Dark-colored Fairy Tale: Seven Magicians - Chapter 40

Chapter 40

“Who told you that?!”

Li Li looked at his daughter’s crimson eyes, for the first time feeling lucky he didn’t have a beard—otherwise, it might have been torn off. He wondered why the girl had such a strong desire to kill, or if it was something else entirely.

Li Qiuyu stood silently. Despite being only 1.66 meters tall, her presence was no less imposing than the 1.8-meter-tall Li Li. Seeing the fierce look on her father’s face, she was convinced the mission was to eliminate Chloe. She stated matter-of-factly, “Isn’t that the order you gave me, Father?”

Li Li felt a pang in his stomach. He had no memory of ordering Chloe’s death. To correct his daughter’s misunderstanding, he quickly said, “No, that’s not it. I called you here to have you transfer to her school and observe her to ensure she doesn’t cause any disruption to social order.”

Li Qiuyu didn’t understand the dramatic shift in her father’s instructions, but she wasn’t a curious person. After receiving the new order, she gave a military salute and left.

Watching his daughter’s determined back, Li Li sighed. “I knew I shouldn’t have let those old folks raise her. Look at how rigid and old-fashioned she’s become.”

…

Li Qiuyu was always meticulous. Even though she didn’t understand why her assassination mission had become a surveillance one, she had been raised to see herself as a tool, and she had no objections. However, her cautious nature prompted her to first investigate Chloe’s background to determine the best way to monitor her.

Information on both Liu Menglu and Chloe was not difficult to find. She quickly gathered details about their recent interactions and the matter involving Lu Yuting and her brother. After reviewing the information, Li Qiuyu prepared her transfer documents and went to Liu Menglu’s class.

“Did you hear? We’re getting a new student today. They say she’s very pretty.”

“A transfer student?” Everyone was excited. It was rare for someone to transfer to a new class in the second year of high school. Out of curiosity, everyone eagerly awaited the new student’s arrival.

As the class buzzed with anticipation, Li Qiuyu walked in with a cold expression. As a new face, all eyes turned to her at the front of the room. She wore a simple white shirt and a black skirt, with fingerless mesh sleeves on her hands. Her long black hair was tied in a ponytail that lay neatly down her back. Her posture was incredibly straight, like a soldier at attention. She stood silently, exuding an intense pressure that made many students lower their heads after just one look.

Li Qiuyu seemed oblivious to their discomfort. She stood quietly, her eyes immediately falling on Chloe, who was sprawled on her desk as if she were asleep. She glanced at the clock and, seeing that it was class time, felt a pang of dissatisfaction with the sleeping Chloe. How could a person who doesn’t even follow school rules become a magical being?

Chloe had noticed Li Qiuyu the moment she walked in. However, she ignored the newcomer’s aura. All she wanted was to sleep because she had a restless night—thanks to Liu Menglu.

The teacher felt awkward as Li Qiuyu stood silently on the podium. Given Li Qiuyu’s powerful presence, he lowered his voice and asked, “Would you like to introduce yourself first? I can find you a seat afterward.”

Li Qiuyu nodded. She went to the blackboard and wrote her name in a neat, disciplined font that looked like something copied from a computer. It was beautiful but lacked the lively charm of Liu Menglu’s handwriting. She didn’t care about such things. She introduced her name and then simply ended her introduction.

The teacher was taken aback but pointed to an empty seat for her. However, Li Qiuyu didn’t move. Her mission was to monitor Chloe, and she couldn’t do that effectively from a distance. She walked directly to Liu Menglu’s side instead.

“Can I switch seats with you?” she asked.

Liu Menglu was surprised that her first conversation with a new classmate was a request to move. Under normal circumstances, she would have agreed, but with Chloe next to her, she wouldn’t even consider moving farther away.

Liu Menglu shook her head. “Sorry, I can’t give up this seat. There are a lot of other empty seats in the back you can take.” She felt she was being polite, but she was confident that her new classmate wouldn’t try to force her to move.

Li Qiuyu would never force a normal person to give up their seat. She had been taught since she was a child that her duty as a magical being was to eliminate demons and protect ordinary people. After Liu Menglu refused, Li Qiuyu frowned and said in a serious tone, “Your seat is not safe. Something might happen.”

Liu Menglu was startled by the unexpected seriousness. Her eyes were wide with confusion, and she instinctively clutched Chloe’s sleeve. In her mind, Chloe was a powerful magical girl—omnipotent. When threatened by someone else, it was only natural for her to seek Chloe’s help.

In Li Qiuyu’s eyes, this was a sign of a strange attachment. She had always believed that magical beings couldn’t be good friends with ordinary people because their friends would eventually forget them.

Liu Menglu, unaware of Li Qiuyu’s thoughts, only held on to Chloe’s sleeve, showing her dependence. Chloe didn’t disappoint her. The moment Li Qiuyu wanted to sit there, Chloe opened her eyes and quietly stared at the girl.

Noticing the gaze, Li Qiuyu looked back calmly, her crimson eyes showing no emotion. She extended her hand. “Li Qiuyu. I want to sit next to you.”

Upon hearing the name, Chloe frowned. As the host of one of the seven ancient sacrifices, she knew the hosts of the other seven. She just never expected to meet her here.

“Chloe,” she replied out of politeness.

Liu Menglu watched their silent exchange, sensing a connection between them but choosing not to interrupt.

After Chloe said her name, Li Qiuyu nodded. She glanced at Liu Menglu and asked, “So, can I be your deskmate now?”