I'm Very Interested in You

Linton did not feel much about Iris's shyness.

Ever since he was about to enter the academy, his mind had remained on high alert, yet even now, he had not discovered anything unusual.

The students were all lower-level than him, and the teachers he occasionally encountered were mostly around level twenty. Logically speaking, even if Iris left the Moonstone of Concealment's range now, there should not be much of a problem.

He simply did not know whether some more powerful being was observing them in secret, so he did not let down his guard.

However, after noticing Iris's discomfort, Linton calculated the distance and said, "There shouldn't be a problem. Just don't get too far away—about half a step should do."

Iris's footsteps abruptly stopped, and she then retreated half a step.

"..."

Linton had no intention of singing that lyric, but the girl's earnest attitude left him both amused and exasperated.

"I didn't mean anything else." The doll girl waved her hands, blushing. "It's just..."

The Moonstone of Concealment's shielding covered an area, meaning that those within its range would be completely unaffected. Besides, Linton was not wearing that conspicuous black robe right now, so...

Simply standing beside Linton made Iris feel her breathing grow hot.

—The attraction between souls was not so easy to shake off.

The necromancer waved a hand and chuckled. "Iris, this is my first time here. As someone who used to come here often, shouldn't you introduce the place to me?"

Iris blinked. She knew he was helping her out, but her purpose in coming here had always been simple: finding Vera. How would she know what this building or that garden was called?

But if she said nothing, would that not be even more awkward?

In the end, after holding it in for a long while, she managed to force out a halting sentence.

"Look at that fountain. It's called... called... Pretty, isn't it?"

"Pfft."

Linton's laughter had only just reached his throat when he caught sight of the girl's embarrassed, murderous glare. He could only hold it back, though the strange expression on his face was impossible to hide.

"Ahem." He cleared his throat twice and said seriously, "Very pretty. Mm, it really is a good name."

The doll girl now wanted nothing more than to find a shovel and dig herself a home on the spot. She could not understand how her brain had suddenly short-circuited for no reason.

Hearing Linton's words, she forcibly covered her embarrassment with anger.

"You're still laughing at me!!"

"No." Linton looked extremely serious as he said, "As an academy, there is no need to consider too many fancy things, especially a magic academy."

"Think about it. Though our powers develop into different branches after growing stronger, they ultimately originate from primordial magic. Magic comes in countless varieties, but most of them evolved from common frameworks."

"The name 'Pretty' truly has a feeling of returning to simplicity."

"Is that so?"

Iris felt that what he said actually seemed somewhat reasonable, and for a moment, she began seriously pondering the hidden meaning behind that name.

As she thought, she suddenly understood.

—This bastard was definitely laughing at her!!

Yet even after figuring it out, she did not get angry again. She merely huffed, turned away her proud little head, and pretended to be utterly disdainful.

Linton smiled and reached out to pat her head, but she immediately knocked his hand away with a normal attack, followed by a disdainful eye-roll—a practiced combo.

"Stingy."

"Come on, let's go!"

The doll girl pushed the necromancer onward. In the depths of both their eyes, gentle smiles flickered, impossible to suppress.

As the saying went:

The academy's paths were neat and orderly, and the greenery beside them fragrant; a maiden's thoughts were difficult to fathom, her budding springtime heart—who could decipher it?

The magic academy's library could be called one of the Kingdom of Blossoms' landmark buildings. It occupied a vast area and had a complicated interior layout. The first floor was packed with bookshelves, with countless students wandering among them and looking up the materials they needed.

However, because the entire Kingdom of Blossoms was permeated with a lazy atmosphere, Linton did not see any librarian resembling a sweeping monk. The borrowing records were handled by students working part-time.

After swiping Mr. Xi's library card, he and Iris easily slipped inside.

Though calling it slipping in was not quite right. They were not doing anything shameful, so why could they not enter openly?

"Looks like I've stayed in the shadows for too long. My mindset hasn't changed yet."

"What did you say?"

Iris tilted her head toward the muttering man.

"Nothing." Linton smiled faintly. "Let's go. We'll pay a visit to your friend."

"Mm..."

Iris's response was reluctant.

She had thought again of the dream from the Truth Society's Day of Worship.

"There... shouldn't be any problem, right?"

With that thought in mind, Iris and Linton had already switched positions. She was now leading the way.

"Although the lounges on the third floor are public spaces that can be rented freely, Vera comes so often that the administrator deliberately saves a room for her every time."

As she spoke, the two of them quickly arrived on the third floor.

The entire third floor consisted of lounges. Sound-dampening carpet covered the floor, and the layout resembled that of a modern hotel, except the doors were spaced much closer together, making it seem as though the rooms were not particularly large.

After turning several corners, Iris stopped before a room.

"This is it. We're lucky," she said. "Vera is quite famous at the academy, and people are always coming to ask her questions. But if she doesn't feel like dealing with anyone, she'll hang a little sign outside the door. If that happens, we might have to wait outside until the library closes."

While explaining this to Linton, Iris did not stop moving. She found a small blue button beside the doorframe and pressed it lightly.

When she saw the button turn green, she gently pushed open the door.

The room was indeed not large, but it was comfortable enough, with soft sofas and a wooden coffee table. The lighting was a gentle white, suitable for reading without straining the eyes.

The person on the sofa seemed to be absorbed in studying a book. Upon hearing the deliberately softened footsteps, she smiled lightly.

"Long time no see, Iris."

"What, you figured it out again!" Iris's eyes curved into crescents as she placed the small cake she had bought from the dessert shop outside onto the coffee table. "I brought this for you."

"Thank you. I really like that shop's flavors." Vera smiled as she closed the book in her hands, pushed up her glasses, and turned her gaze toward the third person in the room. "Hello, sir."

"Hello."

Linton nodded gently as well, studying the girl curled up on the sofa.

The girl had delicate features. Her ash-white short hair fell slightly past her shoulders, and her eyes were as beautiful as Iris's, though they were a deeper, more mysterious blue. A pair of round-framed glasses rested on her high nose bridge, concealing the profound gaze behind them.

As a noble-born girl, the effort Iris put into dressing herself was almost embarrassing. Her usual approach was to wear whatever she happened to see, but Miss Vera was different.

She wore an off-white knitted cardigan over a solid-colored inner shirt. Its pattern was simple, but the fabric was visibly expensive even at a glance.

Combined with her necklace, bracelet, and other accessories, Miss Vera looked as exquisite as a princess who could only exist in a fairy tale.

That was Linton's first impression of Vera.

As for Miss Vera's first impression of Linton, it was much simpler.

"Sir, I am... very interested in you."

Iris, who had been preparing to introduce them to each other, looked from one to the other. At last, her gaze stopped between where their eyes met, her expression stiffening as her smile gradually faded.

Thank you to saildragon12 for the 100 Qidian coins! Thank you very much!!