On the third floor of the Ikerite Card Makers Association, a spacious atrium was encircled by floor-to-ceiling glass windows, where an expanse of natural light flooded the entire level with a bright, crisp ambiance of broad daylight.
A deep ocean-blue carpet ran straight down the interior of the atrium, flanked on both sides by display cases holding various classified goods, as well as service counters and a lounge area.
Lanqi and Hyperion had just emerged from the stairwell when their attention was drawn forward.
On this floor, where people seemed few and far between, only one spot stood out distinctly.
In the lounge area furnished with comfortable, spacious sofas, a young man with pale blond hair sat in plain, unpretentious attire. Yet around him stood several senior deacons of the Card Makers Association, clustered like stars circling the moon.
Because of the young man's reserved yet easy manner of speech, he drew even more attention.
Sitting beside him was a young lady wearing the badge of a Silver-rank card maker. Her dark long hair shimmered with a violet sheen under the sunlight.
Although she had not dressed lavishly either in order to remain by the young man's side, her natural, noble air was impossible to disguise. She was undoubtedly a noble lady who had dressed with great care.
People received as honored guests by the Card Makers Association like this were generally rare.
He had to be of exceptional standing.
Before Lanqi could voice any thoughts, Hyperion seemed to recognize the young man right away.
Her expression instantly soured. Grabbing the hem of Lanqi's coat, she made ready to turn around and leave.
However...
Because Lanqi and Hyperion were fairly eye-catching themselves, they happened to catch the pale-blond young man's keen gaze.
"Hyperion? And... Classmate Lanqi?"
The young man, who seemed both low-key and extraordinary, looked toward Hyperion and Lanqi at the stairwell with mild surprise.
Immediately after, he broke into a smile, stood up at once, and briskly walked toward the two of them.
"Ugh... no escape..."
Hyperion muttered under her breath and let out a quiet sigh.
"He's a good person, but he's also nothing but trouble..."
When Hyperion looked back at the pale-blond young man who had already reached them, her face bore a rather strained smile.
"Your Highness Ainuoer, good morning."
"Your Highness, good morning."
Noticing Hyperion's delicate attitude, Lanqi chimed in beside her to greet the young man as well.
Hearing Hyperion's greeting, Lanqi instantly realized that this young man was Princess Vivian's brother—and the elder royal brother Vivian had mentioned who might be a bit of a handful.
Even so, this was the first time Lanqi had ever seen Hyperion so reluctant to run into someone.
"I didn't expect to meet you two at the Card Makers Association."
Ainuoer wore a bright, hearty smile as he looked at them, seemingly having completely forgotten the dark-purple-haired young lady waiting for him back in the distance.
Lanqi kept quiet, though he felt a bit puzzled inside.
This prince didn't look like someone who lacked tact. Where exactly was the problem?
"I'm accompanying a friend to have a look around the Card Makers Association,"
Hyperion murmured with her head lowered, seemingly not even daring to meet the prince's eyes.
"Is that so? Let me show you around! My familiarity with this place is no worse than that of any senior deacon!" Ainuoer said with earnest warmth.
He was clearly someone who showed genuine kindness toward Hyperion.
That only deepened Lanqi's confusion over why Hyperion seemed so terribly awkward.
And yet...
Lanqi gradually felt an intense stare that was impossible to ignore.
It seemed to be glaring straight in their direction.
He quickly looked toward the gaze and soon noticed that, at the same time, the young lady left behind on the sofa by Ainuoer was staring daggers at Hyperion. An air of guarded hostility felt ready to drift right across the room.
Even though Ainuoer's attitude toward Hyperion seemed, to Lanqi, merely that of an older brother toward a younger sister, in the eyes of the dark-purple-haired lady, it was as if a formidable enemy had arrived—leaving her both jealous and hyper-vigilant.
After observing quietly for a moment, Lanqi finally caught on.
Hyperion wasn't primarily afraid of this cheerful prince; rather, she didn't want to cause a misunderstanding with that intensely defensive, purple-haired young lady.
The two of them seemed to know each other already, and their relationship wasn't superficial, either.
Hyperion gave Lanqi a tearful, helpless look.
She trusted that Lanqi must have understood by now.
Prince Ainuoer was merely close friends with her father, Duke Mikhail, which led him to treat her like a little sister as well. Every time he saw Hyperion, he was just as warm to her as he was to his own sister, Vivian.
Yet in the eyes of that purple-haired noble lady—who cared so deeply for Ainuoer, yet was never treated with such warmth by him—Hyperion posed an immense threat.
Confronted with Prince Ainuoer's offer to host them, and given how casually this outrageously straightforward prince had cast the purple-haired noble lady aside, Hyperion didn't dare accept his offer in the slightest!
Seeing Hyperion's pitiful expression, Lanqi understood.
He decided to help his good friend Hyperion out.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Your Highness Ainuoer."
Lanqi looked earnestly at Ainuoer, neither accepting nor declining his offer, but thanking him first.
As long as he drew the prince's attention onto himself, the purple-haired noble lady would no longer misunderstand Hyperion, and Hyperion would naturally be spared that crushing pressure.
Sure enough...
The moment Lanqi spoke up, a bright gleam immediately sparked in Ainuoer's eyes.
"Classmate Lanqi, there have been many artistic questions I've wanted to ask you about, but I heard you were very busy lately, so I didn't want to disturb you."
Even though this was Ainuoer's first time speaking with Lanqi, his sincere enthusiasm felt like finding a kindred soul after a long search, as if he had a thousand words he wished to share with Lanqi in an open conversation.
"I have long heard of Your Highness Ainuoer. Her Highness Vivian has spoken of you to me as well,"
Lanqi said with a slightly helpless smile.
When such an approachable prince was willing to befriend him, Lanqi naturally wouldn't turn him away.
Compared to his sister Vivian, one couldn't sense even a shred of arrogance from him.
"Oh? How did Vivian speak of me?"
Ainuoer was instantly intrigued by Lanqi's words.
"She feels you are very warm and approachable, a reliable elder brother worthy of respect,"
Lanqi replied with his usual high emotional intelligence.
Even though Vivian's exact words hadn't been quite like that, Lanqi felt the general sentiment was close enough.
Besides, to help Hyperion, he had to keep the prince's attention focused on himself.
"Is that so?"
Hearing that, Ainuoer beamed with joy.
After all, an evaluation heard behind one's back through a third party was usually the honest truth.
"One can certainly tell. She has been praising you all this time,"
Lanqi said, feeding Ainuoer words to make him even happier, while noticing that Hyperion finally let out a sigh of relief.
She really was concerned because of the purple-haired young lady.
Their relationship certainly wasn't bad; on the contrary, Hyperion must have been looked after by the purple-haired lady before, which was why she cared so much about her feelings.
"What else did Vivian say?"
Ainuoer went so far as to put an arm around Lanqi's shoulder to pry further.
From there, he chatted away with Lanqi like old friends from the start. He seemed to have admired Lanqi for a long time, and now that they hit it off so wonderfully, once the floodgates were open, there was no stopping him.
However...
For some reason...
After exchanging just a few more words, Lanqi felt that the sour, glare-laden stare hadn't diminished at all—in fact, it had grown even sharper!
Only then did Lanqi suddenly realize that while he had successfully diverted Ainuoer's attention, and the purple-haired lady was indeed no longer glaring at Hyperion...
What he had never anticipated was that Prince Ainuoer had hit it off with him so fast they were practically brothers. In less than a single minute, their favorability had soared higher than years of that purple-haired lady's hard efforts.
As a result, it seemed her jealousy had been drawn onto him instead!
"..."
Lanqi pondered for a brief moment, an idea seemingly taking shape in his mind, and a subtle, faint curve rose at the corner of his lips.
Beside them, Hyperion, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly sensed impending disaster!
She hurriedly looked toward the purple-haired young lady with pleading eyes.
*Stop glaring at Lanqi! Seriously, stop glaring...*
*A fine young man like him always takes pride in helping others fulfill their wishes and can't bear seeing anyone in distress.*
*If you keep staring at him, he's going to do another good deed!*
Chapter 109