In the royal capital of Ikerite, inside an attic room at the end of the second floor of the Boss Cat Restaurant.
It was late at night, and the world was quiet.
Water-clear moonlight filtered through the slit between the bedroom curtains, lending a touch of mystery and serenity to the cozy space.
Faint patterns of light fell across the bedding. Talia and Hyperion slept on opposite sides, their breaths soft and delicate.
Sharing a bed with Talia had made Hyperion quite tense at first, and only deep into the night had she gradually let go of her wariness.
Her steady breathing had continued for quite a while, as though she were already sound asleep.
Only then did Talia slowly turn around, no longer keeping her back to Hyperion.
To her surprise, she found that Hyperion had curled up tight in the quilt, sleeping unguarded with her face turned directly toward Talia.
Talia gazed at Hyperion's cheek.
Out of curiosity, she felt an urge to reach out and touch this adorable creature.
Yet before her fingertips even emerged from the covers, she drew them back, afraid of waking Hyperion or having her notice and think it strange.
Talia quietly watched Hyperion, her golden eyes veiled with unreadable thoughts.
The window curtains fluttered gently, ushering in an autumn breeze. The cool air brushed their cheeks like the gentle hand of the Goddess of the Earth.
Perhaps because the temperature had dropped a few degrees deeper into the night, or perhaps because Talia had been watching for so long, Hyperion pulled the quilt tighter and began to stir.
"Miss Tata..." Hyperion murmured, half-opening her eyes as if caught between dream and wakefulness.
She saw Talia seemingly watching over her.
Far from feeling startled, Hyperion was filled with gratitude, thinking Talia was diligently keeping watch to protect her.
"Can't sleep?" Talia's voice was gentle.
"No..." Hyperion shook her head, her hair rustling softly against the pillow.
"Get some good rest. You don't have to go to the academy tomorrow. Just rest here with me for the next two weeks. I'll protect you."
Talia slipped out from under her covers, pulled the blanket snug over Hyperion's back for fear she might catch a chill, and then returned to her own bedclothes in silence.
Lanqi had promised he would request two weeks of leave for Hyperion by using the personal leave granted to her from their recent Shadow World challenge. For that entire period, she wouldn't need to return to the academy, and he had asked Talia to look after her the whole time.
Lanqi had also mentioned that if all went smoothly, the assassin would likely make a move within a day or two, and he would find a way to coax the killer into striking as quickly as possible.
Once that was dealt with, neither Talia nor Hyperion would have to bear any lingering worries for the rest of the fortnight; all that remained would be to enjoy the break.
"Miss Tata, you're not at all like what Lanqi described," Hyperion said, voice drowsy like sleep-talk.
Having grown up without a mother, Hyperion felt a wondrous sensation around Tata—as if something had filled an empty space in her heart, bringing an incomparable warmth.
Yet Miss Tata was still young. Hyperion thought it might be terribly rude of her to view Tata as a mother figure.
"What did Lanqi say about me?"
At the sound of Lanqi's name, Talia's tone chilled slightly, mingled with a flicker of curiosity.
She had always suspected Lanqi talked behind her back.
"He... said you're very strong... very dependable..."
Hyperion immediately realized she had misspoken. Wanting to gloss over it without knowing how to spin a lie, she could only lead with the flattering parts.
Beside Talia she felt so safe that, in her haze, she hadn't thought before speaking.
"I'll ask him myself next time. Don't worry, I won't get mad," Talia said, sensing Hyperion's predicament.
She naturally knew Lanqi must have bad-mouthed her, though he had clearly said good things too.
"Miss Tata really is the gentlest," Hyperion whispered, snuggling deeper into her bedding and inching a fraction closer to Talia.
"Alright, go to sleep now," Talia's voice grew even softer.
Lulled by Talia's words, Hyperion soon drifted back to sleep. It had been a long time since she had slept so peacefully.
There was no need to fear waking from nightmares in the middle of the night, nor any dread of villains coming to murder her.
A protective barrier crafted by Talia enveloped the room, and even more reassuring was the fact that Talia herself was right beside her.
Talia remained awake, pondering Boss Cat's words.
After her long journey through human lands, observing and learning, Talia understood the feeling she harbored toward Hyperion. It was called love—the love between family. She would give Hyperion the same fondness and concern she held for her sister. If she could manage it, she even wanted to compensate Hyperion on her sister's behalf for the maternal love the girl had been denied.
Yet Talia could not comprehend the kind of love Boss Cat had spoken of.
Her sister, Efatia, had fallen in love with Duke Mikhail.
That meant members of the demon race were capable of learning how to love someone; she simply hadn't managed it yet.
There was an ancient legend in the Demon Realm:
Only a demon who completely understood human emotions posed the ultimate threat to humanity.
Yet demons and humans were fundamentally distinct creatures despite their similarities. Certain emotions were naturally difficult for demons to experience from birth.
No matter how hard she tried, Talia could neither understand nor imagine what such a feeling was actually like.
She couldn't figure it out.
All she knew was that the more she thought about it, the hungrier she became.
*Forget it. Time to sleep. No more thinking.*
With that, Talia turned over and sank into deep slumber.
...
The following morning.
Adams left the accommodations of the Aloran Royal Academy's visiting academic delegation early and made his way toward the School of Sages alone.
Yesterday, he had received a reply from Ikerite Academy stating that Lanqi was willing to engage in a friendly contest with him.
This morning, Lanqi would be waiting for him in the meeting room of the School of Sages main building to discuss the specifics.
Since both of them were figures of immense public interest, this derby had drawn substantial attention from the students, earning support from both the student council and the School of Magic Engineering.
The only regret was that Dean Loren had left the royal capital of Ikerite for several days on important church business, making him unable to preside in person.
Adams stepped into the heart of the School of Sages, a soaring palace of learning.
Stately stone pillars, arched windows, and intricate crystal carvings adorned every corner, each detail steeped in a rich classical architectural style.
The broad central courtyard of the main building brimmed with classical charm, and many students were casually chatting in groups.
"Did you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"The gossip about Dean Loren and Knight Commander Juliana."
The more they talked, the more students paused and gathered around.
"What happened?"
"Dean Loren and Knight Commander Juliana didn't actually dislike each other from the start—they had quite the romantic entanglement! Knight Commander Juliana wanted Dean Loren to be completely devoted to her, but Dean Loren couldn't bear to part with his dozen or so fiancées... In the end, Dean Loren's love was unrequited, while Knight Commander Juliana's love turned to hate. The two had a falling out and became bitter enemies..."
Walking along and catching the heated discussion among the students of the School of Sages, Adams could not help clenching his fists until his leather bracers creaked against metal.
"Loren..."
Adams's eyes burned with indignation.
Who could have imagined that the seemingly dignified and austere High Priest was actually a serial heartbreaker who had treated Knight Commander Juliana like a fool?
There was no reason to doubt its authenticity. If the rumor weren't solid, what academy students would dare gossip so recklessly about their own dean? Especially when Loren was one of the supreme powerhouses of the realm!
Chapter 182