Chapter 94: Jasmine
“Ah, why didn’t you stop Professor Fisher? I ran across two buildings!”
In the empty classroom shortly after Fisher left, Milica, panting after running across two buildings, saw the empty podium and knew that Fisher was gone. Just like during her private tutoring sessions, he seemed even more eager for class to end than the students and would never hold over time.
Milica puffed out her cheeks, feeling a bit disappointed that she didn’t get to see Fisher. She turned to look at Isabel, who was slumped over the desk and nearly lifeless, while Jasmine gently patted her back, making Milica curiously ask Jasmine,
“What’s wrong with her, Jasmine?”
Before Jasmine could respond, Isabel lifted her head, a hint of moisture pooling at the corners of her eyes,
“That professor is so strict! Why did he have to start teaching during the first period? I was already so tired, and even though I forced myself not to fall asleep, I still had to concentrate on his lecture!”
Milica laughed awkwardly, almost transported back to her painful memories of math class from long ago,
“Professor Fisher is a different person in class compared to usual. He is a little strict, but I guarantee you’ll learn a lot, judging by my intelligence in mathematics! Our literature class isn’t bad; Lady Laura introduced us to her latest poetry collection and encouraged us to exchange ideas, which was actually quite interesting.”
Laura? That poet?
Jasmine tilted her head in confusion, but Isabel knew of the female poet’s reputation.
It seemed that Isabel’s sister wasn’t fond of her and had an average appraisal of her, calling her “a speculator who caters to unrealistic fantasies of ladies,” which caused Isabel to unconsciously form a negative impression of this professor.
However, she was still quite popular in school. When it was announced that she would be teaching at Saint Nali University, many students were quite excited, much more than when Fisher came; Fisher’s arrival excited the professors, while the students were unaware.
“You don’t have class at ten o’clock, right? Are you going swimming?”
Milica and Isabel still had class at ten o’clock and were currently packing their things to head to the next classroom. They turned to Jasmine, who was sitting still, seemingly well aware of her roommate’s habit of frequently swimming.
Upon hearing Milica’s question, Jasmine shyly nodded and said,
“Um, I’m planning to swim for a while.”
“Oh, I see. Then see you this afternoon; we’ll head out first.”
“Uh-huh, goodbye.”
Watching Milica and Isabel leave, Jasmine waved at their departing figures until they had been gone for a while before slowly stopping. She opened her mouth, looked down to store her books in the locker downstairs, and then walked toward the swimming pool.
Saint Nali University has a dedicated gymnasium, and the swimming pool is located at the foot of the mountain directly across from the teachers’ office building, though it is still quite a distance away.
The girl walked while clutching her chest and looking down, as her well-developed figure sometimes blocked her view of her own toes. She stretched her hand to press down the soft areas so she could see her legs.
As she carefully watched each step she took, she also subconsciously made soft “heh heh” sounds that only she could hear, matching her footsteps perfectly.
But as she walked like this, she suddenly caught sight of a pair of black leather shoes approaching her. She looked up and was startled to find it was Professor Fisher, whom she had just had class with. A sense of panic surged within her at encountering a teacher as a student, and her legs felt frozen in place, her hands awkwardly flailing before settling at her sides.
“Hello, Professor Fisher.”
Jasmine took the initiative to greet him, her small voice like that of a timid animal, audible only when Fisher was close. He paused, looking at the blushing girl before him, suddenly remembering she was one of the first-row students who had taken all the recommended readings.
He had just returned from Xiatu, the centaur, and was prepared to find Trandal, a New Party member, to ask him to prepare to take him to the Pink Pavilion. He had more or less crafted his plan and was just waiting to leverage Trandal, but then he bumped into one of his students from class.
At this moment, he released an inadvertent glance at her unusually developed form and recalled that he had seen this girl in the teaching building during his first visit to discuss matters with Principal Ken.
“Hello, you’re one of the students who chose my class? What’s your name?”
“Ah, yes. I… I’m Jasmine, a first-year student at the Magic Academy, and I’m just about to go swimming.”
He had only asked for her name, but she hurriedly blurted out a whole bunch of information, including what she was currently planning to do.
Fisher paused slightly, then smiled, brushing past her shyness as he prepared to leave.
“Well then, good luck.”
“Uh, okay. I’ll do my best.”
Fisher waved goodbye and was ready to leave, Jasmine only realizing when he spoke that she had responded a bit late; by then, he was already walking away. She opened her mouth, glancing back, unsure of what she had just said, feeling embarrassed.
But Jasmine gazed at Fisher’s back, suddenly realizing that Milica’s words were true. Fisher seemed like two different people, one in class and one outside of it. Or perhaps, he appeared different because he was particularly serious about certain matters?
Jasmine tapped her head, silently remembering their previous conversation as she turned and continued on her path to the swimming pool.
The swimming pool was completely empty shortly after ten in the morning; the administrator had just started work and had gone to grab breakfast. It seemed he assumed a student would come to swim, as he had left a set of keys on the counter for Jasmine, containing her swimming gear.
Jasmine had several swimsuits and sometimes stored one here, making it unnecessary to return to the dormitory to fetch one.
“Hey hey.”
She murmured to herself while changing into her swimsuit. Then, standing in front of the mirror in the changing room, she examined her appearance. This was already the largest swimsuit she could buy at school, but it still felt quite tight around her chest. She held onto the fabric that pressed against her, hoping it would make her more comfortable.
The girl with black hair didn’t wear swimming goggles or any kind of swimming cap. The vast pool rippled with water waves as Jasmine quietly squatted by the edge of the pool. As she reached her hand to touch the water’s surface, she slowly closed her eyes. In solitude, her body, wrapped in the swimsuit, briefly glowed with a faint blue light. In that moment of radiance, she fell into the pool, seemingly merging with the water without causing a single splash.
The girl comfortably closed her eyes and sank into the pool. At that moment, the pool appeared to have no bottom, allowing her to sink freely under the force of gravity, deeper and deeper until sunlight vanished and an eerie silence enveloped her, as if she were the only person in the world.
In the endless descent, she slowly opened her eyes. Her formerly dark pupils burst with a blue brilliance under the water, as if they contained the essence of an entire ocean’s life.
Around her, it no longer resembled the shallow school swimming pool, but rather the dark expanses of a wide ocean. She quietly peered at the illusory depths of the ocean surrounding her, and after a second or two, she began to softly sing at the bottom of the water. A sound, imperceptible to human ears, spread through the sea, calling forth some slumbering nameless entity from afar.
“My companion sea beast, awaken!”
In the darkness, a pair of gigantic blue pupils opened wide, much larger than islands, as the enormous body resembling a mountain stirred in response to the girl’s singing. Unbeknownst to her, a colossal beast had wrapped around her, obscuring her view completely.
Yet Jasmine felt no panic; instead, she smiled and stretched out her hand. At this moment, behind her, a huge tail resembling that of a whale unfurled, and a shimmering, ethereal headpiece appeared on her face, sparkling with the ocean’s radiant light.
“Jasmine.”
The vast sea beast lowered its head, allowing Jasmine’s palm to rest against its forehead. Then the gigantic eye descended to meet her gaze, and a booming voice echoed from the sea in an unusually strange language.
“Xianghun, I have reached the land. There are many humans and buildings, even more than below the sea. I played here for a while, so I didn’t call for you earlier, hehe.”
The beast stared in silence at the girl before it, the blue giant’s eye blinking repeatedly, creating waves upon waves of water.
“You should focus more; remember to complete the task entrusted to you by the Lady, most importantly, to bring back Lady Muxi.”
“Don’t worry, Xianghun. I learned the human language and will soon go find Aunt Muxi. I’ll also deliver my mother’s letter to that human. But I want to know, why does my mother send a letter to that human every year?”
“The Lady and that human have made an agreement. She gave her weapon to that human to assist him in battle, and he promised to return it when he turns thirty-five. This is his thirty-fourth birthday; the next year is the time for him to fulfill his promise.”
“I see. I understand now. After I deliver the letter and find Aunt Muxi, I’ll come back!”
“Yes, I have awakened. If you need anything, just call for me. Later, I will have the Crab Clan send some things up for you. You will likely need some exchange items while you’re in human territory.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Jasmine smiled lightly, then her body began to involuntarily float upward, suddenly rising from the dark, deep ocean. The huge whale tail and ethereal blue crown had vanished without her noticing. When she surfaced again, appearing in the swimming pool at school, she had completely returned to her human form.
Taking a deep breath, she extended her hand. There, the webbing between her fingers gradually retracted, a hint of pale blue light rippling from her body, completely transforming her back into her human shape.
She smiled slightly and whispered into the void,
“Thank you, Lord Ramastia.”
At the bottom of the water, bubble-like manifestations popped up, seemingly responding in gratitude to the girl.
Please follow, read, and vote; it means a lot to me!
Thank you very much!
(*`*)
(End of Chapter)
