Chapter 49 : One Year Later
One Year Later
A year had passed since the last catastrophe in the Dreaming Forest.
Even now, the survivors of that disaster still felt lingering fear.
Blossoms rained from the sky, corpses lay everywhere, and blood flowed down the streets.
If it hadn't been for the appearance of the Order Keepers, the casualties would likely have been even greater.
Many people saw the Order Keepers for the very first time; previously, they had never casually appeared before the masses.
One photo captured the backs of the Order Keepers.
It showed a group of people in black robes, standing atop ruins; at the very front, a girl with pink hair was draped in a vivid crimson robe, its surface covered with patterns of crosses.
It was said this was the first time an Order Keeper appeared in a crimson robe.
Later, after researching various records, people learned what crimson represented among the Order Keepers.
Only Order Keepers of bishop rank would wear red robes.
And among the Order Keepers, there were only four bishops in total.
If measured by the Hunter's power scale, a bishop would be at the Sovereign level.
That catastrophe had drawn a Sovereign.
During the disaster, the principal of Dreamscape Academy, Alitos Fya, activated the academy's protective barrier, saving the lives of students, faculty, and many refugees.
The disaster lasted only a dozen minutes, yet countless knights, hunters, and ordinary citizens became dazzling petals scattered through the air.
Such brilliance, such beauty, and such... terror.
☆☆☆
A year had passed. No matter how terrifying the disaster, time would still flow as always.
"Waking up at seven every morning is the greatest trial for me."
Liushu, yawning, entered the classroom.
Class had started ten minutes ago, and this teacher was only now wandering in.
"Mr. Liushu, you're ten minutes late again,"
Luo Ji was the first to speak up.
"You were fifteen minutes late last time. You've improved."
Liushu, looking drowsy, walked up to the podium.
"Today is the first day of your third year. You should all have your textbooks by now. This year, I'll be your race instructor. And by the way, let me introduce your new classmate—a transfer student."
"Another transfer student?"
Mo Ying looked up. At the end of first year, Shuang Yun had just transferred in, and now there was another.
"Dreamscape's transfer exams are strict. Anyone who can transfer in now must be a genius, so let's all show some respect."
As soon as Liushu finished speaking, a gray-haired girl in a black skirt walked in from the doorway.
"Uh, introduce yourself,"
Liushu said.
"Moyao."
The gray-haired girl gave a brief self-introduction. (←This is Yinhua, the protagonist.)
"That's it. Get along, everyone,"
Liushu said, utterly unconcerned by the girl's indifference, then promptly started dozing off.
"Find any seat you like. Dreamscape's teaching style is pretty free,"
Liushu said.
"All right."
Moyao descended from the podium. As she passed Mo Ying, she paused for a moment, smiled, and then sat down beside her.
"Mo Ying, an old acquaintance," the spirit of the Heavenly Serpent drifted beside Yinhua.
"I suppose you could call it fate,"
Yinhua yawned and flopped down onto her desk.
She fell asleep right on the spot.
Before coming to Dreamscape, serpent had told Yinhua that this world had already experienced six hundred years since she last knew it—it was no longer the world she remembered.
All sorts of things had happened in those six hundred years: the emergence of the hunting grounds, the existence of the Suti, the technological advances of Tianke, the rise of the Hunters—all had been explained by the Heavenly Serpent.
The main reason for coming to Dreamscape was to retrieve the card Shuang Yun had taken, and also, by the way, to see some old friends.
"..."
Mo Ying looked at the new classmate beside her, thoroughly puzzled.
How could she just fall asleep like that? Was she lazier than Mo Ying herself?
Mo Ying almost suspected this girl spent her nights robbing banks.
Liushu at the front didn't care either—he himself was almost asleep.
The new student did not wake up for the entire class.
☆☆☆
In the faculty office, Wei was reviewing Moyao's student file.
"Your file is rather incomplete,"
Wei said, frowning at Moyao.
This new student was unusually suspicious—the file contained almost nothing.
Just a birthday, name, gender, and age.
The birthday likely wasn't even real.
"What does it matter? As long as I have talent, dreamscape doesn't care about the past."
Moyao kept a smile on her face.
"I've seen many people, and you—I can tell at a glance—you came here with a certain purpose. What are you planning to do?"
"No need to be so serious. You're making me nervous."
Moyao twined a finger in her hair.
"As for my purpose, or what I intend to do, I think that falls under my personal privacy, doesn't it?"
"If you interfere with my work, I'll break your bones,"
Wei said, looking deadly serious.
"All right, all right, I'll be careful,"
Moyao replied with a carefree grin, not taking Wei's threat seriously at all.
"Your personality..."
Liushu suddenly appeared. He eyed Moyao.
"You remind me a lot of a friend of mine. Seems you're the same type of person."
As he looked at Moyao's smile, Liushu was reminded of his own boss's grin.
The two were almost identical.
A chill ran down his spine.
"So, Mr. Liushu, do you still need more students?"
"There are plenty of teachers in this school. Why focus on me?"
"Because I heard your classes are the most relaxed."
"That's true. I might not be good at much else, but when it comes to slacking off, I'm top class."
Liushu looked quite proud.
"Then I'll report to your class later, Mr. Liushu."
Moyao smiled as she left the office.
"She doesn't seem like an ordinary student at all."
After Moyao left, Liushu said.
"..."
Wei said nothing.
"I just have a feeling, this is going to be big trouble."
Liushu sighed.
"Just keep an eye on her. With your ability, you can handle anything,"
Wei said.
"To be honest, when I first met her, we only exchanged a few words, and it felt exactly like talking to my boss at home. Only people with a truly nasty disposition at their core would speak to you that way. Moyao is clearly the same type as our boss."
"I'm really not good at dealing with those who like to treat others as playthings."
"I hope it's just my imagination. I really don't need any extra work."
Checking the time, Liushu yawned.
"Afternoon classes are about to start. I'd better go."
Casually taking an unopened bottle of mineral water from the office desk, Liushu left the office, heading for the playground to begin the afternoon session.
The thought of having yet another probably troublesome student made Liushu's head ache.