Night had already fallen, and scattered pinpricks of light mirrored the twilight over South Herrom.
As the moonlight was swallowed by gray clouds, the bustling metropolis settled into a gentler, more subdued rhythm.
In this city-state rife with magic and the supernatural, a young man walked alone along an empty street within the Protos Royal Magic Academy. Courtyards and manors flanked both sides, looking little different from an upscale residential district.
At this late hour, virtually no students lingered outdoors.
Lanqi, however, was an exception.
Official academy business had kept him busy all day.
After a brief morning trip to the Endless Library with Zestira, they had returned straight to the Protos Royal Academy's teaching area.
Many instructors had matters to submit to Lanqi for instruction. The academy was undergoing earth-shattering changes, and implementing and coordinating these reforms still required someone in charge to make the final calls and shoulder the responsibility.
Fortunately, Lanqi had ample professional experience. Even without an assistant at his side, he handled everything with practiced ease.
As he approached, a courtyard finally came into view.
Several lanterns flickered with faint orange light within the yard, swaying like tiny dancing flames and bringing a touch of warmth against Herrom's sharply plummeting nighttime chill.
The lights along the porch had also turned on, their soft white glow imparting a cozy, welcoming atmosphere.
Lanqi gently pushed open the wrought-iron gate. The gravel along the path beyond was slightly slick with night dew; one could easily slip without steady footing.
Upon stepping into his apartment, he took off his coat, hung it on the rack, entered the living room, and lit the fireplace. The sofa cushions seemed to beckon him, inviting him to sit down and unwind.
"Another fulfilling day," Lanqi murmured.
Looking out the window, a biting wind rustled through the treetops with a sharp whisper.
He exhaled deeply, letting himself bask in the peaceful comfort of being sheltered from the cold outside.
Yet in the quiet stillness of the night, concerns lingered in his mind.
Over the past few days, he had made inquiries throughout the Imperial Capital Herrom regarding Hyperion's disguise, "Milian."
None had yielded any results.
Judging from the direction in which they were separated, she had most likely ended up stranded in the Kingdom of Asethelan.
Lanqi was thoroughly content with his life in the Protos Empire.
Hyperion, on the other hand, was down south in the Kingdom of Asethelan, a place with a culture starkly opposite to Protos, largely devoid of order and structure.
He wondered how she was holding up.
He would have to work even harder. When she finally made her way to the Protos Empire, he would definitely need to have a few surprises ready for her.
Perhaps the first half of her journey hadn't been pleasant, but he would do his utmost to ensure the second half in the Northern Continent would be filled with unforgettable memories.
"Lanqi, meow, time for bed."
Boss Cat poked its head out of the shadows, bounded onto the sofa, and spoke upon seeing Lanqi sitting motionless.
Humans needed good sleep alongside good food to stay healthy and happy.
Snapping out of his reverie, Lanqi turned his gaze back to Boss Cat, seemingly reminded of something important.
"Boss Cat, I have a great gift for you."
"What is it, meow?"
The little black cat asked warily, its eyes narrowing.
It had been living on edge every single day.
Granted, Lanqi took full control wherever he went.
Even so, the cat finally understood what Hubao had meant by his "perilous ambition."
Not only that.
Lanqi seemed intent on wrapping up the academy's reorganization over the next couple of days, after which he would head to the empire's north to carry out work for the Extinction Branch.
Compared to the Imperial Capital Herrom, which at least maintained order and rules, the northern frontier near the front lines was a frightful realm of pure chaos.
The Holy Son of Extinction stationed there was not someone to cross—he was ruthless, vicious, and formidable. Right now, ten Lanqis combined couldn't beat him.
Moreover, the Bishop of Extinction, whose whereabouts had recently become a mystery, might also be up north!
Above all, the northern part of the empire gave off an ominous vibe... Even news from that region was under a total blackout.
Boss Cat was terrified.
Terrified on multiple levels.
Lanqi only ever played for high stakes, and Boss Cat didn't dare gamble on which time Lanqi might finally push his luck too far!
"Boss Cat, bind this."
Lanqi produced the Tier 7 Pink Sacred spell card he had acquired from the Endless Library that morning—[Roar of the Storm Dragon].
"Meow? Meow?!"
Boss Cat froze on the sofa, its mind apparently crashing.
"You want to... give this to me?"
Its voice trembled faintly.
"Yes," Lanqi confirmed with a nod.
His reason for picking a high-tier card was precisely to use Boss Cat as an external card slot.
If he outfitted it with equipment cards that boosted the Mental attribute, draining all its mana would likely still allow it to unleash a Tier 7 spell once.
The Mental attribute increased both maximum mana and mana recovery speed.
Fortunately, equipment cards that purely augmented Mental weren't expensive. With the salary Lanqi had earned through his hard work lately, he could easily afford enough equipment cards for Boss Cat at the Imperial Capital Herrom's major magic tool emporiums.
"You're not tricking me, meow?"
Boss Cat spoke noticeably faster, barely able to contain its pounding heart.
"Of course not."
Lanqi smiled and generously handed over the Tier 7 card, which shimmered with a soft pink luster.
"Lanqi, you're the best, meow meow meow! I'll cook for you forever!"
Boss Cat clutched the card with pure bliss and promptly soul-bound it.
Tier 7 Pink Sacred magic cards were virtually impossible to buy on the open market, regardless of price.
At the Southern Continent Card Makers Association branch in Ikerite, versatile Tier 2 or Tier 3 Pink Sacred cards occasionally sold for astronomical sums.
Selling the Boss Cat Restaurant on top of its life savings wouldn't be enough to afford one.
At higher tiers, the prices were even more outrageous; Boss Cat had never even brought itself to splurge on a Tier 7 Blue Precious magic card.
Yet here Lanqi was, casually gifting it a Tier 7 Sacred card!
Sticking with Lanqi, maybe one day it would be draped in purple and pink cards from head to toe! The future of its feline life was blindingly bright!
"Alright, bind this one too. I'll lend it to you for now."
Seeing Boss Cat finish binding [Roar of the Storm Dragon], Lanqi took out a White Common card and offered it to the cat.
"What's this?"
Boss Cat accepted the card with telekinesis magic.
[Counterfeit Slate - Wind].
Suddenly, it felt a little disdainful toward White Common cards.
"What does this card do?"
Boss Cat inspected the cryptic Tier 1 white card. It couldn't identify any special effect, nor did it feel any stat boost after binding it.
It seemed to be nothing more than a blank utility card.
"It adds special effects to wind-attribute magic. When you cast [Roar of the Storm Dragon] for me later, it will look extraordinarily terrifying. It might scare enemies into running away on the spot. Of course, it could also trigger a full-scale manhunt and massive unrest, so you mustn't use [Roar of the Storm Dragon] recklessly along with it."
Lanqi gave the warning in all seriousness.
"Ooh! Awesome!"
Boss Cat accepted the card with delight.
So it was essentially a skill skin card.
Lanqi always enjoyed crafting bizarre art cards, just like the skins he had made for Poet of Great Love.
Now Boss Cat finally understood the point of such cards.
Still, Lanqi had to be exaggerating.
Last time, using the Tier 7 [Sound-Sealing Barrier] had only frightened a Tier 5 lackey like the silver-armored priest.
If they ran into a true Tier 7 or Tier 8 powerhouse, no amount of special effects piled onto a Tier 7 spell would fool them in the slightest!
Even so...
As long as it didn't involve courting disaster alongside Lanqi, it had nothing to worry about.
Tonight, it would be too happy to sleep!
Chapter 300