“About what happened earlier… thank you,” Mapeel said, expressing her gratitude once more.
“Has Lilith been bullying you?” Wang Yue asked.
“She wants me to be her ‘little tail.’ I agreed. As long as she doesn’t bully my sister, I’ll do anything.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll teach her a lesson.”
Mapeel shook her head. “This is fine. She won’t give me trouble anymore. She’s not a bad person; she just has a sharp tongue.”
“If you’re being bullied, don’t keep it to yourself. Problems need to be solved.”
Returning to the dorm, Wang Yue saw that Veronica had fallen back asleep. She didn’t try to touch the octopus again, choosing instead to sleep until dawn.
Slap!
Dorothy received a light pat on the face.
“Let go. Stop sucking on my hand.”
“I’m sorry…”
Wang Yue pulled her hand out of the girl’s mouth and wiped the drool off on the sheets.
“What were you dreaming about? Crispy pig trotters?”
“Roast lamb leg,” Dorothy mumbled. “With sour bamboo shoots and chili peppers… but I forgot what it tastes like. Such a shame.”
“Have you never eaten it?”
“I’ve seen other people eat it.”
A knock sounded on the dormitory door, and the voice of the matron, Mrs. Diaz, echoed from outside.
“Time to get up, little ones.”
Matcha, who was closest to the door, scrambled over on all fours to open it.
“Go to the Great Hall for the Black Mass after breakfast. Don’t forget to wear your uniforms,” the matron said before heading to the next room.
“I’m going to eat a feast! A feast!” Dorothy repeated twice.
Wang Yue took a quick cold shower first, then came back to change into a cotton shirt. She pulled on black wool stockings that reached her thighs, adjusted them until they were even, and stepped into black patent leather shoes with a single strap. Finally, she threw on the uniform—a pure black hooded robe.
Suddenly, Lulu’anna’s complaints echoed from the hallway.
“If you make me wear such ugly clothes out in public, I’d rather die!”
“This cheap fabric, this ancient style… how is this supposed to accentuate my beauty?”
“Seriously, enough is enough!”
“I’m dropping out!”
Several roommates couldn’t calm her down. Lulu’anna stood there tearing at her clothes and stomping her feet in frustration.
Just then, the door to Room 202 opened silently, and Wang Yue stepped out.
Every freshman in the corridor held their breath!
The pure black uniform draped over her like a corner of the night sky, further accentuating her cold, detached aura.
Her small face, with its exquisite features, long eyes, and lips as thin as ice, didn’t seem like something of the mortal world.
Being stared at by so many people made her a little self-conscious. She pulled up her hood to cover her head and hurried away.
“Leader…” A roommate glanced at Lulu’anna, only to find her looking completely dazed, her tantrum forgotten.
The path from the dormitory to the Great Hall involved a mountain trail. Because of the sheer number of buildings, the natural rocks of the academy looked almost man-made.
Wang Yue climbed along a winding path. Halfway up, a light drizzle began to fall.
She hadn’t eaten breakfast, heading to the Great Hall early. It was still quite early, and there were few people on the road.
Suddenly, she saw a girl with orange hair up ahead. She was hopping up the stairs like she was playing hopscotch, her legs spreading and closing with every jump.
As Wang Yue drew closer, the girl turned to look at her with a bright smile.
“Classmate Wang Yue!”
“Classmate Medeili.”
“Just call me Plum.”
“Alright, Classmate Medeili.”
Medeili continued to hop backward up the steps, seemingly unafraid of falling. With every step, her slightly pigeon-toed legs would twitch—it was quite cute.
“Do you like pickles?” she asked.
“I do.” Wang Yue nodded.
This world didn’t have rice, only wild grains. Pickles with rice porridge was a dream that only existed in her memories. However, pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce paired with a meat patty and bread to make a burger wasn’t bad either.
“Taste this!”
Medeili pulled something from her coat and handed it over.
Wang Yue took it, cradling it in her palm.
It was a glass jar containing a plucked, dead sparrow. It was hairless and smooth, its claws curled, and its eyes half-closed.
An ordinary girl would have screamed in terror, but Wang Yue’s expression remained unchanged. She asked, “Are you sure this is edible?”
“Yes!” Medeili said with certainty.
“It’s a bit strange, but I’m willing to try it. I trust you.”
She actually took a bite. It was salty, not fishy, and didn’t taste bad—a bit like cold quail soup.
“You’re different from the others,” Medeili said suddenly.
“Am I?”
“You have the patience to listen to different voices.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“Strange things aren’t actually strange. It’s the ‘normal’ things that turn into monsters. Because strangeness is the norm, while being normal is actually the anomaly.”
“Do you mean that in certain situations, acting normally is a mistake, and ‘abnormal’ behavior is actually the optimal solution?”
“Yes! That’s exactly what I mean! You’re so smart!”
“Why is that?”
“I don’t know. Some things are just destined to be tragedies. Let me tell you a story!”
Medeili stopped, leaning against the railing, and began to speak softly.
“One day, the people in a village heard a series of whispers. The whispering was everywhere, from night until morning, morning until night, lingering in their ears, appearing to guide them to a certain place. The villagers began to argue, splitting into two factions. One group believed it was a great will saving them from disaster, while the other believed it was the temptation of evil spirits. Some followed the whispers and left the village, finding a strange statue deep in the jungle. They sat around the statue, worshipping it day and night. Their skin gradually cracked and fell off, twisted horns sprouted from their foreheads, and fangs grew from their mouths. They turned into terrifying monsters.”
“And the other group in the village escaped the disaster?”
“No. Everyone who didn’t leave the village died of a plague… The ones who left became monsters, but they lived.”
Wang Yue pondered the flavor of the sparrow, feeling that this was a piece of advice. Did such things happen in the Evernight Realm? Or was this simply the way of things here?
“I’ve eaten your delicious sparrow and heard your advice, but I have nothing to give you in return,” she said apologetically.
“Friends ask for nothing,” Medeili said happily.
