Talia Believed No One Else Would Ever Know

Boss Cat stared, utterly dumbfounded. *Seriously, Master Lan? You managed to skate right through again?* It had no idea what was going through any of their heads, but the room’s atmosphere felt completely warped. *Still, how much longer are you three going to stay tangled up on the floor?* Boss Cat felt as though its own furry face was about to turn red. Not far away. “By the way... could you two please get off me first? It's really heavy.” Lanqi’s voice sounded as if he were on the verge of suffocating. “!” Hyperion’s face flushed an even deeper shade of crimson. She tried to get up, only to find herself wedged tight between Lanqi and Talia. Every slight movement was an awkward, agonizing ordeal, driving her embarrassment higher and higher. Lanqi quickly glanced at Hyperion, seeming to reassure her that she wasn't the heavy one. “?” Talia’s icy, unchanging expression finally broke into a deep blush. Staring at Lanqi in disbelief, her trembling hand twitched with the urge to slap him across the face, but she held back and swiftly scrambled to her feet. If they remained tangled together like this and the door swung open again, she felt she truly would drag Lanqi down to the grave with her. Talia subconsciously glanced down at her lower abdomen. Her stomach was completely flat—how could she possibly be heavy? It was because Hyperion’s upper body was sprawled across Lanqi, bearing only a small fraction of her weight onto him, whereas Talia had been sitting directly on top of him, pressing down with nearly all her weight. That was the only reason Lanqi felt she was the heavy one. That had to be it. Definitely. “...” Once Hyperion got up, her eyes cast downward, she offered Lanqi a hand to pull him up. The moment they completely separated, Hyperion backed away several paces toward the wall, turning her head aside and refusing to look at either of them. Her pursed lips trembled incessantly. Recalling what had just taken place, she felt tears threatening to spill from the corners of her eyes. Hyperion couldn't fathom how Lanqi and Tata possessed such iron nerves. How could both of them act as if nothing had happened at all, leaving her feeling like she was the only one completely mortified? Just then, Hyperion noticed something. An inexplicable gaze lingered within the room. Following that line of sight, she saw Boss Cat still staring at them, completely dumbfounded. Under Boss Cat’s stare, not only Hyperion, but Lanqi and Tata as well began to realize just how long their spectacle had been witnessed. And so, three people stared at the cat. The cat continued staring back at the three people. Cold sweat began beading on Boss Cat’s forehead. It sensed mortal danger looming. The atmosphere in the bedroom had morphed ominously into: *A black cat has seen far too much of what it shouldn't have.* “Woof! Woof woof!” It barked loudly a few times, feigning total ignorance. After furiously clawing at the carpet several times, it bolted in a flash, scampering away. Silence descended upon the bedroom once more, stretching on for quite a while. Boss Cat wasn't the real problem. The real issue was that none of the three had any idea how to break the silence. Speaking up felt like opening a post-mortem on what had just transpired between them, which would only make everyone feel even more awkward. Outside the window, the sun had climbed a notch higher. A pale golden sheen gilded the bedroom’s beige curtains, accompanied by the chirping song of canaries perched on the branches outside. “Forget it... As long as you've returned safely. Let’s go home,” Talia finally said. At this juncture, that was truly all she could bring herself to say. The three exchanged fleeting glances before hastily looking away. If they lingered in the room together any longer, the Wilfort household's misunderstandings would only deepen. “Since we're already here, why don't we stay in South Vantina for a few days to unwind before heading back?” Lanqi suggested weakly, slumping onto the edge of the bed with a sigh. Having just returned from the long expedition to the Northern Continent, all he wanted was to rest. Making a round trip between South Vantina and the royal capital overnight would turn him into a special ops commando. Besides, returning to South Vantina after so long only made him dread going back to Ikerite Academy even more. “I'm fine with that...” Hyperion’s thoughts remained in complete disarray; she still hadn't recovered from what had just occurred. Her whole life, she had never had such physical contact with a boy. Even though it had just been an act to save Lanqi, the more she thought about it now, the more she felt she had improvised way too far. There could never, ever be a next time. They were best friends, and between best friends, certain boundaries were never meant to be crossed—unless she was forced into it with no other choice to save his life. “I'm going to an inn.” Talia regained her usual tone, completely devoid of inflection. She then glanced at Hyperion, silently asking whether Hyperion would be staying with him or coming with her tonight. “...” Hyperion would ordinarily have chosen to accompany Talia to an inn. Yet right now, being alone with either Lanqi or Talia felt excruciatingly awkward. “I'll stay at Lanqi’s,” Hyperion answered. At least at the Wilfort estate, she could retreat to a guest room and find peace without facing anyone. “Understood.” Talia’s voice softened slightly. Having said her piece, she prepared to step out of Lanqi’s bedroom—and leave the Wilfort residence altogether. She had no reason to intrude upon Lanqi and Hyperion. Since Hyperion preferred being with Lanqi, Talia would avoid any further boundary-crossing contact with him. Even so, an unfamiliar bitterness and reluctance knotted inside her chest—emotions she shouldn't have felt at all. When she had arrived at the Wilfort manor, Butler Hans told her that Lanqi had once gone through a long period of complete self-abandonment. It was meeting her, taking an interest in her, that spurred him to turn over a new leaf and improve day by day. Every day Lanqi spent with her was filled with joy, his mind brimming with whimsy and wonder. Talia didn't understand what else had surged up within her besides fury when she saw the portrait in his bedroom after hearing all that. She was the one who had hurt Lanqi, while Hyperion had protected him. She hadn't wanted things to turn out like this, yet she couldn't forgive Lanqi either. Regret mixed with frustration over his shortcomings, leaving her unable to untangle what these feelings truly were. Her steps were heavy and slow, like wading through thick mud. Talia had no desire to contest anything with Hyperion, yet she realized that all this time, she had mistakenly assumed Lanqi belonged solely to her. The human world always felt too fast to her, and emotions were no exception, no matter how hard she tried to match Lanqi’s rhythm. She gradually came to understand that what she thought was careful, measured consideration simply didn't fit this era. Lanqi wouldn't wait forever for her to puzzle out the answers. “Actually, a room's already been prepared for you here, Tata. When you're free, you still need to teach me new magic and protect Hyperion,” Lanqi suddenly called out from behind her. Besides, once they returned to Boss Cat Restaurant, there were even more surprises waiting for Tata. He wanted to witness her astonished expression with his own eyes; he couldn't let her just walk off like this. “...” Hyperion glanced at Lanqi. She had no proof, but somehow sensed that having just narrowly survived a catastrophe, Lanqi was courting death all over again. Hyperion sometimes wondered if Lanqi actually savored the thrill of cheating death—that perhaps only Tata could quicken his pulse. Lanqi, who rarely felt any emotional fluctuations, might well be addicted to the adrenaline rush that came with Tata without even realizing it. Away from Tata, his aura of divinity grew ever more pronounced; only around Tata did he seem more like an ordinary human. According to what Lanqi had once described to Professor Borao, Dean of the School of Magic Engineering, about a contraption known as an 'automobile,' aside from brakes to decelerate and an accelerator to speed up, there was also a component called a clutch. Even without a clutch, the vehicle could still run, but its fundamental nature would change, evolving into an entirely different kind of vehicle. Hyperion now felt that Tata was very much like a clutch to Lanqi. And yet... Tata was both the medicine that restored Lanqi’s humanity and a perilous poison. Hyperion was convinced that each time Lanqi flirted with disaster without getting himself or Tata killed, he would only grow bolder and more reckless. The more Hyperion thought about it, the more terrified she became. If Tata was truly driven insane by Lanqi one day, what on earth would she have to do to save Lanqi from Tata’s wrath?! “...” Talia’s steps halted, though she didn't turn around. “Our estate has the finest chef in this town.” “He specializes in the culinary delicacies unique to the South Vantina frontier territory, prepared with the very best selected ingredients.” “Guaranteed to be dishes you could hardly taste in any other city-state.” “There’s also top-grade mango cheese mille-crêpe, mocha hazelnut crispy egg tarts, platinum strawberry mousse cake...” Behind Talia, Lanqi counted on his fingers, rattling off items one by one. Though it didn't sound like a plea for her to stay at all, his intention was unmistakably clear. “...” Listening to Lanqi’s endless chatter, the corners of Talia’s eyes twitched faintly with subtle temptation, before she furrowed her brow. “Haven't you said these exact words to me before?” Talia finally turned back and asked, fixing her gaze upon him. “You actually remember?” Lanqi said in surprise. Talia regarded Lanqi without replying. It was only a year ago; how could she not remember? Granted, a year was considered quite long for humans, but to her, first meeting Lanqi felt like something that had happened just last week. “Then I suppose I will stay,” Talia answered, as if conceding. If it were her from a year ago, she would have thought herself insane for accepting Lanqi’s hospitality. Still, she couldn't judge things by her own demonic sense of time; she had to adapt to human speed. Staying together at the Wilfort estate might be thoroughly awkward for the three of them moving forward. Yet she no longer wished to run away. Besides... The Wilfort household kept their mouths tightly shut. No one else would ever know about what happened today. It could simply end here.