novelraw Chapter 271: (Author’s Note) Previous chapter was revised—if anything feels off, feel free to re‑read.
Chapter 271: (Author’s Note) Previous chapter was revised—if anything feels off, feel free to re‑read.
The sun was sinking low in the west; clouds unfurled, evening glow rolling and folding.
Luke the raven lay in his little cradle staring at the sky and “singing.” His raspy, busted‑gong voice echoed nonstop inside the courtyard walls.
Luo Wei had just stepped out of the teleportation array when the cacophony hit. She was stunned for a full three seconds—and still couldn’t believe her ears after that.
She knew his cawing was awful; the maids had complained about noise pollution. She had not known that his “singing” was a hundred times worse.
The sound was like a ball of steel wool scraping glass—keep listening and your ears buzz, your skull prickles—pure psychic pollution.
No wonder the maids nursed such resentment.
Luo Wei hurried downstairs. “Chris!”
“Here!” Chris dropped the hands clamped over her ears and jogged over. “Mistress, your orders?”
Luo Wei looked out the window. “From now on, don’t feed him so full. A few meat shreds are enough. Let him forage during the day.”
The mistress was finally punishing that wicked bird!
“Yes, Mistress!” Chris said, thrilled.
The singing cut off. A “thud” followed. Two seconds later a little soot‑black head popped up on the sill—crest feathers askew—beady black eyes staring at Luo Wei in disbelief, as if the sky had collapsed.
Luo Wei walked to the window, calm. She leaned down. “You’re getting too fat. Obesity is a disease—it’s bad for you. Going out to forage will help you lose weight and sharpen your hunting. I’m doing this for your own good.”
Luke lifted his head, eyes full of doubt.
Really that fat?
Luo Wei bent lower, wrapped both hands around him, pretended to heave—and “failed.”
“Way too heavy. I can’t even lift you. You really have to slim down. Any fatter and you won’t get airborne—you’ll be a yard chicken.”
“Do you know what a yard chicken is?”
“It’s the kind they use for soup in the kitchen. You can also roast it. You’ve eaten it—big drumsticks, lots of meat.”
The more she said, the more horrified Luke became. By the end his neck had shrunk, every feather puffed until he was a round fluff ball.
Threat effective. Luo Wei, satisfied, poked the standing neck feathers. “Diet?”
“Caw!” Furious nodding.
She smoothed him, gaze tender. “Luke, you can mimic frog calls, so you can mimic other animals too, right?”
Instinctively he folded his wings. “Caw‑caw!”
“Can you do a cat?” Luo Wei demonstrated: “Meow~ Like that.”
So simple! Luke puffed his chest, opened his beak: “Meow‑aow~”
Luo Wei’s eyelid twitched. That was not the sound she’d made—more like a she‑cat in heat.
Still, unpleasant tone aside, the mimicry instinct was strong.
“Chris,” Luo Wei called.
Chris rushed over. “Mistress?”
Luo Wei pointed at the raven. “From now on teach him to speak. Start with everyday phrases. One step at a time until he can talk.”
Chris pulled a face. “Understood.”
Luo Wei glanced at Luke. “Luke, you’ll learn from Chris. One phrase a day. No meat unless you learn it.”
“Caw!” He seemed eager.
Luo Wei fished a pink pearl from her pouch, opened her palm under his beak. “You passed my onboarding test. This is your reward for your first assignment.”
“Caw‑caw‑caw!” Wings flapping, he snapped his beak toward the pearl.
“Hold it.” She withdrew her hand and slid a letter in a copper tube from her sleeve. “Here’s your official mission: take this to Goru City—Troy will pass it to Count Wesley.”
“Caw!” Luke gripped the copper tube with one claw.
“Good. Here.” She tucked the pink pearl under his other claw. “Don’t peck the pearl—you’ll scratch the nacre and it won’t be pretty.”
Luke carefully curled his toes so the talons didn’t scrape the surface.
“Set out after dark. Try to bring the reply back by tomorrow night. All right—back to your little bed.”
“Caw, caw.” He flapped off, carrying his beloved pearl and the mission tube back to the nook under the eaves.
The night breeze was cool. Luo Wei shut the window and turned to Chris. “When Bella returns, tell her to bring the Mulberry Grove kids here tomorrow afternoon. I have something for them to do.”
“Yes, Mistress.”
Getting Count Wesley to accept her proposal was only step one. The follow‑through was not as simple as she’d let Vina believe; it needed careful plotting.
Goru City wasn’t urgent—she had half a month. The match against St. Teno was tomorrow morning. That was the truly urgent task.
Back in her dorm, Luo Wei checked every item she’d need, ran through tomorrow’s battle plan again, confirmed no gaps, then lay down and slept.
Night flashed past; dawn arrived in a blink.
Day of the decisive battle. Students in the dorm block were up early, washing in a rush before heading to the arena to avoid missing the moment.
Luo Wei packed her satchel, took the tortoise shell, and left early to meet her teammates at the cathedral.
The sun was rising earlier each day; today’s light was stronger than yesterday’s.
Roses swayed in the breeze, exhaling dew. Beaded pearls of moisture studded the continuous green. Luo Wei crossed the garden; her skirt hem collected droplets.
On the square before the cathedral she paused and shook out the fabric; dew slid off the wool and spattered onto marble.
A long shadow stretched across the ground. Luo Wei’s motion stopped; she looked up.
“Headmaster?”
Recognizing the figure, she blurted out in surprise.
“It’s me,” Headmaster Morrison said gently. “Final match in a bit. Nervous?”
“Not really,” Luo Wei answered. “I’m prepared, so not very.”
He nodded. Brown eyes rested on her, thoughts unreadable.
Finding it odd, Luo Wei straightened slightly. “Headmaster, are you waiting for someone?”
“I’m not waiting.” He withdrew his gaze, looked elsewhere. “Luo Wei, what do you think of this academy?”
She followed his line of sight: clusters of students chasing, laughing.
“It’s great. Very free. You can learn a lot—make a lot of friends.”
“And if you were forced to leave?” Morrison asked suddenly.
Forced to leave?
Luo Wei didn’t grasp his intent; she frowned. “Then I’d probably be very sad.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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