Very Well

Volume Two

Chapter 120: Very Well

Whitechapel District.

Ewan walked down a deserted street, observing the somewhat familiar new buildings lining the road. A sense of melancholy arose within him.

This place… it was where he and his Senior had their last date.

Neither the original owner of this body nor the current Ewan frequented the Lower City. Thus, Ewan hadn’t realized the connection until he stepped onto this street.

‘Senior said she used to live on this street…’

‘Would she hide in a place familiar to her?’

‘Was it intentional or unintentional?’

‘If unintentional…’

A flicker of unease stirred in Ewan’s heart.

Nevertheless, this thought only spurred Ewan to quicken his pace.

The newly renovated commercial buildings receded swiftly as he moved past the area he had explored during his last date with Senior, venturing into previously untrodden territory.

At the street’s end, the pristine architecture abruptly ceased. As if a fault line had appeared, dilapidated houses and a vast, empty lot suddenly stretched out before him, extending into the distance.

“Locada Academy…”

Ewan’s gaze swept over the tattered wooden sign hanging on the fence.

According to intelligence, this was once an academy established for impoverished children. However, to make way for a planned commercial street, it was abandoned despite numerous protests from the lower-class citizens.

Unfortunately, the construction of the commercial street stalled due to an inexplicable lack of funds later on, never reaching the academy’s land.

Consequently, the academy remained derelict. Along with the surrounding unfinished buildings, which had been newly constructed to complement the commercial street, this area had eerily become a desolate, uninhabited zone, even within the densely populated Lower City.

Ewan’s gaze swept across the academy’s deserted grounds and the gloomy, shadowed buildings not far off. He instinctively reached out to pry open the rusted padlock on the main gate.

“Damn it, it’s become a habit.”

‘To still think about picking a lock at a time like this, it feels like it’s becoming some strange occupational hazard.’

Ewan slapped his restless hand away, adjusted his top hat, and glanced around.

After confirming no one was present, he leaped gracefully over the fence, entering the academy grounds.

Beyond the overgrown grass lay a man-made grove, much like those found in most academies. Ewan pulled out Elizabeth, clearing a silent path through the thick brambles and bushes before him.

Behind the grove, the ominous buildings lurked in the profound darkness, like the shadows of demons.

The lock was open.

Ewan glanced at the building’s main door, his figure blurring into a faint afterimage as he slipped inside.

The silent corridor was filled with the scent of dust. Cobwebs wove intricate, messy nets in the ceiling corners, and plump rats, startled by his presence, scurried along the windowsill and vanished into the shadows.

It truly seemed as though no one had set foot here for a very long time.

Ewan gently touched Elizabeth, and an invisible electric arc spread along his body’s outline, masking all his aura.

He slowly walked along the corridor, peering into each classroom from the windows.

First floor.

Empty.

Second floor.

Empty.

Third floor.

Empty.

Until… the topmost, sixth floor.

Up here, the view improved significantly.

Few buildings in the entire Lower City exceeded six floors, and through these windows, one could see a large portion of the district.

Even the distant, bright lights of the Upper City reflected inward, making this floor appear considerably brighter.

Yet, it remained eerily quiet, like a haunted realm.

Ewan proceeded cautiously, still on high alert, searching each classroom along the walls.

One room. Two rooms. Three rooms.

Until the very last one.

Still no one.

Aside from the rats he had startled away, the entire building was as silent as if immersed in the vacuum of space.

“Is it really not that easy to find?”

Ewan’s eyes held a hint of disappointment as he looked at the last classroom.

This academy wasn’t large; if he couldn’t find anyone here, it would be even harder for someone to hide elsewhere.

‘Not here, or was the intel wrong?’

Regardless, he had to continue.

Ewan turned, preparing to retrace his steps.

But just then, Ewan felt a distinct chill. In his peripheral vision, a dark shadow flashed past.

Who!

Ewan spun around abruptly.

However, he did not see the expected figure.

Only the curtains in the empty classroom, stirred by the night breeze, swayed restlessly like ghostly apparitions.

‘The chill must have been from the night wind, then.’

He vigilantly swept his gaze over the classroom again, and after confirming there was no sign of any living creature, Ewan turned back, disappointed.

‘Am I too on edge?’

“Let’s go for now. I can’t waste too much time here; there are many other places to investigate.”

Ewan prepared to leave.

But as his gaze swept over the classroom one last time, a strange sense of familiarity washed over him, and a sudden thought flashed through his mind.

‘The curtains?’

He whipped his head around.

His eyes fell upon the classroom once more, this time not searching for anything specific.

The entire layout of the classroom came into view.

This classroom was considerably wider than the others. However, the back half of the room was piled high with various items, making it appear roughly the same size as a normal classroom at first glance.

The front half of this classroom, however, had been cleared of all clutter. A solitary desk stood by the window, its light blue curtains swaying gently in the breeze. Everything about it felt so familiar.

Although the details differed significantly, the layout of this classroom distinctly resembled… the Ancient Potion Society’s classroom.

Ewan’s heart pounded furiously. Disregarding who the rusty door might disturb, Ewan pushed it open and walked straight towards the solitary desk.

If his guess was correct, based on Senior’s past habits, this was the most likely place to find any lingering traces.

But as he drew closer, Ewan felt a wave of disappointment.

Upon touching the desk, he found it… cold.

It felt entirely devoid of any recent human presence.

‘Did I guess wrong? Is the layout of this classroom merely a coincidence?’

Ewan stared at the desk, thought for a moment, then suddenly clasped his hands together and muttered softly, “I’m not a pervert, I’m not a pervert, I’m just making sure!”

After issuing this disclaimer, which he hoped wouldn’t corrupt any young minds, Ewan slowly leaned down and pressed his cheek… against the desk.

Don’t misunderstand; he was truly just confirming.

Yet… his cheek still detected no warmth from the desk.

Ewan sniffed hard, but he didn’t detect any particular scent either.

It seemed this was just an ordinary desk placed here.

But Ewan still didn’t give up. He suddenly opened his eyes, a determined look on his face, and murmured earnestly, “How about… I try licking it?”

“…” Before his words fully left his lips.

In the silent classroom, a burst of killing intent suddenly erupted.

A terrifying chill instantly surged behind Ewan.

From the blind spot of shadow above the classroom door, a slender shadow, as if poised for a long time, suddenly shot out like a snake, striking towards Ewan’s back.

The air shrieked as it was torn apart.

Yet, Ewan, as if already on guard, suddenly moved sideways, narrowly dodging the sudden attack.

He was still grazed on the shoulder. Fortunately, his specially tailored suit was sturdy enough, but it still caused a burning sting.

Ewan’s gaze shifted slightly, landing on the slender shadow.

The faint light from outside the window illuminated the shadow’s true form—a whip.

A whip he had seen before.

But before the joy in his eyes could fully emerge, the whip, extended to its maximum, suddenly… recoiled!

Its sharp tip, imbued with the shadow of death, shot forward.

The whip seemed to possess a will of its own, constantly adjusting its trajectory, aiming for Ewan’s face.

Ewan retreated!

He retreated again and again.

But eventually, there was nowhere left to retreat!

In his bewilderment, Ewan curled his five fingers into claws, like a beast’s sharp talons.

The long-unseen basic version of Thunderclap!

A shockwave surged.

The auto-aiming tip of the whip was deflected.

Ewan seized this opportunity, rapidly using Shadow Steps to create distance.

But before he could even steady himself.

Ewan heard a hurried, melodious chant.

A large number of arcane words were forcefully compressed into a single short sentence. It sounded slightly comical, like a recording played at ten times the speed.

Yet, behind this comical sound lay the implication of a powerful magic being rapidly unleashed.

Indeed.

Amidst the constant buzzing of death warnings in his mind, Ewan heard a cold, melodious whisper.

“Explode!”

At that instant, the air was suddenly compressed.

Then, the figure hidden in the dark robe in the corner rapidly approached. From her fingertips, an infinite amount of light and heat erupted!

In this world, there was probably only one person who would unleash an explosion magic directly at someone’s forehead. But Ewan had no time for such reflections, for only when facing it himself could he truly grasp the terrifying pressure that the formidable High Priest had once endured.

Without hesitation.

Magical energy surged in, activating the alchemical core.

A burning sensation emanated from his back.

Tenfold, Time Slow!

It was as if a video had suddenly been put into slow motion; everything in his vision became leisurely.

Ewan could see the figure, whose graceful curves were hard to conceal even beneath the black robe. He could see the familiar, yet cold, half of a beautiful face beneath her hood.

The moment he saw that delicate face, countless thoughts collided in Ewan’s mind, and he finally understood the problem.

But for now, there was no time to dwell on it, because if he merely shifted his gaze, Ewan could see the slender, jade-like finger that was about to deliver a head-shattering gift package to him.

He quickly dodged.

However, as he twisted and turned, the difference in their cultivation realms and physical prowess became apparent. Even with time slowed tenfold, that finger moved abnormally fast from Ewan’s perspective.

Fortunately, he still dodged it.

The boundless light and heat bursting from the slender fingertip grazed Ewan’s scalp. After incinerating his habitually adjusted top hat, it instantly engulfed the piled-up debris at the back of the classroom in a sea of flames.

The flow of time returned to normal.

“Oh?” The figure let out a strange, soft sound, seemingly confused as to why her infallible strike had missed.

But it didn’t matter.

Because a second explosion magic was already brewing.

Her fingertip moved swiftly downwards, aiming at Ewan.

Amidst a super-fast chant, the iconic light and heat of explosion magic condensed once more.

“Shit.”

Ewan was instantly drenched in cold sweat.

Ignoring everything else, he quickly raised his hands, performing a standard military salute from a certain country in his previous life.

“Senior, it’s me!”

The figure paused.

Ewan’s eyes lit up with joy, and he quickly reached out to tear off the human skin mask covering his face.

Damn it, a mask that was too realistic also had its flaws.

The cicada-wing thinness and lifelike feel of the mask almost made him forget that he was wearing someone else’s face.

It would be too unjust if he were mistaken for some pervert by Senior because of his disguise and beaten to death.

Fortunately, he realized it in time.

“Senior, it’s me, Ewan.”

A faint glow emanated from Ewan’s palm, illuminating the surroundings and allowing the figure to clearly see his face.

Ewan let out a long breath: “Senior, please stop, we—”

Before his words were finished.

Ewan’s pupils constricted abruptly.

Because in his ears, the hurried chanting resonated once more!

Unlike the explosion magic from earlier, this chant was more melodious, like a symphony played out of tune!

The air began to flow, then formed wind, a gale! And then… a hurricane!

A massive current of air surged into the cramped classroom, transforming into a howling hurricane. The burning debris was instantly extinguished. And while Ewan was still momentarily stunned, the hurricane suddenly contracted again, like an invisible sledgehammer, striking Ewan’s chest.

Ewan was violently pressed against the wall, the condensed wind seemingly transforming into an overwhelming deep sea. A terrifying pressure enveloped his entire body, rendering him immobile.

He could only struggle to open his eyes and look at the figure.

“Senior… why?”

The figure slowly approached.

In the howling gale, the figure’s wide hood was blown back, finally revealing her true appearance.

That beautiful face was still as captivating, as exquisite as ever.

However, it no longer held any allure or tenderness; only an icy, stony indifference remained.

And those eyes, once so mesmerizing, had now transformed into cold… snake eyes!

Anna slowly approached Ewan, extending a hand to touch his chest.

At that moment, Ewan heard her slightly heavy breathing and the hint of desire in Anna’s cold, serpentine eyes.

It wasn’t lust, but… hunger.

Hunger, like a long-thirsty traveler seeing a grand feast.

“You…”

Anna stared intently at Ewan, finally speaking, her voice slightly hoarse.

“Your heart, it seems… very delicious…”

Ewan’s breath hitched abruptly.

His heart felt as if an invisible hand had squeezed it tight, throbbing with pain.

In his mind, he suddenly recalled the Siren’s words.

[Perhaps, letting you see her current state would be better, wouldn’t it?]

‘So, that’s how it is?’

Ewan’s fists clenched involuntarily. He finally understood why the Siren had let Senior leave voluntarily.

Because from beginning to end, Senior had never been out of her control.

‘Has the Serpent Transformation progressed to this stage?’

But he had no time for heartache. Ewan saw Anna grip the whip again, its sharp tip coiling in the air like a slithering snake, striking towards him.

A chilling sensation emerged.

But Ewan was suppressed by the wind pressure, with nowhere to hide.

At this moment, the only way out was…

Ewan twisted his wrist, pressing his palm against the wall, and then… Thunderclap!

A shockwave surged, instantly cracking several fissures in the wall.

At this moment, like a water-filled glass developing cracks, the wind pressure that had filled the entire classroom suddenly expanded.

The wall could not withstand the fierce wind pressure and instantly shattered. Without the constraint of the wall, the air currents, continuously compressed under the control of magic, finally found an outlet.

The hurricane burst forth from the shattered wall, sweeping countless rubble and Ewan himself directly hundreds of meters into the sky.

As he fell, Ewan saw Senior Anna standing at the broken opening of the classroom.

By the stubborn, unextinguished sparks of fire on the scattered debris, Ewan caught a glimpse of a faint, familiar shimmer on her chest, which even her wide black robe could not conceal.

‘That was…’

Before he could confirm, Anna swung the whip in her hand again.

The whip, still imbued with the not-yet-dissipated wind pressure, shot towards Ewan as he fell, making escape impossible.

In a hurry, Ewan pulled out Elizabeth, crossing the pure white daggers in front of his chest to block.

Clang—

Metal met metal, sparks flying.

A tremendous force surged through him, numbing Ewan’s hands.

But suspended in mid-air, Ewan had no footing, and as he plummeted with even more terrifying wind pressure, he was instantly sent flying backward like a fly swatted by a fly swatter, becoming a blur in the air.

He landed in the academy’s empty lot, but the terrifying force hadn’t fully dissipated, pushing him along the ground, carving half-meter-deep grooves. He didn’t stop until he broke through the academy’s perimeter fence and came to a halt on the deserted street.

Anna stood at the opening of the classroom, her icy gaze fixed downwards.

Dust billowed, almost engulfing half the street, obscuring Ewan’s figure.

His current state was unclear.

In a residential building across the street, someone seemed to have been startled awake by the commotion, and a light flickered on.

Anna stopped.

“Too far.”

She said,

“What a pity.”

Then she turned back.

But her foot had barely landed, and she hadn’t even had time to hear her own footsteps.

At that moment, a howling wind began to sound.

But her magic had ended; where was the wind coming from?

Anna whirled around. In the deep night, a man, his clothes torn and covered in dirt, looking somewhat disheveled, suddenly leaped up like a leopard.

In his hands were pure white twin blades, and as the blades spun, a sharp gleam of light slashed down!

Anna instinctively raised her whip to block.

However, under the formidable power the man now displayed, and beneath the unstoppable sharpness of the weapon in his hands, Anna’s whip appeared so frail and vulnerable.

But the anticipated snap did not come.

Because Ewan had struck with the flat of the blade.

In Anna’s astonished gaze, Ewan roared, “Elizabeth!”

Then he immediately released his hands.

Buzz—

Elizabeth vibrated, as if coming alive, its blade automatically spinning, snatching the whip from Anna’s hand, then nimbly rolling far away.

The whip’s tip tried to rise, but Elizabeth slammed it down, knocking it out cold, and dragged it into a pitch-black corner.

Without obstruction, Ewan successfully lunged forward, gripping Anna’s wrist and… pinning her beneath him.

Lowering his head, Ewan gazed at the familiar yet much colder girl. He finally managed to smile and utter the words he had longed to say: “Senior, long time no see. I finally caught you… Eh, eh, eh?”

Before he could finish, Ewan suddenly felt a tremendous force emanating from his hand.

Before he could even react, he felt the world spin.

Offense and defense instantly swapped.

Ewan was pinned beneath her.

And Senior Anna was on top.

Ewan’s cheek twitched, somewhat disbelieving.

‘What’s going on? Haven’t I reinforced my physical body? Why am I still pinned down by a woman? This is unscientific!’

But there was no time to discuss the scientific or unscientific nature of it.

Anna lowered her eyes, her cold snake pupils fixed on Ewan.

“I want to… eat your heart.”

Her voice was soft, yet it carried an absolute ruthlessness.

It was as if the person beneath her was not her junior, but a long-desired delicacy.

A sudden chill arose.

However, looking at the girl pressing down on him, cold as a monster, Ewan smiled, a smile so warm and radiant.

“Very well.”

He said,

“If it’s Senior, you can.”