The phone stubbornly vibrated, the buzzing sound especially jarring in the deathly silent room, like a dull knife repeatedly scraping at Ange’s already fragile nerves.
Her face was a lifeless gray, numb to the core, as if even the strength to lift her hand had been drained away.
But the ringing would not cease, persistent as if it would never stop unless answered.
With difficulty, she turned to the side and groped for the phone thrown to the corner of the bed. The caller ID glaring on the screen was none other than Rita.
In that instant, anger flared like dying embers trying to ignite again. This culprit! If not for her…
But the thought shifted, and Ange deflated like a punctured balloon.
In the end, the real reason everything happened was her own Magic Mark going out of control.
Rita might have… perhaps… already tried her best to handle things?
Clinging to that faint hope, she still pressed the answer button, bringing the phone to her ear and struggling to keep her voice from sounding like she was ready to kill someone.
“…Hello?”
“Ange-san~” Rita’s voice on the other end was as cheerful as ever, tinged with a lazy, careless laugh.
“The new semester is about to start, so let me share some inside information with you.”
Ange closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and forced herself to keep listening.
“Ever since you retired… um, since you became unable to continue,” Rita’s wording skillfully avoided certain sensitive terms, but Ange still felt a stabbing pain in her chest.
“The higher-ups at the Academy, those board members, have been hoping for someone to inherit your work. Even though I carry the title of the Jealous Demon King Leviathan’s bloodline, you know my strengths are more… uh, behind-the-scenes. I can’t just charge in and slay demons head-on like you did, giving everyone such a strong sense of security.”
“So?” Ange’s voice was dry, an ominous feeling creeping up.
“So, after careful consideration, the Academy has decided you’ll lead your three adorable students—Ingrid, Huayin, and the new Sakika—to form a Special Operations Squad.”
Rita’s tone made it sound like she was announcing the greatest good news.
“You’ll be tasked with handling those demons the regular teams find especially tricky or tough to deal with. How’s that? Isn’t it the perfect way to restore the glory of your First Demon Hunter days?”
“I refuse,” Ange blurted out without a second’s hesitation, her voice firm and unyielding.
“Rita, this isn’t some childish game. With all due respect, those three don’t have the qualifications or ability to inherit my old job yet. You’re just sending them to their deaths.”
On the side, Huayin, who had been sulking quietly, perked up her ears at this, her brows twitching involuntarily.
Special Operations Squad? Inheriting Ange’s work?
Although she was annoyed by Ange’s judgment of their lack of qualifications, she still held her tongue and listened intently, only her gaze revealing her discontent.
“Of course I know they aren’t up to it now,” Rita said, her voice tinged with an anticipated smile.
“That’s why we need you to teach them, Ange-sensei. Pass on your experience, your skills, your insight into demons—give them everything. Turn them into true Demon Hunters, able to stand on their own. Isn’t that what a mentor is supposed to do?”
“This isn’t about teaching or not teaching!” Ange irritably raked her fingers through her hair.
“If it’s necessary, those troublesome demons, I—”
“You can’t, Ange,” Rita cut her off, her tone uncharacteristically serious.
“You know as well as I do—in your current state, where using your power could spiral out of control at any moment, how can you claim you can still hunt demons like you used to? Remember what happened at the Casino? Or just now, sparring with Sakika—do I need to remind you how violently your Magic Mark reacted?”
“Emmmm…” Ange was suddenly at a loss for words.
She instinctively glanced at Huayin, meeting her crimson gaze that all but shouted, See, you can’t do it either.
Like a deflated balloon, Ange’s shoulders slumped. She couldn’t refute it—Rita was right.
In her current state, she truly couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t lose control in a fierce fight.
Seeing Ange’s silence, Rita knew she’d hit the mark, and her tone grew relaxed again.
“Alright, that’s about all for business. The Academy has already decided. Oh, and one more thing…”
She paused, as if mentioning it offhandedly.
“About Huayin’s parents… you’ve already called them, right? I guess you know by now?”
Ange’s heart sank sharply, and she answered bitterly.
“…Yes.”
“Oh dear, I’m truly sorry,” Rita’s tone held little in the way of genuine apology.
“The child is already conceived, and no Illusion of mine can hide it. After all, the Phoenix Family is especially sensitive to their bloodline.”
“…I understand,” Ange’s voice grew quiet.
“Thank you for your trouble.” Though she had cursed Rita a thousand times over in her heart, on the surface, she still had to offer her thanks.
“No need~” Rita’s voice became cheerful again.
“Don’t forget, you still owe me a favor~”
“I’ll pay it back, alright…” Ange replied weakly, the future looking more hopeless by the second.
“That’s that, then. Looking forward to seeing your squad in action, Ange-sensei~”
The call ended, leaving only the busy tone.
Ange moved the phone away from her ear and tossed it aside again.
She collapsed onto the mattress as if her spine had been ripped out, her face still showing that look of utter despair, as if on the verge of tears.
“Special Operations Squad? Handling those troublesome demons?” Huayin suddenly sat up straight beside her, a glint of interest flickering in her red eyes.
“Finally, some real good news!”
“Miss Huayin…” Ange turned her head, looking at her helplessly.
“This is no good news at all. Those demons classified as troublesome aren’t the kind you and Ingrid could just cut through like cannon fodder. They’re cunning, powerful, and extremely dangerous.”
“I don’t care!” Huayin lifted her chin, as if she had found the perfect excuse to escape her family’s marriage arrangements.
“As long as I can use this important mission as a pretext, I can keep stalling my family! I’ll tell them I have duties at the Academy, no time to talk about marriage! Maybe, just maybe, if I drag it out long enough, they’ll finally let us off the hook!”
“Really?” Ange looked deeply skeptical.
“But even so, just taking part in these missions is dangerous!”
“That’s why you’ll be leading us!” Huayin said it as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
“A commander who can’t fight on the front lines and only gives orders is little more than a decoration in real combat…” Ange tried to bring her back to reality.
“Oh, you’re so troublesome!” Huayin seemed irritated by Ange’s endless worrying.
She suddenly leaned in close, as if she’d made up her mind, her face flushed red but still forcing a valiant expression, declaring,
“That’s it! I said it! From now on, if that rotten Magic Mark of yours acts up again, don’t go hiding in the bathroom! Come straight to me! I… I’ll help you handle it!”
“Huh?!”
Ange’s pupils shook violently, her mouth gaping wide enough to fit an egg. She was frozen stiff, her mind completely blank.
“You heard me right. It’s not a mistake—I mean exactly that.”
Huayin wasn’t joking.
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