ATAPOW Chapter 36
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Chapter 36: Suspicions
“What kind of situation is this? The man who messed around for quite some time was actually a student?”
“It’s just his first day here and he had already fought to a standstill with a teacher? Are new students nowadays so arrogant?
“What great impertinence! Could this guy be the nephew of the chivalric leader?
The new students, who were watching the commotion unfold were deliberately adding fuel to the fire, these whispers circulated among themselves. In their mind, they were currently thinking whether they should bring out a small bench, and munching on some popcorn while watching the live show in front of them.
“If all of you are unhappy with the abundant amount of free time in your hands, I can help pass the message to your respective teachers. They can add some tasks on your plate.” Lan Yi coldly said. When she turned around, she swept her eyes over the crowd in an apathetic manner.
The nearby students, who had encircled the scene and made up the majority of the peanut gallery, were shocked and speechless. They then began to scatter in different directions like a pack of startled birds. In an instant, there were only a few people left in the large lounge of the dormitory building; They were the front desk receptionist, Lan Yi, the pair that started the disturbance, and finally, a cat who was currently playing with a wool ball.
“So, can either of you tell me what happened?” Lan Yi’s eyes were narrowed into a line, they were fluttering back and forth between Lin and Ji Bai. The former had silently lowered her head, all the while the latter’s eyebrows were slightly narrowed.
“As a matter of fact, I want to ask you a question too. What is this situation?” Ji Bai calmly opened his mouth as he sized Lan Yi up.
“Are you still in doubt?” Lan Yi furrowed her eyebrows.
“Yes, quite a lot of it.” Ji Bai pointed at the silver-haired girl in front of him, the girl had silently lowered her head.
“She’s a vampire. Judging from the current situation, I’m sure you’re very clear of that fact, no?”
“That’s right.”
“Oh.” Ji Bai indifferently responded. “I originally believed that this dodgy chivalric group would at best be a group that unlawfully assembled people to commit misfits, however, I have utterly underestimated you guys. I didn’t believe that you had such amazing abilities to actually accept a vampire, one from an imperial family at that! …Do all of you know what you’re doing? Do all of you honestly know what you’re doing by hiding such a vile demon in a human city?” Although Ji Bai was speaking in a calm and tepid manner, the indiscernible and faint tone still revealed the strong wrath he had in his heart.
“Can any of you explain to me what exactly is going on here? What are your aims by bringing these parasites into a human city?! Do you know that the things you’re doing now are the same as betraying humanity?” Fluctuations of emotions had gradually presented itself in Ji Bai’s tone.
“So, with this, are you planning to report us to the Chivalric Order? However, think about it carefully~ Because of what you did, you’ll be treated as an accomplice too.” Lan Yi was seemingly unperturbed as she smiled, she quickly shot a glance at Ke’er, who was still swatting and playing with the woolen ball.
“That would still be better than exiling a countless number of destitute citizens.” Ji Bai narrowed his eyes. His right hand was already tightly gripping the sword in his hand.
“This is why I hate humans.” Before Lan Yi could open her mouth and speak, Lin, who had silently lowered her head this whole time, opened her mouth and said these words in a chilly tone.
“You people always position yourselves at the pinnacle of morality, even while you casually defame and criticize other races. Do you seriously think that only your species are the kindest, most guileless and outstanding race in the world?
“Disgusting.” Lin shot a cold and disdainful glance at Ji Bai, she then turned her head aside. The emotions in her eyes were apparent as if she was avoiding some sort of revolting object.
“Even so, we’re still so much better than you bunch of harmful blood-sucking parasites!”
“Both of you shut up!” Lan Yi had a headache as she looked at the both of them, they were nearly on the verge of fighting again.
“First of all, Ji Bai. The question you pointed out was just the thing I was about to explain to you. Indeed, just like you witnessed, the members of the Chivalric Order of the Moon aren’t confined to just humans. As long as one solemnly follows the regulations that we have, it’s possible for beings of any race to become one of us.”
“Are you sure you aren’t mad?! Aren’t you just casting pearls before swine to preach the knight’s creed to a demon?! Do you wonder if these wanton decisions of yours would bring some sort of disaster in the future?!” Ji Bai unbelievably looked at Lan Yi and said in a tone filled with criticism.
“Ji Bai, let me ask you a question. Are immoral black sheeps non-existent among our human population?” Lan Yi responded to him with a question.
“This explanation of yours is somewhat far-fetched. We should discuss societal problems and race issues separately. What a knight like me ought to do is to prevent innocent commoners from being drawn into the flames of war.” Ji Bai fixedly stared at Lan Yi’s eyes.
“A knight, huh. You really concealed yourself perfectly. I would have never known that you’re actually a knight ever since I met you…Well then, Mr. Knight. Don’t tell me that the righteousness that you’re oh so harping about only extends to humans, No? Yes? In that case, that isn’t righteousness anymore, but racism instead.” Lan Yi calmly gazed back at Ji Bai’s eyes.
“It was the demons that sparked this war, it was them that brutally carried the butcher’s knife, it was them that ruthlessly massacred the people to start with! If righteousness doesn’t stand on the side of mankind, then could it possibly stand on their side instead?!”
“Well then, Ji Bai. If there was a day that Ke’er was discovered by people from the Chivalric Order and was detained, which side would you choose to help?” Lan Yi indifferently asked him. On the other end, Lin was somewhat astonished when she heard this and glanced at both Ji Bai and Ke’er. She was somewhat unclear about the relationship between the two.
Ji Bai looked at Lan Yi and had no words to say.
“…Your question is very boring.”
“Please give me a direct answer.” Lan Yi was unwilling to let Ji Bai go that easily.
“…”
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you going to put your so-called righteousness into practice and turn a blind eye to it? Or are you going to disobey this justice-filled act of ‘righteousness’ of yours?”
“Mr. Ji Bai~” Ji Bai looked at Ke’er, the latter was adorably looking at himself from the side.
“I…”
“If I were to make you wield a sword and slaughter ordinary demons like Ke’er, would you still be able to swing your sword then?”
Ji Bai gave Ke’er a complicated look. Only after he hemmed and hawed did he manage to burst out this line: “Knights would never do such a thing.”
“Haha.” Lin suddenly gave a cold laugh.
“I’m not going to force you to make a decision right now… You should head back first and have a good rest.” The tension in Lan Yi’s tone had eased up.
“…Mhm.” Ji Bai looked at Ke’er, the cat-girl was gently and cautiously pulling on his sleeves, he couldn’t help but heave a sigh. With a muddled and chaotic state of mind, he walked towards the exit.
“Ah, I almost forgot. The property damage that you caused today is all going to be on your tab~”
“Pfft!” After he heard what Lan Yi said, Ji Bai had almost performed a tumble on the ground.
“Alright. Lin, you should express your concerns now.” As she saw Ji Bai’s silhouette walking in the distance, Lan Yi turned her body over towards Lin and said these words in a sincere and earnest tone.
“Are… Are you really planning to resign as a teacher and become a student?”
“…I… I’m not fit to become a teacher.” After a moment of silence, Lin replied.
“Alright… since you put it this way… Ah, that reminds me, did you tell your mother about this incident yet?”
Lin nodded her head.
…………
“These two people are indeed a pair of mythical existences.” Upon looking at the beautiful silhouette that was gradually fading in the distance, a slight trace of a smirk could be seen on Lan Yi’s expression.
“I wonder what sort of unexpected chemical reaction would occur if I were to put these two in a gourd?”