Lanqi Is Full of Positive Energy

Beneath the gentle candlelight, the Demon King's Bestowed Restaurant seemed bathed in a warm golden glow. A silver candelabra stood dignified and stately in the center of the table. The flames flickered atop it, casting bright reflections across the surrounding tableware, and through the orange-red fire, the air took on a touch of dreamy haze. Shadows cast by the dancing candlelight played across the tabletop. The gold-trimmed white tablecloth contrasted pleasingly with the dark wood beneath, making everything feel so warm and delightful that one could almost forget all their troubles. "Hyperion, did you see that? I successfully put an end to the wanton waste of food," Lanqi said, looking at Hyperion, his tone brimming with positive energy. "..." Hyperion kept her head bowed, not daring to take up his words—not daring to utter a single sound, in fact. She worried that when the Goddess deducted Lanqi's karmic merit, she might end up being punished by association simply for sitting beside him. Regardless of everything else, she had been raised as a human in human realms since childhood. Deep down, she still wanted to keep her humanity! In the distance. Having dealt with the silver-haired demon who had broken the restaurant's rules, the restaurant manager hurried toward Lanqi with a look of deep concern in his eyes. A few seconds later. "We are terribly sorry for the unpleasant dining experience you suffered in our establishment. We will do everything in our power to offer you satisfactory compensation." The manager swiftly placed a warming cup of Demon Realm medicinal liquor by Lanqi's hand and spoke with utter sincerity. "N-No... it wasn't your fault at all. Thank you very much." Lanqi picked up the glass with slightly trembling fingertips. Taking a sip, that state of appearing to struggle in the freezing snow was finally relieved. He drew a deep breath and looked back at the manager. "Mr. Manager, may I ask if the ingredients for the dishes that silver-haired patron ordered earlier, but which were ultimately never served to him, are available now? And might we have the chance to order some new dishes?" Lanqi had not seen those two limited-edition dishes on the silver-haired demon's table earlier. Evidently, the silver-haired demon had ordered them in advance, planning to enjoy them as the grand finale of his meal. "Of course you may," the manager said, tilting his body slightly and nodding to Lanqi. "Then these two, please." Lanqi opened the menu, showed the manager the pages for the two limited dishes, and made his order. "Certainly. And per our restaurant's policy, we must still offer you compensation." The manager took the menu from Lanqi's hands and bowed slightly to the two of them. Lanqi looked at the manager, hesitated for a moment, and then sighed. "I truly do not believe you bear any responsibility. If anyone was in the wrong, it was that fellow who recklessly wasted food and failed to appreciate the exquisite dishes the chefs poured their hearts into preparing." Lanqi's voice was filled with both pity and helplessness. Glancing at the silver-haired demon's corpse, he continued, "Compensation is not something you should have to shoulder. This restaurant has left me thoroughly satisfied. I like it, and I simply hope it continues to thrive. That is all." "..." Hearing this, the manager fell silent for a moment before nodding again in gratitude. Lanqi's words brought him immense comfort and lifted his spirits, stirring within him a profound sense of pride and satisfaction. As an establishment that prioritized service quality and strictly upheld the highest standards, they naturally harbored resentment toward overly fastidious guests—especially those like the silver-haired demon, who looked down upon their efforts with contemptuous arrogance. In stark contrast stood Lanqi, a guest who understood the value of food and savored their dishes with an appreciative, grateful heart. "Still, one should seek redress from the actual wrongdoer. If possible, could you hand his corpse over to me? I hope to bury him with my own hands and send him off with a requiem," Lanqi added, looking at the silver-haired demon lying motionless on the floor. What Lanqi truly wanted was the loot that would drop from the silver-haired demon's body. There was no telling what treasures this hidden monster carried, not to mention a massive pile of credit coins. "Of course, that is no problem at all. I will see to it that he is packaged properly for you." The restaurant manager had already noticed the Music Department nameplate pinned to Lanqi's chest and quickly grasped his meaning. He knew the Music Department practiced forbidden spirit-summoning magic, and this silver-haired demon clearly made for fine material. If it was only a request like this, the manager was more than happy to oblige. Having a teacher take the corpse off their hands saved them the labor of disposing of it. "Sir, we will do our utmost to provide you with our finest service throughout your meal. We hope you have a delightful experience." The manager bowed to Lanqi and stepped away. ... The time that followed seemed to flow exceptionally slow and tranquil. Within the dining room, soft music drifted through the air, punctuated by the occasional crisp clink of silverware. Mingling with the faint aromas drifting from the distant kitchen, the atmosphere grew wonderfully harmonious. "Let's eat and drink our fill first. We can take stock of the spoils later," Lanqi said merrily. Reaching his fork toward the fresh seasonal greens, he delicately popped a morsel into his mouth. A look of genuine satisfaction and bliss washed over his face. He had protected the restaurant's ingredients from being wasted, and the restaurant had rewarded him with a whole corpse of gold coins. He had done another great deed today. "..." Hyperion stole a glance at Lanqi, wanting to say something, yet finding no words. "Lanqi, once we return, come with me to the Goddess's temple and pray properly," Hyperion whispered. She felt that she needed to repent, and Lanqi needed to repent even more. Sacrificing karmic merit like this really wasn't something they should do often. If only for the sake of her missing father, she needed to accumulate more good karma so the Goddess might look upon her with favor. Ever since she was small, Hyperion had heard that the Goddess loved all living beings equally. Even a demon would receive her guidance and salvation, so long as their heart harbored goodwill. "No problem. Hiss, though setting up a flag like that..." Lanqi suddenly realized the danger in Hyperion's line. Usually, making a promise like that meant one might never make it back to the mortal realm. Yet on second thought, Lanqi mused: *Could there really be such a wonderful thing? I could actually stay in the Demon Academy and never have to return?* Twelve hours was far too short. How he wished he could spend a full, authentic student life here at Purgatory Corridor Academy. "..." Hyperion looked up, watching the subtle shifts in Lanqi's expression, sensing that his inner thoughts were running extraordinarily wild. Yet she could not read him. She did not know whether this gulf between them was because she failed to understand the human heart, or because she failed to understand the demon heart. After spending so much time around this bizarre specimen of a human, Hyperion often felt bewildered, even slipping into moments of self-doubt. She shook her head. The karmic merit had already been deducted anyway. Since things had come to this, it was better to just eat.