High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2271: Chapter 492: An Unexpected Visitor in Practice Class

”...I know some students feel that practice classes do not significantly aid in the registered wizard assessments; others think they have achieved good results in the school’s hunting party and winter hunting, and that they have already acquired all their practical points, making practice classes seem unimportant...none of this is wrong, but I must remind you that at the end of the academic year, the practical scores require the classroom evaluation from your instructor...I trust you don’t want me to write comments like ’late to class,’ ’inattentive,’ or ’eating in class’ in your assessments.”

These were the words spoken by Assistant Hilda at the start of the practice class, in front of everyone.

As he said this, Zheng Qing was standing at the back of the Astronomy Class 08-1 lineup, his mouth tightly shut, slowly moving his cheeks, looking very much like the old Fei Rui when it was sneaking food at home.

Hearing the assistant teacher’s subtle warning, the young scholarship student instinctively tried to swallow what was in his mouth, only to end up nearly choking to death on the coarse food, his face turning red.

Perhaps Hilda thought this was a sign of guilt from the young wizard and was pleased to shift his gaze away.

He then cleared his throat and continued, ”The old year and semester are about to end, and regarding the content of this semester’s final exam, I want to emphasize that last year’s and earlier exam ’real questions’ are meaningless to you; the essence of practice is experience, and everything you’ve learned here in Green Valley, when compared to the risks outside the school...”

Bam!

A flash of red shot out from the void, crashing heavily into a snow pile not far from the assistant teacher, with a muffled thud, scattering snowflakes, and interrupting the assistant teacher’s enthusiastic lecture.

A round pumpkin carriage landed upside down, with its wheels helplessly spinning in the air.

Everything looked so familiar.

Seeing this déjà-vu scene, an unpleasant thought suddenly surfaced in Zheng Qing’s mind.

Phew!

A big red hood and four chubby rabbits all popped out of the snowpile, spitting out snowflakes in disarray, and under the hood was a face very familiar to Zheng Qing, white and translucent.

Though she had repeatedly landed face-first, her face had not the slightest scratch, still so delicate and cute. However, at this moment, Zheng Qing couldn’t feel even a hint of ’cuteness,’ nor any of the joy expected from an ’unexpected meeting’ with an acquaintance.

Because it had been less than half an hour since he’d last seen her!

”It’s Little Red Riding Hood!”

Among the crowd, a witch exclaimed, although these sprites were hired by the school to act as Santa Claus to deliver presents, very few people had actually seen these small elves with red cloaks and red hoods appear before them. Most only received gifts popping out of thin air or saw a flash of red whiz by.

The witch’s exclamation immediately ignited the atmosphere, with cheers rising and falling:

”It really is Little Red Riding Hood!”

”I’ve never seen a live Little Red Riding Hood!”

”Her carriage-pulling rabbits look really fat...I mean, they’re well-fed!”

”Why don’t those rabbits eat the pumpkin carriage?”

”Weren’t they hired by the school to deliver gifts this year?”

The young wizards’ chatter and whispers came to a halt with that last question, and an eerie silence fell upon the scene. Many young warlocks and witches seemed to simultaneously turn solemn, each wearing a stiff expression, though their eyes betrayed surprise and nervousness.

Those who chose Little Red Riding Hood for help in gift-giving likely didn’t want anyone to know about it. So, each wizard who sent out gifts silently prayed that this pumpkin carriage did not contain their gift.

Zheng Qing pressed his left hand into the Ziwei Formula, crossed his right index and middle fingers into a sign of a cross, muttering ’Ami Tofu,’ trying his best to hide behind Zhang Ji Xin’s broad shadow, desperately hoping Little Red Riding Hood wouldn’t see him.

Assistant Hilda’s expression shifted from anger to surprise, then into a sly, unfathomable smile, all within a few seconds.

Then he blinked, not saying a word, quietly leaping onto a large green stone nearby, dangling his legs while holding a fresh, juicy carrot from who knows where, crunching into it.

The crisp sound attracted envious glances from the four big rabbits, who perked their ears, wagged their short tails, eagerly eyeing the delicious treat in the assistant teacher’s hand, with a look full of longing.

”Ah, sorry!”

”There’s an urgent delivery that needs to be made as fast as possible...so I apologize for the disturbance!”

Little Red Riding Hood bowed politely all around, and when she got up, she was holding a long parchment strip, skipping through the crowd with her tiny legs dragging her wide cloak, like a butterfly, muttering: ”First University Jiuyou Academy Astronomy Class 08-1 Student Jiang Yu...ah, it’s you, right?”

She accurately stood before Jiang Yu, looking up at the tall witch with satisfaction, nodded, and with a wave of her hand, a beautifully wrapped gift box flew out of the pumpkin carriage:

”Your Christmas gift, please sign for it!”

The witch slightly frowned, taking the gift box with a hint of surprise—Zheng Qing wasn’t sure if she had glanced at him a moment ago, but now wasn’t the time to worry about that detail.

Because after delivering the gift, Little Red Riding Hood did not leave immediately, but instead glanced around before skipping to a pale-faced young scholarship student, happily jumping up and giving his knee a slap.

”See? As I told you, I’m very fast with gift deliveries! And I never make a mistake!” She sounded very proud, wearing a look of triumph: ”I even let you cut in line!”

The implication was that he had profited greatly.

Neither the white robes nor the red robes, nor the assistant teacher lounging on the large green stone—every wizard was watching this scene, with a look of spectators enjoying a good show on their faces.

Zheng Qing wished she had slapped him hard enough to send him flying into space.

”Th-thank you!”

The young scholarship student said his thanks softly and earnestly, though his gaze was somewhat evasive, appearing insincere. However, being a sprite, Little Red Riding Hood didn’t understand this slightly awkward emotion. After receiving the wizard’s thanks, she was satisfied and hopped back into the pumpkin carriage, flicked the reins, and vanished into the air with the rabbits.

The red shadow had just disappeared.

Suddenly, the crowd burst into a cacophony of voices.

Teasing, banter, questioning, even anger.

It was as if a massive stone had been thrown into a dung pit, with a swarm of flies buzzing loudly, the sound sweeping over everyone, buzzing in everyone’s ears.

”Youth, such vigor, the whole world is jealous of it,” Hilda said, standing up, jumping off the large green stone, wiping carrot bits from the corner of his mouth, deeply moved as he paraphrased a small poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Zheng Qing didn’t find it poetic at all.

Just wanted him to shut up.