Chapter 85
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Volume 3 + Chapter 85: Setting
Hill had suddenly felt like buying a cup of milk tea in the afternoon.
The shop’s employee enthusiastically recommended their newest product—taro boba milk tea—so Hill bought a cup.
Just as she was about to take it back and enjoy it, she noticed panicked crowds fleeing and sensed a dangerous surge of magic. Realizing something was wrong, she hurried over and witnessed the scene.
Biden, for some inexplicable reason, seemed intent on killing Xia Yi.
Without hesitation, Hill intervened, stopping his madness and thoroughly reprimanding the disgraceful old man.
After helping Xia Yi out, she casually handed her the taro boba milk tea and remarked that Xia Yi seemed a little different today.
To her surprise, the response she got was unexpected.
“Because… I’m not Xia Yi.”
The black-haired loli holding the milk tea looked up at Hill.
“Huh? You’re not?”
Hill examined her closely—her voice, her appearance—everything matched Xia Yi perfectly.
Was she a twin?
But the girl in front of her was wearing Laurel Academy’s uniform…
She couldn’t make sense of it.
“I’m not what you imagine. I am Xia Yi’s inner demon.”
“Inner demon? What does that mean?”
“It means I’m the complete opposite of Xia Yi. Don’t mistake me for her, got it?!”
“Hmm…?”
Hill tilted her head, still not quite understanding this strange declaration.
But this way of speaking reminded her of someone—Yue Liu, one of her sword arts students.
That pink-haired, pink-eyed girl always spouted cryptic phrases, as if living in her own world with an entirely different set of rules. She seemed to fully embrace this roleplay, even enjoying it immensely.
This behavior was identical to what Xia Yi was doing now.
Wasn’t this… “Chuunibyou”?
Ah, so that’s it.
Hill finally understood.
Xia Yi was having a Chuunibyou episode. No wonder she and Yue Liu had been lovers before—they must have shared this common language, this mutual attraction between fellow Chuunibyou sufferers that made them get along so well.
“Insect, though your actions displease me, I must still express gratitude. Not for your unnecessary interference, but solely for the taro boba milk tea!”
Inner Demon Xia Yi bowed politely to Hill.
“When I finally seize this body and kill you, I shall grant you the privilege of choosing your method of death. Farewell.”
“Is this also part of your ‘setting’?”
“Setting? If you wish to interpret it that way, I won’t stop you. Regardless, farewell.”
With that, Inner Demon Xia Yi left.
Hill watched her retreating figure and smiled. “Next time I have the chance, I’ll treat Xia Yi to another cup.”
—
…
“Huh?”
Xia Yi opened her eyes to complete darkness.
She rubbed her eyes, adjusting until her vision cleared.
Night had fallen, and Laurel City’s scattered lights indicated it was already late.
She pinched her cheek—the sensation confirmed she was back in control of her body.
Meaning…
The inner demon had returned control to her?
“What did the inner demon even do?”
She found herself sitting on a park bench, the area deserted at this hour.
Standing up, she walked to a nearby fountain.
Under the moonlight, her reflection shimmered in the water—a black-haired, black-eyed loli, indistinguishable from a human.
“All my features are intact… arms, legs, human form…”
Xia Yi was surprised.
Had the inner demon really not caused any trouble while in control?
Did she really just go out for milk tea?
“Hey?”
“Helloooo?”
“Inner Demon, you there?”
She stared at her reflection, trying to summon the inner demon’s presence.
But unlike before at the shop window, her movements matched perfectly—no response.
The inner demon wasn’t talking to her.
“Inner Demon… did you actually just drink milk tea?”
“Give me some kind of reaction.”
“…Ignoring me completely?” Xia Yi sighed.
Well, at least nothing bad happened.
She checked her wallet—some money was missing.
She had only eaten snacks earlier in the afternoon, yet she didn’t feel hungry now, meaning the inner demon must have bought more food afterward.
This inner demon, who constantly screamed about killing everyone, had actually paid for food like a normal person instead of slaughtering the shopkeeper and stealing it.
The thought amused her.
“It’s late. Time to go back.”
She left the park and returned to Laurel Academy.
The academy had no curfew, but students entering late had to show their ID and register.
Since she had gone out to buy alchemy materials, it wasn’t suspicious—she simply showed her student ID to the night guards.
But as she finished registering, she overheard an interesting conversation.
“What did she even do to piss off Instructor Biden so much?”
“No idea. But honestly, it might not be her fault. Biden’s getting old—maybe he’s going senile?”
“Could be. Sometimes he just freezes up and doesn’t speak for ages. Last time he came back late, he did that right in front of me—scared the hell out of me!”
The guards’ chatter shifted from Xia Yi to Biden.
She was confused.
“What did I do to make Biden so mad? I just skipped one class… Unless… Did the inner demon do something?”
She had no idea what happened.
“Whatever. I’ll figure it out tomorrow. Right now, I just wanna sleep.”
Yawning, she headed straight for her dorm.
—
…
The dorm lights had been off for hours, but Yue Liu noticed Xia Yi still hadn’t returned.
“My fated rival… where have you gone? Did you decide to stay out all night?”
Lying in bed, she pondered.
At this hour, she probably wasn’t coming back.
“In that case… It’s time. I can’t hold back any longer.”
Yue Liu got out of bed and slowly began removing her uniform—first the top, then the skirt, the black stockings…
What she was about to do next was something she absolutely couldn’t let her most hated rival find out about.
