On a Saturday morning in late February, Herrom, the Imperial Capital, was awakened twice over by a biting wind and the first light of dawn. A faint white shimmer dusted every corner of the streets, and though a bitter chill permeated the air, the city's pulse had already begun to throb.
In the heart of the downtown crossroads, magic-powered vehicles surged through the streets at full tilt like a rising tide. Indicator lights flickered at intersections, guiding vehicles and pedestrians in orderly succession. Crowds of people wove through the thoroughfares like fine threads forming the fabric of the city. Street performers set up along the pedestrian walkways to showcase their talents, drawing the eyes of citizens and tourists alike, while roadside shopping malls and towering buildings glittered in harmony with the sunlight.
At regular intervals stood entrances to the underground magic-powered railway stations, where the mechanical hum blended with the chattering voices of arriving passengers.
In the Imperial Capital's Southern District, close to Protos Royal Magic Academy, young figures appeared in greater numbers across the bustling commercial area whenever the weekend arrived.
Inside an upper-floor café within a shopping mall, the grinding of coffee beans resonated alongside the sweet aroma of caramel. Frost patterned the windowpanes within, carefully wiped away with a towel by a clerk in a black apron. A good number of patrons were already perched on dark-brown high stools, holding freshly brewed hot coffee that sent up curls of white steam.
Off to one side of the shop, two hot drinks and a stack of books sat quietly atop a low wooden round table.
Two people sat talking on single-seat armchairs on either side, like an isolated island amid the surrounding bustle.
The young man's emerald-green eyes were focused as he pointed now and then to the books on the table, offering simple explanations to the girl. Whenever he reached a key point or resolved a query, he would check in for her feedback, ensuring she understood thoroughly.
The girl had long, dark hair, notable for the metallic, blade-like dragon horns on her head and the slit pupils in her eyes. Still dressed in the uniform of Protos Royal Magic Academy, she listened intently to his explanation, nodding occasionally, furrowing her brow in thought, or jotting down notes in her book.
Although she didn't particularly care for such subjects, she maintained complete focus throughout—a mark of respect for the teacher before her, whose competence she had acknowledged.
Their exchanges were not entirely serious. From time to time, they set their books aside to chat about lighter topics. Zestira would mention happenings at school or personal quandaries, while Lanqi shared his own experiences and offered advice. With both academic insights and everyday chit-chat woven together, their rapport made them seem more like friends.
Originally, they had agreed that Lanqi would visit Zestira at Protos Royal Magic Academy on Saturdays.
However, Lanqi told her that staying indoors all day or never venturing beyond one's immediate neighborhood would eventually turn someone into a moldy old crone. He said he knew a woman just like that, who had gotten quite old yet still hadn't managed to get married.
Although Zestira didn't harbor many grand thoughts about life, she certainly did not want to become a moldy old crone.
In the end, she decided to come out for a stroll after all.
Besides, there were far more half-demons in the Imperial Capital than in a small place like Lilom City; walking the streets was hardly a big deal.
More importantly, Lanqi didn't mind being seen with a demon, so she had no objections either.
"How has your life in the Imperial Capital been?"
Zestira rubbed the bridge of her nose with a trace of fatigue, changing the subject as Lanqi set down his book. She was ready to call it a day for her studies.
At school, she couldn't absorb any of these lectures on magic engineering and magic genealogy at all; she merely read her own books in class, essentially there just for attendance.
Only Demon Magic Script, as taught by Lanqi, made substantial sense to her.
With the Monthly Evaluation Day fast approaching, she could easily copy many of Lanqi's answers, but if she couldn't even recognize the fundamentals, she might end up copying them down wrong.
"Pretty good. Most of the time, it doesn't feel like a foreign land at all."
Lanqi closed his book as well. He could tell Zestira had reached her limit for the day.
He knew Zestira's cadence when asking questions was often much like Talia's, phrasing interrogative sentences as flat statements, so he understood when she was actually posing a question.
For his human classmates at Ikerite Academy seeking limit breaks and greater power, he generally relied on his original demon teaching method for accelerated results. But for a demon student like Zestira, who was already agonizingly strict with herself, he could only adopt Dean Loren's edutainment approach, hoping she would balance work with rest and grow up healthily.
"Aside from being my tutor, you're probably preparing for other work."
Seeing Lanqi begin to pack up his books, Zestira relaxed slightly and asked.
She knew her father paid Lanqi handsomely, enough to live comfortably even in the Imperial Capital. The young man possessed an oddly potent adaptability; he seemed capable of blending in seamlessly within half a day, no matter where he went.
Yet his talents went far beyond this. He would never be content idling his days away in mediocrity.
"Yes. I'm studying for the judicial exam. I can give it a shot next month."
Lanqi answered, organizing the books on the table.
"..."
Zestira fell silent for a moment.
She had heard from her father that before this young man had even reached the shores of the Northern Continent, he had already begun poring over the latest revised statutes on Viscount Francis's ship.
At first, she had assumed he was merely familiarizing himself with the Empire's slightly absurd newly revised clauses, never expecting that he had genuinely studied them all.
Even though the vast majority of people hoping to pass the judicial exam so quickly could only do so by cheating.
Yet this youth would probably just tell her, *Does something so simple even require cheating?*
"I heard that the night before last, you filed a real-name report against a High Priest of the Resurrection Church."
Zestira picked up her coffee, took a sip, and spoke slowly.
She had only learned of this yesterday after overhearing classmates discussing it at Protos Royal Magic Academy.
People had been talking about her since yesterday, murmuring about what her family's retainer had done, which had left her bewildered as well.
If he became a lawyer and kept filing real-name reports like this, his reputation in the profession would surely be anything but small.
"Zestira, using legal means to protect our own rights and interests is our right. When it's within our power, we can also take the initiative to uphold justice. If you're bullied, threatened, or anything of the sort at school, don't be afraid. Report them when trouble arises! The freshly transitioned Empire is right in the eye of the storm. If anyone dares cause trouble, pin a crime on them; as long as you seize the chance, every report will land a direct hit."
Lanqi leaned back against the sofa and spoke eloquently, tutoring Zestira:
"The greater a faction's power, the more enemies it actually makes. All you need to do is breach a single opening, and even if you do nothing afterward, others will step in to help you handle your foe. This is what's called 'a just cause attracts much support, an unjust one finds little.'"
"..."
For a moment, Zestira dared not respond. She had a strong suspicion that "a just cause attracts much support, an unjust one finds little" did not mean that at all.
Besides, she didn't think she could ever learn this skill. Humans couldn't learn it, demons couldn't learn it—only a dog could pull it off.
Chapter 266