High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2264: Chapter 485: The Christmas Tragedy

”This has nothing to do with whether you care or not.”

Xiao Xiao finally put down the feather pen in his hand, interrupting the young public student. He looked up at him and said, ”The Moonlit Ball is a highly private event. You could understand it as a ball protected by some powerful magic. Those without an invitation can’t even find the entrance to the ball... let alone have it publicly reported. The wizard families attending the ball wouldn’t want this kind of social activity to become mere table talk among the general public.”

”So, I’m off the hook?” Zheng Qing murmured, suddenly feeling as if he’d crawled out of a swamp, cleansed and refreshed.

”Perhaps.”

The diviner of the Absolution Hunting Team shrugged, refocusing on the worksheet in front of him. ”As long as those wizards attending the Moonlit Ball don’t cause you trouble...”

Zheng Qing was filled with joy, paying no attention to these words.

To him, having those who might cause him trouble reduced from an entire school to a small cluster was already worth a grand celebration. He couldn’t ask for more.

Then he suddenly recalled ’smart people’ mentioned by Su Shijun, unable to help but mumble, ”... so there really are smart people... these smart people’s influence is truly vast!”

”What smart people?”

Xin Fat Man had been pondering Linda going to the Moonlit Ball, not hearing the conversation between his two companions. Returning to his senses at this moment, it was for another matter: ”By the way, Mr. Zha, what are you gifting your girlfriends this Christmas? And Doctor, what are you giving? Last night, I gave Senior Linda a copy of ’Silent Forest Magic Creature Encyclopedia,’ hoping it would help with her graduation practice...”

A slightly suppressed and horrified scream interrupted the fat wizard’s rambling.

Including the three companions, many classmates around them turned their eyes toward the screaming Student Zheng Qing, their gazes full of curiosity.

Xin Fat Man was the first to react.

He looked at the pale young public student, a subtle answer emerging in his mind: ”Zha... ahem, Brother Qing, did you forget to give a gift?”

Saying this, he turned to the front row of the classroom, glancing at Jiang Yu, who was sitting in the first row, and slightly lowered his voice: ”That was careless of you if I recall correctly, Student Jiang Yu’s Christmas gift was sent to you a week ago...”

The fat wizard was referring to the bronze book Jiang Yu gave Zheng Qing during the Winter Hunt. At that time, the witch mentioned in front of everyone that this bronze book was Zheng Qing’s Christmas gift.

The young public student looked at the bronze book spread out in front of him, his complexion turning even grayer.

Outside, the swirling snow was quietly stopping, and Zheng Qing felt his mood was like the snowy world outside, completely occupied by coldness and emptiness.

He certainly hadn’t forgotten the matter of Christmas gifts.

In fact, he had been racking his brain over it recently — simply put, this time’s Christmas gift couldn’t be clothes, couldn’t be law books, couldn’t be a Pandora Box or Pandora’s Magic Box, couldn’t be cosmetics, and couldn’t be a few gemstones to get through.

He couldn’t give clothes because before the Moonlit Ball, Su Daxu had just given him several closets full of haute couture, and he had no financial capability to reciprocate; as for Jiang Yu, having once accompanied Zheng Qing to buy clothes for Elena, there was no way Zheng Qing would make a stupid choice like that.

Other gifts were also ruled out for similar reasons.

After a lengthy and difficult selection, Zheng Qing finally ordered two ’Moonlight Boxes’ from the Hooke Brothers.

The Hooke Brothers were renowned alchemists in Beta Town. They ran a shop specializing in magic clocks and watches but also accepted some personalized orders.

The Moonlight Box was a name Zheng Qing came up with. They were two boxes akin to snow globes, filled with circulating moonlight under a transparent glass dome, featuring pavilions and moonlit ponds, though the details inside each box were slightly different.

Zheng Qing chose this gift because he truly didn’t know what gift would surprise the two witches. He could only strain every nerve to find something novel.

Currently, both boxes were still lying in the Hooke Brothers’ clock shop.

”It’s still Christmas Day, right?” The young public student seemed to be encouraging himself or perhaps talking to himself: ”Not too late, not too late... should still be in time, in time.”

Saying this, he couldn’t help but take out a pocket watch, gave a glance at the ticking hands, then looked up to see Jiang Yu seemingly explaining topics to Li Meng.

In his ear came Doctor Xiao’s cold, ghostly voice: ”According to wizarding world tradition, normally, Christmas gifts should be given on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning...”

”You don’t necessarily have to adhere to those rules.” The fat wizard rarely comforted Zheng Qing: ”After all, we are Jiuyou People, not those white-robed folks. We aren’t originally in the habit of giving or receiving gifts on Christmas, and even if we do, it’s mainly just to join the fun... Did you receive a Christmas gift?”

He turned to look at Zhang Ji Xin, who was eagerly observing on the side.

The red-faced male warlock was momentarily stunned, then pointed to himself: ”Me? I suppose I did; didn’t notice. Early this morning, my brother dragged me to help him out. No snowman or pumpkin carriage blocked my way...”

”Your brother didn’t give you a gift?”

”Him? He probably thinks playing a round of boxing with me is the best gift.”

If it were a usual day, upon hearing such a gift, Zheng Qing would have to tease him a few times, but at this moment, he was in no mood. The initial shock of forgetting to give gifts had been neutralized by time, calming down gradually. While repeatedly murmuring ’in time’ to himself, the young public student secretly rejoiced, realizing he wasn’t the only one who forgot gifts.

At the very least, Su Shijun hadn’t given him a Christmas gift.

Maybe she thought dancing with him yesterday was a Christmas gift? Or maybe the outfits for the Moonlit Ball? Zheng Qing pondered and comforted himself quietly — as long as he hadn’t officially received a Christmas gift from Su Daxu, his ’mistake’ was reduced by half, making the margin for remedy significantly broader.

Just then.

Fat Man Xin, having finished his chat, suddenly turned back, looking at the young public student, who was gradually calming down, with a mischievous smile on his face.

”Ah, I almost forgot.”

The fat wizard’s expression showed no remorse for ’almost forgetting,’ rather, it exhibited a gloating manner: ”...This morning, after you went out for morning practice with Doctor Xiao, a few paper cranes delivered a beautifully wrapped small box. There’s a Greenhill Mansion emblem on the package outside. I guess it’s a Christmas gift from Su Councilor... um, I shoved it under your pillow, no need to thank me!”

Zheng Qing’s thin neck could no longer support his heavy head.

Thud.

The young public student slammed his head onto the desk, trying to find a quick way to end it all.