The young publicly funded student slowly raised his head, but instead of seeing the ceiling, he saw a massive, writhing figure covered in folds.
The librarian of Jiuyou Academy floated soundlessly above the desk, its crystalline yet hollow eyes fixed fiercely on the two boys who had violated the ban on noise.
Zheng Qing quietly swallowed.
Compared to usual, Mr. Octopus's aura was especially heavy at that moment. A faint gray-black layer had spread across its translucent skin, and its once plump, slightly adorable body now radiated an indescribable pressure. The students studying in this small area fell completely silent, too terrified to breathe.
"First time in the library?"
The librarian spat out a string of enormous black words, each as large as Zheng Qing's face. Their strokes were cold and severe, every line as sharp as a blade, making the hair on the boy's back stand on end.
"No, it isn't."
Zheng Qing gave a dry laugh and cautiously eyed Mr. Octopus's tentacles—its eight thick arms curled beneath it like a crab's eight legs, their tips clenched into clusters like fists the size of mortars.
Zheng Qing had no doubt what would happen if those soft-looking "fists" landed on his head.
So he became even more obedient.
"Do you want me to see you out?!"
Mr. Octopus spat out another string of black bubble-letters, followed by a huge question mark and an equally huge exclamation point.
The two young wizards shook their heads frantically and raised their hands in unison, miming the act of zipping their mouths shut.
That improved the librarian's mood slightly.
The gray-black tint on its skin visibly faded, gradually returning to its usual translucence. The two boys both let out a small breath of relief.
Then Mr. Octopus curled two of its arms behind its