High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 695: Chapter 43 Very Similar_1

At the end of autumn and the onset of winter, the air had already started to fill with a rich chill.

The insect beasts, which usually chirped in the grass and crevices of rocks, had already burrowed deeper into the more warm soil to hibernate. Outside the window, apart from the cold moonlight and sparse starlight, the only remaining sounds were the occasional rustling of fallen leaves and the wind’s cold wail.

Jiuyou Academy, the male dormitory, Room 403.

At a desk.

Doctor Xiao and Xin Fat Man sat across from each other on either side of it.

The doctor had opened a heavy notebook in front of him. Several shorthand quills of varying colours and thicknesses were dancing orderly on the paper, taking notes. Xiao Xiao himself crossed his hands, propped up his chin, and looked forward with a serious expression.

Opposite him, Xin Fat Man sat cross-legged on his bed, craning his neck over the narrow walkway between the desk and bed, arms folded over his chest, his eyebrows knit into a knot.

Between the two men, on the large red desk, two cats were lackadaisically sprawled, competing to see who could appear the most nonchalant. The lively elves flew around the two cats, cheering them on.

Of course, this was mostly the idea of Fatty Cat TuanTuan—as an adult wizard, Zheng Qing was not willing to admit that he would compete with a cat in such an idiotic game—he had more important things to consider.

At the moment, Zheng Qing had shrunk his body down to about thirty centimeters tall. At this height, the magic power consumption was minimal, and he had a lesser impact on the ’living’ beings of the room, not giving others any discomfort.

”I still suggest going to see a professor... The current situation is not something we can solve on our own.” Xiao Xiao’s hand flicked back and forth across the pages; his tone was hurried. ”Professor Li of potion-making is a good choice. He has a good temper and strong professional ability, and he will definitely give Brother Qing a satisfying answer.”

”Professor Li?” Xin Fat Man immediately opposed, ”Before we even discuss whether or not you’d be willing to walk into his office or whether he’s in his office now... Even if we just consider it from the school’s perspective, if a professor finds out a student has been privately consuming ’restricted potions’, it’s more than a few credits being deducted!”

Xiao Xiao slightly sighed, not responding any further.

Because what Fat Man said was reasonable—Professor Li’s office, with its harsh smell and poor conditions, had become something the majority of the students at the university tried their best to avoid; moreover, unauthorized use of ’restricted potions’ had already escalated beyond a mere violation of school rules and regulations, it was considered a violation of the Wizard’s Code.

”But we can’t just sit around like this.” Xiao Xiao removed his glasses, rubbing his face, his tone revealing a hint of exhaustion, ”A wizard cannot possibly freely switch between animal or human forms at will, maintain independent thought, and keep a stable magic power... Brother Qing has already achieved the last two conditions, meaning the complete independence of his ’will’ is now quite a debatable matter.”

”It’s simple.” The fat man flicked his double chin, and from the storage device in his wristwatch, he pulled out a small piece of dried fish, placing it at the edge of the desk, enticingly saying, ”Kitty...meow...eat...meow meow...”

He also glanced sideways at Xiao Xiao, looking somewhat smug, ”If Brother Qing eats my dried fish, it implies his ’cat nature’ has surpassed his ’human nature’, and his independent will has certainly been impacted. On the other hand...”

”On the other hand, you’ll end up being scratched by two cats.” Xiao Xiao’s mouth twitched, ”Who gave you the courage to tease cats in front of these two old masters? Even if Brother Qing has become a cat, he is a cat transformed from a wizard. There’s no way...”

”No way he can resist eating the dried fish.” A slightly raspy voice suddenly interrupted from the desk, startling the two men who were in the middle of bickering.

Before they could react, the black cat had already pounced, from a pile of cat pastry to a pile of black cat again, waving his white paw and bringing the dried fish in the fat man’s hand closer to his mouth.

Fatty Cat Tuatuan hesitated for a moment before pushing his body off the desk. He waddled over to the black cat, shook his ears, sneezed, and made a ’half for you, half for me’ face.

The black cat hesitated for a few seconds, lifted its paw, and with a deft wave, split the dried fish into two equal parts. It then pushed one half over to the spotted cat.

Tuatuan, content, began huffing and puffing, lowering its head and starting to chomp on its unearned treat.

Once the black cat had finished its piece of dried fish and had licked a few secretive sips of water from its cup, it turned towards Fat Man who was in a daze not far away with a look of annoyance and shouted, ”Dried fish... Do you still have that dried fish from just now? I’m a bit hungry after all that shape shifting.”

As if to prove its statement, a purring sound came from the black cat’s stomach.

”Purr.” Fat Man gulped loudly and stiffly turned his neck 30 degrees to look at Xiao Xiao. His voice sounded somewhat distant, ”Doctor... I’m not dreaming, am I? I must be! Since when can a cat, which can grow larger and smaller, also talk?! It must be a dream. It must be.”

Compared to Fat Man, Xiao Xiao was much calmer.

”Since it can grow larger and smaller, being able to talk is naturally nothing strange.” Doctor Xiao adjusted his glasses and his expression became more interested, ”... Hey, can you understand what we’re saying?”

”Nonsense! You two aren’t speaking bird, why wouldn’t I understand... Besides, don’t just say ’hey hey hey’ to me, call me ’Black Brother’ or ’Cat Brother’ understand? You’re all grown-up, yet you lack manners.” The black cat— or rather Zheng Qing— turned towards Fat Man and waved its paw impatiently, ”Dried fish! Get it out quickly! Or else I will get Tuatuan to scratch you all night!”

On the side, the spotted cat bent its back cooperatively, making threatening noises.

Fat Man decided quickly, hurriedly grabbing a big plate of dried fish from his wristwatch.

”Since you can talk, why didn’t you speak sooner?” Xiao Xiao continued to rat out. The quills on the notebook began to scribe more rapidly.

”I just realized I could talk.” Zheng Qing, biting on a piece of dried fish, seemed entirely relaxed. His ears perked in interest when he heard Doctor’s question. He answered vaguely, ”I originally thought I couldn’t speak, but suddenly, it occurred to me that a certain someone could talk, so I tried it... Turns out I really can speak.”

”A certain someone?” Xiao Xiao immediately noticed the vague words of Zheng Qing.

”Can’t say, can’t say.” The black cat shook its paw repeatedly, giving off a decisive look, ”Old Yao told me not to casually say it... Of course, if you guess it, it’s not my problem.”

”Oh, it’s that big black cat that is your shadow! It can actually talk...really miraculous.” Doctor Xiao understood immediately, realizing the implied meaning;