Shasta seemed eager to experiment and skipped the intermediate explanation steps. But this abrupt topic left Ximo a bit unable to react.
“Afraid, I guess I am?”
“Then we’ll use the quicker method.”
Shasta hugged her over. Her movements were so fast that Ximo couldn’t react in time. She saw Shasta wrap around her neck… and bite down.
A slight stinging sensation and the feeling of blood being drawn out came. This blood-drawing method really didn’t hurt. Then Ximo saw Shasta carefully pour the drawn blood onto the crystal ball.
Something magical happened. The originally dull crystal ball emitted a faint glow, lighting up Shasta’s eyes as well.
“As expected! I was right. It completes the Magic Circuit using the user’s blood? This rune arrangement is too ingenious. It can even prevent the Magitool from being seized by enemies and used against you…”
Shasta muttered on and on, then pulled Ximo over again. “Hold the crystal ball and try channeling magic power into it. Now only you should be able to control it. In other words, you’re the crystal ball’s sole master.”
This was why Shasta had urgently called Ximo over—without her, the experiment couldn’t continue.
Ximo was no longer the novice in the Mist Forest who knew no magic. She tried circulating the magic in her body using the method she’d just learned… and then the magic power inside her was “whoosh” sucked away by the crystal ball.
The two of them watched as the crystal ball grew brighter and brighter. A beam of light “boom” shot out from the crystal ball, collapsing half a bookshelf nearby.
“Ahh, sorry, Instructor Shasta! I didn’t mean to!”
Ximo jumped in fright. Given Shasta’s temper, she must be furious now. But the magic power the crystal ball had sucked from her was only a little—how could it have such power?
“Wonderful!”
But Shasta cheered excitedly, making Ximo wonder if her brain… had gone haywire.
“It can store and amplify magic power. My previous hypothesis was correct. As expected of Great Sage Gandalf’s work! Achieving this effect with just magic runes!”
Ximo remembered that back in the Mist Forest, after the Forest Lord had beaten her to a pulp, her blood had accidentally gotten on the crystal ball. Perhaps that was what linked her to it?
And that was why she and Melrose had been able to blast the Forest Lord with one shot from the crystal ball—it must have been its magic amplification function.
“But this Magitool’s function definitely goes beyond that. This should just be its most basic one…”
Shasta muttered while scribbling in her notebook. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she pulled Ximo over. “Right, look here!”
A magnifying glass was shoved into Ximo’s hand. Shasta excitedly pointed at a spot on the crystal ball.
“Great Sage Gandalf had a habit. He’d engrave his name initials on his works. Right here, see—”
Ximo actually couldn’t pick out which rune was the special initials amid the dense magic runes, but she already understood why Shasta was so excited. It seemed the aloof Blood Clan was only interested in research.
“Student Ximo!” Shasta suddenly gripped Ximo’s hand sincerely. “This Magitool definitely has many more secrets. Can you leave it with me for a while longer? Don’t worry! I just want to research it. I won’t pocket it.”
“O-Of course, no problem. If anything, I’m the one troubling you, Instructor Shasta…”
“You’re the best student I’ve ever seen! Don’t worry. Give me some time, and I’ll definitely figure out this Magitool completely!”
Shasta jumped up before Ximo could finish, delighted like a child. She immediately turned back to her research.
Just as Ximo hesitated whether she could leave, a heavy knock came from the door. Shasta, interrupted from her research, unhappily got up to open it. She saw a stern face—the Guard Station manager.
“Hm? There was just a little noise here earlier. I was doing an experiment. No big deal.”
Shasta saw a whole team of fully armed guards at the door and didn’t react for a moment. She thought it was because she and Ximo had made too much noise earlier.
But Shasta didn’t get a response. Two guards quickly stepped forward and cuffed her. The rest filed in, taking over the entire basement.
Everything happened fast, but Ximo immediately sensed something was wrong. She quickly pocketed the crystal ball again without being noticed.
“Hey, Frey, what is this?”
Shasta didn’t resist. She just looked puzzled at the stern Guard Station head in front of her.
“Sorry, Instructor Shasta. We need you to come with us—we suspect you in connection with the two assault cases in the academy recently.”
Assault cases? Ximo immediately thought of the night she was attacked by the monster. The assault cases Frey mentioned must be that. But… how could it be related to Instructor Shasta?
“Ha?” Sure enough, Shasta was also baffled. “I don’t understand. Are you saying I’d assault my own assistant student?”
Frey also spotted Ximo in the basement and recognized her as one of the students attacked a couple days ago, but his expression didn’t soften at all.
“Sorry, Instructor Shasta. We don’t want to suspect you, but you’ll have to come with us for investigation.”
Frey gave a signal with his eyes. Two guards immediately began searching the basement. Ximo unobtrusively moved to the side. Everything had happened too suddenly. Shasta didn’t resist and was taken away in a daze.
“Ximo, right?” The tall Frey walked over and sized up Ximo. “I know you’re Instructor Shasta’s assistant student. We’re just following orders to bring her back for some questioning. It’s not a big deal—you should head back to class first.”
Ximo wisely chose not to ask any more questions. She nodded obediently and exited the basement, though she didn’t believe at all that Shasta had anything to do with the assaults from a couple of days ago.
Right, class!
Frey’s words reminded Ximo of something. She glanced at the time and quickly ran off.
Oh no, she’d spent too much time with Instructor Shasta. Her break was only fifteen minutes!
…
“Ximo, you’re a full ten minutes late.”
Shirley spoke in a somewhat helpless tone. She had never been the strict type of teacher and wasn’t good at punishing students.
Amid the mocking laughter from Jackson and a few other classmates, Ximo returned to her seat. She didn’t care about any of that now; she was more worried about what exactly was happening with Instructor Shasta.
Seeing that his mockery had no effect at all—and Ximo acted as if she hadn’t even noticed—Jackson clicked his tongue in annoyance, convinced that Ximo was deliberately ignoring him.
