High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 1547: Chapter 291 Jiang Yu’s Nightmare Doll

Even an elementary school student knows not to casually eat food given by a stranger.

Let alone a group of college students, especially when they are fully aware that the other party is a dangerous Black Wizard. Zheng Qing absolutely couldn’t fathom why the eerie figure behind the door, named Engla, still persisted in trying to sell them his mushroom soup.

Just as he couldn’t understand why this Engla, from beginning to end, would only expose his head outside the door and refused to step out.

But as a student of the First University and as a Wizard, he couldn’t hysterically reject the invitation of the old house’s owner. So the Warlock politely declined, ”Thank you, we’re neither hungry... nor thirsty.”

”Atar loved my mushroom soup,” that blurry face continued muttering in its strange voice, but it didn’t force the young Wizards to drink the mushroom soup. Instead, it focused on tending to the small flame under the cauldron, watching the bubbling broth, where thick, white slices of mushrooms floated and sank repeatedly.

While they spoke, the other members of the Absolution Hunting Team had also broken free from the Illusory World.

Xiao Xiao lit a small pile of Mystical Grain leaves. The smoke from burning this magical plant was also effective in breaking illusions, more potent than wearing it, though less lasting. But at the moment, potency was more critical to the young Hunters of Absolution than duration.

Xin Fat Man had already laid out a row of glass bottles and was preparing Magic Potions. Like Xiao Xiao, who doubled as a Diviner, Xin was the Pharmacist of the Absolution team. His light blue skin reflected the multi-colored magical liquids in the bottles, complementing the murmurs emanating from behind the door, making the atmosphere all the more eerie.

Zhang Ji Xin stood with his arms crossed beside Zheng Qing, vigilantly watching the two Female Demons—one large and one small—as well as the enigmatic attitude of the old house’s master. Occasionally, he clenched his fists, causing his knuckles to crack audibly.

Unlike the Warlocks performing their respective roles, Jiang Yu was gently comforting Zhu Si in a soft voice.

Perhaps because of her prolonged life in the World in the Mirror, Illusion Techniques affected the Little Witch more strongly than others. Zheng Qing had no idea what she had seen or experienced in the Illusory World, but her shivering figure after waking up was enough to confirm it was nothing good.

Jiang Yu had already used every curse and Magic Potion to dispel the illusion. It was certain that the Illusion Technique haunting Zhu Si had been expelled. Her current state was more indicative of mental trauma.

For first-year Wizards, soothing injured spirits was beyond their syllabus.

Aside from invoking the amulet she carried, Jiang Yu couldn’t think of anything else for the time being.

It was Nikita who, after observing for a moment, offered a valuable suggestion: ”Encountering a bad illusion in a Dreamland is no different from having a nightmare... You can try dealing with it the same way you would handle a nightmare.”

”A nightmare?” Zheng Qing was particularly sensitive to this term.

”A nightmare!” Jiang Yu’s expression shifted subtly. After hesitating for a few seconds, she took a small fabric doll from her pocket and placed it into Zhu Si’s hand.

It was a beautiful doll with golden curls and large round eyes, dressed in a fluffy black lace princess dress. The hemline of the dress was embroidered with tiny golden runes, each no larger than a grain of rice, constantly flowing and emitting a soft golden glow, even in the dark of night.

”What is this?” Zhu Si asked curiously, clutching the doll.

Her body no longer trembled as much, and she tried hard to keep her tone calm while speaking, making an effort to appear normal. Yet anyone who noticed her pale face and the fleeting look of fear in her eyes would know that the little girl was merely pretending to be strong.

This, in turn, made others worry about her even more.

Jiang Yu gently smoothed her hair and softly answered, ”This is a Nightmare Doll, one that I personally crafted. Before sleeping, if you hold it in your hand, it can swallow your nightmares and ensure you sleep peacefully until morning... Even when you’re not sleeping, hugging it can bring you joy.”

Though Zhu Si had spent much time in the World in the Mirror, her mental age was still only eight or nine years old—a prime age for loving dolls. So, faced with Jiang Yu’s gift, she had no resistance at all.

”It’s so beautiful,” the Little Witch exclaimed, holding the doll lovingly. She examined it closely and soon noticed a detail: ”...But why does it have a letter ’Z’ on its chest? Is that a rune?”

”It’s an abbreviation for ’阻,’ meaning ’to block’—as in blocking nightmares,” Jiang Yu answered calmly.

The Little Witch turned the doll over, revealing its back, and curiously asked again, ”...And why does it have a ’Q’ on its back?”

A rare hint of panic flickered across Jiang Yu’s face. She coughed lightly before slowly explaining, ”The ’Q’ is shorthand for ’queen,’ referring to the Nightmare Queen who, according to legend, crafted the very first Nightmare Dolls herself...”

”How amazing,” Zhu Si said admiringly and bowed respectfully to Jiang Yu. ”Thank you, sis...”

Xiao Xiao, expressionless, raised a middle finger at Zheng Qing, while Xin Fat Man grinned mischievously, winking at him.

Only the ever-clueless Zhang Ji Xin, as if discovering the New Continent, exclaimed excitedly, ”Hey, these two letters really match Brother Qing... ZQ, Zheng Qing!”

Zheng Qing felt his face might as well impersonate Zhang Ji Xin’s brother now.

Back during his early days at the university, he had been plagued by nightmares. Jiang Yu, who had accompanied him to Doctor Duzem’s lab, naturally knew about this.

However, after following Professor Li to study Transformation, Zheng Qing hadn’t been troubled by nightmares in a long time.

”We want to go to the mountaintop,” Zheng Qing said, finding more courage to face the eerie and blurry figure behind the door than to deal with the teasing gazes of his companions. ”...Elder Atar mentioned you know the way. Can you tell us how to get to the summit?”

The dark cauldron gurgled under the licking flames.

Wisps of pearl-colored mist rose with the bubbling sound, dispersing into the night air.

Thick, white slices of mushrooms floated and sank in the broth, resembling cunning little fish.

The master of the house, Black Wizard Engla, raised his hazy face, his pitch-black eyes fixing on the blood-red pupils of the Warlock. After a long moment, he softly muttered, ”...The mushroom soup is truly delicious. Atar loved it the most back then.”

”We don’t want mushroom soup.” Zheng Qing firmly rejected the old house master’s invitation once again. He was relieved to find his companions’ focus had shifted away from the doll and, in a more direct tone, demanded, ”We just want to climb the mountain... Elder Atar said you know the way.”