The sky over Chinston City turned into a piece of silk dampened by time, its vibrant hues fading into monotony as gold and orange yielded to a deep blue-black.
The warmth and bustle that once filled the reception hall seemed replaced by a faint, lingering desolation.
Beneath the dim light, both the spacious sofa and the exquisite tea table bore the crest of the family, looking somewhat subdued. The red curtains on the windows fluttered gently, ushering in a touch of chill with the breeze.
Candle flames swayed wearily on their holders, on the verge of being swallowed at any moment by the impending night.
The three of them simply sat in silence.
By the time Viscount Laiwen Chinston returned to the reception hall, Lilith had already vanished from sight.
The composed lord instructed the butler and servants to entertain Lanqi and Side well, while he took Xiaya aside for a walk and a talk.
Only Lanqi, lost in contemplation, and Side, leisurely enjoying her downtime, remained in the reception hall.
It was not until the sky had darkened completely that Lanqi and Side finished the dinner brought by the servants, and followed the butler down the corridor toward the guest rooms on the upper floor.
The two maintained an unobtrusive silence for quite some time.
The corridor on the second floor of the mansion still felt somewhat warm.
Looking out through the row of large windows, only a scattering of stars remained in the night sky.
"Side, what kind of romance story do you prefer?"
Lanqi finally looked up and asked.
Side pondered for a moment, gently tapping the air in front of her with her fingers as she ambled along.
"A romance between a young man and a maiden, where oppression from power and family stands in their path. Then the young man uses his wisdom, courage, and unyielding determination to overcome every hardship, win back his destined maiden, and compose a romantic love song."
Side shared her thoughts in earnest.
"Meow! Meow!"
Just hearing that made Boss Cat grow somewhat agitated.
Had it been too prejudiced against Side?
Whatever the case, her taste in romance was quite respectable.
Boss Cat could not help but feel a flicker of anticipation regarding how Xiaya and Lilith's love story would unfold.
Best of all, Lanqi didn't seem to have any schemes this time; he had been successfully kept in check by Hubao's parting advice!
"Is that so..."
Lanqi murmured to himself.
"Overcoming hardships with wisdom, courage, and unyielding determination... As expected, my thoughts were spot on."
He suddenly struck his palm with his fist and said to Side.
He had consulted the person beside him, and her answer matched his own almost entirely, proving that his understanding of romance was entirely sound.
"Meow!"
Seeing Lanqi's sudden realization, a dreadful foreboding instantly surged through Boss Cat's mind.
*What the hell did you understand, you little monster?!*
Without paying the slightest mind to Boss Cat, who had bolted upright in shock, Lanqi quickened his pace.
In less than a minute, he arrived at the guest room where the butler had said Xiaya was resting. Standing before the door, he knocked twice on the panel.
"Xiaya, it's me,"
Lanqi said calmly.
A faint rustle came from within the room.
The sound of footsteps was somewhat dejected and listless, approaching the door.
"Splendid. When Xiaya is feeling down like this, he needs a mentor to inspire him."
To Side's pleasant surprise, Lanqi seemed to understand these things well.
During the brief moment of waiting for Xiaya to open the door, Side stood by the corridor behind Lanqi, glancing sideways at the little black cat that had jumped down from Lanqi's arms.
For some reason, ever since Lanqi got an idea and went into full gear, the little black cat had fallen into a terrible state of distress.
Still, the cat had always feared her, so it was only natural for it to be restless in her presence.
"His role is probably that 'benefactor met by chance in life,' 'the reliable adult we imagined in our youth'—a deeply trustworthy older brother figure,"
Side remarked to Boss Cat.
"Meow... that's not it at all... it's not nearly that wonderful..."
Though Boss Cat was terrified of being swatted to death by her, it felt that Side was the only person capable of stopping Lanqi right now. At the very least, as a woman, the Bishop of Domination held a very proper view of romance.
"Side... please... stop him quickly! This is definitely not a romantic comedy..."
"Relax. I've got his back. As long as this romantic comedy follows my prompt words, it won't stray too far."
Side believed that the script the Holy Son received would hardly differ from how he actually performed it.
With the metallic click of a turning lock, Xiaya finally opened the door.
"..."
Boss Cat knew it was over.
"Xiaya, do you want to win back your destined maiden?"
Standing in the corridor, Lanqi wore his usual gentle expression as he looked directly into Xiaya's eyes and asked.
Xiaya truly had talent. For a Tier 2 to flee across the snowfields for so long under the pursuit of several Tier 3 and Tier 4 pursuers, he would probably pass even the entrance exam for Ikerite Academy.
He simply had not awakened yet; the south was indeed too peaceful and secure, enough to dull the claws of even a tigress.
"I do..."
Xiaya's voice was quiet, yet beneath his sleeves, his clenched fists dug his fingernails into his palms.
"Can you really help me, Mr. McCarthy?"
Whenever he fell into despair, he would see this man appear in his dimming vision.
In those warm, emerald-green eyes was a gaze that was willing to believe in him.
A gaze that made you believe he would truly help you.
Such a gaze might only be seen once or twice in an entire lifetime.
"Of course."
"..."
Those simple, resolute words made Xiaya's eyes sting with unshed tears.
It felt as though someone was willing to share a hearth without reservation in the dead of winter with someone who was shivering and on the verge of freezing to death.
Since childhood, Xiaya had possessed a unique insight and intuition.
He had sensed it the moment he first laid eyes on Lanqi and Side.
Both carried countless unyielding mysteries. The man before him made him feel a sense of danger yet filled him with a longing to rely on him. Those emerald eyes held the deepest, most beautiful color he had ever seen—even being consumed by them felt like a sort of bliss.
He wanted to be strong like him.
In his life, there might not be many moments when he needed to stake his life. But right now, if given the chance, he would not hesitate even if it meant siding with demons or wagering his soul. He absolutely could not let Lilith fall into Dean's hands.
"Even if it comes at a price,"
Lanqi stood with his hands behind his back, asking with a deep smile,
"do you have the courage to throw yourself into mortal ground to survive, to plunge yourself into death to live anew?"
"...?!"
Hearing those words, Boss Cat was already wailing. It had seen this episode before—this wasn't a romantic comedy in the slightest!
"A price? What price do I even have to pay? As long as I can protect her, I will give everything I have!"
A rare sharpness flared in Xiaya's eyes as he spoke through clenched teeth, his words bursting with raw determination.
"Splendid! Then allow me to instruct you."
Having recruited another promising student, Lanqi was in high spirits. He firmly clapped a hand onto Xiaya's shoulder.
"Love is war. Without the trial of iron and blood, it is nothing more than vanity. From this moment forth, I am your drillmaster. Understood?"
"Understood!"
Not far away.
"..."
Standing by the corridor, Side listened to Boss Cat's wailing and crossed her arms in confusion.
Everything up to 'Love is war' had sounded fairly normal.
Beyond that, she realized that Lanqi seemed to mean every single word literally.
Was this truly a youth romantic comedy...?
Chapter 315