All-around teacher at the magic academy

Thinking of Leon, the one who was always gently by his side, a happy smile involuntarily appeared on Leon's face.

Lian didn't have any classes today, and according to her usual routine, she should be spending her time quietly in her dorm right now.

With that thought in mind, Leon gently knocked on the door of Lian's room.

His heart raced slightly as he looked forward to seeing that familiar face behind the door.

However, after a moment, the expected sound of the door opening did not occur; instead, there was silence.

Leon's brow furrowed involuntarily, and doubts began to rise in his mind.

Where would Lian be at this time? Did she go out on something, or...?

Leon stood outside the door, hesitated for a moment, and then knocked on the door again, this time with a little more force, but still received no response.

He began to worry: Had Lian encountered some trouble, or was he feeling unwell?

He didn't know where Lian had gone, so he turned and left, scanning his surroundings, hoping to find a trace of Lian.

...

In an inconspicuous corner of Barton, there is a secluded courtyard that was once the site of an orphanage.

Once, this place was filled with the laughter of children; their running and playing brought life and vitality to this land.

However, all of that is now gone, and the courtyard is unusually quiet, even deathly still.

Lian followed the winding path and finally arrived at the outside of the orphanage. Her brows furrowed, and her gaze pierced through the closed gates, landing on the desolate scene inside.

A sense of unease welled up within her; she couldn't understand why this place had become so deserted.

Lian stood outside the door, filled with confusion. She remembered this place as a place full of love, where children found the warmth of home.

But now, all of that seems to have vanished, as if wiped away overnight by some invisible force.

Lian stood in front of the orphanage gate, unable to recall when it had moved away. It all happened so suddenly that she was caught off guard.

She recalled that just recently, on a match day, she and Leon had come here together to bring joy and warmth to the children.

At that time, the orphanage was still filled with the laughter of children, and every corner was brimming with the vitality of life.

Just a few days later, the place became deserted, as if no one had ever lived there.

There were no relocation notices on the main gate, nor any clues indicating where they had moved to. This sudden change left Lian bewildered and even somewhat panicked.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a letter from Amy. Lian carefully read the address again to make sure she was in the right place.

The handwriting on the letter was clear, and the address was indeed here. Although Lian was filled with doubt, not understanding why Amy would choose such a place as the meeting place, her trust in Amy made her come here without hesitation.

A cold wind howled past, carrying its own unique chill, causing Lian's clothes to flutter loudly.

The letter in her hand swayed in the wind, almost snatched away. Lian quickly gripped the letter tightly, while using her other hand to tighten her collar, trying to ward off the cold wind.

She looked up at the orphanage again, but all she could see was emptiness, without a single person in sight.

"Lian".

A calm voice suddenly rang out behind Lian, breaking the surrounding silence.

Upon hearing her name, Lian quickly turned around, her gaze immediately locking onto that familiar figure.

Amy stood behind her, her face calm, her eyes holding an indescribable depth. She seemed to have been standing there for a long time, silently observing Lian.

"Amy, it's been a long time! Where have you been all this time?"

Lian's tone was full of concern. She stepped forward, wanting to get a closer look at her friend and see if she was alright.

"I spent some time exploring Patton during this period."

Amy said with a smile, her voice light as if she was trying to hide her complex emotions.

"Your family..."

Lian cautiously brought up the topic, her voice tinged with hesitation, knowing that the question might touch on Amy's sensitive spot.

"Things are fine now."

Amy's answer was brief, but her tone revealed a hint of firmness, as if to tell Lian that she had resolved the family issues and no longer needed to worry.

Hearing Amy's reply, Lian visibly relaxed. She had been worried that Amy would be troubled by family issues, but now it seemed that things were better than she had imagined.

"Amy, do you have any new plans?" Lian changed the subject, trying to lighten the mood.

"Not yet." Amy shook her head gently, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes.

“If you don’t have any plans, how about coming to the academy?” Lian offered a suggestion, her voice full of sincerity and concern. “I can talk to the dean, and maybe he will agree, no, he definitely will. That way you can stay at the academy forever, and you won’t have to go home to face your husband all the time.”

Amy smiled when she heard Lian's words. Her smile was tinged with bitterness and relief. She said calmly, "It's alright. My husband is dead."

"Dead?" Lian's voice was full of doubt; she couldn't imagine how Amy could say this so calmly.

"Yes, I did it."

Amy's tone suddenly turned cold and crazed, and a fanatical light flashed in her eyes.

"You have no idea how desperate his eyes were when he died. I could see him pleading for help and looking at me with disbelief. I was a little scared when I first did it, but afterwards I was very excited, my heart was pounding."

Lian stared at Amy in shock, unable to believe what she was hearing. Her lips trembled as she said incredulously, "How...how could you do such a thing?"

"Why do you want me to go to the academy? Do you want me to stay by your side so you can laugh at me?"

Amy approached Lian, her eyes filled with suspicion and hostility, constantly questioning him with a sharp edge in her voice.

"No..."

Lian's face showed surprise and confusion. She didn't understand why Amy would think that way. Her only intention was to help Amy and give her a place to stay.

She wanted to explain, but before she could utter a word, she suddenly felt a sharp, stabbing pain.