Chapter 524: Dark Demon Returns to the Academy (4k)
Despite the tight schedule, the actual implementation had plenty of room for leeway.
Announcing rankings, distributing test papers, explaining incorrect answers.
All in all, this process took no more than two hours.
Of course, this was excluding the time taken to handle Little Cubone’s mistakes…
During this period, the Vampire Noble and the Phoenix Girl were naturally given special attention.
While Mrs. Cook explained the incorrect answers, Sage Cyrus and Ms. Plant provided them with one-on-one tutoring.
Thus, both golems quickly resolved the issues revealed during the exam.
By eleven o’clock at night, the three tutors gave the Vampire Noble and the Phoenix Girl sincere blessings before bidding them goodnight and leaving.
Afterwards, Dark distributed the red flower rewards.
As he prepared to sleep, Eevee still stubbornly clung to him, wrapping its ribbon tightly around his arm.
Given that Eevee once again scored first in the interim test, Dark couldn’t bring himself to send it back to its little bed and instead decided to sleep with this clingy little “cat.”
…
August 13th, Monday.
The dawn broke, and dewdrops fell.
Dark Demon awoke in a humid environment.
Eevee seemed to dream about something delicious, occasionally licking Dark’s face, resulting in half of his face being covered in drool.
Dark couldn’t help but lift its neck, and once it opened its eyes hazily, he threw it aside and got out of bed from the other side.
The time had come, and everything was ready.
After washing up, Dark organized all the mana cards, including “Paradise” and “Zoo,” and woke up all the golems.
Most of the golems had developed the habit of waking up on time.
When Dark awakened them, apart from Little Cubone, all the golems successfully overcame the “demons” in their bedding.
“Let’s get ready to leave.”
Dark’s voice wasn’t stirring, but the golems’ slightly confused expressions upon waking immediately changed.
Saint Maryann Academy, as the birthplace of most golems, held a special significance in their hearts.
Although they enjoyed life in the Duke’s Mansion, deep down, they felt an uncontainable excitement when it was time to return.
As for Little Cubone…
After feeding it some Grass Cat Plant, Dark directly returned it to the mana card.
The sudden change in “sleeping environment” made Little Cubone suddenly wake up, realizing it had lost its chance for “last breakfast.”
It immediately started calling out anxiously within the card.
But Dark had already put it back into the mana card deck.
By the time he arrived at the dining hall, it was almost half an hour later.
Though Dark had intended to discipline Little Cubone, recalling his promise to Professor Cyrus to feed it well yesterday, he felt somewhat awkward about immediately confining it to the card. Thus, he summoned it back into the dining hall.
“Kawmon!”
Little Cubone immediately grabbed the utensils and showed a fierce expression toward the food.
…
At the main table.
Alvaraite couldn’t help but cover her mouth and laugh at Little Cubone’s lack of manners.
Then she whispered, “I’m sorry I can’t accompany you back to the academy.”
Dark was indifferent, saying, “It’s just a temporary visit.”
Claire added, “Don’t worry, I’ll be here. You can focus on your tasks.”
Alvaraite sighed with relief, “I will definitely be there at the end of August!”
She quickly finished her meal and left.
“She’s getting busier,” Dark remarked.
Claire raised her finger, “There’s no helping it. After the Demon King’s execution ceremony, many hidden forces have been exposed. As the Minister of the Kingdom’s Security Department, she must lead investigations into these hidden forces and assess their safety. If they pose too high a risk, she needs to lead the handling of those threats.”
Dark said, “Let’s not dwell on it. When do we depart?”
Claire looked at the wall clock, “Another hour or so. As long as we reach the academy town outside Saint Maryann Academy by nightfall, it’s not urgent.”
…
However, just half an hour later, they all appeared at the entrance of the Duke’s Mansion.
Those who needed to ride the wyverns were Dark, Eve, Irina, the Phoenix Girl, and Claire.
The other golems were returned to their mana cards.
“Have a safe journey.”
Olivia placed her hands on her abdomen, bowing to see them off.
Aurora, standing beside her, hurriedly added, “Safe travels!”
“We will!”
With the best wishes of the two girls, Dark turned towards the dragon training ground.
The dragon guards under the Duke’s direct command had long been waiting there.
They were established specifically to train dragons.
Even though they were often used to drive dragon-drawn carriages, their spirits remained undiminished.
Only the vast sky was their true destination!
The dragon guards stood proudly beside the wyverns, exuding a sharp aura, like straight swords piercing the clouds.
Perhaps only such people could tame the wyverns.
“Grrr!”
A suppressed roar suddenly echoed.
The thin but undeniable dragon aura instantly shook their hearts.
Dark couldn’t help but turn his head to look.
The wyvern, noticeably larger than its companions, looked down from above at the newcomers.
Only when Claire entered its field of vision did the wyvern’s gaze soften.
“How is my wyvern? Pretty good, right?”
Claire’s tone was filled with pride.
This wyvern, captured during wartime from the leader of the Demon King’s army, had been riding alongside Claire throughout the battles without any fear.
It accompanied her through her entire war career!
…
Dark approached the wyvern and swallowed hard.
Among the wyverns, this one emitted a presence that made the others seem like mere toys.
If not for Claire’s control, he would never dare to mount it—because that would be playing with his own life!
Even so, he couldn’t help but hide the “Flight Spell” in his sleeve, ready to use it at any moment.
This wyvern exuded such an unsettling, frenzied aura.
But when Claire gently stroked it, its mood quickly stabilized, and that frenzied aura became as calm as the surface of water.
Dark couldn’t help but sigh, “Compared to those tamed lambs, it’s truly more captivating.”
“I told you so,” Claire smiled slightly, “Come up with me.”
Then she suddenly wrapped her arms around Dark from behind, lightly pushing off with her feet, and effortlessly landed on the wyvern’s saddle!
Dark’s face turned red.
He originally thought “shared riding” meant sitting behind Claire, similar to when the dragon guards flew with him.
But until now, he realized he had misunderstood Claire’s intentions.
Claire’s slender yet strong arms crossed under his armpits, grabbing the reins attached to the wyvern, and then gently pulled.
The wyvern, initially rejecting the presence of a stranger on its back, soon let out a “moo” sound.
…
At the same time.
Eve, Irina, and the Phoenix Girl were each mounted on the wyverns.
Except for Claire’s wyvern, the other wyverns had passenger seats on their backs.
There were foot straps, backrests, and safety belts at every position.
Upon accepting the reality, Dark noticed that Eve and Irina displayed obvious signs of nervousness, while the Phoenix Girl, despite being a first-time rider, showed no hesitation.
“Sit properly.”
Claire whispered in his ear.
Dark felt a shiver, and immediately experienced a powerful upward force!
That sensation was akin to the feeling of an airplane taking off, causing him to lose weight instantly.
With some experience, he closed his eyes this time, but his body didn’t tremble.
Only when the wyvern reached high altitude did the feeling of weightlessness gradually disappear.
Then two screams suddenly echoed in his ears.
Eve and Irina, who usually maintained a mature demeanor, finally revealed their fourteen-year-old selves.
The twins, rising into the sky, experienced double the joy through their “telepathy.”
Their faces were pale, and they trembled slightly, clearly not adapting well.
Dark couldn’t help but open his mouth in surprise, “They don’t have acrophobia, do they?”
“Acrophobia isn’t a big deal,” Claire whispered in his ear, “Facing the height directly is the best way to overcome acrophobia.”
As she spoke, she sharply pulled the reins, and the wyvern suddenly spread its wings.
With the wind element forming a barrier on the wyvern’s back, it accelerated rapidly, and the scenery below rushed backward like wind.
The high-altitude journey had begun.
…
Claire’s riding skills were far beyond those of ordinary dragon guards.
Even among the griffin knights, it was hard to find someone comparable to her as an “air knight.”
Once the wyvern completed its acceleration, the entire flight became incredibly smooth.
Riding on a dragon’s back was even smoother than riding a horse.
The wind barrier deflected the incoming gale force winds to the sides.
Not a single bump was felt.
Dark had experienced flying a dragon during the previous school opening, which was completely different from today.
Moreover, whether due to the “Flight Spell” or because Claire was protecting him from behind, he felt no fear at all; his mind was unusually clear.
For the first time, he began to enjoy the thrill of riding a dragon!
…
While flying at high speed in the air, the perception of time becomes severely distorted.
Uniform clouds make it feel as if time hasn’t moved.
But when prominent landmarks appear in the view, it suddenly becomes apparent how far they’ve traveled.
The four wyverns stopped three times that day, partly to relieve the dragon guards’ fatigue and partly to feed the wyverns.
And this was also their opportunity to eat.
Claire chose scenic spots for landing, adding a touch of beauty to the journey.
After the fourth takeoff, the wyverns flew through the golden sunset and arrived at dusk.
Claire’s wyvern landed first, followed by the other three.
The four wyverns roared as they descended from the sky, gradually slowing down and precisely landing on the dragon training ground in the academy town.
The academy staff, squinting against the strong winds, only approached after the four wyverns landed to temporarily register the identities of the newcomers.
But when the staff saw Claire, they immediately exclaimed “Professor,” and the rest proceeded smoothly.
Dark and his group even stayed in the temporary accommodations provided by the academy staff.
“I originally planned to find a guesthouse to stay in,” Claire said, touching her nose, somewhat embarrassed by the overly enthusiastic invitation to dine.
She hadn’t expected that a six-month teaching career would earn her such warm treatment.
Finding a vacant room in the academy town at this time was nearly impossible.
The only option might be renting rooms in the local houses.
The annual testing period was a rare prosperous time for the town.
…
Still, Dark and his group only managed to secure three rooms.
Three dragon guards shared one room.
Eve, Irina, and the Phoenix Girl shared another.
Dark shared one with Claire.
Additionally, to help the Vampire Noble adapt to the exam atmosphere quickly, he summoned her out of the mana card.
Then Claire took out a pendant from her backpack and hung it around the Vampire Noble’s delicate neck.
“What is this?” the Vampire Noble asked curiously.
Claire gently opened the pendant’s lid, revealing a red crystal adhered inside.
Then she smiled mysteriously, “Blood Crystal.”
“What is a Blood Crystal?” The Vampire Noble’s eyes gradually brightened, clearly sensing the energy emanating from the pendant.
Claire patiently explained, “A Blood Crystal, as the name suggests, is the essence of blood. In short, you can think of it as a clot of blood or a concentrated form of blood energy.”
“I see.” The Vampire Noble closed her eyes, smiling sweetly, “I can feel the mana constantly replenishing.”
Claire rubbed her head, smiling, “This Blood Crystal should last you for at least three years. Keep working hard.”
The Vampire Noble nodded vigorously, “Yes!”
Then, after putting away their luggage, they went to Eve and Irina’s room.
Eve and Irina, just down from the wyverns, clearly weren’t in the best state.
