In the higher-dimensional space.
Loren had still been stealing glances at the Ice Snow Witch now and then.
Until the moment he noticed Hyperion dispelling her disguise, at which point he nearly dropped his cup of coffee.
*Why is it Hyperion?!*
Shock gripped Loren's heart.
As everyone knew, two individuals at Ikerite Academy always came as a pair.
Wherever Hyperion appeared, an anomalous creature was bound to follow in her shadow.
And right at this moment, right beside Hyperion, there just happened to be a black-haired, green-eyed figure.
*No, no, wait.*
That black-haired, green-eyed girl was definitely not Lanqi in disguise—their heights weren't even the same!
Cold sweat poured down Loren's forehead, his palms trembling.
The more he looked at those three Domination priests, the more he was reminded of the day of that incident with the Aloran Kingdom academic delegation last semester; his psychological trauma was practically flaring up again!
Those five demonized martial artists back then had seemed to be in an eerily similar state!
On the other side, the Paladin Commander noticed Hyperion's appearance.
"Isn't that Duke Mikhail's daughter? She should be a student at Ikerite Academy, shouldn't she?"
The Paladin Commander murmured to himself, then looked across the table—toward Loren, who had lowered his head and was looking at no one.
However, the Ice Snow Witch was kind and did not pile pressure on Loren at this moment.
If Hyperion defected, the responsibility would still fall on her, having nothing to do with Loren. After all, it wasn't as if Loren's student had coerced Hyperion into defecting.
...
Herrom Prison, the special holding cell of the great demon Antanas.
When the Poet of Great Love heard Hyperion state that she was "Talia's niece," she froze on the spot.
*What do you mean, you're Talia's niece?!*
*So it turns out my teacher is my classmate's aunt?!*
In an instant... Lanqi figured out a great many things.
Such as why Talia, an old woman so cold and aloof, would agree rather promptly whenever he made a request concerning Hyperion.
Including how, after Talia and Hyperion spent time together, their relationship had become so close, and she had even treated him slightly better as a byproduct, leading Lanqi to mistakenly believe Talia's disposition had softened a little.
Analyzing it further, Lanqi realized that the three of them each seemed to know some things while remaining ignorant of others.
Talia seemed to have recognized long ago that Hyperion was her niece, but didn't know that Lanqi was aware of her identity as a demon princess.
Hyperion had only learned Talia was her aunt upon visiting the Kingdom of Asethelan, yet she didn't know Lanqi had known her aunt for ages, much less that Tata, who had been looking after her all along, was Talia.
And Lanqi only just learned now of the familial connection between Talia and Hyperion; previously, he had always assumed Talia merely had her eyes on the wealth of Hyperion's ducal family, or that having been single for so long, she fancied playing mother.
At this moment, he was the first among the three of them to piece everything together!
On the other side of the special holding cell.
Antanas of Protection, the great demon, had kept her gaze fixed on Hyperion ever since hearing her words.
Only after a long while had passed did she speak.
"Efatia's child..." Antanas sighed softly.
Although Hyperion's disposition was vastly different from Talia's, she truly bore some resemblance to Efatia, and Antanas could indeed sense the noble aura of demon royalty emanating from her.
What surprised Antanas was that she never could have imagined Efatia would actually marry a human.
It was difficult to imagine what kind of exceptional human could win the favor of that genius demon princess.
Even Talia, compared to Efatia, could only be called a demon princess without the word "genius" attached.
The reason both princesses had been roughly comparable as Tier 8 great demons a century ago was simply that Talia was much older than Efatia.
She had thought that between the two, it would be her elder sister Talia who married first.
"Did Efatia send you to find me?" Antanas lifted her gaze, looking at Hyperion as she asked.
She had no idea what had become of the world outside this deep subterranean fortress of Herrom Prison over the past century. Any intelligence about the surface had been brought to her by the Protos Empire, and she could not tell truth from falsehood.
"No. It was my teacher, the Ice Snow Witch Almis. She wishes to ask for your help on behalf of the Kingdom of Asethelan. In exchange, we will restore your freedom and locate Talia for you," Hyperion answered earnestly.
The Ice Snow Witch knew very well what Antanas wanted, and this was an equitable bargain between demons.
"Almis of Ice Snow, is it?" Antanas murmured. Her expression gradually grew somber. "I am willing to believe Almis. But since she did not have Talia or even Efatia come to me, and instead sent you to such a perilous place, that means there truly has been no word of Talia, hasn't there?"
"Yes. However, according to Teacher Almis's conjecture, Talia very likely traveled to the Southern Continent. Once the turmoil in the Northern Continent is settled, she will definitely fulfill her promise and utilize the full power of the Church of the Goddess of Fate to help you locate Talia. Furthermore, she will provide you a sanctuary and will never harm either of you," Hyperion promised Antanas.
"...The Protos Empire told me that Talia is dead. They even showed me Talia's relics," Antanas said dejectedly.
Originally, she had been half-believing and half-doubting that report. But hearing the outside situation from Hyperion, she felt that the hope of Talia still being alive had dwindled just a little further.
"The Protos Empire may be deceiving you. Regardless, my teacher and I have sworn an oath to the Goddess of Fate that we will do everything in our power to find her for you, no matter how long it takes."
Hyperion dared not speak in absolute certainties either, because supreme transactions between demons could brook no falsehood; otherwise, it would invite a bloodline backlash.
Antanas glanced at Hyperion, uncharacteristically making no attempt to conceal the vulnerability unbefitting a great demon.
"She is the noblest demon princess. If she were still alive, how could Almis have found no trace of her across all these years...?"
Trapped in Herrom Prison, subjected to relentless torment for a century as she drifted between the Gentle Land of the Fallen and the physical prison, she had long been swayed by the words of successive wardens.
Pinning everything on a sliver of distant hope was simply exhausting.
Perhaps she would rather hide here in this cell where a final shred of hope still lingered than face the day she truly learned of Talia's death.
"I am tired of fighting. I cannot accept Almis's good intentions," Antanas averted her gaze, speaking softly to Hyperion.
"Miss Antanas, you should..."
Hyperion felt that Antanas might need some psychological counseling right about now, and that was precisely Lanqi's forte. As she spoke, she turned her eyes toward Lanqi, seeking support.
Even though Lanqi couldn't just carry her all the way to a clear this time, the versatile Lanqi would surely have a way to lend a bit of assistance.
Yet Lanqi seemed to have been waiting for Hyperion's cry for help all along.
"Antanas, I hid Talia away. If you miss this chance, you will never see her again in this lifetime. I guarantee it,"
the Poet of Great Love took a step forward, speaking bluntly to Antanas.
Hyperion's eyes went wide instantly.
*I asked you to persuade her, not lie to her!!*
Neither of them could afford the price of deceiving a great demon!
Furthermore, with such extreme words, if Antanas found out it was a lie, it would enrage her beyond measure!
"..."
The Poet of Great Love patted Hyperion on the shoulder, signaling to her: *Trust me, it's completely under control.*
He was a kind-hearted man who couldn't bear to see loved ones separated; this time, he was determined to bring Antanas back to Ikerite on the Southern Continent so she could see for herself Talia's happy, peaceful retirement life!
Chapter 411