Chapter 27: I am more interested in you than Flo.
The newcomer was none other than Ifrora, fresh from a grueling battle.
To leave her in such a disheveled state, her opponent must’ve been formidable.
But judging by her presence, the victor was obvious.
Aphrosia wasn’t sure how to face Ifrora.
In a sense, this was their first meeting—Aphrosia and Ifrora.
The pink-haired girl knew Flo inside and out, and Aphrosia feared Ifrora might pick up on some telltale clue through her words or actions.
If that happened, poor little Aphrosia would be in trouble~
For the sake of her dignity, Aphrosia was ready to give it her all!
She straightened up, calm on the surface, but her heart was a stormy sea.
She was freaking out!
“Have you seen a pointy-eared boy?”
Ifrora’s soft lips parted, her voice melodious yet tightening everyone’s hearts.
They knew she meant Flo, but Flo… had been killed by the Confessor.
They didn’t know how to break the news.
The headmistress’s face was etched with pain.
Aphrosia turned her head away, avoiding Ifrora’s gaze, terrified of giving herself away.
Also, she was standing right here—where was she supposed to find Flo?!
Wait, didn’t she just use a strawman decoy against the Confessor? Why not now?
Simple: Aphrosia didn’t dare.
The Confessor was an idiot; Pink Chick wasn’t.
The strawman was easily seen through.
The Confessor hadn’t bothered checking his target, just went all out, cautious only about ensuring death.
His barrage would’ve killed any carbon-based lifeform, but too bad—the strawman wasn’t alive.
Seeing no one speak, Ifrora scanned the room, finding no trace of Flo.
She’d seen him enter this dilapidated house, but now he was gone—strange.
“If you’re looking for someone named Flo, he’s already left~”
Aphrosia braced herself, forcing the words out.
Ifrora raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
“And you are…?”
“Aphrosia, disciple of the Starlight Witch.”
Aphrosia lied with a straight face.
Sorry, Mom, borrowing your name!
Yes, the Starlight Witch was her other mother, the elven genius mage.
Her magic theory came from her mom’s notes, so claiming to be her student wasn’t exactly wrong.
Besides, the world only knew the Starlight Witch had retired, not that she’d married the renowned Church Saintess and had a child.
The world knew the Saintess wed an elven girl, but her identity and origins?
Even Ifrora was clueless.
Thinking of the Silver Moon Guild incident, Aphrosia’s heart twinged, and she made a traitorous decision.
“Also, Flo’s lover~”
Aphrosia said it without blushing, oblivious to the consequences she couldn’t handle… but that’s a story for later.
Ifrora’s calm face shifted dramatically, flushing red—not from shyness, but fury!
Her reaction was odd, her eyes swirling with complex emotions, almost tangible, fixed on Aphrosia.
The headmistress’s shocked expression didn’t let up!
“But I’ve never seen you before, Miss Blonde~”
Aphrosia felt like that nickname sounded a bit like calling a dog…
“Why should you see me with my darling?
Speaking of, what’s your deal with my Flo?
Not… a sneaky cat, are you, Miss Pink Chicken?”
Polite?
Hah, Aphrosia was never polite to Pink Chick—only full of hostility.
“Sneaky cat? Yes and no~”
Aphrosia sensed something off.
Yes and no?
Damn!
She suddenly realized—her worst fear had come true!
As they spoke, Ifrora sauntered closer with a catlike grace, her delicate finger lifting Aphrosia’s chin, a knowing smile on her lips.
“Compared to Flo, I’m more interested in you, lovely Miss Aphrosia~”
Aphrosia stepped back in panic, her eyes wide with alarm.
Ifrora’s meaningful gaze seemed to pierce through all her disguises and thoughts.
Just as Aphrosia faltered, Ifrora suddenly pulled back, covering her face with a light laugh, the sound echoing eerily in the ruined room.
“Look how scared you are—I’m not gonna eat you.”
Ifrora giggled, a sly glint flickering in her eyes.
Aphrosia forced a calm front, scoffing, “Hey, stop being so flirty and weird!”
Her words were tough, but her hands unconsciously clutched her skirt, betraying her nerves.
The headmistress, silent until now, finally snapped out of it, coughing to ease the tension.
“Miss Phoenix and kind Miss Aphrosia, it’s an honor to receive your help.
On behalf of the children, I thank you.”
Ifrora seemed to ignore her, eyes still locked on Aphrosia, drawling, “Miss Aphrosia, if it’s convenient, shall we step aside for a chat~?”
“No need. There’s more important business, right?
I’ll leave the children and Grandma to you—can you handle it?”
Aphrosia prioritized the big picture and trusted Ifrora’s ability.
“So, the cute blonde missy’s taking on the array-breaking, huh?”
Ifrora tilted her head, her tone less casual now.
The surrounding children were stunned.
Bro, the guy who just got killed was living that good?
Two stunning beauties fighting over him?
But the vibe between them felt… off.
They were too young to understand…
“Of course. We all want a bright future, don’t we?”
Ifrora chuckled.
“Miss Aphrosia seems quite confident~”
They bantered lightly, but in a corner unnoticed by all, the collapsed wall, blasted by that beam, was wriggling.
“Die! You’ll all die!”