Crafting tools and scrap materials were scattered haphazardly across the workbench, while right at the center rested a completed magic card emitting a faint purple mist.
Lanqi leaned back against the sofa-like chair once more, yawning repeatedly and nearly dozing off.
Today was a rare occasion where he had crafted a magic card he could not use himself; now that it was finished, it was no longer his concern.
The Poet of Great Love's slender fingers gently picked up the newly born card, her eyes brimming with delight and anticipation.
"Give it a try," Lanqi murmured, his eyes closed.
"Do you have enough mana left? I'll have to use your mana, after all,"
the Poet of Great Love asked, hesitating as she temporarily set the magic card down.
She could sense that Lanqi's mana was running nearly dry.
"It's fine."
Lanqi waved a hand, signaling that she could use it whenever she liked.
While they were conversing, someone had already knocked on the dormitory door several times.
It was just that both of them were too engrossed in the card-crafting workshop.
Even if they caught the faint sound, they assumed someone was knocking on a neighbor's door.
"Lanqi, someone's at the door. They've been knocking forever, meow."
Boss Cat, who had been sitting by the doorway watching them craft cards the entire time, glanced toward the entryway.
Then it turned its furry head toward the workshop and spoke to Lanqi.
"My place?"
"That's right, meow."
Lanqi shook his drowsy head, realizing he had not misheard.
Having a talking cat around the house really was quite convenient.
Wearily, Lanqi stood up, walked into the living room, and twisted open the door.
To his surprise, he froze for a moment.
Standing outside were Hyperion, accompanied by Talia, who loomed behind her like a guardian.
Seeing Lanqi's half-asleep appearance, Hyperion gave an apologetic nod and began:
"Boss Cat hasn't come back in ages, so the shop assistant asked us to look for him. I wondered if he might be at your place..."
Before Hyperion could finish her sentence, having just spotted Boss Cat in the corner, her gaze followed past him and caught sight of a black-haired beauty in the living room admiring herself in the mirror.
"!"
She rubbed her eyes.
Since when had Lanqi been hiding a girl in his room?!
Hyperion was certain she had never laid eyes on this breathtaking young woman before.
Her dark green coat was adorned with gold buttons and collar insignia, while beneath it, a clean, crisp white shirt was paired with an emerald necktie and bow. Her pale skirt was patterned with pure white roses, and her hair, like black silk, drifted with her dancing steps, shimmering with a deep, lustrous sheen.
Her emerald eyes rippled with a clear, lively gentleness, her fair skin was as pure as snow, and her fluttering hem revealed long, elegant legs in nimble black leather shoes, her stride light and confident.
The young woman spun around with a sweet smile as warm as sunshine, instinctively making one want to draw close and spend time with her.
Even Talia furrowed her brows.
She had never imagined that Lanqi would actually be living with a human woman she had never seen before...
It was not until Hyperion and Talia got a full, clear look at the girl's face.
Only then did they realize that this face looked extraordinarily familiar.
In fact, it was egregiously familiar!
The Poet of Great Love had transformed completely into human form—sharing the exact same black hair and emerald eyes as Lanqi, looking just like Lanqi's biological sister!
Hyperion's mouth rounded into an 'o' of shock. Beside her, Talia's eyelids instantly sank, radiating a murderous intent that chilled the entire room.
Even Lanqi shuddered, startled completely awake by the cold.
He whipped his head around to look at the Poet of Great Love, then turned toward Talia, who was glaring daggers at him from the doorway.
It seemed she had arrived at the worst possible time.
Talia approached Lanqi, her steps deceptively slow.
Lanqi instinctively took two steps back, but behind him was already a wall.
"Lanqi... So you like using my appearance for things like this? Is playing dress-up with her that much fun?"
Talia stopped right in front of Lanqi, quietly tilting her head up to meet his gaze as she asked.
Last time Lanqi had given the Poet of Great Love an appearance based on hers, she had swallowed her pride for the sake of the contract and compensation.
But this time, she finally understood what a menace the Poet of Great Love truly was.
She could be completely laid bare before Lanqi at any moment!
Originally, she had assumed Lanqi was above such things. But thinking about it now, if Lanqi truly harbored such tastes, she wanted nothing more than to kill him.
And after violating their contract, she would end her own life as well.
Looking at Talia standing closer to him than ever before, noting her exquisite face and her gradually raising hand, Lanqi felt that this was also the first time he had come so close to death!
He had never anticipated that Talia would be this furious.
Based on his past understanding of her, she was usually calm and rational!
"No, no, no, I didn't change her clothes! This is just to give the Poet of Great Love an extra layer of disguise—she's too beautiful and stands out too much!"
Lanqi shook his head frantically in explanation. He felt Talia's hand press against his shoulder, pinning him to the wall. Though seemingly light, the grip left him completely unable to budge!
"..."
Talia's hand paused slightly. She had wanted to question him, yet found it difficult to refute his claim.
When humans panicked under survival instinct, what came out was usually the truth, and he was indeed not lying.
It seemed Lanqi truly had always thought her appearance was stunning and eye-catching.
Even so, the fury in Talia's heart did not subside in the slightest.
"Miss Tata, it's because we have to travel to the Northern Continent soon, so we needed to disguise the Poet of Great Love. You're just far too good-looking—without an extra disguise, she'd be recognized too easily," Hyperion hurried over to help explain.
"..."
Hearing Hyperion's plea, Talia looked at her with a complicated expression, though her hand clutching Lanqi's shoulder still did not loosen.
Right now, she was simply upset.
An anger she could not quite explain.
It was as if she were inferior to a mere summon like the Poet of Great Love.
Or perhaps that she could never compare to such an endearing woman as the Poet of Great Love.
Yet why was she comparing herself to the Poet of Great Love?
She did not care what Lanqi thought of her anyway.
Unable to vent the tangled emotions in her chest, they could ultimately only turn into dissatisfaction and fury toward Lanqi.
Just then.
From a distance, the Poet of Great Love watched the imperiled Lanqi and the intimidating Talia, letting out a soft, melancholy sigh.
"It seems you still find Tata more enchanting. You were chatting with me just a moment ago, and in the blink of an eye you vanished. I knew it must be because Tata arrived..."
She took two steps closer and spoke to Lanqi.
Hyperion was scared nearly out of her wits.
If the Poet of Great Love stepped in to cause trouble in a situation like this, Tata might genuinely lose her reason and strike Lanqi down!
Hyperion turned her gaze toward the Poet of Great Love, feeling that in her human form, she was even more ladylike and gentle, and seemed to have acquired a demeanor strikingly similar to Lanqi's.
If presented before people in the Northern Continent who had never met them before, they would undoubtedly believe the two were siblings.
Yet Hyperion could not quite articulate what made the current Poet of Great Love resemble Lanqi so much, aside from matching hair and eye colors.
"You've never praised me like that before."
The Poet of Great Love came to stand beside Lanqi, lowering her emerald eyes with an aggrieved look.
"..."
Just as Hyperion moved to stop the Poet of Great Love, she hesitated.
She carefully pondered those two sentences...
Was the Poet of Great Love truly resentful and trying to stir up trouble... or was she helping Lanqi handle Tata?
On the surface, it looked like a falling-out between master and card, but in reality, it was top-tier teamwork!
Since when did the Poet of Great Love pick up such green tea vibes too?!
Chapter 205