"...Old Jack turned the Compass in his hand, the spurs on his heels clacking; his left eye narrowed slightly, while his right hand pressed against the spellbook at his waist..."
"...Three-eyed Crow stood on the white-barked birch, while yellow-skinned frogs crawled out of the green-haired lake. Their caws intertwined with croaks as they cursed each other for being blind..."
Cheerful blues jazz drifted from the Trumpet Flower. Beneath it, a tide of guests surged.
Many of the guests who gathered were passersby, drawn over by the lively scene in front of the shop. But many others had come bearing invitations.
Thomas and Hilda, for example.
They were representatives of the Teaching Assistant Group, as well as teachers and friends of Zheng Qing and the others. Naturally, Zheng Qing had not left them out when he sent the invitations.
Since they were not much older than the young wizards, the two teaching assistants greatly admired their enthusiasm. That was why they had made a special effort to attend the opening ceremony.
As Hilda put it, the two of them figured that Old Yao probably had no time to join in the "children's shenanigans," so they had come especially to take a look and add some liveliness to the You Zui Hunter Team.
"Last time, in Dean Yao's office, he expressed his deep dissatisfaction with your neglecting your proper work... But we're different. As your practical-class teachers, we think your deep practical work is highly commendable. If this weren't outside school and outside class hours, I'd definitely give each of you a few extra credits." Assistant Hilda shook his head and sang the praises of the little shop Zheng Qing and the others had opened.
The copper rings and silver studs in his ears and lips clinked together as he moved, producing