It was only a matter of time before Jasmine would reunite with her parents. Having found their daughter's location, I sent them an anonymous message.
I hope they don't figure it out. I don't think they would, with the way Mr. Christopher Barley looks down on me, he'd never be able to convince himself that I could save his daughter.
Hahaha! And that's the funny thing because I just did.
...
...
...
I'd snuck back into the academy and had successfully met up with my clone in the restroom.
"Good job."
It nodded at him and returned back into the mirror assuming its natural form of a reflection.
Fortunately, no one had discovered that it was a fake. Well, that was what I thought...
"Dee, hurry up!"
Elizabeth?
Why the hell would Liz come to the male restroom?
She kept on banging on the door to the restroom until I finally opened it. Surprised, I looked at her with confusion, almost inquiring if she had gone mad.
Other scholars had gathered around, wondering who was making such loud bangs and it was even more shocking that it was a witch apprentice banging tirelessly on the male restroom door.
"Why the hell are you banging so loud!" shouted one of the scholars.
"Are you crazy?" another added.
Those were my questions and unlike them, I could not just ask them freely since Liz always pulls a crazy stunt or two whenever I go against her in any way.
Elizabeth did not care one bit about the murmurings that were going on around her.
"What's the problem, Liz?"
"You can now talk, huh, Dee."
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, trying to figure out what Liz was on about.
What exactly was she talking about? I can now talk?
"Thought you were playing dumb in class, not talking to anyone... not even me. That's nice."
That's what this was about. I finally understood why she was ranting. It was funny but for my sake, I had to choke my laughter back in.
"If only you knew that wasn't me, Liz," I thought.
"Damned reflection," I cursed in a whisper.
"What did you say?"
I looked back at Liz and scratched my cheek. She was pissed already, so I had to be careful with whatever I was going to say.
"Oh, nothing. I didn't say anything."
She fumed, furious at my obvious lie.
"I'm not deaf, Dee. I heard you... or are you calling me stupid?"
A heavy shroud of weakness fell over me at that moment.
Stupid? When did I even say that?
Dealing with females was truly exhausting. Even the times I went against world-level threats in all my lives, there were not this difficult to handle.
I couldn't voice out my frustration, not with Liz still around and furious, not to mention the crowd of students, who were now dispersing to different places.
"I'm sorry, Liz. Let me treat you, lunch is on me."
Liz was silent after what I said. After a short while, she nodded.
[ You have been exposed to Feminine Rage ]
[ You fell victim to the Feminine Rage ]
[ You have lost 3 Pimp Points ]
"Huh? Not again," I lamented inside of myself.
Are you freaking kidding me! Argh!
I was pissed internally, almost about to explode, but had to put a smile on my face.
All my efforts had been wasted, thanks to Liz.
My trip to Silver Heart and my liberation of Jasmine had all been for nought. The three pimp points I received from one of the quests were gone... just like that.
What even is Feminine Rage?
...
...
...
"Yo, Liz! I still got my eyes on you," that annoying voice interrupted my lunch for the second time in a day.
James Melbourne.
I give it to him, the guy sure is unrelenting but with how I was feeling, I might consider making him disappear.
Liz chuckled with a mouth filled with a burger. She really chuckled at James.
I couldn't understand it. Her reaction deluded me because earlier in the day, she had given James a cold shoulder.
What changed? What happened when I left?
I looked at both of them.
"Did they make out or something while I was away?"
I thought we didn't like James, Liz. Tch!
Liz noticed me facepalm and shake my head. She could sense the disappointment I ousted into the atmosphere and subtly slid her soft hand across the table and placed it over mine.
Tracing the hands up to the face with my eyes, I slowly lifted my gaze and locked eyes with Liz.
"What's the matter, Dee?"
Thinking about it, I didn't even understand why I was getting furious.
I didn't know which one annoyed me the most — whether it was the loss of my hard-earned pimp points or the fact that Liz might be fooling around with the one guy that pisses me off in the academy.
That was it. I was done for the day. I needed to be alone, cool my head and relax. A lot was coming into my head that I was forced to think about and I didn't like it.
I removed my hand from under Liz's, stood from my chair and walked over to the counter.
"Here are thirteen gems," I said, placing 13 green coins on the table for the waiter to pick it whenever she was ready.
I walked out of the diner, leaving Liz dazed and dumbfounded.
"Dee. Deee!"
I heard her voice but my mind was made up. I was going to do what was best for me at that moment.
I was going to get some rest.
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...
...
Meanwhile, a short plumpy man walked into the warehouse where Jasmine was held captive with two people following closely behind — a bulky man and a slender voluptuous woman.
The two guards that encountered the masked man called White and were fortunate to live were now tied up in Jasmine's stead, pleading for their lives.
"Forgive us, boss!"
"Please boss, have mercy.
"He was just too strong. We couldn't do anything."
The fat man walked up closely to them, casting his big shadow over their figures. He took his cigar out of his mouth and blew the smoke on their faces.
"Who was too strong?" he said.
"Th-The intruder. He just came in... and before... we knew it w-we were knocked out."
"What is the name of this intruder?" the man asked.
"W-we don't... we don't know, boss. He di-didn't say, but he... he wears a white mask."
"A white mask?"
The man turned to one of the men that accompanied him, calling his attention.
"Are you aware of such a man, BJ?"
BJ lowered his bald head, that glistened like freshly cleaned gold under the light, and shook it in disapproval.
"Never heard of him, Count."
The Count puffed smoke into the air.
"Seems like we've been made."
The Count thought for a moment and walked away.
"BJ. Cream. Get rid of those two and raze this location to ashes."
Cream caressed her lips with her lush tongue like one who was offered a sumptuous meal.
"Yes, Count! As you wish, mwah!