Chapter 384 Danger always approaches in a harmless form
Since the last time she and Kors broke up on bad terms, Ilana became accustomed to being alone in the canteen.
Because of her cold temperament that keeps strangers away from her, as well as some gossips about her and His Highness Colin that are quietly circulated among the apprentices, few people now dare to take the initiative to approach her.
Finn had kindly reminded her that someone was deliberately spreading the news, but Ilana didn't care.
His Royal Highness Colin doesn't care, so why should she care?
Furthermore, it is not bad for her to keep others at a distance. She enjoys this simple and regular life.
Take classes, go to the lab, and dive into the vast world of academia.
She found that beautiful and rigorous mathematical formulas were much more interesting than dealing with complex and difficult interpersonal relationships.
Especially after seeing Coors’ “change of face”.
One morning, Ilana sat alone in the corner of the cafeteria as usual, carefully cutting the bread into small shapes with a table knife, and thinking about the mathematical problem that she had not figured out last night.
At this moment, a figure suddenly sat opposite her, his slightly broad arms partially blocking the light from the magic crystal lamp.
Ilana raised her head somewhat unexpectedly and saw an unfamiliar face with a slight baby bump.
She is wearing a blue apprentice robe that symbolizes her status as a sorcerer. Her hair is chestnut, and her smile is honest and cute, just like a sunflower blooming in the countryside.
"Are you Ilana?"
"Yes——" Ilana nodded cautiously, stopped holding the knife in her hand, and asked hesitantly, "What's the matter?"
"My name is Anjie! I'm sorry to bother you. I'm studying calculus recently, and I really can't figure out some questions. Can I ask you for advice?"
"Of course." Looking at Miss Anjie who humbly asked for advice, Ilana had a surprised expression on her face. A mage would actually ask a preparatory student like herself. This was a rare thing in a hierarchical school.
An Jie seemed to notice her doubts and smiled sheepishly, but did not give any explanation.
She stretched out her chubby little hand, quickly took out the paper and pen she had prepared from her backpack, and handed it to the other side of the table respectfully.
There is a math problem written on that piece of paper, which seems not difficult.
To be honest, compared with the questions that His Highness Colin assigned to Miss Ophia, the question Miss Anjie asked is not so simple, it can even be said to be "basic".
And it seems that His Highness Yi Colin taught it in class?
Ilana thought for a moment after taking it, and quickly found a solution.
"Senior Anjie, look here," she picked up the quill pen, lightly drew a circle on a key node of the calculation, and said patiently, "The core of this problem is not to solve for a fixed value, but to understand the concept of "infinitely close". You cannot use the conventional substitution method, but should try to simplify the formula first."
Her voice is crisp and steady, her thoughts are clear, and she can analyze a seemingly complex extreme problem in a clear and coherent manner in a few words.
An Jie nodded repeatedly after hearing this, the confusion on her face gradually dissipated, replaced by a kind of surprise that suddenly dawned on her.
When Ilana finished explaining, she couldn't help but clasp her hands, looked at Ilana with an almost admiring look, and praised her heartily.
"So that's it! I understand, junior Ilana, you are simply——-so awesome! This problem has troubled me for several days, and after hearing you talk about it, I suddenly understood!"
"I'm not as awesome as you said." Ilana scratched her cheek with some embarrassment and returned the pen and paper to Anjie.
There must be something special about you to be favored by His Highness Colin. Whether it is your beauty or your Whether it is your beauty, or your knowledge. Anjie smiled and took the quill, looked at Ilana, who looked slightly troubled, and continued with enthusiasm.
"Sister Ilana, can I still ask you questions if I don't understand them in the future?"
"Of course - if my immature knowledge can inspire you, that would be my honor." Ilana didn't know why this senior was so polite, so much so that she, who rarely used written words of humility, couldn't help but respond politely.
But to be honest, she actually had a good impression of this simple and polite senior. Compared to Coors' enthusiasm with ulterior motives, she seemed to be purely asking her for knowledge.
At least, Ilana couldn't see what this senior could do for her.
If he tried to get close to him in order to enter His Highness Colin's laboratory, it would be in vain. After all, he was just an apprentice.
The seeds of friendship were sown.
In the next few days, Anjie was always with her, taking Ilana with her to eat and go to and from school every day.
It made her look less out of place with her surroundings when she was originally alone.
It's not just that - the questions that Senior Anjie asked for advice were also from simple to complex, with a sincere and humble attitude, which made Ilana see in her the shadow of many of her classmates who worked hard in the laboratory.
Although Ilana would occasionally be confused by this sudden enthusiasm, she didn't think too much about it.
Besides, she actually likes to use her knowledge to solve other people's problems.
That pure sense of accomplishment not only made her feel at ease, but also made her feel that the knowledge given to her by His Highness Colin was meaningful.
It is not all useless tricks and tricks as those apprentices standing outside watching the excitement thought.
The week passed peacefully like this, and it was lunch time again. Anjie sat with Ilana as usual, chatting about the daily life of the Mage Tower.
Pricking the sausage on the dinner plate with her fork, she looked at the bustling apprentices in the cafeteria, all discussing the same thing, and sighed seemingly casually.
"Well, it's almost All Souls' Day, and lately everyone's topic is "The Labyrinth Trial"." "
When saying this, Anjie suddenly turned her head, looked at Ilana with her usual sunny smile, and said with expectant eyes.
"Ilana, aren't you curious? That's an annual event in the school!"
"It's okay," Ilana was sipping the soup. She nodded slightly and replied calmly, "Many people in the laboratory are preparing, I've heard about some."
She certainly knew about All Souls' Day, and there were many senior apprentices in the Magical Science Laboratory who were actively preparing for it.
It is said that it was a preview of the Sage Trial and an important opportunity for senior apprentices to impress their mentors and professors before graduation.
Especially for those senior apprentices who plan to stay in the Mage Tower, it can be said that they are determined to win this trial.
When she becomes a French native, she plans to give it a try.
Seeing that Ilana seemed to have an idea, Anjie's eyes suddenly lit up. She leaned forward slightly and said with a timid excitement.
"Then you - do you want to give it a try?"
"Me?"
Ilana was stunned by her leaping suggestion, subconsciously put down the spoon, and smiled sheepishly.
Senior Anjie, please stop joking. I am a preparatory student, my magic level is only at the Black Iron level, and the most proficient attack spell is probably - throwing fireballs without burning myself. Aren't I going to cause trouble for everyone?"
She paused, and then added: "Also, I heard that preparatory students are not eligible to participate in the maze trial."
"That's because you don't understand!" Anjie immediately laughed enthusiastically, waved her hand and said, "The rules only say that preparatory students cannot sign up, but they do not say that they cannot form a team with senior apprentices! As long as there are senior seniors who are willing to guide them, even preparatory students can You can participate! "
"So that's it -" Ilana looked at Anjie in surprise. This was the first time she heard this.
No wonder one of her roommates seemed to be preparing secretly.
"Yes, that's right! That's it! Although our school is quite rigid sometimes, it is still very flexible where it should be flexible!"
Anjie seized the opportunity, looked at Ilana with sincere and expectant eyes, and issued a formal invitation.
"Our team just needs a companion, Ilana, come with us! You are so smart, you can help us analyze the rune structure of the maze later. As for safety, you don't have to worry at all!"
Said, Anjie patted her slightly plump chest and said confidently.
"I'm here to protect you!"
That heavy voice did give people a sense of reliability, but at this moment Ilana was more caught off guard.
She waved her hands in surprise and said in a confused voice: "This, how can this be so embarrassing, Senior Sister Anjie, my strength is too weak, what if I hold you back - why don't you discuss it with your teammates and find a student of the same level?"
"Oh, don't worry! My teammates are all very good people and very capable!"
Anjie interrupted her with a smile and continued in an affectionate tone.
"Also, I have discussed it with them, and they are very happy to hear that you are willing to come! Besides, the maze trial is not a real maze, and the difficulty is actually not as exaggerated as you think. The strength of the Black Iron level is enough to protect yourself. Many adventurers do not have extraordinary power yet, and dare to go to the real dungeon, let alone you are already the Black Iron level!"
She paused, and continued in a persuasive tone.
"You just need to follow us to ensure safety! Besides, you have helped me so much, I have to find a chance to repay you."
Ilana whispered.
"No, I don't want you to repay me -
"That's what I said, but I also want to do something for you, I can't always trouble you -" Anjie looked at Ilana with full eyes, her face full of expectation, "Can you give me this opportunity?"
Ilana was silent.
She is not a person who is good at rejecting others, especially if the other person is a friend with whom she has a good relationship. After spending the past few days together, she felt that Anjie was a very good person, but she was not very good at math.
Seeing that Ilana's delicate eyebrows were still frowning and still hesitating, Anjie suddenly put away her carefree smile and put on an extremely serious and sincere expression.
"Ilana, I am seriously considering you." Her voice became solemn, "In Xuebang,
There are not many good opportunities to show your ability publicly. A talented apprentice like you will definitely stay in the Mage Tower to do research with His Highness Colin in the future, right? "
She leaned forward and lowered her voice.
"Think about it, if you can stand out in the maze trial, even if you only get the most basic credits and pass the maze trial as a preparatory student, I think even His Highness Colin will be impressed by you."
Ilana looked at the enthusiastic Anjie with a face full of laughter and tears.
To be honest, she has a clear understanding of her own strength. It is simply a fantasy to "stand out" in the labyrinth trial by relying on black iron level skills.
Even if the goblins there are not real goblins, the cannibal treasure chest will not really eat people. However, Anjie's warm invitation, especially the last reason, made it impossible for her to refuse it outright.
Perhaps—
It doesn’t seem like a bad thing to try it?
This is a rare qualification after all, and His Highness Colin has always encouraged his apprentices to actively participate in the activities of the Mage Tower.
In the final analysis, these are actually excuses. After all, she still can't refuse requests from friends, especially well-intentioned requests.
Ilana finally nodded slightly.
"Hmm - I'll think about it."
An Jie's face showed a bright smile like sunshine, and she excitedly hugged Ilana who was caught off guard, before the bright smile gradually turned into a sinister and cunning one.
"Oh! Ilana! You're so kind! I'm so grateful to you!"
Although it was just an ambiguous reply, she knew Ilana's character very well. As long as the nerd didn't refuse directly, it meant that he had agreed.
The afternoon sun shone through the arched windows of the dormitory tower, shining warmly and comfortably in Miss Ophia's luxurious single dormitory, which was decorated no differently from the Duke's residence in the Holy City.
Although the vast majority of apprentices are squeezed like sardine cans into eight-person cage-like rooms, it is obvious that not all of them need to exercise their damn willpower and social skills.
"Miss, I have a letter from you."
The maid responsible for taking care of Miss Ophia's daily life respectfully presented a letter tied tightly with brown paper.
At this moment, Ophia was boredly flipping through the "Collection of Poems" brought from the Holy City as a pastime in her spare time from studying magic and science.
When she heard that there was a letter from her, she suddenly raised her eyebrows in surprise, and there was a hint of interest in her lazy eyes.
In this cold mage tower, besides the occasional letters from his father, who else would write to him?
"Ellipeite, bring it here for me."
"Yes, Miss." The maid stepped forward respectfully and handed over the letter.
Ophelia stretched out her fingers gracefully, opened the emotionless envelope and flipped through it.
The handwriting on the letter paper seems a bit immature, and there are even a few slight language errors, and the wording and sentence making are even more cautious to the extreme.
However, it can be seen that the boy named "Sana" has worked very hard. After all, the Kingdom of Rhodes is a countryside within the countryside, and it makes sense that the grammar is different from that of the Holy City.
Hand Returning to the story, the boy from "Sana" in the letter used an almost humble tone of admiration and invited her to meet her at the door of the potions classroom in the north area of the 12th floor of the Tower of the Great Sage when the bell rang at dusk today, saying that he had important matters to discuss with her.
Important things·——
What else is important for a boy of this age?
Ophelia couldn’t help but raise the corners of her mouth slightly, and a clear smile bloomed in her eyes, like an orangutan looking at bananas in the zoo.
"Love letter - haha - it's so interesting."
She put the letter on the table casually, held her cheek in one hand, and talked to herself in the air, with a hint of imperceptible teasing and joy in her voice.
As Miss Castellon, she is very experienced in this kind of thing.
When she was in the Holy City, the love letters she received every day could fill a desk drawer, so much so that she had to use a horse-drawn carriage to pull them out when cleaning up the waste.
She could even conclude based on her rich experience that this love letter must have been written by a young boy who had never been in love. He had even said no more than ten sentences to girls this year.
Ophelia stood up gracefully, walked to the full-length mirror, looked at her flawless face and brilliant blond hair in the mirror, and sighed softly.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Sana, this lady already has your heart, so I'd better leave it to your future wife." She said in a slightly regretful tone, her ups and downs like a drama.
"Don't be discouraged, it's not your fault, it's just that - I prefer mature men. What?
You will work hard? Giggly, no need, you can't be that person's opponent. "
If it was at the Royal Academy of Arts in the Holy City, this kind of letter with a cowardly signature, she probably wouldn't even bother to open it, and would just ask the maid to take it and throw it into the fireplace.
but—
This is a school after all.
The maid Elephant, who was standing in the corner, silently exited the room and closed the door, pretending not to see anything, let alone hear anything.
This is purely for the sake of the lady.
If she was asked to recall what she had done without anyone noticing, she might bury herself under the quilt and moan all day long without eating or drinking.
"As a representative of the Castellon family, studying in a vassal country of the empire, every move represents the honor of the family, and you must not lose etiquette. Well, that's right, Miss Castellon, you are a woman who is responsible for her own role, and you cannot lose face in such a trivial matter."
Ofelia looked at herself in the mirror and nodded with satisfaction, "We can't let the barbarians think that our Castellon family are all rude barbarians."
She would never admit that the reason why she was willing to open the letter and even plan to go to the appointment was not because of the glory of the family, but purely because of the little vanity that was ready to move deep in her heart.
I think back when she was in the Holy City, the love letters she received could fill a carriage, and she was the center of attention wherever she went.
But here, among these incomprehensible mage apprentices, no one dared to write to her! And this love letter written by Leng Touqing was the first letter she received!
How can this be done? !
Miss Castellon can refuse, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to write!
She was eager to get more attention, especially hoping that this fragrance called "charm" could blow into the heart of His Highness.
Just as she said in "The Crusade of Baron Corsia" that she is currently updating - beautiful things need to be set off. Without experiencing the storm on the vast ocean, he would never realize how hard-earned his squandered time was.
How can a heroine who has attracted much attention not have a few sad suitors as a foil?
Thinking of this, Ophia made up her mind.
She decided to go to the appointment, or rather she had to go!
This is the obligation of a lady, just like Lady Torakiri in "The Art of Love". Even though she was not interested in Baron Fenliel's old-fashioned tone, she still patiently listened to what the other party had to say, and did not give a gorgeous rejection until the last scene.
"Alphite, help me prepare my clothes, lunch break is almost over—wait a minute, did you hear me?!"
Ophelia turned back with a blushing face. It was not until she saw the empty bedroom that her heart dropped in her throat, and she slowly breathed a sigh of relief.
It's so dangerous -
—
Just now she accidentally said what was in her heart.
The bell at dusk rang slowly on the top of the tower, announcing the end of the day's classes.
Apprentices left the classroom one after another, and the corridor gradually became lively.
Ophelia adjusted her dress, with a hint of reserve and excitement of playing the role of a "mature lady",
Him went to the appointment openly.
Ilana gave her a strange look, always feeling that this friend was a little unusual today.
"Aren't you going to the laboratory?"
"You go first, Ilana," Ophia gently shook her golden hair and gave her a proud look, "I have something to deal with - it's really nerve-wracking."
"Do you need my help?" Ilana asked with concern.
"No, no, no, I'll get it done soon." Ophia followed the turn and walked out of the door, fearing that her potential competitors would catch up.
She only went to the appointment for the glory of the Castellon family. She didn’t want strange rumors to spread in the laboratory, let alone His Highness Colin’s misunderstanding.
The Potions classroom is located in the north area of the twelfth floor. However, because the new preparatory students have not yet started taking Potions classes, this classroom has been idle for half a year.
When Ophia walked near the Potions classroom, a familiar name suddenly penetrated her ears, causing her brisk steps to pause slightly.
Out of curiosity, she did not walk over immediately. Instead, she ducked and quietly hid in the unused empty classroom next to her.
The classroom was dimly lit. She used the rows of experimental benches and the strange-shaped bottles and cans on them as cover, and quietly moved from the back row to the shadow of the front row near the door.
Although eavesdropping is not something a lady should do, the ancestral motto of the Castellon family is not to stick to the rules, so it is almost equivalent to the tacit approval of the ancestors.
This location is just right.
Looking at the halo of sunset printed on the window glass in the corridor, Ophia, who was hiding under the table, was secretly happy. It seemed that even Saint Sith had acquiesced in her peeping.
The reflective glass was like a mirror, allowing her to clearly observe the figures at the corner of the corridor outside the classroom who were chatting with each other.
From the well-lit corridor, it was extremely difficult to see her hiding in the shadow of the dim classroom.
"Is the matter done?"
"Hey, it's done, Miss Rastina."
Ophelia's eyes widened slightly.
She recognized it almost at a glance. The fat girl with a flattering smile on her face and being as respectful as a servant was none other than Anjie, who had been inseparable from Ilana a few days ago!
The person standing in front of Anjie at this moment was a girl with two exaggerated golden diamond ponytails and a proud expression.
Judging from her superior expression and bossy attitude, she must be the Miss Rustina that Anjie mentioned.
What are they doing?
Why was Ilana’s name suddenly mentioned?
And—
What is that?
With strong curiosity and uneasiness, Ophia swallowed and continued to listen carefully.
I saw Rastina nodding with satisfaction, and an elegant smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. Before she could speak, another girl standing next to her said with a wicked smile.
"Great, Anjie, well done! Next, we just need to take her to the deepest part of the maze trial, and accidentally get separated when she is entangled with the hungry "Human Beating Vine"——————————————————The scene must be beautiful. "
A girl with chestnut hair next to her smirked and added: "You can also add a few "acid slimes". Their acid can corrode the fabric. In less than half a minute, there will be a beautiful and naked girl in the maze... I hope she can persist until she walks out."
These words reminded several girls, the girl with chestnut hair said eagerly.
"How about we go find an adventurer and buy two? I heard that you can buy genuine ones in Artisan Street!"
"Okay, you guys should stop coming up with ideas. The magicians in Xuebang are not fools. Do you think they can't tell the difference between real goblins and fake goblins?"
Rustina interrupted the thoughtless speech slowly, and then looked at the girl who lowered her head in fear and said, "Don't do unnecessary things to leave clues. Our purpose is to teach her a lesson and make her lose face in front of His Highness Colin. It is best to continue to stay here without the shame. This is enough.""
She paused, and her elegant smile gradually turned sinister.
“However, the acid slime is a good idea—it allows more people to appreciate the miserable appearance.”
Laughter filled the corridor, and there were whistles in place of applause.
Hearing this, Ophia's face turned completely cold, and her aqua blue eyes flashed with cold anger.
I see—
She is very aware of the dirty tricks of this kind of navigation.
In the Royal Academy of the Holy City, only the most unworthy little nobles would use such despicable methods to bully the citizens who were admitted based on their strength. Just because their family crest has long been covered in dust, this is the only way to demonstrate the little authority they have.
The Castellon family disdains this, and even Miss Lambert, whom she hates the most, maintains her status and disdains this kind of dirty business.
It’s just that she didn’t expect that the academic country, regarded as an academic holy place by countless people in the empire, would actually have such bad things!
「Dare to touch my friend——·Very good.」
Ophelia sneered in her heart, having already made up her mind to give these blind guys an unforgettable "surprise" -
She had completely forgotten about the love letter and confession.
Hence, she did not continue to wait for the little boy named "Sana" to appear. She left the empty classroom hand and foot...—.
There were more important things to do now.
Just when Ofelia left, she didn't notice that there was another person hiding in the empty classroom.
Just behind the gently swaying curtains, Sarah's figure blended into the darkness, and her cat-like vertical pupils captured everything that happened here.
She watched Ophia hide in the classroom, heard the vicious plans of the senior apprentices, and finally saw the cold anger and determination to retaliate in kind on Ophia's face.
Very good.
As the Demon King said, she does not have to do everything with her own hands. She only needs to put the chess piece where it should appear and then wait and see what happens.
Sarah has gained a new understanding of her work.
Confirming that the Demon King's plan had unfolded exactly as expected, she stopped staying and disappeared silently into the shadows of dusk like a drop of ink blending into the night.
As if it had never existed·