Silent Witch

Book 12: Chapter 4: The Mantis and The Loser

On the first day of the semester, during the day of the first elective class, Eliane Hyatt swiftly gathered her belongings and stood up when it was time to move. With a gentle smile, she turned to her classmate, who always accompanied her during these transitions, and said, "I have some work to submit, so I'll excuse myself ahead."

Saying this, Eliane left the classroom and walked briskly down the hallway, just within the limits allowed for a young lady. Her destination was neither the staff room nor the classroom for elective courses.

If he's moving from his classroom to the Practical Magic classroom, he's definitely going to pass through this hallway

Eliane stopped at the corner of the hallway, looking around nervously, absentmindedly adjusting her hair, and waited for the person she was looking for to arrive. Eventually, a familiar voice reached her from beyond the corner.

In this prestigious academy attended by the children of nobility, a particularly lively voice echoed. There was no mistaking it. As Eliane turned the corner of the hallway with a completely natural stride, she saw a bit further away a person with golden-brown hair.

Let's say I just happened to pass through this hallway for my submission, I happened to spot Lord Glenn, and I stopped to say, "Good day, Lord Glenn. I'm grateful for your assistance during the winter break. How is your health?" Yes, it was very natural. It couldn't have been a more natural conversation.

Satisfied with her flawless plan, Eliane closed the distance between her and Glenn and then, she froze.

Walking beside Glenn was a tall female student. She had straight black hair, fair skin, and azure-colored eyes. She was a young lady of overwhelming beauty that left everyone in awe. One of the three most beautiful girls in the academy, just like Eliane, was Claudia Ashley. Despite her tall stature for a young lady, Claudia's proportions were perfectly balanced when standing alongside the tall Glenn, and they looked astonishingly harmonious.

Why Claudia was walking alongside Glenn As Eliane stood there in shock, Glenn noticed her first and stopped in his tracks.

"Oh, Ellie, long time no see!"

"Ah, yes"

The impact of seeing Glenn and Claudia walking together had completely blown away the prepared words in Eliane's mind.

Eliane, who was fidgeting nervously, was met with Claudia's doll-like sapphire eyes, which stared fixedly at her. However, in Claudia's eyes, there was no hint of interest towards Eliane. She was merely looking because there were people in her path, nothing more. It was a gaze devoid of any interest or curiosity, unlike Eliane, who was conscious of Claudia.

This lack of attention from Claudia pricked at Eliane's pride and insecurities.

"Well, it seems Lord Glenn and Lady Ashley are quite close. I had no idea," Eliane said, speaking a bit faster than usual, and Claudia blinked slowly.

"We're not that close."

"That's right! We're friends."

Glenn's booming voice drowned out Claudia's mumbled response. Claudia, with an impassive expression that still managed to convey her displeasure to anyone looking, spoke in a low voice.

"I was just walking with Neil."

It was only then that Eliane noticed another male student as if hiding in the shadows behind Glenn and Claudia. He was Neil Clay Maywood, the General Affairs Officer of the Student Council and Claudia's fiance.

Neil, with his unassuming and petite stature, was usually quite inconspicuous. However, in the presence of prominent figures like Glenn and Claudia, his presence seemed to fade even more into the background. As Eliane felt embarrassed for having accidentally overlooked Neil, he approached her with a friendly smile.

"Hello, Miss Hyatt. The cursed dragon incident must have been terrible. Is everyone in the Duke's household doing well?"

"Yes, thank you for your concern."

While Eliane wasn't particularly close to Neil, they had some familiarity with each other. Neil's father often visited the Reinberg Duchy due to their work-related connections.

Baron Maywood, a nationally recognized arbiter, had an especially wide network among the domestic nobility. Recently, he was often dispatched to mediate whenever disputes arose, particularly concerning the new Dragon Knight Order's garrison. Despite Eliane's higher social standing, it was not advisable to treat members of the Maywood Baron family with disrespect. Therefore, she engaged Neil in some polite small talk.

"It seems you are close with the Glenn, Lord Maywood. Perhaps you have elective classes together as well?"

"Yes, that's right. We're in the Practical Magic class. And what about you, Miss Hyatt?"

"I'm taking Music classes. However, I still have much to learn It's quite embarrassing."

"Not at all. I've had the pleasure of hearing you play the harp before, and you're quite skilled."

"Well, I'm flattered."

While conversing with Neil, Eliane occasionally glanced at Glenn out of the corner of her eye.

Feel free to join the conversation if you'd like. You're welcome to inquire about listening to my harp playing. If you're really eager, perhaps I could arrange for a performance in the music room after school

Looking at Eliane with hopeful eyes, Glenn responded with a cheerful smile.

"You two look kinda cute when talking together."

He wore an expression much like an older brother watching over younger kids. The light faded from Neil's eyes as he fretted about his youthful appearance, and Eliane, who often worried about seeming too childish, felt a twitch in her cheeks. Meanwhile, Claudia silently pinched Glenn's back.

"Oh, look, there's a bug here."

"Ahh! Stop, stop, stop, wait"

"You have to be thorough when dealing with bugs. *pinch, pinch, pinch*"

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch! You're just plainly bullying me!"

Although Claudia was pinching Glenn's back, it seemed like, for some reason, other parts of him were twitching and spasming. Moreover, his reaction to just being pinched on the back was far from ordinary.

"Um, Lord Glenn by any chance, is your body still"

At Eliane's words, Claudia suddenly stopped her pinching. Glenn, with teary eyes, had been rubbing his pinched back, but he quickly flashed his usual smile, showing his white teeth.

"Just kidding. It's really not a big deal at all!"

"Is that so well, if you say so"

As Eliane's expression darkened, thinking back to when Glenn had collapsed from a curse, Glenn suddenly exclaimed, "Ah!" in a loud voice.

"We should head to class soon, or we'll be late!" Glenn said, and Neil nodded in agreement.

"Well then, shall we go? Excuse us, Miss Hyatt."

"Yes, take care."

As they exchanged farewells and prepared to leave, Glenn suddenly stopped in his tracks, his gaze unnaturally fixed on a male student walking toward him from ahead. Eliane was somewhat compelled to follow Glenn's gaze and looked at the male student in front of him.

He was a tall, fiery red-haired student with a face featuring a slender chin and long limbs, giving him an almost mantis-like appearance. His uniform was sloppily worn, lacking the prescribed gloves, and his fingers were adorned with numerous rugged rings.

A delinquent.

Judging from the sleeve line of his uniform, he appeared to be a third-year student in the senior division, but Eliane had no recollection of ever seeing this boy before. However, Glenn continued to stare at the male student with a tense expression. Did he know this person?

As Eliane pondered this question, the red-haired boy yawned and spoke, "Hey, you guys. Do you know where the Advanced Practical Magic classroom is?"

The moment the red-haired boy asked this, Glenn's face contorted. The expression that Eliane witnessed for the first time was one of strong and intense anger.

"Why are you here?!"

Glenn's angry outburst, which was already quite loud due to his usual volume, caused the windows to tremble. Eliane couldn't help but flinch, her shoulders trembling. Claudia remained as expressionless as ever, but Neil looked startled as he watched Glenn. However, the red-haired boy, crucially, seemed indifferent, sticking his fingers in his ears and speaking with an air of nonchalance.

"Who are you?"

"!!"

"Have we met somewhere before? I don't remember. If I don't remember, you must be probably"

The boy's eyes, showing a hint of disbelief, wandered as if he were trying to recall a memory. Eventually, his gaze circled back to Glenn. And then, with a slight smile on his lips, he said,

"the loser, huh?"

A grinding sound reached Eliane's ears from above, the sound of Glenn gritting his teeth. Glenn, like a ready-to-pounce wild dog, was leaning forward. However, before Glenn could take a step forward, Neil stood in front of him.

"Are you a transfer student by any chance? The Advanced Practical Magic classroom is on the first floor, east side. Go down the stairs ahead, and it's the third classroom on the right."

"Hmm, got it. Thanks."

The red-haired boy said only that before turning his back on Glenn and the others. Glenn continued to glare at the boy's back with eyes filled with anger until the boy's figure disappeared around the corner of the hallway.

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