"I see. So you're one of our own after all," Antanas remarked agreeably to Xiaya as they walked up the stairwell.
Whether he was a demon or not, in spirit, anyone who held the New King in such deep reverence could already be considered their compatriot.
The Snowfield Province sounded remarkably familiar.
After all, the identities the New King had arranged for the three of them were all registered in the northern Snowfield Province of the Protos Empire.
Presumably, it was because the New King was well-acquainted with this Viscount Chinston of the Snowfield Province that their identities had been settled so smoothly.
This young man had to be a trusted confidant of the New King as well; otherwise, the New King wouldn't have sent him to receive the three of them.
What was more, the youth had just referred to the New King as his teacher. His future was boundless; even if he was still weak now, he was bound to become a formidable force among their demon race's new generation. His magical talent was clearly exceptional.
If the New King permitted it, the three of them could each impart some of their unique demon magic to him, helping him grow further.
Along the corridors of the ancient building, everything was steeped in the ambiance of historical art and portraiture.
"You flatter me," Xiaya replied. Hearing the professor refer to him as one of their own, the look in his eyes grew slightly more sincere.
Soon, they arrived on the fifth floor.
The demons walked across the soft corridor floor, where the crimson carpet beneath their feet was deep in color, thick in texture, and delicately woven.
The carpet silently recounted the years settled within the Redmond Building, resembling a long river of history flowing beneath their steps.
"Speaking of which, when I first arrived at this school, the sight at the front gate truly took my breath away," Antanas remarked to the other two great demons as she took in the architecture of the Redmond Building.
Intricate gilded patterns adorned the carved wooden paneling along both sides of the corridor, shimmering with a subtle luster under the lighting—much like the swirling thoughts in their minds at this moment.
"Indeed. I wonder whose hand shaped the artistic style of this academy."
They passed a neat row of large, aligned windows. These windows framed the outside world like exquisite paintings.
Through the glass, Pranay could see the academy's courtyards, the ancient Herrom-style architecture in the distance, and the lush, verdant trees.
Among these views were campus landscapes currently undergoing renovations. As a scholar who loved researching ancient ruins of the Demon Realm, Pranay not only held a deep affection for demon culture and art, but was also filled with keen interest in human culture and art.
He had never imagined that this era could still produce a master whose work left him in such awe.
After exchanging a few casual words, they arrived before the door of an office at the end of the corridor.
"Teacher, I've brought your guests," Xiaya said, knocking on the door.
"Thank you, Xiaya. You may head back to accompany Lilith. You're done for the day here at the Redmond Building."
A gentle male voice drifted from behind the door.
"Understood."
Xiaya bowed toward the door.
"Professors, I shall take my leave now."
"Thank you, young man."
Xiaya turned to offer his respects to the three professors and withdrew.
"..."
Pranay rested a hand lightly on the door without pushing it open just yet. The male voice from within prompted the three great demons to exchange subtle glances.
Did the New King invite another guest?
With no time to overthink it, Pranay pushed open the heavy solid wood door.
The door swung open slowly, greeting them with air suffused with the aroma of coffee and candles, carrying a quiet, cozy ambiance.
What met their eyes was a spacious office of over a hundred square meters, and within it sat only a single figure.
Behind a desk directly facing the entrance stood an office chair turned away from them, backed by a long dark-wood desk polished smooth as a mirror.
The figure facing away from them in the chair seemed to be leaning back with eyes closed to rest, or perhaps gazing out the window. A faint glow spilled through the gap between the massive, half-drawn dark drapes. Outside, the sky had already turned an overcast gray, and gentle gusts occasionally whistled across the Protos Royal Magic Academy, sending leaves drifting down with every pass of the breeze.
The moment the three of them stepped into the office, a lone raindrop tapped softly against the edge of the windowsill.
Before long, the raindrops fell in dense, string-like ribbons, pattering down one after another.
The figure sitting by the window seemed as though he had just awakened from a dream, the emerald-green eyes reflected in the glass gradually growing clear and luminous.
He raised a finger, gently brushing it across the misted glass pane.
No one could tell what he was thinking, or if he was simply enjoying the leisurely afternoon.
"..."
Pranay led the two great demons forward, stopping at a polite distance without getting too close.
They could all be certain there were no other living beings in this room—only the man behind the office chair.
The New King had mentioned they could also arrive at three-thirty.
However, they had arrived promptly at three o'clock.
Thus, it was possible the New King had not yet arrived, and the person in the room was another guest the New King wanted them to meet.
Pranay shot a glance at Antanas. She quickly understood Pranay's presumptuous yet sensible thought, and laid down a barrier within the room.
Although the Headmaster's Office was equipped with devices to ward off detection magic, a barrier set by the Tier 8 great demon Antanas was still far more secure.
"May I ask who you are, sir?"
Confident that the room was completely isolated from the outside world, Pranay politely addressed the figure behind the chair.
Lanqi leaned back against the office chair, quietly watching the sky outside before closing his eyes once more.
Every second of sleep counts.
He was still in his black-haired, green-eyed form.
Due to the cooldown of Polymorph: Human, he could only transform into Luoqi McCarthy one more time today.
Consequently, he had simply kept his original appearance all the way from the Domination branch's stronghold at the Protos Royal Magic Academy back to the office in the Redmond Building, in no rush to turn back into Luoqi McCarthy beforehand.
Whenever he had free time in the afternoon, he would sit here. Even closing his eyes for just five minutes did wonders to ease his exhaustion.
He hadn't expected time to pass so quickly; just as he was at his sleepiest, he had heard Xiaya's knock, and then the three great demons had walked in.
"Here, people call me Luoqi McCarthy," he explained.
"!!"
Across the office, the three great demons froze in astonishment upon hearing his words.
They had considered that the New King might have wanted them to meet some dignitary first, but they had never imagined that the person sitting here was Luoqi McCarthy himself!
Did the New King intend for them to negotiate with Luoqi McCarthy?
Pranay fell silent for a moment, clearly analyzing the New King's intentions.
And Antanas had no intention of speaking out of turn on such an occasion.
When it was time to be quiet, one had to keep quiet. Under the current circumstances, she only needed to observe and let Pranay, the cleverest great demon among them, deal with this human.
Aside from the two great demons with their eyes open, Sinora alone was extremely nervous.
She had long heard her brother talk about this imperial man named Luoqi McCarthy, who was also someone their demon race had to win over going forward.
Yet she was terrible at dealing with men other than her brother. Ever since coming to the surface, she had been relying on magical perception to sense the surrounding terrain and living beings, not daring to open her eyes lightly.
Now, she felt a flicker of curiosity, tempted to steal a peek at what this mysterious man named Luoqi McCarthy looked like.
No, that will ruin things. I have to hold back.
I must absolutely not open my eyes in front of a man today!
Sinora warned herself internally.
She was determined not to do anything unnecessary today. Under no circumstances could she let the New King see her make a fool of herself and be deeply disappointed.
Chapter 458