Chapter 23 (2/2): The Secret… Has Been Discovered?

Then, a long thigh thrust roughly between her legs. Alisia’s facial composure began to crumble bit by bit, her eyes growing more dazed, her body burning hotter, and the strength supporting her hands gradually gave way.

Qiu Meng turned her head stiffly and urgently, forcing an inappropriate expression, and shouted,

“Ca! De! Ra! If we’re still teammates, help me pull her off!!”

Cadera sighed, tilting her head with a troubled look, resting her cheek on one hand. “I’d like to~ but seeing how close you two are, I can’t bear to interrupt~ Ah~ so troubling~” Then she continued to snicker.

Qiu Meng was kissed again, this time deeper.

Alisia’s tongue gently parted her teeth, slowly sending the liquid surging with mana into her mouth. A slightly sweet taste spread from her mouth, then flowed down her throat, spreading an indescribable warmth through Qiu Meng’s chest.

She felt it. The mana entered her body, and something seemed to loosen quietly. A faint, subtle softness rose from deep within.

“…Enough.”

Qiu Meng clenched her teeth, her body trembling uncontrollably for a moment. Then she pushed back hard—

She shoved Alisia away, assessed the situation, and bolted toward the tent.

The tent flap fell shut. Qiu Meng had just grabbed the water canteen in the corner when the flap was lifted again. Alisia stumbled in, gasping, her eyes still glued to her with a sticky gaze.

Qiu Meng raised the canteen and unhesitatingly poured it over her head.

Cold water splashed down, soaking her silver-violet hair completely.

Alisia froze for a moment, then completely lost control.

With astonishing speed, she tackled Qiu Meng, grabbed her wrists, and buried her face into the side of her neck.

Qiu Meng felt a sharp sting—Alisia’s teeth bit into her neck.

“Alisia—!!!!”

Qiu Meng used her hands and feet, driving her knee hard into Alisia’s stomach.

Alisia’s body convulsed, and she collapsed weakly to the side, breathing heavily, unable to move.

Qiu Meng got up from the ground, drew her short sword, and pointed the blade at Cadera outside the tent, shouting,

“Cadera!!!! The antidote. Don’t make me say it a third time!”

Then Cadera threw something. Qiu Meng caught it and saw a red pill in her hand.

Qiu Meng crouched down, lifted Alisia’s head slightly, poured some water into her mouth, and sent the pill down.

Alisia slowly opened her eyes.

Her eyelashes fluttered. The thick mist in her purple pupils began to clear. Her body still trembled slightly, residual mana still flowing under her skin, bringing an unbearable tingling numbness.

“…!”

She gasped for breath, covering one side of her burning face with her hand.

She raised her eyes and looked blankly at Qiu Meng.

“What… did I do?”

Qiu Meng stepped back several paces, stopping only when she had enough distance.

Alisia looked at her in confusion and tried to approach.

But after a few steps, her body suddenly convulsed.

The memories came flooding back.

The memories of her pinning her, biting her, kissing her flashed through her mind like a lantern show.

Alisia’s face instantly burned to the roots of her ears. She covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide.

“Uh—!!!”

Qiu Meng walked to the lakeside, silently fixing her disheveled collar. Looking down at the water, she noticed the clear bite mark on her neck. She frowned slightly, then looked up at Alisia and glared at her.

Alisia instinctively showed a timid expression.

Qiu Meng paused, then slowly spoke, her voice tentative.

“…Alisia? Can you hear me?”

“…Yeah.”

“If you’ve calmed down, take a slow deep breath. Then tell me… what’s my name?”

Alisia whispered, “…Qiu Meng.”

The camp was silent for a moment.

Qiu Meng bent down, picked up the cloak scattered on the grass, brushed off the grass clippings and dirt, and walked slowly to Alisia. She draped the cloak back over her wet shoulders.

“…Thank goodness.”

She said quietly.

“Welcome back.”

The campfire flickered in the night breeze. Cadera wisely looked away and said nothing more. Alisia was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly.

“Mm… sorry.”

Qiu Meng didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she turned to look at Cadera.

The apothecary girl was sitting on a rock, holding a cup, still wearing a smile on her face.

Alisia also looked up, clear anger in her eyes.

Cadera asked with a grin,

“Was it good?”

Qiu Meng directly snatched her teacup.

“What is this stuff?”

“That cup? The tea that turned Alisia into that.”

Cadera’s tone was light.

“But the dosage was a bit too high for an ordinary swordsman~”

Qiu Meng’s pupils contracted.

She had already raised the cup to her lips and taken a sip.

It tasted refreshing, like minty cola.

And then—

Nothing happened.

No reaction at all.

Alisia and Cadera both looked at her.

Alisia frowned.

“Wait, you… why are you fine?”

Cadera’s eyes lit up.

“Qiu Meng is quite fascinating. No mana overload reaction at all. Could it be…”

She stepped closer, and the scent similar to a morgue drifted over again.

“You… have no mana at all?”

Qiu Meng’s body stiffened.

Cold sweat instantly soaked her back.

Alisia didn’t speak, just silently looked at her sleeve.

‘During the strength test… she didn’t show any sign of releasing mana. Under normal circumstances, if a person goes a whole day without using mana, drinking that tea would definitely cause overload… but she…’

Cadera leaned in, her smile gentle but dangerous.

“Want to come to the Medical Association? I’m very interested in your body…”

Qiu Meng stepped back, her hand pressing on the Noble Sword’s hilt.

“No way!”

Alisia finally spoke.

“Alright, let’s survive first before we talk about that.”

She looked at Cadera, her voice deepening.

“I have a lot of questions, but now’s not the time.”

Cadera spread her hands.

“Mm… indeed. Let’s rest first.”

As she spoke, she looked outside the camp.

In the mist, a faint red glow appeared at the barrier’s edge.

Pairs of eyes appeared outside the fence.

The wolves had arrived.

They didn’t charge in recklessly, just surrounded the barrier, crouching low, letting out suppressed growls.

Qiu Meng gripped her sword hilt and lowered her stance.

Beside her, Alisia also grabbed her greatsword.

But Cadera said calmly,

“At least they won’t get in tonight.”

Alisia asked,

“How long can the barrier hold?”

“Probably only until the first half of the night.”

Qiu Meng felt uneasy, but the fatigue of her body was pressing down on her.

Cadera said,

“I’ll keep watch… you two conserve your strength.”

Alisia hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

“Yeah.”

She headed toward the tent. As she passed Qiu Meng, she instinctively reached out to take her hand.

Qiu Meng glanced at her.

Alisia’s face immediately turned red again.

Qiu Meng pulled her hand back.

“Don’t… don’t hold hands for now…!”

The two entered the tent and crawled into their sleeping bags.

Qiu Meng closed her eyes but couldn’t fall asleep right away.

She knew her secret had been glimpsed by her teammates.

‘I’ll think about it tomorrow…’ she whispered in her mind.

Soon after, she finally fell asleep.

Alisia lay on the other side, staring at the tent ceiling.

The memory of her losing control made her feel so ashamed she wanted to bury herself in the ground. But because she had expended a lot of energy, she soon fell asleep as well.

Outside the tent.

Cadera leaned against the tent side. After confirming the two inside were completely quiet, a slight smile curled at the corner of her mouth.

She walked to a dark spot at the camp’s edge, leaned against a tree, and watched them. After catching her breath, she raised her wrist.

The crimson cross emblem glowed faintly.

In the lounge of the Inquisition far away, Seraphiel received the communication.

“I’m here.”

Cadera’s voice came from the other end of the bracelet.

“I’ve arrived at the Magic Academy Training Ground. There are traces of Forbidden Books here, as well as some remnants from the Dark Decade.”

Seraphiel’s expression immediately turned serious.

He turned to look at the other side of the room.

Luo Sha was sitting quietly there, a judgment magic book at hand.

Ever since she had been beaten up by Mili, she had trained hard for a long time. Now, the bandage on her right eye had been replaced with a convenient black eyepatch.

Seraphiel lightly patted her shoulder.

“Luo Sha.”

Luo Sha looked up.

“Yes.”

“Use everything you’ve learned… to bring Divine Punishment down on these heretics.”

Seraphiel stood up, picked up the Magic Shotgun, and checked the chamber and action with one hand.

Then, he picked up a Judgment Book used to release Silence Magic, confirmed the Sealing Runes were intact, and turned to walk out the door.

Luo Sha silently followed.

No questions, no hesitation.

But when she heard “Magic Academy Training Ground,” a very slight flicker passed through the depths of her eyes.

‘The Academy… will Miss be there?’

If Liuna had truly entered the Magic Academy, then perhaps this operation would become an opportunity for her to get close to Miss again.

Seraphiel pushed open the door.

Night spilled in from the end of the corridor.

“Let’s go.”

Then the two left the Inquisition and headed toward Cadera’s location.