Translated Chapter
218. Disturbing Fly and the Pet
“Stop being so strange,” Wade said. “How’d your date with Padma go? Was it at least somewhat smooth this time?”
“What… what date?” Michael stammered, his face turning red. “We weren’t on a date… I mean, uh… we were just… discussing something… academic…”
Wade stared at him like he’d just seen a complete fool.
Michael finally gave up the lie, scratching his hair nervously. “So… who else knows?”
“Relax,” Wade added, as Michael visibly relaxed. “Other than one incredibly dense individual, everyone else figured it out.”
Michael froze. His expression darkened, eyes filling with despair.
“S-so… what about all this time…?”
“Yeah,” Wade continued, feigning innocence. “Everyone thought it was kind of fun watching you two pretend to hide it. But after that incident last time, we all kind of assumed you’d already made it public. Any outcome yet?”
“Ah, sorry,” Wade added with mock regret. “Just pretend I never said that.”
“Like I could forget!” Michael shot back, instantly standing up. “No way—I’m going to go ask Terry right now. I can’t let everyone think they know!”
Terry was Michael’s roommate.
Wade watched him, trying hard not to laugh at the obvious discomfort in his expression, the way he practically fled.
“You don’t seem very happy,” a faint, dreamy voice suddenly spoke from a distance.
It was Luna, sitting on a nearby sofa. She’d been reading a magazine, the cover blocking her entire face. Now, she lowered it slightly, her foggy eyes peering over the top, fixed on Wade.
Wade’s smile instantly froze. That gaze felt like it was piercing through his skin—unnervingly intense.
After a moment, he forced a polite nod, suppressing his smile. “Miss Luna Lovegood? Your magazine’s upside down.”
“No relation,” Luna replied in her slow, dreamlike tone. “It’s supposed to be read that way. Need help?”
“…Help?”
Wade struggled to understand. “You mean… I need help with what?”
From somewhere, Luna produced a pair of old-fashioned, pink-tinted glasses and put them on. She studied Wade carefully, then nodded with quiet certainty.
“You’re being haunted by a Disturbing Fly,” she said. “Shall I help you get rid of it?”
“…A Disturbing Fly?”
“A type of invisible insect,” Luna explained. “They drift into your ears and scramble your mind.”
Wade suddenly remembered—some of the more bizarre creatures Luna claimed to see really did exist. That was just her way.
He stayed silent for a moment, deciding not to argue with a child over the existence of a phantom insect. He played along, pretending to be curious. “Alright… how do you get rid of them?”
“Oh, that’s simple.” Luna set her book down and walked over. She spread her arms wide, miming swatting and shooing—though there was nothing there. She looked like she was dancing some strange, ancient ritual.
A few nearby students snickered.
But Luna seemed completely unaware.
She earnestly waved her hands, as if driving away invisible pests. Sometimes she’d hop up, and the bottle cork on her hairband would bounce, tapping lightly against her skull.
Wade found her both bizarre and endearing. Sitting beside her, he found himself caught between embarrassment and amusement—his mood unexpectedly lifted.
The uneasy feelings that had lingered since hearing about the bait plan vanished like smoke.
Luna stopped, turning to face him. “See? All the Disturbing Flies are gone. Wasn’t that effective?”
“Yes,” Wade smiled. “Thanks, Miss Lovegood.”
“You can call me Luna. I don’t mind.”
She returned to the sofa, didn’t continue the conversation, and resumed hiding her face behind the magazine.
Wade sat there for a while, waiting until she disappeared into the dormitory before rising and heading toward the boys’ dorm.
Suddenly, a brunette girl was shoved into his path. Behind her, a group of girls giggled uncontrollably.
The girl glared back, then turned to Wade, summoning courage. “Um… Wade Gray… I… uh… I—”
She stammered, unable to finish her sentence.
Wade looked down at her. “I remember… you’re Luna’s roommate, right?”
“Y-yes!” She brushed her hair behind her ear, eyes flicking up at him, cautious. “You… you’re friends with that… well, with Luna, right?”
“Sort of,” Wade smiled. “Or maybe she’s more like a little sister to me. I’m glad she has a friend like you—someone who seems so kind.”
“W-well… it’s not that big a deal…” The girl looked awkward, fingers nervously twisting strands of hair.
The girls behind her exchanged uneasy glances.
Wade didn’t seem to notice. He spoke gently. “Luna’s a bit… different. She’s not easy to get along with. But lucky for her, you all are willing to accept her. If she ever says something awkward, don’t hold back—just tell her straight. She’s not a bad kid. She just doesn’t know how to talk to people.”
“No, no, we’re used to it,” the girl tried to smile, forcing a friendly expression. “We’ve been friends for ages now. We’re all… we’re all just friends, right? Haha!”
Wade glanced at the others. They all wore that same “best friend’s sister” smile.
“Thanks,” he said. “She’s really lucky to have friends like you.”
From his bag, he pulled out a small collection of miniature magical pets and handed them over. “These are just little things I make sometimes. You can play with them.”
“Wow—” The girls gasped, hands flying to their mouths in surprise.
In his slender hand rested several tiny creatures—no bigger than a fingernail. Cats, dogs, rabbits, little chickens—some curled up sleeping, others huddled together in play, one even peering around as if searching for food. Round, chubby bodies, tiny claws, utterly adorable.
Each one was so enchanting, it was hard to look away.
There were enough for one each—and one extra.
The brunette hesitated, but her friends had already picked their favorites. She took a small cat, then held onto the last one—a tiny rabbit.
“I’ll pass this one on to Luna,” she said softly. “You forgot to give it to her, didn’t you?”
Wade chuckled. “Yeah. Thanks for that.”
He watched the first-year girls bounce away, their excitement palpable. Then he smiled, stepping onto the spiral staircase.
And in his mind, Machionni’s words echoed once more—words he’d repeated in his head ever since.
Sometimes, in the right moment, words could be far more powerful than violence.
(End of Chapter)
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