Lanqi Receives a Challenge to a Date

On a misty autumn morning, a grand manor in District 2 of Palieu's South Bank stood quietly amidst a grove of maple trees. A magnificent edifice built of gray stone, its roof was laid with black slate tiles, and chimneys rose high on either end, seemingly having emitted no hearth smoke for years. Golden and reddish-brown maple leaves fluttered down in silence, spreading a thick carpet of foliage across the dry stone steps. "Then I shall submit the report along these lines. Count Baptiste, please look over the documents." In the reception hall, the Master Sergeant of the Senate Enforcement Unit, clad in a black military uniform, sat on the sofa beside an oak tea table, handing Count Baptiste a diamond-striped cowhide portfolio. This was the Baptiste family's ancestral residence. After their primary estate in District 4 on the North Bank had been mostly destroyed, it would still take some time to repair. Thus, the entire family had temporarily relocated here. "Thank you, Lieutenant General," Count Baptiste said as he accepted the documents. Following the turmoil of two days ago, the Baptiste family had become involved in investigations concerning the distributor of the curse. If an investigator had wished to make things difficult for them, the inquiry could have been relentlessly harsh. However, Executioner Nigel happened to share good relations with both their family butler and Christina. As a result, the investigation had turned into little more than aligning statements. "No thanks are necessary." Nigel shook his head. A great deal had transpired in the aftermath of that upheaval. Among other things, the Senate had wished for him to succeed his teacher, Perlman, and take charge of District 10 of the Posen Demon Realm, while representatives of the Demon Realm wanted him to spearhead an exhaustive probe into the historical legacy of Archmage Paroni's Chronicle of Resentment. Nigel had declined each of these offers, choosing instead to remain at Duke Tiffany's side. Correspondingly, because he had become the public hero of this battle, deeply trusted by the citizens of the City of Flowers and the demons of the Posen Demon Realm alike, he was promoted from Colonel in the Palieu Defense Force of the Kingdom of Posen to the rank of Lieutenant General by popular acclaim. The only tasks Nigel had taken upon himself were a few matters of aftermath. For instance, he had voluntarily taken charge of the investigation into the Baptiste family. He was adept at crafting an airtight report rooted entirely in truth, while also wishing to prevent rival factions from seizing the opportunity to harm the Baptistes. Inoan was someone he had originally rescued from berserk demons back in the Posen Demon Realm. After enduring that battle on the rainy night, he had also pieced together a general understanding of the events and their outcome. The two men continued their conversation. In a corner of the drawing room stood the Baptiste family's butler. He was dressed as usual in a black butler's suit, a deep-green striped bowtie fastened at his collar. The brown-haired, green-eyed butler soundlessly prepared tea and pastries by a small side table in the corner of the room. Deftly, he placed the tea leaves into a silver teapot, poured in hot water, and closed the lid, letting the leaves unfurl in the steaming liquid until a rich, fragrant aroma filled the air. At the long table, the head of the house and the military officer conversed, their expressions touched with gravity and their brows faintly knit as they exchanged thoughts in low voices. "Gentlemen, please enjoy your tea." The butler served the tea to both men, his gaze casually meeting the officer's. They exchanged a subtle nod. Though they were well acquainted, during working hours they exchanged only brief courtesies, each remaining focused on his respective duties. "Rocky, thank you for your hard work, coming to our home even today," Count Baptiste said, directly thanking Lanqi. "It is nothing, sir. Merely my duty," Lanqi replied, collecting the tray and stepping back so as not to disturb them. He felt as though there wasn't much work for him today anyway. Compared to the estate on the North Bank, this old residence was half the size, and the maids' orderly efforts were more than enough to keep it in immaculate shape. After a moment's thought, Lanqi walked down the corridor and climbed the staircase leading to the second floor, the thick carpet muffling his footsteps. When he reached the small parlor on the second floor, he saw young lady Christina seated by the tall, floor-to-ceiling window. At that moment, she was resting her chin on her hand, gazing absently out the window, her eyes reflecting the colorful autumn panorama of Palieu, the City of Flowers. Her hair had been trimmed shorter, now just grazing her shoulders. A portion had been singed by the demon that had launched the mysterious assault that day, leaving it like this after a haircut. Lanqi walked over to Christina and gently placed the tea tray on a nearby round table. Startled from her reverie, Christina turned her head to look at Lanqi. "Oh, it's you, Rocky." Christina gradually relaxed, her gaze drifting back to the autumn scenery outside the window as her thoughts wandered once more. Reddish-brown maple leaves danced in the gentle breeze, several fluttering softly against the glass. "Miss, why do you look so listless?" the butler asked with a smile, standing to her right rear. Christina looked back at Lanqi, opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it. This butler was notorious for asking questions when he already knew the answers—he always gave off the annoying air of some old man. She picked up the teacup and took a sip of hot tea, its warmth seeming to dispel a bit of the autumn chill. "Rocky, thank you for the linden flower tea," Christina said softly, her voice smooth as silk. "If you require anything, please instruct me at any time," Lanqi replied, taking a timely step back. Just as Lanqi was about to leave— "Rocky, keep me company for a little longer," Christina suddenly said. "How truly unbelievable. Miss actually does not despise me anymore," Lanqi remarked, halting his steps and returning behind her with a hint of surprise. Christina shot him a glance. "Actually, I've realized that you're not a bad person. It was my fault for letting prejudice convince me you were suspicious from the start. For all the care you've shown our family during this time, I should be thanking you instead," she said frankly. "When I think about it carefully, you're the one who taught Inoan how to be a kind person. I didn't know anything; you, knowing far more about the situation, are the one with the right to speak." Normally, she never wanted to converse with Butler Rocky, yet for some reason, she felt that certain things could only be confided to him. Upon hearing this, a gentle smile touched the corners of Lanqi's lips. "...Admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding, while love is the bridge between a poverty of knowledge and an abundance of it." He too looked out toward the horizon along Christina's line of sight. Christina and Ivanos had never been from the same world to begin with. It was impossible for Christina to truly understand Ivanos, and Ivanos's admiration for Christina would never reach her. Yet that did not mean the brief intersection of their life paths was not beautiful. At the very least, Christina would come to understand in her future life that her kindness and bravery could inspire others, and could even create miracles. "Rocky, honestly, you're quite something—to have actually taught Inoan so much wholesome, upright knowledge." Whenever Christina remembered that Inoan's true identity was the Bishop of Destruction, she felt as though these past weeks had been a dream. An unreal dream. Her companionship alone probably could never have changed Inoan. It had also taken a good teacher like Rocky to shape a brand-new sense of right and wrong for Inoan, who had been like a blank sheet of paper. "Why, Miss, would you like to listen as well?" Lanqi asked with keen interest, catching her drift. He remembered that whenever Christina brought Inoan for psychological counseling, Christina would sit nearby and inevitably fall asleep listening. As a teacher, having such a student in class was actually rather disheartening. "Uh, I don't really like discussing philosophical questions, and I think my mindset is perfectly normal. Do you think there's any need for me to learn that?" Christina shook her head, though she still asked. She felt that the things Butler Rocky usually talked about lacked the practicality of magic, weren't as readily encountered in daily life as the humanities and social sciences, and didn't possess the foundational versatility of mathematics and science. "It is a field of study where not learning it causes no trouble whatsoever," Lanqi answered with downcast eyelashes and a faint smile. "I thought you would definitely try to entice me into studying like a salesman," Christina said, staring at Lanqi behind her. She couldn't help feeling that this butler had changed a bit, but observing his expression and tone, perhaps he had simply gained some perspective. "By the way, Rocky, have you noticed something?" Christina asked him again. "What would that be?" Lanqi leaned forward slightly, puzzled. "Today is Wednesday," Christina replied, equally bewildered. Though a statement of fact, her tone carried an inquisitive edge. "I am deeply sorry. Being absent from work on Monday was a grave professional error on my part. I will make no excuses." Lanqi bowed with immense embarrassment. "..." Christina stared at him, sensing that he was genuinely blaming himself. She hadn't intended to grill him; she merely sensed that he truly hadn't realized today was an off day. Yet seeing this slick, worldly butler display such a flustered reaction struck her as rather amusing. "To think you would actually skip work, Rocky," Christina murmured, the corner of her lips curving slightly upward. "Though that works out well. A butler like you is clearly unqualified. It's completely reasonable for me to fire you on these grounds, right?" she added. "...Indeed, I have no defense. I can only take my leave." Lanqi smiled helplessly at her, feeling that this might become an indelible blemish on his record. Fired for skipping work—never since he first became a headmaster had he imagined such a day would come. "Well then, once my payment from the Sacred Silver Vine Arena clears, I'll transfer it to you and sign the termination contract." Christina nodded with satisfaction. "Alright, off you go, Butler Rocky. But the Baptiste family will always welcome you in the future. You can come visit us anytime." She turned around and waved at Lanqi, as if seeing him off. "..." Lanqi seemed to hesitate for a moment. At the moment of parting, he drew a hair accessory from his pocket. "Christina, Inoan asked me to pass this to you." The petite accessory Lanqi took from his pocket was a silver hair clip sculpted into a delicate, blooming rose. The edges of its petals were inlaid with tiny rubies that sparkled under the natural light. He presented the hairpin before Christina, his tone gentle and solemn. This was Inoan's hair accessory. Christina had gifted it to her originally, but it had been damaged in battle. Lanqi had repaired it. Christina stared blankly at the familiar hairpin, then reached out to take it. Her fingertips lightly brushed over the rose, as if caressing a memory. "Inoan... she..." Christina choked up, her eyes gradually welling with tears. Tears finally slipped from the corners of Christina's eyes, tracing a shimmering path down her cheeks. "Then I shall take my leave," Lanqi said, preparing to withdraw. Christina closed her eyes and let her tears flow freely, clutching the hair accessory tightly, as if it were the final tether connecting her to Inoan. "Will I ever have the chance to see her again?" Christina reached out and tugged at the hem of Lanqi's butler uniform just as he turned to leave. "It is best that you never meet again," Lanqi answered, looking at her. He believed Christina understood the wisdom behind those words. For a noble young lady living in a proper, sheltered world, going her entire life without ever encountering the Bishop of Destruction was the best possible outcome. "That's wonderful... truly wonderful..." Tears streamed down Christina's fair cheeks, gathering at her chin into a crystalline droplet before falling onto the hem of her lavender skirt, blooming into a dark, damp stain. Her lips trembled faintly as she struggled to squeeze out a smile, yet her tears only flowed more uncontrollably. "As long as she is alive, loneliness can never defeat me." Christina pressed the hairpin against her cheek. That smile appeared somewhat bitter through her tears, yet it brimmed with endless solace and gratitude. "Rocky, thank you," Christina murmured to herself, her tone filled with relief. She closed her eyes, tiny teardrops still clinging to her lashes. "..." Lanqi's eyes wavered slightly. He pressed his lips together and averted his gaze. "I shall return to work," he reiterated, and swiftly walked away. Seeing Christina's bittersweet expression left him with a tangle of mixed emotions. Leaving the room, Lanqi pulled the door shut behind him and walked alone down the long corridor, his footsteps echoing in the empty space. He felt the urge to step outside and catch his breath. Arriving before the terrace on the other side of the third floor, he stopped. "Phew—" Resting his hands on the railing, he looked out over the garden and took a deep breath. Then he stood gazing for a long time at the maple grove beyond the courtyard, watching the leaves drift down in silence. "Meow." A small black cat jumped soundlessly onto the railing, perching beside Lanqi's hand. It looked up, gazing at Rocky with bright, crystalline eyes, its tail swaying gently. "..." "Boss Cat, don't fall off." Lanqi reached out, stroking the kitten's sleek black fur. "Did you forget that I'm a divine beast?" Boss Cat asked in its tender voice. It knew telekinesis magic, and even ordinary cats wouldn't suffer much harm from jumping down from such a height. "Meow, feeling down?" Boss Cat blinked, letting out a soft purr. "To be honest, I feel that not telling her the truth was a mistake," he muttered to himself, his voice low and weary. Some believed lying was always immoral, regardless of the consequences. Others believed one should focus more on the outcomes of an action: if an act produced greater overall happiness than unhappiness, it was moral. Yet sometimes, considering only the consequences meant disregarding the autonomy of those involved. "It's definitely better not to tell Christina the truth, meow," Boss Cat said, feeling Lanqi had done the right thing. It just didn't understand why seeing Christina like this made it feel even worse. "Boss Cat, imagine if your brain were connected to a kind of magitech terminal machine—something far more advanced than an artificial Shadow World activation terminal. It could provide you with boundless pleasure for the rest of your days, with only joy and no sorrow. If given the choice, would you want such a machine?" Lanqi gave a helpless smile, gently petting the small black cat's back. Just as Boss Cat was about to reply, Lanqi continued: "You must note: once you enter this experience machine, you will be permanently severed from reality with no way to return. Yet it would be nearly impossible for you to realize this fact. You wouldn't be able to tell whether you were in the real world or a virtual one, and all the ups and downs your life was meant to have would be replaced by smooth sailing." "Meow..." Boss Cat thought it sounded pretty nice. But on second thought, wasn't that just the Fallen Land of Gentle Slumber? Then again, this machine didn't seem to have the soul-melting negative side effects of the Fallen Land of Gentle Slumber; it was a purely harmless experience. "You don't want to enter? Then what is the reason?" Lanqi seemed to perceive Boss Cat's hesitation and understood what it was pondering. If it was such a wonderful thing, why hesitate? According to hedonism, the most important thing in life was to maximize net pleasure, because happiness was the most precious gift life offered us; what one pursued must surely be whatever brought about maximum happiness. In other words, the very sensation provided by the Fallen Land of Gentle Slumber. Yet, what was stopping you from choosing this unending pleasure? "This is precisely what the question seeks to prove and refute: we still have ample reason not to enter this machine," Lanqi said to Boss Cat. "What reason, meow?" The kitten hopped onto Lanqi's shoulder and looked at him, asking. It felt the answer was right on the tip of its tongue, yet it couldn't grasp it. "Reality." Lanqi looked at the cat, his emerald eyes reflecting deep contemplation. "Perhaps this analogy is a rather extreme example. But for Christina, is protection truly more important, or is reality? Compared to the false peace of mind brought by deception, would confronting genuine pain actually be better for her?" He cast his gaze back toward the autumn scenery beyond the railing. Without knowing the truth, Christina was effectively living in her own "experience machine." Though shielded from harm, it wasn't real. Originally, Lanqi could use the spell 'Fallen Land of Gentle Slumber' against enemies without hesitation, yet would never dream of using it on his own allies. Now, his understanding of the spell had perhaps shifted. Some things simply couldn't be described in terms of right and wrong. "I don't get it, meow. I'm just a little kitty," Boss Cat shook its head. "I think a lie is more like a tool. For example, Tata can use a knife to chop vegetables, or she can hold a knife to your throat. You can only judge whether the user is right or wrong, but you can't judge the knife itself, meow. I don't think there's anything wrong with keeping it from Christina. She's still so young; you can't let her fall into despair." "Hehe..." Lanqi couldn't help but chuckle at that. It was largely due to Boss Cat's analogy. Truth be told, he rather missed the Tata who would hold a blade to his neck at the slightest provocation. Now, watching her quietly cook meals, Lanqi felt that he could no longer experience that soaring rush of adrenaline. The human and the cat spent a rare moment idling together. Lanqi was immersed in his thoughts while the black cat curled quietly on his shoulder. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice from behind. "Rocky, there you are." Lanqi turned around to find Kyle, the young count's son, standing in the corridor outside the terrace, smiling at him. "Young Master Kyle, do you have instructions for me?" Lanqi asked somewhat apologetically. He felt that because of his slacking off, Kyle had been looking for him all over the manor. Kyle waved his hand, walked up beside Lanqi, and rested his hands on the railing just like him. "Nothing important. I just came to tell you to go rest early," Kyle said to him. "Wait, I haven't even been fired yet, have I...?" Lanqi was slightly taken aback, looking at Kyle in confusion. "Rocky, while our family certainly needs your help these days, today is actually a statutory holiday. You don't have to come to work," Kyle chuckled, patting Rocky on the shoulder. "..." Perhaps because Lanqi had slept for nearly two straight days, he was still somewhat dazed, completely failing to notice that today was the Kingdom of Posen's Fireworks Ascension Festival—a holiday where work was suspended. Thinking back, Nigel had indeed mentioned to him during the banquet early Monday morning that the Fireworks Ascension Festival would be in two days. "Oh, right..." Lanqi nodded. He had never slept for so long before. He had fixated on today being Wednesday while entirely overlooking the holiday. "You've worked hard during this period. Take a few more days off to rest; this old house is very easy to manage," Kyle said with an understanding nod. "Thank you for looking after her. After having a good cry just now, Christina perked up quite a bit. She's back to her usual carefree self." He had just gone up to the second floor to check on his sister. He had been worried about her low spirits over the past two days, but speaking with Rocky had indeed done the trick. "Then I shall take my leave." Lanqi gathered the black cat from his shoulder into his arms, bid Kyle farewell, and headed down to the butler's break room on the first floor. A few minutes later. Having changed into casual clothes, he departed the Baptiste family's ancestral home. The brilliant sunlight of nine-thirty on an autumn morning bathed him, bringing a touch of warmth. He strolled through the streets of Palieu's South Bank, soon leaving the maple grove behind as the surroundings returned to avenues lined with sycamores. "I didn't expect to have so much free time today," Lanqi murmured, taking a deep breath to fill his lungs with fresh air. In this environment, the irritation and fatigue in his heart gradually dissipated, replaced by a rare sense of peace and relaxation. There were not many pedestrians yet, and the streets were filled with a tranquil, reviving murmur of easy chatter. "Lanqi, meow, incoming transmission, meow." Suddenly, Boss Cat leaped onto Lanqi's head, dangling upside down as it presented a purple magic card before his face. "Who could be looking for me at this hour...?" Lanqi took the communication magic card in confusion. Lately, aside from the Epic cards that couldn't be unbound, all the cards on his person had been swapped for magic cards that reduced mana consumption, increased spirit attributes, and accelerated mana recovery. These utility cards had all been left in Boss Cat's keeping. It felt as though Boss Cat had turned into a feline telephone. ... North Bank of Palieu, the City of Flowers. A grand and magnificent iron tower soared into the sky along the banks of the Selena River at the far edge of the vista. In the plaza beneath the tower, an exceptionally elegant lady stood quietly. Her smooth gray hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and an aristocratic white gown wrapped around her noble, shapely figure, gleaming with a gentle, soft luster beneath the morning sun. The approaching footsteps disturbed the lady in her contemplation. She turned around and looked to her side. Those bright, golden eyes settled upon Lanqi, who was standing not far away. After receiving Talia's message, Lanqi had arrived at the agreed meeting spot in District 1 of the North Bank to meet her. He looked at Talia with some incomprehension, not understanding why she had suddenly summoned him here. Moreover, Talia appeared to have dressed up specially for the occasion. "Lanqi, let's go on a date!" Talia, who had changed into a fresh ensemble, raised a finger pointing straight at him, as though issuing a challenge to a duel. The wind blew past, swirling fallen leaves that ruffled the tips of Lanqi's hair, yet leaving his parted lips and stunned expression unchanged. "...Me, with you?" With an utterly bewildered look, Lanqi pointed between himself and Talia, asking. "Yes." Talia nodded in dead seriousness. Today, to get back at Lanqi for being such a damned nuisance this past month, she was determined to disguise herself as a perfectly gentle and sweet girl, and thoroughly disgust him!