It Was You

The next few days were peaceful for He Wei Ni Ya.

For He Wei Ni Ya, these were probably the most peaceful days since Bai Wei "moved in".

As the Seven Sound Festival drew closer, regular classes ceased, and students began leaving the school one after another. During this time, the person hiding in the shadows did not come looking for He Wei Ni Ya, as if they never existed.

He Wei Ni Ya's daily routine was quite simple: she spent her days studying in various study rooms, writing papers, and talking to people, seemingly preparing for the Grand Ceremony.

At night, she would stay up all night studying the private sheet music that Ariana had given her.

On the day of the Seven Sound Festival, the school will be closed to students, so both students and professors need to leave the school on the night before the Seven Sound Festival.

Most students do not leave school on the last day; they usually leave earlier.

During her daytime conversations, He Wei Ni Ya would intentionally or unintentionally mention that she would stay until the very last night before leaving.

On the surface, it was for learning, to better prepare for the Grand Ceremony.

But in reality, He Wei Ni Ya was telling the person in the shadows that that night was his last chance.

He Wei Ni Ya believed that the other party would understand that a rare tacit understanding had been reached between prey and hunter at this moment.

Meanwhile, He Wei Ni Ya was also observing the people around her, because she knew that they must be one of the people who stayed until the last day.

And so, the day before the Seven Sound Festival finally arrived.

This day is also known as the Silent Night.

On this day, the entire staff of the Holy Sound Academy was required to remain silent and no performances were permitted.

This silence serves as a prelude to the even more boisterous melodies that will unfold on the day of the Seven Sound Festival.

He Wei Ni Ya left the dormitory.

Because playing melodies was not allowed, and most of the students had already left the school, the entire academy was so quiet that you could almost hear the snow melting.

He Wei Ni Ya took a deep breath, and the cold air that filled her nostrils cleared her mind, which was still a little groggy from only two hours of sleep.

She shook her head, about to leave, when a familiar voice rang in her ears. "He Wei Ni Ya ~"

Then came the familiar feeling of holding one's breath.

Daphne still held He Wei Ni Ya in her embrace as if she wanted to drown her in her large breasts.

"Ah, Daphne." He Wei Ni Ya patted Daphne's back repeatedly, struggling to break free from the suffocating embrace, then looked breathlessly at Daphne, whose eyes were full of smiles, "What are you doing here?"

Daphne smiled and took a step back, pointing behind her. "Look, didn't I come to take you to my house?"

He Wei Ni Ya looked in the direction Daphne pointed and indeed saw a carriage parked in front of the academy gate, with Daphne's servants waiting respectfully to the side.

It seems they really have come to take her away.

He Wei Ni Ya said calmly, "Didn't I tell you? I can't come to your house for the Seven Sound Festival this time."

"Oh, why?"

"Because I want to spend my time at home."

Daphne's eyes widened. "Why didn't you say so sooner!"

"Sorry," He Wei Ni Ya shrugged, "I forgot."

"Ugh, you really are something!" Daphne started frantically rubbing He Wei Ni Ya's head again. "I came all this way to pick you up! Seriously, I'm from the Second Academy, you know, I come to your Third Hospital every day, and you still stand me up like this, it's infuriating!"

He Wei Ni Ya quickly begged for mercy, but Daphne still managed to make a mess of her hair.

Seeing Daphne's sullen expression, He Wei Ni Ya said with a hint of helplessness, "I'll come and apologize to you after the holiday."

"You want me to apologize..." Daphne blinked, then suddenly clapped her hands as if she remembered something. "Oh right! You're coming to our Second Academy after the Seven Sound Festival, I completely forgot about this!"

Thinking of this, Daphne immediately showed a satisfied and bright smile, and then hugged He Wei Ni Ya again, but this time she did not use the suffocation attack.

"Hehehe, then we can be together every day like before, sleeping, showering, eating, everything together! I won't have to come here every day anymore. It's like I'm a student in the Second Academy, but it's like I'm transferring to your Third Hospital. I won't have to transfer anymore!"

"Yes, yes, we won't need to plug it in anymore."

After confirming that He Wei Ni Ya would be heading to the Second Academy after the Seven Sound Festival, Daphne stopped arguing with He Wei Ni Ya for making her trip for nothing.

After waving to He Wei Ni Ya, she got into her family's carriage and left the academy.

He Wei Ni Ya stood still, smiling and waving at the carriage, as if bidding farewell to her good friend Daphne.

Only after Daphne's carriage had completely disappeared from her sight did He Wei Ni Ya stop smiling and slowly open her other hand.

A flickering flame flickered in my palm.

As long as she held the flame in her hand, she could feel the carriage speeding through the snowstorm, and Daphne sitting inside, humming a song leisurely, and she could even hear the lyrics clearly.

"Very good." She turned around and looked at the ancient castle standing tall in the wind and snow. "Next is..."

"You've come," Lai Ang Na said calmly, looking at He Wei Ni Ya. "I thought you'd forgotten about your Mentor."

Lai Ang Na, as her Mentor, was naturally very unhappy that He Wei Ni Ya had accepted Finnis's invitation in private.

Especially since He Wei Ni Ya had already agreed to his request, Lai Ang Na felt betrayed, so Lai Ang Na didn't see He Wei Ni Ya for several days.

He Wei Ni Ya was prepared for this.

"I'm sorry, Mentor, it was my own idea," He Wei Ni Ya said obediently. "The Lawrence Family promised to make all their private musical scores public to me after I succeeded."

Lai Ang Na narrowed his eyes slightly, about to say, "Is this your reason for betraying me?", when He Wei Ni Ya spoke again.

"Once everything is complete, I would like to share these scores with you at the same time."

Lai Ang Na's pupils narrowed slightly, and even Doss, who was standing beside him listening but dared not speak, widened his eyes.

After a moment of silence, Lai Ang Na slowly spoke, "Is that really true?"

"Of course," He Wei Ni Ya said with a naive smile. "After all, you are my Mentor. Even at the Grand Ceremony, I would say the same thing."

Another long silence followed.

Lai Ang Na stared at He Wei Ni Ya, He Wei Ni Ya was also looking at Lai Ang Na.

Gradually, Lai Ang Na's gaze softened.

"Since this is your own decision, then so be it." Lai Ang Na stood up and said calmly, "If there's anything you need me to do, just tell me. After all... you're my student."

"Of course," He Wei Ni Ya said with a silly smile. "I will always be your student."

Lai Ang Na grunted in response, then looked at Doss, who was still in a daze, and his tone instantly turned stern. "What are you still looking at? Aren't you planning to leave?"

Doss then came to his senses and quickly went over to help Lai Ang Na put on his coat.

At the same time, he lamented in his heart that the gap between himself and He Wei Ni Ya was widening.

Although she had long known that He Wei Ni Ya, being a Gold-ranked individual, was destined to be someone she couldn't be with, she still harbored some fantasies. After all, they were from the same school, and He Wei Ni Ya was her junior sister in name and in fact. What if they could get closer and more supportive of each other?

I just didn't expect the gap between them to become apparent so quickly.

He Wei Ni Ya, only a second-year student, was already preparing for the Grand Ceremony at the invitation of the Lawrence Family, while he, who was about to graduate, could only follow Lai Ang Na around miserably and even act as Lai Ang Na's coachman at the Seven Sound Festival.

That really was...

Doss sighed inwardly, so much so that when he walked past He Wei Ni Ya, he didn't dare to look at this junior sister he had fantasized about countless times.

We're no longer on the same path.

Doss thought to himself.

I shouldn't have any more illusions in the future.

But at that moment, Doss's clothes were gently tugged.

"Huh?" He subconsciously turned his head and was taken aback when he saw it was He Wei Ni Ya. "What's wrong?"

He Wei Ni Ya clasped her hands together, holding a notebook between her fingers.

"Senior Brother! I need your help!" He Wei Ni Ya held her notebook above her head and said, "Professor Ariana assigned me a paper, and I really don't know how to write it. Can you help me?"

Doss was stunned.

He never expected things to turn out this way.

He Wei Ni Ya, seemingly thinking Doss was unwilling to help her, immediately pleaded in a pitiful voice, "Don't leave me to die, Senior Brother! You know Professor Ariana; if I don't finish my thesis, she'll definitely kill me! Now I can only rely on you; you're my best Senior Brother! I'll do anything if you help me write my thesis!"

Doss blinked, a sudden surge of relief washing over him.

They're back! They're all back!

She's still that adorable junior sister!

Even though she's already at the Gold Rank, she still needs her senior Senior Brother's help!

"Hehe, I really can't do anything with you." Doss chuckled as he took the notebook from He Wei Ni Ya's hands. "You know I haven't had a Seven Sound Festival even, yet you still make me do this and that... Sigh, what can I do? I'm your Senior Brother."

When Doss took the notebook, all his attention was on He Wei Ni Ya, so he didn't see that a cluster of leaping golden flames shot into the bottom of the notebook.

"Doss, what are you doing?" Lai Ang Na's annoyed voice rang out in the hallway outside. "How much longer are you going to make me wait?"

"Ah, sorry, Mentor, I'm coming right now." Doss hurriedly ruffled He Wei Ni Ya's hair, gave He Wei Ni Ya a "leave it Senior Brother me" look, and then quickly walked out of the room, following Lai Ang Na outside.

He Wei Ni Ya watched with a smile as Doss tucked the notebook under his arm and walked out of the castle with Lai Ang Na.

She had just opened her hand when the flame in her palm vanished in a flash.

"Next..." she said softly.

"What?" Olenna stared at the envelope He Wei Ni Ya handed her, her face filled with disbelief. "You want me to deliver a letter to your brother... Finnis?"

"Yes," He Wei Ni Ya said with a smile, "These are some of my thoughts on the Grand Ceremony."

Olenna's face darkened. "Why me?"

He Wei Ni Ya feigned surprise. "Huh? Are you serious?"

Olenna gritted her teeth.

She really wanted to slap He Wei Ni Ya, but she knew she couldn't, so she just snatched the letter from He Wei Ni Ya's hand and turned to leave the dormitory building.

He Wei Ni Ya was still calling after her.

"It must be handed over to Finnis."

"You can't peek!"

Olenna did not respond.

He Wei Ni Ya opened her hands, and the flame in her palm flashed and disappeared.

"Next."

"Auger, aren't you going home even though it's Seven Sound Festival?"

"No, I won't go back." In the library, Auger lowered his head. "I still have to guard the library..."

"Oh, I see. Here, this is for you."

"What, what is this?"

"I made this amulet myself! It makes a sound when you turn it on," He Wei Ni Ya said with a smile. "If you wear it through the Seven Sound Festival, you'll have good luck next year, so you must wear it tonight!"

"I, I will definitely wear it!" Auger answered earnestly.

"Oh, Mr. School Staff, haven't you gone home yet? Could you please take a look at this for me?"

"Happy Seven Sound Festival, Uncle Gatekeeper! This is just a little something from me~"

And so, clusters of flames were held in He Wei Ni Ya's hands.

After nightfall, He Wei Ni Ya went to a church in the far corner of the academy.

The church was deathly silent.

Because students rarely come here on weekdays, and this is even more true on this day.

In other words, no matter what happens here, no one will know.

He Wei Ni Ya stood beneath the enormous statue of the Lord of Holy Sound, narrowing her eyes.

Then she slowly opened her hands, the flame in her palms flickering in the wind.

Some of the flames were bright, while others were dim.

He Wei Ni Ya touched the brightest cluster with her finger.

The flame then transformed into the shape of a boy, who was looking at a small toy in his hand from time to time, appearing both happy and apprehensive.

This was the amulet that He Wei Ni Ya had given him during the day.

Yes, the boy is Auger.

Inside the library, 500 meters away from him.

His every move was observed in He Wei Ni Ya's cold, emotionless eyes.

This is a three-tone spell called Fire Seed that He Wei Ni Ya learned from Ariana.

It has no inherent lethality; its only purpose is, as it is now, to observe people marked by flames.

This was the solution He Wei Ni Ya came up with.

Mark those who leave all their choices for the last day.

If these people leave the academy, the Fire Seed will be extinguished, but as soon as they return to the academy, the Fire Seed will be rekindled.

This allowed He Wei Ni Ya to know in advance who was secretly watching her.

Then, she can ignite the flames during combat, causing some degree of spellcasting disruption to the opponent.

So...

He Wei Ni Ya narrowed her eyes and said softly, "Come on."

Let me see who you really are.

He Wei Ni Ya stared at each flame, and time ticked by, the footsteps of the Seven Sound Festival drawing ever closer.

But these sparks never showed any sign of progressing further; the closest one to He Wei Ni Ya was always Auger in the library.

She didn't know how long she had waited, but just as He Wei Ni Ya began to wonder if the person who had been watching her had already left, footsteps suddenly came from outside the empty corridor.

He Wei Ni Ya's pupils narrowed slightly.

Because the flame in my palm didn't change at all.

The footsteps stopped.

He Wei Ni Ya extinguished the flames, sighed softly, and then slowly turned around to look at the newcomer.

"To be honest, you're probably the last person I want to see tonight."

He Wei Ni Ya said softly.

"Professor Ariana."