Chapter 189: None of My Business!

“Not a bad thing… what does that mean?”

Driven by the curiosity and thirst for knowledge typical of a scholar, Ella instinctively voiced her question.

At this point, she realized that this mysterious Miss Xī was completely unafraid, acting as if she had nothing to worry about, and the large amount of wealth that far exceeded the research budget was likely just a test of her character.

Moreover, it was clear that this person knew some kind of secret, which could very well become a crucial key to fill the gap in her current research!

However, Miss White Fox didn’t honestly answer Ella’s question. Instead, she tilted her head and lightly tapped her delicate finger on the lips of the little fox mask, sporting a sly smile.

“I can certainly tell you, but that would have to wait until we establish a true cooperative relationship. Now, give me a clear answer, okay? I’m not someone who likes to force a deal.”

Since things had progressed this far, there was no reason to hesitate.

Ella could feel that she and this Miss Xī were likely of the same sort—those who were willing to endure hardships and expenses just for the sake of discovering the unknown.

People like them usually had pure intentions; the satisfaction of uncovering the truth would be the best reward and incentive.

The appearance of such like-minded individuals could very well become a pivotal turning point in her research career!

With that thought in mind, Ella did not hesitate any longer.

“I promise you, as long as you help me complete my research project, I am willing to share all results with you, as proof of our contract!”

“Good, quick decision! Our cooperation is officially established from this moment, but the contract isn’t really necessary. I have a good instinct for people and don’t worry you’ll go back on your word… Now, to show our sincerity in this collaboration, let’s showcase another gift from our side.”

“Clap.”

Miss White Fox lightly snapped her fingers, and the tiny sound resonating in the cramped research room immediately triggered unexpected changes for Ella.

A spirited girl with golden hair walked in through the door, casually dragging the silhouette she held by the collar like a little shrimp, tossing it to the ground without a word, then walked back out in a determined manner.

“?”

Ella glanced at the dark figure curled up on the ground and couldn’t help but direct her “What does this mean?” gaze toward the two girls in front of her.

The striking golden-haired girl who had just arrived had kept silent, but Miss Xī, clearly the leader, wasted no time in explaining.

“Weren’t you about to go chase him? In fact, that guy is just a bait and a trap. If you followed his tracks, he would probably use some words to provoke you into anger, making you take action against him. Then, the judges hiding around would have an excuse to swarm in and capture you.”

“Public brawling at the Holy Academy, with some instigators adding fuel to the fire… I think you can imagine what happens next without me explaining further, right?”

“What? They dare to…?”

“Hehe, even a cornered rabbit can bite back. What more of those holding power in their hands?”

Seeming to find the dark ambiance of the room troublesome for communication, Miss White Fox lifted her hand and tossed out a ball of golden flame, illuminating the little research room vividly with its bright presence.

With the lighting sorted, she waved her hand, and the corrosive acidic liquid that had spread across every corner and wall of the room began to gather spontaneously, as if attracted by some invisible force, coalescing into a whole and flew out the window that had automatically opened, landing with a soft “thud.”

“There, that’s a bit cleaner. I don’t know if you have any use for those broken pieces; you can handle them later. By the way… a lot of documents were destroyed here. What about your upcoming research…”

“Ah, it’s fine, it was just some inconsequential records. The truly valuable content is already stored in my mind. As long as there’s enough funding, I can simply restart the experiments.”

“I see, that’s good. Now, let’s get back to the main topic.”

Miss White Fox gestured towards the figure slumped on the ground, which seemed to have been knocked out by violence.

“Do you know this guy?”

While Ella understood that this was the other party demonstrating power to instill confidence in their upcoming collaboration, rationality aside, she was indeed secretly shocked by the incredible means exhibited by the White Fox Girl and felt a surge of newfound courage.

So, following Miss Xī’s cue, she turned her gaze towards the curled-up young man under the golden flame’s illumination and quickly frowned.

“Hubert? Why is this guy…?”

Hmm, it seemed Ella really did recognize him.

In fact, Miss Vilyric had also seen this young man named Hubert before. Earlier today, they had just entered the Theological Hall, and he was the half-beast scholar who had promoted the idea of developing underground energy in the discussion hall but left in utter disgrace after being scorned by everyone.

So it was likely that the order of speeches in that discussion hall was sorted according to the room numbers of each research society.

Hubert’s research room was just less than a hundred meters away from here, right next to Ella’s. The whole process of him breaking the lock and causing mayhem here and then hastily returning to his hideout was vividly seen by the White Fox Girl and the Little Dragon Daughter.

So…

“Why did he do something like this? While it’s easy to guess the answer, let’s hear the party’s explanation for clarity.”

Saying that, Miss White Fox waved her sleeve, and an invisible aura immediately slapped Hubert’s face, startling him awake.

“Ah! A monster!”

As soon as he came to, the scholar screamed as if he had experienced some immense shock, and at the sight of the golden-haired girl behind Miss White Fox, he instinctively tried to escape towards the door, only to rebound back upon slamming into it, plunging into even greater terror.

“Ahhhh!!!!”

It seemed the mental pressure was too strong. He couldn’t make out any coherent dialogue, just trembling and scrambling toward the corner of the room, curling up like a hedgehog while babbling “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” looking decidedly unhinged.

“…?”

The oddly gazed Miss White Fox turned to look at her pet girl, who merely averted her gaze slightly, wearing an expression of “none of my business.”

Miss Vilyric was internally puzzled.

Did she go too far…? That’s impossible. If Little Dragon Daughter had used any skill that inflicted mental pressure, this normally defenseless creature would have nearly certainly been scared to death instead of just being left in this state of madness!

“Ahem…”

Under Ella’s confused gaze, Miss White Fox awkwardly coughed and took out a bell, gently shaking it in the air.

“Ding~”

As if entranced by some force, Hubert, the scholar who had been frightened to the core by the Little Dragon Daughter, suddenly froze, stopping his trembling and dazedly raising his head to look forward.

“Uh, what’s wrong with him?”

After waiting for a while, Ella finally managed to utter those words.

“It’s just a handy method for questioning. You saw how he was before… Don’t worry, it’s not an evil ability. After a good night’s sleep, he should be fine in the morning and won’t remember anything from tonight.”

“Miss Ella, if you have any questions, now is the time to ask. Who exactly is targeting you… I’m sure you’ve been curious about this for a long time, right~”

   

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