Lanqi's Eve of the Bishop Election

Come to think of it, Herrom rarely saw such persistent rain in late April. At the northernmost edge of the Protos Royal Magic Academy in Herrom, the sprawling, deep-blue windows of a nearby chapel mirrored the starry sky and moonlight. The lake outside lay like a serene mirror beneath the moon, faintly reflecting two figures. Lanqi had changed into casual attire. With his black hair and green eyes, he was no longer dressed so formally, while Sigrid wore a more domestic dress, Lanqi's coat draped over her shoulders, cradling a little black cat in her arms. Before heading out, Lanqi had told Sigrid that she should put on a coat, but she wouldn't listen, insisting her constitution was great and that she had never feared the cold. Yet once they reached the lake, the sharp drop in temperature between day and night made itself known. Seeing Sigrid shivering, Lanqi had no choice but to resign himself to lending her his coat. They sat by a bench along the lakeshore, taking in the crisp, fresh air left in the wake of the heavy rain. More than two days had slipped by unnoticed in the lead-up to the bishop election. Lanqi's second selection from the Protos ancient collection had gone very quickly. He seemed to have already known precisely which cards he wanted before even heading to the Endless Library. Afterward, he had promptly returned to Gloria's residence—the stronghold of their Domination branch—and began card-crafting. Tonight, on the eve of the bishop election, the rain had finally let up in the dead of night. With his preparations finished, Sigrid asked him to take her out for a stroll around the academy grounds. She had stayed cooped up inside her direct retainer Gloria's home for an entire week without stepping foot outside, claiming that she would grow moldy if she didn't get some fresh air. Lanqi fully understood this sense of urgency and naturally agreed. An older woman must never spend all day holed up at home without going outside; otherwise, finding a husband would only become harder and harder. Now that the Protos Royal Magic Academy was under the dual surveillance of Antanas and Pranay, it was far safer than before. Even if an eighth-tier infiltrator managed to slip in, they would be detected immediately. After leaving Gloria's residence, Lanqi and Sigrid strolled aimlessly across the north side of the campus. When they reached this lake lying further north of the Redmond Building, walking any farther would have taken them too far, so they sat down on the bench to take in the night sky and the lake. In the distance, the gentle contours of hills and trees, along with the brilliant glow of Herrom, shimmered faintly in the night. Beneath a starlit expanse dancing with phosphorescence, the vast, dim lake seemed boundless, its far end stretching into a long path that met the horizon. The two of them sat in silence, admiring the night view. Now and then, Sigrid would swing her legs, lean back against the bench with her hands propped behind her, and gaze thoughtfully up at the stars, intoxicated by the splendid scenery. Recalling everything that had happened over the past two months, it all felt as though it were yesterday. Yet it had truly been an endlessly long winter, as if eternity itself had descended. They had journeyed through the shadowy depths of the northern snowfields, where dark gray miasma blanketed the land and monstrous moonlit wings cast fleeting shadows, enduring relentless blizzards and arduous trials before finally returning to the imperial capital of Herrom. Yet that lingering gloom seemed to have followed close behind, ready to enshroud the capital and chase away the impending spring. "How confident are you?" Sigrid finally turned her head, looking intently at Lanqi's profile as she asked. "To be honest, I don't know. My dearest friend once told me that gambling doesn't guarantee a win, but sometimes refusing to gamble guarantees a loss. So I can't really say how tomorrow's free-for-all will unfold either. Everything has moved too fast for me." Lanqi gazed into the cosmos, speaking unhurriedly. "Perhaps it is the work of talent, or perhaps my heart is pure and clear. Before I realized it, I was already seated at the round table." Fundamentally, he was merely a fourth-tier newcomer who hadn't left home long ago, swept by unpredictable currents into the chess match of the world's most powerful figures. Thick clouds drifted across the sky, briefly obscuring the moonlight and casting flickering shadows across Lanqi and Sigrid's faces on the bench. In Sigrid's arms, Boss Cat hesitated, poking its head out only to pull it right back in. It decided it was better off pretending to be an ordinary cat rather than interrupting their conversation. Before setting out for the Northern Continent, it hadn't believed just how ridiculous Lanqi was. Now, it was a believer. Lanqi's so-called "work of talent" was a hundred million times absurd. The Southern Continent had simply been holding back his growth and potential! Once this kid arrived in the Northern Continent, the moment winds and clouds gathered, he truly transformed into a soaring dragon! Now, all it prayed for was that Lanqi would take it back to the Southern Continent soon so they could return to the peaceful daily routine of the restaurant and campus life. Whenever it remembered Lanqi's promise to introduce a few capable talents, it felt utterly delighted—the good days were yet to come. Feeling the cat's movement, Sigrid stroked its head, then followed Lanqi's gaze toward the starry sky. "Holy Son, have you ever considered that since we've come this far, as long as you win everything tomorrow, you won't just get your wish to 'observe' [Original Slate - Seal]—you might even become a new Cardinal?" She bumped Lanqi lightly with her shoulder and asked. "Impossible. I will never become a Cardinal in this lifetime. My home is in the Southern Continent, and being a Cardinal there simply isn't an option." Lanqi shook his head immediately. The Northern Continent wasn't as strict; it had always been a land of perpetual unrest, where different organizations and nations took varying views on different branches. The Southern Continent, on the other hand, had a well-established United Council governed by strict rules, which uniformly classified the Resurrection Church as an extremist organization and target for arrest. Just what kind of people were the Cardinals in the Southern Continent? The Bishop of Destruction Ivanos, the Decay Cardinal Farmer—every single one was a terrorist who rivaled or exceeded Askesan. Even the Creti Empire, the mightiest nation in the Southern Continent, had immense headaches dealing with them. If an ordinary small kingdom provoked a Cardinal, it could face utter annihilation. In a peaceful land like the Southern Continent, everyone feared Cardinals. Never mind a Cardinal, even a Great Cleric of the Resurrection Church was enough to scare his old man out of his wits. "Then couldn't you just move to the Northern Continent? Are your businesses here any worse than what you have in the Southern Continent? Besides, with me protecting you over here, who would dare touch you?" Sigrid pressed. She had actually considered that she might meet the Holy Son's family one day, but given what he'd said about the Southern Continent, she might scare them out of their wits beyond repair. So if she ever did visit, she would have to disguise herself as an ordinary girl first to put them at ease. "In theory, the Protos Empire has become a second home to me, but I also deeply love the Hutton Kingdom. So when it comes to retiring, I still want to stay in my homeland," Lanqi answered honestly, turning his head to look at her. He had never intended to hide his homeland from Sigrid to begin with. After all, she knew of his connection to Loren and must have guessed where in the Southern Continent he came from long ago.