Beneath the night sky, a gentle breeze carrying the scent of flowers and fresh greenery drifted past the entrance of the Frontier Library.
The moonlight pooling on the stone steps softened like the music of time itself, making the sparse passersby on the street want to pause and listen.
Talia sat motionless on the steps outside the library.
Until the sky grew a little darker still.
With the creak of the library's heavy, towering doors being pushed open, Lanqi finally emerged, clutching a legal code in his arms.
Though Talia's back was turned to him, she tilted her head slightly at that moment, clearly having sensed his presence.
"Huh?"
Lanqi looked at the familiar figure in mild surprise and walked briskly over to her.
"Have you been waiting for me here the whole time?"
Lanqi, relaxed as ever, simply sat down on the steps beside her, keeping a polite distance.
"I took your payment, so naturally I carry out the work,"
Talia said without any expression.
Her gaze casually flicked over to the *Code of the Hutton Kingdom* in his arms.
She had not known what kind of book had kept him so engrossed that he spent the entire day in the library.
Now she finally had her answer.
This fellow probably wanted to become a lawyer or a judge.
He certainly belonged to the strictly law-abiding sort of human.
"Did you... not eat lunch?"
Lanqi looked at Talia, who sat poised and tranquil like a statue, and realized she had likely stood watch here all day without eating a thing.
She adhered to the terms of their agreement even more strictly than he had imagined. Perhaps this was the pride of demon royalty?
"..."
Talia said nothing, merely glaring at Lanqi with mild displeasure.
It was as good as confirming his guess.
"Uh... I happen to be heading for dinner now. Would you like to join me?"
Lanqi paused awkwardly, giving an innocent chuckle.
"There is no need. Once you return to your manor, I will depart."
Talia rose to her feet, her movement clearly telling Lanqi: if he was heading back to the manor, he should hurry up and move.
She would never accept unprompted kindness from a human.
"Today was my oversight. In the future, I'll definitely let you know in advance how long I plan to stay,"
Lanqi explained earnestly, his voice laden with apology.
"So please, let me treat you to a meal to make up for it."
Yet Talia merely stood unmoved, as if she had not heard a word he said.
"Our manor employs the best chef in town."
"He specializes in the local delicacies unique to the South Vantina frontier territory, prepared with only the finest ingredients."
"I can promise you won't find tastes like these in any other city-state."
"And the highest-grade mango cheese mille-feuille, mocha hazelnut crispy egg tarts, platinum strawberry mousse cake..."
"..."
Listening to Lanqi rattle on endlessly,
the corner of Talia's eyes seemed to twitch ever so slightly, but her brow immediately furrowed.
"No."
Talia refused coldly. Turning her head away without sparing him another glance, she ceased waiting and started down the stone steps.
Just now, Lanqi's words had lingered in her ears.
Like the whispers of a devil, brimming with temptation.
For reasons she could not explain, she had felt a strange, fleeting illusion in that instant—
as if she had a grand demon strategist at her side, one whose wholehearted devotion could surely aid her in restoring her kingdom...
No.
This human boy clearly belonged to the lawful good camp; he had nothing in common with her demonic kin.
It seemed her long-cherished obsession with rebuilding her kingdom was simply running too deep.
That was the only reason she had fallen prey to such an absurd delusion.
"What a pity."
Lanqi stood up, patted the dust from his trousers, and neatly followed after her with a smile, holding the thick kingdom legal code in one arm.
Even though Talia remained as cold as ever, that was simply who she was.
However, Lanqi had caught on to something, whether by chance or design.
He remembered reading from his past work that Talia's character profile described her as strictly disciplined.
She adhered rigorously to dietary principles and training habits that included waking early, jogging, meditation, and cold showers.
However.
As Talia's "creator," Lanqi clearly remembered a detail tucked away in a remote corner of the design documentation:
[She abstains from sweets, but whenever a rare opportunity arises to enjoy desserts, she only allows herself the highest quality.]
It was an exceedingly subtle detail.
Lanqi could not help harboring strong suspicions:
Could Talia secretly be a foodie who feared succumbing to gluttony?
The greatest weakness of demons was their overwhelming desires. If a more sinister demon saw through those cravings and manipulated them, it could drive them into madness.
The higher a demon's status, the better they understood how to suppress and conceal their desires.
Lanqi chuckled inwardly.
Demons really were fascinating creatures.
...
The sky above the frontier city-state darkened by several more shades.
Under the night shroud, the Wilfort estate shone brilliantly, illuminated by crystal lamps in the courtyard and bright lights streaming from the windows.
On the second floor of the manor, in a spacious and elegant study, sat an imposing middle-aged man. Though the hair at his temples was flecked with gray, his aura of a natural leader remained undiminished.
He wore an exquisite, classic suit, every corner pressed immaculately, exuding a rigorous, dignified air.
He was Lanqi's father and the master of this household—Noe.
Beside him, the butler was pouring tea.
Footsteps approached from outside the door.
A moment later, the study door slowly opened.
A black-haired, green-eyed youth appeared in the doorway, looking slightly puzzled.
He had just returned from the library and finished dinner. Before he even had time to return to his bedroom to put down the legal code, a maid had summoned him to the second-floor study.
"You're here."
Leaning back in his chair behind the desk, Noe scrutinized Lanqi.
It seemed he had been waiting in the study for a long time.
"Forgive me, I didn't know you wished to see me today,"
Lanqi replied in an orderly, composed manner.
Noe nodded.
He had expected Lanqi to come home late.
What he had not expected was for Lanqi to walk in holding a copy of the *Code of the Hutton Kingdom* bearing the Frontier Library's stamp.
He had assumed the boy would return dead drunk again; instead, he had gone to the library to read.
Even if Noe could not fathom for the moment why it had to be a legal code,
at first glance right now, Lanqi actually looked remarkably like a dignified cleric or scholar.
Faintly, he even carried a trace of the imposing presence of a magistrate holding sway over life and death.
Noe pinched the bridge of his nose.
Clearly, it was just his own illusion.
His playboy of a son did not have the slightest affinity with the clergy.
It would already be a blessing if he did not get led astray by some evil cult.
At times, he genuinely worried Lanqi might be bewitched by cultists.
In the worst-case scenario, he might even become a fanatic and venerate those cataclysmic, wicked bishops.
Fortunately,
Noe was certain Lanqi did not possess the courage to provoke those creatures who lurked in darkness deeper than black.
Chapter 5