Lanqi and Hyperion's Return to Campus

At Ikerite Academy, the tree-lined path bathed in the morning sunlight was exceptionally serene. In the distance, within the botanical gardens of the School of Alchemy, birds flitted among the treetops, now and then letting out melodic chirps. "..." Having fled Boss Cat Restaurant in a hurry, Lanqi and Hyperion strolled down the road toward the main building of the School of Magic Engineering, neither of them speaking in tacit mutual understanding. It was near the end of the term, with exam week fast approaching and hardly any new classes left. Students heading to and from lectures were rarely seen on campus anymore. Returning to the grounds after so long away, the past half-year felt as though it had only been yesterday. At last, they spotted a familiar landmark ahead. Along the path leading from the School of Sages to the School of Magic Engineering stood a cold-pressed juice shop offering over thirty varieties of pure fruit juices, mixed blends, and vegetable-fruit drinks. Before leaving Ikerite, one would often see crowds of students carrying cups from the shop after class. What had been a brand-new shop opening last year was now an established staple. The two exchanged a look and paused there for a moment, buying two cups without having to wait in line. Hyperion recalled that back when the two of them had finished Teacher Teresa's General Magic Genealogy class in the Learning and Education Building, they had walked along this very road sipping cold-pressed juice and chatting, which led to their decision to travel to the Northern Continent in search of Askesan and launch that graduation project of theirs. Who would have thought that today, it was actually complete? She could only marvel at how quickly time flew. Returning from the strife-torn Northern Continent to peaceful Ikerite, the pace of life seemed to slow right down, with novel amusements, food, and drink everywhere one turned. To be able to enjoy life in Ikerite leisurely without worries or pressure was an extraordinary blessing. At this moment, she felt she could truly understand Lanqi's desire for early retirement, as well as the daily life Tata was already enjoying. Idly chewing the tip of her straw to pass the time, Hyperion took small sips of her juice and stole glances at Lanqi now and then. She could not shake the feeling that he had been intensely awkward ever since fleeing Boss Cat Restaurant. He clearly understood just how bizarre and unhinged the scene between him and Tata had been. As a bystander, Hyperion felt awkward bringing it up first. If Lanqi stayed silent, she would simply pretend nothing had happened and keep him company. "After we clear the Shadow World one more time, we'll have to get ready to head for the Creti Empire," Lanqi murmured to himself as they crossed a treeless intersection on the wooded path, gazing at the square building plainly visible in the distance. Proudly towering at the heart of Ikerite Academy, that colossal edifice was encircled by the territories of the four great schools. Though the diverse array of novel and classical architecture across the campus held unique charms of their own, they all paled slightly in comparison to the central structure that sealed the Void Gate to the Shadow World. Soon, they would dream their way back into history tens of thousands of years ago once more. "Yeah," Hyperion sighed softly in agreement. What once felt unimaginably distant was now within reach; after merely a single year, they genuinely possessed some glimmer of hope to seek Duke Mikhail's whereabouts in the Creti Empire. When they first met a year ago, she had been nothing more than a Tier 3 assassin, and Lanqi had been a Tier 2 white mage. Now... she was still relatively normal, merely advancing in rank quite fast, whereas Lanqi had mutated into the spiritual leader of the Protos Empire. "Phew..." Finishing his juice, Lanqi finally let out a long breath of relief. "Hyperion, thank you for getting me out of there," Lanqi sighed, looking like a man who had barely escaped disaster with his life. The chilled sweetness was like a midsummer breeze, bringing him back to the land of the living. He felt the thumping of his heart; that magma-hot sensation in his chest pulsed through his entire body with each beat. He had never experienced a thrill like that before. Though it had cost him a price he would never forget for the rest of his life, he had undeniably savored the ultimate excitement. "Don't mention it." Hyperion shook her head. She believed Lanqi had learned a sufficient lesson this time around. After things had reached such an extreme, he surely wouldn't dare do it again. Silence fell between them once more for a brief spell. "By the way... how do you actually view Tata?" Hyperion asked tentatively. Recalling the lines exchanged between Lanqi and Tata, she could not shake an odd feeling in her heart. Even though she knew full well they had lost their minds under the influence of the Poet of Great Love, she harbored an inexplicable worry that if no one had interrupted them, the two of them might have simply rolled with it and turned play-acting into reality. "...My most revered Master, of course," Lanqi replied after a brief pause, a smile playing at his lips. "Really?" Hyperion's tone was dripping with skepticism. "Er, close friends across generations, then?" Lanqi pondered for a moment, adjusting to a more accurate description. "..." Hyperion was at a loss for words. *I underestimated you.* The quiet woodland path was like a glistening emerald, tracing endless, non-repeating geometric patterns across the bluestone pavement beneath their feet. Walking at such an unhurried pace, it always took them quite a while to traverse this stretch of road. "Lanqi, please don't provoke Tata anymore, all right? Listen to me." Hyperion wrestled with herself for a long while before slowly clenching her fists. Whether Lanqi listened was one matter; whether she urged him was another. Perhaps she needed to be firmer at times so he would actually heed her words. "...Tata and I have always gotten along like this, though," Lanqi murmured quietly. "..." Hyperion couldn't tell whether he was genuinely bewildered as to whether he had provoked Tata, or simply incapable of resisting Tata's allure. Seeing his aggrieved expression, her heart softened once again. Preventing him from interacting with Tata seemed to torment him worse than killing him. Even if the aftermath of those interactions might also be worse than death. He simply loved playing with fire. Hyperion had come to realize that for Lanqi, messing around with Tata was genuinely addictive. "If you keep going on like this, even I won't be able to save you..." Hyperion murmured, her voice sounding increasingly helpless. "No, no, no, you have to save me, my angel Hyperion." Lanqi immediately turned toward her. Hyperion was his greatest source of reassurance. "..." Seeing him like this, Hyperion gently bit her lower lip. "Hyperion," Lanqi called her name again, his tone shrinking back half a degree. "I'll save you, don't worry. I'll just make sure to protect you, all right?" Hyperion finally shook her head and yielded after a wave of exhaustion. Though the moment those words left her mouth, a twinge of regret washed over her alongside an ominous premonition, she truly had no way to deal with him. Still, thinking it through, it shouldn't be too big of a deal. Lanqi had only crashed this time because Lanfu was out for vengeance; there was simply no way he would crash again next time—unless Tata went completely off script, or she, Hyperion, lost her mind, or Lanqi accidentally consumed alcohol, or that woman from the Northern Continent somehow crossed the sea and showed up out of nowhere, or something like that. Those were all low-probability events that could easily be ignored; otherwise, she would just be splitting hairs. Hyperion nodded with renewed conviction.