Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Upon hearing his classmates' calls, Li Qingzhi, looking at Ludwig who was standing before him, extending an invitation to visit, found himself momentarily in a dilemma.

In truth, he was delighted that Ludwig had taken the initiative to invite him, making up for the missed opportunity last time. After all, Ludwig's sincerity was a rare sight, and Li Qingzhi didn't wish to decline.

However, he had previously made a promise with his classmates who specialized in Plant Elements. They had agreed to go out and have a carefree adventure together once their results were released.

Caught between two options, Li Qingzhi paused for a moment. Unbeknownst to him, someone from his group of classmates, having noticed Ludwig through him, quickly whispered in surprise:

"Oh, why is the Chief over there?"

Before long, Li Qingzhi heard the voice of his friend Bruce from within: "It seems he's speaking to Li Qingzhi."

"What should we do?"

Another student whispered, "Perhaps we should call for him later then..."

Li Qingzhi felt a slight easing in his heart and was just about to continue conversing with Ludwig when the blond teenager quickly cast his eyes down upon him.

"Go ahead, they seem to have something to discuss with you."

After a brief pause, Ludwig added, "I'll wait for you here."

Hearing Ludwig's words, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but be taken aback. Although he didn't fully understand why Ludwig would ask him to talk to his classmates first, he nodded and turned to walk towards the group of students nearby.

Upon seeing him approach, Bruce, somewhat nervously, pulled him aside and whispered, "What did Chief Ludwig want to talk to you about? Was it to ask about those who performed poorly so he could mete out punishment?"

Li Qingzhi, upon hearing Bruce's overly cautious assumption, found himself torn between laughter and tears.

"No way, it's not that drastic. Ludwig isn't that strict."

But Bruce quickly shook his head. "No, you don't understand. I've inquired from senior students at the Botanical College. The student union usually singles out the first-year students with the poorest magical abilities beforehand and subjects them to terrifying training one by one!"

After a few seconds of contemplation, Li Qingzhi said, "That should be more about training those individuals, not punishment."

The brown-haired youth heaved a sigh. "I only hope I'm not among that batch. Though it's not Class C, I've heard from others that being a first-stage Class B like me is quite risky too."

"We were all together for the magical beast assessment, and you two are at Second Stage. It must be that my performance in the other tests was too poor. Ah, Amelia, don't you agree..."

In the midst of their conversation, Bruce instinctively turned his head to glance at his fellow companion standing not far from him. Only then did he realize that Amelia, who had been by their side all along, was nowhere to be seen: "Amelia?"

Bruce looked around in confusion, unsure of where the girl had just been. Li Qingzhi was likewise ignorant of her whereabouts, but before long, they spotted the green-haired maiden outside the nearby Magical Beast Studies classroom.

Not only Amelia, their Magic Beast instructor, Ernest, was also standing there, engaged in an ongoing conversation with her. Due to the distance, Li Qingzhi and Bruce couldn't make out what they were discussing.

"Bruce inquired, puzzled, "Amelia did quite well this time. Why would Teacher Ernest call her for a talk?"

"What are you talking about?"

The uncertain Li Qingzhi shook his head. "Perhaps they're discussing matters unrelated to the assessment."

As the two conversed, Ernest suddenly let out a sigh, shaking his head at Amelia before resuming their conversation.

This scene piqued Bruce's curiosity even more. He couldn't help but direct his gaze intently towards Amelia and Teacher Ernest.

However, as he watched, Bruce blinked, as if he had made an unexpected realization. He abruptly turned to Li Qingzhi and exclaimed,

"Goodness, why do I suddenly feel that Amelia and Teacher Ernest actually bear a resemblance to each other?"

Upon hearing Bruce's words, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but glance in the direction of the pair, murmuring, "Is that true...?"

After a few seconds and several careful inspections, Li Qingzhi was also somewhat surprised, "They do seem to resemble each other a bit."

Though both Amelia and Ernest shared the same dark green hair color, they had never thought about it before, assuming it was just a coincidence.

Now, after observing them closely, both noticed not only the similarity in their hair but also a resemblance in their features, including their faint gray eyes.

Feeling a sense of astonishment, Bruce couldn't help but ask, "Qingzhi, do you think there might be a blood relation between Amelia and Teacher Ernest?"

Despite recognizing the resemblance, Li Qingzhi didn't want to jump to conclusions about their relationship before hearing it from Amelia herself.

In response to Bruce's inquiry, he said cautiously, "If you really want to know, we should wait for Amelia to tell us. We can't make a direct judgment right now."

"But," Li Qingzhi pondered for a moment and continued, "even if it's true, Amelia has never mentioned it to us. Perhaps she doesn't want us to find out. It's best not to ask for now."

Bruce, after considering Li Qingzhi's words, nodded in agreement, "You have a point."

Moments later, before Li Qingzhi and Bruce could join their classmates to discuss where they should celebrate in the coming days, Amelia returned to their side.

Although they had decided not to probe too much into Amelia's relationship with Ernest, Bruce couldn't resist asking, "What did Teacher Ernest say to you? He seemed quite displeased, constantly frowning."

Amelia paused, apparently caught off guard by Bruce's question about her conversation with Ernest.

However, after a moment of hesitation, the green-haired girl closed her eyes, seemingly deciding to directly recount the incident without offering any suspicious explanations. She knew that a lie required countless more lies to sustain, and that wouldn't serve her well.

"He asked me how my assessment went," she said.

Bruce was puzzled. "You did so well. Why does he seem unhappy?"

Li Qingzhi, after some contemplation, also turned to the green-haired girl with concern. "Was it something else?"

Faced with their worried gazes, Amelia felt a mix of emotions. Rarely experiencing such care, she managed to suppress her inexplicable feelings. Lowering her eyes, she tried to sound casual as she explained, "No, he just asked if I wanted to have dinner at home these two days. I told him I had plans with my classmates."

Bruce was taken aback. "Dinner at home? Could it be that..."

Amelia nodded. "Professor Ernest is my uncle. I've grown up by his side since I was young."

"I apologize for not mentioning it earlier. I didn't think it was necessary. At school, I just want to be an ordinary student."

Despite their prior suspicions, Bruce and Li Qingzhi were still somewhat taken aback by Amelia's direct admission.

Bruce couldn't help but ask Amelia a few more questions. The gentle and reserved green-haired girl promptly answered them all, albeit with simplicity, clearly feeling a bit awkward to continue the conversation.

On the other side, Li Qingzhi was indeed surprised, but with Ludwig still waiting for him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility.

After a brief chat, Li Qingzhi intended to discuss the outing topic with other classmates first. However, Bruce promptly suggested,

"Let's go eat first."

"It's getting late. We can talk while we eat."

Having failed to reach a conclusion after hours of discussion, everyone quickly agreed with Bruce's proposal. "That makes sense. Let's talk over dinner."

Matthew's voice chimed in as well. Being familiar with Li Qingzhi, he waved energetically at him. "Li Qingzhi, come on, let's go. I'd like to hear your thoughts. After all, you always have great ideas."

At this moment, observing his classmates preparing to depart together, Li Qingzhi swiftly realized that if he joined them for dinner, Ludwig would be left waiting for quite some time, and their discussion about the evening banquet would once again fade away.

With this in mind, Li Qingzhi decided to have his conversation with Ludwig first. "Go on without me, I have something to attend to. I'll be right there!"

Matthew looked a bit disheartened but still nodded. "Alright then, hurry back."

The other students echoed in agreement. "Yeah, Li Qingzhi, you must come later! We need to discuss things together."

It was evident that through numerous novelty-filled antics and half a semester of studies, the freshmen from the Botanical College had fostered a profound bond of camaraderie. Li Qingzhi, who had led them in these enjoyable experiences, had carved out an indispensable place in their hearts.

Upon Li Qingzhi's agreement, she promptly turned her gaze in the direction where Ludwig had just been, a hint of worry surfacing in her heart.

Fortunately, in the next moment, he saw Ludwig again amidst the chaos.

Realizing that the other party hadn't left, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but exhale in relief, her heart leaping with joy as she quickly made her way towards the blond teenager.

"Apologies," Li Qingzhi said, lifting his gaze as he approached Ludwig. "I've kept you waiting."

Ludwig merely shook his head, not bringing up the dinner first, but instead looked at him and said, "It's nothing."

"How did you find the examination this time?"

After Li Qingzhi gathered his thoughts, he began recounting the assessment to Ludwig, "It felt surprisingly smooth."

In truth, after seeing his results, Li Qingzhi had been eager to share his experience with Ludwig, but he hadn't found the right moment. Now that Ludwig had initiated the conversation, Li Qingzhi naturally seized the opportunity to express all his feelings about the assessment:

"The magical beast evaluation went quite well, and the potion test results were also satisfactory. Teacher Wendy had guided us through the preparation of those potions."

"The spellcasting and magical history exams, which I initially thought would be the most challenging, also turned out alright. You helped me study for them extensively, and the historical section in the exam coincidentally covered the part you translated meticulously for me."

Ludwig looked at him in response. "Which part?"

Speaking of which, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but smile. "It includes the part where the first-generation Mage Ai Ken saved the Elemental Continent, as well as questions related to the Dark Mage Ai Mo, who drained the elemental magic."

"I've gone over that section too. Although my answers aren't identical, I was able to grasp the essence and respond accordingly. I just checked, and the rating I received is quite satisfactory."

After Li Qingzhi blurted it all out in one go, he subconsciously looked up towards Ludwig with a hint of anticipation, and the blond teenager promptly responded.

As Ludwig slightly lowered his eyes, the corners of his mouth curled into a faint smile, one that was barely discernible yet swiftly noticed by Li Qingzhi. The blond youth's azure eyes seemed to soften at this moment.

"Well, you have indeed done quite well this time."

To outside ears, Ludwig's praise might have sounded perfunctory, but to Li Qingzhi, who had spent considerable time with the blond youth, it didn't come across that way at all.

In this moment, when he had gained the approval of his mentor and friend, Ludwig, Li Qingzhi experienced a genuine surge of joy from deep within his heart.

With this thought, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but say again, "I truly owe you a great deal this time. In my heart, you're no longer just my close friend, but also my..."

Confronted with the sincere gaze and joyful demeanor of the black-haired youth in this moment, Ludwig, sensing the emotions brimming to the point of overflow within the other, couldn't help but feel a faint warmth spread through his ears.

"I am aware."

The pride within and the restraint collided subtly at this moment, causing Ludwig's heart to flutter while he couldn't help but stop the black-haired youth from confessing his love. Just the sensation of that emotion had already left him somewhat flustered and flushed.

Yet, Ludwig felt more than just helplessness. The vague sense of puzzlement he had been experiencing these few days over Li Qingzhi's apparent disregard for him also subsided quietly in this moment.

Ludwig certainly couldn't express his thoughts from the past few days directly to Li Qingzhi, but the dark-haired youth always reassured him with his actions when worry crept in, those sincere and earnest eyes conveying everything that needed to be said.

At this moment, upon hearing Ludwig's affirmation, a warm tide rose in Li Qingzhi's heart, and he couldn't help but recall the days when he consistently ranked last during the Three Purities Assessment.

Reflecting on this, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but smile. "Do you know why I came back as an exchange student?"

Ludwig seemed caught off guard by the sudden question. He paused for a moment before shaking his head. "Go on."

Li Qingzhi: "Because nobody wanted to leave Three Silent Mountains, the elders finally decided that the disciple with the poorest performance in the assessment should come here."

"At that time, I was only focused on having fun and didn't pay attention to my studies. So, I ended up at the very bottom of the rankings."

Slightly embarrassed, Li Qingzhi scratched his cheek, but eventually looked at Ludwig and spoke from the heart.

"Since arriving here, though it was at Headmaster Augustus' request, you have been dutiful towards the other students as well. Yet, I can sense that you have consistently and earnestly assisted me in my magical studies with the same level of responsibility you show to the others."

"In any case, I truly appreciate it!"

Speaking up to this point, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but jest, "But it's also because I performed the worst during my assessment that I could come here as an exchange student. Otherwise, I wouldn't have met you."

However, Ludwig's expression became somewhat serious at this moment. Seeing the other person's slightly furrowed brows, Li Qingzhi thought that the other person might be a bit angry after hearing his joke. However, not long after, he only heard the blond youth shake his head and say:

"You often remark on my sense of responsibility, but you possess an inherent goodness that prompts you to help others without any external influence or consideration for yourself."

Li Qingzhi was taken aback upon hearing Ludwig's words. Soon after, Ludwig's voice sounded again, carrying a tone of sincerity.

"But your life is just as important."

Faced with the now-serious Ludwig, Li Qingzhi was slightly startled. Realizing that Ludwig was genuinely concerned for his safety, a warm current welled up in his heart.

"Alright, I got it."

Smiling at Ludwig, Li Qingzhi recalled the dinner invitation Ludwig had extended earlier. He took the initiative to ask,

"Can I come over to your place tonight then?"

"I'll be on break in two days, and my classmates and I might plan an outing off-campus." After all, he had already made plans with his friends, so he couldn't back out now.

Ludwig looked at him upon hearing this. "So you're saying you can only come over tonight for the next few days?"

For some reason, Li Qingzhi felt a bit guilty under Ludwig's gaze. He cleared his throat before replying, "It's not certain yet. We're still discussing where to go, but I'm definitely free tonight."

However, Ludwig furrowed his brows again. His indifferent expression seemed to hint at a dilemma. "Tonight won't work. I have to attend a ball."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but feel curious. "A ball?"

Ludwig responded casually, seemingly unenthusiastic and uninterested in the so-called ball. "It's quite dull."

Yet, Li Qingzhi couldn't resist saying, "I've never attended one before."

"Just dancing all the time? It sounds rather enjoyable."

Upon Li Qingzhi's remark, Ludwig pondered for a moment. He then lowered his gaze towards Li Qingzhi, an idea forming in his mind. The previously unappealing ball suddenly gained a new hue of interest.

"Would you like to come?"

Upon hearing this, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but be taken aback. "Ah? Me?"

"I don't know how to dance."

With this thought, Li Qingzhi instinctively wanted to refuse. But the moment he lifted his eyes to meet Ludwig's piercing blue gaze, he found the words of denial momentarily stuck in his throat.

There, the blond youth's features regained a touch of vitality. It was precisely because Ludwig usually appeared too composed and indifferent that Li Qingzhi found herself particularly attentive to and unable to resist these rare moments of liveliness.

"Not coming?" Li Qingzhi heard Ludwig's voice again, though the tone was no different from usual, he couldn't help but feel that it was difficult to refuse.

In the end, Li Qingzhi, who didn't know how to dance, somehow mustered up the courage and nodded. "Okay... I've been quite curious about it too."

The magic between Li Qingzhi and Ludwig was that the longer they spent together, the more they found it impossible to give each other a serious rejection. They both softened quickly without realizing it, allowing an inexplicable attraction to draw them closer together.

At this moment, in Ludwig's mind, the originally uninteresting ball had begun to hold some appeal.

He didn't want to acknowledge that he was now harboring an indelible anticipation for this mundane event, and the source of that anticipation was none other than Li Qingzhi.

After confirming that Li Qingzhi would attend with him, Ludwig's thoughts started swirling:

Among my classmates and me, Li Qingzhi must prefer to choose me.

As Ludwig muttered to himself, he inexplicably felt a strong confidence that Li Qingzhi would choose him:

If Li Qingzhi wants to seek me out in the next few days, I wouldn't say no.

Just then, Li Qingzhi's voice sounded in front of him:

"Then it's settled. I might have to leave first; my classmates are waiting for me to discuss where we're going together."

"Goodbye~"

Before Ludwig could even react, the black-haired youth waved at him with a smile, then drew the Shadowless Sword and hurried off in the direction where his classmates had been.

Ludwig stood alone for a few seconds in silence, eventually unable to resist lifting his gaze toward the direction Li Qingzhi had departed. Despite his composed expression, an undercurrent of disbelief began to well up within him.

Could it be that Li Qingzhi plans to spend the next few days playing with his classmates...?