by Feng Yue
From another perspective, the reason why the music history department could survive until now was mainly because of the student council. Unlike student councils in other schools, the student council of the Royal Academy of Music was part of the school management. In some cases, their control was even larger than some professors.
Including now, if the student council wanted to, they could even directly affect the arrangement of the game. They had so many ways to do that. The student council had been silent and low-key this entire time, as if they were transparent. Even the notorious executive office had more of a sense of existence than they did, which confused other concertmasters. What was Gavin’s plan?
Cullen was very clear about this. After being silent for a moment, he said quietly, “You do not have to feel stressful, just let them be. Even if they don’t follow the rules, they won’t keep at it for long.”
“Are those Gavin’s own words?”
“It’s just my guess.” Cullen said, “The president has his own plan for the music history department.”
In an instant, Glenn and others widened their eyes. When they exchanged glances, their expressions became somewhat complicated. Did that guy Gavin do all of this just to hand the history department over to his brother? It seemed like he was determined to make Banner his successor. He not only sent his most competent men to assistant Banner, but also gave him a shortcut. By that time, after having accumulated enough experience, Banner would naturally become the next president of the student council and have a stable status.
“What a good brother.” Another bad-tempered leader sneered, and took the lead in leaving the locker room. “The Royal Academy of Music is just the background for these two brothers!”
When everyone left and the locker room became empty, the smile on Cullen’s face faded away. His look became confused. What did the president mean? Even he himself could not figure out it.
-
“Is my brother going to give this department to me?” Below the drawing podium, Banner looked at Cullen. When he gazed at the guy snoring in the distance, his expression gradually changed from disgust at the beginning to cold. That was the coldness of completely neglecting and overlooking him. “Why didn’t he come and talk to me in person?”
Cullen paused, squeezing out a smile. “Perhaps the president has more important expectations for you.”
“Really?” Banner glanced at him and said lightly, “Well, since that group of failures is just there for the number, you can’t expect too much of them. Let me teach him what the world is like.”
But beside him, Cullen saw the hostility flash in Banner green eyes and sighed. Why were these brothers so different?
“What are you looking at?” Banner seemed to be sense his gaze and suddenly turned back.
Cullen hesitated, shaking his head. “Nothing.”
“Then let’s go. Since it’s arranged already, we shouldn’t waste time.” Banner took the lead to step on the platform. Cullen followed behind, but under his sleeves, his fists were clenched fists until his knuckles turned white. Like an illusion, he seemed to hear Banner scoff softly. In a place he could not see, Banner’s eyes grew cold. This time, Banner would not let that Eastern b*stard, who usurped his reputation, remain arrogant for too long.
-
“Is everybody here?” After two days of complicated matters, Sydney seemed numb. He looked at everyone here and that proud, disdainful dog, waving his hand feebly. “Then let’s begin to draw.” It was the last round before the semi-finals and hopefully there will not be any problems.”
“Wait!” An unsatisfied student looked at Old Phil and said, “The history department has sent a dog to draw for them several times. Are they unsatisfied with the school arrangements? Or do they look down on us? I think the music history department should give us an explanation, or else I refuse to continue to be insulted so…”
“If you don’t like it, you can go,” the dog suddenly said lazily.
Everyone was stunned and they looked at each other. What the h*ll is this? A talking dog? And it sounded like a little girl? Soon they found that it was a music note on the dog’s collar. Bai Xi stood in the stands, remotely controlling the collar. Her words were sharp as always.
“What do you mean?” The student’s face turned red. “Wanna fight?”
“I just don’t like people saying nonsense in public.” Bai Xi hummed. “The school approves, the principal approves, but you don’t? Who are you? Why don’t you just kick us out?”
Old Phil was abnormally cooperative. It looked at the student disdainfully, doubling the mockery. Excellent! The student visibly began to breathe heavier. He almost shot fire with his glare.
“Enough!” Sydney huffed coldly. He slapped the table heavily and glanced at all present with his gloomy eyes. Finally he looked at Old Phil. “This time, the board will supervise the whole drawing process with a fair and impartial attitude. I hope you do not try to pass with a fluke but go all out.” The words ‘go all out’ were squeezed out between his teeth. Anyone could tell how angry he was.
In the first two rounds, one simply reached his hand into the box and took out number. But this time, the three coaches from Modifications, Summoning and Revelations gathered around. The three people and six eyes stared at every hand that reached into the box. A dim light even shone in Egor’s eyes. He saw through the box with a modification formula and observed the whole process.
Surrounding by such onlookers, all the students who were going to draw felt very nervous. Under this situation, it seemed that once they made a subtle mistake, they would be killed.
Why were they so dramatic? It was just a soccer game, not a vote on the Parliament, which needed six musicians present to isolate all the aetheric influence for fairness…
The team leaders came forward to draw the lot under all the eyes. Every person who came to draw would be searched by the three coaches. Even the fat on the belly was not spared.
Finally, it was Old Phil’s turn. Facing three pairs of sharp eyes, Old Phil took it naturally and stepped forward as if nothing around him existed. Seeming to have sensed their scrutiny, Old Phil produced a disdainful snort from its nostrils. It raised its palm to flip over the box and bit the last board, then turned away. It did not even look at the three in the eye.
Both Egor and Ingmar’s faces darkened, but Ludwig, who was accustomed to animals, did not mind. Instead, he followed and began to look up and down at Old Phil with great interest. He mumbled Summoning terms as if he was analyzing Old Phil’s characteristics and body shape.
The more he looked, the more interested he became. He could not resist the urge to pet it. Old Phil looked back at him and opened its big mouth, revealing two rows of sharp teeth, as if saying, “Do you dare?”
Ludwig immediately withdrew his hand. Sensing the eyes of his colleagues, Ludwig felt a little embarrassed and smiled stiffly. “This dog is strange. It has a really bad temper.”
Sydney coughed twice, motioned Ludwig to pay attention to his actions and then grew emotionless. “The draw is finished. Now, please check your opponents according to the list. If you have questions, ask now. No more questions will be allowed after the fact.”
He lowered his head and coughed again. He hid his sneer at his mouth corner. Questions? What question could they have? With the three supervisors watching, all processes were fair and open. Even if he had secretly mobilized his authority as vice principal and influenced the result of the drawing through the Requiem enchantment…No matter what, the legendary luck of drawing empty two days in a row was ending for the history department. He had prepared the best enemies for them—the School of Royalty.
Soon the team leaders put their signs on the tree diagram. In the commotion, some people rejoiced, others wailed.
“No objections?” Sydney asked three times with a smile. Hearing no response, he slowly nodded. “Then the discussion is over. Everyone put your sign on the list and write it.”
Under his anticipa
ting eyes, Banner looked coldly up. Soon the crowd fell silent and slowly parted. In the silence, Banner stepped forward and hung the sign of the School of Royalty onto the first position. Besides the sign, a place was prepared for its enemy. That’s right, the place for the enemy.
He slowly turned back and looked coldly at that evil dog that was sunbathing. The dog sensed his eyes and glanced back at him. It seemed to sense everyone’s anticipation and the gleeful gazes. Old Phil looked back disdainfully, picked up the sign in its mouth and came forward.
It passed through the crowd and went straight past Banner. Before the tree-shaped diagram, it stood like a human being and gazed at the empty spot next to the School of Royalty. Then, according to the number on the sign, it hung the sign at…the outermost place of the list. For a moment, everyone was stunned.
“Wait a minute!” Sydney’s complexion changed and shouted at Old Phil, who was about to turn away. “I’ve said before that you shouldn’t let a dog, which can’t even figure out what the number means, to draw. It doesn’t even know where it is, does it?”
He turned, abruptly picked the sign of the music history department down, and hung it to the side of the Royal School. “It should…should…should… ” He froze and his voice changed too. He looked down incredulously at the sign in his hand.
Should what? It should be hung beside the Royal School. But, how…how the h*ll did they come up empty again?!
“Empty.”
“Empty?”
“Empty…”
Everyone looked at each other with a strange and ugly look. Finally, Sydney stopped stiffly and opened his mouth but he did not know what to say. What could he say?
He had dug the hole for himself and jumped in…The time for objections were long overdue! He said that afterward, no matter who had an objection, no one was allowed to dwell on it any more. Should he go back on his words in front of the whole school?
With a livid face, he put the sign back to the most outer place with difficulty. He turned back and announced hoarsely, “The history department drew empty again.” For the fourth round, they had no opponent again…
The spectators were in an uproar. On the stands, Charles cheered while Bai Xi screamed. The Bench Guy was stunned. Ye Qingxuan…was still snoring.
207 The Illusionary Sun
It was late at night at the Royal Academy of Music. Two figures met in the main building without meaning to. When they discovered each other, they instantly felt awkward.
“Good evening, Mr. Egor.” Ludwig, who had descended the staircase first, uttered a greeting. Egor, who had just came through the door, returned the greeting.
After some small talk, the awkward atmosphere had almost disappeared, but the insubstantial conversation continued. Ludwig realized that Egor’s thoughts were elsewhere and he suddenly cut to the chase. “Are you here to investigate the results of the draw too?”
“No, no.” Egor chuckled as if he did not mind at all, but his eyes grew cautious. Ludwig was ten years older than him, but his actions were always faster. He was sensitive to every change and always got to things first. This time was not an exception either.
Egor had just entered, but Ludwig was already leaving. He did not know what the result was, but how could someone who liked saving face as much as Egor admit his reason for coming? He stated, “The drawing was done under our monitoring. How could anything happen?”
“Oh?” Ludwig glanced at him with a smile. “Then why are you here so late at night? Don’t give me the excuse that you forgot some documents. You never bring documents to meetings.”
Egor’s expression grew even more awkward, as well as humiliated and angered. “Ludwig, aren’t you the same?”
“To be honest…I just wanted to satisfy my curiosity.” Ludwig chuckled. Under the moonlight, his eyes became the vertical pupils of snakes. They fluttered and fluttered, making Egor slightly unsettled.
The musicians of the School of Summoning developed beastliness inside of them and controlled demons during battle. At the same time, their sanity would be even more powerful. But no matter what, they would be affected by it. Because of this, Summoning musicians would have strange fetishes. Ludwig was not an exception. For example, he was overly curious.
Egor scoffed. “I just wanted to ensure the fairness of the results.”
Hearing Egor’s refutation, Ludwig could not help but chuckle. “Egor, when humans start talking about fairness, it means that unfair things are going to happen. Did you sense something?”
“Don’t beat around the bush, Ludwig. Get to it.” Egor rolled his eyes. “I hate philosophy and theories.”
Ludwig shrugged. “I’m just saying that things like drawing lots are never fair.”
“Are you saying that the music department has problems? But all three of us monitored the drawing” Egor said.
“Don’t forget that this is under the Requiem enchantment. Even the results of the lots are controlled by the enchantment. We can only monitor the students, but can’t do anything to do the enchantment.”
“It’s impossible for the enchantment to have problems” Egor argued.
“Of course. It won’t have problems, but humans can,” Ludwig said lightly. “The results of my investigation confirmed what I felt during the day. I’m not the most familiar with the School of Abstinence, but I still felt this afternoon that the enchantment had been shifted three times.”
“Three times?” After pondering, Egor felt something wrong. “There’s no need to use one’s authority three times to change the results. Unless…”
“Yes, there were three authorities trying to change the result.”
Egor fell silent, finally sensing the complexity behind this event.
“Of the three authorities, the lowest one came from the student council. One came from the school board, which is obviously Sydney.”
“That’s not strange,” Egor said. “Sydney doesn’t want to the history department to draw empty again. And hasn’t Gavin been trying to help his brother inherit his position? The history department is the best stepping stone to becoming the head of the student council.”
Ludwig just snickered. “But it’s a pity because nothing they do will be successful. The third authority canceled out everything they did.”
“Canceled out?” Egor glanced at him, eyes suspicious. “Only one person can cancel out the school board’s authority.”
“Yes, it’s our principal.” Ludwig kind of wanted to laugh mockingly at how he and his colleagues had acted these days. “What are we so worried about? The principal had probably already dug a ditch for us to jump in. Egor, I’m afraid we’ve all been tricked by those guys.”
He patted Egor’s shoulder and saw a bitter smile on his old friend’s face. Egor sighed and gave up on the urge to continue asking. If he continued investigating, he would just increase the tension between the school board and the principal. But he did not understand why the principal would go against the school board for such a small thing.
“What is he trying to do?”
“How would I know?” Ludwig slowly filled his pipe with tobacco. Thinking of what had happened during the day, he could not help but mock himself. “I’ve lived so many years, but I don’t even know what a dog is thinking. How can I understand what’s hiding in someone’s heart?”
-
Ye Qingxuan had slept for twenty hours. He was sleeping so heavily that not even the sky falling down would wake him. It seemed that he could still continue sleeping…
After being carried back from the field, Ye Qingxuan was thrown onto the sofa. Traces of Bai Xi’s off-handed graffiti still remained on his face. He was still in his original posture, like a wax figure.
“Charles, is he okay?” Bai Xi poked Ye Qingxuan’s face as if she had found a giant toy and was playing happily.
Across from the sofa, Charles shrugged. “I don’t know either.”
Ye Qingxuan had sweated for the first few hours. Now, he had no movements other than his h
eart beating. His pupils had no reaction when shone with blinding light, but at least he was still breathing. There were no other strange conditions. He just looked like he was sleeping.
“Did he get some weird disease?”
“I don’t think so. His health was good during the physical examinations at the beginning of the school year, just a little thin.” Charles paused and shook his head. “He’s like a girl, ugh…Boys should be like me and have an eight-pack!”
“You talk like you have one!” Bai Xi rolled her eyes. “Should we take him to the hospital?”
“To be honest, I think that we should just let him sleep if it’s not an emergency.” Charles took a bottle of liquor from a cabinet. Opening it with expertise, he took a whiff and let out a satisfied breath. “As the saying goes, get drunk today if you have wine. There aren’t any other solutions, right?”
Bai Xi was stunned. “But we can’t just leave him like this.”
“Maybe he just wants some peace. Huh, don’t ask me who peace is. Anyway, just let him sleep a bit more. He’s played soccer for so long. He should get a halftime break, right?” Charles looked down and wiped his glass. His eyes filled with lamentation. “No matter how powerful or strong someone is, they still have a time where they want to escape from reality. Saints are like that, not to mention mundanes like us.
“Cheers.” Charles stuck a glass into the youth’s stiff hands and clinked glasses with him. He tilted his head back and downed the glass. When his gaze fell on Ye Qingxuan, it grew distant yet troubled. He seemed to look past Ye Qingxuan’s body to some unknown place.
“Hope you can escape, kid.”
-
A blizzard fell from the sky, falling into Ye Qingxuan’s eyes. The sky was still the empty whiteness from before. Numerous snowflakes fell from the sky.
He walked barefoot in the ice and snow. His soles had been pierced and his footprints were tinged with stark red. But later, the red disappeared gradually, freezing into the ice.
He panted and forged on. He tried to feel his lower body, but his legs were almost numb. Sometimes, he would look back at his long trail of footprints. They extended from deep within the field of ice. Slowly, the footprints were covered by snow and disappeared.