Mist Empire’s Rise: Fake Noble to Fog Queen

Chapter 373 Mist Empire’s Rise- 372: Training—Plague Forest

Five more students trickled in afterward. Including Luo Wei and the second girl who entered, there were seven people total.

Seven people—couldn't even fill the classroom's first row. Scattered in various corners of the classroom made the atmosphere feel even more desolate.

Luo Wei discovered that astrology students all had some social anxiety. Everyone just reported, then shrank into a corner, heads down, not communicating with others.

Four or five empty seats separated each person. Choosing seats was like playing Go—had to pick positions with no one front, back, left, or right. As if only this way could they breathe normally.

After the seventh person reported, no one came for a while. Professor Tobias figured this was everyone. Just as she was about to pick up the class roster to call roll, a burst of panicked footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.

Someone else?

Luo Wei looked toward the doorway. A few seconds later, the footsteps stopped. A head that didn't look too bright poked out from beside the doorframe.

The newcomer clung to the doorframe. Darting eyes quickly scanned the classroom. Seeing Luo Wei, she instinctively shrank her neck, then immediately showed her an ingratiating smile.

Luo Wei: ...

What wire got crossed in this girl's brain now?

Professor Tobias put down the roster with a headache: "Here to report? Then come in."

What was with these students today? One after another standing at the door, refusing to move until she spoke.

"Yes yes yes, Professor, I'm here to report!" Vina ran to the podium and handed over her intention form.

Professor Tobias glanced at it and pushed over the roster: "Write your name."

Vina picked up the quill and signed her name in a few strokes. After completing registration, she turned and rushed toward the seat beside Luo Wei.

The classroom's unspoken rule was broken. Other classmates looked at them in surprise. Among a group of introverted students, the cheerful person became the oddball instead.

After sitting down, Vina showed Luo Wei another ingratiating smile, carefully asking: "Why did you choose astrology?"

She'd thought Luo Wei would choose alchemy. After all, her alchemy assessment score was perfect.

Luo Wei didn't answer, throwing the question back: "Why did you also choose astrology?"

Vina's face was bitter: "Because I didn't pass other assessments. I didn't want to study swordsmanship or potions, so I could only choose astrology."

She lied. The second half was half-true, half-false.

Of the six magic course assessments, she failed three—magic runes, spellchanting, and alchemy all didn't pass. She could only choose swordsmanship, potions, or astrology.

She passed the swordsmanship assessment because of the foundation her father gave her at home. Passing astrology was a blind cat catching a dead mouse. She'd originally wanted to study potions.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

But this morning she received a carrier pigeon message from her father. In the letter, he instructed that no matter what method she used, she must latch onto Luo Wei's thigh!

He also said the family's honor and disgrace rested on her alone. She was the family's only hope. Whether the Wesley family could rise depended entirely on her efforts at the academy. One letter made Vina feel pressure greater than a mountain.

After agonizing all morning, Vina finally decided—latching onto thighs had to start with becoming deskmates. So she chose astrology.

But how could she openly say she wanted to latch onto someone's thigh?

She could only tell a small lie, saying she didn't like swordsmanship and potions.

Vina was crying inside. Astrology was so hard, really so hard. What if she couldn't pass the assessment next semester?

For this family, she'd sacrificed too much!

On the podium, Professor Tobias waited another five minutes. Confirming no one else would come to report, she picked up the class roster to call roll one by one.

Actually, nothing much to call—altogether just eight people. Couldn't even fill one table at a banquet.

Of the eight, six were girls and two boys. Luo Wei's divination tool was a tortoise shell. Vina's divination tool was tarot cards.

Of the other four girls, two had crystal balls and two had tarot cards. Of the boys, one had a crystal ball and one had tarot cards.

Astrology was dominated by females—male students were quite rare.

After calling roll, Professor Tobias briefly explained the training arrangements.

"This year's training location is different from previous years. We're not going to the Magic Beast Mountains. We're going to the Plague Forest in the south."

"I'm sure you've all heard legends of the Plague Forest. It's more dangerous than the Magic Beast Mountains. You need to prepare yourselves mentally."

As soon as the training location was announced, all eight people in the classroom widened their eyes. Vina nearly fell off her chair. This was still the socially anxious class being reserved—the other classes had already exploded.

"What, we're going to Plague Forest!"

"Crazy, going to Plague Forest isn't that suicide? I heard it's full of poisonous insects everywhere—one breath will poison you to death!"

"Not just that—there are sea monsters and water monkeys. They like to suck out human brains!"

"Can we survive past the second day going in?"

"Why go to Plague Forest? I don't want to go to Plague Forest. Isn't Magic Beast Mountains good?"

"Exactly, why change locations? Before it was always Magic Beast Mountains. When it's our turn, we go to Plague Forest. I'm not going!"

Students in each class were protesting. The commotion nearly lifted the roof.

Professors slammed their hands on desks with a bang, voices stern: "Quiet!"

"Whoever doesn't want to go, stand up. You can withdraw now and get lost back to your hometown!"

After one angry shout, student voices were suppressed. However, everyone's eyes still revealed dissatisfaction—just no one dared challenge the professors.

In the spellchanting classroom, Professor Moses swept over the whole class, slowly speaking: "You think the Magic Beast Mountains are safer?"

Students didn't speak, but their facial expressions were obvious—they thought exactly that.

Professor Moses sneered: "A bunch of idiots. Did you forget your brains on your beds again this morning?"

"If any of you paid the slightest attention, you'd know the Behemoth has awakened. Magic beast riots are everywhere in the Magic Beast Mountains."

"The beast tide that erupted at the start of the year is still impacting the magic array sealing the mountains. People at the mountain's base have all fled. Yet you're rushing to fill magical beasts' bellies."

"Want to go? Fine. Withdraw first. Don't die outside and still implicate the academy."

This speech made the students below blush with shame. Those who'd just been clamoring to go to Magic Beast Mountains shut their mouths tight, not daring to make a sound.

Compared to the tense atmosphere between teachers and students in other classrooms, students and professor in the astrology classroom were much more harmonious.

Professor Tobias explained in a few words why they were going to Plague Forest, then lectured the eight students on precautions for this training.

"Inside Plague Forest doesn't matter, but outside Plague Forest, everyone must follow the Magic Covenant."

"Remember two points: Cannot use magic on ordinary people; Cannot reveal magic before ordinary people."

"Violate the Magic Covenant, and you'll be unable to join the Magic Association in the future. You'll also receive imprisonment punishment from the Magic Association."

"In critical situations, if you want to use magic to save people, find suitable reasons to cover it up. Best not to let the rescued person know you can use magic."