Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Secret Talk

Translator: 549690339

Dead Water Marsh – outer woodland region.

The spar ended.

Under Han Dong’s suggestion, they took a momentary boat ride away from the Witch Academy.

The conversation that was coming next will likely encompass certain sensitive matters about the two of them.

After a short walk along the suspended wooden planks and climbing up through twisting tree trunks, they reached the No. 89 Treehouse that belonged to Mia.

Compared to the witch’s house, Mia’s treehouse seemed rather rudimentary.

A vast array of witch-related paraphernalia lay amassed in the corner.

A wooden table, a mirror, a wooden stool, and a hammock hanging by the window.

“Sit?” Mia purposely offered Han Dong the only stool.

“I’m good standing.”

Throughout the journey, they never had an ounce of idle chatter, reserving all conversations involving privacy matters for here.

“Oh…then wait for me a moment.”

Mia, staring with her emotionless eyes, rummaged through the corner materials area and found a white wax candle made from squid oil.

Hiss, hiss, hiss!

Spider silk poured out from Mia’s mouth, enveloping the walls of the treehouse, and using this white wax candle as the array eyes.

As the wick of the candle ignited, strands of spider silk glistened with a purplish-black sheen, forming a unique sealing barrier.

This completely isolated the treehouse from the external world.

“Alright, tell me quickly, when did you first notice it?”

“Since the first time, I saw you I always felt a subtle sense of dissonance.”

Mia’s face showed surprise, her emotionless eyes widened as she moved closer and in a low voice, asked, “The first time…when picking the mentor?”

“Um…When you were distributing herbs to the injured students, your smile and actions were convincingly synchronized…unfortunately, it didn’t quite match your gaze.

At least to me, it always felt a bit off, not quite natural.

Also, I once happened to see you in the Adventurer’s Guild hall…you started completing bounty tasks with a team as soon as you enrolled.

The gaze you had when you were with other adventurers was completely different from when you distributed the herbs.

Nothing like a newly enrolled student.”

“Ah~ You saw me in the Adventurer’s Guild too! We really are fateful!”

Mia immediately gripped Han Dong’s arm, she even rubbed her face against his arm trying to be affectionate.

Only when the green miasma symbolizing the plague began to seep from his arm did she let go.

Mia didn’t seem angry, she continued asking, “What else?

During the series of contacts in the marsh area, what was wrong? I feel that, except for being a bit ‘clingy’, my overall performance was good.”

“Being clingy is one thing…The main problem was when we were at the witch’s house.

After hearing the strange sounds, you pretended to be flustered and blushed…”

Hearing this, Mia cut Han Dong off in excitement.

“Ah! Was I not meant to react like that? Should I have been more proactive? Should I have used the atmosphere and slowly taken you down?”

“No…”

Han Dong shook his finger.

“Your blushing and nervousness were performed well, no issues there…just that your follow-up actions were too intentional.

The act of nervously standing up, and deliberately knocking off the mask, I almost laughed when I saw it.

Firstly,

The mask is an important tool for sealing your curse, isn’t it inappropriate for it to fall off just like that?

Also, your panic-stricken expression after it fell was too artificial…you must practice more in the future, make everything seem logical and more natural.”

“Is that so!? But I had to find an opportunity to remove the mask and reveal the ‘curse’, only then would it pique your interest.

Then I would have a chance to deepen my contact with you…only then could I possibly uncover your secrets.”

Han Dong responded with an impassive face:

“There are many different ways to indirectly show your ‘curse’, and yet you chose one that’s not quite suitable…But then, your deliberate attempt to expose it has made me somewhat interested in your real identity.

I agreed to spar with you later so that through close contact, I could finally figure out your true nature.”

“Ah? You’ve figured out my true nature … What am I, really?” Mia asked with a surprised face.

“You pretend to be someone who’s tragically lost loved ones due to a curse, carrying the image of a criminal on a knight’s journey burdened with a curse.

In essence, you probably have a direct connection with this curse since birth, isn’t it?

Your so-called ‘tragic past’ was most likely crafted by your own hands… You are not only devoid of any guilt, but rather enjoy using it as a special tool to stir up people’s sympathy.

As for the origin of your curse, it likely comes from outside the city.

A disguise, really.

You even attempt to develop a second persona to perfectly play the role of Mia Seminovich, the model student, with the intention of graduating from the Knight Academy with top grades and good character, then infiltrating the higher echelons of the Knight Regiment.

That’s all I can hypothesize right now.”

Upon hearing all this, Mia revealed a satisfied smile, exclaiming:

“Wow!

I initially thought you relied solely on this Demon’s Eye for sustenance, but unexpectedly, it’s actually your brain that’s the most powerful…

From the moment I first saw you, I smelled a strange but somewhat similar scent.

I thought we might become ‘good friends’—I didn’t expect you to be so detached.”

With that, Mia suddenly hugged Han Dong from the front, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispered:

“How about another chance? As long as you’re willing to be ‘together’ with me. I can satisfy any demand you have in life!”

As far as looks and figure went, Mia was definitely top tier among her peers – and she had a unique charm deep within her bones.

But Han Dong just wasn’t interested…

Furthermore, Han Dong didn’t want to get involved in unnecessary trouble… in his eyes, Mia was a troublesome woman.

Han Dong gently pushed Mia away, walking towards the treehouse exit, “Please inform Mrs. Kaylonia and the Great Plague Chief that I’m not feeling well and am heading back to rest.

Also, remember my only request to you after winning our spar.

Don’t bother me.”

With those words,

Han Dong could feel a strong murderous intent coming from behind him.

Even large quantities of poisonous spiders started to crawl out from the gaps in the tree house’s wooden planks.

But Han Dong didn’t turn around… because Mia wouldn’t—couldn’t even—kill him.

Soon enough, the murderous intent receded.

Mia asked one last question in her attempt to stay, “You have secrets too, aren’t you afraid I’ll expose them?”

“…Feel free.”

Han Dong pushed the door open, waved his hand without turning around, and quickly left the treehouse.

Leaving Mia alone in the treehouse, grinning, she took off the mask that had been used for sealing.

A long, purple-black tongue slid out from her mouth, licking its way around her face in a circular motion.

“Nicholas… you are the most interesting peer I have met. The bunch of idiots who call themselves apprentice knights in the Adventurer’s Guild can’t compare to you.

Telling me not to bother you.

How could I give up just like that when I’ve finally met someone ‘similar’?

The more you reject me, the more I want to have you.

I’m so excited… Ah! I can’t wait to go outside the city with you for the Knight’s Training Camp… We might run into dangerous situations then.

The moment we get lost from the main force, it will just be the two of us!

I can’t wait! I can’t wait!”

Just thinking about it made her so excited that her body trembled uncontrollably, and she started twitching involuntarily.