High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2193: Chapter 414: Intelligence

Linda Barnes held the law book and replenished her ’Mayfly Wings’ with a touch of magic power.

The translucent wings fluttered lightly, dispersing the snow around the witch, forming an elliptical ’bubble-like’ space.

Maintaining a flying curse in such snowy weather is a challenging task, but walking on snow in high heels is even more difficult. Weighing the lesser of two evils, Linda ultimately decided to choose the flying curse—in order to reduce the consumption of magic power and keep her flight stable, she had to fly close to the ground like flower sprites after a rain.

Unfortunately, the snowstorm was too strong for her to wear a pretty gauze dress like the flower sprites.

The witch sighed regretfully.

As a ’graduating class’ veteran student—even though she applied for graduation a year early by her own volition—she should have been tracking a unicorn herd deep in the Silent Forest to complete her graduation thesis. However, because of the Winter Hunting, she was forced to prematurely end the tracking work and accept the school’s summons to take up patrol duties on the outskirts of the hunting district.

Of course, this task could also earn her a few credits.

But compared to the activity of a large unicorn herd, the ’newsworthiness’ of the Winter Hunting held annually was much less than Linda had anticipated.

For the chance to track that unicorn herd, she had pestered Professor Emma relentlessly. If it weren’t for her excellent usual grades, she would have been smacked underground by the old lady to interview mice.

”Have you finished patrolling the outskirts of the D District?”

A deep voice came from the leading assistant, Victor, sounding a bit surprised: ”If I remember correctly, your patrol route should detour around Silent River Cape...”

Linda looked towards the direction of the voice.

Amidst the howling snowstorm, a few blurry figures suddenly appeared. Leading them was a tall and slender witch, whose enchanting aura was palpable even through a wide, heavy cloak.

Violet Jessop!

The keen instincts of a reporter brought this name and the related intelligence to Linda’s mind—the Alpha College of the First University graduate of ’99, an intermediate registered wizard, currently working as a teaching assistant at the First University, closely associated with Zhang Yu, Hilda, Gen Hoshino, and her patrol team leader Victor. She had participated in many important missions, including the Black Prison War, and was regarded as a core force among the assistant team.

”Yes, of course we’re done!”

Violet removed the wide hood, tossing back her long purple hair to reveal a pair of pale grey eyes. She extended her slender fingers and poked Victor’s blue vest beneath his cloak: ”What, are you not impressed with how fast my team patrols?”

The bear-like warlock showed a wry smile.

”No, no, that’s not what I meant.” He scratched his head, a bit clumsily explaining, ”What I meant was that in such weather, there might be some dangerous magical creatures, like a one-eyed giant awakened by the cold, emerging from the forest, so we should be more thorough in our patrols...”

”Tsk.”

The purple-haired witch quirked her mouth charmingly and inclined her head, using her chin to gesture in the direction of the school: ”With so many bigwigs at the school, why are you worried about this nonsense? If a one-eyed giant really entered the hunting district, those crazies at the Research Institute would be delighted!”

Before Victor could speak, a slightly weak voice came from behind him.

”What if the bigwigs aren’t around?” Linda floated forward a bit and cautiously reminded them.

Both teaching assistants turned their heads to look at her.

”Not around?” the purple-haired witch expressed interest.

”What does that mean?” Victor furrowed his brow.

”It means exactly that.”

Facing their gazes, Linda Barnes seemed to regain the feeling of presenting during editorial meetings, speaking quickly: ”As far as I know, several of the bigwigs at the school are not here these days... Vice Principal Ruoyu was invited to attend the Mage Alliance’s security summit in Danghag; Dean Yao of Jiuyou Academy went to the Black Prison World to further his magical experiments that have been ongoing for more than a semester; Dean Sun from Starry Sky went to the New World to assist the Tulip hunting team with an issue related to indigenous Divine Spirits; Principal Urban of Atlas went to Delhi for the 70th anniversary of the ’Delhi Religious Peace Proposal’... In short, everyone is very busy during this period.”

The detailed information was particularly convincing, and for a moment, the forest fell into an eerie silence, with only the relentless wind and snow weaving through Silent Forest’s trees, making a haunting wail.

”Who is this...”

The purple-haired witch found the voice under the hood somewhat familiar, and gave the other party a surprised glance—it was no simple matter to know the whereabouts of the school’s bigwigs.

”Linda Barnes, a third-year student at Alpha Academy, associate editor of the campus newspaper.”

The speaker introduced herself while two specks of light, like dust, burst from the wings of the mayfly behind her, happily landing in front of the purple-haired witch. She removed the hood, tidied her golden hair as it fell onto her shoulders, politely greeted, habitually hung the law book on her belt, and took out a notebook and feather pen:

”Very nice to meet you here... We’ve met before!”

”She was the former associate editor,” a short-haired male warlock behind her supplemented with a smile.

”Current!”

The witch turned back fiercely, glaring at the talkative warlock, emphasizing, ”I just submitted my graduation application but haven’t been approved, so my position as associate editor hasn’t been revoked yet!”

At the First University, the editor-in-chief of the school newspaper is appointed by a school professor. Under them are two associate editors; one is a professional hired from outside with a consultant-like role, and the other is selected from among the student journalists and editors. In a sense, excluding certain administrative and executive positions, Linda Barnes is already at the pinnacle of the school newspaper.

”Today’s young people are impressive, applying for early graduation just like that,” the purple-haired witch pretended not to notice the associate editor standing in front of her and turned to Victor with a couple of dry laughs: ”I also suddenly feel that a thorough patrol is very necessary...”

”You are still a young person too,” Linda complimented with squinting eyes, sidling a few steps forward.

Finally, Violet couldn’t ignore the journalist classmate getting closer to her.

”I won’t agree to any of your interviews!”

She stepped back in annoyance, instinctively touching her waist law book defensively, as if a gigantic, flaming peach blossom might bloom at her feet at any moment: ”...I’ve made it very clear already, Shallow Jin Ryoko has nothing to do with me! Since the Black Prison War, she hasn’t been seen... What use is it asking me? I’m also a victim!”