Meeting

Earlier that day, when Wu Xue was giving his last lesson to 1E Class.

The five people who caught his attention were attentively watching everything Wu Xue taught and copying everything that could be copied.

The class seemed to acknowledge their ability, but gloomily since they were isolated from the rest.

Despite being from different social classes, the five were harmoniously sitting to sitting close to the platform where Wu Xue was.

Their eyes were shining with excitement and shock, they never once thought that magic like the one Wu Xue was teaching was possible.

Rose, a gentle-looking beautiful girl with pink hair and light purple eyes. She was the one with the most fervor in the eyes of the five when looking at Wu Xue.

Eliz, a girl with a cold and sharp bearing and heroic face, had long black hair and blue eyes. Although she didn't show it as much as Rose, her enthusiasm was no less.

Jasmine, a girl who had nothing but indifference in her face, meant nothing but nothingness. It was like a flock of snow in the cold and lonely plains. She had an oval delicate face, long dark blue hair, and deep black eyes.

The boys were not as eye-catching as the girls, but they had their own merits, they were the most talented of the five, and every time Wu Xue taught one thing, they learned two.

Gus, a plain-looking boy with short green hair and eyes, had a burly body and an aura as steady as a stone. The small wounds in his hands, bandaged with white stripes, and the gloom under his eyes showed he was relentlessly training every day.

Rudd, a boy who seemingly emanated pure enthusiasm just by existing. He was constantly wearing a small smile and had a constant gentle expression. He had long black hair and red eyes such as crimson flames, his body was fit and showed the results of constant training.

When the class ended and Wu Xue left, the five began to discuss what just happened.

"How did you two feel when he merged the magic circles?" Rudd was the first to ask with shining eyes, he was giving hot glances to Gus and Jasmine.

"It felt... natural," Gus said with uncertainty, he was frowning and pondering.

"I felt like he robbed me," Jasmine muttered with a blank look, as if not very interested or lost in thought.

"Explain better!" Rudd's face darkened, "What do you mean?"

"I felt like it wasn't forced like nature itself took control of the magic," Gus elaborated, "But that's what makes it more confusing."

"Just as I said, I felt like he robbed the magic from me, leaving nothing behind," Jasmine said her piece.

"It makes no sense!" Rudd massaged his temples, "What about you two, did you see any clue?"

"No, I was too shocked to even try," Rose shook her head with a bitter smile.

Eliz simply shook her head in denial.

"What the fuck!" Rudd shouted, "I'm just too curious. I want to ask him!"

"He will probably ignore you," Rose warned, "Although he looked like a kid, he certainly isn't one. If you go and ask, he will probably ignore you."

"I will just try," Rudd sighed and got up from his seat. He took his bag and left with no more words.

The others exchanged helpless glances and left the classroom as well, each to their own destination.

Rudd didn't immediately go after Wu Xue but went to finish some personal business.

But the girl with few words, Jasmine, was the one who went after Wu Xue just after she left the classroom. She asked a few people, spent some time going around, and finally found the new professor's residence.

When she was about to knock on his door, it was opened and two people walked out, Wu Xue and a charming mature woman, she was wearing a professor's insignia on her chest.

"Well? What are you doing here? Student Jasmine," Wu Xue frowned slightly and asked.

"Well~ already ao popular with the students?" the woman giggled, "I will be waiting for you with the others at the meeting."

"Thanks for the visit," Wu Xue nodded to her and watched her leave before looking at Jasmine again with curiosity, "Why are you here?"

"Can you teach me what you did earlier in the class?" Jasmine asked with unwavering eyes.

Wu Xue narrowed his eyes and was silent, both of them began to stare at each other without blinking.

After spending some energy on calculations and planning, Wu Xue said, "Sure."

One of Jasmine's eyebrows was lifted and she asked, "Why?"

Wu Xue grinned, "Why should I tell you? Aren't you the one who wants something from me?

"I will first arrange my agenda. When I figure it out I will tell you about the time and place I will teach you what you want."

Jasmine took a deep look at him and asked, "Do you want something from me?"

"Aren't you being senseless with this question?" Wu Xue frowned, "If you are unsatisfied, just forget about it."

After that he entered his residence and closed the door, ignoring Jasmine completely.

"What a peculiar girl," he muttered and shook his head.

"Strange..." Jasmine muttered and left.

During the night, Wu Xue wore nice clothes and left his residence. He was invited to a meeting of professors, it was beneficial for him to go and know more about his surroundings.

"You came," the woman who was at his residence earlier greeted him at the entrance of the restaurant, which was close to the academy.

"Miss Lionheart," Wu Xue greeted her politely.

"Just call me Aria, I don't like to be referred to so formally by a senior," she chuckled.

"We were both professors, there's no high and low between us," Wu Xue shook his head.

"Then why are you referring to me so formally?" Aria narrowed her eyes with a grin.

"...You caught me," Wu Xue sighed, "Okay, I will be calling you like this from now on, Miss Aria."

"You sure are stubborn, quit the miss," she continued to chuckle.

"Well, are you our new colleague?" another professor arrived and glanced at Wu Xue, "My name is Rick, it's a pleasure." Rick was a middle-aged burly man, he had a rather handsome face and long black hair.

"My name is Wu Xue," he returned the greeting and shook Rick's hands, "The pleasure is mine."

"Now, let's enter before everyone gets bored from waiting," Aria said with a grin.

While they were walking inside towards the reserved table, Aria asked, "What happened with the student at your door?"

"She was simply too eager to learn," Wu Xue said with a strange expression, he glanced at her and asked, "Why?"

"Well, she has a reputation in the academy," Aria explained, "She is considered one of the rising stars from this generation, and is the pride of her House."

"Yes?" Wu Xue didn't seem too much interested, but he actually paid attention to her words.

When they arrived at the reserved table, there were two professors already sitting and waiting.

"Didn't you say you were to leave the academy for a business trip?" Aria asked with surprise in her tone, she was staring at an old man with short white hair and a scary face.

"Kekeke," he shook his head and then glanced at Wu Xue, "You must be the new recruit."

Wu Xue nodded and asked, "Are you?"

"I'm just a crazy old man whose name is Yor," he introduced himself, "And this one here by my side is called Witch of Terror, Ivy." He tapped the shoulders of the old woman who was sitting beside him.

Ivy glanced at him coldly, "Are you so eager to part ways?"

"Hey, don't kill me just yet," Yor laughed out loud and pointed to Wu Xue, "Let me at least know more about this new teacher, I heard he taught unimaginable things to mere students."

"Rumours about you circulated fast," Aria giggled and hit Wu Xue's shoulder lightly, "You better be prepared to be questioned by many curious people."

Just like that, they decided to start the official meeting. According to Aria, the late-comers should be punished by eating cold food.

On the table, delicious and magnificent dishes were served one after another.

Wu Xue tried hard to restrain himself, but he was defeated by his desires and began to eat like a glutton, to the surprise of the other professors.

"It seems even his stomach turned young," Yor laughed, "I'm so jealous!"

"You better advance to the Eighth Star soon if you don't want to die," Ivy snorted, but a glimmer of concern appeared in her expression.

"Kekeke," Yor noticed it but just laughed.

Wu Xue took a quick glance at Yor and noticed he only had a few years left to live.

"Can you tell us more about your origins? Professor Wu," Rick asked while drinking wine.

Wu Xue swallowed all the food in his mouth and said (lied), "I came from a foreign continent, far away from here. The place where I was born was named 'Glimmer Peak,' but it was destroyed after a war."

"How far away?" Aria was interested.

"Five times farther away than the Blue Wind Continent," Wu Xue elaborated the lie, "So far that most maps available don't include it."

"It sounds like a lie," Yor snorted.

Ivy stepped hard on his feet and gave him a deadly glade.

Wu Xue was surprised but wasn't angry, instead...

"I like you, old man," Wu Xue laughed, "I like people who say what is on their mind.

"That's right, I was lying."

Everyone was shocked by his admission.

"But so what?" Wu Xue shrugged, "I can't simply say 'I don't want to say it' to you guys after accepting the invitation, it would ruin the atmosphere."

"Aren't you ruining it right now?" Rick was ill-humored.

"Yes, but I'm having fun," Wu Xue laughed and swallowed a whole cup of wine, "Isn't that the most important? To be and to do as the heart wishes, to be true to oneself!

"If I can't be true to myself, I built an illusion to support my own expectations for the future.

"Let me elaborate on it truthfully. I didn't lie because I like to lie, but because my origins were too complicated and you guys were better off not knowing."

You suddenly got up from his seat and offered a toast, "Now you won my respect, cheers!"

Wu Xue was the only one to respond and he happily shouted, "Cheers!"

After that, both Wu Xue and Yor began to talk endlessly about numerous topics, like good old friends.

Aria smiled awkwardly and exchanged glances with the others, "It seems they were very compatible to be friends."

"Yor was already enough of a troublemaker, I'm afraid it will get worse now..." Rick sighed.

"Don't be so snobbish, let's drink!" Wu Xue and Yor foasted again, "For our future as friends, cheers!"

Although they continued to drink, Wu Xue still asked important questions from time to time.

"I'm from the neutral faction," Aria said after Wu Xue asked, "Just like everyone here."

"Then I guess it was a trap," Wu Xue chuckled, "You guys were more vicious than I thought."

"Don't be like that, weren't we doing good right now!?" Yor laughed while refilling their cups with more wine.

"That's right!" Wu Xue exploded and began to drink, "Fuck the trap!"

"Hahahahah!"

"I can't believe it, another madman..." Rick muttered.

Both Aria and Ivy had complex expressions as well, but they didn't plan on changing their goal, to make Wu Xue enter the neutral faction.

Although Aria approached Wu Xue like a simple good-natured professor, without any hidden intentions, she was actually ordered by the higher-ups from the neutral faction to immediately invite Wu Xue to their side.

Although Wu Xue didn't agree to anything, just accepting her invitation and being a participant in a meeting with only members of the neutral faction... makes it more difficult for him to simply enter other factions with a clean profile.

Even if other factions were willing to accept him after that meeting, they would surely request more from him to prove he was clean from schemes.

In a place full of political schemes, anything that seemed minimal and simple was actually dangerous. Just accepting an invitation for a meal could ensure someone was isolated and made an enemy by others.

"Actually, I knew from the very beginning it was a scheme," Wu Xue giggled and said to Aria, he looked at her with curved eyes, "It was just too obvious. Have you never asked yourself why no other party approached me yet?"

Aria blushed out of shame and stayed silent.

"She had never been savvy when it came to schemes," Ivy suddenly said, "She received the orders and executed them as literally as possible.

"Despite her looks, she sometimes acts like a naive girl."

"But that's okay, I won't resent it this way," Wu Xue chuckled, "Let me tell you one fun thing, I already decided to enter the neutral faction."

"Huh?" everyone was shocked by his statement.

"Why? You must be wondering?" Wu Xue drank another full cup of wine before explaining, "Yor is a fun guy, I feel like it will be fun to be his comrade."

"Man, you are making me blush," Yor laughed so much tears came out of his eyes, "Cheers!"

"Two crazy people..." Rick muttered.

"Just because of this?" Aria asked unconsciously.

"That's right! I have no other plans!" Wu Xue continued laughing, "I have always been a free-spirited person."