Chapter 25 - - The Journey of the Clock and the Trip to the North Sea
Chapter 25 of "High School of Demon Hunting" opens showing developments: âGoodbye,â Andrew waves cheerfully at Thomas, then pats Zheng Qing on the shoulder, and disappears... Keep reading!
âGoodbye,â Andrew waves cheerfully at Thomas, then pats Zheng Qing on the shoulder, and disappears without a trace.
This sound is like a fart, Zheng Qing resents his lost talisman paper, he thinks maliciously.
The Trident Sword eventually stated that they were unable to compensate Zheng Qing for his lost Calm Heart Talisman.
According to Andrewâs explanation, Zheng Qing used the talisman in self-defence, and it was not requisitioned by the Trident Sword.
Therefore, theoretically, the investigation bureau is not responsible for compensating for such losses.
However, before leaving, Andrew obtained Zheng Qingâs identity materials from Thomas with the intention of applying for an honor certificate for Zheng Qing.
âNo matter what, you prevented the wild demon from causing further harm, and there will be some recognition within the bureau for such acts.â Before leaving, the chubby black-robed wizard slapped Zheng Qing on the shoulder with a bright smile: âPerhaps you could win a Merlin Brass Medal, or at least be rewarded with a âCourageous Individual Awardâ.
This would greatly benefit your annual assessment.â
Zheng Qing was oblivious to these honors.
He was only concerned about that talisman paper hanging on a pigâs snout.
âYouâre lucky, not getting hurt and witnessing such an exciting scene,â Thomas watches Zheng Qing say goodbye to the tree elf, exclaiming, âGetting an honor certificate before even attending school.â
âYou wonât get in trouble for casting that spell, would you?â Zheng Qing remembered the words of Trident Swordâs committee members, feeling somewhat uneasy: âI didnât really do anything, you were the real hero who stopped that demon.
It would be so unfair if the school punished you for that.â
âWho said I would be punished?â Thomas raises an eyebrow, a playful smile in his eyes: âAll thatâs required is to file a report after using high-risk magic, because such magic often influences the temporal stability of the environment, necessitating further observation and repair by the relevant departments.â
Zheng Qing crams the rest of the mouse food in his hand into the paws of the tree elf.
He stands up and sighs deeply.
He feels somewhat disappointed.
The magical world isnât as free as he imagined.
Perhaps itâs because Thomas had to file an accident report after casting a spell.
Maybe itâs due to various inexplicable institutions like the Wizardsâ Alliance, various councils, Trident Sword, the Public Security Bureau, and the Management Committee.
Zheng Qing felt like he had merely jumped from one circle into another.
The circle may have become fancier.
But, in reality, itâs still a circle.
In his imagination, wizards should spend their years in long robes, guarding their laboratories, and have their domestic elves clean and manage the house.
They would keep a three-headed dog for amusement, occasionally slaughter a fire dragon for a meal, pull out their wand to cast a spell when they see injustice, and casually curse those who offended them.
If magic isnât a tool to manifest oneâs desire, then whatâs the point of magic!
âThe reality of the magical world is no different from the outside.â Zheng Qing grumbles discontentedly: âI thought magic could be used freely.
If you see someone you donât like, you just open your law book and turn him into a pig.â
âOf course, you canât,â Thomas squints slightly, his green eyes sternly scanning Zheng Qing, âPerhaps you should prepare a copy of the âWizard World Encyclopediaâ, the version published by the Education Committee Quality Education Office of the Wizardsâ Alliance.
It should be very useful for you.
Arbitrarily using magic against another wizard is a serious provocation, punishable by a fine of a hundred bronze coins to ten gold beans.
Those who act out particularly egregiously could be detained by the Public Security Bureau for fifteen days!â
Zheng Qing sighs again.
Thomas didnât take Zheng Qing far.
After making two turns, they stopped in front of a huge wooden clock.
The clock stood about two meters high, its lines were simple, with no extra decoration. SŃarch* The NovelĆire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
The deep maroon varnish made it look even more solemn and heavyweight.
The clock face was white, with its Roman numerals reinforced with black brass rings.
Unlike other mechanical clocks, there was no pendulum hanging beneath it, just a very thin thread holding a polished brass pendulum.
No sooner had they stopped than the glossy brass pendulum began to swing, and at the same time, the clock drowned out in the melodious Westminster Abbey music.
Zheng Qing was very familiar with this sound.
There was an old walnut clock in his grandfatherâs study that chimes this music every hour.
According to his grandfather, this chime was the bell of Big Ben in England, revered for its elegance and used in numerous clocks.
âIsnât that the music from our side?â Zheng Qing exclaimed in surprise.
âThis is the prayer music of the monks.
The reason it is popular on your side is because the monks wanted to pray for more people.â Thomas took out his cell phone-like device and checked it for a while before eventually nodding: âItâs time.â
Zheng Qing checked the clock and found it was precisely five in the afternoon.
After a moment of thought, he took out his pocket watch and checked the time.
It was accurate to the second.
âGood habit,â Thomas nodded, âFor a wizard, there is nothing more important than time.â
Zheng Qing silently put away his pocket watch.
The gentleman had said the same to him before.
Thomas opened the glass door of the Big Clock and pushed Zheng Qing in, saying, âGo inside.â
âWhatâs this?â Zheng Qing pushed aside the slim cord suspending the brass-faced pendulum and peered inside.
The inside of the clock was very quiet and the pendulum was not swinging.
âWizards commonly refer to it as the âBig Clockâ,â Thomas squeezed into the clock behind Zheng Qing, casually closed the glass door behind him, and said in a muffled voice, âYou can think of it as a rapid transport tool or an alchemy solidified âEscapeâ.â
âSo, I can go home from inside this?â Zheng Qing sort of understood.
Thomas didnât say a word; he was squinting at the silver dial.
âThis is the seventeen oâclock station,â he murmured, taking out a brass key from behind the dial, inserting it into the law tab slot at the bottom of the dial, and turning it twice.
Zheng Qing heard a creaking sound from the clock, and then the ticking sound of the clock began.
âReach out and see if thereâs a doorknob on the wall behind you!â Thomasâs voice trembled a little in the ticking of the clock.
Zheng Qing groped in the dark and grabbed a round doorknob.
âFound it!â His voice echoed loudly in the cramped clock.
âTurn it, open the door and go out.â Thomas hurriedly urged from behind, âWe only have one minute.
If we donât leave quickly, the chimes of Westminster Abbey will deafen us.â
Upon opening the door, a dark corridor came into view.
There seemed to be a faint light at the end.
The air in the corridor was somewhat damp and turbid, but Zheng Qing found the smell very familiar.
The sound of Thomas closing the door came from behind.
Zheng Qing faintly heard the chime of Westminster Abbey ringing again.
âWhat did you mean by the âseventeen oâclock station?â Zheng Qing didnât like this pitch-black environment.
He tried to look towards the light ahead, making his voice sound less anxious.
âThe Big Clock is a fixed station set up by the Wizard Alliance all over the world.
There are twelve hours on the dial, seven hundred and twenty minutes, one station per minute, a total of seven hundred and twenty Big Clocks.
We just passed through the station at exactly seventeen oâclock.â
âSounds complicated,â Zheng Qing murmured.
After groping in the dark for a while, following the light source, turning a corner, Zheng Qing saw a familiar section of stairs.
âWere we just in the basement?â he exclaimed in surprise, âI didnât even know there was such a place in my houseâs basement!â
âYour basement certainly does not have one.â Thomas followed him to the stairwell.
He patted the dust off his head, brushed off the cobwebs on his robes, and complained, âOriginally, I was going to go straight back to your bedroom, but all the doors in your house couldnât be opened, so I had to choose the basement.â
Zheng Qing blinked, remembering.
In his spare time, he used to paste many talisman papers on the doors and windows, corners and walls of his house.
Maybe these talisman papers interfered with the Big Clockâs positioning.
âNow Iâm going to the North.
I may not have time to contact you in the near future,â Thomas repeatedly instructed, âRemember to catch the flight from Changâan airport on August 31st.
Remember, thereâs only one flight.
If you miss it, you donât have to go.
Donât expect the school to violate the thirty-seven âBasic Management Measures for Wizardsâ for a freshman, nor expect the school to open the Guardian Array twice in a year.â
âYou havenât bought me that standard timer yet.â Seeing Thomasâs figure about to disappear, Zheng Qing suddenly remembered the book list and couldnât help but shout.
âThe pocket watch youâre wearing around your neck is quite goodâŚâ Thomasâs voice fades with his figure until it disappears.
Zheng Qing sighed and pulled out the pocket watch around his neck.
It was seventeen minutes and thirty-eight seconds past four in the afternoon.