Protos Royal Magic Academy, the third-floor conference hall of the Redmond Building.
Even after hanging up the communicator, Chief Warden Bakas looked as if he still felt rather awkward.
"Luoqi, I assure you this will never happen again."
Replacing the receiver firmly on its cradle, he immediately turned to Lanqi and apologized once more with utmost sincerity.
Even though Luoqi McCarthy's demeanor earlier had been exceptionally gentle, seemingly unfazed by this minor episode and mostly motivated by care for his students—wishing for them to learn and grow in a fair, just environment—Bakas still felt unable to see through McCarthy's thoughts.
"It's quite all right, Bakas. Truly, thank you for looking out for me."
Lanqi offered a faint smile, his eyes filled with nothing but earnestness and gratitude.
It was a captivating gaze, as if he did not merely hope you would believe in him, but was conveying the undeniable truth that he would always believe in you.
Bakas stared into those emerald pupils, dazed for a long moment.
Then he shook his head.
"It's only right. It's what I ought to do," Bakas muttered to himself.
Lanqi patted Bakas on the back and guided him back toward the sofas, where they took their seats on adjacent cushions.
"Bakas, let us continue our earlier conversation. Please, tell me more about your Herrom Prison. I truly enjoy hearing about it."
Lanqi spoke in a smooth, gentle tone as he gracefully and expertly poured two cups of tea, placing one before Bakas and the other before himself. Then, resuming his posture of patient listening, he looked toward Chief Warden Bakas.
"Heh, all right. As I was saying regarding the prison's operations..."
Bakas picked up his teacup, took a delicate sip, and broke into a thoroughly relaxed smile.
"I once implemented vocational training programs and educational courses to help convicts learn new skills and prepare them to return to society. Statistical data showed that the recidivism rate for prisoners participating in these programs was noticeably below average. Not only does this benefit the convicts themselves, but it also relieves society's burden and lowers the risk of reoffending. However, my approach was nowhere near as brilliant as yours—you directly had them return to society in an entirely different manner. I firmly believe we are helping prisoners face and resolve their problems while cultivating a positive, healthy outlook on life. It is a noble endeavor; to change a person's mindset is to change their future."
The conversation between the two regained its prior harmonious atmosphere. They resumed their lively discussion, ranging from the education of students and convicts to Herrom's security, from statistical econometrics to the Empire's northern strategy.
This time, the dialogue seemed even deeper, and both men appeared remarkably relaxed.
***
Inside the Warden's Office on Basement Level 1 of Herrom Prison, Warden Corendan sat in his desk chair, hands trembling slightly as he stared down at the tabletop, weighed down by heavy thoughts.
The documents, pens, and even the magic apparatus on the desk lay completely silent, making not a sound. The light cast by the chandelier appeared exceptionally bright in the stagnant underground air, shining on Warden Corendan's face yet entirely unable to illuminate the gloom in his eyes.
At last, he seemed to have sorted out his current situation.
He raised his head to look at the five intern guards.
"Dear students, I might have been a bit too harsh just now. You are newcomers, so naturally, there is still much for you to learn. Don't worry, I will arrange some tasks far better suited for you."
Warden Corendan wore an obsequious smile, his tone having turned remarkably placid.
Having altered his attitude, his gaze drifted continuously across the intern guards' faces, attempting to glean clues from their reactions and emotions.
The two young women looked relatively mild, seemingly adopting a wait-and-see attitude toward his sudden change of heart.
However, the three intern guards standing behind them were a completely different story.
"..."
Hyperion fell silent upon hearing this, briefly exchanging a glance with the Poet of Great Love.
She roughly deduced that Lanqi, over at the Protos Royal Magic Academy, had directly lodged a complaint with Chief Warden Bakas.
Hyperion had wanted to say something snarky, but when she saw the natural, innocent look in the young woman's eyes—a look that seemed to say, *See? Things changed, didn't they?* as if claiming credit—she held back.
"You're the best,"
Hyperion finally nodded with a sigh of resignation, giving Lanqi acknowledgment and encouragement.
*As long as it doesn't cost merit, anything goes.*
"Mm."
The Poet of Great Love nodded contentedly, as if receiving a signal, feeling rather invigorated.
"Then I must show you a thing or two more—let you see how capable our school's students are when stepping out into society."
This was the perfect opportunity to let Hyperion appreciate the educational achievements he had attained at the Protos Royal Magic Academy, along with the outstanding students' professional qualities.
He had always believed that students shouldn't just bury their heads in books; they had to interface with society!
Confident that he had done a splendid job, the Poet of Great Love did not pay the slightest attention to Warden Corendan's softened attitude. Instead, she turned back to look at the three Domination priests.
"Go communicate with Mr. Warden about the follow-up arrangements,"
the Poet of Great Love instructed.
"Yes."
The three immediately stepped forward, arriving before Warden Corendan's office counter in the blink of an eye. Blocking him in, they stared down at him with unflinching, deadpan gazes.
The male priest went so far as to vault directly over the counter, leaning down beside Warden Corendan. He draped an arm over the warden's shoulder, bringing his face uncomfortably close, as though about to interrogate him.
"What... what do you think you're doing?"
Corendan got the distinct feeling that these three had no intention of having a pleasant chat.
Their expressions remained cold and stern, their eyes brimming with disdain. Their posture was uncompromising, showing no sign of wanting to negotiate even when faced with the warden's conciliatory attitude.
This aura filled Warden Corendan with a pang of unease. He began to worry whether he had misjudged these youngsters' temperaments and degree of madness. For some inexplicable reason, he felt that these seemingly ordinary intern guards had instantly radiated the intense, professional demeanor of hardened criminals.
"The boss sent us with a message. What you owe us... you wouldn't be thinking of welshing on it, would you?"
the male priest asked, his voice low and deliberate.
"Ahem, what do I owe you? First of all, students, please calm down. Let's talk this out peacefully..."
Warden Corendan cleared his throat, attempting to ease the tense atmosphere as he prepared to ask what they actually wanted.
Yet before he could finish, the chilling frost in the three intern guards' eyes grew even sharper, harboring a vicious glare that said, *Pay your debt, or pay with your life.*
This utterly deadpan, humorless hostility caused the words to lodge in Warden Corendan's throat, and he swallowed hard.
Not far away, Hyperion was completely stunned.
She had only just started to place a bit of trust in Lanqi, yet the moment these three opened their mouths, everything felt horribly wrong.
*Wait, is that 'society' an adjective instead of a noun to you?!*
Chapter 398