Lanqi Had Heard of That Fairy Sister

The second floor of the Sacred Silver Vine Arena. Inside the administrative office area, outside the executive director's office. "We'll talk to Countess Rosalinda about picking up our paintings, and then we'll go find Nigel." Lanqi rested his hand on the doorknob as he spoke to Talia beside him. "Sounds good," Talia replied, cradling the small black cat in her arms. She was quite satisfied with what today had brought. On top of that, she had unexpectedly become a Platinum-rank card maker. Now, even when Hubao went out into the world, she could brag about having an aunt who was an accomplished, formidable figure. He pushed the door open. Before them lay a spacious office of roughly a hundred square meters. The floor was laid with century-old oak parquet arranged in Posen-style floral patterns. The focal point on the right was a mahogany desk about two meters wide. On its weathered sandalwood tabletop sat an antique oil lamp forged from solid brass, but aside from a few kraft-paper files awaiting signatures, no one was seated behind it. "Lanqi, Tata, you're here!" Rosalinda greeted them from the sofa in the office's lounge area, waving for them to come sit down. "I've got cheese coconut crisps ready!" Beside a floor reading lamp with a stained-glass mosaic shade sat two strikingly different women. Rosalinda was still dressed in her tailored wine-red work suit. The one who had apparently been chatting with her was a younger-looking woman whose waist-length silver-white hair cascaded down her shoulders like a supple waterfall. "And this is?" Lanqi led Tata over, taking a seat as he asked Rosalinda. "My friend, Etio. She came to watch the final round of the Platinum-rank card maker exam today as well. Plus, as a former champion of the Sacred Silver Vine Arena, she still holds a few honorary titles here. For instance, whenever I need venue coordination, I go straight to her," Rosalinda introduced. "Miss Etio..." Talia immediately remembered who she was. During the Kingdom of Posen's wildly popular Holy Grail Familiar Tournament of the City of Flowers, Duke Mikhail had once won the championship as an employer. Following his victory, he had granted the champion emissary her freedom. This Etio was the very demon whose talent Mikhail had recognized with his discerning eye. He had taught her a wealth of knowledge and techniques, enabling her to grow and transform rapidly into an exceptionally powerful figure. Once she regained her freedom, she had even risen to become the Demon Realm Lord of Sector 9. As for Duke Mikhail's only reason for entering the tournament in the first place, it had been simply to make Iphatia happy. Iphatia loved watching matches, and on occasion, she enjoyed nothing more than lying back and watching the chaos unfold. Undoubtedly, both Rosalinda and Etio were well acquainted with Mikhail and his wife. "Lanqi, Tata, please excuse me. The Posen Demon Realm has been in quite a bit of turmoil lately, or else I would have gladly hosted you," Etio said to them. Although her face showed little expression, her voice was exceedingly gentle. Her eyes were a pale ice-blue, crystal-clear and translucent, with faint iridescent ripples gliding across their depths. She wore a pure white lace dress whose loose hem spread around her like butterfly wings. Her only jewelry was a simple silver necklace, and the skin at her throat was fair as fresh snow. "Not at all, not at all. It's a pleasure to meet you," Lanqi replied with a shake of his head. The Posen Demon Realm was currently divided among several demon lords who served as its highest decision-makers, answering directly to the Senate of the Kingdom of Posen. Tonight at Sector 10 Lord Polman's banquet, Sector 9 Lord Etio might very well attend as well. Lanqi had originally expected to see her later today, never imagining they would cross paths early right here. Still, at the banquet tonight, his identity would be Rocky McCarthy. Etio surely wouldn't recognize him. Sector 9 Lord Etio and Sector 10 Lord Polman were among the strongest powerhouses in the Kingdom of Posen. There was also a human Tier 8 assassin general, but he had already departed for the southern border's Aquitaine Domain. The Creti Empire's movements had grown increasingly enigmatic, leaving the south with no choice but to station one of its supreme powerhouses to guard against any sudden offensive from a war god rivaling a cardinal. "To think Hyperion didn't come with you. It seems I'll have to wait for an opportunity to visit the Hutton Kingdom before I see her again," Etio murmured to herself, a trace of regret in her eyes. Even though her expression remained unchanged, the slight flutter in her gaze was that of someone thinking of an adorable child. "Have you met her, Miss Etio?" Lanqi asked curiously. If they already shared an acquaintance, a few words would make them feel like old friends. Meanwhile, Talia had already begun quietly nibbling on the gift box of cheese coconut crisps Rosalinda had pushed toward her. Beneath layers of flaky pastry and melt-in-the-mouth cheese lay sweet coconut meat paired with translucent, tart-sweet hawthorn jelly. "A few times. We got along quite well," Etio said reminiscingly to Lanqi. Talia's ears pricked up with alert at those words. Her gaze immediately shifted from the coconut crisp to Etio. She had rarely heard of Hyperion being willing to accept care from any woman other than herself. Her special status seemed to be under threat. Lanqi glanced at Talia, subtly telling her not to panic. "How do you view Hyperion?" Lanqi asked Etio. To Talia, Lanqi had stopped just short of blurting out the gossipy question, *Do you want to be Hyperion's stepmother?* Yet he phrased it with remarkable tact and courtesy. "I really wanted to give her motherly care..." Etio stated bluntly. Talia's gaze grew a shade more complicated. "Unfortunately, while she was slightly close to me, it wasn't by much. I couldn't figure out why either," Etio added. At that, Talia let out a soft breath of relief and resumed eating her pastry. As expected, she was Hyperion's ideal mother. Lanqi seemed to have known the answer from the start. He didn't even bother comforting Talia, merely gazing with a hint of pity at Etio, the demon as pure and clear as crystal. He knew the reason. Yet he couldn't say it. To become Hyperion's heartthrob mother, one had to meet three strict criteria—and Etio only met two. "..." The back of Talia's hand twitched. With two people watching, she felt too embarrassed to strike. That damned Lanqi hadn't uttered a single offensive word, yet that one simple glance of his had offended her to her core! Suppressing her irritation, Talia could only look on the bright side. No matter what Lanqi thought, Hyperion happened to love her exact type. All that proved was that Hyperion had far better taste than Lanqi. Then, Talia couldn't help glancing at Countess Rosalinda, then back at Etio. Although it was somewhat impolite to think so, she felt an odd sense of mutual commiseration between Rosalinda and Etio—like two kindred spirits who had lost in love. Perhaps the two of them had just been holding an Iphatia-denunciation session. "You might have misunderstood. I don't harbor those kinds of feelings toward Mikhail or Iphatia. They are purely my teachers and good friends; I merely wanted to look after their child," Etio said suddenly. Lanqi and Talia both startled slightly. "Can you tell what the two of us are thinking?" Talia hesitated a moment before asking. She could sense that Etio was speaking the truth. Etio genuinely harbored no unusual feelings toward Mikhail and his wife. "Mikhail and Iphatia used to exchange glances just like that all the time back then. After watching it long enough, it's easy to guess," Etio explained. Her words alone seemed to land like a critical hit on Countess Rosalinda beside them. The countess had no choice but to lift her wineglass, swallowing the bitter draft as her heart ached in silence. Lanqi and Talia fell silent, finding it awkward to speak. On one hand, having their little thoughts seen through was embarrassing; on the other, they had unintentionally dealt emotional damage to Countess Rosalinda. So there was only one defeated heroine after all. That was the cruellest realization of all. "Are the two of you thinking about something very impolite?" Rosalinda felt that, at this moment, Lanqi and Tata's expressions were synchronizing to an absurd degree. Every time those two exchanged meaningful looks and subtle gestures, they acted as if everyone else were blind. Did they really not realize how obvious it was? "Not at all, not at all." Both shook their heads. Their communication was clearly encrypted—how did it keep getting deciphered? "By the way, do either of you know anything about Iphatia? We've been wanting to help Hyperion find her mother," Lanqi asked Etio and Rosalinda, as if suddenly remembering their main purpose. He had previously considered seeking out people in the Kingdom of Posen who knew both Mikhail and Iphatia well, hoping to uncover clues they couldn't find in Hutton. Knowing that he and Tata were close friends of Hyperion, the two women wouldn't find such an inquiry out of place. "..." Rosalinda pressed her lips together and shook her head. Her interactions had mostly been with Mikhail. Whenever she saw Iphatia, Rosalinda had only ever wanted to hold back her tears and flee. To her, seeing the two of them kiss without a lingering thread of saliva was already considered a victory. The rims of her eyes turned noticeably redder. "Uh..." Yet upon hearing the question, Etio parted her lips slightly and sat up a little straighter. It seemed something had come to mind. "Miss Etio, do you know something?" Even more anxious than Lanqi, Talia fixed her gaze on Etio and asked. "Sister Iphatia... she once told me that she wanted to search the ruins of the Creti Empire for an ancient secret potential elixir. Legend has it that the elixir shortens one's lifespan to ignite potential, and the lifespan reduction is proportional. If a demon consumed a calibrated dose, their lifespan would become roughly the same as a human's. I suspect she wanted to grow old together with Mikhail, unable to bear the thought of watching him age alone..." Etio murmured. "Then why didn't she go when she mentioned it to you?" Lanqi asked, perplexed. "Because Iphatia is a chronic procrastinator. Even if she gets an idea, she won't necessarily act on it right away." Or perhaps Mikhail's doting care had completely paralyzed her initiative. It wasn't until Iphatia had an argument with Mikhail that she vanished into thin air. Recalling it now, Etio felt that, given Iphatia's personality, it was entirely possible she had set out to fulfill that goal right after leaving Mikhail. "..." Lanqi slowly turned his head to look at Talia. *You demons really are a bizarre bunch.* It seemed Iphatia's departure over a decade ago had very likely been running away from home. Sure enough, one couldn't casually marry a pureblood demon wife. Marry a demon wife, enjoy a bachelor's life. Talia heard Lanqi's inner thoughts and scoffed internally. *Even if you wanted to marry one, who'd have you?* Aside from her occasionally showing him a sliver of gentleness and Hubao constantly accommodating him, what other girl could possibly stand this guy? He was destined for bachelorhood. "Still, compared to a demon's lifespan, a human's life is so short. Was spending over a decade searching for medicine really worth it?" Lanqi looked back at Etio and asked. Those ten-plus years were an irrecoverable stretch of time for both Mikhail and Hyperion. While he could understand Iphatia's line of thought, he was neither a long-lived species nor Iphatia herself. Having never lived her life, he couldn't truly put himself in her shoes to fathom what she had felt back then. "It's hard to say," was all Etio could offer. If Iphatia had truly fallen completely in love with Mikhail, spending ten or twenty years to find an elixir that would allow her to live out a true couple's life with that human might have been an acceptable and necessary price to pay. "Shouldn't that kind of medicine be considered poison to demons?" Talia couldn't comprehend why her little sister would go to such great lengths to seek a draught that accelerated her own death. If it were her, even if someone offered such an elixir for free, she would never drink it. "I don't understand it either, but I believe Sister Iphatia thought it through," Etio said, shaking her head. "..." Lanqi didn't know whether the outcome was good or bad. If Iphatia couldn't find the elixir, Hyperion would only have the beginning of a complete family, never the conclusion. And whether she found it or not, Hyperion had grown up without a mother by her side. Still, he and Tata had indeed obtained a useful piece of information. There was a high probability that Iphatia was in the Creti Empire. On their journey to find Mikhail, they might even locate Iphatia first. The group continued chatting in the office. The sky was heavily overcast. Through the colossal floor-to-ceiling glass window, an unusual sort of twilight could faintly be seen. Dark gray clouds blanketed the entire city, completely blotting out the original sky. It looked like sunset glow veiled behind thick gray gauze, with dense crimson threads faintly drifting and weaving within. Occasionally, one would pierce through the cloud layer, carving a rift across the dusky sky. "Right, Senior Rosalinda, is there any way to mail or ship our paintings?" Lanqi glanced at the sky, calculating the time to meet up with Nigel before asking Countess Rosalinda. For pieces completed during the exam, once the material fees were paid, ownership belonged entirely to the examinees. "Regarding that painting, there isn't really a good way to send it back to the Hutton Kingdom right now. With war liable to break out at any moment, the risks are far higher than before. International transport companies are unwilling to sign high-value insurance policies. You'll have to carry it back yourselves," Rosalinda told them. "Could we trouble Senior Rosalinda to keep it safe for us for the time being?" Seeing Tata engrossed in her pastries, Lanqi made the call for the two of them. "I could, but I'd suggest storing it in an official Palieu institution rather than the Asturias Manor," Rosalinda nodded after a moment's hesitation. "When are you returning to Hutton?" she asked. "Maybe two or three days, maybe a week?" Lanqi answered uncertainly. As for the rare materials he and Talia needed to synthesize *Caliera's Shadow-Weaving Record*, Countess Rosalinda and the Batiste family had already procured almost all of them, including several Pink Sacred items. However, their collaborative card-making was still erratic—brilliant one moment and a disaster the next. There was always a hurdle they couldn't clear. They had originally planned to rent a workshop in Palieu to finish the card, but now it seemed they might have to return to the Hutton Kingdom before making further plans. In the temple of Palieu, the City of Flowers, stood an Epic-grade statue of the God of Will and Affection. Praying there granted a temporary mind-attribute blessing, which also offered a small chance of boosting the success rate when crafting mental-type magic cards. That was why their initial plan had been to complete the card before the end of August. Now, it appeared entirely impossible. If the two of them could avoid getting into an argument while making the card, it would already be a miracle. "In that case, during your stay in Posen, I suggest placing the painting on limited exhibition at Parkinson Palace. You'd even earn a certain exhibition fee, and I can arrange everything with Parkinson Palace for you," Rosalinda suggested. Parkinson Palace itself boasted the best security for valuable works of art, far safer than a count's manor. There was a saying in Palieu, the City of Flowers, that even if the Senate fell, Parkinson Palace would remain impregnable. Of course, no one would be mad enough to actually attack the Senate. "No problem," Lanqi agreed without hesitation. Leaving the thing at Countess Rosalinda's residence would only cause her trouble. It was far better to take advantage of Parkinson Palace—no storage fees, and they even got paid an exhibition fee. "By the way, is there anything else about Iphatia you could share with us?" Talia picked up another cheese coconut crisp and asked. She and Lanqi could still sit here and chat for a while longer. On one hand, she wanted more intelligence; on the other, she simply missed her sister terribly. Just hearing trivial anecdotes about her life over those years brought her immense comfort. "If there is anything perfect in this world, it has to be Sister Iphatia," Etio said, leaning forward slightly as though she had found a kindred spirit. "?" Talia was caught completely off guard by Etio's sudden enthusiasm. Etio, who had seemed somewhat aloof, now had eyes brimming with admiration. "Setting aside how beautiful Sister Iphatia is, her sleeping-beauty demeanor not only possessed a dreamlike gentleness, but also a captivating brilliance and charm. It was impossible to imagine an eighth-tier great demon could be like her! It felt as though she should have been far away beyond the clouds, yet there she was, right before my eyes, keeping me company. Her indolence was so natural, as if reminding the world that true beauty never needs to flaunt itself. And her understated talent could always resolve any dilemma with ease, all while carrying a hint of playful cuteness. She truly was a princess!" Etio grew uncharacteristically spirited, clenching her fist as she spoke. Still, she quickly realized she had gotten carried away and cleared her throat twice. "..." Lanqi looked across at Countess Rosalinda, who had tilted her head back with a look of utter defeat as she drank her wine. He couldn't help feeling this was far too cruel for her. Earlier, Rosalinda might have hysterically grumbled a complaint or two. Now, she could only weep in silence. So Etio was an Iphatia fangirl. It made sense. Back before Etio gained her freedom, Iphatia was already a great demon rarely seen in the Kingdom of Posen. It was only natural for Etio to revere her. "Still, Sister Iphatia said she had an older sister who was her ideal of a perfect princess. She used to cling to her sister constantly growing up. Sadly, she simply couldn't bring herself to become a demon princess like her sister," Etio recalled suddenly, speaking to the two of them. "I can hardly imagine what kind of being Princess Talia—the one Sister Iphatia always praised as even more perfect—truly was." "..." Lanqi and Talia exchanged glances once more. The older sister Iphatia spoke of—wasn't that Talia? "Could you tell us more?" Lanqi asked, full of curiosity. Talia also cared deeply about how Iphatia had evaluated her back then. "Sister Iphatia said Sister Talia was immensely powerful, far stronger than herself. A hundred years have passed; she is probably unimaginably strong by now, not someone who would laze about and stagnate like her," Etio said. "Pfft—" Lanqi instantly lost his composure. Before he could say anything, he coughed twice as though stifling himself, stopping short of speaking further. Etio looked in confusion at Lanqi, whose expression seemed on the verge of collapsing, and at Tata, who was glaring daggers at him, not understanding what was happening. "No, pay us no mind," Lanqi took a deep breath and said. "And supposedly, that Sister Talia is exceptionally disciplined. She abstains from sweets, and whenever she has a rare opportunity to enjoy a dessert, she only allows herself the finest high-end delicacies. She would never indulge her desires like a degenerate demon. A sister with such resolute willpower will surely see the dream of restoring the nation through, never lightly forgetting the long-cherished wish of the demons." Etio nodded, continuing her explanation to the two of them. Talia's hand, holding the half-eaten pastry, froze. She now felt that finishing it was wrong, but putting it down was equally wrong. Her heart was caught in excruciating turmoil. Beside her, Lanqi was desperately bowing his head, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably. He seemed to be in agony holding back his laughter. The more Talia thought about it, the angrier she became. If she held the coconut crisp, she couldn't hit Lanqi. If she put the coconut crisp down, she couldn't forgive Lanqi. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Talia chose to finish the coconut crisp in one bite, reached out, and pinched Lanqi. She hadn't felt that shy at first, but thanks to Lanqi's stifled snickering, she felt her face heating up with a blush. "Sister Iphatia also said that Princess Talia is like a queen who never relies on any other demon. Dignified and reserved as a princess, she only permits the demons she cherishes most to get close to her—like Iphatia." Talia instantly withdrew the hand pinching Lanqi's waist, feeling like she was sitting on pins and needles as she listened to Etio. She felt that even in death, she could never reveal her identity before Etio. Otherwise, the humiliation would be unbearable. "Lanqi, I heard you visited the Northern Continent. Have you heard of Talia?" Having finished her general overview of Princess Talia, Etio looked at Lanqi and asked. She had heard from Rosalinda that Lanqi had once gone to the Northern Continent for an Ikerite Academy research project. And on the Northern Continent, there might still be records of Talia. Aside from what Iphatia had told her, Etio could only find the revered Lady Talia's name in history books passed down from the north. "I have indeed heard of that fairy sister," Lanqi said, doing everything in his power to keep a straight face. Suppressing his laughter had nearly turned his ears bright red. "What did you hear about her?" Etio asked Lanqi with keen interest. Just as Lanqi opened his mouth, he felt an intense glare bore into him. It was Talia warning him not to utter a word out of line. Lanqi suddenly felt choked. Right now, he couldn't recite the eight-word proverb, nor could he tell a lie. "She is magnificent, rational, and alluring—a demon of supreme evil, malice, and madness whose threat to the world eclipses even her talent! Yet she holds absolute mastery over her own heart and desires. Rather than resolving issues with brute force, she excels at breaking an enemy's spirit, inflicting upon them the cruelest curses and torments!" Lanqi recited verbatim the exact words his student Zestira had spoken back then. When he first went to the Northern Continent, while working as a home tutor, the young dragonkin student he had met had been Talia's number one fan. "Truly worthy of being my sister's revered elder sister!" Etio instantly clasped her hands together, her eyes shining with profound reverence. "?!" Talia felt like she was going crazy. How could even a student on the Northern Continent think that way? Because this was the truth. Which meant someone on the Northern Continent genuinely held that opinion of her! What's more, Talia wasn't even sure whether Lanqi had tarnished her reputation over there! After all, Antanas had almost mistaken Lanqi for her husband. "It's getting late. We'll take our leave now. Thank you both for your hospitality!" Talia grabbed Lanqi by the back of his collar, hauling him up as she rose, and bade farewell to Rosalinda and Etio across the coffee table. She knew Etio was a devoted devotee, but Lanqi was a shameless troll. If they let the conversation continue, Etio might very well be led by Lanqi into becoming a rabid anti-fan playing the part of a fan!