Chapter 85 of 100

Chapter 85: The Murderer is Right in Front of Us

18 min read4,436 words

The next day, the academy was bustling with activity, still discussing the survival exam in Datam. After all, it was a month-long trial, filled with thrilling battles and strange stories to share.

Cornelia and Irina went to see Vain early in the morning and then happily had breakfast with their new friends, chatting about their various adventures in Datam. Of course, this included Dor, Boya, and Vain's teammates, Emma, Shana, and Hesmingfen. After the practical exam, everyone's circle of friends had expanded.

They all ordered the freshest breakfast, and now they all had some money, which was more than enough for their daily expenses from the rewards of mercenary tasks.

Boya asked, "Hey, where's Doloris? Didn't you invite her?"

Cornelia tasted a crystal shrimp dumpling and said, "Classes are off for a couple of days, and her family seems to have some matters, so they didn't let her come out."

Boya sighed, a bit envious, "Such a big family. Not seeing her for a month must have made them worry a lot. They wouldn't let her out easily and would surely pamper her."

Dor laughed, "Don't be jealous, just eat your food."

Shana and Emma had already become very close with the other girls, and they were chatting and laughing at the table. However, it was awkward for Lo and Hesmingfen, the only two boys at the table.

Irina asked, "Aren't Bing Zhiye and Carol coming? I wanted to play with them, it's rare to have a holiday."

"No," Lo said, "Carol said he could get better medicine for Vain's injuries and dragged Bing Zhiye along, saying they would be back soon."

"Oh," Irina just responded and continued chatting with her friends.

Lo, troubled, lowered his head and started chatting with Hesmingfen, the other boy, "Hey, you're from the Celeste family, right?"

"Yes, Brother Lo," Hesmingfen sipped his fragrant milk tea.

Lo laughed, "Don't call me that, I don't deserve it. I have a roommate from the Celeste family too, an ice mage, very powerful."

Hesmingfen nodded, "Yes, I know. Vain mentioned that he became a Green Robe Mage at 14. Truly a genius, I envy him so much, I really want to meet him."

Emma, sitting nearby, heard this and was surprised, "A Green Robe at 14? No way!" It was no wonder she was surprised. She was a Green Robe Mage at 19, already considered a genius, while most people at that age were only初级 mages, just learning to chant magic incantations with their hearts, and it would take until around 24 to reach the Intermediate Mage level.

Cornelia said, "That's right, Lo's roommate, Celeste Bing Zhiye."

"Celeste Bing Zhiye?" Shana thought for a moment, "I think I've heard that name somewhere."

Dor laughed, "He's the one who tied for first place with Kristin Bimoye in this year's entrance exam. I've seen him, he's very cute."

"Wow, it's him," Boya exclaimed, "To be on par with the capital's top genius, I'd like to see him too. Cornelia, you've known such a great person for so long, why haven't you told us?"

"Great?" Irina covered her mouth and laughed, "That's an exaggeration."

"No, not at all," Shana said, "To become an Intermediate Mage at 14, he has a very bright future. Such a person can't be called a genius, only a super genius."

Irina said, "Alright, let's not talk about those guys, let's talk about ourselves. Hey, Shana, I heard you lost a few guardian summons in the practical exam?"

Shana waved her hand, "It's fine, out with the old, in with the new."

"Oh~~, is that so casual?"

"No," Shana said, "It's not that I'm casual, but I've experienced this so many times, I have to comfort myself. Think about it, in Datam, such a dangerous place, how many students haven't lost their guardians?"

Boya said, "Not everyone, Dor and Cornelia didn't, right?"

"Oh, you have guardian summons too? What are they?"

Cornelia was a bit embarrassed to say, as when she summoned the unicorn to fight, it surprised Boya and the others. Dor said, "Mine is a Koro, and Cornelia's is a unicorn she calls 'Lin'."

Sure enough, the girls were all amazed. Unicorns weren't something everyone could obtain.

Emma thought for a moment and asked, "Isabel, is that the Isabel from Sherman?"

Cornelia laughed bitterly, "Yes."

Boya didn't know what the Sherman family was, but from Emma's words, she understood, "Another noble! When did Kulandtin become a noble academy?"

Dor patted her head, "Don't be upset. Unicorns don't submit to just anyone because they're nobles. She must have charmed the unicorn."

"Even so..." Boya still looked dejected, "I still envy her. I can't stand it, it's so unfair."

Everyone laughed lightly.

After finishing breakfast, they were about to leave when they saw Bing Zhiye and Carol come in.

"Why are you so late? We just finished eating," Lo said, "Hurry up and eat, I'll wait for you."

"No need, we've already eaten. Sorry for being late," Carol apologized with a nod.

Irina introduced them, "This is Celeste Bing Zhiye, and Joe Carol."

"Bing Zhiye!" Boya pointed at him, "You're an ice mage? I get it, you used a fake name."

Bing Zhiye remembered she was Donna Boya, his classmate in the ice magic class, "Sorry, I didn't want to cause too much trouble, so I didn't use my real name. I apologize."

"Oh, tsk tsk tsk." Shana walked up and looked him over, "You're Bing Zhiye? Black eyes, beautiful face, indeed very cute! Hey, how about being my little brother? I'll treat you well."

Bing Zhiye smiled slightly, just about to speak, but Carol suddenly stepped in front of him, "No!"

Shana looked at her confused, "Why?"

Carol was taken aback, thinking, "Why did I say that?" She had just seen Shana's flirtatious gaze and said it without thinking. After a moment, she said, "Because... he... he doesn't like women."

Everyone was shocked, and Bing Zhiye was also shocked, "Hey, don't say that!"

Carol realized she had said the wrong thing and quickly waved her hands, "No, no, I don't know why, but you can't touch him!"

Lo patted Carol's shoulder, "Carol, what's wrong with you today?"

Carol panicked, "N-nothing, I'm fine."

Bing Zhiye glanced at Carol, realizing she might really like him, and felt troubled.

"The red magic robe!" Hesmingfen recalled the scene outside the stone house, which looked very much like the person in front of him.

Lo said, "Hey, Bing Zhiye, what's in your hand?"

"A dagger, just bought."

"Let me see."

Bing Zhiye drew the dagger and handed it to him.

Hesmingfen trembled, "It's him, it's him, no mistake! I heard his voice, it's him, he killed Teacher Crab." He was terrified, unable to stand steady, and fell to the ground.

"Hesmingfen, what's wrong? Can't even stand," Shana tried to help him up, suddenly noticing he was staring fearfully at Bing Zhiye. She squatted down and whispered, "Hey, what's going on? What's wrong with you? Hey..." She felt him shivering and was puzzled, not knowing what had frightened him so much.

Bing Zhiye looked at Hesmingfen, not understanding why he was afraid of him. He had seen this person outside the stone house, unconscious with Vain. Suddenly, he remembered killing the teacher and thought, "Could he have been awake and seen everything? Why is he afraid of me?" Bing Zhiye hadn't realized that Hesmingfen had only seen part of the incident, not the beginning or the end.

Finally, with Emma's help, they managed to get Hesmingfen up, but they were even more puzzled.

Bing Zhiye watched him step closer, his fear growing, and patted his shoulder, "Friend, what's wrong?"

Hesmingfen shivered, suddenly pushed everyone away, and ran out, shouting, "I didn't see anything, I didn't see anything, I don't know, I don't know..."

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