High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 1037: Chapter 99 Untitled

The banks of Lin Zhong Lake in February had already acquired hints of green.

It was just as described in Zhu Ziqing’s ’Spring’: the mountains had become fresh and damp, the water had risen, and the sun’s face had reddened.

The ice that had covered the lake had melted, and the red big birds and water buffaloes that had disappeared for most of the winter began to form groups again, appearing on both sides of the lake shore. At noon, when the young witches and wizards had just finished their classes and passed by the lake, they would casually toss down some breadcrumbs, oatmeal, or dried tofu to add a bit of nutrition to the thin guests in the lake.

Both the start of the school year and the arrival of spring brought a burgeoning vitality to the world.

Zheng Qing walked with Elena on this land brimming with life, filled with passion inside and out—this was also the main reason why his topics wandered off involuntarily while chatting.

Fortunately, the young trainee, financed by public expenses, realized his mistake in time and steered the conversation back to the witch.

”Don’t talk about me all the time, what about you?” Zheng Qing’s gaze swept over the few thick reference books Elena was holding in her arms and asked curiously, ”Still studying those ancient talismans? Need any help?... Just buy me two sugar figures that can juggle from Double Tang Note, cane sugar or malt sugar, I’m not fussy.”

Hearing the warlock offer his services, the Gypsy witch couldn’t help but laugh.

”It can’t get any cheaper,” Zheng Qing put on a distressed face, emphasizing, ”A wizard who has mastered all the basic runes is quite rare among the students at the First University.”

”Unique,” the witch corrected with a smile, ”as far as I know, among all the students, you are the only one who has mastered all the basic runes.”

This praise was sincere and unpretentious, making Zheng Qing’s heart bloom with joy.

The early spring sunlight filtered through the gaps between the tree branches, falling on the witch’s hair tips and shoulders, coating her fair skin with a lovely glaze. Paired with the smile she was showing at the moment, the young scholar could not help but be stunned.

Realizing Zheng Qing’s fixed stare, Elena seemed a bit embarrassed, turned her face slightly, and pretended to admire the red big birds in the lake stretching their necks for food.

The wine-red waves of long hair swirled lightly through the air as she turned her head, brushing past Zheng Qing’s cheek, tickling his very heart.

In this way, the atmosphere became silent amidst the tension, and without a sound, the two had already passed the lakeside, walked across the small square in front of the library, through the paths in the woods, and arrived at the fork in the back garden.

To the left was the male dormitory, to the right, the female dormitory.

Elena finally remembered to answer Zheng Qing’s earlier question.

”I haven’t been studying them for a while now, so I don’t need help at the moment... And lately, I’ve been helping a senior sister with personal affairs, so I might put these tasks on hold for some time,” she said, as she patted the reference books in her arms, subtly turning down the warlock’s offer, but still giving him a bit of sweetness, ”However, the sugar figures are not a problem... I just bought some from Double Tang Note a few days ago, and I’ll bring them to you in the Fu Lu Class this afternoon.”

Having said that, without waiting for Zheng Qing’s response, she waved her hand and left lightly.

Her long hair floated away, taking with it many of the warlock’s thoughts.

Leaving behind an empty shell, standing in place, stunned for a long while.

...

...

The Gypsy witch did not break her promise.

Before the Fu Lu Class began on Monday afternoon, she brought a small box of sugar figurines to Zheng Qing’s desk, inciting a commotion among the surrounding male and female wizards.

The sugary figurines she gifted were housed in an oak box with a glass lid.

The box was somewhat heavy, with a shiny varnish yet retaining the natural grain pattern of the wood; the side of the box was clearly branded with the ’Double Tang Note’ mark; through the upper glass cover, one could clearly see the sugar figurines inside.

True to Double Tang Note’s consistent style, the figurines were not neatly arranged on shelves but were instead part of an ingeniously constructed magical scene.

In Elena’s gift, the sugar figurines within the box were playing a soccer game.

A moss-covered field, goalposts crafted from toothpicks, and a football the size of a mung bean that appeared to be made from sesame candy, with a white surface that faintly glistened with a glossy sheen.

Inside the box, two teams made of maltose and cane sugar tirelessly traversed the green pitch, chasing after that tiny football; the Speaker Flowers embedded around the edge of the box were shouting hoarsely, cheering on the players on the field.

Zheng Qing remembered seeing this gift box in the window display of Double Tang Note, with a considerable price tag marked in gold beans. However, the gift box Elena gave him must be a simplified version, as there were no sugar figurine spectators sitting in the stands on either side of the pitch, nor were there any coaches waving arms below the green or substitute players sitting ready or cheering cheerleaders dancing.

Regardless, the gift delighted the young scholarship student immensely.

For the entire following week, whenever Zheng Qing had time in the dorm, he would excitedly pick up the oak gift box to watch the soccer match inside—although he only half-understood the rules of soccer, it did not stop him from determining which side was scoring the most goals.

According to his plan, the figurines to be eaten should always start with those from the losing team.

If a player from any team began to stumble around the field due to insufficient magic power and ran inefficiently, then for the safety of the other players and to preserve the integrity of the entire gift box, Zheng Qing would have to go against his wishes and exceptionally eat it first.

Because of these complex ’rules for eating sugar figurines’ he set, there were still seven or eight sugar figurines running back and forth on the mossy field by Saturday, not yet consumed.

That afternoon, after watching the soccer match for the Nth time, Zheng Qing sighed, reluctantly holding the oak box as he presented it to Xiao Xiao.

”Keep an eye on this for me,” he cautioned. ”There are still seven sugar figurines inside... They’ve been watched by Tuan Tuan for a long time now, be careful not to let Tuan Tuan successfully sneak attack them.”

The fat cat resting on Xin Fat Man’s shoulder let out an irritated meow, as if contemptuous of the young wizard’s stinginess.

”You startled me,” Xiao Xiao adjusted his glasses, took the gift box, and breathed out lightly, ”I thought you suddenly went crazy, giving me something you’ve treasured for so long.”

”It’s not a gift, just temporarily entrusting it to your care,” Zheng Qing emphasized.

Xiao Xiao nodded and casually asked, ”You’re going to Professor Montreya’s lab, right?... Remember to bring your notebook, and copy down some useful things for me.”

”And remember to ask Professor Montreya if he is looking for an intern with solid foundational skills!” Xin Fat Man eagerly added, looking at Zheng Qing, ”Brother Qing, I’m counting on you entirely!”

”Got it, got it!” Zheng Qing touched the grey cloth bag at his waist, waved at his roommates, pulled open the dorm door, and disappeared behind the grey corridor.