Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

So that's how it is. The reporter is a cryptic observer, a secret spy and guardian. And right now, he's prying into the secrets of those exceptional elves. Although those female elves possess stunning beauty, the reporter has uncovered their secrets.

Although the literary society may be unreliable at times, don't forget that they are members of Andrei, and they will certainly be able to demonstrate their superior qualities when needed.

“I understand, sir. But I still don’t understand those graphics you’ve recorded. Could you tell me what they are? If they’re private, then you don’t need to reply.”

The reporter chuckled, "No, it's nothing, Dr. Epidemiologist. These are some calculation models, just wishful thinking to teach me the calculation methods. If you want to learn, I can teach you."

"Is it some very complex secret? It even requires calculations..."

"Yes, after all, my visual estimation isn't that accurate, is it?"

Lyle looked at the three numbers from top to bottom next to each model and his heart skipped a beat.

"I used geometry to calculate the dimensions, and I also established a coordinate system to perform force analysis on the elves' sitting postures..."

"After all, my visual estimation skills are limited, hahaha, but if the measurements are inaccurate, they're useless, right?"

Measurements? Lyle looked at the figures and finally found a similarity to the physics and mathematics he remembered. Those geometric shapes pieced together—didn't they perfectly correspond to the physiques of those elves? Eight elves, eight computational models, twenty-four sets of numbers.

Holy crap! This reporter is actually doing this!

He was visually estimating the beautiful elf's measurements. To prevent errors, he even built mathematical and mechanical models for calculation and verification!

I can't believe a literary society actually does anything worthwhile! Seriously, a literary society like that!

Lyle felt deeply deceived, and he gritted his teeth as he spoke fiercely to the reporter.

"This... is what you call... a precious... secret?"

The reporter nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and even expressed disagreement with the disdain in Lyle's words.

"Don't you understand! They are the best of the elves, possessing both beauty and talent! What does that mean? They are idols! The dream girls of the masses! Do you know how much their measurements are worth? You don't! Because you're just a stinky lich who likes to stay in the lab!"

Lyle was furious! "Damn it, you secretly measured a female elf's measurements at a concert, violating her privacy, and you still have the nerve to say that?!" Lyle deliberately spoke loudly, wanting his lich colleagues to witness the shamelessness of the reporter.

As expected, this caused an uproar among the liches.

However, most of the liches here belong to the literary society, so their reasons for the uproar are a little different.

A lich stood up, his hands forming a delicate, orchid-like gesture, as if he were playing a musical instrument.

"What?! This concert is for collecting female elves' measurements?! Isn't it supposed to be a role-playing exercise for observing the behavior of normal creatures?! I've even learned how to do the orchid finger pose and cross my legs!"

Another lich stood up, holding a piece of parchment in his hand.

"What?! Isn't this concert a protest against the exorbitant ticket prices for Andre's concerts?! I've already written a cost-effectiveness report!"

Another lich stood up, holding a manuscript in his hand.

"What?! Isn't this concert just a gathering of material for the Andre News?! My news article, 'The Secret I Can't Tell the Elf,' is almost finished!"

Another lich stood up, holding a rope in his hand.

"What?! Isn't this concert just a prey exhibition to collect experimental materials?! I've already prepared a kidnapping plan and identified my target!"

Another lich stood up, holding a pitch-black box in his hand.

"What?! Isn't this concert a data-gathering activity to observe the flesh and blood structure of the elves?! I even brought my X-ray vision device! And isn't the Plague Doctor here?! I thought our flesh and blood disguises would soon have an elven version!"

Another lich stood up, carrying nothing.

"What! Am I the only one who wants to form a life-or-death bond with the elf lady?!"

Confusion arose in Andrei, and the literary society only now realized that they had completely misunderstood the topic.

"Who is the organizer? Let him explain his purpose."

"He's a gentleman! The organizer is a gentleman!"

As a result, all the liches turned their attention to the gentleman.

The gentleman sat upright, sweating profusely under everyone's gaze. Vera Liz had left his embrace and was now perched on his shoulder, her cat eyes gleaming coldly, her fluffy tail wrapped around his neck, her paws gently pressed against his face.

Vera Liz asked with a smile.

"Hurry up and answer them, Evanrit! What are you trying to achieve by holding this concert and bringing so many beautiful elf girls here?"

The gentleman's voice was trembling with tears, and sweat involuntarily streamed down his face.

"I really want to listen to music."

Lyle was desperate.

He originally thought that the elves were the unkind ones.

As a result, very few members of the literary society listened attentively to the elf's performance.

The only male audience members who were truly captivated by the music were Lyle and the seemingly honest gentleman.

Lyle touched his forehead.

"Um, sir who collects flesh and blood data, could you please share your data with me? I will then create a suitable flesh and blood disguise for you."

Chapter 385 A Musical Feast

The collaboration between the Literature Club and the elves was undoubtedly a failure. Faced with the Literature Club's reckless behavior, the slightest bit of defensiveness shown by the elves was as insignificant as a feather.

Lyle admired the professionalism of the elves playing the music. Even as the audience descended into chaos, treating the elf performers like Muggles or mere background figures, these beautiful and elegant elves continued their performance with unwavering composure. Even though no lich paid any attention to their performance, the members of the literary society were watching the gentleman, clapping and cheering for his screams as he was beaten by the angry cat.

With a feeling of sympathy and apology, Lyle returned to his seat, back to Ariana's side, to enjoy the elf's performance together. The lich, long resident of Andrea, was uninterested in the foolish behavior of the literature club member; her love of music controlled her entire being, and she was now intently listening to the elf's melodious harp playing.

Lyle's gaze lingered on her profile. Her expression was relaxed, her focused look almost mesmerizing; her bright red lips appeared black in the green light, which ironically gave her a gothic, bewitching allure. Her skin, crafted by Lyle's own hands, was smooth as pearls, its flesh and cheekbones supporting its pearly luster.

Her faint breaths exhaled a sweet fragrance, but the surrounding noise was too loud, and Lyle couldn't hear the breathing sounds she wanted to hear at all.

It seemed as if the heavens had heard Lyle's simple wish; the lich's shouts subsided, and the music on the stage gradually came to an end.

It would be absolutely wonderful if the concert could end with Ariana's voice (breathing).

Just as Lyle had expected, in the gradual calm that followed, Lyle heard Ariana inhale.

A long, drawn-out breath followed by Ariana Deathsong.

"Aaaaaaaahh ...

The concert concluded with Ariana's voice (singing).

The sound waves crashed against the violent airflow, and the huge black cloth covering the cage danced wildly in the wind. Its wildly fluttering edges looked like howling, vengeful spirits reaching out their hands, yearning to escape.

The birth of music, the death of music.

Everything fell into a deathly silence.

After a long while, the small ironwood door creaked under its own weight and was slowly pushed open.

A gaunt, thin humanoid figure. Blood flowed from all seven orifices, and the whites of its eyes were almost entirely filled with bloodshot veins. It looked like a survivor who had just escaped a massacre, collapsing to the ground after only a few steps. Under the horrified gaze of the elves who came to investigate, it stretched out its trembling forelimbs.

"Help...help...help me, I don't want to...I don't want to!!!"

The intense roar drained his last bit of strength, and his hand, yearning for hope, fell limply to the ground.

Before the elf could get close enough to provide first aid, another noise came from behind the door.

It was the sound of a noisy, group action.

In the fifth district of light, a verdant habitat for elves, a secluded little door seems to connect to the underworld.

Skeletons, terrifying skeletons covered in blood and exuding an aura of death, their eye sockets burning with cold, soul-stirring flames that seemed to freeze the air itself.

The skeleton army, now fully exposed to the sunlight, was a horde of malevolent spirits returned from hell. And they cast their malevolent gaze upon the sole survivor.

"What are you still holding on to, sir? Take off your disguise sooner rather than later."

The skeletons made no attempt to conceal their limbs, and one by one approached the gentleman lying on the ground.

"Comrades, it seems that the gentleman's flesh and blood disguise is a bit damaged and can't be taken off."

"Then let's tear off the disguise and be crushed by flesh and blood. It must be very hard for the gentleman."

So seven or eight skeletons squatted beside the corpse, piercing their sharp bone fingers into the flesh and tearing at the skin like jackals.

Some of the guarding elves fainted from the horrific scene before them, while others collapsed to the ground, numbly enduring the mental torment.

"This is so troublesome. The absorption of flesh and blood disguise is just too good." The skeleton with strips of flesh hanging from its body complained to its companion about its situation.

"Stop talking and get to work. I've already removed the thigh flesh." Another skeleton stabbed its bone claws into the joint connecting the thigh, and like taking off pantyhose, it peeled off the thigh muscles layer by layer.

"Wow! A gentleman's stomach is full of acid, that's disgusting!"

Finally, a human was torn to shreds, leaving only bones. Two flames burst forth from his eye sockets. The gentleman in lich form sighed, "What are you doing? I think I can still be saved!"

"No, you're hopeless. Just get rid of this now."

An exhausted lich threw the intestines hanging from his body onto the ground and stretched his bony frame.

"Ms. Ariana, has her singing improved again?"

"Definitely, she sang so well it blew us away."

"Oh, I'm so satisfied! After listening to the elves' songs and then to Lady Ariana's songs, I feel so comfortable. Let's hurry up and participate in other activities."

"Remember to go back to the academy to change into some disguise first; I don't want to be running around naked during the celebration!"

The lich from the literary society walked away, laughing and joking, his arm around her shoulder, leaving behind a trail of blood.

Ariana, dressed in a ghostly black veil stained dark red with blood, slowly walked out, supporting Lyle.

Lyle felt as if some savage was frantically stirring his head with a scorching iron rod, turning it into a boiling mess. If Nia hadn't immediately wrapped herself up in a protective blanket, he probably would be dead already—damn it, Ariana!

“Sorry, Lyle, I got so engrossed that I couldn’t help but start singing.”

Lyle took a deep breath; the pungent smell of blood that filled his nostrils made his head throb even more. His facial muscles trembled as he forced a weak smile.

"It's alright, Ariana, I can handle it."

He clearly couldn't straighten his legs.

Ariana didn't expose Lyle's final act of bravado, but instead pressed her body even closer to him, shifting the boy's weight further onto herself.

"By the way, how is Ms. Villalitz? I haven't seen her around."

"The cat disappeared into the shadows immediately. It was thanks to her that the gentleman was able to keep his body intact. He's probably already gone."

Lyle nodded, his body aching all over, and limped toward the edge of the elven area.