Chapter 65: Masks (II)

The ball was held on a weekend evening, just as the headmaster had promised to the sixth-grade student Casper Rollins. It was a ball organized by the students themselves, so naturally, it was more lively than previous balls. Not only the students of Riox Academy but also those from theMier Academy who stayed there were very interested in the ball. After all, in Salonia, such masked balls were rare, occurring only once every few years.

By the afternoon of the third day, the venue for the masked ball—the hall on the first floor of Riox Castle—was almost ready thanks to the efforts of the senior students. Some of them even learned from Jiang Zhe and Allen before, purchasing a batch of special and unique masks from Van Gogh’s commercial street—masks in the shape of clowns, vampires, and so on.

The food and drinks for the ball were handled by Riox Academy’s dining hall, also on a buffet basis.

Although this ball could obviously not compare to the balls held by the Saxon nobles, the senior students strived to make it perfect. After all, this might be their last ball at Riox Academy. Next year, they would graduate. It would be best if they could become royal magicians and stay in Saxon. If not, they still wanted to create more precious memories.

While many Riox Academy students hoped this would be a ball just for them, they did not exclude students from theMier Academy. As long as one had a mask, anyone could attend the ball.

In contrast, the rules regarding formal attire were much looser. After all, a high-quality dress was not as inexpensive as a mask. Even the senior civilian students, who received scholarships or awards as outstanding students, were reluctant to spend gold coins on a dress. Among the noble students, it was quite common for each to have a set of high-quality dresses.

The allure of the ball seemed immense, as could be seen from the distracted expressions of some students during magic classes. After all, the empire was accustomed to making friends at balls…

Hehe, making friends! After all, Riox Academy was not Salonia, and it was relatively lenient regarding students’ personal lives. For students aged sixteen or seventeen to around twenty, the academy neither opposed nor encouraged them from dating.

However, in Riox’s history, it was not uncommon for students to become husband and wife after graduation. Of course, this applied only to ordinary civilian students. As for noble students, especially those from prominent families, they were still bound by political marriages that they despised and cursed. After all, this was an empire ruled by the monarchy and nobility—a necessity of that era, unavoidable.

Of course, there were many other unavoidable things, just like how Jiang Zhe felt sleepy as soon as he saw the dense notes in the Fire Blue Magic class…

“Tap, tap, tap!” The moment Jiang Zhe rested his head on the desk, he heard the sound of fingers tapping on the table from his seat next to him—within no more than two seconds.

“…” Sighing helplessly, Jiang Zhe forced himself to stay awake, glanced at the blackboard covered in tiny handwriting, and took notes using shorthand magic.

The class had been temporarily changed to self-study because Professor Hodde seemed to have some matters to attend to and would not return until evening. But before leaving, Professor Hodde had written down key points on the blackboard.

Ever since Lavia acquired the ability to sense, it became impossible for Jiang Zhe to slack off or get distracted in class, even if she seemed to be taking notes seriously.

That said, Jiang Zhe felt that Lavia had been a bit strange these past two days…

“Um… Avi?”

Seemingly hearing the voice from next to her, Lavia paused her note-taking and glanced at the blackboard before saying indifferently, “What is it?”

“Nothing,” Jiang Zhe shook his head instinctively, then glanced at Lavia from the side and hesitantly asked, “Have… have you been in a bad mood these past two days?”

Suddenly, Lavia stopped what she was doing, turned to glance at Jiang Zhe, and said lightly, “Is that so?”

“Yes, I think you…”

“Just because Professor Hodde is away doesn’t mean the class is over. Please don’t talk to me about irrelevant things in class!” Interrupting Jiang Zhe, Lavia frowned and said in a low voice, “Also, I’ve always been in a good mood!”

“…” Staring at Lavia in astonishment, Jiang Zhe was utterly confused. What did she mean by “please don’t talk to me about irrelevant things in class”?

After all, as their relationship had grown closer, it wasn’t uncommon for them to talk about other interesting things in class. So why today…

After some thought, Jiang Zhe could only attribute it to Lavia being in a bad mood. Muttering something about unreasonable behavior, he yawned and casually took notes. Thus, one corner of the classroom fell completely silent…
Actually, this kind of cold war between Jiang Zhe and Lavia was all too common—happening almost every few days. Even Allen and Lisa had grown used to it.
It wasn’t surprising, really. Lavia, who came from Altak, had a strong personality by nature. Whether in actions or words, she often carried a hint of arrogance. As for Jiang Zhe, though he seemed quite easygoing in front of friends, he wasn’t the type to flatter or yield easily. If the two really got into a fight, I think even Lisa and Allen’s persuasion wouldn’t help.
And Lavia herself was well aware of this. As time passed and she got to know him better, she realized just how proud the boy sitting next to her really was…
This pride wasn’t the usual kind of pride—it could be seen as resilience, as self-respect. He could choose to ignore insults or mockery from others because they hadn’t touched his bottom line. Yes, his bottom line.
But if someone crossed that line, what awaited them was likely his anger…
Lavia had seen that angry look a few times over the past year and a half, mostly when she asked him to do something, remind him of something, or repeatedly urge him to pay attention. Looking back now, it was simply because he was unhappy with her excessive interference and restrictions.
But then again, about not interfering…
Gradually, Lavia stopped what she was doing and secretly glanced at Jiang Zhe beside her. Seeing him staring out the window with his head lowered, she instinctively wanted to remind him, but in the end, she only opened her mouth without saying anything.
Idiot!
Muttering silently in her heart, Lavia felt a bit aggrieved.
Though they called each other rivals, in reality, even Lavia accepted their friendship. But she clearly felt that this friendship was very distant—this distance had nothing to do with strength or other factors.
Even though they sat at the same desk and took the same classes, Lavia never understood the thoughts of the boy beside her.
Yes, he never shared his true thoughts or secrets. Besides his arrogance and laziness, this was another reason Lavia disliked his personality…

“Well, to be precise, it’s not really dislike—it’s more like dissatisfaction, yes, dissatisfaction, complaints…”
Or maybe it’s out of self-interest…
“I’m sorry, Thos…”
“Hm?” Jiang Zhe, who was staring at the clouds in the sky, suddenly heard a faint voice beside him. He instinctively turned his head and saw Ravia looking at him with a puzzled expression.
Seeming to notice the confusion in Jiang Zhe’s eyes, Ravia let out a soft sigh, lowered her head, bit her lip, and said in a quiet voice, “I’m talking about what happened just now…”
Looking at Ravia in confusion, Jiang Zhe shook his head and shrugged, saying, “There’s no need to apologize. I don’t take it to heart!”
From a normal perspective, Jiang Zhe’s words were perfectly fine, but to Ravia’s ears at that moment, they sounded so harsh…
“Why… why don’t you take it to heart?”
“Huh?” Seeing Ravia say this with such seriousness, Jiang Zhe was momentarily stunned.
Staring deeply at Jiang Zhe, Ravia said softly, “Not taking it to heart… means it doesn’t matter, right? Because you really don’t care—no matter what I say, you don’t care, right?”
Staring at Ravia in bewilderment, seeing the inexplicable agitation hidden behind her seemingly calm eyes, Jiang Zhe said awkwardly, “Avi? What’s wrong with you today? I just…”
“I hate you, Thos!” Interrupting Jiang Zhe, Ravia pressed her lips tightly together and said in a low voice, “I hate your arrogance, your conceit, your indifference—don’t interrupt me, and don’t explain anything. I can feel this indifference—do you remember that book Adam Clifford wrote, ‘Indifference Comes from the Soul’? That’s exactly like you!”
“I…” Jiang Zhe was at a loss, raising his hands in surrender and saying helplessly, “I give up! I really don’t know what’s wrong with you today—Okay, regarding what happened just now, I do care, and I’m very angry. Is that okay?”
“You’re always like this…” To Jiang Zhe’s surprise, Ravia said this in a disappointed tone. Then she raised her head again and said in a low, sharp voice, “So what do you care about?”
“It’s just what happened just now…” As he spoke, Jiang Zhe suddenly saw the disappointment in Ravia’s eyes. Stunned, as if realizing something, he changed his words and said seriously, “I do care… about your usual encouragement!”

“Oh?” Surprisingly, Ravia, who had been very disappointed, suddenly perked up upon hearing this. She asked in a low voice, “Is it because I interfere too much?”
“Well…” Caught off guard by Ravia’s words, Jiang Zhe felt a bit embarrassed. Shrugging self-mockingly, he said, “I guess you already know—my personality is just…”
“I know,” Ravia interrupted him, speaking with a hint of sarcasm. “Arrogant, proud, lazy. You want to learn powerful magic but avoid it because you find basic knowledge boring. You have no ideals or ambitions, living in your own little world, uninterested in anything outside, let alone preparing for the future. Just getting by day by day, right? Classmate Sos?”
“Hey, don’t be so harsh on me,” Jiang Zhe said, truly at a loss as to what to do.
Seeing the boy’s embarrassed expression, Ravia felt both annoyed and amused. She covered her forehead with her hand before speaking seriously, “Sos, I don’t care what you plan to do or how you see me. Having defeated me twice, my pride won’t allow you to lose to someone else! So as long as I’m here, I’ll keep pushing you! Of course, you can choose to refuse—like… ending our friendship…” As she said the last sentence, her speech speed suddenly increased, and her eyes flickered, seemingly nervous.
“End…?” Staring at Ravia in shock, Jiang Zhe asked in confusion, “Avi, what’s wrong with you today?”
“Nothing. I just want to ask you—will you do it?”
Staring at Ravia for a long time, Jiang Zhe scratched his head with a wry smile and sighed, “I think I understand what’s going on… Alright, alright. I promise that from now on, when you push me to learn magic, I definitely won’t show the slightest sign of impatience… Well, I’ll try my best!”
Hah, you don’t understand, Sos…
Sighing inwardly, Ravia nodded and said slowly, “I’ve taken note of your promise… You just need to keep our agreement. As for me… I won’t impose my thoughts on you regarding other matters anymore…”
“Okay, okay, I remember,” Jiang Zhe said. Then he paused, raising his head in confusion. “Other matters?”
Sighing lightly, Ravia seemed relaxed as she said, “You don’t need to worry. I just said it casually…”
“Oh…”
Watching the boy nod half-understandingly beside her, Ravia forced herself to focus on the notes on the table, but…

Friend, even if it’s a friend, it’s only a friendship built on being fierce rivals…
After returning to her dormitory, Ravia kept repeating these words to herself, yet she still felt a sense of suffocation in her chest.
“Avi, the ball is about to start, hehe!” Lisa, dressed in her pink lace gown, bounced out of the bedroom and tilted her head at Ravia. “Hey, why are you still sitting here reading? Put on your gown—getting dressed takes a long time. Hurry up, there’s not much time left!”
“No need,” Ravia said indifferently from the sofa, flipping through a page of documents before taking a sip of black tea. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to go.”
“Huh?!” Lisa was shocked and asked urgently, “Avi, what’s wrong? Everything’s ready—why not go?”
Ravia looked up at Lisa with a hint of apology. “I’m tired, Lisa. I want to rest…”
“But what about Thos? Didn’t he accept the mask you gave him? Besides, this ball has no professors interfering—it’s very special…”
“I’m sorry, Lisa!”
“What’s wrong?” Hearing the conversation from the living room, Lelirala came out carrying a black-and-red gown, smiling at Ravia. “Hurry up and get changed. I can’t wait to see Thos’s expression when he sees you!”
Biting her lip, Ravia shook her head apologetically. “I’m sorry, Lisa, Lelirala. I’ve made up my mind. I’m not going…”
“What about Thos then?”
“Him?” Recalling what she had seen, Ravia flipped another page of her documents and said nonchalantly, “I didn’t give him that mask. How would he know about this ball? Even if he did, he’d probably choose to sleep in his dorm—don’t you know how lazy he is?”
“What? You didn’t give him the mask?” Lisa exclaimed in shock after exchanging a glance with Lelirala.
Gently biting her lip, Ravia said calmly, “What did I say? That I gave him the mask?”
“This…” Lisa tried hard to remember before murmuring in astonishment, “I asked you that day if you’d given the mask to Thos, and you said ‘Mm’…”
“Does ‘Mm’ mean I gave him the mask?”

“But…” Lisa asked, looking at Ravia in surprise, “What about the mask? I haven’t seen it these past couple of days…”
“It fell off,” Ravia said nonchalantly, flipping through a page of documents. “Maybe it fell somewhere while I was looking for that guy that day?”
“Where did it fall? I’ll help you find it!”
“I forgot—of course, it was so dark; how could I know where it fell? Never mind!”
“How can you just give up?!”
Glancing at the upset Lisa, Lelira placed the dress in her hands on the table, gently patted her shoulder, then turned to Ravia and said, “Avi, what happened?”
Ravia paused mid-turn of the page, shook her head, and said softly, “Nothing—nothing at all!”
The ball finally started, and in the end, only the angry Lisa and Lelira attended the masquerade ball.
Lelira originally didn’t want to go because her ideal dance partner wasn’t there; she went only to accompany Lisa, who was very angry…
“That’s too much! Avi is too far gone!” Lisa kept complaining angrily on the way to the ball venue.
To be honest, as Ravia’s best friends, Lisa and Lelira had been helping Ravia prepare for the masquerade ball these past few days—everything from masks to dresses—they had put a lot of effort into it. But with such an outcome in the end, it wasn’t surprising that Lisa was so angry.
“Alright,” Lelira said softly, patting Lisa’s back while wearing a succubus mask, “Stop being angry, Lisa. Maybe Avi is facing some difficulties…” But before she could finish speaking, Lisa interrupted her.
“I’ve made up my mind,” Lisa said seriously, wearing a pink butterfly-shaped mask and looking at Lelira, “I’ll never talk to Avi again!”
“Giggle…” Lelira shook her head with a wry smile at such childish words. Suddenly, she patted Lisa’s back and teased softly, “Stop being angry. Your knight has come to pick you up!”
Lisa immediately raised her head and glanced into the distance. The anger on her face was instantly replaced by joy.
There, Allen stood in full golden knight armor, walking step by step toward Lisa. He then knelt down, gently picked up her hand, kissed it softly on the back, and said with a smile, “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long—otherwise, I’d feel very guilty!”

“Giggle!” Lisa giggled. Lailira beside her glanced at Allen’s knight’s armor and said with a smile, “Allen, where’s your mask?”
Allen stood up, tapped on the helmet on his head, and said cheerfully, “I’ve been looking for a suitable mask for a long time—can I use this instead?”
“Giggle, of course!”
“By the way, Allen,” as if suddenly remembering something, Lisa looked around and said, “Where’s Thos? Is he really still sleeping in the dormitory?”
“Well,” Allen’s expression turned quite strange. He scratched his head and said to Lisa and Lailira, “I was just about to ask… what’s going on here?”
Looking at Allen in confusion, Lisa asked, “What do you mean, what’s going on?”
“Hmm,” Allen thought for a moment, then turned to look toward the entrance of the hall on the first floor and waved, “Come! I can’t explain it now. You’ll understand when you see it!”
Full of confusion, Lisa and Lailira exchanged a glance and followed Allen toward the ballroom.
It had to be said that quite a number of schools were attending this masquerade ball. Even before it started, the hall on the first floor was already crowded with people. Some were standing in the small garden on the balcony, gazing at the stars in the sky, while others were chatting together. Roughly counting, there must have been well over a few hundred people.
“Sorry, excuse me!” Wearing striking knight’s armor, Allen used his strong body to clear a path and led Lisa and Lailira to a corner of the ballroom.
“Phew,” Lisa let out a soft sigh and looked at the people in the ballroom with interest, saying excitedly, “There are so many people!” Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she said dejectedly, “It’s a shame Avi didn’t come… Hmph! I won’t talk to her anymore!”
Lailira, obviously much more mature than Lisa, understood that since Allen had brought them here, there must be a special reason. After glancing around in confusion, she asked softly, “Allen, what’s happened?”
“I can’t explain it,” Allen said. He lifted the iron mesh mask on his helmet, took two glasses of juice from a nearby table and handed one to Lisa and one to Lailira, then grabbed a glass of fruit wine for himself. Leaning against the wall, he looked toward the entrance of the hall and said softly, “You’ll understand when you see it. Just wait a few minutes. It’s about to start!” With that, he tilted his head back and drank the fruit wine in his glass, put it back in place, and then stood there with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall.

Lisa and Lelira didn’t understand what Allen meant. They just did as he said, staying quietly in a corner and waiting for the dance to begin. As the dance time approached, more and more students gathered in the hall. Suddenly, Lisa seemed to see something; her eyes lit up. She clearly saw a student wearing that familiar clown mask passing by at the entrance of the hall. Putting down the glass in her hand on the table beside her, Lisa stepped forward and murmured, “Lelira, Allen, that mask… is it Thos?”
“Thos?” Following Lisa’s line of sight, Lelira searched for the mask she was referring to and murmured, “Didn’t Avi say that mask got lost by accident? How…?” A smile appeared on her face as she spotted the student wearing the clown mask. The student had striking dark golden hair, a half-silver half-black clown mask, and was dressed in a magic robe from the Riox Academy. With these three features, Lelira was sure it must be…
Just then, Lisa’s exclamation interrupted Lelira’s speculation.
“Wait, who’s that?! The one holding his arm?!”
Lelira instinctively glanced in that direction and saw a girl in a sea-blue dress wearing a light blue star-shaped mask standing next to the student. The two seemed to be talking.
“This…” Not believing her own eyes, Lisa turned to Lelira and murmured uncertainly, “That mask was chosen by Avi herself. I was right there watching; I can’t be wrong…”
Glancing doubtfully at the two people in the distance, Lelira frowned and said, “It’s impossible that someone else chose the same type of mask, right?”
“No way,” Lisa murmured to herself, then turned to look at the two in the distance. “Wait a moment, I’ll go take a look!” But before she could take a step, a hand gently pulled her back.
“No need to go, Lisa,” Allen said, gently holding her arm and glancing at the distance. “The mask might be mistaken, but that hair… that dark golden hair is unique to that guy from Riox! How could it be mistaken?”
“This…” Turning to look at Allen in surprise, Lelira frowned and asked, “Allen, what exactly is going on?”

“I don’t know,” Allen said, spreading his hands with an innocent expression. “I reminded him according to the plan, but that guy told me he found the mask…”
“How could such a thing happen!” Lisa interrupted angrily.
“It’s not my fault,” Allen said, shrugging awkwardly as he glanced at Lisa. “I said everything that needed to be said. By the way, did Ravia actually hand the mask to Thors in person?”
Exchanging a look with Lisa, Lelira carefully recalled Ravia’s strange behavior over the past two days and guessed somewhat what had happened.
Something must have gone wrong that evening… Something must have happened along the way, which is why Avi didn’t hand the mask to Thors in person. That’s why it’s someone else, not Avi, who’s with Thors now…
It’s a shame. Although Avi didn’t say anything, she was looking forward to this ball very much…
Good heavens, how could such a thing happen?!
Avi…