Free Web NovelMid-June.
Summer arrived in the Southern Domain.
Wind drifting in from the Star Sea brought moisture and warmth, and the temperature of the entire region rose correspondingly. The most noticeable change was that Vieya discovered the girls of the Magic Academy had all switched to light, fluttery skirts, baring their pale legs.
Standing on a chair before the Dean’s Office window, Vieya leaned toward the pane and observed the students training on the grounds below. The scorching sun beat down on her moon-white hair, yet she did not feel hot in the slightest.
That night, after returning home, she had encountered Aurora waiting at her door.
Aurora’s injuries had only just stabilized, yet she couldn’t wait—she immediately came to ask when they would go to the Western Domain together to meet her elder sister, and said she planned to hand over all the information she had collected over the years.
So Vieya told her about her intention to visit the Elven Forest.
Fortunately, the Elven Forest was also located in the Western Domain; Vieya planned to handle both matters in one trip.
Apart from that, another matter concerned her most: that beggar girl—astonishingly—had truly spent the past half month staying obediently in the detention cell, eating and sleeping on schedule, causing no trouble at all.
Vieya didn’t know whether to be pleased or conflicted.
Now, by calculation, the time she had arranged with Aislin was approaching, and the follow-up work at the Academy was mostly completed. Everything was set—she just needed to wait for Jasmine to finish today’s training session.
Beep.
Beep Beep.
Someone knocked on the office door.
“Come in.”
Vieya furrowed her brows, hopped down from the chair, stepped away from the windowsill, and moved toward her exclusive Dean’s chair. She sat very properly, picked up a random document to hold in her hand, then finally lifted her gaze toward the doorway.
The former Dean—who used to loaf around watching drama—instantly vanished.
Replaced was the strict, competent, dutiful Dean.
Helibel pushed the door open. One glance landed on the serious, composed Vieya. Although she felt helpless, she hadn’t come to tease the little dean today. After a brief pause, she got straight to the point:
“Little Dean, how long do you expect to be gone this time? Many of the Academy’s funding procedures can’t move forward without your personal signature.”
“It’s fine. The four of you can rotate as Acting Dean.”
Vieya set down the document, looking directly at the graceful woman before her.
“As for how long I’ll be away—I can’t be certain. Just manage the Academy steadily while I’m gone. Prioritize stability.”
“Uncertain when you’ll return?” Helibel blinked. She had originally assumed this young dean-mother was simply planning to take her daughter out for vacation during the long summer break after the training ended.
But judging from the little dean’s tone, this was definitely not for leisure.
She was going out because she had to, likely for something dangerous.
“Little Dean, summer vacation lasts a full two months...”
“I know.”
Vieya lifted her eyes.
“But this time I have to go to the Western Domain. It’s far.”
“The Western Domain?” Helibel’s expression changed. Among the East, West, South, and North, only the Southern Domain remained peaceful and safe. The others were all perilous—wars, civil strife, division, constant turmoil, constant fire.
Why would the dean take {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} her daughter to places like that?
Although shock and curiosity rose in her heart, Helibel didn’t question further.
She just nodded silently to show she understood.
“After the training period there’s still some time left. Please help my daughter apply for early leave.” Vieya added, “The leave should start from tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
Helibel lifted her head sharply, stunned.
“Little Dean, you’re leaving tomorrow?”
“Mhm.”
......
Noon.
Vieya did not remain at the Academy as usual. After packing her water cup and coat, she returned home.
The house was unusually quiet today. Even Elizabeth—normally the loudest—sat obediently off to the side, lowering her head as she played with her fingernails.
“Master, are you really not taking us along?” Helcat asked anxiously.
“We want to go too!”
“You can’t.” Vieya refused with a shake of her head. She had arranged personnel carefully—someone had to stay behind to handle matters at home.
Helcat plus the two Demon Kings whose power had been cut by half were barely usable.
If she left only those two Demon Kings behind, she truly couldn’t relax.
The cat-girl, rejected so coldly, instantly teared up, pitiful and adorable. But Vieya ignored her completely and turned toward the vampire queen, still fiddling with her nails.
“Hey, dummy-white. I know you have complaints about me, but you’ve been with me long enough to understand some of my habits. This time I won’t monitor you. Do whatever you want while I’m away—Kitty can’t beat you anyway... In short, I hope you think carefully during the time I’m gone.”
“......” fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm
Elizabeth lowered her head without answering. Even her idle movement of picking at her nails stopped.
No one knew what she was thinking. With her head bowed, no one could see her eyes.
Finally Vieya turned toward the quietest of the Demon Kings—the spider Demon King. Originally, she and Vieya had shared the deepest hatred, their grievances old and bloody.
But unlike Elizabeth, this one had not constantly tried to harm her these past years. Instead, all the tasks distributed to her were handled earnestly.
Vieya couldn’t tell whether this spider Demon King had truly submitted... or was biding her time for revenge.
Looking at the calm Jiele Xiyin, Vieya didn’t know what to say.
After all, the only reason they coexisted was the forced soul contract.
And despite sharing a roof for several years, aside from compulsory orders, they had almost no additional interaction.
But then Jiele Xiyin suddenly spoke:
“Master, there was never true enmity between us. We hurt each other only because of our own circumstances, turning us into enemies. If one day I truly intend to betray you without hesitation, I will inform you in advance.”
“......”
Vieya was silent for a moment. She suddenly didn’t feel like talking more.
She simply glanced toward Aurora, standing in the corner, and nodded.
“Come here. The ship I booked departs tonight. Once Jasmine finishes school, we’ll pick her up and leave.”
“Ah... yes!”
Aurora tried hard to suppress her delight, but her light steps betrayed her excitement.
She hadn’t returned to the Western Domain for a very long time.
She wondered—how would her elder sister react when she found out the Captain was still alive?
Thinking of this, Aurora couldn’t help glancing at Vieya—in her current big-loli form.
For some reason...
Every time she saw her Captain like this, she wanted to laugh.
“What are you laughing at?” Vieya felt personally offended. freёwebnovel.com
Aurora coughed twice to cover herself.
“My sister will be so happy to see you alive, Captain. I’m happy too, that’s why I’m laughing.”
“You’d better be.”
“I swear I’m not lying, Captain.”
Aurora explained desperately as she hurried to match the slime-girl’s steps.
Soon, the two of them disappeared through the courtyard gate, not to return for quite some time.
Inside the hall, Helcat drooped her ears and wiped her tears. The other two Demon Kings remained silent.
After a long time, the oppressive atmosphere finally broke.
Elizabeth spoke first, dissatisfied:
“That white-haired brat really has no conscience. Paranoid all day long. She starves us and forces us to work, then complains we don’t perform!”
“Heh. You contributed plenty to that paranoia,” Jiele Xiyin said dryly.
“If you didn’t ambush her every day, would she be this wary of us?”
“Wu-meow... Master doesn’t want us anymore...”
Helcat plopped onto the floor in a duck-sit, staring blankly at the ceiling—completely unaware that behind her, the other two Demon Kings had already resumed their yin-yang bickering.
......
