High School of Demon Hunting

According to tradition, the first Tuesday after the Dragon Boat Festival is the day for caring for small animals.

This is not an official holiday in the Wizard World, but rather a custom spontaneously formed by the school students. After cleaning out Bookworms during the Dragon Boat Festival, the young wizards need to soothe their pets’ frightened minds, thus this day gradually came into being.

The student union had already issued relevant notices to each class early on, requesting each school to organize Care Day activities on a class basis. Last night at the class meeting, Tang Dun had also reminded everyone about this matter.

However, as the end of the term approached, everyone was hardly interested.

After hearing Xiao Xiao’s words, Zheng Qingyuan’s previously drooping eyelids slowly began to stick together again.

”Whatever...yawn...whatever.” He let out a big yawn, wanting to turn over to a more comfortable position to sleep—hmm, it was slightly hot in the dormitory; he should change the Refreshing charms... Let’s change them tomorrow; I’m so sleepy now.

The Warlock’s mind fluttered with these fragmented thoughts, but his body did not turn over as he wished.

His shoulder was held back by Xiao Xiao.

”Don’t sleep yet, where did you go this afternoon? We saved you a spot in the library, but you never showed up. In the end, Mr. Zhang started giving us strange looks... Wait, what’s that smell on you?”

Whoosh.

Xiao Xiao sniffed, his voice becoming somewhat puzzled:

”It smells a bit fragrant... did you apply powder?”

Zheng Qingyuan’s eyelids, which were about to stick together, suddenly sprang open.

He sat up from the bed in a roll and responded immediately: ”May dogs play with dogs, and cats with cats climb trees!”

”Huh?” The Doctor looked puzzled.

”Didn’t you just ask me about the theme for Care Day?” the publicly funded student Zheng Qing answered seriously: ”I thought about it, combining our recent experiences, this phrase couldn’t be more appropriate.”

Xiao Xiao narrowed his eyes, contemplated for a moment, and then nodded.

”Hmm... indeed, it’s an interesting theme.” After saying this, he lowered his head and wrote the phrase down on the Parchment.

When the Doctor looked up again, Zheng Qing was hanging new Refreshing charms on the mosquito net, and his body was already dotted with four or five Fresh charms—no doubt, the fragrance that the Doctor smelled earlier had been dispelled by the Talisman paper.

”Um...” The Doctor raised a finger, seemingly wanting to say something.

”You want some too, right.” Zheng Qing excitedly stuffed a few Refreshing charms into his hands: ”Take them, take them, just use them, I’ll draw a couple more if it’s not enough... it’s no trouble at all. On such a hot day, you really can’t survive without a few Refreshing charms.”

As he spoke, he fanned his face with his hand.

Doctor Xiao looked deeply at him, eventually accepting those Talisman papers.

”If it makes you happy.” He muttered as he turned to leave: ”... after all, I’m not the one who ends up getting chopped.”

Zheng Qing pretended not to hear the Doctor’s last sentence.

He quietly sighed with relief, pulled the curtains vigorously over the bed, and hid himself inside the canopy.

...

...

Tuesday’s Care Day was hardly remarkable.

There were no parades, no balls, and no hunting competitions, only an exhibition of hundreds of themed posters placed along the road from the library to the academic building, which was the most notable event of the entire Care Day. It was a lecture titled ”How to Clean a Pet’s Fur without Using Magic” hosted by the witches of the ’Small Animal Protection Association.’

Many wizards witnessed for the first time the anger of cats, dogs, or rabbits getting wet, and they were astonished.

”This isn’t care,” in dormitory 403, Zheng Qing couldn’t help but criticize as Xin Fat Man described a Flower Cat scratching its owner’s face after getting drenched: ”This is abuse, destruction... and maltreatment. Didn’t anyone protest against their actions?”

”You didn’t see the tears on the faces of those witches who drenched their pets,” Fat Man explained, shaking his thick, short fingers: ”After seeing those tears, no one would think they are abusing their pets... Instead, their demonstration deepened everyone’s understanding of the word ’care.’”

The young cost student curled his lips, unable to understand the thoughts of those witches.

”Do I need to save you a seat in the library today?” Fat Man changed the topic and curiously asked: ”Where were you yesterday? The seat I saved for you was wasted the entire evening...”

”I know, I know, the library’s managers were already giving you guys nasty looks.” Zheng Qing raised both hands in surrender, his face full of helplessness: ”Doctor Xiao already talked to me about it... Please continue to save me a seat today, if nothing unexpected happens, I’ll go... It’s mainly because of that dog, it wasted too much of my time.”

”Isn’t it clinging to you today?” Fat Man looked around.

”Even if I tell you, you wouldn’t see it.” Zheng Qing rolled his eyes and sighed: ”Moreover, after it was tricked by someone yesterday, it became even more timorous...”

”What happened?” Fat Man habitually took out a feather pen and notebook.

”It got caught in the act of spying... Anyway, it’s none of your business.” Zheng Qing said vaguely and walked towards the outside of the dorm: ”I’ve left the Magic Script homework on the table, please submit it for me if you go there early this afternoon... I might be late.”

”You dare to be late for Professor Emma’s class?”

”It’s not being late, just might not go too early!”

”Why are you going?”

”Professor Montreya’s laboratory.” Zheng Qing waved his hand behind him, and with a bang, he pulled the dormitory door shut, finally breathing a sigh of relief. Fat Man was all good, but his curiosity was too strong. Perhaps it had to do with his part-time job.

Zheng Qing really wondered if Fat Man would turn into Tuan Tuan if he drank the Transformation Potion.

As for going to Professor Montreya’s laboratory, it wasn’t something Zheng Qing made up casually.

Last night, Su Shijun had given him three recommendations, and the young cost student, after a brief consideration, decided to entrust Professor Montreya with the task of testing the dog’s blood. For this, he flew a Paper Crane last night to schedule a time with the professor.

The professor arranged for him to come to the laboratory at one o’clock this afternoon.

No matter if it was the end of the term or the midday break, it seemed to have no impact on the Institute of Applied Magic. The corridor leading to the laboratory was mostly empty most of the time, and occasionally a wizard in a black robe would pass by in a hurry, giving no side glances.

Zheng Qing longed for such a peaceful and quiet environment, but he doubted whether he could endure the monotonous life in the laboratory day after day—although he was still in his first year, he had already started planning for his graduation from school three years later.

The bronze small door to Professor Montreya’s laboratory was tightly closed.

After Zheng Qing stuffed the professor’s note into the mouth of the bronze bull’s head of the Door Ring Beast, it took a long while for the small door to open from inside. But it was only half-open.

A warlock that Zheng Qing did not recognize appeared halfway.

”What is it?” He looked guarded and somewhat impatient.

Zheng Qing raised his eyebrows.