Chapter 2: The Assigned Mission (Part 1)
“Yang~”
Classes officially commenced after a few days of break. As I remained in the classroom to pack my belongings and prepare for the next class that I feared the most, I heard the sound of a person who often skipped classes from behind me.
“”Ziray? You’re at school today?” I thought he skipped again.
It’s strange that ever since the battle, the Five-Coloured Rooster has been missing in action. According to Miaomiao, it seemed his family weren’t very happy that he helped out last time and that he kept hanging around a Devil Master and so they’ve dragged him home more frequently.
But the Black Cactus is always looking for me… Why is he also not dragged home?
Could that Five-Coloured Rooster do something else that deserved being dragged home!
“Of course, I came to school. I must come today, or else, it’ll be a disgrace to my grandfather’s reputation!” The Five-Coloured Rooster said, once again, using his famous line to brag.
…. You’re hopeless, and don’t just casually use your grandfather’s reputation to bring disgrace to!
You do realise that you don’t have anything else to use!
Your grandfather will be heartbroken to have his reputation ruined by an unfilial grandson like you!
“What’s the next class?”, asked the Five-Coloured Rooster, placing his hands on my shoulders. He never remembers the classes he has in school.
“Astrology. Hurry! We’re gonna be late!” Miaomiao rushed over and grabbed my hand, followed by a few grumbles from Five-Coloured Rooster as he caught up.
This lesson is listed as one of the ten most unpopular lessons in this school, and unfortunately — it’s a compulsory lesson.
There are a few compulsory classes in this school. If you refuse to take them, not only will you fail to graduate, but frightening things will also happen to you. Personally, I’m not courageous enough to challenge the school’s rules, so I don’t know what the consequences are, but the thought of it is frightening enough.
Then, why must we study Astrology?
The class rep said well: “You can’t possibly rely on an electric pole when you are lost in the wild right! Even the electric pole will be on fire to bump into an idiot like you!”
Therefore, astrology became a compulsory lesson and many people used the knowledge from the class while they were out on missions. Even if they didn’t go on a mission but join the society, they could still use the knowledge to play God and earn some money. Since they learnt it in school, they’ll definitely be stronger than normal human beings, so those who end up conning money end up becoming richer.
This made me seriously consider whether I should also play God……
Even if I’m bad at fortune telling, given my Devil Master identity, I can still make something out of it, assuming that I’m able to control my abilities.
Ran said that because my innate abilities didn’t originally belong to me as it was merely sealed within my soul. So it’d take some time for me to become familiar with it. For now, I should let the office worker guide me on how to use the ability.
But even if I could con and make money, I still hate attending this “money-making” lesson.
There is no particular reason. It was just because of the classroom.
After rushing into the Astrology classroom with Miao Miao, I realised there were already a lot of students. Since it was a compulsory lesson, many students wanted to get the lesson over and done with. Even students from classes A, B and C were mixed together, so the classroom was packed.
This classroom has a dark coloured sky. It looks very spacious and is able to hold over a hundred students inside. It’s like a musical theatre, with high ceilings and artificial celestials hanging down.
Most importantly, this place is filled with stars.
A sky full of stars to be a complete replica of the real sky. Its beauty makes people want to have a picnic here.
But, we still hate this lesson a lot.
“Yangyang.” Chifuyutoshi, who came slightly late, greeted me and sat next to us. “This is from my brother.” He passed me a handwritten notebook about spells. His face brightened up the moment he mentioned his brother. It was so bright; my eyes hurt.
“Help me thank Senior Gasai.” I received the notebook with gratitude and put it in my bag. I have to study it after class.
Ryan quietly appeared and sat next to Chifuyutoshi as usual. He looked a little tired. Probably because he’s been dragged around by his little brother. He looked even more pale now…
“Hey, take it!” Five-Coloured Rooster, who was sitting next to me, suddenly took out a black-coloured box of who knew what to throw towards Chifuyutoshi.
Casually catching the box, Chifuyutoshi rolled his eyes as he opened the box in front of us. Inside the black box was a pot of a black plant that wreathed with a grim aura, “Thank you.”
Looking at what seemed to be a carnivorous plant, Miaomiao and I looked at both of them suspiciously.
Poison! It’s definitely poisonous!
But Chifuyutoshi actually thanked him.
Miaomiao walked outside the door to ensure that there was no poison before returning to her seat.
“Hmph. It’s from our Third Bro.” Five-Coloured Rooster smirked, obviously he didn’t want to be thanked at all.
“Nonsense. I wasn’t even thanking you.” Chifuyutoshi shot back, then closed the box. Noticing that Ryan was looking at him, he explained, “This is a type of herb. Despite appearing poisonous, it can be used as an incense for calming purposes after being processed with other ingredients.
After finishing listening to Chifuyutoshi, everyone let out a loud “Oh”. It was definitely meant for Senior Kasai.
“What’s with the Oh!” Even Chifuyutoshi felt awkward.
I bet the Intel Division must have known that Chifuyutoshi has a brother-fetish. Although, he had personally emphasised that he did not have such a thing. However, his current expression only further enforced everyone’s suspicions.
“”Students, the class will begin in 2 minutes. Please be quiet.”
I didn’t know when the Astrology teacher walked to the podium to examine us and say that. The moment those words left her mouth, a random scream echoed from outside which informed everyone that the class had begun.
The Astrology teacher was a very beautiful lady, wearing a traditional golden-curly hairstyle with blue eyes and white skin. I heard that she holds some sort of authority among the fairies. Apparently, the original Astrology class from the semester before wasn’t taught by her, but the original Astrology teacher transferred to another school after being struck by a falling meteorite. Probably because he couldn’t accept the fact that he was struck by something he should have known was coming and needed a quiet place to heal his damaged heart.
Although the new Astrology teacher was very pretty, not many students dared to confess to her because there were rumours that said she’s attained authority for at least 600 years already.
“Last week we talked about the evil star. If any students are interested in stars that cause disasters, this week we’ll be exploring the iconic constellations that brought disasters in the Sealed world.”
The moment the teacher finished speaking, a few students showed a face of desperation to reach for the door.
That’s right. If you remembered, I once said that our school has a legendary classroom in which the stars inside will fall and crush someone, and that legendary classroom is this classroom.
Apparently, this classroom follows the lesson and forms real constellations, where there are stars that often drop down.
Also, that means the most despised topic in this class is meteor showers. It’s no different from being crushed to death.
“For students who do not want to be disrupted in the middle of class, please set up your own protection barrier or cast a protective spell. As it is said, you’re in a real simulation of the astrology environment. There will definitely be meteors or other debris falling down; those who want to blatantly skip lessons, please mentally prepare yourself for death during the final exams.” The Astrology teacher gave a beautiful and innocent smile but her gaze was cold and cruel.
Chifuyutoshi and Miaomiao instantly casted a protective barrier around us.
I was told there was an underlying reason why this class allows you to play a conning profession, but it also improves your protective barriers and spells.
“Hey, hey. Are you deliberately excluding me!” Only the Five-Coloured Rooster was outside and hit the table to protest.
“It only means that you’re lacking if you die out there.” Chifuyutoshi retorted.
“Ah damn! You jerk, I’ve lived in this world for decades, how dare you look down on me!”
Excuse me, pretty sure you’re not a few decades old?
After hearing Five-Coloured Rooster’s words, I started to question whether the lifespans of beasts are the same as humans.
Perhaps he is already an old man?
After a loud bang, we heard a series of curses and wailings, followed by an explosive flame and heat overcoming–
To be able to survive the lesson in such an environment, I really think that I’ve been very well blessed by the Gods.
“So, let us begin today’s lesson.”
The beautiful fairy teacher announced the declaration of death.
***
Two periods later, a bunch of students gushed out of the Astrology classroom.
“Yangyang~”
While the teacher was still giving instructions for homework, I heard someone calling me from outside the door. Everyone’s gaze turned towards the door. It turned out it was Leido standing there, waving at me: “Ziray~~~~~” Of course, he saw the five-coloured rooster who was sitting next to me in one piece.
So, are you looking for me or the Five-Coloured Rooster!
Punching Leido aside, it was Yado waving at me while rubbing his face.
“Uhm, I’m sorry –”
“Go ahead first. Anyways, you’re not the first student who’s escaped from my lesson.” I raised my hand, but before I could say anything, the teacher interrupted: “According to the guidance from fate, if there is a need, you can seek assistance from our accounting department.”
I was stunned.
Seek assistance from the accounting department?
That’s a bad omen!
Could Leido and the rest be bringing me to destroy some place again that could result in making some form of huge compensation!
I suddenly do not feel like going out anymore.
“Miaomiao will write down the homework for you.” While I’m hesitant, Miaomiao took the role in deciding my fate and pushed me out. She waved and gave me a smile that I didn’t know whether to describe as kind or scorn.
“Ziray~~~” Leido still refused to give up and leaned against the door as he looked at the radiant hair on the five-coloured rooster’s head.
Speaking of which, the Five-Coloured Rooster seemed to have changed his hair colour. This made me doubt whether I’ve seen all seven colours by the time I graduate?
“Zi your bloody head!”
Five-Coloured Rooster threw a desk over.
Hey! I am still here!
Reacting faster, Yado pushed his own brother towards the flying desk. Next, I witnessed the legendary super-twins forehead bleeding.
Yado reacted faster, pushing his own brother towards the flying desk. Then, I saw the legendary super-twins’ foreheads bleeding.
…Since telepathy is so powerful, why do you always hurt Leido?
Yado frowned as he cleaned the blood from his forehead. His expression suggested that if Leido wasn’t his brother, he would have killed and buried him, and then dragged him out and dissected him into pieces.
“Uh, so what’s the matter?” I glanced at the time. Today is only Monday, it was uncommon for Leido and Yado to look for me out of the blue, “Did something serious happen?”
“It’s not exactly serious.” Yado scanned across the people who were looking at us and casually walking out of the corridor.
I think he probably has something important to tell me. I hurriedly dragged Leido and followed close. Behind me, I could hear the sounds of Five-Coloured Rooster throwing desks around.
Thank goodness I walked away fast. Otherwise, I would have been one of the desks’ targets.
As we exited the school, Yado stopped: “We are heading to the Medical Department Headquarter. You wanna come?”
The Medical Department Headquarter?
Isn’t that where Senior and Senior Kasai are residing right now?
“What happened!” I instantly felt nervous.
“Tyre is looking for us at the Medical Department Headquarter. I heard that they may have found the place where the Water Spirit Stone is and when ‘he’ wakes up, he will need something from there too. So we’ve been assigned this mission.” Yado quickly explained: “We are going to formally accept the mission. Are you coming?”
“I’ll go!”
‘You’d have to skip lessons.” Leido said as he leaned on his brother’s shoulder.
“It’s okay.” I believe the teachers will forgive me…probably.
“Then let’s go.”
Placing down the teleportation spell, our surroundings began to change.
In a blink of an eye, the surroundings are no longer the school but the Medical Department Headquarter — a place I once visited very frequently.
Although I used to come here often, it was mostly to see Senior Kasai.
After that incident, the room Senior is in was completely forbidden. Even the black robe Ritchie had to make special appeal in order to enter, let alone us.
From afar, I saw the Assistant Chief standing at the main entrance. It seems like he has been waiting for us.
“Hey, hey. I called you guys to accept your mission, not to give more work to the Medical Team.” Seeing Yado’s swollen and Leido’s bruised faces, the Assistant Chief exclaimed exaggeratedly: “Little Zhu, what brings you here?”
Yado wipes away the dripping blood and then points at me: “A teammate.”
“As an errand boy?” The Assistant Chief looked at me and said something that made me want to punch him.
“As an intern. Yado wants to recommend Yangyang to take the assessments for White Robe.” Leido said something that is absolutely foreign to me while wearing a big smile on his face
“Eh!” I instantly turned to look at Yado.
“I see. Are you guys planning to take the assessment for the next tier too?” The Assistant Chief looks at the twins and takes out a bottle of medicine for them to apply.
“What does this mean?” Looking at the Assistance Chief, I asked my question.
“Haven’t you heard from the others? To qualify for a robe, you’ll require a teacher or someone of at least a Purple Robe as referral. Otherwise, you’ll need to take an extra assessment. Similarly, to qualify for Black Robe, you will need someone of at least a Black Robe as referral.” While looking at me and smiling, the Assistant Chief said: “This is to remove those lucky souls who think that it is easy to qualify for a robe and then do whatever they want. Didn’t Yido and his brothers previously settle someone similar, during the Inter-School Competition?
“Ah!”
I remember; the one who got beaten by the Five-Coloured Rooster.
Hang on, but he just said that it requires someone that is at least a Purple Robe as a referral…
“So Yado and Leido are both going for Purple Robe?” Otherwise, why would Yado recommend me for White Wobe?
“Ah, only Yado.” Hooking onto his brother’s shoulders, Leido says: “Because Yido doesn’t agree. From the beginning he said that it’s sufficient for us to attain White Robe. However, we need to search for the Water Spirit Stone and some places have restrictions. So Yado decided to continue taking the Purple robe assessment. We are currently hiding from Yido. He can’t force us to retract the robe after getting it~”
No, I think once you get the Robe, Yido will be furious, definitely.
“I think that it is better if you inform Yido first. Especially Yado…” After lightly coughing, I carefully suggested it to the twins.
Otherwise, when the time comes, who knows what crazy thing Yido will do. Isn’t there a phrase that says… a biting dog never barks*…
*t/n: This comes from a Chinese idiom but I think the meaning of the idiom is understandable even if it’s directly translated.
Yado glances at me and nods, “We will find a good opportunity to tell him.”
…Uh, I hope that opportunity doesn’t come after you attain the robe.
“Okay, enough of the talking, students.” The Assistant Chief clapped his hands to end our conversation: “There’s a reason for calling you here this time. It’s like what I have told Leido and Yado previously. We have received intel that there is a place that may possess the Water Spirit Stone and we also need to get something from there. So I’d like to have you guys retrieve it for us. This mission has been officially submitted to the Guild and will be assigned to you.”
“Location?” Yado reaches out and the Assistant Chief places a light blue colored transparent crystal on his palm.
“They are all here. But be careful. This place is very holy. Please do not damage it. It is one of the world’s important locations.” Looking worried, the Assistant Chief added a few more sentences.
“We’ll be careful.” Taking out the roll of the historic map, Yado flicked his fingers. The historic map vigorously opened in the air. Then, Yado placed the crystal on the map. Within a few seconds, the crystal illuminated a faint ray of light, shining towards a corner on the map.
We instantly come over to look at it.
“The Holy Spring of Light?” Never heard of it.
“Yes, this is the place.”
Yado looks at the Assistant Chief with doubts: “What is the thing you need?”
“Apparently, there is a piece of the Ancient Soul Enforcement Bell. We need this item to temporarily suppress Ya’s powers once his one year time period is up.” The Assistant Chief shrugged his shoulders as he scratched his head and smiled bitterly: “Though we have the cures for the poison and black shadow etc. Our only true solution is to balance his powers and send him back to his hometown. After all, he has inherited the ancient powers and their unique handling methods are what the Ice Tooth Clan and the Fire Cave Clan will never teach us.”
“I understand.”
Putting away the map and crystal, Yado and Leido pulled me out.
“Eh? Where is that place?” As I was being dragged, I still didn’t know where the exact location was.
Leido turned around and let out a big grin.
“Holy Spring of Light is an ancient land of mermaids!”
“Huh!”
Are you guys planning to blast the mermaid’s land!
“But if it’s over there, it is very likely.”
While thinking about the destination, Yado slightly frowned, “Anyways, let’s head over first.” He holds onto the crystal on his palm as we follow. The next moment, the teleportation spell was drawn on the ground.
It was the mermaid’s land uh….
I instantly imagined many dazzling and pretty mermaids that I once saw in picture books. I regretted not bringing a camera along.
Soon, the surroundings started to change.
And then, I smelled the scent of water.
It was a very distinct scent of fresh air that reduces fatigue. It’s purity makes one reluctant to move, as it carries a pinch of refreshing fragrance of the greenery. This was contrastingly different from the air at school. The school comes with a different feeling.
“Damn it. This place is –”
Before Leido can finish his words, I feel my collar being dragged from the back, waking me up from my daze.
Lightning struck the spot where I stood at that moment. Leaving a huge hole that was smoking on the ground. At the same time, I instantly came to reality.
“It’s the protection zone. Seems like we can’t casually enter.” Yado stares at the lightning spot, something tiny floated out.
My gaze follows… And saw a small elf resembling the one in “Xiao Jing Ling”*.
*t/n: “Xiao Jing Ling” was a popular Chinese movie in the 1990s. English title for the movie is “Teenage Master”.
“Ah… Childhood…”
“Intruders, identify yourselves!” The little elf flapped her blue wings, dropping a few illuminating pollen and used a clear warning tone to question us: “Or else, we’ll assume you’re here with hostile intentions and capture you.”
“We are the White Robes from the Guild. We’re carrying out a mission and would wish to speak to the owner.” Yado raised his palm and opened it, revealing the crystal.
The little elf flew slightly lowered and her blue eyes were fixed on the crystal. Then, she flew back up: “This place is not within the Guild’s authority, we reject the mission. Please leave!”
“The Guild should have formally sent a request letter.” Yado squinted his eyes. His voice lowered, “I think the intention has been clearly indicated in it.”
“Yes, but we have already sent out a letter of rejection. This is an ancient holy spot. We reject any outsiders to enter. Completely rejected!” Raising her voice, the little elf lifted up a finger as a threatening current danced on her finger, “This place is completely sealed from outsiders, as long as it’s a living being, we will reject all outsiders! Leave immediately!”
“Huh…?” Yado, who doesn’t appear to be very happy, rotated his wrists, as if he was about to take out a talisman.
“Hold on!” Realising something was amiss, Leido intercepted him: “Yado, let’s return first. We shouldn’t create any conflicts here.”
This could affect their plan to obtain the Water Spirit Stone, so I felt that Yado was quite impatient.
Glancing at his brother, Yado slowly nodded his head, “Mhm.”
Under the surveillance of the little elf, Leido activated the teleportation spell and we were soon brought back to the school.
As we arrived, I heard the school bell ringing, followed by the sounds of students rushing out of the classroom.
I recalled the words said by the Astrology teacher.
“Yado, let’s drop by the Accounting department.”
“Eh?” The twins look at me with curiosity.
“Uh, it’s no big deal. Anyways, let’s just head there first.” Vaguely, I felt that I could find an answer over there.
…Vaguely so.
Hmm, it will be good if it is so.
Okay, I’m not completely certain.
Looking at me for a moment, Yado slowly opens his mouth: “Let’s go.”
Thank you for supporting the novel and this translations. If you like the work so far, I’d appreciate if you can rate the novel and leave a review on NovelUpdates~ Do continue to stick to NovelUpdates or follow me on twitter @whalelyy to receive prompt chapter updates. Similarly, if there are any issues, you may also reach me directly via discord @whalelyy#4262!
cafe seaside 