Mage Manual-Chapter 1423 - 1039: It Doesn’t Matter, I’ll Step In

"Do you really think I could leave anything behind?"

After wiping the water off her face, Iris wasn’t as angry anymore. She took off her hair tie and clip, letting her long hair fall over her shoulders, and retrieved a peach wood comb from her handbag to brush her damp locks. She said, "The Sword Demon’s belongings weren’t in our hands the next day. Now, they’ve gone through at least five different inspections. Even without me, someone else would have snatched them up. Last time, when the Sword Demon lost contact in the Distant Realm, didn’t the Administration almost succeed?"

"And you really haven’t searched through the Sword Demon’s belongings?" Iris sneered, "Aren’t you curious about the Sword Demon’s secrets? How much more noble do you think you are than me?"

Lois’s expression darkened. They actually understood that once Sonia’s wanted notice was out, all her personal belongings would surely be confiscated for investigation. Whether Iris was involved or not, that once lively four-person dorm room would ultimately echo with only three people’s voices.

"Even if the Administration came to take everything, I’d accept it. But who do you think you are, Iris?" Adelle said angrily, "Your family’s business sought collaboration with Sonia for endorsements. When did Sonia not prioritize your family’s work, or not do her best? Others might behave disgracefully, but you, of all people, have no right!"

"Didn’t my family pay? She’s not a free whore!" Iris snorted, "In fact, she’s quite an expensive one."

"You—"

Adelle was so furious her stomach felt like it was burning. She once again summoned a water ball and hurled it. However, at that moment, the Shield Axe Mage dismantled the Hexagram Shield and slapped at the water ball, which accelerated back towards Adelle!

Pop.

Adelle immediately covered her face and dodged, but she didn’t feel the water ball hit her. She lowered her hands and saw an insulated bag between her and the water ball, just in time to block its path.

"Good job, I’ll treat you to a meal!" Adelle quickly hid behind Hugh, "Ingrid, defeat that loudspeaker and then we’ll toss Iris, the small speaker, into East Lake!"

"Iris, if you weren’t afraid of us, you wouldn’t have waited this long to return to school," Lois said calmly, "You know how much Sonia, out of regard for being classmates, gave your family business discounts and provided extra support. All this because you said you wanted to earn your parents’ approval and inherit the business, not become a tool for an arranged marriage."

Iris’s lips quivered, and her head tilted slightly forward as she exhaled a breath of white air, "Did I ever ask her to help me?"

"I just don’t understand," Lois said, "You used to come over to help her put on her war dress... I thought you wanted to be friends with her."

"I’m different from you three. As the Earl’s daughter, there have only been people who want to be my friends," Iris drew back her peach wood comb, "However, I did think about being friends with her... back when she was a One-winged Mage."

"Although she was just a village girl from afar, a beautiful and promising female mage indeed had the value of befriending."

"But she ran too fast, really... too fast."

"I used to feel superior to her, but when I was representing the business in conversation with her, do you know what I felt?"

Iris tied a small ponytail on the front section of her hair and a big ponytail with the back, then threaded the big ponytail through the small ponytail loop, causing the ponytail at the back to naturally lift high, and the hairline on her forehead wouldn’t pull straight: "That day, she and I both had the same high ponytail hairstyle, but she looked much better, was much more confident, and much stronger..."

"I actually felt inferior."

"Family background, appearance, effort, nothing compared to her," Iris suddenly laughed, "You must understand this feeling too, right?"

Lois did not speak, Adelle continued to condense a water ball as if planning another sneak attack, and Ingrid silently fixed her gaze on the Shield Axe Mage. Crowds began gathering near the campus path, and someone might have informed the professor.

"Jealousy?" Lois asked.

"How could I dare? By that time, she was already a Holy Sanctuary Mage," Iris shook her head, "Being jealous of a Holy Sanctuary Mage, even I think such a thought is foolish. I still have to represent my family to win her favor, and our family also wants one more Holy Sanctuary Mage... It’s just when news of the Starry Sky incident came, and my family told me to find a way to take away all items related to Sonia. I was surprised I didn’t hesitate at all."

"I once genuinely wanted to be friends with her," Iris’s smile was filled with pleasure, "but now, I’m really happy for her betrayal."

"Did you deliberately take our things and mix them with Sonia’s belongings so that your family could keep some inconspicuous scraps?" Ingrid suddenly asked, "Are the gifts Sonia gave us still with you?"

Iris glanced at her, gave a disdainful smile, and nodded, "Yes, those insignificant things are indeed with me."

"Give them back!" Ingrid’s resolute voice pierced through the wind and snow.

"I actually quite dislike you three," Iris said casually, "I came back this time just to take a few things, didn’t expect to run into you three, and the guards my father assigned to me are also around."

"Since you provoked us first, it’s reasonable for us to retaliate." Iris spread her hands, "But I can forgive you, after all, being friends with a ’whore,’ it’s no wonder you lack manners—"