High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 1102: Chapter 164 Fei Rui’s Conditions

As the saying goes, ”No need to break iron shoes in a fruitless search, for what comes easy is found effortlessly,” nothing could better describe Korma’s feelings at this moment. Hearing Fei Rui’s words, the witch’s breath choked:

”You know where the Secret Realm is?”

”How do you know we’re looking for the Secret Realm?!”

Korma and the Black Cat asked the Hamster atop the White Weasel almost simultaneously. However, compared to the witch’s courteous wording, the Black Cat’s tone was filled with suspicion. Even if it were not for the fear of losing a fight with the Hamster, the Black Cat would surely have reached out a paw to pin the Hamster to the ground and interrogate it thoroughly.

Yet the fact that both asked at the same time was somewhat amusing. The Black Cat couldn’t help but exchange glances with the witch, then, undaunted, edged forward slightly, gesturing that the Hamster should answer his question first.

Considering that the witch had just shed a burden from her heart, she was much more amiable than the Black Cat. Seeing the Black Cat’s subtle gesture, she simply smiled lightly and took a step back, beginning to contemplate the deeper meaning behind the Hamster’s response.

”How do I know? Naturally, that Old Mouse told me,” Fei Rui replied carelessly, propping itself on the White Weasel’s ear, its tone of politeness just as unyielding as the Black Cat’s.

”I knew that Big Mouse wasn’t reliable!” The Black Cat immediately jumped up on the tree, shrill in protest, its tail snapping against the trunk loudly enough to shake loose a rain of caterpillars and tree seeds.

”Right, I think so too,” Fei Rui surprisingly agreed with the Black Cat’s opinion, nodding earnestly, ”Originally, I had asked the Old Mouse to help look after my territory while I was gone, so the kids wouldn’t be at a disadvantage...”

As it spoke, the Hamster kicked its short hind legs against the White Weasel below. The White Weasel obediently lowered its body, keeping perfectly still, not even snuffling, as if afraid to startle the Hamster on its back.

The Black Cat observed the peculiar scene below the tree with a critical eye—he still couldn’t understand why the ”Hamster” referred to Mouse-Wolves as children.

”...And then the school had to hold that cursed Winter Hunt!” Fei Rui’s temper worsened considerably as it cursed, ”Damn Black Wizards, damn School Works Committee, damn Student Union... they’ve messed up my territory completely. Even the space here is full of folds, like an old rag that’s been used up and carelessly tossed aside!”

”Can you imagine a scene where a bunch of robbers burst into your home, looting and burning, and then leave with a pat on their behinds? That’s how I’m feeling right now!”

”There’s nothing more upsetting than this!”

Indeed, it sounded quite disheartening. The Black Cat empathized, shaking its ears, then expressed its confusion, ”But... isn’t the whole of Buji Island the territory of the First University? Why are you blaming the School Works Committee and the Student Union?”

The Hamster struggled to squint its small eyes, staring intently at the Black Cat for a long while.

”This child doesn’t know how to speak,” it finally turned to Korma and commented.

”Indeed very upsetting.” The witch nodded in agreement and then tentatively asked, ”If we want to go to that newly born Secret Realm, what do we need to do? You will tell us how to get there, right?”

The Black Cat had initially wanted to defend itself against some of the Hamster’s more impolite remarks, but upon hearing the witch’s question, he immediately shut his mouth, bowed his head, and quietly watched the Hamster.

He knew how to prioritize; complaining didn’t compare to the importance of their quest, even if he was currently just a cat.

Instead of directly answering the witch’s question, Fei Rui began to recount an old story:

”About twenty years ago, the First University had an Alchemist with an exceptionally high level of talent. In his freshman year, he completed almost all four years of the university curriculum, in his sophomore year he obtained his Registered Wizard certificate, in his junior year he co-published a high-polymer paper with Professor Montreya, and he was even invited to deliver the opening speech at the International Young Alchemists Conference.”

”You all know about Professor Montreya, don’t you?” he has deep accomplishments in the field of high-tier magic script and bloodline research.”

”Many believe that this young alchemist will become as famous throughout the Star Sea as Edward Elric, Singe, and Nick Lemay... even before he graduated, First University offered him a laboratory named after him.”

Upon hearing this, the Black Cat’s pupils had already contracted slightly.

He vaguely realized who Fei Rui was talking about.

Hamster wiped his mouth, and continued speaking slowly and methodically, ”But as the saying goes, extremes meet, and joy begets sorrow. When that young alchemist was making great strides on the wizard’s path, a terrible accident occurred in his laboratory.”

”No one knows the cause, the process, or the outcome of that accident.”

”The only thing people can know is that because of that accident, the young alchemist fell from a rising star into twilight. First University used almost every means at their disposal to thoroughly suppress the alchemist.”

”Name, experience, social relationships, etc., every trace that he ever existed was sealed by First University. As if such a person had never appeared.”

”And what I want is for you to help me find him.”

”Help me find him, and I’ll take you to that newly born secret realm.”

Hamster finished speaking, took a long breath, and then nibbled on a crystal-purple, hawthorn-sized fruit he had pulled out from somewhere.

Across from him, two witches and a black cat fell into a long silence.

”Why do you believe we can find that alchemist?” Elena was the first to break the silence in the room. This was the first time she had spoken since she followed Korma to meet Fei Rui.

The Black Cat nodded in agreement, and it was a question he was curious about as well—although he almost knew who Fei Rui was looking for, this made him even more cautious. Because according to what Jiang Yu had told him before, others should not know that ’certain someone’s’ information.”

”Because of magic. And because of a wizard’s intuition. Plus, I believe in you guys,” Fei Rui’s answer was simple, subjectively sufficient, yet forceful enough to leave no room for dispute.

”Do you believe that alchemist is still on Buji Island?” Korma also asked a very crucial question. If that alchemist wasn’t on Buji Island, then Hamster’s request wasn’t a condition, but a roundabout way of declining.

”As sure as Merlin has a beard,” Fei Rui nodded without hesitation and then added, ”Although the school has erased almost every trace of his existence, I believe he is still on this island... just like that damned Old Mouse and the pink octopus in the library.”

”To use the Foundation’s terms, that alchemist is a Keter-class containment subject with tremendous strategic value, difficult to let go, requiring ongoing and complex long-term control... it is very unlikely the school would let him out of their control. That could have some kind of irreversible consequences.”

”You have to tell us his name,” the Black Cat also raised his question, which in a way, was his most pressing concern: ”Isn’t his name also a taboo that we cannot speak?”

”Not at all,” Fei Rui blinked his small eyes, showing a rare smile to the Black Cat, ”To those who don’t know, he is a transparent existence. But for those who know, that name is no harder to say than little Shi Hui’s.”

”Terri... His name is Terri.”

”Terri Duzem.”