Chapter 43: Elf and Half-Elf
She watched Lance, who said nothing.
Mowenna’s voice was soft, but every word seemed forced through clenched teeth, carrying a distinct chill.
"You wouldn’t... be out of stock, would you?"
Lance gulped. Cold sweat instantly beaded on his forehead.
"I... I do... I think..."
His answer lacked confidence.
The smile on Mowenna’s face didn’t change, but the hand on Lance’s shoulder gradually tightened its grip.
Lance felt like his collarbone was about to shatter.
"A total of 900 units of hemostatic ointment."
"Do you... have it?"
She practically bit out those two words.
Lance could almost see the veins bulging on Mowenna’s forehead, and the faint image of a demon materializing behind her.
units?!
Lance’s vision went black.
’If I start right now and work like an unfeeling machine without any sleep or rest until the joint sweep mission is over...’
’...this order... I can... probably... maybe... get it done?’
"Yes! Yes, yes!"
Lance nodded vigorously, his voice so loud it nearly cracked.
"Very good."
Mowenna nodded in satisfaction, easing the pressure on his shoulder slightly. Her hand, however, clenched into a fist that cracked audibly.
"Before noon each day, I’ll send porters to your place to pick them up, understand?"
’Thank goodness her contract with the Guild was for staggered deliveries. If they had demanded it all at once, she’d have to consider dismantling this kid and selling him for parts to cover the penalty fee.’
"Yes! Crystal clear!"
Lance promised loudly, standing ramrod straight.
"I’ll go back and get started right now! Immediately!"
He didn’t even finish his sentence before bolting out the door of the potion shop like a cat that had its tail stepped on.
He moved so fast he kicked up a small gust of wind at the doorway.
If he didn’t run now, he was genuinely afraid that lady would punch him to death right on the counter.
Watching Lance’s hasty retreat, Mowenna stood her ground and flexed her wrist, which emitted a series of sharp cracks.
"The little brat sure runs fast."
She scoffed, then turned to look at Flora, who was cowering behind the counter with a terrified expression.
"Flora, from now on, spend less time hanging around this kid."
Mowenna advised earnestly.
"It’s obvious he’s a good-for-nothing liar who preys on young girls. Next thing you know, he’ll sell you and you’ll be the one counting the money for him."
Flora, clutching her half-eaten chocolate balls, nodded her head like a chick pecking at rice.
She’d been cowering in the corner, not daring to breathe loudly, genuinely thinking Mowenna was seconds away from ripping Lance’s head off and kicking it around like a soccer ball.
’For Lance’s safety, I’d better just do as she says.’
...
「White River City. Central Square, Violet Academy.」
The morning sun spilled across the white marble ground, making the Ivory Tower seem all the more sacred and solemn.
About thirty young men and women in violet uniforms had already gathered in the center of the square.
They were the students selected to go to Gray Rock Town for their off-campus internship.
The lead instructor had just finished his rousing pre-departure speech, and now was the final period of free time before setting off.
To these fledglings who had never truly seen blood and battle, this internship was more like an officially endorsed field trip.
Some were clinging to their parents who had come to see them off, saying reluctant goodbyes with red-rimmed eyes.
Others gathered in small groups, chatting and laughing cheerfully.
They excitedly bragged about all the great things they had prepared for this adventure.
But in an inconspicuous corner of the square, the atmosphere was completely different from the surrounding cheer.
"Boo hoo hoo... My Cecilia..."
A tall female Elf with dazzling, platinum-blonde hair was shamelessly hugging Cecilia, her face a mess of tears.
"You must come back safely! If you lose so much as a single hair on your head, I won’t be able to go on living!"
Hill, like a clingy housecat, was frantically nuzzling Cecilia’s smooth, pale cheek, looking as if she wanted to drape her entire body over her niece.
Cecilia was being squeezed so tightly she could barely breathe, but she didn’t push her aunt away. Instead, she gently patted Hill’s back with both hands, as if consoling a child.
"There, there, Aunt. It’s just an internship for a short while."
The girl’s voice was gentle and resigned; she was clearly used to this kind of scene.
Standing to the side, Professor Gideon watched with his eye twitching and couldn’t help but speak up.
"Hill, that’s about enough."
"Fledglings must eventually learn to fly on their own. Your constant sheltering will only break her Wings and hinder her growth."
Hearing this, Hill, who had been whimpering, suddenly whipped her head around.
Her tear-streaked face was instantly filled with a terrifying killing intent as she glared viciously at the old man beside her.
"It’s all your fault, you damned old man."
Hill glared fiercely at Gideon, as if filled with endless resentment.
"If you, you malicious old codger, hadn’t incited her, why would Cecilia be leaving me for some godforsaken shithole!"
"You even dared to reject my application to be the team’s safety escort! It looks like you’ve got a death wish!"
Seeing the faint glow of Magic Power dancing on her fingertips, Gideon immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
’Let you go? If I actually let you tag along, and Cecilia got so much as a scrape, you’d probably turn around and level the entirety of Gray Rock Town. What kind of internship would that be? We might as well just call it disaster relief!’
"Aunt, please don’t speak to Professor Gideon like that."
The girl gently tugged on Hill’s sleeve, a troubled look on her face.
Hearing her niece speak, Hill’s ferocious expression vanished as if by a magic Trick, instantly replaced by one of bone-deep, doting gentleness.
"Alright, alright, I’ll listen to Cecilia."
She once again pressed her face against the girl’s hair and nuzzled it, a look of pure bliss on her face.
"Our Cecilia is the most polite, truly an angel."
Gideon watched this scene and shook his head helplessly.
He knew full well the source of Hill’s almost pathological doting.
She was pouring all her longing for her deceased sister, doubled, onto this child.
Elves have long lives. And while Half-Elves live longer than humans, to a Pure-blood Elf, their lifespan is still but a fleeting moment.
In Hill’s long life, Cecilia could only accompany her for a short part of the journey.
It was precisely because she knew their time together was fated to be brief that she wanted to pour as much love as possible into the limited time she had.
Just then, the distant Magic Energy Transport Vehicle let out a roar as it started up, and a whistle blew for assembly.
Cecilia had no choice but to reluctantly break free from Hill’s embrace and bow to them both.
"Aunt, Professor, I’ll be going then."
With that, the girl straightened her slightly disheveled collar, turned, and trotted to catch up with the group.
Watching that slender back recede into the distance, the smile on Hill’s face instantly collapsed, her brows knitting together in a deep, worried frown.
Gideon, standing beside her, keenly sensed that something was off about his old colleague’s mood.
This worry seemed to go beyond simple concern for her safety.