522 Something doesn’t feel right with Jun Ye Rim

Melissa smiled when all the attention was on her. She even peeked at Vincent and saw him with a smile on his face.

‘What is my rival smiling about? Why does it feel as if I have done him a favor? Just you wait, Vincent Lionheart. My fire ball will beat you next time.’ Melissa pondered. She was already planning on how to beat Vincent one day.

“Ahem.” Darwin cleared his throat to garner attention. “Students. I do not want anyone to complain, so what do the other two teams with a missing member say? Does another team want to have Tiffi Ponalis join your team and regain the obligatory participation in the ranking matches?”

“No need, honorable headmaster. Our team has agreed to seek another new student in the next academic year.”

“Our team also has decided to seek a different companion.”

*Sigh* “Stupid excuses.” Maria shook her head. “Just say no without the theatrics.”

“Please do not mind your teacher and form a path.” Darwin looked at Tiffi and continued, “Please go to your new team members.”

Tiffi nervously gulped and peeked at Vincent and Lilith. Seeing them smile warmly at her gave Tiffi the courage to walk while all the attention was on her.

Tiffi noticed a few girls who were her social friends about two to three years ago. But the longer it took Tiffi to awaken, the more the parents of her social friends pestered them to distance themself from her.

.....

The girls who previously were Tiffi’s social friends gossiped while she walked to Melissa. The shocking surprise of Tiffi’s Sigil Mage class made many of them thank their parents for not having a useless friend.

“Hey! Stop gossiping about my teammate!” Melissa shouted in Tiffi’s defense.

Tiffi was feeling as if she was walking the walk of shame. But with Melissa’s expressive words, the lips stopped moving. Tiffi looked at Melissa, and her heart raced.

‘Father... I think I might make a new friend on the first day.’ Tiffi thought with joyful tears welling in her eyes.

Tiffi shortly arrived in front of Melissa and her three other teammates. “I am Tiffi Ponalis. I hope we can become good friends.” She greeted.

*Sigh* “Here.” Melissa offered Tiffi her handkerchief. “Clean your face. We can introduce ourselves later.”

Tiffi gratefully accepted the offer and wiped her tears. She stood in line with her team and waited for Darwin to continue.

*Clap* “Okay, students. Please follow Melissa for the usual magic lesson now. ” Darwin turned around. As Darwin was about to leave, he suddenly stopped and said, “Ohh, before I forget. The Ponalis family is good friends with the Duke and Duchess of the Milloween family.”

Darwin winked and warned, “I hope no one bullies Tiffi Ponalis because I can not stop the strongest mage in our great kingdom from her anger.”

Everyone present shuddered at the thought of becoming enemies with the strongest mage in the kingdom.

Even though Vincent and Lilith weren’t going to bully Tiffi, both of them felt intimidated after knowing how the royal guard Duchess Karta Milloween treated Tiffi like her daughter.

*Sigh* “Stop trembling and follow me to the magic lesson.” Maria glanced at each of the physical class students that liked to miss her lesson. “I hope everyone attends the lesson, or I might ask the headmaster how it is not my fault only one team has ever won a ranking match.”

The students became angry at Maria’s taunting remark. Out of the ten teams in Class A, three had a missing member. Out of the remaining seven teams, only Vincent’s team won because the other six also were challenged by second years and above.

“Damn, team ten! On the outside, it looked like a handicap match, but many are speculating they bought the win,”

“Yeah. I heard team ten cheated, and the rocks didn’t cause enough injuries to make them lose.”

“Understandable. How can they win with only two fighters?”

“Cheating? Heh. Some are even saying how if team ten had three more fighters, they might be stronger than the fifth years.”

“Beh. Your rumor source sucks.”

“I also call lies. They are using the age of their two older members as an excuse to be very strong. ”

The students gossiped about Vincent’s team while following Maria. They also randomly glared at Vincent, yet Vincent remained acting casually and chatted with his teammates.

Later, after the magic lesson ended, Maria approached Vincent.

*Sigh* “I have to help Tiffi settle in because that brat loves to go out all the time, and she will surely not take care of Tiffi for more than half an hour.”

“Teacher Maria. Can you tell Tiffi to visit us if she feels lonely?” Lilith asked.

“Yeah. I will bring her with me later.” Maria pulled out her teacher academy card and teleported to Melissa and Tiffi’s island.

[I hope Tiffi will not feel unwelcomed because of her Sigil Mage Class.]

-Yeah. I also hope she will feel accepted because we already saw how everyone pushed Clair away.-

[Sigh. When the power is more valuable than a good person, this problem happens.]

[Talking about a problem. Jun Ye Rim has already left.]

Vincent looked around, and he couldn’t see a shadow of Jun Ye Rim. ‘I better ask Iris if she can make Jun Ye Rim a healthier drink to help with her womanly problem.’ He decided.

Later that day, Maria and Tiffi visited the island for half an hour as it was getting late.

Tiffi promptly hugged Ester and praised how wonderful the dance of war was.

Tiffi compared Ester to a doll being moved by invisible threads while fighting opponents with larger and stronger bodies than her. The complement made Ester blush, and Lupa insisted that the white wolf was better.

“White wolf? I didn’t see a wolf fighting.” Tiffi bluntly told Lupa because she was only looking in Ester’s direction.

Lupa became unhappy to receive no compliments. Both her ears and tail soon lowered.

Lupa saw that Tiffi talked with Ester as if there was no one else. She went beside Vincent and asked if he wanted to do a betting spar with her.

“I will win ten kisses from you today.” Vincent teased in a low voice.

Lupa became cheerful, and both her ears and tails regained vigor. “I will be receiving them.” She responded in a low voice and with a wide smile.

This had become Lupa’s new routine. Lupa would spar with Vivid in the morning and sometimes with Vincent in the evening.

*Day 157 – 12 November – Thursday*

The next morning arrived. Vincent, Lilith, Nick, and Clair were in the study room alone. Jun Ye Rim refused to attend and remained in her bedroom.

Lilith raised her hands. In one hand was a brush with a white foundation to change the skin tone and in the other hand was an eyebrow pencil to make the brows look fuller and different.

Lilith had a lot of fun making Vincent, Nick, and Clair look different at first few glances.

After the makeup was done, Vincent let his hair loose. Nick made his hair unruly and slightly spiky, while Lilith helped Clair make her hair into twin tails.

“Lilith. What about you?” Vincent asked.

Lilith smiled. She took Vincent’s hair tie and made a ponytail. She removed her glasses and looked like a different woman at first glance. The glasses as a part of Lilith’s identity, and their removal made her look different immediately without the need for makeup.

[Color me surprised. It looks like you have another woman today.]

“But... can you walk without glasses?” Vincent asked out of worry. He was afraid Lilith was going to fall or bump into walls or students many times.

“Hehe.” Lilith chuckled. “Don’t I have a great escort?”

Later, Vincent and Nick teleported to the arrival hall. By covering their insignias, the two easily left the horde of students trying to find an easy team to challenge.

After the morning physical class ended with only Vincent and Nick attending, both went to the arrival hall and waited for the girls to arrive.

Lilith and Clair arrived, yet Jun Ye Rim wasn’t with them. Vincent and Nick hurred to the girls as the male students were starting to approach the two unfamiliar beauties.

Vincent grabbed Lilith’s hand while Nick grabbed Clair’s hand. They pulled them out of the arrival hall while glaring at the male students that were about to hit on their women.

historical

“Jun Ye Rim left before us, it seems. Lupa, Plow, Vivid, and Pussy couldn’t hear her presence anywhere on the island.” Said Lilith with a worried expression.

*Sigh* “That troublesome elf is starting to make us worry.” Vincent said while shaking his head.

“I hope she returns to normal soon.” Worryingly said, Clair.

Nick nodded and changed the subject, “Maybe we can find her in the outdoor magic class.”

[I tried to talk to Jun Ye Rim last night when you were sleeping. She was awake, and when I entered her room, her flying snake circled around me and kept opening its mouth as if it was trying to scare me to leave.]

-I guess you left then.-

[Yeah. Even if I am a soul, I was honestly starting to get dizzy, so I left the grumpy elf alone.]

Vincent massaged his temple because of his problematic teammate and headed to Maria’s magic lesson.

The four of them removed their disguise and returned looking normal. However, Jun Ye Rim was not present when they entered the outdoor class.

[I wonder where...] Kazumi stopped upon the arrival of the grumpy elf [Jun Ye Rim has arrived.]