High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2295: Chapter 516: The Frog Princess on the Edge

Zheng Qing wasn’t sure if the Sprites had become more lively.

But he felt that he must be the loneliest guest in the entire bar—sitting in the middle of the noisy, boisterous crowd, yet on the edge of the excitement.

The witch in the wall mural danced feverishly in red shoes, candles hanging upside down from the ceiling flickered with notes of light, a Black Wizard was trading banned drugs in the corner, at the next table two Minotaurs were hugging and crying, someone was playing push nine, the clatter of bone tiles mixed with the rhythmic screams of the Siren, a Warlock turned his own head into a rabbit and was wandering around the tables with his belly exposed.

Just like what was said in books, there is no shared feeling in human sadness and joy, Zheng Qing only felt they were noisy.

When he came to his senses, he saw Elder Zhang Da with a purpled face holding onto Xin Fat Man, complaining bitterly, with a half-empty bottle of Sea Monster Langmu in his other hand, drawing the continuous attention of the Multi-arm Tribe Attendant behind the bar, fearing this drunk would smash the bottle on a passing guest’s head.

”... Letting a few rookie hunters execute the school’s mission with the Trident Sword!” Zhang Ji Xin slurred his speech, pounding his chest loudly: ”And letting me—the most seasoned and experienced hunter in the Atonement Hunting Team go home for the New Year? Is there a bigger joke than this? It could definitely make the annual list of the Hunting team’s ridiculous plans ...”

”I thought it was more like patriarchal society’s indifference to gender inequality,” a cold voice suddenly sounded behind the three Warlocks, startling them.

Zheng Qing quickly turned around and just happened to see Jiang Yu squinting her eyes.

The Absolution Hunting Team didn’t take her with them on their holiday mission this time either.

It was clear that the Witch was also very unhappy.

”It’s just an ordinary hunt, it’s not that serious,” the young cost student laughed dryly, trying to make the Witch understand his intentions, ”Doctor Xiao had divined it, and it’s more beneficial for you to go home!”

He unhesitatingly sold out his teammates.

Sitting not far away, indulging alone in the Siren’s song, Doctor Xiao sneezed heavily, suspiciously adjusting his glasses, looking around, wondering if someone was drawing small circles to curse him.

Jiang Yu snorted lightly, noncommittally, turned around, and headed towards her seat—on that side were Liu Fei Fei, Zhu Si, Linda, and several other Witches—she just happened to pass behind the boys while getting a drink.

Zheng Qing hesitated as he watched her back.

From his ear came the wailing voice of Zhang Ji Xin, slightly interrupting his moment of hesitation.

”Going home?”

The Warlock with the purplish-red face looked conflicted, as if covered in crawling insects, twisting on the bar stool: ”I want to hunt, to embrace challenges, to surpass myself... Instead of spending this prime time in my life stuck with a bunch of wrinkle-faced elders, guarding a memorial hall 24/7, nodding off from the choking fireworks smoke!”

At this, he grabbed Zheng Qing’s collar, eyes wide open: ”What do you think the point of me going home is? Huh? To endure four beatings a day from my four brothers, under the guise of affectionate tutelage, or to spend a whole day counting how many new holes ants have eaten into the columns this year?”

The Fat Wizard clicked his tongue in praise.

Zheng Qing nodded repeatedly, freeing his collar from the drunk’s grasp.

”So,” Xin Fat Man said thoughtfully to Zheng Qing, patting his shoulder: ”whether writing an article or speaking, the most important thing is empathy, to express the truest feelings from the depths of your heart... That’s when it has strong appeal... Hey, hey, where are you going? I haven’t finished talking yet!”

Behind came the half-drunken, half-alert mocking voice of Zhang Ji Xin: ”What’s the point, Mr. Zha isn’t called Mr. Zha because he drinks with smelly men... Spending a whole evening complaining couldn’t compare to others conveying everything in a single glance.”

If Zheng Qing heard this, he would definitely refuse to admit it.

He felt he was only leaving the bar because his glass was empty and needed a refill—as for following behind Jiang Yu, that was purely accidental, just happened to be on the way.

The bar is only so big, can’t two people happen to be on the way together?

”Good evening, ladies!” As Zheng Qing passed the witches’ table, he put on an exaggerated expression, trying to make his greeting sound more natural.

Zhu Si, with her arm around Linda Barnes, giggled with a tipsy laugh; Liu Fei Fei pursed her lips and smiled slightly, glancing at Jiang Yu.

From the angle Zheng Qing couldn’t see, Jiang Yu’s lips curled slightly.

”I heard from Nicholas that you are leaving for a hunting mission in a couple of days, best of luck!” Liu Fei Fei raised her glass towards the Warlock, and then as if just realizing her glass was empty: ”Wow...”

”I’ll get you some wine,” Jiang Yu calmly put the bottle of Amber Light she got earlier into Zhu Si’s arms, happily stood up, and walked towards the bar.

”Thank you!” Liu Fei Fei grinned and made a cheer-up gesture towards Zheng Qing.

”Tha... thank you!” The young cost student awkwardly raised his glass and left the table somewhat embarrassed, hearing the shameless laughter of the Witches behind him.

Not too far away, Jiang Yu slowed her pace, leaning slightly towards the edge of the crowd.

Zheng Qing hurried a few steps to fall in beside her.

”Your dress is beautiful today,” the Warlock clumsily complimented her.

”You look like you just crawled out of bed,” the Witch ruthlessly mocked his disheveled appearance.

”Everyone in the bar is casual, ha, haha.” Zheng Qing consoled himself.

The Witch stopped and turned to look at him: ”So, for a party you show up all spruced up, but for a bar you appear all sloppy and carefree? Do you think elegant parties are out of reach, while the entrance to a common bar only deserves a toad squatting there?”

Zheng Qing was left speechless.

To cut through to the core, nothing more nothing less.

After a while, he mumbled: ”Frog, there’s a frog at the entrance of the Wandering Bar, not a toad... Frogs aren’t toads... Frogs can be princes, or princesses too.”

He chuckled.

The anger on the Witch’s face dissipated instantly, transforming into a radiant smile.

”Since when did you become so glib?” she said, as they arrived at the edge of the bar, tapping on the counter: ”... Two hot Butter Beers, without sugar, please.”

Only then did she turn to Zheng Qing, quietly complaining: ”The Wandering Wizard picked up some weird recipe from somewhere, adding sugar to the Butter Beer, it’s heresy... In Atlas, they’d burn for that kind of thing!”

As she spoke, she stood very close to him, a few mischievous strands of hair gently fluttered with a slight breeze, sweeping across the Warlock’s cheek, making him feel ticklish.

”What is that?”

He forced himself to shift his attention, pointing to a string of pale gold round beads on the Witch’s wrist.