He Holds a Rose from the Abyss

– Extra (5) Year-End Assessment (II)

This time, Chi Lang didn’t feel in a hurry in the final assessment. He had studied more seriously this semester, and he just ignored the questions that he really didn’t know how to answer.

The invigilator of this examination room was very strict, requiring the candidates to either use high-level magic, or to take the exam properly and not cheat. Chi Lang listened to this request and felt that he had the foresight to review properly.

He spread the paper on the table, staring at the blank questions, his mind began to empty, thinking about some strange things. He seemed to feel something and looked up at the window, and coincidentally saw Sheffield.

Sheffield smiled at him. Such a familiar picture.

Chi Lang looked at his test paper again and was sure that he wouldn’t be able to do it, so he got up and handed in the test paper. The invigilator read this paper over and over again: “You’re not going to do it?”

Chi Lang: “I can’t do it.”

“Can’t you try again to see if you can use high-level magic?”

Chi Lang said honestly: “I can’t do it either.”

The invigilator squinted his eyes, and his eyes wandered between Chi Lang and Sheffield repeatedly: “You can let your… relative use magic on your behalf.”

When Chi Lang heard this, he choked on his own saliva, shook his hand and bent over to get out of the door of the examination room.

He habitually drilled into Sheffield’s arms: “You know, that teacher is too… enlightened… He actually said that I can… that is, you, help me use high-level magic, and let me get a perfect score.”

“You didn’t agree?”

“Of course, I firmly rejected him, I am not moved by fame and fortune.”

Sheffield bowed his head and asked him, “What moves you then?”

Chi Lang patted Sheffield’s face: “Maybe… your beauty.”

After they walked out of the teaching building, in front of them was already a snow-covered piece, and a few high walls made of snow were erected abruptly on the ground.

Joyce stood under the high wall, with a group of elemental students, working hard here with ice elemental magic. They need to build a labyrinth with ice and snow as part of the final assessment.

Chi Lang walked to Joyce’s side and brought him a cup of hot water. Joyce’s face was very pale, and his whole body was shivering with cold: “I just don’t understand, it’s obviously the home court of your prophecy department, so why should our elemental department work so hard instead?”

‘Because most people in the prophecy department are just magic sticks, their mouths can blow the sky but they can’t actually do anything,’ Chi Lang thought. He answered Joyce: “I can help you, but I don’t know what I can do without magic… But why don’t you use fire elemental magic for yourself, you’re frozen like this.”

Joyce: “Forget it, just let me take it easy in the exam… Fire elemental magic, I also want to use it, but fire elemental magic and ice elemental magic have completely different running rules, if I use them together, maybe it will explode with a “bang”.”

Chi Lang: “Okay, do your best, I’ll go back and prepare for the next exam.”

“Micah,” Joyce called out to him suddenly, but his voice gradually decreased, “if you are in the labyrinth then, can you let me and Dana meet?”

Joyce straightened up with a serious look on his face: “New year is coming, I have to be brave in the end, I will tell her straight, if it doesn’t work, I will give up liking her.”

It was the first time Chi Lang saw Joyce’s expression and said, “I can try… Good luck.”

These snow-built walls got higher and higher until they were on par with the clock in the academy. From a distance, it looked like the snow had buried the entire school.

Chi Lang looked at the sky, and even the sky seemed cramped, he smiled: “I feel like we are buried under snow.”

Sheffield stood beside him: “Want to go up there and see? I can use wind element magic to show you what this maze looks like.”

“No need, it’s good to be buried in the snow like this,” Chi Lang said. “As long as you think that when all this snow melts, it will be spring, it doesn’t seem very uncomfortable.”

Sheffield also looked at the sky: “When the assessment is over, do you have any plans for the holiday?” He paused. “If not, we can go to a slightly warmer city…”

“Go to the abyss.” Chi Lang’s eyes brightened. “Follow the path you took to the abyss, and then go to the capital, where the Howard family is.”

“Isn’t it New Year’s? Let’s just say goodbye to the past.” Chi Lang took Sheffield’s hand.

“…okay.”

*

Chi Lang went to Mrs. White’s pub. At first, when he went to see Mrs. White, he was scolded by the old lady for several days, and then he was allowed to stay in the pub and was also given a wage increase.

Mrs. White counted the silver coins one by one and gave Chi Lang the wages for these days.

Chi Lang: “You counted wrong, there are five more silver coins.”

Mrs. White glared at him: “Consider it a reward for the end of the year, and take it to make yourself have a good year.”

Chi Lang was stunned for a while, then smiled: “Thank you.”

“Which department is giving your final assessment this semester?”

“The Prophecy Department, this time I’m the one who will evaluate others.”

Mrs. White: “Well, then can you predict if my son will come back? He went to the Knights of the Imperial Capital, hunting this and hunting that every day, and did not send a letter to the family.”

Chi Lang pushed open the door of the pub, there was still snow outside, he was about to say that he could not predict, but the words turned into: “The snow and wind are so strong, he will come back to spend time with you. If my prophecy magic unfortunately fails, he also hopes that you are warm through the New Year.

“So… change your charcoal fire to a better one, and don’t drink the leftover ice juice every day. I wish you a happy new year in advance.”