Chapter 47
“Leave the drug matter to me. You focus on training your magic.” —Sister’s words. Lian Qi nodded and agreed at the time, right?
But—
How did it end up like this?
Why am I, right now, in the dead of night, accompanying Lian Qi on a stakeout in the small woods outside the training grounds?
The cold wind is whistling… It’s so cold…! The pale moon hanging high in the night sky is giving off an eerie light. I blew on my palms; all that came out was white mist.
“You really don’t have to accompany me,” Lian Qi said, glancing at me.
“How could I not…? How could I possibly leave you here all alone?”
I didn’t say the words “I’m worried about you” out loud. Even though she’s wearing a boy’s uniform, she’s still a girl, through and through. With me accompanying her, we can at least watch out for each other.
“If something really happens, having you here will just make me hesitate.”
“You really don’t need to worry about me,” I said with a weak smile.
“You absolutely must not tell your sister about tonight’s operation,” Lian Qi reminded me again. I thought about it; this is already the fourth time she’s repeated this to me.
“I promise, I promise. But, Sister told you to just focus on training your magic, and to leave the drug matter to her, right? And yet you…”
“I know. But since I asked your sister for this disciplinary committee armband, I should take some responsibility. Because I just feel that it’s absolutely not a coincidence that the drugs were scattered in these woods.”
“You really have a strong sense of responsibility, don’t you?” I said with a smile.
“That’s why, with this personality of mine, I’d be considered a busybody in my original world, too.”
“Eh?”
I remembered that time in the cafeteria, when that girl was being bullied by the son of the Royal Capital’s guard captain. Even though they were complete strangers, Lian Qi still rushed over to help. What I admire even more is that in her original world, which had no magic, Lian Qi would still stand up for people being bullied, even without magic power.
I couldn’t help but say to her, “It’s not being a busybody at all. Lian Qi, you… you actually have a strong sense of justice…!”
“Shh—! Don’t make a sound!”
Eh???
We hid behind the bushes. I peeked out— and actually saw a dark figure climb over the three-meter-high wall, carrying a suitcase.
At the same time, there was a sudden movement in the bushes opposite us. Lian Qi squeezed my hand, and we held our breath. There were about… one, two, three, four… seven people walking to meet the person in black carrying the suitcase.
No way—? Did we really just run into them making a deal?
I saw the two sides meet. The person in black opened the suitcase. Under the pale moonlight, the case, full of white drugs, glittered with an eerie light.
“Fei’er, you hide here and don’t move, no matter what. Don’t tell the Headmaster about this just yet.”
“Eh? Is it because you don’t want Sister Aijieliya to get angry that you didn’t listen to her?”
The moment I finished speaking, Lian Qi just swaggered right out. There are eight of them! And she told me not to move!?
In an instant, the gazes of all eight people fell on Lian Qi. Except for the man in black and the person in the lead, the other six all charged at Lian Qi.
Every one of them was wearing a school uniform.
“You’re courting death!” The first student snatched up an iron pipe he was carrying and swung it at Lian Qi. Lian Qi unleashed her crystal-red magic power and raised a hand to block. The iron pipe bent. She threw a punch, and the guy clutched his stomach, rolling on the ground.
“Stop him!”
Eh? That lead person’s voice… why does it sound familiar? I looked closely and was instantly shocked. Isn’t that Wood, the son of the Royal Capital’s guard captain? To think that the drugs circulating in the Magic Academy are passing through his hands!?
At the same time, the second student swung an enchanted iron pipe at Lian Qi. Lian Qi ducked her head. The iron pipe grazed the top of her ahoge. Her fist suddenly struck the opponent’s stomach, shattering his magic defense. The opponent fell to the ground and didn’t get up again.
She took out two people in just a few seconds. The remaining four students were stunned for a moment, exchanged glances, and decided to attack all at once. Lian Qi strode through them like a meteor, one punch for each. Four more people were on the ground, unable to get up.
Lian Qi is so strong… As expected of an Enchantment school mage. Her opponents’ attacks can’t penetrate the magic power encircling her body at all.
The man in black saw that the situation was bad, snapped the suitcase full of drugs shut, and prepared to climb the wall to escape. Lian Qi dashed forward in one step, dragged him off the wall, and slammed him onto the ground! It kicked up a shockwave that sent the fallen leaves on the ground flying.
Just as Lian Qi was about to snatch the suitcase from the man in black’s hands, Wood suddenly erupted with crystal-red magic power! Seeing this, Lian Qi temporarily abandoned the man in black. She and Wood both raised their fists and met their opponent head-on—
Bang!
The fists collided. After the red light from the two magic powers dissipated, Wood slid back nearly five meters, his shoes scouring two trails in the ground. I looked at Lian Qi; she stood in her original spot, fist still raised, not moving an inch.
“Tsk, you, sticking your nose in other people’s business again!” Wood said, annoyed.
At the same time, the man in black scrambled to his feet and ran for it—!
Lian Qi abruptly turned, about to give chase— Eh??? I saw a figure appear out of thin air behind Lian Qi and grab the collar of her neck!? Lian Qi swung a fist behind her— the figure instantly disappeared. I looked at the man in black; he had used this chance to climb the wall and escape.
What was that just now?
I immediately rushed out and ran to Lian Qi’s side. She looked at me, stunned— “What are you running out here for?”
“Be careful, he just used magic…!” I glanced at Wood. He’s five meters away; there’s no way he could have grabbed Lian Qi’s collar. It must have been some kind of magic!
“Why are you everywhere? You want to die, is that it?” Wood said viciously.
Lian Qi said coldly, “The drugs in this school… they’re all circulating through your hands, aren’t they!”
“This is what everyone in high society does. If you don’t do it, it just makes you look ‘low.’ I’m just providing a convenience for everyone.” Wood shrugged, acting completely unbothered. “How about you try some? I guarantee it’ll feel great, and you won’t get addicted.”
Lian Qi snorted disdainfully.
“It seems I was too gentle when I shoved your head into that plate last time.”
“What are you two doing, in the middle of the night?”
I followed the voice and saw a stooped figure limp out of the dark woods.
“It’s the school administrator, Feranchi,” I whispered to Lian Qi.
Did he hear the sounds of fighting while on his night patrol?
I saw him lift his oil lamp and shine it on the six students struggling on the ground. He must have immediately understood what was going on, right? But this really isn’t a simple brawl. I was just about to speak up and tell him about the drugs, but Lian Qi stopped me.
“Forget it. The evidence already climbed over the wall and escaped.”
”…” I wanted to say something, but stopped. It really is a pity.
“How dare you cause trouble in the school! You’re all getting solitary confinement!” Administrator Feranchi cursed.
“Oh, you can’t. You can’t put Lian Qi in solitary. The Headmaster has special training scheduled with her every night,” I said with a smile.
“Ah— This—” Administrator Feranchi was speechless. He turned to look at Wood— “None of you are getting away! The Headmaster couldn’t possibly have scheduled training with you, too, right?”
Wood shrugged. “I didn’t even make a move. If you’re going to confine anyone, confine them,” he said, pointing at the six students on the ground.
“If you have some private grudge, why not settle it in the Graduation Festival ranking tournament?” Administrator Feranchi said.
“That’s exactly what I intend to do.”
Lian Qi said coldly, her gaze clashing with Wood’s.
“I will defeat you in front of the entire school. And when that happens, not even your daddy will be able to save you.”
This… This is a declaration of war before the final battle, isn’t it? I thought.
After tonight, there are only two days left until the Graduation Festival ranking tournament.