High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2246: Chapter 467: Arriving at the Ball Venue

Sitting in the pumpkin carriage, Zheng Qing was still brooding over the unicorn’s unexpected attack.

Because of that sudden lick, he had no choice but to touch up his makeup in the carriage. Fortunately, this year’s pumpkin carriage was not the inferior product he had seen last year; its exterior was exquisite, and the interior lavishly decked with sofa, tea table, window sill curtains, and all amenities, making it no different from a small parlor in the mansion.

More importantly, sitting in the pumpkin carriage, Zheng Qing hardly felt any bumps and heard no noise.

If it weren’t for the occasional scenery flashing by outside the window, he would have thought he was still in Greenhill Mansion.

”Shouldn’t you wipe it before touching up?”

The young scholarship student felt the head maid, squatting in front of him, directly using the powder puff to touch up his makeup and couldn’t help but quietly remind her, ”I feel like that area on my face is still wet...”

He lifted his arm, trying to point at the spot the unicorn had licked.

”Don’t move!”

The head maid held the box of powder, carefully scrutinizing the flaws on Zheng Qing’s face. Seeing his gesture, she put on a serious expression: ”You should be grateful, unicorn saliva is a precious nourishing magic potion. You can directly use it as a base for touching up... If it were a Night Qi or Ji Yang (horse-like), or Tu Lou (sheep-like), your makeup would be completely ruined.”

Zheng Qing did not feel grateful at all.

”Your unicorn needs to learn some manners,” the boy muttered quietly.

”This has nothing to do with my unicorn.”

The head maid stopped her work, earnestly arguing, ”This was my error. I will report it to Miss later and accept punishment. I shouldn’t have let the unicorn pull the carriage for you... but their friendliness towards you was indeed beyond my expectation.”

”It’s not necessary, it’s not necessary.” The young scholarship student noticed the dissatisfied glances of other fox maids in the room. He stiffly attempted to stop the situation: ”It was also my recklessness, nothing to do with you.”

Su Man lowered her eyelids, a hint of a smile seemed to flash in her eyes.

”Do you know why you weren’t attacked by the unicorn?” After a long pause, she couldn’t suppress her curiosity and asked in a seemingly casual tone.

The fox maids in every corner of the room all perked their ears.

Zheng Qing certainly had his suspicions. Just like those demons were interested in his blood, beings like unicorns should find his aura familiar.

But naturally, he couldn’t tell the head maid about this.

”Could it be that the unicorn likes the makeup materials?” He made an effort to find a suitable excuse, ”Or maybe it’s just because I’m good-looking?”

Su Man tried very hard to make her eyeroll look a little more polite.

The distance between Greenhill Mansion and Alpha Fortress was not far. Originally, Zheng Qing had thought ill of taking a pumpkin carriage for such a short trip, but he still hadn’t reached the destination even after touching up his makeup and sitting bored for quite a while.

”Isn’t the ball taking place at Alpha Fortress?”

Cautiously, he lifted the curtain by the window to look outside. Under the night, it was pitch black everywhere, and distant spots of starlight flickered faintly, impossible to discern clearly.

”Of course not,” the head maid answered Zheng Qing’s unsurprising answer: ”There are differences between Under the Moon and Alpha. You can open the window and look outside without such caution...”

The warlock, who could no longer hold back, flung the window open.

A gust of cold wind whipped against his face.

Outside, it was empty. The pumpkin carriage had already left the blue stone slab roads of Beta Town and was headed toward the golden full moon on the horizon. The unicorn’s joyful neighs echoed on the wind, adding more mystery and splendor to the journey.

Yet somehow, Zheng Qing felt that the clouds drifting outside seemed awkwardly stiff.

”It’s all an illusion you’re seeing,”

The head maid timely explained with a smile: ”Even the First University doesn’t have the courage to hold a ball on the moon... The pumpkin carriage will be guided by the invitation into a certain Secret Realm of the school. Right now, we already are in the area covered by the Secret Realm’s aura.”

Zheng Qing clung to the windowsill, looking at the moon in the sky.

Indeed, compared to the genuinely cold moon, the golden outline overhead resembled nothing as much as the open eye of a giant beast.

The pumpkin carriage continued to climb.

At the moment it touched the ’pupil’, water-like ripples spread on the golden surface. Whoosh, a subtle sticky sensation flashed outside the window, the pumpkin carriage suddenly appeared before a grand building in Baroque style.

Overhead was a round moon, like a jade plate, spilling a ground of cold moonlight. Tall streetlights stood to the building’s left and right, along with two lantern towers resembling flowerbeds, jointly illuminating the entire courtyard.

The graceful sound of violins flowed in the night, interspersed with the cries of animals, the clip-clop of hooves, and the low moans of carriages. Guests, dressed in splendid outfits, wore high pointed hats, accompanied by their partners with reserved smiles, gracefully and politely ascending the steps of the building’s central hall.

The tall central hall had five porticos, with two adjoining pillars between each. The pillars were ornately and richly decorated, while the concave and convex walls inset with irregular rocks interacted with patches of orange light around, creating a strong light-and-shadow effect.

Above that, the second floor featured a row of tall French windows. The orange light shone outwards, seemingly inviting guests to the lively ball and sweet treats upstairs.

Greenhill Mansion’s pumpkin carriage stopped at the most central portico. The prominent spiraling Nine-Tail logo on the carriage caught many eyes. They whispered carefully among themselves, their gazes toward the pumpkin carriage filled with excitement.

Zheng Qing suddenly didn’t want to get out of the carriage.

”Ahem,” he cleared his throat and sheepishly asked, ”Can I wait here for Sister Su?”

Su Man gave him a stern look.

”No.”

She decisively refused the boy’s unreasonable request, firmly opening the pumpkin carriage door, while reminding him: ”Don’t forget your hat and cane! They’re right on the table!”

The brim of the pointed wizard hat was soft, adorned with the spiraling Nine-Tail logo of the Qingqiu Su Family. As Zheng Qing leaned on his cane and stepped out of the pumpkin carriage, the only thing he was grateful for was not heeding Councillor Su’s demand to wear a wig.

Because from what he could see, most of the warlocks in the courtyard were wearing wigs, their platinum strands curling and drooping from under the pointed brims like clumps of instant noodles that hadn’t fully soaked.

He couldn’t fathom where the beauty lay in those ’noodles’.

Once off the pumpkin carriage, Zheng Qing felt a gust of cold wind blowing past his back. Turning around, he saw Su Man about to close the car door.

”Aren’t you coming with me?” The boy asked in a voice full of terror.

”Certainly not.”

The head maid very patiently explained: ”Servants are not allowed to enter the main hall. Besides, your dance partner is Miss, not me. So, good luck!”

Bang!

She very decisively shut the carriage door.

Leaving the boy trembling outside the carriage.