Inside the Student Council room, Wei’erna stared at the layers of reports, patrol logs, and incident summaries piled on the desk. He fell into a long silence, let out a helpless sigh, and slowly shifted his gaze to the sofa.
On the sofa, the red-haired girl was still asleep.
She wasn’t sleeping very well.
Liuna’s brows were slightly furrowed, her eyelashes occasionally trembling.
Wei’erna looked at the girl, then at the pile of documents on the desk.
“So…”
He tapped the desk lightly with his finger.
“Xiao Ai, where exactly did you bring this young lady back from?”
Ailuwei, standing by the window, tilted her head, her ice-blue hair sliding off her shoulder. Her dragon tail gave a gentle sway behind her as she spoke.
“From the forest near the school.”
“The forest?”
“Mm. I saw someone setting off fireworks, so I went to check.”
Wei’erna pressed his forehead.
“And you brought a person back?”
“It seems so.”
“It seems so… huh…”
Wei’erna repeated, the corner of his eye twitching slightly.
He looked at the girl on the sofa, another name surfacing in his mind.
Tate Cape.
The Border Count.
That Count had had quite a bit of contact with the Academy, not exactly close, but not a complete stranger either.
In particular, Wei’erna’s instructors occasionally mentioned the Count, saying he was stubborn but would never do anything to betray the country.
And yet this red-haired girl, sleeping so soundly, had been targeted by the Inquisition. It was just too strange.
Wei’erna sighed, walked over, and gently shook Liuna’s shoulder.
“Miss Liuna? Wake up.”
The girl didn’t respond.
Wei’erna was silent for a moment, then reached out and poked her cheek.
This finally worked.
Liuna’s eyelashes fluttered, and a small whimper escaped her throat.
“Mmm…”
She slowly opened her eyes, her gaze first blank, then gradually focusing. When she saw the unfamiliar ceiling, the unfamiliar room, and the unfamiliar but gentle young man in front of her, she froze, then sat up abruptly.
“Ah…!”
Ailuwei stood nearby and said calmly, “She’s awake.”
Wei’erna sighed in relief.
“Finally awake. How do you feel?”
Liuna instinctively touched her chest and arms.
After a few seconds, she realized that her wounds had already been treated. Though her body was tired, she no longer felt the oppressive tightness in her chest caused by the blocked Mana.
“I… I’m fine.”
She looked up at the young man in front of her, and her face flushed a little.
“Thank you for treating me…”
Ailuwei squinted slightly.
“Are you sure you’re not sick? Why is your face so red?”
“I… I don’t think so?”
As Liuna finished speaking, she suddenly realized where she was.
Outside the window, she could see the spires of the Academy buildings, white stone walls and blue roofs, and in the distance, the faint sounds of students moving about and a bell echoing.
‘Luo Sha!’
The moment that name flashed through her mind, Liuna’s expression changed.
Wei’erna noticed her eyes and softened his tone.
“So, can you explain? Why were you in the forest near the Academy?”
He paused.
“Miss Liuna, the daughter of Tate.”
“I…”
Liuna opened her mouth.
But before a sound came out, tears fell first.
She thought she had already cried enough.
Wei’erna was a little surprised, quickly took out a handkerchief and handed it over.
“Why are you crying? Take your time, speak slowly.”
Liuna took the handkerchief and wiped her eyes roughly, but the tears wouldn’t stop. She lowered her head, her voice halting.
“My maid and I… we were pursued.”
The Student Council room fell silent.
Sailafei, who was leaning by the door, also looked up, her expression turning serious.
“Pursued?”
“Mm…”
Liuna took a deep breath, trying to control her emotions.
“Everything was fine in the Border Town. The night before the Hunting Season started, I was still in the Hunting Lodge preparing arrows. But that night, the town was suddenly attacked.”
Her fingers unconsciously tightened on the handkerchief.
“The fort was blown up, the mine was destroyed, and soon the Residential Area was set on fire… even the Hunting Lodge was torn down by those people. Then, when we found my father… he was dead by the fountain.”
“Tate is dead?!”
Wei’erna’s expression finally sank completely.
Liuna nodded.
“I saw it with my own eyes.”
Liuna continued.
“I couldn’t stay there. Father was already gone, and communication with the guards at home was cut off. Luo Sha and I had no choice but to leave the border and come to Vilindros to find my mother.”
“Luo Sha?”
“My personal maid, also my guardian.”
Liuna looked up at Ailuwei, pain rising in her eyes again.
“In the forest, we met a girl carrying a cross. She said we were to be judged and told me to put down my weapons. When I refused, she brought out something called an Oracle scroll, said I was defying the Oracle, and then sealed my Mana.”
Sailafei clicked her tongue softly.
“An Oracle.”
Wei’erna said in a low voice.
“It’s related to the Inquisition.”
“The Inquisition?”
Liuna looked at him.
“What’s that?”
Ailuwei spoke flatly.
“A sinner chosen by the Oracle.”
Wei’erna glanced at her, then explained to Liuna.
“The Inquisition is a special armed organization under the Holy Council. In simple terms, once they set their sights on someone, that person rarely ends up well.”
Liuna’s face turned a few shades paler.
“That girl… she was strong. She could reflect damage, and use Earth Magic and Wind Magic. Luo Sha fought her for a long time, and finally killed her.”
Her voice dropped lower and lower.
“But Luo Sha was also badly injured. She implanted the girl’s eye into herself, and then collapsed from the backlash. I carried her, looking for a place to save her. After searching for a long time, I found fireworks in a destroyed camp… I had no choice but to set them off as a distress signal.”
She looked at Ailuwei.
“As for what happened next… she saw it all.”
Ailuwei nodded.
“It matches what I saw.”
Wei’erna was silent, digesting this information.
‘This seems even more troublesome than the Border Town predicted by Divination…’
“It seems that the group from the Inquisition appearing near Vilindros earlier was indeed because of you.”
Wei’erna looked at Liuna.
“Miss Liuna, your situation is very dangerous. You could be taken away by the Holy Council at any time.”
Sailafei also nodded.
“They won’t let this go.”
Ailuwei added quietly.
“Very troublesome.”
Liuna bit her lip, struggling to hold back her tears.
“What about Luo Sha?”
Wei’erna looked at Ailuwei.
“Xiao Ai, when you found Miss Liuna, did you see her maid?”
“I did.”
“Where is she?”
Ailuwei paused.
“The situation was urgent at the time. I didn’t have time to bring her along. She was probably taken by the Inquisition.”
Liuna’s body stiffened.
“But…”
Ailuwei recalled a bit.
“I remember the Inquisition people called her an Adept.”
“An Adept?”
Sailafei frowned.
“Because of that eye?”
Wei’erna sighed.
“Miss Liuna, I’m sorry to tell you, but based on what Xiao Ai said, your maid is most likely not dead.”
“She’s alive?”
Liuna almost immediately looked up.
“I can’t guarantee that.”
Ailuwei answered bluntly.
Then Wei’erna began to analyze.
“I wouldn’t dare to speculate on the Inquisition’s attitude toward so-called Adepts. She might be treated, or she might be modified. She could even appear before you in the future as a member of the Inquisition.”
Liuna clenched the handkerchief tightly.
“Luo Sha wouldn’t do that!”
Her voice was louder than she expected.
The Student Council room fell silent for a moment.
Wei’erna didn’t argue, just shook his head gently.
Liuna lowered her head, her voice choked.
“But… as long as she’s alive, there’s a chance we can rescue her, right…?”
“Your maid’s name is Luo Sha, right?”
“Mm.”
“Good. I’ll remember that.”
Wei’erna looked out the window at the sky.
The setting sun had already slipped behind the Academy rooftops, casting its glow across the floor of the Student Council room.
He had originally planned to get a clear picture and then send her away from the Magic Academy, but considering the current situation, he felt sending her off would cause even bigger problems.
So he cleared his throat.
“So, Miss Liuna, what do you plan to do next?”
Liuna looked up.
There were still traces of tears in her green eyes, but her gaze was no longer just blank.
“I want to stay here.”
Ailuwei asked.
“Join the Academy?”
“Mm.”
Liuna wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
“With my current abilities, I can’t handle whatever comes next. Father is dead, Luo Sha has been taken, and I don’t even know why I’m being hunted. But if I just keep running, nothing will change.”
She paused.
“So I want to become stronger…!”
Ailuwei nodded.
“A very good idea.”
Wei’erna looked at Sailafei.
“Lafi, what do you think?”
Sailafei shrugged.
“We can let her stay. But she’ll need to change her appearance. Otherwise, she’ll be caught the next day.”
“Indeed.”
Wei’erna rubbed his chin.
‘Red hair and green eyes are fine… but if she goes around using her real name, those old geezers will definitely drag her in for questioning.’
“If everyone agrees, I have no objections.” Wei’erna said. “But we still have to follow procedure. Miss Liuna, I won’t give you any special treatment. Whether you can live in the Academy will depend on your own efforts.”
Liuna nodded.
“I understand. I’ll work hard.”
“Very good.”
Wei’erna glanced at the pile of documents on the desk, then at the door.
“Ahem. But this time, I’ll go with you to the Registration Office.”
Sailafei raised an eyebrow.
“President, you’re not just trying to avoid dealing with those files, are you?”
Wei’erna’s expression didn’t change.
“Of course not.”
Sailafei silently complained in her heart.
‘Bullshit… that’s exactly what you’re doing!!’
Ailuwei reached out and patted Liuna’s head.
“I’ll go too. After all, I brought her back. I should keep an eye on her.”
Sailafei sighed.
“Then I’ll come along too. I have a feeling if I let you two go alone, there’ll be other trouble.”
As it turned out, Sailafei’s premonition was spot on.
The Academy Registration Office was even more chaotic than the Student Council room.
With the Border Incident coinciding with the Freshman Recruitment Period, the entire hall’s tables were piled high with various files. Some students were still bustling around carrying registration ledgers, instructors discussed in low voices, and the staff at the front desk were simultaneously verifying identities and answering questions from people in line.
“Next!”
“Admission Application Forms are on the left!”
“If you’ve lost your documents, go to the temporary verification window! Don’t block the main counter!”
Liuna followed behind Wei’erna, but couldn’t help sneaking glances around.
‘Wow… this is way more impressive than the school back home!’
In Liuna’s memory, the school in her town only taught basic etiquette, hunting, and simple magic.
But Vilindros’s school was a truly big-city Academy. The walls were carved with Defense Runes, Magic Guide Lamps floated from the ceiling, and at the end of the corridor, she could see moving bookshelves and small cleaning Magic Dolls.
‘If only Luo Sha were here…’
Just then, Liuna noticed a hand rise from below the counter and rest on the table, followed by a blue-haired girl standing up with a file folder.
“Can I help you?”
Sailafei answered very briefly.
“Bringing someone to register.”
Ailuwei pointed at Liuna.
“Registering. This student.”
The blue-haired girl looked at Liuna and gave a professional smile.
“Registering? Please show your ID~”
Liuna froze.
“Huh? ID?”
‘Oh no… I left in such a hurry I forgot the Family Crest…’
Ailuwei tilted her head.
“It shouldn’t be a problem without one, right?”
The blue-haired girl’s expression stiffened.
“Of course it’s a problem without an ID!!”
Wei’erna stepped forward, trying to use the credibility of the Student Council President to calm the situation.
“It’s a long story. Her ID was lost due to personal reasons, and it will be replaced later. Could she be enrolled first?”
The blue-haired girl looked at him with difficulty.
“President, you understand, right? Security has been very tight lately.”
“Mm…”
Wei’erna suddenly realized a key issue.
“What’s the procedure for getting an ID?”
The blue-haired girl fell silent.
Sailafei was also silent.
Ailuwei’s tail gave a slight flick, as if expressing “So even the President doesn’t know some things.”
The blue-haired girl said helplessly.
“It has to be reviewed and issued by the Holy Council.”
The air became subtle.
Having someone hunted by the Inquisition go to the Holy Council to verify her documents.
That was probably like having a rabbit being chased by wolves go to the wolf den to get a temporary pass.
Wei’erna pressed his forehead.
“The paperwork will be completed later. I’m a bit pressed for time right now. Can we make an exception?”
The blue-haired girl stared at him for a few seconds, then finally sighed.
“Fine.”
She turned around, took out an Admission Application Form, and placed it on the counter.
“Have her fill this out.”
Wei’erna handed the form to Liuna.
“Fill it out.”
“Thanks.”
Liuna took the pen, her eyes falling on the name line, but her hand stopped.
Using her real name now was impossible.
But a completely different name might not be recognized by her mother.
She needed a name that could both hide her identity and let her mother understand.
But before she could think of one, the blue-haired girl behind the counter suddenly frowned.
“Wait a moment.”
She pulled out a Holy Council Wanted List from the side.
“You…”
Liuna’s heart tightened.
Sailafei immediately stepped half a pace forward.
“What’s wrong?”
Wei’erna lowered his voice.
“Keep it down.”
But the blue-haired girl’s eyes had already widened, her expression shifting from confusion to panic as she looked at the group.
“What are you trying to do?!”