Chapter 128 : Was She Playing Dumb All Along?

First there was the Saintess, and now Elia…

Was all of this really just a coincidence?

Koman felt completely thrown into confusion.

At that moment, he suddenly realized that Lu Mo might not be as harmless as she appeared.

He fell silent, lost in a daze.

But Elia and Lu Mo didn’t notice him.

Elia pulled Lu Mo along, brushing past him swiftly.

“Lo… lovers?”

“Huh? Miss Lu Mo, why are you blushing?”

“Just joking, don’t be nervous, Miss Lu Mo.”

“It’s… it’s just too unfamiliar…”

Their voices gradually faded away.

Until they could no longer be heard at all.

But Koman still stood there, silent, as if deep in thought.

His expression gradually grew grave.

“Young Master Koman?”

The youth beside him, seeing him like this, couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

It wasn’t final exams right now, so why was this guy frowning?

“Let’s go.”

After a moment, Koman spoke, turned around, and quickly walked toward the entrance ceremony venue.

“Now? We won’t see any pretty junior girls at this time, right?”

The other boy was stunned for a moment, then quickly followed.

“Hey, Koman, wait for me—”

***

Elia and Lu Mo had indeed arrived early.

At this time, there weren’t many people on the plaza, and most of the seats were empty.

There were also small groups of boys and girls chatting together.

Some were people of similar family backgrounds getting to know each other.

Some upperclassmen were proactively striking up conversations with handsome junior boys and pretty junior girls.

Or minor nobles surrounded the royal descendants, faces full of fawning.

“Look, that’s… Miss Elia!”

Someone recognized her and immediately got excited.

He knew Elia’s results.

She had been first by a landslide in consecutive assessments.

Such a genius was naturally worth befriending.

“Miss Elia?”

“Who is the one she’s holding by the hand?”

“So beautiful… but I haven’t seen her before.”

The crowd suddenly became a bit restless.

Some wanted to step forward and talk, some planned to get acquainted, and some even prepared to ask for contact information.

The youth who had recognized Elia first had already walked over, showing a gentle smile, about to speak.

Elia looked up and smiled back at him.

However—

That youth froze in place the next instant.

A chill suddenly swept through his entire body, even penetrating his soul.

Elia was indeed smiling at him.

But that smile had no warmth at all.

And her gaze was extremely cold.

As if a lofty emperor was looking down at an ill-mannered intruder.

Warning him—

He did not deserve to approach.

If he took one more step forward…

He would die.

It wasn’t just that youth.

At that moment, others who noticed Elia also vaguely felt that chill.

Their expressions all changed.

That kind of aura seemed like something only a true king could possess.

Under that intangible pressure, they couldn’t even conceive the thought of resistance.

The chill only lasted a few seconds, then dissipated.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

But after that, no one dared to disturb Elia and Lu Mo again.

Many even subconsciously lowered their heads.

Lu Mo didn’t notice any of this.

After arriving at the seating area, she began looking for her seat.

Sure enough—

She had been arranged in the last few rows.

“The preferential treatment is way too obvious…”

Lu Mo couldn’t help but complain.

She even considered leaving outright for a moment.

But since she was already here, she might as well sit for a while.

So she sat down in the last row.

And Elia, without leaving, sat down right beside her.

“You… is it okay for you to sit here?”

Lu Mo asked.

“It’s fine.” Elia smiled. “The last row has a nice view, and I can keep Miss Lu Mo company.”

Even though she said that, Lu Mo felt…

She should have been sitting in a better seat.

She was much stronger than herself.

Had seen more scenery and had more possibilities.

For some reason—

Lu Mo suddenly thought of Elia from the first Simulated Reincarnation.

Before going to her death, she had left a letter.

Hoping that the girl would live well after the darkness dispersed.

And so—

Was she doing well now?

Had she stepped out of that gray past?

Had she truly embraced the new world?

Even if that world might have already disappeared.

She still hoped Elia could be happy.

“Miss Lu Mo?”

Elia’s voice pulled her back to reality.

“Were you… spacing out just now?”

She had noticed Lu Mo’s momentary absent-mindedness.

Lu Mo smiled softly.

“Just recalling some… very old things.”

“From over three hundred years ago, I suppose.”

“Very old?!”

Elia’s heart jolted violently.

Could it be…

In this situation, had Sister Lu Mo really remembered something?

During the five years they’d lived together at Ice Orchid Institute, she had never forgotten.

Then, deep in Lu Mo’s soul, were those memories still lingering?

“Sister Lu Mo…”

Elia called softly.

She was about to continue saying something—

Just then, her communication crystal suddenly lit up.

She glanced at the content, thought for a moment, then revealed a faint smile.

“Sorry, Miss Lu Mo, I have some matters to attend to. I need to step away.”

“Oh, sure, go ahead.” Lu Mo nodded.

Of course, she wouldn’t hold Elia back because of herself.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.”

Before leaving, Elia even playfully stuck out her tongue at her.

Then she hurried away.

After a while, the main group gradually arrived.

Over ninety percent of the participants in this entrance ceremony were students who had entered the institute through formal assessments.

And those sitting in the last few rows were very few.

Many people noticed Lu Mo.

First they were amazed by her looks, then they noticed her seat.

It meant—she had mediocre talent.

Many people’s gazes shifted from amazement to disappointment.

Some also had other ideas and planned to approach her after the ceremony.

“In previous years, those people had the self-awareness not to sit here.”

“This year, someone actually sits in the last row?”

Occasional sarcastic remarks could be heard.

But Lu Mo didn’t mind.

She was already used to it.

“Lu Mo… sitting alone over there?”

Koman stood not far away, observing secretly.

Elia had left at some point.

Only Lu Mo was left alone in the last row.

Had she been abandoned?

It seemed the relationship between them wasn’t that close after all.

The earlier intimacy was probably just Elia’s whim.

Thinking this, Koman’s heart finally settled down.

After a while longer, the new students were mostly seated.

The entrance ceremony officially began.

The procedure was the same as always.

After the host’s opening remarks, they quickly moved to the first segment—

Awarding the top ten new students.

‘The process is pretty much the same as it was back at Ice Orchid Institute…’

Lu Mo thought to herself.

She hadn’t been paying attention to this year’s freshman rankings.

Until—

The top ten walked onto the stage.

The tall figure standing at the front came into view.

She froze slightly.

At the same time, a light screen unfolded above the plaza, and the list of new students began scrolling.

And at that moment, she saw that name—

Elia.

“Elia…”

Lu Mo’s pupils contracted sharply.

She looked again at the girl on the stage.

And at that moment—

As if sensing something.

Elia also raised her head.

Their gazes, crossing through the dense crowd, met at this instant.