BXBX NOVEL Chapter 141 Zeke's Predicament
Riding in the Farauld Family official carriage, Eli reported directly to the Magical Research Branch.
The branch was totally different from the lively and bustling atmosphere of the Magic and Academic branches. The first two branches fit well to the description of a modern day school, brimming with energy and youth!
On the otherhand, the Magical Research school gives a cold and secluded atmosphere. Eli could not see any students wandering around the campus grounds. There was only silence and isolation.
Even the facade of the building gives the vibe of a solemn place, the most unruly students would shut their mouths whenever they pass through the infront of this campus.
It was also because of the eccentricity of the people belonging to this school, they were known to be scary and maniacs when it comes to research.
Thus, the students from the other two schools immediately avoid anyone belonging to the magical research institute.
The carriage stopped at the entrance of the campus. Eli quietly went off, with Wisey gracefully perched on her shoulders.
Because she didn\'t want to wear the white gown given by Grandpa Ben, she wore something that would make every lady raise their eyebrows with interest and every gentleman turn their head in surprise.
She wore a sleek black long trench coat that was cut in a way that fits with Eli\'s naturally curved waist and a pure white blouse underneath, it was paired with slim cut pants and heeled black leather knee boots.
She affixed her pale brown wig securely today because she styled her hair with a high ponytail.
The long trench coat and her high ponytail gave her a strong and cold vibe that would make people think twice before attempting to approach her. Her confident and dignified posture was highlighted due to her choice to wear a ponytail.
Eli completely transformed herself to a modern corporate woman in the world where this kind of fashion was still deemed unusual.
Stern and sharp! Not to be trifled with!
Unlike the lively and warm welcome she experienced during her first arrival here in institute, today she is alone. Not even Zeke could be seen anywhere, much to her confusion.
Zeke mentioned that he will be with her as she enters the branch, to help her get acquainted with the people. But the designated time came and he was still nowhere to be found.
Therefore, she decided to enter the campus by herself, as she assumed that Zeke may have been held by his matters as the branch dean.
Calmly stepping towards the stairway of the hall entrance, all Eli could hear was the echoing sound produced by her heeled boots.
When she finally went through the massive door, she quietly took out her identification badge and held it in front of the lion head as instructed by Grandpa Ben.
Almost immediately, the eyes of the bronze lion head lit up and the massive door slowly opened with a creaking sound.
She expected to see a brightly lit interior, just like all the other halls in the campus. However, all that welcomed her was a gloomy and creepy entrance hall.
"What a creepy hall! It\'s giving me goosebumps!" Wisey commented as her feathers raised in alert.
"There\'s a seat over there.." Eli pointed towards a chair located at the center. It was the first thing that caught her attention.
She focused her vision well to realize that there was a person bound in the chair. "There was someone in the chair!" She exclaimed.
"Eh.. could it be a ghost?" Wisey commented with a scared voice, she sidewards stepped to squeeze under Eli\'s neck.
"Really??? Aren\'t you from up there? Why must you be afraid of ghosts?" Eli looked at Wisey with a side glance.
Eli knew from the onset that this was just a prank from the eccentric people from the branch.
"Tsss! I\'m just making the atmosphere more intense, why not ride on my joke??" Wisey sulkily replied.
"Sigh, alright enough, stay alert and let\'s check who the person is." Eli replied with a serious tone.
She was actually lamenting inside about how eccentric the people of the research branch could be. She thought that she was prepared enough mentally for their unusual antics, but this prank was really beyond her imagination.
"Aiyoo. You are so fearless!" Wisey commented. But she stayed still on her shoulder in case there was some kind of a trap set for them as soon as they got near.
They soon realized that it was Zeke who was bound in the chair, to their surprise! The young dean was peacefully sleeping even with the uncomfortable posture.
"Zeke.. Dean Zeke…" Eli gently shook his shoulder in an attempt to wake him up.
Soon, Zeke began to flutter his long grey lashes and woke up in a groggy state. "Urgh… What is happening?"
"Zeke, I should be the one asking what happened to you! Why are you in this state?" Eli replied with a helpless and worried tone.
She now kind of understood why her Uncle Bramwell and Grandpa Ben wanted Zeke to be tougher. Looks like he had a hard time dealing with the people of the branch. She wondered how Zeke was troubled by the research branch.
Are they a group of delinquents or problem children?
Eli couldn\'t help but frown in disconnect.
The branch was supposedly a group of people who were only crazy about their research work. Why must she encounter the young dean being bullied in his own branch?
Besides, if the faculty and researchers do not respect him as the dean, then why must Zeke stay in the branch to be bullied by them?
"Now tell me what happened?" Eli asked in a serious tone.
Zeke was once under her supervision during the water system project, so Zeke was already familiar with this side of Eli right now.
"It\'s like this… someone must have put a sleeping pill in my morning coffee!" Zeke meekly replied with an aggrieved tone.
From an outsider\'s perspective, one would find it bizarre to see the thirty-ish dean being submissive with Eli who was just twenty four.
"Who did this? Do you have any idea?" Eli inquired, she intentionally raised her cold voice.
"I don\'t know.." He helplessly replied.
"..." There was a silent pause for a long time. This situation was making Eli bring out her authoritarian attitude back in her corporate days, in dealing with non performing subordinates.
This situation is a direct challenge to Zeke and her abilities.
Her thunderous voice echoed through the hall, "You lot who hid in the shadows, shall I serve you some biscuits and tea to make you feel comfortable watching the show??!" She declared in a piercingly sarcastic tone.
Zeke couldn\'t help but gulp in nervousness. Although he was familiar with Eli being wittingly sharp and serious, it was the first time he saw her explode like this.
As he was near Eli, the impact of her voice immediately shook the depths of his soul, effectively making his mind quiver in fear.
Oblivious to Zeke\'s visible fear, Eli\'s hands were already moving to unfasten the rope that was binding Zeke. She also asked Zeke if he sustained any wounds.
She then mentally communicated with Wisey to pinpoint where the onlookers were hiding and how many they were.
She pointed at a random direction on the second floor and shouted,
"Three of you with the black gowns, come out! I told you that you should get some snacks if you chose to just watch! Yet not one of you dared to breathe to keep me from finding you? Hah! I can see your greasy noses scrunching down here!"
Then in another direction, "Have the five of you seen enough? I\'d like to see what your record crystal managed to capture! I\'ll give it to the headmaster and vice chairman, for sure they will also find it entertaining to watch!"
"You, behind the statue, do you think your lousy stealth device is even worthy to be called an invention? I can even see your unkempt gown out in the open! Get off your high horse and show yourself!"
"What are the two of you on the far left being smug about? Are you the ones who spiked Dean Zeke\'s coffee? Come here and let me see your audacious faces!! Are they even good looking?"
"Zeke, can you catch those four researchers on the third floor who wanted to escape? I thought all the people here are brave enough to spike your coffee? Why are they showing their shivering butts to me now??!"
Eli immediately transformed into a tiger mom as she pinpointed all the faculty members and researchers hiding in the hall.
Wisey and Zeke were actually shocked to see how scary Eli could be when provoked.
They worry about Little Han in the future, "Oh, Little Han, please grow to be an obedient little boy, don\'t make your mommy angry because she\'s so scary!"
Fully exposed by the newcomer and the renowned inventor, all the members of the research branch slowly revealed themselves in the open.
They hung their heads low in guilt and shame, faculty and researchers alike.
They were really embarrassed by how Eli exposed them one by one. She even hurt their ego by spewing powerfully sarcastic remarks.
It was the first time they were treated like this as they were used to being left alone without a care.
The faculty members and students from the other schools avoided them, so they were pretty comfortable enough in their own little bubble inside the research branch.
"You lot were finally out."
Eli felt her throat sting in pain as she had never shouted with that kind of intensity for such a long time.
However, she did not dare to show any signs of pain until she was done dealing with the unruly people.
She swept a glance on everyone\'s faces.
An eerie silence dominated through the hall.
The anxiety levels of Zeke and the rest intensified as they could still feel the cold and authoritative aura gushing out of Eli\'s tall figure.