The Enchanted Grove

003 plot against

For students with the lowest aptitude for magic, Loga Academy, the most prestigious magical institution on the continent of Radiant Moon, usually doesn't consider admitting them. However, the Yu family was once one of the four great houses of Radiant Moon, at its height dominating much of the continent. Though the Yu family has since declined, no longer basking in its past glory, it still carries considerable influence.

Thus, out of respect for the Yu family, Loga Academy made an exception and admitted Yu Keke.

Yu Sansan, the eldest daughter of the Yu family, approached Yu Keke with an air of superiority. She looked at her younger cousin with disdain. "You're a disgrace to the Yu family!" Yu Sansan was the daughter of Keke's uncle and aunt—two people Keke had disliked since childhood for their overbearing and harsh nature.

"Well, I don't even want to be a part of the Yu family!" Keke retorted, turning on her heel and walking away. She meant every word. If she could, she would leave the Yu family far behind. She had never even met her birth parents, and there was no one in the Yu household she felt close to.

Once, as a child, she had asked her grandfather about her parents’ fate, and his expression had turned dark. He had immediately sent her away, forbidding her from mentioning them again. She had never dared to bring it up again, not even to A-Jin, the elderly servant who cared for her. When Keke had tried to broach the subject, A-Jin had only grown nervous, denying any knowledge. A-Jin was perhaps the only person in the Yu family who genuinely cared for Keke. Since A-Jin was reluctant to speak, Keke had dropped the matter, not wanting to put her in an awkward position. Seeing A-Jin's visible relief, Keke had resolved that one day, when she was older, she would uncover the truth about her parents' death on her own.

After completing her admission procedures at Loga Academy, the family steward, Enke, approached Keke, his face serious. He said her grandfather had something to give her, along with a message.

Grandfather, the head of the Yu family, always appeared stern and aloof. Yet, he had never treated Keke poorly, which made her believe his message was genuine.

Following Enke out of the academy, Keke looked up and asked, "What is Grandfather giving me?"

Enke kept his gaze straight ahead, "Something very important, Second Miss. You'll understand when you see it."

Enke was not only the family's head steward but also Uncle Yu Zaichun's most trusted aide. Though Keke’s grandfather was still the nominal head of the Yu family, he was elderly and no longer involved in daily affairs. It was her uncle who held real power now, and Enke answered directly to him.

Keke couldn't help but wonder if what her grandfather wanted to give her might have something to do with her parents. The thought gave her hope. Her parents' story was the greatest mystery of her twelve years of life.

But before she knew it, Keke's foot missed a step, and she was suddenly shoved from behind, falling into a teleportation portal. The air around her twisted violently, and the last thing she saw before everything spun into chaos was Enke's cold, sinister smile.

She had been betrayed. Betrayed by someone within the Yu family.

Emerging from the portal, Keke found herself facing three men with ruthless expressions. They didn’t immediately lunge at her; instead, they watched her panic with twisted amusement. They were confident that this frail girl could not escape their grasp—they were like predators toying with prey, savoring the fear before the kill.

"Well, well, a delicate little miss from the Yu family. I bet you taste as sweet as you look," said the gaunt man, his eyes gleaming with hunger.

"Boss, after you’ve had your turn, let us brothers have some fun too," said a burly man with a cruel grin.

The gaunt man laughed, clearly in a generous mood. "Sure, there’s enough for everyone."

"Who are you? Stay back! Don’t come near me!" Panic gripped Keke, and she crawled backward, her entire body trembling.

"Who are we? Hahaha, have you heard of the Lion-Tiger Bandits? This here is our famous leader, An Lie," said another thug, this one with a thick beard, pointing to the gaunt man.

"The Lion-Tiger Bandits…" A wave of despair washed over Keke. She had heard of them—they were one of the most notorious groups on the Radiant Moon continent, infamous for their crimes. It was said that their leader had a penchant for collecting treasures and young girls. She never imagined she would come face to face with them.

Suppressing her fear, Keke asked, "Why… why did you capture me?"

The bearded thug sneered, "Oh, we didn’t come for you on our own. Someone sold you to our leader."

"Who? Who was it?" Keke demanded, her eyes wide with fear and determination.

An Lie wagged his finger with a sinister smile. "Now, now, little girl. That's not how things work. But if you please us, maybe I'll consider telling you."

Keke lowered her head, as if considering his words. Then, with a sudden burst of strength, she sprang to her feet and bolted in the opposite direction.

The men stood stunned for a moment. They hadn’t expected this seemingly frail girl to have the courage to run.

"Get her!" An Lie shouted, snapping out of his shock.

Keke's small frame moved with surprising speed. Her legs pumped furiously as she raced through the forest, darting between the trees like a startled deer. She was running for her life, driven by pure survival instinct.

In an ordinary situation, a girl her age might have been paralyzed with fear, unable to move. And indeed, at first, Keke had been frozen, her legs trembling. But years of scorn and neglect within her own family had steeled her resolve.

While she spoke to the bandits, she had quickly assessed her situation. Though her heart pounded with terror, she knew her only chance was to flee before they closed in on her. Otherwise, a fate worse than death awaited her.

And so, Keke gathered every ounce of strength she had and ran.