Northern Continent, early May.
At noon on Sunday, a skyscraper towered in the heart of Herrom. Its smooth glass facade reflected the brilliance of the sky, resembling a colossal tower piercing into the heavens.
This building not only surpassed the surrounding structures in height, but also stood out as the most striking landmark on the city skyline through its sheer opulence and unique design.
At this moment, Lanqi had reached the topmost floor of this very building.
He stood before the solitary set of grand doors on this level.
His mood was rather subtle.
Only after a brief pause did he shift Boss Cat into the crook of his left arm, freeing his right hand to ring the doorbell.
"Enter."
Sigrid's faint voice drifted from within.
It wasn't that she spoke quietly, but rather that she was clearly far from the entrance.
Though cold and distant, it carried that familiar edge.
"Is Sigrid angry, meow?" Boss Cat raised a paw to cling to Lanqi's shoulder, asking in a low whisper.
"Who knows."
Lanqi took a keychain from his pocket and found a key that had never been used—a spare key Sigrid had given him long ago.
He slid the key into the keyhole and turned it. The faint click echoed with striking clarity down the silent corridor.
"Meow."
Boss Cat had no idea how their date had gone yesterday.
Judging by Sigrid's attitude, however, it guessed that things had likely ended on a sour note.
Back when the three of them were in the snowy plains and Side said she wouldn't let Lanqi leave, it had assumed Lanqi would surely fake his death to escape.
Who could have guessed this kid would be so stubbornly straightforward? He truly hadn't lied to Side from start to finish. When Side gave him a week's chance to run, he didn't run either.
The door slowly swung open to reveal a spacious, brightly lit foyer.
The decorations here were exquisitely luxurious. From the carefully chosen artwork to the custom-made furniture, every single piece was one of a kind.
The paintings adorning the walls were not only masterpieces of craftsmanship, but also a testament to Sigrid's impeccable taste.
Lanqi stepped into the living room, his footsteps practically silent on the plush carpet.
The indoor lighting was warm and gentle, and the air carried a faint fragrance—the scent of Sigrid's favorite incense.
Though he hadn't visited this place many times, everything felt remarkably familiar now that he truly understood Sigrid.
After walking for a while, Lanqi finally arrived at the gallery where Sigrid waited.
This was where they had met for the very first time.
Of course, back then, he had been forcibly dragged here by Sigrid.
In the distance, Sigrid stood quietly before a floor-to-ceiling window, gazing down at the panorama of Herrom.
Now, her wish had finally come true: she was the rightful hegemon of the Protos Empire.
Lately, however, the reason for her happiness seemed both related to and entirely separate from that achievement.
She turned around. Her eyes, as clear and deep as ever, concealed countless memories and emotions.
Few words were needed between her and Lanqi; a single exchange of glances was enough to convey their thoughts.
"I've come to fulfill my promise," Lanqi said.
Once he finished painting this portrait for Sigrid today, he would be heading back to the Southern Continent for the time being.
Sigrid did not reply.
She merely walked slowly toward the gallery's main seat.
Sitting down casually, she looked down at Lanqi.
"Is Lanqi Wilfort your real name?" Sigrid asked.
She had guessed long ago that Luoqi McCarthy was not his real name.
She could have asked him for his true name long before this, and she was certain he would have answered honestly.
Yet she had chosen to wait for him to confess on his own.
"Yes. I'm from South Vantina in the Hutton Kingdom, and I currently live in the royal capital, Ikerite," Lanqi admitted with a nod, cradling the little black cat.
"Aren't you afraid I'll go to the Southern Continent, track down the Hutton Kingdom, and find you?" Sigrid observed him and the little black cat with keen interest.
She remembered that when she first brought Lanqi here to confront him, Lanqi had appeared calm on the surface, but his shadow had already begun trembling. Right after that, this little black cat with bristling fur had popped out, curling up in Lanqi's hands, terrified every second that the Bishop of Domination would uncover Lanqi's identity.
Now, Lanqi had laid bare his entire background in the Southern Continent, yet the little black cat seemed completely unfazed.
"You're welcome anytime," Lanqi replied with an earnest smile. "The royal capital of Ikerite is a wonderful city. It's very suitable for dates," he added.
"What are you trying to say?" Sigrid froze for half a second before narrowing her eyes at Lanqi.
She hadn't expected him to say something so disarming out of nowhere.
"I'm just introducing Ikerite to you," Lanqi said with an innocent expression.
"You just want to hold my hand on another date. You could just be direct about it," Sigrid crossed her arms and let out a cold laugh.
She seemed to be half-joking, yet half-serious.
"Meow? Meow, meow, meow!"
Boss Cat lifted its head, looking back and forth between Lanqi and Sigrid.
This completely unflappable kid had actually held hands with Side yesterday?!
And Talia was still busy eating!
"In Ikerite, both of us can use our true appearances without worrying about being mobbed by reporters and crowds in the street," Lanqi thought for a moment and answered.
The corners of Sigrid's lips curved slightly upward, but she quickly suppressed it and resumed her cool demeanor.
He still hadn't denied the date.
"Right now, it's just the two of us and the little black cat. Show me your real face, or it wouldn't be fair." Sigrid leaned back against her chair and appraised Lanqi.
Lanqi simply looked at her with a smile, turning in a full circle to let her clearly take in his black hair and green eyes.
"..."
Sigrid stared with wide eyes, struck speechless for a long moment.
In an instant, she understood the Holy Son's meaning.
"Fine, it's passable," she evaluated.
"Yesterday's date was fairly satisfactory as well. Take this." As Sigrid spoke, she took a thin, delicate carved stone relief from her pocket. Its unique radiance instantly illuminated the entire gallery.
She tossed the stone to Lanqi.
Lanqi caught it steadily, gazing at the divine artifact in his hand.
Earlier, when they were in public, it had been inconvenient for Sigrid to give him this slate. Now that they were alone—shielded by the anti-divination and anti-detection barrier of Sigrid's residence—she could finally hand over this trophy to him.
[Original Slate - Seal]
[Category: Equipment Card]
[Quality: Orange Epic]
[Tier: 5]
[Passive Effect: The Original Slate cannot be destroyed. Only living beings of the mortal realm may soul-bind with it, and a maximum of one slate may be bound at a time. Comprehensively enhances all sealing-attribute magic, martial arts, equipment, and summons. The slate unbinds upon the death of the soul-bound user.]
[Remark: Destiny is tightly bound, yet the soul can redeem all things.]
Upon the slate's intricate ancient runes, a divine, brilliant, and arcane luster resonated directly with the soul, humming in harmony with the mana in Lanqi's body.
At present, he was not yet Tier 5 and could not bind the slate.
However, he was not far from Tier 5, and it wouldn't be long before he could become the new wielder of the [Original Slate - Seal].
"Now I can finally turn in my mission," Lanqi remarked.
When the time came to write his report, submitting the relevant information on the [Counterfeit Slate - Seal] would suffice.
"My ticket is for five o'clock. I'll take Antanas and the others back to Lilom City in the southernmost part of the empire, and from there take a ship back to the Southern Continent."
He stowed the slate away and looked toward Sigrid.
"Don't misunderstand. I never agreed to let you leave from the start," Sigrid replied, maintaining her chilly tone from earlier. Then her voice softened. "However, I haven't slept much these past few days, and I'm very tired today. If you insist on running away, I might not notice."
Sigrid's purple eyes grew hazy. Her speech slowed, and her voice grew fainter and fainter.
It seemed that if she hadn't been waiting for Lanqi, she would have fallen asleep long ago.
Of course, with Lanqi by her side, she felt even drowsier.
Once she settled her affairs and relaxed her mind, exhaustion swept over her like a tidal wave.
"Good afternoon, Sigrid," Lanqi said softly in understanding, bidding her farewell.
From their time together, Sigrid had long developed a conditioned reflex—whenever she was around Lanqi, she felt an urge to take a nap.
The Bishop of Domination had her pride; she would never take back her words.
She was merely giving the Holy Son of Domination a little slack at her own discretion.
"By the way, the Herrom Broadcasting Corporation has an interview scheduled to tour my gallery this afternoon... so don't you dare slack off. Otherwise, Headmaster Luoqi McCarthy will become a laughingstock, haha..."
As she spoke, Sigrid's heavy eyelids drifted shut. The high-backed chair provided ample support, allowing her body to unwind without her even realizing it, until nothing remained but the sound of her soft, steady breathing.
Chapter 487