effect, so I speculated that this type of potion might have different effects on different people.”
“So that’s why you want me to try it?”
“Exactly.”
Anna gazed at Mu En with her deep, captivating eyes, smiling lightly:
“After all, I wouldn’t give my junior a harmful potion, would I?”
“Haha, sorry.”
“So, junior, are you willing to drink it?”
“Well…”
Mu En was still a bit hesitant.
Even though the senior had clearly stated that this potion would not be harmful, Mu En knew all too well about his bad luck.
If the real effect of the potion was to turn someone into a pig or something, wouldn’t all his efforts to maintain his image be in vain?
“Ah, speaking of which, I would really prefer if my junior turned into a cute little animal or something, because then I could hold my junior in my arms and give them a good squeeze,” the senior said, gesturing dramatically with her hands in front of her impressive chest, a hint of anticipation in her voice.
Turn into a little animal?
Held in her arms?
Rub?
“I’ll drink!”
Mu En slammed the table and declared with righteous fervor:
From noble mtl dot com
“A true man born between heaven and earth should not fear this trivial unknown! Senior sister has shown me kindness, so I must repay it with all my effort!”
So it’s not that I want to turn into a small animal to be held and rubbed by senior sister!
Not at all!
After saying that, Mu En grabbed the potion and tilted his head back, downing it in one go.
Once he finished, Mu En was about to bask in the astonished and admiring gaze of senior sister, only to find a hint of speechlessness in Anna’s eyes.
“Junior Mu En.”
“Yes?”
“The potion has dosage limits; you really didn’t need to drink it all at once.”
“…Can I throw it up?”
“No.”
Just then, Anna suddenly burst into laughter, shaking with mirth.
“Hehehe… Junior, you really are something! Who drinks that much potion in one go? And from your expression just now, were you hoping for a compliment?”
“I just feel like a fool.”
Mu En wanted to cry without tears, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to hide in: “So, what will happen if I drink too much?”
“Don’t worry, nothing will happen.”
Senior sister actually came over to pat Mu En’s head, her voice gentle: “It will just last a bit longer.”
“Oh, in that case, I’m relieved.”
Feeling the softness of senior sister’s palm, Mu En let out a sigh of relief.
As long as there are no adverse effects from drinking too much, that’s good.
“Then next…”
“Just wait.”
Anna smiled: “Let’s see what you will turn into.”
……
Five minutes……
Ten minutes……
Thirty minutes……
One hour……
Until the dinner bell rang from the cafeteria outside, Mu En remained unchanged.
“Um… Senior, this potion seems to be taking effect a bit slowly.”
“……”
For the first time, Anna struggled to maintain her indifferent expression, pulling out a worn ancient book to flip through.
After a moment, she rubbed her temples and said:
“Sorry, junior, it might be that there was a problem with my brewing method; the potion has failed.”
“What should we do next?”
“Well… let’s call it a day then. It’s dinner time; you should go eat.”
Senior Anna smiled again and stood up to see him off.
But Mu En always felt there was something hidden in her smile at that moment.
“I see.”
Yet Mu En could only obediently nod.
“Then goodbye, Senior.”
“Mm, goodbye, Mu En.”
Mu En left the classroom of the Ancient Potion Society.
Just as he was about to leave, he inadvertently turned back.
Senior Anna leaned against the window, gazing at the chaos outside.
Yet she seemed to belong to another world, her expression slightly cold, her figure solitary.
It was heart-wrenching.
……
……
During dinner, Mu En happened to run into Ariel, who was struggling in a corner with the free black bread from the cafeteria.
The black bread was both cold and hard; it was said that for the poor, it was not just food but also a weapon for self-defense. Every year in the lower district of Belrand, there were numerous cases of people being killed by black bread sticks.
Ariel’s battle with that bread felt more arduous than a life-and-death duel with an enemy two realms above her.
Mu En couldn’t bear to watch; he wanted to go over and invite her to eat, but seeing the inexplicable killing intent on her face, he thought better of it and backed down.
After sneaking upstairs to finish his meal, he hurriedly made his escape.
He felt that getting too close now might result in being struck down by a breadstick.
Life was precious.
……
……
“Time is peaceful and beautiful.”
On the way back to the dormitory, feeling the serene and lovely surroundings, Mu En couldn’t help but stretch lazily.
Now his college life seemed to be on the right track; not only had he resolved the issue with the Introduction to Basic Magic professor, but there were also no signs of Ariel suddenly rushing over to kill him.
—Although Ariel had recently been wearing a terrifying expression that startled him.
Even the rumors and prejudices would gradually dissipate with the restructuring of the news agency and his own efforts.
“According to the plot of the original book, the first major event at the academy should happen in a month.”
“The third-level grand magical barrier enveloping the academy will fail for some reason, and then enemies will invade.”
“So, does that mean I still have a month of peaceful time?”
Mu En stroked his chin, revealing a smile.
After experiencing so much before, just the thought of having a whole month of peace made him feel blissfully bubbly.
……
……
“Dea! N! President!”
In the bell tower, in the president’s office, Professor Plang slammed his hand on the desk, shouting at the comically reclining pink bear in the office chair:
“Why are you shutting down the third-level magical barrier?”
“Why?”
The pink bear extended a thick, hairy arm from its mouth, holding a cigar, with white smoke continuously wafting from its eyes and ears.
“Of course, it’s because it’s too expensive. I checked the academy’s expenditure records and found that just maintaining the third-level magical barrier accounts for one-fifth of the entire academy’s expenses. Don’t you think that’s too wasteful?” The pink bear’s voice remained lazy, like a disheartened middle-aged man.
“So you take the academy’s money to smoke high-end cigars and buy these illegal saintly photos?”
Professor Plang threw a magazine featuring exposed beauties onto the floor: “Aren’t you afraid the Life Church will find out and charge you with the crime of desecrating the saint?”
“Hey, hey, even though it’s called saintly photos, the people in them have nothing to do with the saint; they just look a bit like her. Don’t go making wild accusations.”
The pink bear carefully picked up the beauty magazine, shaking off the dust with a pained expression:
“This thing is hard to come by; it cost me quite a bit of money.”
“The problem is, you spent the academy’s money!”
“I’m the president now; the academy’s money is my money.”
“But I’m the one who has to submit the financial report at the end of the year!” Professor Plang shouted.
“……”
The pink bear fell silent for a moment, then suddenly placed its smoky hand on Professor Plang’s shoulder:
“You’ve worked hard; keep it up, I believe you can do it.”
“I don’t need you to give me motivational speeches!”
Professor Plang slammed his rough hand down, veins bulging on his forehead:
“Besides, this is all trivial. I’m here just to find out the real reason you shut down the Third Great Secret Instrument! The Third Great Secret Instrument is a crucial institution for protecting the students. You’ve turned it off—what about the students’ safety?”
“Don’t give me that nonsense about burning money. The maintenance costs of the Third Great Secret Instrument come entirely from the annual donations of those nobles; it has nothing to do with the higher-ups!”
“Sigh, don’t you understand yet, Professor Plang?” the Pink Bear said with a helpless sigh.
“Understand what?”
“Tsk, you’re usually so sharp, but now you’re acting foolish?”
The Pink Bear took a deep drag on his cigar, exhaling a satisfying smoke ring, and said:
“Have you ever thought about why they specifically sent me to be the acting dean?”
“Because—”
Professor Plang suddenly froze.
The anger coursing through him seemed to be doused with a bucket of cold water, extinguishing much of it.
Some things are easily overlooked, but once mentioned, they loom before you like a ghost story seen in the daylight, constantly flickering, impossible to shake off.
For instance.
Why would someone like the Pink Bear, who is completely unfit to be a dean, be sent to act as the college’s interim dean?
And why did the ever-devoted Dean Heatherway remain silent about this matter before leaving?
“Do you understand now?”
The Pink Bear took one last puff, then abruptly pressed the cigar into the ashtray, coldly stating:
“My arrival represents the attitude of the higher-ups.
—They can no longer tolerate the college’s gentle approach to education!”
“But… isn’t this educational approach good?” A hint of confusion appeared in Professor Plang’s eyes. “They are still children.”
“Professor Plang, have you forgotten? I was once a student at St. Maria.”
The Pink Bear suddenly reminisced with a hint of melancholy: “Back in my day at St. Maria, although dozens of students died each year, we were still called the Golden Generation. It was that generation that formed the foundation of the Empire today.
But since the establishment of the Third Great Secret Instrument, how long has it been since the college has seen a Golden Generation? Professor Plang, do you really think this is a matter of talent?
No, it’s because the comfortable life has corrupted those students!
Professor Plang, I don’t believe you haven’t noticed this!”
“But… isn’t this too fast?”
Professor Plang gritted his teeth and said, “We could start by changing the curriculum; there’s no need to be so direct…”
“Because there’s no time left.”
The Pink Bear sighed:
“Originally, the plan was as you said, to tighten the students’ training for a while, and only after a month to gradually activate the Third Great Secret Instrument. But due to some unforeseen circumstances, it had to be moved up.”
“Sudden situation?”
“Want to know?”
The Pink Bear chuckled, pulling out a black stone tablet and placing it in front of Professor Plank:
“First, swear an oath!”
“Silence oath?”
As he looked at the black stone tablet, Professor Plank’s expression gradually grew serious:
“Is it that serious?”
The Pink Bear shrugged, indicating that he couldn’t say anything.
“Alright, I hope your answer won’t disappoint me.”
After a brief silence, Professor Plank raised his hand and pressed his palm against the stone tablet.
In an instant, intricate patterns lit up on the tablet, and an invisible force descended from an unseen realm, transforming into golden characters that drilled into Professor Plank’s heart.
The oath was established.
It was the power of divine law; if anyone violated the oath inscribed on the black stone tablet, their heart would immediately burst and they would die.
Professor Plank withdrew his hand and coldly glared at the Pink Bear.
“Now it’s your turn to answer.”
“Okay, okay, no need to rush.”
The Pink Bear pulled out a cigar, skillfully clipped it, lit it, and took a deep puff.
As the smoke billowed from the eyes, ears, and even the top of his head, transforming him from the Pink Bear into an angry Pink Bear, he leisurely said:
“The matter is actually quite simple; the evil god is stirring up trouble again.”
“The evil god is always stirring up trouble.”
Professor Plank replied coldly: “Those cultists have never settled down.”
“So, I said it’s the evil god causing trouble, not the cultists.”
“Evil god? In person?”
This time, even Professor Plank couldn’t remain calm, as he realized the vast difference in meaning between these two seemingly similar terms.
“Which one?”
“Ah—this one.”
The Pink Bear pulled out a piece of white paper and a pen, scribbling and drawing until he created a sun that looked like a child’s doodle, but at the center of that sun was a pupil.
[King of Withering]
Professor Plank silently recited in his heart.
“And then.”
The pink bear once again pulled out a sheet of white paper, continuing to write and draw, sketching a crooked moon pattern.
【Silent Moon】
Professor Plang silently recited again.
“Finally.”
The pink bear held the paper with the sun drawing in one hand and moved closer to the paper with the moon drawing.
【The Withering King is gradually approaching the Silent Moon】
“Wait—”
Understanding the implications of the pink bear’s actions, Professor Plang fell into disbelief.
“Are you saying that He… is gradually approaching Him?”
“That’s right.”
“How is that possible? Don’t the evil gods mostly avoid each other until they die?”
“Who knows?”
The pink bear shrugged, then casually tossed the paper with the sun drawing aside and said:
“However, with this one’s temperament, such a proactive approach definitely isn’t about bringing flowers and fine wine for a visit; rather, it feels more like grabbing another’s little braid, rushing over to give Him a good beating.”
“Are you joking?”
Professor Plang couldn’t help but cover his face: “If these two were to fight…”
“Exactly.”
The pink bear interjected, “It would be a divine battle!”
From noble mtl dot com
“……”
“Hey, how do you feel now? Regretting knowing the truth?” Seeing Professor Plang’s exasperated expression, the pink bear said sarcastically:
“Isn’t it better to be an ignorant baby? Anyway, the thing I want to do most right now is to go back and slap my curious self from back then. You said it was bad to stay on the beach watching beautiful women, but you had to be curious. Well, look where that got you—caught up in this mess.”
“…I think I understand the above meaning now.” Professor Plang wiped his face and said, “But being in such a rush to shut down the third-level grand mechanism probably isn’t just about nurturing students before chaos arrives.”
“Oh? Finally getting smart.”
The pink bear sneered:
“Of course, it’s not that simple. The impact of a divine battle on this world is still unknown, but to quote someone, the fate of this world is like adding more dark cuisine to a pot of stew that was already a mess; no one knows what will come out of it in the end.
So those above, compared to the students of St. Maria, are certainly prioritizing the protection of that thing locked beneath St. Maria, reallocating the power of the third-level grand mechanism to reinforce the first and second levels, which is completely reasonable.”
“I understand.”
Professor Plang sighed deeply, as if he aged ten years in an instant: “Claiming it’s for the students, but in the end, it’s still for their own interests—oh no, wait, in their words, it should be for the greater good.”
“Good to know you understand.”
The pink bear patted Professor Plang’s shoulder, offering a schadenfreude comfort:
“Just think about it; it’s only the closure of the third-level grand mechanism. It doesn’t mean that someone is about to invade the academy. Why worry so much?”
……
……
In a secret place, dozens of massive bonfires blazed.
At the very center of the place, a pyre was built, ready to ignite, with a naked man bound atop it, struggling in agony.
Surrounding the enormous pyre, dozens of muscle-bound men clad only in thongs raised their torches, shouting fervently:
“Burn him! Burn him!”
“Burn this heretic!”
“Die, die, die!”
“Everyone—quiet!”
With a powerful voice, all the muscle-bound men fell silent, their heated gazes turning to the platform beneath the pyre, where the strongest of them stood.
The strongest muscle-bound man held a hefty book above his head, proclaiming loudly:
“Today, in the witness of the sacred texts, we shall judge this damned traitor, this loathsome fallen one, this despicable polluter of our doctrine!”
“I didn’t! I didn’t!”
The man bound to the pyre struggled and shouted, “High Priest, spare me! I have not betrayed the doctrine!”
“Nonsense!”
The High Priest coldly rebuked, then scanned the crowd, pointing at a muscle-bound man with a scarred face, asking:
“You, the newcomer, tell us, what is the first tenet of our faith?”
“Yes!”
The scarred muscle man stepped forward, shouting with vigor:
“The first tenet of the True Love Church: same-s*x is true love, and opposite-s*x is heresy!”
“Exactly!”
The High Priest exclaimed with satisfaction: “Same-s*x is true love, opposite-s*x is heresy, but—”
The High Priest turned to the naked man:
“Why have I received reports that you have had intimate contact with the opposite s*x in your home?”
“That was my cow! I was milking my cow! High Priest, spare me, I was just milking, I swear I did nothing else!”
“Absurd!”
The High Priest shouted angrily: “Just milking? Why not a bull? Do you discriminate against bulls? With such actions, can you still claim you have no guilty conscience? Who would believe you when you say you did nothing?”
“High Priest, I—”
The man tried to argue, but with a gesture from the High Priest, his mouth moved futilely, producing no sound at all.
The High Priest opened the sacred text and solemnly proclaimed:
“According to the guidance of the great scripture, the sinful traitor shall face the flames!”
“Burn him!”
“Burn him!”
The dozens of muscular men below raised their hands in unison, shouting fervently:
“He shall be burned!”
And so, the flames climbed upward, the naked man gradually consumed by fire, unable even to scream, the stench of charred flesh filling the air, while the crowd looked on in rapture, as if savoring the aroma of fine wine.
“Today, in addition to punishing the traitor, there is another matter I wish to announce to you all.”
The High Priest raised his hands high, gazing at the crowd with a solemn face and fervent eyes:
“Not long ago, the great God of Love bestowed upon us a divine revelation!”
“He said— the holy war has begun.”
The High Priest extended his hand, pointing toward a direction in the darkness.
“Right over there, in that filthy St. Mary’s Academy.
The vile heretic, the shameful blasphemer, he is right there.
Tonight, the barrier that has long obstructed us will vanish.
And we shall follow the guidance of the great God of Love, overcoming trials to reach that place.
Then—”
The High Priest’s voice was as cold as a hammer striking iron:
“Eliminate that detestable blasphemer.
—Muin Campbell!”
……
……
In the profound darkness, it seemed as if ethereal voices were whispering.
“Are you sure about bringing this bunch of lunatics together?”
“Heh, who among those who worship that corrupt deity has a sound mind? But precisely because of that, they are professionals at stirring the waters.”
“Well, I hope everything goes smoothly.”
……
……
The rain poured down in torrents.
The world seemed to be submerged in the deluge, yet high above in the heavens, a blue moon hung brightly.
Hiss——
Hiss——
A strange sound enveloped the ears, as if it could completely strip away one’s sanity.
The terrifying sensation of suffocation made it hard to breathe, a heavy shadow gradually pressing down.
A strong smell of blood irritates the nasal cavity.
At this moment.
It felt like the whispers of a demon echoed at the ears.
She said.
——“I want to devour your heart.”
Then, a sharp pain shot through the chest.
The enchanting shadow held a beating, fiery heart.
Under the moonlight, she smiled gently.
……
……
“Damn—”
Mu En woke up from the nightmare, drenched in sweat.
However, after a brief moment of disorientation, he realized something was off.
This was not an ordinary dream, because the sensations were too real, unlike anything that could happen in a dream.
In other words…
“Another damn precognitive dream?”
Mu En froze for a moment, then quickly pulled out the black book and flipped through it.
The black book showed no abnormalities, and his records from these days had nothing unusual.
The appearance of the precognitive dream was as always without warning.
But since it had appeared, it meant one thing…
Mu En slapped his thigh and shouted, “The damn author has started pushing the main plot!”
“Ah, wait, why am I having such strange thoughts?”
Mu En shook his head, throwing those inexplicable ideas out of his mind, then his gaze suddenly sharpened.
He hugged the black book tightly and shook it vigorously:
“Damn black book, you conjured up this nonsensical precognitive dream again, can’t you provide some more detailed content?”
“Last time it was a thousand cuts, this time it’s heart extraction? Are you going to make me go through all of the top ten tortures of the Qing Dynasty before you’re satisfied?”
The prophetic dreams are still terrifying.
Mu En can still vividly remember the heavy rain, the blue moon, the blood, and that enchanting shadow that pulled out his heart.
But—
It’s just like last time, not a single useful clue.
The sounds and shadows seem to have undergone some special distortion, completely devoid of any identifiable features.
The black book makes him have prophetic dreams, as if it’s not telling him what to do.
But warning him.
Fate is starting to persecute you again; hurry up and struggle.
“But if you want me to struggle, at least let me know how to struggle! What’s the point of throwing me a bizarre prophetic dream? It would be better not to do it at all so I can sleep peacefully!”
Mu En roars at the black book.
But, of course, it’s of no use.
The black book only showed slight signs of having its own consciousness during the last incident, but since then, no matter how Mu En calls out, it hasn’t responded at all.
“Forget it, I’m used to it.”
Other people’s sidekicks are charming and articulate, each one a talent, and when you’re lonely, they might even turn into beautiful girls to chat with you.
My sidekick, ha, is just a block of wood.
A block of wood is still better than nothing.
After being awakened by the prophetic dream, Mu En no longer felt sleepy and decided to wash his face in the bathroom, starting today’s study early.
“Strange, why do my shoulders feel so heavy after waking up?”
Mu En rubbed his shoulders as he walked into the bathroom.
He washed his face.
Lifting his head, he had just dried his face with a towel.
Then he froze.
Blinking.
Rubbing his eyes again.
Confirming that he wasn’t mistaken and wasn’t dreaming, Mu En stroked his chin, lost in thought.
“Who is that stunning beauty with wavy golden hair in the mirror?”
PS: Another day of feeling drained, please send some votes my way.
PPS: Good night.
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