Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 461 - 423: The Final Frenzy

The bird with broken wings plummeted from the sky, the shrill and desperate countdown of its life was so tragically sad.

Sorry, Lyle’s screams were more akin to the struggles of a pig being slaughtered, without any sense of beauty. But his wildly flailing limbs, the expression of terror and desperation, and the screams that pierced through the roaring wind still showed us the most ordinary and sincere love for life. This, strangely enough, shared the same essence with the cuckoo’s blood-curdling cries.

Nia’s cheers merged with Lyle’s, drowning out all other sounds. She joyfully stretched out her entire body, creating a fluttering curtain in the fierce winds, and no one faulted her for it. Nia truly experienced the delight of falling. The whirlwind tickled her body, touching every tendril, every sucker, not even sparing the narrow gaps between the gridded tentacles.

"Giggle giggle giggle..." Nia stretched out, responding to the "embrace" of the others below her.

Lyle could already make out the faces of those below him—Elves, Dwarves, Ghosts, Demon Race, and the disguised Liches. They watched the falling contestants with smiles, completely unaware of the peril Lyle and the others were in. The Flyers like Beatrice were nowhere to be seen, and the crowd below was as unresponsive as Muggles.

Spoke too soon, they did react actually.

Perhaps by coincidence, Lyle found that directly below him were Andrey’s Lich colleagues, smiling as they watched Lyle fall, as if anticipating something.

Shiny and others were among the crowd, looking ponderous, shouting directions to move the Liches around.

They must be discussing catching me. After all, the gentleman and his friends know of my human identity; they should save me.

The Liches’ planning came to an end, and then, they cleared a patch of space.

Right beneath the calculated point of Lyle’s fall, the white cobblestones of the City of Wandering were exposed, as white as the teeth showing in Shiny and the others’ smiles.

That way, no Lich would be smashed by Lyle, those contemptible bones.

The betrayal of his friends provoked Lyle’s tear ducts, but the tears almost shed were held back by the blow.

Alianna’s eyes, like tranquil azure waves, were watching him. Her demonic beauty made her stand out from the crowd. Lyle instantly found her, and their eyes met, one still, one in motion.

Alianna stood dignified and graceful, while Lyle plummeted as if the earth itself was collapsing beneath him.

Nia had already moved below Lyle, her thick flesh intending to cushion his fall, but Lyle’s hanging heart didn’t quite trust it. He had been falling for too long, the speed was terrifyingly fast, and it seemed like the end was near.

Drawing the last breath from his lungs, Lyle roared across the square, spreading his panic.

"Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow!!!!"

Ten meters above the ground, a British Shorthair kitten dangled by the scruff, dancing in the air.

"It’s alright, Lyle, relax."

Death Witch Lily, riding her broom, grasped the nape of the Lyle cat, her gaze indifferent. Just now, she had tossed a Magic Potion into the air, which had hit Lyle precisely, causing him to transform in an instant, nullifying physical laws and halting his velocity. Lyle cat was easily saved by Lily. Even if Lily hadn’t caught him, the feline’s instincts would have allowed Lyle to land smoothly.

Veraliz sat impatiently in the Witch’s arms, stretching out a paw to tap Lyle on the head.

"Meow meow meow?"

Having relaxed, Lyle observed his surroundings. The air was now full of Witches on brooms, and those falling contestants had all been turned into kittens, safely in the hands of the Witches.

"Ensuring your safety at the last moment is our job as Witches."

"Meow meow meow meow meow meow."

"Why let you fall for so long? It’s part of the ceremony traditionally held at the Flying Contest. The veterans of flight lead the novices through every corner of the City of Wandering, advancing side by side, communicating, and exploring this multicultural city, and finally, giving you a surprise."

"This is the welcome ceremony of the City of Wandering."

"Welcome, Lyle. You have now become a part of this city."

The effects of the cat transformation ended after a few minutes, and amidst the group of Liches, Lyle watched those fellows exchanging their bets.

Yes, another gamble, this time regarding the intensity of the screams of the falling newbies.

Lyle, to his surprise, had won the screaming contest, although he thought it was a rather embarrassing affair.

Many Liches lost their bets, and Mr. Reporter collected the last vestiges of hope from the struggling Liches with a beam of joy, also coming over to thank Lyle.

"Thanks to your prestige in Andrey and those terrifyingly loud reputations, dear Plague Doctor Sir, look at this, a screaming Lich, you’re simply our Literature Club’s cash cow, hahahahaha!!!"

Lyle felt as though he had lost all face, and the Liches’ flattery was like salt on his wounds.

"Such realistic acting, Mr. Plague Doctor, truly the creator of flesh-and-blood disguises, your portrayal of fear is nothing short of divine."

"Quite unexpected, Mr. Plague Doctor, you truly are Andrey’s shining new star, who would have thought a Lich’s scream could be so resounding, that Liches could be the loudest of all races."

"Did you learn some tricks from Lady Alianna? Perhaps you could consider releasing a screaming album, I would certainly collect it."

Lyle could only maintain a stiff smile, facing each Lich that looked at him with adoration, while his heart was crying.

"Plague Doctor, congratulations on becoming the first-place winner of the flying competition with Beatrice." Alianna’s voice was still sweet and charming, and the understanding lady did not expose Lyle’s scars, instead she praised the good parts.

The Heart of Condensation was shimmering in Lyle’s hands.

At that moment, touched, Alianna seemed even more adorable.

"Alianna, this is your hundred thousand, your understanding of Mr. Plague Doctor is truly surprising." Mr. Reporter laughed heartily as he handed over the small purse to Alianna. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"...You participated in scream betting too, and won." Lyle was tired at heart.

"Yes, Lyle, I have confidence in you. On Naslan’s balcony, your trembling legs impressed me, my dear, acrophobia is nothing to be ashamed of, you should embrace it."

"It was a disgraceful flaw."

Alianna took Lyle’s free hand, standing shoulder to shoulder with him. Her black hair brushed against Lyle’s earlobe, a refreshing fragrance accompanied by Alianna’s soft whisper penetrated his heart and spleen.

"Your little flaw became my happiness. Perhaps you’ve noticed, or perhaps you haven’t, when we walked through Naslan Castle, I always took you up to Helena’s high floors to wander, passing those terraces, looking down at the views beneath our feet. You only willingly leaned on me when your legs were weak. I’m glad, in that moment, I truly felt you needed me." Alianna tiptoed, leaning against Lyle, "The development of your acrophobia is largely my fault, blame me, Lyle."

"I created your flaw, and it made you all the more enticing."

Lyle’s heart pounded wildly, sweeping away his gloominess. Alianna, smiling, was like the heroine in a play, waiting for Lyle’s response. Her closed eyes gently opened to glance at him, then closed again like a thief, playing the role of a convict awaiting judgment.

"Not guilty, my lady." Lyle first put on a serious front, then burst into laughter along with Alianna.

"You can tell me, Alianna, when you need me, I can take action for you."

"Really? Well, now is just the right time for you to take action."

The sounds around them gradually faded, the Liches looked up, as did Lyle, everyone’s gaze converging in the sky, watching the slow descent of the alluring figure.

Beatrice, the wickedly charming vampiress, with a face similar to Alianna’s, the willful other daughter of Naslan, was watching Lyle with a playful smile, gazing at the Heart of Condensation in his hand.

"Go on, share your victory with Benny, your spoils of war." Alianna gently pushed Lyle’s back, and under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Lyle stepped forward to face Beatrice.

Lyle realized this was definitely the best opportunity for a romantic confession, sharing the sweetness of victory under everyone’s watch. It was just like the perfect scene in an idol drama, except that this was his younger aunt.

And this little aunt was grinning mischievously, anticipating his reaction.

With absolute grace, Lyle approached Beatrice, knelt on one knee, and presented the shiny Heart of Condensation with both hands.

"I offer this to your victory, my lady."

Lyle had thought Beatrice would help him complete the theatrics of the moment, but she did not.

She snatched the Heart of Condensation from him the second after he paused, sticking her tongue out at Lyle.

"Of course it’s mine, what’s yours is mine."

"This year, the victory still belongs to me, Beatrice Naslan! It’s also a triumph for our Light and Shadow Zone, let the celebration begin! My friends!!!!"

"Praise the Goddess of the Rose!!!!"

A huge crowd from the Light and Shadow Zone erupted in a tsunami of cheers. The City of Wandering entered its grandest and final revelry.