Afternoon.
Lin Yue stood atop Avilina’s high wall, watching the academy’s expedition team board the carriages.
The knights wore silver armor, the mages held their staves, their aura grand and imposing.
Lin Yue turned his head and immediately saw the protagonist party standing on the wall as well.
Allen gazed seriously at the team below, while Lilian beside him chattered excitedly, her face brimming with joy.
Standing next to them were the short Yuan and the tall Gus.
This kid Yuan, looks like Allen’s brought him into the fold.
Seeing the protagonist party gain another member, Lin Yue couldn’t help but show a faint smile.
Seems this Allen is quite diligent—almost gathered all the possible teammates from the first act at his side.
These people, in the future, would become the continent’s famed adventurer team after Avilina’s fall.
“Where’s your little girlfriend? Not coming today?”
As Lin Yue’s thoughts drifted, Mapel beside him teased expressionlessly.
The ones he’d recently been ambiguous with, Airella and Isabella, were both absent—rather confusing.
“Which one are you talking about? There’s too many, I’ve lost count.”
Lin Yue was tired of explaining that he didn’t actually have any little girlfriend, and gave up.
He also knew Mapel was just teasing him for fun.
“Heh heh… so you finally admit it, you scoundrel young master~”
Mapel covered her mouth, as if witnessing the birth of a truly provocative fellow.
“……”
Seeing that he didn’t respond, a ‘do whatever you want’ attitude, Mapel suddenly said, “Actually, the shocking words you said about the engagement—I’m the one who spread them.”
“?”
Lin Yue’s eyes widened in shock as he looked at Mapel.
So it was you?
“You? How did you know about that?”
He thought, like the others, she only knew about it through rumors.
“The Nightingale’s intelligence network is beyond your imagination, Young Master Hawk…”
Seeing Lin Yue’s dumbfounded face, Mapel’s urge to tease him was satisfied.
She cheerfully adjusted her glasses, then leaned over the parapet, kicking her feet happily.
If people didn’t know, they’d really think you were cute.
“You spread rumors about others and then confess to the main character’s face—what sort of mindset is that…”
Although, to be fair…
Luckily, no one spread the news about seeing Isabella bathing, or he’d truly never recover.
“Well… I suppose I should apologize. I’ve used these little tricks so often, it’s gotten a bit boring…”
At first, she’d thought Lin Yue was a real scoundrel, hence the plan.
But halfway through, she realized that might not be the case.
Just as she was about to step in, he exposed himself, so she just let it be.
“Is there any point in saying this now?”
“Didn’t I already compensate you? Don’t be so stingy!”
Lin Yue took a deep breath, thinking that he did get some benefit, and his reputation wasn’t good to begin with, so it didn’t matter.
“What’s wrong? Want me to pay with my body? No way!”
“Why is your mind always in the gutter…”
“Because it’s fun to tease you.”
“……”
“Lin Yue!”
Hearing someone call him nearby, Lin Yue turned around.
It was Allen.
“What’s up? You need something?”
Thinking over recent events, he’d only had contact with Allen yesterday when he knocked him out.
“Nothing really, just haven’t seen you in a while, so I thought I’d say hi. And this is…”
Seeing Mapel hiding behind Lin Yue like a shy girl, Allen felt a bit puzzled.
“You…hello, I’m…”
I can’t stand this awkward guy…
“Ah, I know you. You’re Mapel, right? I visited your café before—the cake was great.”
Allen glanced at the two, then suddenly leaned in to whisper to Lin Yue, “Could it be… Mapel’s also your…?”
Seeing Lin Yue surrounded by girls, Allen, though not one to comment on others’ lifestyles, was truly impressed at how many companions Lin Yue had found in just a few months.
“No, absolutely not.”
Allen looked between them, half-believing, and remembered Lilian’s warning not to follow Lin Yue’s example of attracting pretty girls all day, or he’d end up in endless trouble.
He dismissed the thought and said, “Alright then. Hiss…”
“What’s wrong?”
Seeing Allen rub his head and grimace, Lin Yue remembered knocking him out yesterday.
“It’s nothing… just a bit of a stiff neck lately.”
There’s no way he’d tell Lin Yue about yesterday—too embarrassing.
Behind Lin Yue, Mapel watched their exchange, a small smile on her lips.
Both were ones she’d chosen with great potential.
Lin Yue was a given, but Allen seemed to have some hidden strength he hadn’t revealed.
Not as easy to handle as Lin Yue, but still worth cultivating.
If her plan worked out, maybe the Chris Chamber of Commerce wouldn’t have to rely on the Empire anymore.
She hadn’t expected Allen to notice what she did.
She kept a low profile outside school, so he must be sharp.
“Lin…Yue, good afternoon.”
While they chatted, Yuan came over, his gaze much clearer, with a hint of embarrassment.
“Yo, afternoon.”
Gus suddenly appeared and patted Lin Yue on the shoulder.
In just a short moment, the whole protagonist party had gathered around Lin Yue.
“Hmm, so you all came to see the expedition off too?”
Though reluctant to get involved, after interfering with them so much, it’d be odd not to talk at all.
“How could we miss something this important? But you, we haven’t had drinks together in a while—how about tonight…”
Gus grinned at Lin Yue, but was cut off by Yuan: “Drunkard! I’m not drinking with you. You still haven’t paid me back for puking on my bed the other night.”
“Ha! Kids shouldn’t butt in when adults are talking…”
“I’m just short, okay? Who are you calling a kid!”
“You two…”
Lilian seemed exasperated with the noisy boys, but still looked on with helplessness, hands on her hips.
Mapel caught a trace of loss in Lin Yue’s eyes, and felt a bit confused.
Was Lin Yue…envious of them?
Or perhaps, more like he was reminiscing about something.
Her interest in Lin Yue was, first, because she’d shown her true self to him, and second, because his actions were always puzzling.
Not only did they go against his own interests, but sometimes he’d worry about things that had nothing to do with him.
And just now, his strange request made her think Lin Yue seemed to be intentionally guiding events.
She didn’t dare assert anything—it was a subtle feeling.
“Ah, I saw you during exams. Aren’t you the girl Charles likes? How come you’re here with Lin Yue?”
Gus glanced at the somewhat delicate-looking girl before him, trying to get chummy.
Lin Yue, this guy, really takes things to the next level with Avilina’s beauties.
He wondered what this bespectacled girl thought of him.
“I only met Young Master Charles once… As for Lin Yue, we’re just friends. He often helps out at our café. We met on the way and came together.”
Mapel placed a finger on her lips, putting on a lovestruck maiden’s expression, “Do we look like a couple…?”
Her shy look, with a hint of pink on her cheeks, really made her seem interested in Lin Yue.
Her revenge continued—the more flustered Lin Yue became, the happier she was.
“Oh ho, Yuan, not content with chasing your goddess, you’re going after Charles’s girl too? I really admire you. When are you going after Isabella next?”
Gus cheerfully patted the scrawny Yuan.
“Miss Isabella wouldn’t even look at me, don’t bring it up…”
Yuan sighed, clearly having lost hope.
“Speaking of, haven’t seen Isabella much lately.”
Mentioning Isabella, the three involved in the exam recalled Lin Yue’s superhuman feat.
To be able to spy on the aloof heiress Isabella bathing and not be retaliated against—perhaps Lin Yue was the only one in the world.
“Even Isabella’s suffered at his hands, haha. Lin Yue’s rank might be low, but he’s really smart. If he didn’t always act alone, I’d have invited him to join our adventurer team.”
“Better not. I’d have no time for alchemy.”
Yuan rubbed his temples, remembering that day.
Looking back, he realized he’d acted impulsively.
Even the Rudel family wouldn’t open-source their alchemy methods—how could Lin Yue, with his unorthodox ways, just agree to his terms?
But that potion, like a heart demon, haunted Yuan, making it hard to improve his alchemy lately.
“You’re the only one of us who’s ever gotten a leg up on him. Cheer up. Though Lin Yue seems not to care at all.”
Hearing this, Yuan’s face showed some embarrassment.
“Gotten a leg up? I didn’t even win…”
“Didn’t win? What do you mean…”
Hearing this, Mapel’s eyes widened with a sparkle.
“Didn’t Yuan win fair and square in the duel arena?”
Seeing they were all acquaintances, Yuan decided he couldn’t hide it forever, and admitted, “Honestly, it’s embarrassing. His potion was better than mine that day. I don’t know why he conceded—it was probably to save me some face…”
“So Lin Yue’s alchemy is better than yours?”
“In some ways, yes…”
Yuan didn’t know why the girl Lin Yue brought seemed so interested.
“I didn’t expect him to have such a heaven-defying alchemy skill…”
Mapel pushed up her glasses, muttering with a shrewd smile.
Just how many surprises will you give me…
Alchemy talents like this were rare, and since Chris Chamber of Commerce worked with the Rudel family, she wasn’t in a hurry.
But with a ready-made useful person, everything changed.
During the duel, she hadn’t realized he was so skilled.
That would cut costs by more than half.
A real treasure—who’d have thought the black sheep cast out by his family would know so much?
She was very curious what kind of storm this guy would bring to the academy.
Seeing Mapel quietly laughing to herself, the others looked puzzled but didn’t know why.
“Huh? Where’s Lin Yue?”
They’d been caught up chatting, and only realized their central figure had vanished in a flash.
…
Isabella stood alone in her uniform on a high spot, clearly unwilling to join the people below.
Her gray eyes occasionally shimmered with a hint of pale blue magic—a sign she’d leveled up to a mid-stage second-tier mage.
Roughly level 25.
One step further, and she’d be a magister.
“Alone? Where’s Isabella?”
A familiar voice came from behind.
She turned quickly and saw the man who’d left such a deep impression in her heart.
“Good afternoon, Lin Yue.”
“My sister seems busy lately, so I rarely see her.”
“I see…”
Lin Yue scratched his head, seemingly with something he couldn’t say.
A few days ago, after her sister returned to the dorm with a grave look, Isabella became suspicious.
Asking around, she learned about the argument between her sister and Lin Yue.
That expression probably meant this.
He wants to reconcile?
“Do you want to ask my sister out to eat? I can help you…”
Why does she think I’m looking for her sister…
Seeing Lin Yue visibly pause, Isabella wondered if she’d guessed wrong.
“Didn’t you two have a fight? I thought you wanted to patch things up.”
“We did have a misunderstanding, and I do want to explain, but… I actually have something else to talk to you about. Let’s leave her aside for now.”
Something else?
Isabella looked at Lin Yue, eager to hear more.
Indeed, the two sisters were very similar.
He’d never really observed the Valiana family’s second daughter before, but now realized she was like a more emotionally stable version of Isabella.
“The Valiana family’s Power of Law—can you use it now?”
Lin Yue asked softly.
Isabella nodded, “I haven’t mastered it, but both my sister and I have learned it. I can probably display about one percent of its power.”
If others asked, she might refuse to reveal such family secrets, but Lin Yue, to some extent, was more trustworthy than her own family.
Of course you can’t use it fully yet—you’re just a second-tier mage.
If you’d mastered it, there’d be no point in the rest of the story…
“That’s good… Something big might happen in Avilina soon. I want to ask you to keep an eye on Lia for me.”
“Professor Lia? A sixth-tier magister—does she need my help?”
Isabella looked puzzled, not understanding Lin Yue’s intentions.
Lin Yue shook his head, handing her something.
“This is…”
“I’m counting on you. I can’t trust anyone else.”
Isabella was silent for a moment, then accepted what he gave her.
“Tell me what to do.”
…
Meanwhile, at the end of the caravan below.
At this moment, Sefina, wearing the same armor and dress as when she arrived, clutched the hem of her battle skirt tightly, her blue eyes filled with anxiety.
Miss Airella…
Someone has to save her!
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