Ailuwei answered flatly.
“Take a look at you.”
Sailafei silently moved to the side, as if casually blocking her angle of reaching for the alarm button.
The blue-haired girl’s face turned even paler, her fingers already touching the back of the counter.
“I’m telling you! The Student Council can’t hide criminals!”
“Don’t rush.”
Wei’erna raised his hand, intending to use Divination to gauge the current fortune.
The result showed: good luck.
The next second, a large number of Snake Shadows emerged from the gaps in the floor.
Wei’erna: “…That’s called good luck?!”
Maybe “good luck” meant that at least they wouldn’t die here immediately today.
A brown mist spread from all sides of the hall.
A damp and rotting scent quickly spread. The previously noisy registration hall fell silent instantly, then erupted into panicked screams.
A lion stepped its front paw out of the mist.
Then scorpions crawled out from the base of the walls following the mist.
After that came centipedes, black goats, and wolves.
The blue-haired girl’s face turned deathly pale.
“It’s… it’s the Sage!”
From the mist emerged a woman wrapped in a brown Sage Cloak.
The inside of her cloak revealed a school uniform eaten by insects, and snakes, centipedes, and venomous scorpions constantly writhed in her sleeves.
And they seemed to be a part of her body, twisting gently with every breath she took.
Wei’erna looked seriously at the person in front of him.
‘The Beast Sage, huh…’
Liuna instinctively stepped back, hiding behind Ailuwei.
Her intuition told her this person came with ill intent.
The Beast Sage drew a sword wrapped in a corroding aura, its tip pointing directly at Liuna.
“Move aside.”
Ailuwei didn’t move.
“And if I don’t?”
In the next instant, the corrupted blade fell.
Ailuwei’s dragon tail swept, scales meeting the blade with a harsh metallic sound. The blow was blocked, but a shallow black mark remained on the tail’s scales.
Sailafei gasped.
“Tch… that sword is dangerous.”
The Beast Sage looked coldly at them.
“Why are the Student Council members shielding a wanted criminal?”
Ailuwei asked.
“What wanted criminal?”
“Someone wanted by the Inquisition.”
Sailafei frowned.
“At least explain things before you attack.”
“No need.”
The Beast Sage’s sleeves suddenly bulged, and two giant python heads emerged, lunging at Liuna with a foul wind.
Wei’erna finally rushed out.
“Wait!”
His figure moved as if he knew exactly where the snake’s strike would land, dodging twice in a row.
A ring-shaped weapon flew from his palm, drawing a silver arc as it cut between the pythons and the Beast Sage.
The Ring Blade swept horizontally. The Beast Sage saw the attack and blocked it with her Corrupted Longsword, pushing the blade away and stepping back three paces.
Wei’erna stood between her and Liuna, an expression of unusual seriousness on his face.
“Can we talk this out?”
“Wei’erna.”
The Beast Sage’s eyes were cold.
“You don’t want to be the next Sage?”
“I don’t want to fight you.”
“Then step aside.”
“I can’t do that…!”
The moment the words fell, the Beast Sage moved.
Her Corrupted Longsword left more than ten afterimages in an instant. Wei’erna used Precognition Magic to block the first few strikes, but her speed was too fast, and the attack trajectories were mixed with poison mist and beast shadows. His precognition became unstable due to his exhaustion.
The seventh thrust hit his shoulder.
Paralysis toxin spread instantly.
Wei’erna’s face paled, his movements clearly slowing.
“What…”
He stepped back half a pace, but another sword strike knocked him back, his back slamming heavily into the wall. He temporarily lost combat ability.
The Beast Sage looked back at Liuna.
Ailuwei drew her sword.
Ice-blue Mana climbed along the blade. She took a step forward, meeting the Beast Sage’s Corrupted Longsword. Ice blossoms exploded, and Mana vibrated like electric current, momentarily breaking the opponent’s momentum.
Sailafei raised her hand and tossed two fireballs.
Liuna also tried to draw her Magic Pistol, but she had expended too much earlier, and the barrel’s Mana circuits were cooling, unable to be used continuously.
“Why… why is this happening?!”
She gritted her teeth and retreated.
The Beast Sage raised her hand, and a brown Magic Array appeared on the ground.
A giant centipede emerged from the array, forcefully blocking Ailuwei’s Ice Sword.
A bead of cold sweat rolled down Ailuwei’s temple.
“Are humans these days… all this insane?”
Sailafei glanced at her situation out of the corner of her eye, then used Flare Magic to scatter the swarm of hornets rushing toward them. Ailuwei took the chance to swing her sword, cutting a cluster of the swarm into icy crystal shards.
But they were still a step too slow.
The Beast Sage landed and began to gather power.
Above the Registration Office, a massive brown vortex of Mana coalesced. Ants, cockroaches, snails, and more insects gathered from every direction.
“That’s enough.”
A strange voice sounded.
The next moment, the Beast Sage’s head was pressed down by a hand and slammed into the ground.
Boom!
Dust exploded.
Pure white hair gently billowed in the smoke.
A girl stood beside the Beast Sage, a Priest Staff in her right hand, but wearing a Sage Cloak. She merely raised her hand, and seven twisted spears burst from the ground, pinning the Beast Sage firmly in place.
Sailafei recognized her immediately.
The Judgment Sage.
“Trying to tear down the Registration Office?”
The Judgment Sage’s voice wasn’t loud, but it instantly silenced the entire chaotic space.
The Beast Sage lowered her head, not immediately retorting.
Sailafei muttered under her breath.
“We’ve roused another serious one…”
The Judgment Sage looked at Liuna.
“Speak up. Let me confirm whether the gods will condemn you.”
She produced a Spiral Dagger, spun it between her fingers, and threw it at Liuna.
Liuna didn’t even have time to dodge.
The dagger pierced her right arm.
“?!”
Ailuwei’s eyes turned cold, but she didn’t strike immediately.
The Spiral Dagger didn’t spread black light, nor did it emit the chime indicating guilt. It just silently stuck into Liuna’s arm.
Seeing the result, the Beast Sage fell silent.
The Judgment Sage said flatly.
“It looks like it’s a Mark deliberately placed by the Inquisition.”
Sailafei sighed in relief.
“Thank goodness.”
Liuna looked at the Beast Sage, her anger finally boiling over.
“What do you have to say for yourself now?”
Sailafei quickly pressed her forehead.
“Hey, don’t provoke a Sage at a time like this…”
Wei’erna, pale from the paralysis poison, still managed to speak with difficulty.
“Teacher…”
The Judgment Sage glanced at him.
“Look at you. How did you get so injured?”
“I…”
Liuna interrupted them, carefully raising her right arm.
“I don’t mean to interrupt, but how long is this thing going to stay in?”
The Judgment Sage raised her hand.
A massive wheel appeared behind her.
The wheel spun, emitting a clear chime. A soft white light spread, quickly suppressing the paralysis poison in Wei’erna’s body. The wounds on Ailuwei also began to heal, and even the bleeding from the dagger wound on Liuna’s right arm stopped.
The dagger flew back into the Judgment Sage’s hand.
“If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility.”
She looked at Wei’erna.
“Don’t do anything this stupid again.”
Wei’erna lowered his head.
“I understand.”
Just as this troublesome matter was about to end and everyone could finally rest, Liuna walked up to the Beast Sage, her eyes still burning with lingering anger.
“How are you going to account for today? An innocent person almost died at your hands.”
Sailafei’s mouth twitched.
“Why did this reckless girl step forward…”
The next second, the Beast Sage reached out and grabbed Liuna’s throat.
“You… are pushing your luck.”
Sailafei: “…”
Wei’erna: “Why again…”
Tiny centipedes poured from the Beast Sage’s sleeve, crawling through the gaps in Liuna’s skirt and clothes, biting into her waist and thighs. The venom spread quickly. Liuna’s body stiffened, her face turning from pale to an unnatural flush.
“That’s enough!”
The Judgment Sage stepped forward and cleanly struck the Beast Sage’s neck with her hand.
The Beast Sage fell unconscious on the spot.
The insect swarm receded as well.
Liuna leaned against the wall, barely standing.
“That bastard…”
Before she could finish her words, her knees gave way and she collapsed to the ground.
Ailuwei immediately checked on her.
“Are you all right?”
“A little… dizzy…”
Liuna’s voice grew weak. The toxin made her whole body numb, but her temperature kept rising.
Sailafei tried to treat her with Light Magic, but found it had little effect.
Ailuwei released Ice Magic to ease her symptoms.
Liuna regained a bit of clarity, but still gritted her teeth.
“What did she do to me?”
Sailafei looked at her in disbelief.
“What do you think? Why did you go provoke her?”
“I’ve always held grudges…”
“Now is not the time for that.”
Sailafei sighed.
“No one is going to hold a Sage accountable for a commoner, let alone a potential criminal. Even if you want revenge, don’t do it this quickly. At least wait until someone can’t grab you by the throat with one hand.”
Ailuwei gently tapped Liuna’s head.
“Reckless.”
Liuna wanted to argue.
But exhaustion, the toxin, the grief of losing a loved one, and the strain of continuous running all pressed down on her at once.
Her vision went black, and she collapsed.
Wei’erna looked at the unconscious Liuna, silent for a few seconds.
“Speaking of which…”
Sailafei asked.
“What does the President think?”
“Originally… weren’t we trying to get her enrolled?”
The Judgment Sage glanced at Liuna, then at Wei’erna.
“Throw this one into a dormitory.”
Wei’erna spread his hands helplessly.
“Yes, teacher.”
“Tell her to behave. None of that useless nonsense.”
“Understood.”
The Judgment Sage added another sentence.
“There’s no need to give this kind of noble special treatment. Send her to the Freshman Test. Let her train together with the others.”
Wei’erna paused while picking up Liuna.
“Huh…? Ah, yes.”
He looked at the red-haired girl sleeping in his arms, his feelings complicated.
This Count’s daughter had just lost her father, her maid had been taken by the Inquisition, she was wanted herself, and on her first day of enrollment, she had already offended the Beast Sage.
And now she still had to participate in the Freshman Test.
All Wei’erna could do was silently remark to himself.
‘Miss Liuna’s life, from tonight onward, is just not going to be human.’
Sailafei sighed.
“This kid… has no idea what real Academy hardship is.”
Ailuwei looked at Liuna, her tail swaying gently.
“Then she’ll experience it soon enough.”
—
Meanwhile, on the other side of the same city, at the Dream Travel Inn.
Qiu Meng’s family had already settled their luggage.
Shalin sorted through the spoils they had taken from the bandit camp, arranging them by category. Dante sat at the table, checking his weapons and bandages.
Qiu Meng was lying on the bed, flipping through the Academy introduction booklet she had borrowed from the innkeeper.
The cover bore a line of beautiful cursive script.
Vilindros Magic Academy — Freshman Exam Instructions.
She opened the first page, saw the dense list of test items, and couldn’t help muttering quietly.
“Hmm… you have to take an exam to get in…”
Shalin smiled and patted her head.
“Of course, Little Meng. You can’t just walk into a big city Academy.”
“But… I can’t even use magic.”
“That’s all right.”
“Really?”
Shalin thought for a moment.
“Anyway, you still have us.”
Dante added from the side.
“And if all else fails, you still have your luck.”
Qiu Meng was silent for a moment.
She felt that her father’s words didn’t comfort her at all.
Outside the window, Vilindros’s canals flowed quietly.
The Academy bell rang in the distance, sending the last lingering notes of dusk through the city. Two girls with different purposes were finally converging on the same school.