"I told you long ago, if you keep wavering like this, indecisive and torn in every direction, something will happen sooner or later. Don't ask me to make decisions for you. The road you're on is too dangerous. I have no experience and can't give you any advice."
Xiao Xiao calmly offered his assessment. In hand, he held a piece of velvet cloth soaked in tea oil, carefully polishing his Bamboo Slip Spellbook. He ignored Zheng Qing's dejected expression while delivering even worse news. "—By the way, Li Meng is putting together a Monarchist Faction, and Fatty Xin has confirmed that he's joining."
The Black Gemstone Cat, which had "died" once that morning, had already come back to life. It lay bored among the open pages of Zheng Qing's textbook, Basic I Ching Studies: Second Year of University, batting at the characters darting between the pages with its little paws.
Only when Xiao Xiao mentioned an unfamiliar term did it raise its head with interest and prick up its ears.
"Wait, what did you just say? Monarchist Faction? What monarch? Who's the monarch, Li Meng?"
Zheng Qing couldn't help digging at his ears, feeling as though he hadn't heard clearly. A Monarchist Faction at Wizard University? Those two completely unrelated concepts made him suspect there was something wrong with his hearing.
"A faction centered around Su Shijun, or one that regards Su Shijun as its lord... that's roughly what it means." Xiao Xiao kept his head lowered as he tidied up his spellbook, yet he still had attention to spare for Zheng Qing's confusion. "Li Meng probably only started organizing this recently and hasn't publicized it much. She's probably just quietly recruiting people with her 'platform,' so you don't need to worry too much for now."
Zheng Qing tugged at