Reunion

Jeffrey sincerely apologized for his unauthorized reporting on Love.

It should be sincere, at least the tone was sincere; Hope couldn't see the rest.

Jeffrey then mentioned Hope's pocket watch.

Hope took out Elizabeth's small silver pocket watch. "Do you recognize it?"

"Oh, yes, I know it," Jeffrey replied. "Can you tell me how you got it?"

His tone betrayed his undisguised delight, as if he had discovered some treasure upon seeing the pocket watch. There was a hint of ill intent in his voice, which made Hope somewhat regretful that he had taken the pocket watch out of the box.

He looked at Jeffrey suspiciously. "That's my own business. You should tell me how you came to know this pocket watch."

"I'm with the Press Club," Jeffrey said. "I know every pretty girl in school like the back of my hand."

It sounds like some kind of perverted stalker or groper.

"Do you know the owner of the pocket watch?" Hope asked.

Jeffrey replied matter-of-factly, "I know her, but unfortunately she might not know me."

"Yeah?"

"Certainly."

It sounded very plausible, but Hope realized that this guy hadn't revealed many characteristics related to Elizabeth yet.

"What's her name?" Hope asked.

"What?" Jeffrey asked, puzzled.

"I asked her what her name was. Didn't you say you knew her very well?"

"Of course her name is..." Jeffrey's mouth was half open, and his face suddenly became embarrassed, with a little red rising on his cheeks from embarrassment.

"She... she..."

He stammered and couldn't say anything.

Hope realized that this was a "bluff"; Jeffrey actually knew nothing but was pretending to know.

This guy probably only recognized it as a lady's pocket watch, so he suspected it didn't belong to Hope herself.

Given Hope's recent frequent visits to Miskatonic University, it's speculated that she was either given or rented by a female student on campus.

As for the word "beautiful," it should just be a compliment; in most cases, it's safe to say that.

Hope admired Jeffrey's audacity; it was just a lady's pocket watch, yet there were so many possibilities, and he naturally chose the most newsworthy one—a "bluff."

No wonder they're journalists.

However, the fact that he was so embarrassed after being exposed shows that he still doesn't have a thick skin.

Seeing Jeffrey's expression, Hope decided against seeking revenge, deciding to ignore him and let him feel awkward for a while.

But Jeffrey grabbed Hope's arm.

He forced a smile again, "I really know her, you believe me, I just forgot her name."

Hope remained unfazed; he fabricated a lie to deny Jeffrey the opportunity to report on himself.

"This was given to me by my mother."

Lavinia herself might not be able to distinguish between the hour and minute hands.

"Impossible," Jeffrey said. "How could it be such a coincidence that there are two identical pocket watches?"

"What color is the hair of the girl you mentioned?" Hope asked.

"Yes..."

Jeffrey covered his face and sighed, "I can't remember, I must have slept too long today. But the pocket watch is definitely hers."

"You mean, you don't know her name, or even the color of her hair, yet you're certain the pocket watch is hers... You remember the pocket watch so clearly, are you some kind of fetishist or pervert?"

"I didn't..." Jeffrey persisted, "I don't know why I can't remember."

Hope was afraid that Jeffrey would fabricate some messy news about her and put her on the school newspaper again, so she insisted that it was left to her by that non-existent mother.

But looking at Jeffrey's sincere expression...

Hope began to doubt whether he was really telling the truth.

He would soon have no more doubts.

The second student to join Professor Rice's class midway through the semester appeared.

After obtaining Professor Rice's permission, she went straight to Hope and Jeffrey.

"She's so beautiful," Jeffrey exclaimed with delight. "She seems to be here."

Hope didn't see who it was until they got closer.

Agility: 1.01, Constitution: 1.41, Vision: 1.09, Mana: 0

He asked Jeffrey Jeffrey, "Do you know her?"

Jeffrey shook his head blankly. "Logically, I should know her, but she's not in the Campus Beauty Catalog..."

Hope ignored him.

Elizabeth carried a thick book, Studies in Modern Literature, recommended by Professor Armitage.

She smoothed out the last wrinkle on her coat as she walked, and brushed her usually unkempt hair back.

She walked up to Hope.

"Hello, may I sit here?"

Hope and Jeffrey had no objections.

This was a long table that could seat four people. Jeffrey sat on one side, Hope next to him, and Elizabeth sat on the other side, with an empty seat between Hope.

Elizabeth looked at Hope.

When she met Hope, she felt calmer than she had imagined, and had almost nothing to say.

"That's my pocket watch," Elizabeth said.

The pocket watch was now in Hope's hand. Hope nodded. "Yes, that's right."

Elizabeth nodded, but didn't ask him to return it, even though she had told the others that she wanted Hope to return the Hope watch.

Jeffrey looked at them in surprise.

Elizabeth felt he was rudely observing her, and she didn't intend to pay him any attention.

"They said your name is Love?" she asked.

"Just call me Love here," Hope said.

"Okay, Love."

The classroom became chaotic, and Professor Rice seemed to say something.

"Silence! Silence! Don't make a sound!" Professor Rice banged on the table.

"Watch quietly, discussion is fine, but don't let a third person hear!"

"Can you see clearly?" Elizabeth asked.

Hope shook her head.

"Then why sit in the back?"

Hope looked at Jeffrey.

"The view from here is expansive," Jeffrey said.

"It's not very polite to Professor Rice," Hope said, "But I didn't actually come here to listen to the lecture."

Elizabeth doesn't read Jeffrey.

"Want me to read it to you? Professor Rice wrote a prescription on the blackboard and had people guess its effects. Professor Rice really enjoys doing this; it's quite interesting."

"If that's the case, I think I can give it a try," Hope replied.

Elizabeth read the contents of the blackboard softly, and to make sure Hope could hear her clearly, she changed her position and sat next to Hope:

0.0648 grams each of Darnel, Henbane, Hemlock, Red Poppy, Black Poppy, Aconite, and Cabbage.

Mix the above materials with oil in a 4:6 ratio.

Add 1.296 grams of Opium to every 31.103 grams of mixture.

"It all sounds like poison," Hope said. "But what's Cabbage for? To improve the taste?"

Someone quickly raised their hand. "Poison."

"What poison?" Professor Rice asked.

"Have no idea."

Please have a seat.

The classroom, which was supposed to be empty with 40-odd people, was filled with good-natured laughter.

"Quiet!" Professor Rice had to reiterate.