19~ That Thing of Yours Doesn’t Even Help with Alcohol Digestion
The fiery excitement of the arena suddenly turned as cold as an icehouse.
In an instant, the fans cheering for their idols, the hecklers, and the bettors all fell silent, as if they had collectively frozen in time.
What happened? Did Lagel twist his ankle or something? How did he suddenly fly out mid-challenge? Did the booster fuel get clogged?
Compared to the spectators enjoying the chaos, the members of Twilight Blaze were even more bewildered.
Lage—how did such a big guy disappear in less than half a minute??
As Lagel’s teammates, they knew better than the onlookers just how outstanding Lagel’s abilities were; he’d single-handedly slain a Red Orc before, which was the best proof of his strength.
However.
For someone as powerful as him to exit the stage in such a bizarre manner, losing the match—now that was something unbelievable.
Things escalated too quickly, Lagel flew too fast for both the audience and his teammates to grasp what had actually transpired.
“A slap.”
“What?” After a brief treatment, Kater and Karin had returned to the spectators’ area, and upon hearing Ellian muttering to himself, they turned to him inquisitively.
“That Elf Girl just slapped Lagel,” Ellian, the Male God, said, recalling the scene clearly.
“You mean, Lagel flew out because that Elf slapped him??” Kater said, staring incredulously at the gold-haired elf standing in the center of the arena.
“I didn’t missee,” Ellian shook his head after a moment.
“………..” Hearing this, the entire Twilight Blaze team fell into silence.
It was beyond shock; what transpired was far outside their realm of comprehension.
Even if Lagel lost today, they could accept it—defeated fair and square, merely outclassed by their rivals from the Crown Team, Brilliant Sun and Moon.
But this was just too absurd.
According to Ellian, they felt not the overwhelming power of Tillysha, but something uncanny.
She didn’t even bother to use Divine Authority or a Realm; she simply obliterated Lagel with casual ease.
Can peers really have that significant a gap in strength?
“That slap was intentional,” Ellian continued. “It seemed like she immediately sensed the weak points in Lagel’s abilities and applied just the right amount of force to make him crumble.”
Ellian seriously doubted Tillysha just swung randomly; it would simply be too coincidental.
A light slap hit right on Lagel’s weak point, and he looked like he had it all figured out—clearly, she came prepared.
She knew from the start where Lagel was weak and had a clear understanding of her own and his abilities, hence why she was confident enough to avoid using her Realm or Divine Authority.
The scariest part was that this gold-haired elf maintained an elegant smile throughout, even laughing as she slapped Lagel, sending chills down Ellian’s spine at the time.
This elf woman was, in every possible way, a being to be avoided.
“Referee, are you okay?”
Hearing someone call, the dazed referee snapped back to reality, looking at the worried Elf Girl and clearing his throat, trembling as he announced the match result.
“Th-the match is over… Lagel from Twilight Blaze is disqualified for stepping out of bounds, and Tillysha from Brilliant Sun and Moon is the winner. Thus, the morning matches conclude!”
Having finished reading out the results and leaving everything in the hands of the logistics team and the academy’s professionals, the referee wiped Sweat from his brow and hurried out of the arena.
Others may not have seen clearly, but he had distinctly witnessed the scene up close.
That kid was just fine one moment and then, bam!—the next moment, that gold-haired elf had slapped him away like he was nothing but a flimsy sheet of paper.
Scary, way too scary.
He didn’t dare linger on the stage any longer, let alone approach Tillysha, fearing that her delicate little hands could easily snap his bones.
Choosing him as a referee meant he was among the best instructors; after all, besides having judgment skills, he had to ensure no one ended up dead during a match, so his strength was non-negotiable.
Because of his unmatched skill, he could see at a glance just how dangerous Tillysha’s level of power was—it was absolutely something he shouldn’t mess with!
Good grief, what kind of monsters has this academy taken in? Each one more outrageous than the last?!
Seriously, do these students even need teaching? Are you sure she’s not here to teach the instructors how to fight instead?
Tillysha felt her strength returning quite a bit.
She flexed her wrists; her original strength wasn’t considered particularly great among divine beings.
After unlocking countless memories of skills, she could perfectly find the points of force application, understanding how to exert power for maximum effect, making her control over strength increasingly sophisticated.
Just now, she used the Divine Analysis Technique to detect Lagel’s weaknesses and then applied her refined strength control and application skills to slap Lagel and send him out of the arena.
The force of that hit seemed exaggerated, creating a dent in the wall, but in reality, the opponent was protected by a Realm and didn’t sustain any injuries; he merely passed out.
With the morning matches done, the Brilliant Sun and Moon competition also wrapped up.
The five members could escape the blazing autumn sun and head straight back to their dorms.
All eyes in the audience were fixated on the Brilliant Sun and Moon team as they left their seats, and after they exited, the first-year students who once feared the second years suddenly found their combat morale soaring.
I’ve seen it, learned it, and I can do it too! With thoughts like these, the first-years started to feel like the second-years were nothing to be afraid of.
So what if they’ve been in school a year longer? Just a year older—what’s so impressive about that?
The second-year Crown Team was easily dropped; the other second-year teams were nothing to worry about!
According to the laws of combat ambition and enthusiasm conservation, courage doesn’t disappear but simply shifts, leading the second-year morale to successfully transfer to the first-years.
They started to hesitate, wondering what would happen if they ended up like Twilight Blaze, facing a group of freaks. How could they survive in the academy afterward?
Thus, while the first-years were pumped, they also became a bit careless, and though the second years saw a dip in morale, they grew more cautious and uncompromising.
Who would win and who would lose? That was easy to predict.
But none of that mattered to the Brilliant Sun and Moon team.
Along the way, Wenfu kept looking curiously at Tillysha, her little tail wagging incessantly behind her, circling around Tillysha as if to say, “How did you win, big sis Tillysha? Tell me!”
As for technique, Tillysha truly didn’t think that slap involved much skill.
It lacked technique and was purely focused on stat values; although it was definitely a more powerful slap than an ordinary one.
Princess Filisia trailed at the back, quietly pondering as she watched Tillysha.
Her instincts weren’t wrong; this time over the break, the one who progressed the most wasn’t her—it was Tillysha.
From the moment school started, she sensed that this Tillysha was unlike the one she’d known just a semester ago.
But what changes she’d undergone was hard for Filisia to define.
It was as if she had come to understand certain things, no longer avoiding certain matters.
This new her wasn’t lost anymore, so she could unleash extraordinary combat power.
But even that extraordinary performance—could it really reach this level?
Filisia felt there were other secrets involved.
However, she had no intention of probing further, as it ultimately was Tillysha’s privacy.
“Alrighty then, we’ve successfully completed our practical battle for the school year. Is there anywhere you all want to go?~” Tillysha suggested. “How about we head over to the Witch Forest and book a private room to celebrate?”
The Witch Forest was a top-tier restaurant within Coleman Academy, featuring exquisitely crafted interiors that used an alchemical potion called “Mist Illusion,” allowing diners to immerse themselves in a fantastical witch’s forest.
“Speaking of which, we haven’t had a meal together at a restaurant yet. What do you say, shall we go?~ If we book now, it should still be alright.”
“Of course, let’s go!”
“Sounds good.”
“Sure.”
“Can we eat and then get back home quickly?”
Except for one gold-haired homebody who found it troublesome, everyone happily agreed, and the five members of Brilliant Sun and Moon strolled leisurely toward the dining street, chatting and laughing all the way.
Wenfu intertwined her hands, watching the animated group, feeling like the scene was a bit off.
It didn’t take long for her to realize why it felt off.
“Hey, wait a minute! Where’s Dillin?” Wenfu suddenly realized.
One team going out to eat, but how could the most important leader and Male God be absent?
But why…………
Wenfu was astonished to see the cheerful crowd, realizing that no one besides her seemed to notice that one person was missing from their team.
Strange, too strange.
What on earth happened?? Did Dillin have a disagreement with them, and that’s why they were all purposefully ignoring him?
That shouldn’t be, logically, if they argued, she should know, and besides, Dillin had appeared infrequently in her view lately.
Wenfu looked around, her tail shooting up like an antenna.
She had read a dark fairy tale called “The One Slowly Eaten,” in which the protagonist slowly faded from existence until ultimately consumed by a monster.
According to that story, being eaten didn’t just mean the physical body vanished, but all traces of their existence would be erased, so that eventually everyone would completely forget that person and all that happened with them.
However, there was a plot twist; one outlier did not forget the existence of the protagonist.
Could it be that Dillin was being eaten now?!
Suddenly, Wenfu rushed in front of the group, blocking their path with her hands.
“Everyone!”
“Huh? What’s up, little Wenfu?”
“Guys, you’re just going to the restaurant without noticing something seems off?”
Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged puzzled glances, then looked at Wenfu as if she had grown a second head.
“Not really?”
“Is something off?”
“Oh, I get it. Did I apply too light a makeup today?”
Although Aistride didn’t speak up, she cast a clueless glance as well.
“……….” Could it be true, that everyone really forgot about Dillin?
“Dillin, he—Dillin didn’t come, and no one noticed?!”
“………..” As soon as those words left her mouth, the group fell silent once more.
If only Wenfu had paid closer attention, she would realize that the others weren’t silent; they were speechless.
It couldn’t be that long had passed, and there was still someone on the team who was unaware?
Really? Not really?
Eh, don’t tell me, some of them actually didn’t know.
However, to Wenfu, their expression was another story.
They all seemed numb and dazed—a clear sign that Dillin’s presence had dimmed to critical levels?!
“………I understand now.” Wenfu stopped talking, turned around, and gradually merged into the crowd, going with the flow.
She vowed to rescue Dillin, just like the supporting character in the book!
“Little Wenfu, haven’t you noticed?” Tillysha couldn’t help but ask.
“…….” Wenfu remained silent, her attention diverted to other matters, completely uninterested in what Tillysha was saying.
Upon reaching the Witch Forest, the five settled into a deluxe private room.
Cannot deny, the private room at the Witch Forest was quite luxurious; it had sofas, dining tables, and even desks, not to mention a whole room that also featured cooling enchant stones. A big bed could accommodate several people, making it unclear whether it was a hotel or restaurant!
“One great thing about the Witch Forest is that you can drink to your heart’s content!” Once inside the room, it seemed they were no longer strangers; Filisia casually stripped off her outer jacket, revealing a cropped top that showcased her smooth, fair skin and alluring figure.
“I figured, since it’s a rare opportunity to eat out, we can’t skip the drinks~” Filisia’s amber eyes sparkled with flirtation as she glanced back and forth between Tillysha and Aistride.
“Do you two lovely ladies from the Elf Forest drink?”
“Cough!” At this time, Yimi, who was sitting in a chair swinging her legs, coughed softly, signaling Filisia to look at her.
In fact, Yimi had a hobby she hadn’t shared with Tillysha—she loved drinking.
Getting tipsy with a drink, it felt absolutely delightful.
This meal was being sponsored by the generous princess, and drinks quickly arrived.
Just as Yimi, impatient, was about to stand up from her chair to fetch the drinks, a glass of orange juice was placed in front of her.
“Little kid doesn’t get to drink alcohol.” Filisia smiled playfully. “Yimi, you have to sit at the small table with Wenfu!”
“………. I’m just a bit short, not underage!” Yimi protested indignantly.
Of course, Filisia was joking; both Wenfu and Yimi were definitely of age, being contemporaries—she was just teasing about their heights.
“I can drink a little, but not much,” Aistride added casually.
“Oh, is that so? Then Tillysha seems like the kind who knows how to drink.” Filisia handed a glass filled with red liquid over to Tillysha.
“Tonight, we won’t leave until we’re all drunk, Tillysha?”
“…………” Tillysha maintained her smile and said nothing.
“………Tillysha?” Seeing that Tillysha remained unresponsive, Filisia tried calling for her again.
“Stop calling her; she doesn’t drink.” Yimi chimed in. “Not much help with digesting alcohol at her age, and this girl just likes sweet stuff; I bet she hasn’t had a drop of alcohol in her life!”
“How funny, you’ve been alive………. right? Yet can’t drink? Why don’t you join Wenfu’s table?” Aiyu interrupted Yimi with a gentle smack.
“Don’t talk nonsense; who said I can’t drink?” Tillysha replied with a continued smile.
“……….Wait, are you serious?” Yimi rubbed her slightly reddened forehead, pouting in disbelief.
“Don’t cause any drunken chaos that involves me afterward…….. Ouch!” Yimi was hit on the back of her head again.
