Chapter 49: The Fire Witch’s Resentment

“Me?” Mia lowered her head, pondering for a moment. “Uh…”

Seeing the conflicted expression on her face, Xiao Xi felt a pang of embarrassment and almost didn’t want to press the issue. He was about to offer a gracious excuse, something like, “It’s fine, if you say it out loud, it won’t come true~” But to his surprise, Mia suddenly turned back to him, her expression serious.

“I merely wish for the shooting stars to grant me the ultimate Flamestrike Fireball spell, capable of incinerating all couples in the world.”

“…”

‘I’m such an idiot, truly. Why did I ever ask this person a question?’

‘Fool, fool!’

Xiao Xi, mortified, began bumping his head against a pole. Mia quickly pressed down on his head, offering a placating tone.

“There, there~ Xiao Xi and I aren’t a couple, you know. We’re in a master-and-servant relationship!”

“That’s even worse than a couple! No, wait… that’s not the point! How much resentment do you harbor against couples?!”

“Hmm… Xiao Xi, don’t you dislike couples?” Mia sighed with a hint of disappointment, shaking her head and waving her hand in a gesture of helplessness.

‘What’s there to be helpless about?! Clearly, you’re the one with the problem, harboring such animosity towards couples that you want to obliterate them with a Flamestrike spell!’

“I couldn’t care less about couples. They have nothing to do with me… I, I’ve never even been in a relationship.”

Xiao Xi replied, and Mia nodded. “So that’s it. However, Xiao Xi, even if you don’t pay attention to couples, they are truly everywhere. They’ll be present when you rest, when you study, and even when you practice magic, constantly disturbing your mind and obstructing your vision. Doesn’t that affect you?”

“What are you talking about… There aren’t that many couples. Are you surrounded by them?” Xiao Xi continued to argue. Mia merely snorted, then suddenly thrust a pair of binoculars into Xiao Xi’s hands, pointing downstairs.

“See for yourself, you foolish Xiao Xi!”

‘What…’

Xiao Xi took the binoculars, his brow furrowing in confusion. What did she mean? Could there really be couples in the school this late at night? Impossible. He had thought the only people left on campus late at night were those with unspeakable troubles, like himself, and those like Mia…

‘How would one even describe someone like Mia? Oh, never mind, I should focus on whether there are really couples in the school, as Mia claims…’

‘But…’

‘What if there really are couples? Not going home this late at night, a young couple, a man and a woman alone in the school… What could they be doing?’

‘Couldn’t they just get a room…’

‘Hiss—’

At this thought, Xiao Xi quickly brought the binoculars to his eyes, peering downstairs. Mia’s equipment was truly complete; Senior Sister’s binoculars didn’t feel nearly as high-quality as these.

The situation on the ground was crystal clear to Xiao Xi: the lush green lawn, the freshly tilled soil, a tranquil puddle, and…

Couples in the small grove?!

Xiao Xi’s mouth fell open. He truly saw a man and a woman standing in the small grove, chatting animatedly. The boy seemed to be trying his best to amuse the girl, constantly laughing and talking. He couldn’t hear them… ‘Well, it would be a ghost if he could hear them from this far away, but seeing the girl occasionally chuckle, the boy’s emotional intelligence must still be intact…’

‘That’s not the point!’

“Holy smokes! There really are couples?!”

Xiao Xi couldn’t help but blurt it out, but then, remembering that the people below might hear him, he quickly clamped his mouth shut.

Mia, standing beside him, nodded in satisfaction. “Well, what do you think? Didn’t I tell you? I’ve been observing those two for days. They come to school every night for a secret rendezvous~”

“Every day?”

Xiao Xi remained utterly shocked. Good heavens, students nowadays were truly getting bolder. Coming to school every day for a rendezvous was something else entirely. Didn’t that mean there were daily little stories in the grove?

“Indeed. It’s just… I haven’t observed them up close, so I don’t know what they’re saying. However, today, with a powerful familiar like you, Xiao Xi, I’ve decided to confront that young couple head-on and cleanse their sin with my sacred fire magic! Xiao Xi, follow me!”

“Uh…” The moment he heard about a direct confrontation, Xiao Xi immediately cowered. A showdown with a young couple… it sounded terrifying.

‘Perhaps… the moment Mia jumped out, the girl in the couple would immediately scream in fear, and then her boyfriend would strike, beating Mia to a pulp. And I, her familiar—no, her attendant—would definitely not escape either.’

‘How would he explain himself then? That he was coerced? They might not even believe him…’

‘In short, it’s absolutely not feasible when the disparity in strength between the enemy and us is too great! They have a boyfriend, and I… my boyfriend isn’t here…’

Xiao Xi assessed the situation in his mind. ‘Hmm…’

‘No, no, playing along with Mia’s antics is absolutely out of the question. I should hurry home and warm the bed for Sister Yuan instead!’

‘This kind of confrontational game isn’t for me!’

Xiao Xi was about to slip away when Mia suddenly grabbed him. He offered an awkward smile, asking sincerely, “Goodbye, Mia. I’m going home. Good night~”

“I am not asking for your permission, Xiao Xi. You are my familiar. You do whatever I tell you to do! Here, a weapon!”

Mia handed Xiao Xi a water gun…

‘Uh…’

A water gun?

It was one of those small water guns, with an effective range of no more than a meter. Holding it in his hand… Xiao Xi found it almost comically small.

Xiao Xi’s hands were already quite small; he could even feel the difference when Sister Yuan held his hand, somehow sensing a strong ‘boyfriend energy’ from her.

Also…

“Aren’t you the Fire Witch? Why would your familiar use a water gun?”

“Cough, cough. It’s to neutralize things. No need to make a fuss!”

Mia coughed twice. Xiao Xi raised the water gun, falling into deep thought.

‘This thing… what kind of attack power does it have? Is it for squirting water to spice things up for the couple? Wishing them good luck and good health for the Water Splashing Festival?’

Xiao Xi could already imagine the scene: the boyfriend delivering a reverse right roundhouse kick, knocking him to the ground, then picking up his small water gun and smashing it. ‘Killing people shouldn’t involve such mental torture!’

“Absolutely not! We can’t win!” Xiao Xi sternly refused.

“Yes, we can! Trust me, one fireball spell from me will instantly take down the guy!” Mia said, striking a pose. Her left hand rested on her right, her right hand pointed skyward, covering one eye, as she revealed a confident smile. “I am Mia, the Fire Witch!”

“Even if you had six Rabadon’s Deathcaps and a lighter today, you wouldn’t be able to instantly kill that guy. Give it up!” Xiao Xi refused to humor her any longer and prepared to make a run for it.

“Wait!”

Mia suddenly reached out and pulled Xiao Xi back, a cold smirk playing on her lips. There was no other way. Since Xiao Xi was so unwilling to fight, she would just have to offer him a condition he couldn’t refuse!

“You… don’t you want to know… what they do in the small grove? Don’t you… want to hear what they’re saying? Don’t you… want to know why they come to school at this hour?”

‘Hiss—’

Xiao Xi froze, stopping in his tracks. Mia confidently closed her eyes, counting, “3, 2, 1!”

Mia suddenly opened her eyes, watching as Xiao Xi silently turned his head, a look of anticipation on his face.

“Cough, cough… How about… we go take a look? Just a look…”