High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 1977: Chapter 198: The Late Night Guest

”Should we go in and take a look?”

”Right under the nose of a Big Wizard?”

”But...”

”There’s no but. Our job is just to record where she goes after leaving the school, ’record’ not ’interfere’! Did you record her entering the Gini Cottage?”

Not far from Zhu Si, at the corner of a shop on Gu Diao Street No. 27, two wizards in black robes were having a heated argument in hushed tones.

They had similar builds, both wore wide hoods that obscured their faces, and their entire bodies were hidden in the shadow of the corner, indistinct, as if a gust of wind could blow them away.

Any wizard skilled in tracking and hunting would recognize that these two wizards were employing a high-level stealth magic, so even a Northern District Wizard passing by a few steps away, cautiously looking around with a bag of frogs, did not cast suspicious glances at this corner.

”I did record it,” said the first wizard, slightly weaker in stance after hearing his companion’s retort, but stubbornly repeating: ”But...”

”’But’ is none of our concern.”

His companion interrupted impatiently, ”Even if we consider it hypothetically, if the Rat Immortal is indeed inside the Gini Cottage, what would we do? Serve tea to the Legendary Boss? Use some common sense... We’re just two minor registered wizards, and we’re only tasked with completing a simple low-level task, there’s no need to trouble ourselves unnecessarily.”

The four words ’Legendary Boss’ were more persuasive than any excessive argument.

The shadow in this corner fell silent for a moment.

The faint sound of a feather pen scratching on parchment could be heard.

After a while, the first wizard spoke again, gently sighing: ”...Korma the Wise and Lecturer Zhu Si seem about the same age... I wonder what they’ll talk about.”

”Curiosity killed the cat,” the companion replied indifferently, ”When executing tasks, we need to use our brains, but we can’t use them too much... Moreover, according to the task description, they are actually far apart in age, it’s just that Lecturer Zhu Si’s situation is unique, so they look similar in temperament.”

...

...

Zhu Si wasn’t aware of the two little tails trailing her after she left the school.

Or perhaps she knew but didn’t care.

After all, she herself wasn’t entirely sure why she came to this small cottage. Wizards’ inspiration—which can also be called ’Moody’—is often the result of divination abilities passively coming into play.

Just like ’Before the golden wind moves, the cicada knows’, even before the autumn breeze rises, the cicadas sense the signs. Of course, these signs weren’t specific enough for her to foresee the origins of this ’Gini Magic Cottage’.

The witch stood before the white walls and black tiles, silently observing the quaint two-story building, her gaze resting on the small garden outside for a moment.

In the garden, several cherry blossom trees were thriving, despite it being late autumn, the magic caused the blossoms to bloom boldly, exuding an unstoppable presence in the night.

Yes, a presence.

Zhu Si found it difficult to describe the blossoming cherry trees in words.

Jingling!

The witch looked up, following the sound, to see the bronze bell hanging on the arch-shaped gate swaying slightly, producing a crisp sound without any wind.

Creek.

The door opened, and a tall witch peeked out, curiously sizing up the visitor outside the door. Ever since Cole became a Big Wizard, there were rarely unexpected visitors to Gini Cottage—especially one invited inside by the Great Sage.

Zhu Si slightly furrowed her brow.

She noticed the fluctuating magical power around the witch, not weak, yet it felt fleeting like water lily, and she also noticed strands of silver hair mixed in with the witch’s hair, emitting a dead color.

”Please come in.”

The hostess politely stepped aside.

Zhu Si hesitated for a few seconds, then smiled casually and stepped inside. This was the choice of an old-school wizard; rather than detailed and cautious planning, they trusted their own inspiration more.

Passing through the main entrance, they walked around a section of the white courtyard wall and finally stopped in front of a half-open wooden door on the first floor. The door didn’t have The Door God’s plaque hanging, nor were there any couplets flanking the door; it exuded an aura of frugality from top to bottom.

Zhu Si remembered the sign outside, the ground floor was named ’Sakura Pub’, she mused this should be the so-called tavern.

Dong Dong Dong.

The guide knocked politely—as Zhu Si thought, this was redundant, through the slightly open door she had already seen the bar bathed in bright light inside, and behind it sat a silver-haired, tall witch.

Tall?

Zhu Si raised her eyebrows slightly, her gaze falling on the surging magical power around the witch, prompting some speculation.

”Come in.”

A somewhat hoarse voice came from the bar, ”Katherine, go up and tell them that magic practice should be done with restraint... It’s already late today, let them all go back.”

”Yes, Great Sage.” The guiding witch politely bowed outside the door, then left her guest there, turning to leave without hesitation.

The North District, Great Sage, a familiar yet unfamiliar name immediately surfaced in Zhu Si’s mind. Familiar because since returning to school, she had heard several stories about this Big Wizard with ’legendary’ experiences; unfamiliar because she hadn’t had any dealings with this Big Wizard yet.

Creek.

The guest pushed the door open themselves, stepping out of the night, brightening the scene considerably. Several thick magic candles dangled under the wooden beam, their molten wax clinging to the wicks, trembling, drawn into the burning flames, spreading light throughout the room.

Inside the pub, besides the silver-haired witch, there was no one else.

”In the past, the Sakura Pub could only afford fireflies.”

Noticing the guest’s gaze, the witch at the bar tilted her head, propping her chin, lazily explained, ”And even saying ’afford’ was generous... because back then those fireflies survived by drinking morning and evening dew, plus a bit of the cheap wine spilled by the customers... so it was always dim here... Now that we’re wealthy, we can light magic candles, several at a time. Not for any other reason than it makes the place brighter and feels good.”

Her words were amusing, and Zhu Si found them interesting.

However, the guest still didn’t speak, continuing to look around the room’s layout, examining the North District Great Wise Person who was both far and close, Korma.