High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2181: Chapter 402: Important Matters

”When discussing academics, it’s all ’openness, inclusivity, mutual understanding’, but when it comes to real life face-to-face interactions, things get prickly.”

After class, as soon as Professor Montreya’s figure disappeared at the classroom door, Xin Fat Man eagerly turned to his two companions to vent:

”Honestly, if we could make the Alpha folks unable to understand our magical theories, misunderstand our magical notes, and go cross-eyed listening to our discussions, wouldn’t everyone in the academy stand with us? Everyone would raise both hands and feet in agreement!”

”Alpha’s magic research is in fact slightly more advanced than Jiuyou Academy’s.” Doctor Xiao pushed his glasses and gently reminded, ”You’ve got this logic reversed.”

”I’m just making a point!” The Fat Wizard waved his hand irritably, looking at the contemplative Zheng Qing for moral support: ”What do you think, Mr. Zha?”

”Huh? What? Hmm, quite reasonable, all makes sense...” The cost student seemed to have just returned to his senses, gave a few perfunctory replies, hesitated, and asked back, ”Do you think the professor was joking earlier about ’we can even tolerate dangerous black magic experiments’?”

”Probably just making a point too...”

”The earlier remark ’even a demon, we have enough heart to accept’ didn’t sound like just a metaphor to me.” Zheng Qing quipped, finally shaking his head, ”Anyway... never mind, never mind, this level of trouble is not our concern... What was the alliance you mentioned before class all about?”

The last question was directed at Xiao Xiao.

Absolution’s Diviner pulled out a piece of parchment and responded lightly, ”Oh, I was talking about the winter hunting event. Although the Fringe Hunting Team was just established, it performed outstandingly in the school hunting party and thus also awarded a ’middle tier’ hunting ground, which is right next to our Absolution zone... my point is, before the winter hunting event, the two teams draft an offensive and defensive alliance, mutually supporting each other in case of any risks.”

”Aren’t there teaching assistants and professors around to oversee?”

”If you can solve things on your own, solve them on your own; the school supports mutual student aid... best not to rely on professors... judging by past experience, I’d bet those teaching assistants or professors would only intervene after all team members lose consciousness.”

Thinking back to last year’s winter hunting experience, Zheng Qing found this particularly sensible.

He lifted his head, looking to the other side of the classroom, luckily Nicholas hadn’t left yet, chatting lightly with Liu Fei Fei.

Seeing Zheng Qing call him over, the Fringe Hunting Team captain came eager with his companion.

”Alliance?”

Nicholas showed visible disappointment upon hearing Absolution Hunting Team’s invitation but perked up nonetheless, ”Oh, my meaning is this—I might need to discuss it with the other teammates... should be no issue. I thought...”

He shrugged, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Zheng Qing’s gaze drifted from the slender warlock’s right hand bearing the red magic stone ring, involuntarily recalling Mr. Arrogance’s target from the last Seven Sins meeting, and playfully remarked, ”You thought we called you over for a chat to gift you a bunch of frogs? You shouldn’t need frogs for spellcasting now.”

”But frogs are never too many.”

Before Nicholas could speak, Liu Fei Fei nudged a piece of mulberry paper under the cost student’s nose, softly adding, ”Children in the North District just received their first seals and require a lot of frogs to practice Basic Magic, any assistance from you would be appreciated... heard D&K signed a long-term supply agreement with the Lake Lingzhong Fishman Tribe, consistently receiving quality frogs at affordable prices?”

”The store’s managed by professionals, I’m just attached in name.” Zheng Qing chuckled wryly, looking down at the piece of mulberry paper. Unsurprisingly, it was a ’please give me a frog’ flyer.

Liu Fei Fei had more to say but was subtly stopped by Nicholas tugging her, finally letting out a silent sigh.

...

...

In the following days, Zheng Qing felt life swirling in chaos.

The ripple effect from Beta Town Post’s report on the ’Frog’ Movement spread off-campus, returning in a wave of division at First University, splitting Jiuyou Academy’s wizards clearly into two opposing camps.

The smaller faction, backed heavily by the Northern District wizards and Mages Liberation Association, supported the ’please give me a frog’ movement, staging small activities almost daily, whether lectures at Lin Zhong Lake, academy rallies, group frog purchases, visits to the North District, or the seemingly endless flyer distributions—many things, varied in execution.

The larger faction stressed these issues should be discussed among the four academies, not solely burden Jiuyou Academy, and without clear stance from the school or association, student opinions seemed overly thin—of course, Zheng Qing thought the larger faction simply comprised more due to nearing exams leaving everyone short of time or energy to tackle the Northern District wizard’s affairs.

After all, this was Jiuyou Academy.

No matter is more crucial than exams.

As days passed, the winter hunting drew closer. Increasing numbers of teams scrambled for limited training grounds, including night training spaces. Perhaps an illusion, but Zheng Qing sensed persistent covert scrutiny during Absolution Hunting Team’s training sessions, an aggravated annoyance.

In parallel, Zheng Qing had to juggle handling other matters—like Thursday night when he visited Greenhill Mansion, inviting Su Shi Jun as the guiding instructor for Absolution’s winter hunting; or Friday night, morphing into a cat to stealthily visit Danhag Notary Office’s branch at First University to claim the rewards for Mr. Arrogance’s task.

With silent contract oversight, ’Black Cat’s actions received magic certification, easily verifying his contribution in ’catalyzing the Frog Movement’.

Mr. Arrogance’s reward was fifty jade coins, not a fortune, not a pittance.

This reward’s arrival meant Zheng Qing needn’t scavenge from the Cat Fruit Tree’s feline offerings for witch Christmas gifts anymore—the past six months’ hunting competition rewards, D&K dividends, and assorted incomes amounted lucratively, post daily expenses and magic experiments, leaving the young cost student comfortably able to shell out a hundred jade coins for holiday expenses.

The remaining issue was procuring suitable gifts.

For typical students, a hundred jade coins was substantial, yet in Beta Town, standard gifts—be it magic books, Pandora’s boxes, or other cosmetics—fell short matching this price point. Thankfully, there were over two weeks left for Zheng Qing to deliberate.