Dark-colored Fairy Tale: Seven Magicians - Chapter 41

Chapter 41

“No.” Chloe refused Li Qiuyu bluntly, without a moment of hesitation.

Li Qiuyu nodded, glanced at Liu Menglu, and pulled out the chair behind Chloe, which was originally Yang Shishi’s seat.

Seeing that this new classmate wanted to take her friend’s seat, Liu Menglu was about to protest but was stopped by Chloe’s tug. She turned her head and saw Chloe shaking her head. Then, she looked at Li Qiuyu again, leaned on her desk, and gazed blankly at the sky outside.

Although Chloe was always like this in class, Liu Menglu keenly sensed that something was off this time. She looked at Chloe with some concern. Chloe just reached out and poked her face while looking toward the front of the classroom.

The teacher was staring at them. Seeing this, Liu Menglu had no choice but to suppress all her doubts, sit quietly in her seat, and begin the first class of the day.

The morning classes were all important ones. This morning was English, and math. The last math class, in particular, made Chloe’s scalp tingle and her head feel dizzy.

In contrast, Li Qiuyu, who was sitting behind them, seemed very familiar with everything and solved the problems with ease. Especially in the last math class, to test Li Qiuyu’s math progress, the math teacher specifically chose two difficult problems and asked her to solve them on the board.

To the teacher’s satisfaction, Li Qiuyu solved the two difficult problems he had specifically chosen without any effort.

And it was because of those two problems that Liu Menglu’s eyes showed a hint of a fighting spirit when she looked at Li Qiuyu. She had only gotten one of those two problems on the board right. The teacher’s problems were a little beyond the curriculum this time.

After sensing Liu Menglu’s gaze, Li Qiuyu nodded slightly at her. Then, she turned her attention back to Chloe. Her purpose for coming here was to observe Chloe, so she wasn’t very interested in the other students.

Although her investigation had revealed that Chloe was staying at the home of a female student named Liu Menglu, she was just an ordinary person, after all.

Time passed quickly, and it was soon lunchtime. Looking at the still-dazed Chloe, Liu Menglu, feeling helpless, took two bento boxes from her desk and led Chloe toward the balcony.

The sun was nice today. It would be good to get some sun.

Chloe had gotten used to Liu Menglu holding her hand. After Liu Menglu had bluffed her into this state, Chloe even took advantage of it, leaning on her, with her eyelids drooping, and slowly shuffling toward the balcony behind her.

Li Qiuyu watched all this, and her doubts deepened. In her mind, magical beings would never allow an ordinary person to get close. But looking at how naturally they held hands and walked together, she knew they were definitely more than just acquaintances.

She followed the two of them to the balcony. Li Qiuyu was about to hide in a corner to observe them quietly, but Liu Menglu surprisingly discovered her.

It wasn’t that Li Qiuyu’s hiding skills were bad, but that Liu Menglu had a keen sense of smell.

Li Qiuyu’s scent was different from everyone else’s. If Chloe’s scent was sweet and pure, then Li Qiuyu’s scent was rather dull, like a flower that had reached its peak and was about to decay.

It was precisely because this scent was so unique that Liu Menglu discovered Li Qiuyu hiding there.

Liu Menglu didn’t think Li Qiuyu was there to spy on them. She only thought that since Li Qiuyu was a new transfer student and unfamiliar with the school, she wanted to find a quiet place to eat and didn’t expect to find it occupied by her and Chloe.

So, she stood there awkwardly, wanting to wait for them to finish before coming up for lunch.

Liu Menglu was a very warm person. She waved at Li Qiuyu.

Li Qiuyu saw it, but she didn’t think Liu Menglu had noticed her until Liu Menglu suddenly smiled and said to her, “Li Qiuyu, would you like to eat with us?”

Li Qiuyu hadn’t expected to be discovered. She was startled at first and was about to decline when she saw Chloe frown, a faint look of displeasure in her eyes.

This person—

Li Qiuyu’s heart stirred. She had thought that Chloe had come to this school by chance, but now, seeing her interaction with Liu Menglu, Li Qiuyu dismissed that idea.

It seems she came here with another purpose. I just don’t know if this girl is a shield to hide her true intentions or if this girl is her actual purpose.

Li Qiuyu, who had not intended to interact with Liu Menglu, walked onto the balcony.

Hearing the approaching footsteps, Chloe slowly raised her head. Her dark golden eyes looked at the newcomer with alert vigilance, just like a large feline whose territory had been invaded.

Although Liu Menglu felt the atmosphere was a little strange, she didn’t think much of it and enthusiastically welcomed her.

“Classmate, not many people come to this balcony. If you want a quiet place to eat in the future, you can come up here.” With that, Liu Menglu smiled and held up her pink lunch box, indicating that she came here for the quietness.

Liu Menglu’s smile was always very warm, like a small sun, warming people’s hearts.

Li Qiuyu stared at this smile. She had intended to leave, but her feet suddenly became a little heavy.

How many years had it been since she had seen a smile like this?

It was only natural, or perhaps as if she had been charmed, that Li Qiuyu sat down. She didn’t sit cross-legged like Chloe or casually with her long legs stretched out like Liu Menglu. Instead, she sat in a very standard kneeling position with her back straight and her hands naturally placed on her knees. The seemingly cold and imposing person now had a touch of the quiet grace of a young lady from a noble family.

Liu Menglu blinked, feeling a little flustered. For some reason, what should have been a very pleasant lunch break felt like a family meeting with the head of the family, like in a TV show.

To ease the awkwardness, Liu Menglu picked up a bento box and asked, “Classmate, this is a new dish I made today. Would you like to try it? It’s a sweet one.”

Li Qiuyu didn’t say anything, but Chloe, contrary to her usual behavior, snatched the bento box from Liu Menglu, ate it all in one bite, and even looked at Li Qiuyu provocatively.

Liu Menglu was a little embarrassed. She tugged on Chloe’s sleeve, but Chloe pretended not to notice, turning her head away to drink tea.

Unfortunately, as soon as the tea entered her mouth, Chloe’s eyebrows furrowed. She had always liked sweeter juices and had no interest in tea.

Li Qiuyu naturally noticed Chloe’s reaction. She looked at Liu Menglu thoughtfully and said, “The tea Chloe drank was Tie Guan Yin, right?”

Liu Menglu clearly didn’t expect Li Qiuyu to know about tea, and her eyes immediately lit up as if she had found a soulmate. “Yes, it’s Tie Guan Yin. I actually prefer Biluochun, but it’s hard to find authentic Biluochun these days.”

At this, Liu Menglu’s mood became a little low.

Li Qiuyu’s fingers twitched, as if she wanted to comfort her, but remembering the organization’s strict rule that magical beings should not be too close to ordinary people, she swallowed the words in her throat.

When she wanted to change the topic to Chloe, she reached out to point to her.

But just as she raised her arm, Chloe pulled Liu Menglu directly into her arms, her eyes filled with a strong warning.