Deep within Ikerite Academy, bordering the gardens of the School of Magic Engineering, stood an imposing Gothic Revival building. Its red-brick walls bore the marks of passing years, layered with history like settling dust.
"Lanqi, have you heard?"
"Heard what?"
Chatting as they always did, Lanqi and Hyperion walked into the familiar Old Liberal Arts Building of the School of Magic Engineering.
"You haven't been to the School of Sages these past two days, so you probably don't know. Our classmates are gossiping again, saying Dean Loren and Knight Commander Juliana have been in remarkably frequent contact lately. Just today, while Dean Loren was still teaching a class, another communication from Knight Commander Juliana came through. Apparently she was about to come to Ikerite in person to confront him. Dean Loren went pale on the spot and gave his personal guarantee that no harm would come to any student from the Aloran Kingdom's academic delegation before Knight Commander Juliana agreed to put her trip to the Hutton Kingdom on hold."
"Wait, Dean Loren answers magical communications during class and doesn't get his pay docked?"
"Where on earth are your priorities..."
As they stepped onto the second floor, entering the workshop area belonging to Professor Borao, the faint hum of machinery mingled with the hushed murmurs of magic artificers engrossed in their work. Suddenly, around the corner, they caught sight of a familiar figure walking down the stairs.
"Lanqi, Hyperion."
Frey was still wearing his sunglasses tipped halfway down his nose, carrying his usual uninhibited swagger, and promptly walked up to greet them.
Ever since returning from the Shadow World, the three of them had mostly gone their separate ways.
Lanqi and Hyperion had more pressing matters to attend to, while Frey spent his days helping the president handle student council affairs.
"Were you two talking about Dean Loren just now?"
Before spotting them on the stairs, Frey had caught fragmented snippets of their conversation and asked out of curiosity.
"Yes."
Hyperion gave him a quick recap of what she and Lanqi had just been discussing.
"I see."
Frey nodded after hearing it.
"Frey, don't you go spreading that around the School of Knights," Hyperion warned, a little worried.
"Don't worry, I'm not the type to gossip."
With that, Frey said goodbye to Lanqi and Hyperion and headed off to take care of an errand the president had assigned him.
"Speaking of which, who leaked what the president told us about Dean Loren and Knight Commander Juliana last time?"
When Lanqi and Hyperion reached the third floor, where an antique carved hallway of dark hardwood lay before them, Hyperion thought about it and couldn't help asking.
"Not me," Lanqi said with a smile.
"Fair enough," Hyperion murmured in puzzlement. On second thought, Lanqi wasn't the sort to spread gossip either.
The chandelier on the ceiling cast a soft, tranquil glow. Walking along the hallway, their footsteps cushioned by the thick carpet, they approached a pair of dignified, deep red double doors.
A single door seemed to separate two entirely different worlds.
When Lanqi pushed open the heavy mahogany doors, the spacious, classic yet refreshing interior of the student council room unfolded before them.
Behind the long table, President Monaster looked up at the pair.
"I just sent Frey to look for you, and here you are."
The president smiled faintly, his voice deep.
Lanqi and Hyperion exchanged a glance, guessing he needed their help with something.
Before the president could speak, however, they noticed an extra figure in the lounge area at the side of the room.
A girl with long, deep purple hair was weeping softly on the sofa, while Vice President Asna stood beside her, gently dabbing away her tears and offering soft words of comfort.
Lanqi and Hyperion recognized her at once, their eyes widening in surprise.
What was Lady Sophia doing here?
The president said nothing, only gesturing silently for them to head over. Both nodded and obliged.
When Lanqi and Hyperion sat down on the sofa across from her, Sophia finally noticed their presence.
Seeing Hyperion, she could hardly contain her tears and looked ready to pour her heart out.
Yet the moment her peripheral vision caught Lanqi's smiling face, Sophia's weeping expression froze instantly.
Like a startled child, she frantically wiped her face, pretending she hadn't been crying at all.
"Lady Sophia, whatever trouble you are facing, you can tell us. We will help you," Lanqi said, his tone gentle and full of concern. "Helping students resolve conflicts, disputes, or emotional and psychological struggles is part of my duty."
"..."
Hearing this, Sophia peeked up at Lanqi.
She immediately averted her gaze, stammering and not daring to speak.
Ever since the incident at the Card Makers Association, she had been terrified of seeing Lanqi again.
It was simply too humiliating.
The moment she saw him, the arrogant words she had once uttered would echo in her ears like an inescapable curse, making her wish the floor would swallow her whole.
"Sophia, you can rest assured about Lanqi's competence. I vouch for that. Why don't you tell us what happened first?" Hyperion said warmly, deeply concerned for her.
"Hyperion..."
Seeing Hyperion's gentle demeanor, Sophia felt her eyes sting once more, and tears welled up anew.
"Do you... do you know that second-year prodigy card maker from the Aloran Royal Academy's academic delegation?" Sophia glanced at the two sitting across from her and asked in a feeble voice.
"I do. A Gold rank in her second year—quite impressive," Hyperion answered.
"..."
Sophia blinked, momentarily wondering if Hyperion looked down on a second-year Gold-rank card maker.
Then she reconsidered.
Between Hyperion's father and the guy sitting right beside her, both were ridiculous beyond measure.
Compared to them, Karen being a second-year Gold rank probably did seem rather ordinary in Hyperion's eyes...
"Sophia, did that Miss Karen from the Aloran Kingdom cause some sort of misunderstanding between you and Prince Ainuoer?"
Lanqi seemed to have deduced something already, his tone remaining calm and measured.
"*Sob*..."
At the mention of it, tears streamed down Sophia's cheeks once more, choking her speech.
"It's all right. Take a deep breath and tell us slowly. I promise I will help you. Even if you feel the situation is beyond repair, I will find a solution for you."
Lanqi spoke each word softly and slowly, like the soothing chords of an angel's harp.
Sophia sniffled and looked at Lanqi. She could hardly believe that the very person who had left her traumatized at the Card Makers Association was now inspiring genuine trust in her heart.
"Will you... will you really help me?" Sophia asked timidly.
She had assumed Lanqi must despise her. After all, she had harbored so much jealousy toward him last time and had never given him a kind look, yet he remained so gentle and forgiving.
If one had to describe such magnanimity in a single word—
It might sound a bit unfitting, but he truly felt as saintly and noble as the Holy Mother.
"Not only will I help you, but if you wish, I can even guide you all the way until you become a princess consort," Lanqi said with a mentor's confident nod.
As long as Sophia was willing to learn, he was willing to teach.
"!"
Hyperion snapped her head toward Lanqi.
Hearing Lanqi deploy that classic opening line of a devil's whisper, she had a terrible premonition that disaster was looming!
Chapter 208