Did she have a choice? Thinking about it carefully, Rosie was probably right.

Perhaps she had a choice in the beginning, but after that d.a.m.n pervert used various methods to force her, almost completely grinding her pride away. Elena had to be careful in order to not be at a disadvantage, and gradually got used to it.

So what if Rosie was right, what does that prove? She only got used to this way of life because she was helpless, that doesn't show she likes Lin Xiao.

Snow even made a bet with her before that even if she had a chance to kill Lin Xiao and remove the contract, she wouldn't do it and would willingly stay with him…

What a joke! As expected from these foolish humans, just by acting subserviently, she was able to trick everyone. It seems like wiping out the humans was just a eventuality.

She thought ferociously while making a terrifying expression.

Rosie saw all her reactions and knew she didn't agree with what she said, and continued speaking with interest.

“Hehe, Elena, I know what you're thinking… since you deny it, then answer me this, if you really don't like him, then you can't explain that!”

“Something I can't explain?”

She didn't believe something like that existed, and didn't believe she could distort the truth. She didn't like Lin Xiao, that was undisputed, nothing she asked could change this fact.

“Elena, we fought with Water Academy a few days ago, you still remember that, right? When Veblen threw his axe towards Lin Xiao, you saved him. Though he stubbornly said that he still would have been able to avoid it by himself, but I definitely think that without your help, his head would have been crushed!”

“I remember, so?”

“So, my question is… why did you save him? If you didn't like him or hated him, and didn't want to be his maid, then why don't you just let him die? Even if you didn't save him, no one would blame you.”

“That's because…” Elena disdainfully curled her lips and prepared to answer.

It turned out to be such a foolish question. She had thought that Rosie would ask something difficult, but it wasn't much.

She's already thought of a bunch of reasons for why she would save him. Such as because it would be troublesome, Elona was still with Snow, etc… these were all perfectly logical reasons that showed that she only acted out of rational judgment, and not because of feelings for Lin Xiao.

As Elena was going to give her 'perfect excuse', Rosie interrupted her.

“I know Elena, you probably have a lot of reasons and excuses, but I want to ask this, were you really able to weigh all the pros and cons in such a short period of time?”

“Eh?”

“In that instance, when he was in danger, you didn't even have time to think. There was only one reason you saved him… Elena, you just didn't want him to die.”

“What?” After hearing Rosie, it was like she was struck by lightning.

“Am I wrong? No matter how many reasons you fabricate, in that instant, you just wanted to save him. You don't hate him and you don't want him to die. Elena, you can't lie to yourself, your instinctive reaction already sold you out!”

“No, that's not right! How is that possible? I was, just…”

“What are you guys talking about? Let's go, it seems like there's people nearby, we have to get going!” Caesar's voice interrupted their secret chat.

With Caesar, they couldn't continue their conversation.

“d.a.m.n, getting in my way! … what a block of wood! He cant read the atmosphere at all.”

Rosie glanced at Caesar, but she didn't make a fuss. She ended their conversation, made a victory sign and even spat out her tongue at Elena, then ran off towards Caesar.

On the other side, Elena was still immersed in their conversion.

Instinctive reaction?

So she didn't want him to die?

What kind of joke is that?

Impossible.

She'll never agree to that!

But she couldn't refute it…

After a short break, Loran Academy set off once again. But now there was a seed planted in a certain maid's heart.

A seed of self-doubt.

…

…

Boundary of the Forest of Despair

The black-haired siblings along with their two teammates carefully traversed through the serene forest.

“Sis, look, the forest of despair is right ahead! The map was right, haha!” Lin Tian pulled the beautiful girl's arm and ran up.

If it wasn't for Yao Zi who was a burden, he probably would've already ran into the forest to look for the silver vault!

No one would think that a small academy like them could take the champions.h.i.+p, but now the chance was right in front of them, Lin Tian had to grab onto this precious opportunity!

“Listen, what's that sound?”

A nearby explosion caught their attention.

“Another battle?” Rather than surprise, Lin Tian was more excited!

Maybe they can get even an even bigger harvest than last time!

Lin Tian immediately took their team and headed towards the direction of the explosion. When they got there, there was nothing there other than a burnt tree and some remnant embers on the ground.

“Seventh-level magic? How is that possible?”

After seeing the scene, Yao Zi held her mouth in shock.

It was strange, Yao Zi sucked at theory and didn't know anything about magic knowledge but just by examining the traces left behind the magic, she could tell it was seventh-level magic!

“Seventh-level magic? What kind of joke is that, h-how could there be someone that can cast seventh-level magic?” Although Lin Tian denied it, he was panicking on the inside.

Such a large scale explosion but there was just one explosion, along with the embers on the tree and the blast radius, it could only be done by seventh-level magic.

There were no seventh-level magicians in this compet.i.tion, and the highest level was Heino Academy's Devoru, a sixth-level warrior, so how could anyone cast seventh-level magic?

“Strange… wait a minute, what is that?”

While he was considering the possibilities, he noticed footprints along with a bow knot cloth dyed with blood!

“Is it an injured teammate? Haha, what luck! Let's go!”

Isn't there luck too good? It's like it was arranged by the G.o.ddess!

“Eh? Are we really going after them? I think we should leave.”

“Quiet, hurry up and follow me!”

Lin Tian forcibly ordered, and they could only obediently follow him. Soon, they stopped at some dense shrubs.

“Strange, the footprints end here…”

Lin Tian lowered his head, looking for clues but Yao Zi looked up ahead with a serious expression.

This was the forest of despair.

The surroundings was incomparably quiet, there wasn't even the sound of birds.

“Why don't we go back.” She said while tightly hugging her arms with a slight trembling voice.

“Sis, what are you saying, how can we turn back now? We have the map, victory is right in front of us, do you not want to win?” Lin Tian excitedly clenched his fist while continuing to look for the injured member without looking up.

“Whatever! I-I think there's something spooky here, something bad will happen if we go in!” Yao Zi suddenly lost control of her emotions, she ran over to him and pulled on the edge of his clothes, like she wanted him to stop, “Hey, let's go back, okay? We already got a lot of points, even if we don't get first, we can make it into the top five. That's already very impressive, the princ.i.p.al will be satisfied for sure!”

“Hah? Sis, what are you afraid of? Don't worry, I'll protect you if anything happens!” Lin Tian shook her off without any worries.

“No! That's not it!” Yao Zi bit her lips with a complicated expression, “This time's enemy seems, seems…”

“Sis, you… eh?”

Lin Tian impatiently turned back and wanted to complain, but he stopped after seeing her tearful expression.

Not just him, the other two teammates also found it strange and silently stared at her.

Yao Zi was an incompetent magician, everyone knew that. She knew nothing about magic theory and couldn't complete a magic circuit. Even if her magic power broke through the fifth-level, she couldn't even successfully cast fourth-level magic. Her combat capability was troubling, so being scared was natural.

But this time, her reactions far surpa.s.sed being afraid, it was like she had premonition of a terrifying disaster.

Disaster? Even then, Lin Tian wanted to win, no one can stop him!

“Okay, calm down! We'll definitely find the silver vault and win! So don't worry and just follow me!”

“But, but… eh? What's that?” While she was thinking about how to persuade him, she saw a vague figure in the shrubs nearby.

There was an injured woman hiding there!