Lucy Heartfilia

The multimedia classroom wasn't large, but it was decorated in a very formal manner.

Two high stools and a small round table were placed on the podium, with two bottles of mineral water and a potted plant on the table.

The background is a huge projection screen with the words "Fiore Vocational and Technical College, Campus Celebrity Interview" displayed in a very formal Song typeface.

The lighting technician, probably from the student council, shone two spotlights onto the podium from the left and right sides, the halos of light cutting out two cone-shaped beams of light in the air.

The first three rows of seats were occupied by school leaders and heads of several student departments.

Riyao and Makarov found a corner seat in the last row.

The chair was a folding chair, and it creaked when you sat on it.

Makarov plopped down, the chair letting out a groan.

The old man stared at Lucy on the stage, his eyes narrowed to slits, his mouth slightly open, his arms crossed in front of his chest, and he leaned back in his chair.

That expression... well, how should I put it?

Riyao took out a handful of sunflower seeds from his pocket and started cracking them open.

Sitting next to her was a blue-haired girl with two braids, wearing round-framed glasses, holding a mirrorless camera with photos of Lucy's previous activities displayed on the screen.

She was flipping through the pages, her lips curling up slightly with each page she turned; she curled up slightly again with each subsequent page she turned.

Riyao nudged Makarov with his elbow.

"Take it easy, Instructor Ma, there are other people around."

"Ah, oh oh oh."

Makarov snapped out of his daze and wiped the corner of his mouth.

Thankfully, there was no drool.

He straightened up, trying to adopt the demeanor of a teacher, but his eyes still kept drifting towards the stage.

The blue-haired girl smiled slightly as she watched the interaction between the two.

Hello.

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was clear and crisp.

"My name is Levy. Are you also a fan of Lucy Heartfilia?"

Riyao and Makarov exchanged a glance.

"I'm a fan of Mirajane."

"I'm a Lucy fan."

The two exchanged another glance.

Their eyes were both asking each other, "Is this right?"

Levy chuckled and spun her finger around the camera dial.

Riyao changed the subject and looked at her.

"Are you a fan of Lucy?"

Levy her round-framed glasses, the lenses reflecting the light from above.

She tilted her head back, and her two braids swayed.

"I'm her best friend and also her manager."

Riyao blinked.

Makarov blinked.

The two of them clapped simultaneously, the applause sounding particularly abrupt in the empty classroom.

A student in the front row turned around and glanced back.

Levy this reaction and started recommending Lucy to the two of them.

She started by talking about Lucy's first film, then about the awards she recently won, and how many brands she endorses. Her speech became faster and faster, and she got more and more excited as she spoke, gesturing with her camera in the air.

Riyao nodded solemnly, but in reality, the words went in one ear and out the other.

His gaze had already drifted to the preparation area to the side of the podium.

Mirajane was standing there, holding a cue card, her lips moving slightly, probably reciting a script.

A spotlight shone directly on her profile, highlighting her features.

Makarov looked toward the podium.

Lucy and Mirajane were already seated, each on a sofa, with a round table in the middle.

Lucy was wearing a beige knitted cardigan and sat upright with her hands folded on her knees.

Mirajane flipped the clue card over and nodded at Lucy.

Lucy returned a smile.

Some school leaders were seated in the audience.

The principal is in the very center of the first row, next to several department heads, and then to the student council members.

A red-haired girl sat on the far right of the first row, her back ramrod straight, her hands resting on her knees, her posture completely still.

She stared at the podium, her expression serious, and remained motionless.

The students around her were intentionally or unintentionally leaving her a seat between them.

Riyao pointed at her.

"Levy, look, that's Erza, our school's student council president."

"I know."

Levy n't look up, continuing to flip through the photos in the camera.

Is it possible that I'm also from this school?

She looked up and winked playfully.

Riyao slapped his forehead as if suddenly realizing something.

Snap

Makarov raised his hand and tapped him on the head.

Thump~

This was much stronger than when Riyao slapped himself.

"You traitor, how dare you slap me on the head!"

Makarov stared at Riyao.

Front row.

Erza turned her head and glanced at the three of them, causing them all to tense up at the same time.

Riyao felt a chill on the back of her neck.

Makarov shut his mouth.

Levy put the camera down.

The three of them straightened their backs, placed their hands on their knees, and sat obediently.

Erza turned her head back.

The stage lights are on.

All the spotlights were turned on, making the podium reflect light.

On the small round table between the host's seat and the guests' seats, the leaves of the potted green plant gleamed under the light.

The air conditioner vents in the classroom hummed, and cold air poured down from above, causing the projection screen to sway gently.

Mirajane picked up the microphone, and her voice came through the speakers, echoing throughout the classroom.

She posed questions one after another at a steady pace, occasionally glancing down at the cue cards and sometimes looking up at Lucy with a smile.

Lucy answered fluently with a polite smile.

Her voice was gentle but not soft; she would gesture with her hands when she got excited, and she would frown slightly when talking about serious topics.

Riyao took out his phone and took a picture of Mirajane and Kuku.

Not to be outdone, Levy raised her mirrorless camera, aimed it at Lucy, and snapped away.

The two of them took turns shooting, one on the left and the other on the right, their shutters clicking incessantly.

Makarov stroked his beard and thought for a moment.

Then he took out his phone.

Click~

But it wasn't a picture of her face. Riyao caught a glimpse of his screen out of the corner of his eye, which showed a pair of legs encased in white stockings.

Riyao and Levy the same time, looking at him with disdain.

Disrespectful to elders!

Levy snatched his phone and started deleting photos with lightning-fast swipes of her fingers.

Riyao reached out and covered Makarov's mouth, preventing him from making any sound.

Makarov struggled twice, his hands flailing in the air, making whimpering sounds in his throat.

Erza turned her head again.

Riyao and Levy quickly sat up straight, looking like well-behaved children.

Only Makarov was still jumping around.

Erza got up and walked over.

The footsteps were exceptionally clear in the quiet classroom; each step resonated with my heartbeat.

She walked up to the three of them, stopped, and looked down at them.

"Discipline must not be disrupted."

After saying that, she reached out, grabbed Makarov by the back of his collar, and lifted him up in one swift motion.

Makarov kicked his legs twice in the air, his mouth wide open, but no sound came out.

Erza carried him to the classroom door, pushed it open, and threw Makarov out.

The door closed behind him with a dull thud.

There was a two-second silence in the classroom, then the interview continued as if nothing had happened.

Erza walked back and glanced at Riyao and Levy as she passed by them.

Riyao gave her a thumbs up, his face full of admiration.

She's the only one in the entire school who dares to throw her advisor out.

Erza ignored him, walked straight back to her seat, straightened her back, and placed her hands back on her knees.

Riyao glanced down at his phone.

A message pops up on the screen, from Makarov.

"Exasperated. jpg"

Riyao glanced at it, flipped the phone over, and placed it face down on his lap.

The interview on stage was drawing to a close.

Mirajane put down the cue card, leaned forward slightly, and posed a question that had just come to mind.

"If you weren't an actor, what would you want to do?"

Lucy looked up at the ceiling.

The projector beam swept over her head, casting a small shadow on the screen.

She thought for a moment, then smiled.

"If I could, I'd prefer to work behind the scenes, as a screenwriter or writer."

Mirajane's eyes lit up.

What kind of story are you looking to write? Would you mind telling me?

"Let's embark on an adventure together."

Lucy's voice softened, and there was something different in her tone.

It wasn't a formulaic interview answer; it was someone genuinely imagining something.

"I've loved reading adventure novels since I was little. It's about a group of people setting off together, going to many places, and experiencing many things. Some fight, some complain, some are responsible for the comedy, and some are responsible for the tears. But no matter what happens, they always end up going home together."

She laughed as she said this.

"It's a classic."

Mirajane smiled too.

"Yes, it's a classic."

We then discussed four or five more issues related to school publicity, and went through the tasks.

Riyao stood up, stretched, and walked out of the multimedia classroom.

The fluorescent lights were still flickering in the corridor. Then he saw Makarov.

The old man somehow moved a chair, stood on it, and peered through the small window in the classroom door, tiptoeing inside.

He was pressed against the door so hard that the tip of his nose was flattened.

"Cough cough."

Riyao cleared his throat.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was particularly noticeable in the quiet corridor.

Makarov was startled by the cough, slipped, and fell off his chair.

The chair overturned and crashed onto the terrazzo floor with a loud bang.

"You brat!"

Makarov took off his glasses and put them back on, got up from the ground, and raised his foot to kick Riyao.

Riyao waved with a grin, turned and ran, but stopped after a couple of steps. He leaned against the wall, took out his phone to read Yangshizi Novels, and started waiting for Mirajane to come out.