High School of Demon Hunting-Chapter 2366 - 587: A Cup of Tea

Pedestrian Street.

San You Bookstore.

Looking into the bookstore window from the street, the store’s interior is pitch black, suggesting the shop owner closed early. Even if some reckless wizard picked the lock to sneak in, they’d only find dust-covered tables and chairs and be met with the chilling ambiance between the bookshelves.

But in the eyes of the Yellow Flowered Cat, the scene is completely different.

The orange light fills the house, along with the fire from the red clay stove in the store, dispelling the chill of December. The tables and chairs in the store may not shine bright but are clean and tidy. The shop owner leans on a deck chair, clasping an open "Stiles Manor Mystery Case" over his chest, eyes half-closed, dozing off. The Flower Cat, wearing the owner’s black-rimmed glasses, presses its flat face against the window glass, peering out.

Woo...

The copper pot on the small stove lets out a faint whimper, indicating the tea inside is ready, eagerly hoping the owner would grace it with a sip.

"Are you really not going to handle this?"

The Yellow Flowered Cat suddenly turns around, looking at the bookstore owner on the deck chair, grumbled with displeasure: "Zheng’s cry can be heard clearly throughout Buji Island! You’re not dead yet! Ah Mao and Ah Gou dare to pee on your face..."

Its whining seems to awaken the napping owner.

The gentleman opens his eyes, habitually touches his nose, only to realize his glasses have been swiped by the cat.

"It’s not that exaggerated."

He sighed helplessly, picked up the copper pot next to him, refilled the cup with tea, took a sip, lubricating his throat, and added: "Besides you, nobody has peed on my face."

"It’s a metaphor! A rhetorical device!" The Yellow Flowered Cat frantically tugged its ears, causing the barely hanging glasses to immediately skew to one side.

"That kid doesn’t cry that loud either." The gentleman tilted his ear, listening intently, nodding slightly: "I guarantee, most people on the island can’t hear him crying... At least, if you’re not in this bookstore, you wouldn’t hear his voice. Listening to everything is an ability possessed by a Legendary Wizard... At most, he’s just a little scared. Young people need to exercise their heart more to be steady later."

"You know that’s not what I’m trying to say!" The Flower Cat adjusted the glasses perched on its chubby face.

"You know too, I’ve been moving further away from this world." The gentleman put down the teacup in his hand, sighed softly: "...Someday, I will truly leave, and he will need to face all of this himself. These kids interacting with him now may not be traditionally good kids, but they aren’t the typical ’bad kids’ either. Overall, I think the intensity is just right."

Despite his words, after hesitating for a moment, the gentleman still added: "Of course, if you truly can’t stand it, you can go to the university and scratch Ruoyu."

"I can’t beat Him!" The Yellow Flowered Cat looked furious, not sure if it was mad at the gentleman’s suggestion, or annoyed that it couldn’t scratch that old man.

"Oh, then you can pour the water in my cup away." The gentleman suggested another option, of course, clarifying: "It’s you who pours it, not me."

The Flower Cat shook its ears, showing a disgusted expression.

...

...

First University.

Vice Principal’s Office.

Professor Montreya, after bowing and rising, was about to leave.

A radiant stream of tea water suddenly appeared, descending from the sky, dousing the Vice Principal of First University, causing the guest’s eyes to twitch, freezing him in place, not daring to move.

This tea water seemed to drop from the Milky Way, sparkling like starlight, emanating a rich tea aroma, illuminating the originally dark office completely. Through the corner of his eyes, Professor Montreya noticed that somehow many stone sculptures planning to ambush him had gathered quietly around him; they had not expected the sudden brightness of the room, their claws held aloft, their ferocious and shocked expressions were momentarily comical.

But that’s not the focus.

The professor stealthily lifted his gaze, quickly glancing upward.

Elder Ruoyu stood atop the steps, seemingly having just regained consciousness, licking a tea leaf stem sticking to his lips, tracing a finger along his wet cheek, examining the yellow and white cat fur on his finger in silence for a long time.

For a long time.

Professor Montreya silently prayed for the Elder to dry the dampness on his body quickly so he could raise his head and take his leave. Yet the Elder Wizard on the steps seemed to have forgotten his magic.

"Is it fragrant?" The owner of the office suddenly spoke, startling the guest.

Fragrant it certainly was, the clarity of the tea aroma permeating the office, seeming to cleanse the soul. Professor Montreya couldn’t possibly lie through his eyes.

But admitting the fragrance, does it mean witnessing the awkward moment of a seasoned legend, especially when the other party is the famously rigid Vice Principal Ruoyu?

For a moment, Professor Montreya hesitated.

"Just this feeling." Elder Ruoyu nodded thoughtfully, leaning on the wolf-headed cane: "Your hesitation now is like my hesitation."

"Hesitation?" The professor couldn’t pretend he didn’t hear it, carefully lifting his head.

"Yes, hesitation."

Elder Ruoyu’s face showed a trace of melancholy, his tone faint: "Hesitating whether to slap you dead now and report a laboratory accident to avoid future trouble for the university, or to pretend nothing happened and let you leave."

It was clear the Elder’s words bore no semblance of jest.

Professor Montreya’s face turned iron blue, uncertain why the previously amiable Elder had suddenly changed his attitude. But he knew, he had no right to choose now, so he could only remain silent.

Elder Ruoyu paid no mind to the professor’s frozen expression at the bottom of the steps, instead lowering his head, rubbing two fingers against the yellow and white cat fur, contemplating for a long time, before showing a meaningful smile: "Actually thinking carefully, some accidents are not entirely that bad... Although it appears bad, on a higher level, it strengthens certain bonds and connections."

Professor Montreya had no understanding of what the Elder was talking about.

Yet he was sure the Elder’s words held multiple meanings.

While he was pondering deeply, the sound of the cane thumping on the steps’ floor echoed.

Thump, thump.

"You may go."

Elder Ruoyu ultimately did not slap Professor Montreya to death, instead simply reminding: "By the way, when someone’s presumptuous actions affect the school’s stability, they must understand those actions have consequences. Everyone must respect the ’Order’ belonging to this university... Fortunately, the result doesn’t seem too bad, you still have a chance to rectify your mistake..."

Again, such incomprehensible words!

The professor grew increasingly confused.

"Sir, I don’t understand..."

"You will understand later."

The office owner impatiently waved his sleeve, conjuring a gale from nowhere, lifting the guest at the steps, rolling, and tossing him out of the office.