Ultimate Socially Awkward Challenge

"Ahem... My apologies. Could you clean this up?" Wolund rose from his desk.

"Of course, Headmaster." Kalinda's eyes flickered with confusion—clearly puzzled by his reaction upon hearing the names of those new students. "Are you heading out?"

"Yes... The newcomers should be at the Hall of Truth now, correct?" Wolund asked.

Kalinda glanced at the shattered porcelain teacup on the floor and replied, "That's right."

Wolund vanished from the room.

With a casual flick of her sleeve, Kalinda summoned a tiny whirlwind that swept up the shards and spilled tea.

Her gaze lingered on the spot where the headmaster had been seated, lost in thought.

Why did he lose composure so suddenly? This can't be trivial.

Wait... Xia Lun·Morian... Morian. The odds of it being a mere coincidence in surnames were slim.

Could it be... that Xia Lun was Wolund's illegitimate child?

Kalinda staggered as if struck by lightning, collapsing into the chair Wolund had just vacated—still warm from his presence.

Impossible... How could any woman have gotten to him first?

She had clawed her way through countless hardships just to stand by his side as his assistant.

Kalinda knew Wolund had always been consumed by magical research, leaving his romantic experience utterly blank.

Handsome, powerful, approachable, and holding a position of authority—Wolund was practically the perfect candidate for marriage.

Even within the academy, shameless young female students sent him love letters by the dozen. But those disgraceful pink envelopes never reached him—Kalinda intercepted and burned every last one before they could be opened.

Moreover, she had his daily schedule memorized down to the minute. Wolund had neither the opportunity nor the inclination to fool around.

So... how could he possibly have an affair? Let alone father a child...

Then Kalinda remembered something.

Not long ago, Wolund had made a trip outside—one whose destination even she didn’t know.

In fact, he took such mysterious trips periodically, never informing anyone.

Could it be... that he used those outings to rendezvous with another woman?

"No! That can't be happening!" Kalinda clawed at her hair, slamming her forehead against the desk in frustration.

After a moment, she stood up.

"Right... I just need to follow and see for myself. That student Xia Lun couldn’t possibly be related to Wolund! Yes, just look at their faces—there’s no resemblance at all. I must be imagining things, hahaha..."

---

Xia Lun’s gaze drifted to a shadowed corner of the hall.

Aina had also noticed Wolund’s sudden appearance.

Noticing their stares, Liyana turned and finally spotted the figure.

"Whoa, Xia Lun, who’s that guy? He kinda looks like you," Liyana muttered in surprise.

"That’s Wolund," Aina said simply, offering no further explanation.

"Oh! So it’s the headmaster," Liyana exclaimed, nodding. "Should I go greet him?"

Xia Lun held her back. "Don’t. He’s suppressing his aura—clearly doesn’t want attention."

Liyana shrugged and averted her eyes.

At the center of the Hall of Truth stood a jade-carved white owl perched atop an emerald-green potted plant.

The owl looked so lifelike it seemed ready to take flight at any moment.

And it did—sort of.

At Delyan’s whistle, the white owl flapped its wings... only to clumsily hop onto the floor before clambering up onto her shoulder.

"Can it not fly?" a student asked curiously.

"Ahem... This one’s a bit too heavy for that," Delyan admitted, clearing her throat. "But it possesses the Eye of Truth. No lie can hide from it. Now, I’ll ask each of you why you wish to enroll in Olifant. Anyone with impure intentions may leave now."

"How do we know this weird thing actually works?" grumbled a lanky male student in the crowd.

"Then let me ask you!" The white owl suddenly spoke, swiveling its head toward the skeptic. "Boy, how old were you when you started... polishing the staff?"

"Huh?! I’d never do something like—"

"Liar! Liar!" The owl screeched like an alarm.

The male students roared with laughter while the girls covered their mouths, cheeks burning.

"Please cooperate," Delyan said sternly, though her ears were faintly pink.

"I... It’s a normal biological urge, okay? I only started recently..." The boy hung his head, likely regretting his earlier sarcasm.

"Liar! Liar!" The owl squawked relentlessly.

The lanky student’s face turned crimson as the laughter around him crescendoed.

Finally, in a voice barely above a whisper, he confessed: "...Eleven."

The owl fell silent, reverting to its statue-like stillness.

"Pfft—Xia Lun, this is the ultimate public humiliation challenge!" Liyana wheezed, slapping his shoulder.

Xia Lun gave her a pitying look.

"What?"

"Nothing... Just remember why you came to Olifant?"

Liyana’s smile froze.

"Let’s begin. Liyana—the elf girl?" Delyan called her name first.

Liyana marched forward, steeling herself.

"Miss Liyana, what is your reason for enrolling in Olifant?"

Taking a deep breath, Liyana declared: "I want to cuddle and sleep with cute girls!"

The hall fell dead silent. Students gasped.

Delyan blinked, momentarily stunned—but the owl remained motionless.

"...You pass," Delyan muttered, her face flushing as Liyana strutted back to Xia Lun’s side.

"N-next! State your purpose for enrolling!"

A male student stepped up eagerly.

"I also want to date cute girls—"

"Disgusting. Get out." Delyan’s glare could’ve melted steel.

Male student: "???"