"Thank you." Xia Chuanyue was initially taken aback, but then she locked eyes with Camille, who was smiling warmly. She seemed to understand something and flashed a shy smile, putting the gift away. In her heart, she pondered what present she should give Camille in return.
After a day out, Tianmiao was full of unexpected findings.
Xia Chuanyue was energetic and eager for more.
Camille felt utterly drained, looking worn out.
Dean’s expression remained unchanged, calm and composed, looking as if he could go on for another three hundred rounds.
"Brother, how are you so amazing?" Camille draped an arm over Dean’s shoulder in an unceremonious manner, speaking feebly.
"You’re just too weak, rookie." Dean snorted, using terminology he had picked up from Xia Chuanyue to mock Camille. He thought these words were very fitting and precise.
Camille suddenly felt a twinge in his heart. What was it like to have a very sharp-tongued friend?
...
The affair with the Mermaid Clan was successfully resolved, and the group set off back to the academy.
Upon returning to the academy, Bart was tearfully bidding farewell to Tianmiao and went looking for the principal, telling everyone not to hold him back — he was determined to confront the principal!
The principal was an old man with extremely fluffy hair and a bushy beard. From afar, he looked like a walking puffball.
"Principal, I’m begging you to be reasonable this time. You almost got me killed." Bart, upon seeing the principal, used all his strength to resist the urge to strangle him.
"Ah, you’ve had a hard time, a real hard time. I know all about what happened this time." Seeing Bart’s restrained demeanor, the principal felt a bit guilty, first offering some comfort, then starting to praise him, "You have to realize, only you, right, only you in our academy had the ability to lead them on this mission. I wouldn’t trust anyone else. The facts prove you did a great job. The matter is fully resolved; the King and Queen of the Mermaid Clan sent a letter of thanks, along with abundant gifts."
"Hmph!" Bart snorted loudly, plopping himself down into a chair.
The principal hurriedly poured Bart a cup of tea, sat down, and then asked quietly, "So, do you now know the identity of that person?"
"Nope!" Bart downed the tea in one go, replying gruffly.
"What? After so long on the road, you still don’t know? Didn’t you ask?" the principal asked unhappily.
"Why didn’t you ask yourself then?" Bart shot back, eyeing the principal sideways.
"I’m too scared to," the principal responded with a sheepish smile.
"You’re such a coward? You’re the principal of Shuguang Academy, for heaven’s sake." Bart sneered, mocking him.
"Well, do you have any other information then?" the principal asked again.
"I’m not sure, but one thing’s for certain: this person harbors no ill intentions toward our continent. On the contrary..." Bart poured himself another cup of tea, sipping it slowly, leaving the sentence unfinished.
"On the contrary?" The principal immediately caught on, "You mean this person is actually here to protect or perhaps even save our continent? Is something about to happen on our land?"
"That, I don’t know." Bart shook his head and suddenly remembered the choice made by the Elf Prince, Dean. He originally wanted to discuss it with the principal, but recalling what Tianmiao had said earlier, he reconsidered and thought it might not be necessary.
"Alright then, let’s not talk about this for now. You’ve just returned, and I have something I need you to take care of." The principal said with a serious tone, "You need to take them for another..."
"No way! Not going! Goodbye!" Bart didn’t wait for the principal to finish and immediately responded with a string of refusals, standing up and dashing out.
The principal sat there, his mouth twitching, and muttered awkwardly, "Well, if you won’t go, you won’t go, why so intense?"