High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 1109: Chapter 171: Probing Each Other

”Thud! Thud! Thud!”

Several heavy knocks sounded from outside the study.

”Young Master,” the hoarse voice of the old servant rose from beyond the door: ”Do you need coffee or tea? I thought I heard some noise from your room.”

Doctor Duzem gestured to the two guests with his eyes.

Fei Rui quickly waved his little paws, and the Rat Immortal also shook his head slightly.

”Don’t disturb me, Constantin!” Doctor Duzem rejected the old servant’s offer with a rough voice: ”I’m pondering an issue!”

While he spoke, his fingers moved slightly, and he picked the velvet rug from the floor and draped it over the dressing mirror. The dressing mirror, which seemed intent on letting out a few more cries, fell silent instantly once covered by the velvet rug.

”Very well, Young Master.” Constantin’s voice paused for a few seconds before responding slowly: ”Rest early, your work can wait until tomorrow to be resolved...”

The heavy footsteps of the old servant scraped against the floor as he slowly departed.

Within the study, the two mice who had been standing in the shadow behind the door reentered the area illuminated by light.

”This room is much cleaner than I had expected.”

After seeing off the old servant, Fei Rui finally straightened up and commented as such. His previous behavior was nothing more than a precaution to scout the area for safety.

After all, the master of this small courtyard had been ostracized by First University, and no one knew how many eyes the school or the Mage Alliance had planted here.

”Regardless, this is ultimately ’my study’.”

Doctor Duzem finally set aside the manuscript in his hands and silently appraised the two uninvited guests.

”I’ve heard about you both.” Doctor Duzem’s voice, so different from its typical cheerful and bright tone, now sounded much deeper and huskier: ”The Rat Immortal who created the half-finished Mouse Clan, and one who got personally caught and banned by the headmaster... When I was in charge of the lab, I once reported to the school, wishing to ’use’ your ’bodies’ to ’help out’ with some high-level projects. But those short-sighted fools rejected my proposal.”

”If they knew you visited my courtyard today, their faces would surely be a sight to behold.”

Fei Rui paid no attention to Doctor Duzem’s muttered self-talk, still intently observing the flesh-devouring beetles.

The Rat Immortal spread his hands, showing a kind smile: ”Destiny, that bitch, is quite interesting, isn’t she?”

”So tell me, why seek out me, a has-been with no future?” Doctor Duzem looked at the Rat Immortal: ”If I remember correctly, the school has just warned you to behave... Are you truly set on burning bridges with the school by coming here today?”

The Rat Immortal avoided the doctor’s latter question, instead focusing on the doctor’s self-deprecating remark.

”A waste?” The plump old mouse repeated the word with a tone of slight surprise, then raised a toe and wagged it: ”No, no, no... you are fundamentally different from that word.”

As he spoke, his gaze fell upon the calligraphy on the doctor’s wall.

”Different fireworks, the same brilliance... This message must be from the headmaster to you,” said the Rat Immortal in a reminiscent tone. ”If the headmaster knew what has become of the school’s once brightest firework, he would surely be heartbroken.”

Doctor Du Zemu grunted and stopped paying attention to the Rat Immortal, instead turning his gaze to Fei Rui, his tone revealing a hint of interest:

”As far as I’m aware, when the headmaster left the school, he took you with him. Now that you’ve returned, does that mean our dearly old headmaster has also come back?”

Fei Rui’s gaze finally shifted away from the glass case.

”If I tell you whether he’s back or not, will you give me that box of original breed beetles? They look quite tasty...”

But before the doctor could answer, Fei Rui let out a shrill laugh, preemptively denying himself: ”But even if you gave them to me, I wouldn’t tell you the truth... The Old Mouse is very clever; he never asks me about that old guy.”

Doctor Du Zemu’s face visibly darkened.

The Rat Immortal lifted his arm and patted the black hardwood armrest beneath him, trying to lighten the mood of the conversation.

”You don’t look like a wizard who’s been confined,” he said to Doctor Du Zemu with a touch of jest. ”At the very least, you’re far better informed than most wizards on this island... Not many folks know about the school’s deal with me, let alone what happened just a few days ago.”

Displeasure faded from the doctor’s face, replaced by a self-restrained pride—perhaps he was the only registered wizard to receive such a compliment from a personage of the Rat Immortal’s stature.

”The school only asked me to keep a low profile; they didn’t throw me into the Black Prison,” Doctor Du Zemu’s gaze swept across a corner of his desk and paused on a document before he added softly: ”The old lady of the Jiang Family is quite kind too; she often invites me over for chats.”

A look of sudden understanding appeared on the Rat Immortal’s wrinkled, chubby face, though due to the many folds, it was quite obscure.

”The old lady of the Jiang Family is indeed an interesting person,” he remarked with a slight note of amusement. ”I heard she allowed a child from the main branch of the Jiang Family into Jiuyou Academy... a child with considerable talent.”

”They’re just hedging their bets; it’s nothing unusual,” Fei Rui dismissed the Rat Immortal’s comments nonchalantly: ”The Jiuyou Academy is teeming with such ’double-dealing’ individuals. As a member of the Mouse Clan, I’m ashamed of it.”

Before Doctor Du Zemu could understand why Fei Rui felt ashamed, while still pondering the deeper meaning behind his words, the heavy wooden carriage beneath the Rat Immortal finally floated up to the desk and landed in front of him.

”Thump,”

The carriage collided with the books, emitting a faint and dull sound. It was because the Rat Immortal had placed the carriage on top of the highest stack of books on the desk.

”Alright,” the Rat Immortal finally could look Doctor Du Zemu in the eyes, his voice becoming more serious: ”Let’s cut the small talk. Since you aren’t surprised by our appearance... you must know why we’re here.”

His statement was actually a probe—a test of how much the master of this room knew about their affairs and also a test of his attitude.

The decree pattern at the corner of Doctor Du Zemu’s mouth spread, revealing a deep crevice.

”I’m not surprised, simply because I discovered a mark on student Zheng Qing,” he replied smoothly, without any of the obtuseness or naivety common among full-time alchemists: ”As for why you’re here, how could I know if you don’t tell me?”