Eleven thirty in the morning.
Saint Creti Monastery.
The campus architecture differed starkly from that of the northern kingdoms, dominated by marble towers and flying buttresses. Lush tree-lined avenues ran through the main grounds, and a crystal-clear brook wound past, its murmuring waters audible even from the courtyard of the residential quarters.
Inside Professor Landry’s drawing room, not far from the French windows facing the landscaped garden, stood a classic dining table strewn with mail he had gathered from the campus mail room along the way.
At the moment, the young professor was dressed in an exquisite suit, his shirt cuffs revealing a slender span of wrist.
"Meow, meow."
Boss Cat lay sprawled beside him, peering at what Lanqi was reading.
Ever since returning from the Void Gate cordon zone to his residence at Saint Creti Monastery, Lanqi had not rested for a second, sitting at the dining table flipping through mail and newspapers.
Lanqi’s fingers slid across the papers, his brow furrowing slightly, then smoothing out.
A short while later.
Outside the window, leaves swayed gently in the breeze. A few canaries perched on the branches, chirping merrily.
Footsteps echoed from the staircase on the first floor.
Lanqi set down his newspaper, lifted the coffee by his hand for a small sip, and glanced in that direction.
A woman with ash-gray hair and golden eyes had tied her hair up into a bun behind her head, with a few stray strands draping softly along her cheeks and the nape of her neck.
She had changed into a white shirt and a tailored black suit skirt, looking remarkably sharp and capable.
She stood coolly at the foot of the stairs, gazing at Lanqi.
"..."
Lanqi gave her a puzzled look, then indifferently looked away.
"How dare you look at your master like that? Come bow to me at once,"
the ash-haired, golden-eyed beauty demanded.
"You're still seven hundred and ninety-nine years too young for that,"
Lanqi scoffed with a shake of his head.
A little brat with not an ounce of charm trying to impersonate Talia was just as laughable as Talia pretending to be the Great Love Poet.
Earlier, after ordering groceries upon arriving home, Talia said she was heading upstairs to change before coming down to cook.
Yet the one who walked down was Lanfu.
It seemed the two of them had managed to separate again—a rare occurrence.
On second thought, more than a month had passed since they merged into one; evidently, they could part ways whenever a certain amount of time elapsed.
"Tsk, tsk. The passion has faded. How boring."
The Great Love Poet clicked her tongue in annoyance, realizing her Talia act held no sway over Lanqi anymore.
Lanqi could tell the two of them apart at a single glance, even though they looked like twins.
She had no idea what was wrong with her performance. She had clearly put on Talia’s clothes and even swapped in golden contact lenses.
In the past, this would not only startle Lanqi, but also buff him while crafting magic cards, sharpening his focus and plunging him into a flow state.
"Or perhaps, you and her have already..."
As if guessing something, the Great Love Poet narrowed her crescent-moon eyes and shot sly, smirking glances between Lanqi downstairs and Talia upstairs.
"Lanfu, don't talk nonsense,"
Talia reprimanded her calmly from the stairs above.
"During our time in the Creti Empire, I might need you to bear with it and remain asleep for a while. Once we return to Ikerite, I'll let you have all the fun you want, alright?"
She walked down the stairs, paused on a higher step, and patted Lanfu’s head.
The Great Love Poet was slightly taken aback, as if never expecting Talia—who had only ever been fierce toward her back in Ikerite—to treat her so gently now.
"No problem! The very purpose of my existence is to bring you happiness, my creator."
The Great Love Poet nodded, throwing her arms around Talia in full surrender, not forgetting to turn around, make a face, and stick her tongue out at Lanqi.
In truth, she had never understood why, when her rightful awakener should have been Talia and she naturally felt close to her, her actual soulbound contractor turned out to be Lanqi.
"Lanfu, come here. Let me show you something good,"
Lanqi thought for a moment and waved to the Great Love Poet.
He wanted to show her the new soulbound card he had obtained in this Shadow World.
She ought to be interested in a natural magic card from a Shadow World.
"Lanqi, I don't want you anymore! You're fired by me, hmph!"
Having heard Lanqi’s thoughts, the Great Love Poet made an arrogant proclamation.
She had sensed Lanqi’s disdain today.
A mere little Lanqi! She would make him drown in regret! She was his greatest orange-epic soulbound card; what magic card from a Shadow World could ever compare to her?
With that, the Great Love Poet dispersed on the spot, turning into an orange translucent card etched with petals in Talia’s hand.
Lanqi rested his hands on the table, shaking his head with a chuckle.
It was the first time he had ever heard of a magic card releasing its wielder into the wild.
"It’s great that she listens to you so well,"
Lanqi said to Talia, in no rush to ask for the Great Love Poet back.
After more than a month, he finally felt the sweet relief of regaining freedom over his inner thoughts.
The Great Love Poet was indeed rather useless right now anyway.
If she wanted to stay with Talia, that was one less headache for him.
Lanqi had worried that the Great Love Poet might cause trouble in the Creti Empire. After all, she had always been an unruly summon, and Saint Creti Monastery was not like the Hutton Kingdom or the Kingdom of Posen, where she could roam freely.
"If you find her troublesome, I can keep her in check for you."
Catching fragments of Lanqi’s thoughts, Talia stopped just as she was about to hand the card back and looked down at it.
She sensed Lanqi’s annoyance with the Great Love Poet.
"That would be a huge help,"
Lanqi agreed at once and thanked her.
Right now, if he needed combat power, he would use the Mad Love Demon King.
Leaving the Great Love Poet with Talia was not only convenient, but if he ever needed to summon the Mad Love Demon King, Talia could fuse the Great Love Poet away at any time.
"What, can't bear to part with your master's mighty strength?"
Talia remarked casually, having read that Lanqi was still thinking about the Mad Love Demon King.
This foolish apprentice of hers... Sooner or later, she would make him willingly surrender his soul to her. That was the price of striking a deal with a demon.
She was already imagining toying with a mochi-ball-like cartoon version of Lanqi in the palm of her hand, a wicked smile creeping across her mind.
"I truly do need your strength, Master,"
Lanqi admitted candidly. As an advanced fusion material for the Mad Love Demon King, Talia had already become indispensable to him.
"Blood Moon City beneath the Creti Empire won't be easy at all."
He shifted his gaze back to the map of the Brillda city-state beneath several letters on the dining table, his tone turning a fraction more solemn.
"Is the Blood Moon City we must ultimately face in the mortal world that much different from the one tens of thousands of years ago in the Shadow World?"
Without fully sharing Lanqi’s thoughts, Talia found communicating noticeably more troublesome.
In the past, without her having to utter a single word, Lanqi’s knowledge would flow into her mind like water. She could completely empty her mind and simply share his brain.
In her view, this Blood Moon City in the mortal world shouldn't differ too much from the one at the end of the Blood Moon Ruined World. They had already experienced the siege assault on Blood Moon City at the very end of that Shadow World.
"First, we don't have powerhouse allies like the Lord of Blasphemy, the Lord of Myriad Might, the Lord of Quicksilver, or the Lord of Bones. Second, in the mortal world, Blood Moon City might hold more than four Progenitors, not to mention numerous vampire counts. Furthermore, if another hidden Tier 8 lord appears midway, a single misstep could trigger a chain reaction and wipe out our entire team."
Lanqi also felt that sharing a brain with Talia was far more convenient.
Normally, the two of them hardly needed to speak out loud.
"If the Shadow World's Blood Moon City faced at the end of the Blood Moon Ruined World was Easy mode, then this one in the mortal world is Hard mode,"
Lanqi explained succinctly.
To him, the Twelve War Gods were far harder to deal with than the Blood Clan Progenitors; he possessed no specialized counter-measures against humans.
Moreover, the goal of their Blood Moon City assault team was not merely to breach the city, but also to rescue Duke Migaya.
That additional victory condition multiplied the difficulty several times over; they would likely need to dispatch a separate squad just to locate Migaya.
"You two finally closed your private chat channel, meow,"
Boss Cat sighed, sprawled across the dining table as it listened.
It had had enough of watching the Lan-Ta pantomime.
Even though it still didn't understand what they were discussing, at least they were willing to include it now.
"Our combat strength is indeed insufficient..."
Much as Talia hated to admit it, she clearly recognized that Melogas, the Lord of Blasphemy, was level 89—at the absolute pinnacle of Tier 8 demonkind.
Just thinking about that chilling female demon's voice and aura made Talia shiver with discomfort.
Among the other three great demon reinforcements, Oglin, the Lord of Myriad Might, was likely level 88 and extremely close to 89. Demongate, the Lord of Bones, and Mishio, the Lord of Quicksilver, had somewhat obscure levels, weaker than Cardinals, but certainly stronger than the civil officials of the old Demon Realm.
That overwhelmingly ferocious lineup had a very high chance of winning even if they went head-to-head with two High War Gods and two Low War Gods.
Setting aside the disparity in allies and the threat of the Creti Empire above ground in the mortal world, the subterranean Blood Moon City of this era possessed far more additional dangers.
"Another difficult problem is the imperial military in Brillda. On National Day, certain areas will certainly be restricted, especially the spatial nodes leading down to Blood Moon City. We need insider support from within the imperial military so we can smoothly slip into Blood Moon City without starting a fight on the surface first."
Lanqi turned his gaze toward the headquarters of the Capital Garrison Command near the central district of the Brillda city-state.
If they used Toliado’s spatial magic to forcibly transport the entire group into Blood Moon City, it was technically feasible, but doing so would likely drain too much of Toliado’s mana, depriving them of their strongest core combatant.
They had to consider entering through the optimal protocol, which would also make it easier to successfully extract Duke Migaya.
As the elite force guarding the imperial core, the Capital Garrison was renowned for its stringent selection and brutal training, dedicated solely to the security and defense of the capital.
Among the departments under its command, the Imperial Guard served as the Emperor's personal escort while also guarding vital locations such as the imperial palace and government organs—the very unit Barton, the mafia boss, had once served in.
The Gendarmerie was responsible for maintaining social order in the capital region, suppressing rebellious activity, and monitoring the words and deeds of officials and citizens alike.
As for the rest, the Air Defense Corps managed the air defense siren system and operated the capital’s aerial cavalry to counter enemy air raids, while the Fortress Garrison manned several massive fortresses ringing the capital's perimeter, forming its first line of defense. All of them were tough nuts to crack; engaging in large-scale conflict with them within Brillda's defensive barrier was practically unthinkable.
Last time, when Lanqi first arrived in the Creti capital and an incident occurred aboard the Brillda magic-train, the force dispatched was the Second Gendarmerie Brigade, responsible for the outer district, and Lieutenant Colonel Burke von Arnold was the commanding officer in charge of public security there.
Closer to the city center, jurisdiction fell under the First Gendarmerie Brigade.
"We'll have to rely on Toliado's connections... Oh wait, isn't he a terrorist now too? It would be more reliable to count on reaching Imperial Princess Alexia,"
Talia mused, then trailed off.
Yabo was currently the chief organizer of the Silver Moon Restoration Society, an illegal imperial organization. If the empire discovered he was the Cardinal of Dimensions, they would stop at nothing to eliminate him.
"I'll do my best on my end as well."
Lanqi set down a letter from Colonel Maguire of the Imperial Special Operations Department and picked up an invitation envelope for Saint Creti Monastery's Moon Goddess Festival, slitting it open to examine it.
Regarding combat power, although they were currently severely lacking, Toliado had mentioned he would call in external reinforcements. If they could get in touch with Imperial Princess Alexia and locate several other members of the Silver Moon Restoration Society, they might barely stand a chance.
The problem now was that Imperial Princess Alexia seemed to be under house arrest, or perhaps felt she was in danger, as she had not shown herself for a long time.
With Number 5, Alexia, silent, her confidants—Numbers 4, 6, 8, and 9, whom she had brought into the Silver Moon Restoration Society—seemed to recognize the potential danger as well and ceased using the public channel.
"Why is Colonel Maguire contacting you too?"
Talia asked Lanqi in confusion, catching sight of the Imperial Special Operations Department stationery.
Over the past month, hiding inside Lanqi’s body every day, she had shared his vision as he went in and out of the Imperial Special Operations Department.
Lanqi got along fairly well only with Director Dex. With Nikolai, codenamed Kestrel, it was a battle of two smiling foxes grinning at each other, while he had had very little interaction with Captain Maguire.
"Captain Maguire didn't say much, just a simple greeting, inviting me to lunch,"
Lanqi replied.
"Of course, it's also possible he noticed that Kestrel Nikolai and I don't see eye to eye and wants to win me over."
Before entering the Shadow World, assassination attempts against Professor Landry had noticeably increased. Whenever he left Saint Creti Monastery as Professor Landry without disguise, imperial military vehicles would shadow him.
Partly to monitor him, and partly to protect him—all with Director Dex's tacit approval.
At this juncture, Professor Landry made for an exceptional piece of bait.
As long as they followed him, anyone caught harboring ill intentions toward him would undoubtedly be suspected of being a major foreign spy.
The Imperial Special Operations Department currently had a vital task, ordered personally by Emperor Saint Bardo and executed by Duke Dex: to uncover the spies operating within Brillda who were constantly probing the latest research on mana fission principles and relaying findings to the Allied forces.
Section Chief Nikolai of the Countermeasures Section, codenamed Kestrel, and Captain Maguire of the Operations Team each pursued this mission separately, with zero cooperation between them.
"Meow, Captain Maguire seems much better than that Section Chief Nikolai. Nikolai never trusted you for a second, meow."
Boss Cat had watched with its own eyes as Lanqi lied through his teeth, assuring Duke Dex that he would do his utmost to watch for any suspicious individuals around him and show no leniency toward anyone who endangered the empire.
If Lanqi wished to become the head of the Creti Empire’s new Mana Regulatory Commission, dealing with the Imperial Special Operations Department was unavoidable.
Section Chief Kestrel Nikolai of Countermeasures and Captain Maguire of Operations kept their eyes glued to Lanqi all day. Nikolai seemed genuinely suspicious of Landry, whereas Maguire wanted to uncover Allied spies around him, yet neither could find the slightest clue.
In the preceding weeks, apart from his academic work, Lanqi had spent much of his time maneuvering between Dex, Nikolai, and Maguire at the Imperial Special Operations Department.
Over time, however, a flaw might still be exposed.
"What you said earlier about Duke Dex stepping down into the background actually came true, meow,"
Boss Cat marveled, pawing through the letters and looking at the newspaper beneath them.
The root of all this was that Duke Dex of the Imperial Special Operations Department was about to step back behind the scenes, and the directorship needed a successor—either Nikolai or Maguire.
Nikolai was a lieutenant colonel, while Maguire was a colonel. Logically, Maguire held the upper hand.
However, before Duke Dex finalized the matter, if Nikolai achieved a major merit and was promoted to the same rank as Maguire, Duke Dex might well hand the opportunity to his protégé, Nikolai. Hence, both Nikolai and Maguire had been watching Lanqi closely during this period.
It was a classic case of two rivals competing while Professor Landry suffered the fallout.
Now that he had returned from the Shadow World to the mortal world, Lanqi would likely be under scrutiny again.
"My guess was right. Duke Dex is playing a two-man act with Emperor Saint Bardo to suppress Hyacinthus."
Lanqi shifted his gaze to the newspaper columns as well.
The First War God, Seat of Diamond, Hyacinthus, who favored the populist faction, was the empire's greatest national guardian hero and the primary source of peace of mind for the imperial populace.
According to Barton, the former imperial soldier and current mafia leader, Hyacinthus was personally neutral toward the war, not in favor of starting one. Yet he would always prioritize the empire's interests, so after the other War Gods unanimously supported war, he was compelled to fight for the empire as well.
Among the three paths to Tier 9—Imperial Power, Theocratic Power, and Heroism—Hyacinthus was steadily accumulating the faith power of the imperial people through the Heroism path. Even if the progress was slow, it was constant and enduring.
Emperor Saint Bardo likely did not wish to see a Tier 9 War God emerge so quickly, whose prestige would eclipse the throne. Gradually losing control over an unopposed Hyacinthus, the Emperor needed to balance the factions under his rule.
Duke Dex, leading the aristocrats, was the best candidate to counter Hyacinthus.
Because the Imperial Special Operations Department’s activities in Brillda over the past months had been overly aggressive, spreading widespread panic, and possessed sweeping authority that even took priority over the military, grievances had mounted among both the commoners and the nobility.
By revoking Duke Dex’s authority at the Imperial Special Operations Department, Emperor Saint Bardo could calm domestic dissatisfaction on one hand. On the other hand, he could smoothly enact an apparent demotion that was a promotion in disguise, placing Duke Dex in a higher post by his side to check General Commander Hyacinthus, whose momentum was at its peak. After all, Duke Dex’s influence in the military was undeniable.
Having deduced Emperor Saint Bardo’s intentions, Duke Dex actively played along, signaling his intention to retire ahead of time.
When the time came, Emperor Saint Bardo would urge him to return, employing merit-based rhetoric like: *"The empire is in need of capable men; I ask Lord Dex to lend his strength to the empire once more."* That would justify granting Duke Dex even greater power. Everything would appear entirely natural, with no sign that Emperor Saint Bardo was intentionally suppressing Hyacinthus.
"Of course, that's high-level factional strife between the nobles and the populists; we can't interfere for now. What lies directly before us is the race for merit between Nikolai and Maguire."
As their colleague, Lanqi had observed both Nikolai's and Maguire's moves closely over the past weeks.
As a "walking bundle of massive merit," Professor Landry might just tip the scales in their final contest.
Given the long-standing open and covert rivalry between Section Chief Nikolai and Captain Maguire, whoever became the new director would certainly make life miserable for the other.
Next, it all depended on whose side Landry chose.
Pick the wrong side, and the Imperial Special Operations Department might become Professor Landry's sworn enemy, scrutinizing every single detail of his life.
Pick the right side, however, and the Imperial Special Operations Department would move heaven and earth to ensure Landry passed his background checks, vastly aiding him in securing the position of head of the Creti New Mana Regulatory Commission.
"What do you plan to do?"
Talia sat beside the dining table, turning to ask Lanqi.
"Either way, Captain Maguire has invited me, so naturally I should accept and have a chat with him,"
Lanqi answered. Finishing the invitation letter for Saint Creti Monastery's Moon Goddess Festival, he glanced at the Creti Imperial Calendar.
Today was November 4th, still early in the month.
The Saint Creti Monastery Moon Goddess Festival was set for mid-November. As the monastery’s founding celebration, it featured plenty of carnival-like campus activities for the students' enjoyment.
By mid-to-late November, most of the War Gods would return one after another. There was even a chance of encountering friends of the Sixth War God, Seat of Aquamarine, Violet, at Saint Creti Monastery—such as Ursula’s brother, the Ninth War God, Seat of Amethyst, Marquis Ryan. Late November marked the National Day to receive the blessing of the God of War and Swords.
It was also the day of their decisive battle against Blood Moon City.
"Then the upcoming schedule is clear,"
Talia nodded, crossing her arms.
She knew Lanqi was personally mentoring Ursula at Saint Creti Monastery, who was also a close friend of Landry’s younger sister, Elsa. Ursula had helped him considerably during that night with the Brillda mafia, and Lanqi cared deeply about the current state of her marquis household.
Moreover, the mention of the Moon Goddess Festival piqued her interest.
Though she had no desire to go on a date with Lanqi, a festival clearly meant good food. As his current fiancée, accompanying him to stroll through the festival was only natural. There was simply no helping it.
"In any case, we still need to pay a visit to Headmistress Violet. She seems to be someone Imperial Princess Alexia trusts relatively well."
Lanqi gathered all the letters on the table and sorted them.
Wolf blood aside, as a member of the Wolf Clan and the High Priestess of the Moon Goddess Temple, Headmistress Violet was a key figure they needed to approach.
Imperial Princess Alexia’s silence had begun precisely when the Sixth War God, Seat of Aquamarine, Violet, was transferred away from the capital, Brillda.
"Thank you. I truly hope my sister can be cured soon,"
Talia said from the bottom of her heart, gently touching Lanqi’s shoulder.
"I should contact Miss Unity and Toliado,"
Lanqi stood up, preparing to head up to the study on the second floor to reach Cardinal of Dimensions Toliado via communication magic and inquire about the fiancée.
He couldn't let them labor in vain; the matter was difficult enough as it was.
"Tsk, tsk. I don't even consume your mana anymore. Am I not good enough?"
Talia feigned nonchalance as she argued, promoting herself.
"You might still need to turn back into my soulbound card at any moment, Master,"
Lanqi explained helplessly.
If the moment came when he truly needed Tier 8 power, he would still have to fuse her into the Mad Love Demon King.
As they were talking, the doorbell suddenly chimed, its crisp ring piercing the quiet of the drawing room.
"I'll get the door."
"Go ahead."
It was likely the groceries they ordered.
The first thing they had done upon returning home was order ingredients, and Talia was waiting for them to arrive before heading into the kitchen to prepare lunch.
Lanqi rose from his seat and walked toward the entrance.
Passing through the foyer, he opened the front door to find a young female delivery courier.
She wore a neat uniform, her brown hair pulled back into a crisp ponytail, a friendly smile on her face.
"Good day, Professor! I'm here to deliver your grocery order. Would you like me to help carry them inside?"
she asked in a bright, polite tone.
"Hm?"
Lanqi sensed an indescribable familiarity about the woman.
Moreover, she made no deliberate attempt to hide it, seemingly wanting Lanqi to recognize her quickly.
Miss Unity, the Allied spy?
Why was she disguised as a delivery courier bringing him groceries?
"If you would, please."
Without overthinking, Lanqi nodded, maintaining an affable smile.
As he spoke, he reached out to hold the door open for Unity, who had personally disguised herself as a delivery driver, making it easy for her to move in and out.
The courier expertly unloaded several large crates from her handcart—the groceries the professor had ordered.
With practiced ease, she carried the boxes into the house, her movements deft and agile.
Lanqi noted that although the crates appeared quite heavy, the courier broke no sweat, merely acting out an impression of exertion with exquisite precision.
As Unity brushed past him, he heard her voice.
"Our undercover agent cannot serve as your fiancée. I did my best to help, but she refused. I'm still trying to persuade her, though. If she has a change of heart soon, I will send her over."
With each crate she brought in, the courier reported the contents to the professor for him to verify:
"This box contains your organic vegetables, but we were slightly short on carrots, so we have refunded that portion to your account, Professor."
She carefully placed the crate atop a stack in the foyer, adding an ordinary remark.
"That's perfectly fine,"
Lanqi replied with relief, understanding the message Unity had come to deliver.
It didn't matter if the fake fiancée from the Allies couldn't make it.
Besides, Tata didn't seem keen on having an Allied spy live with them anyway; keeping Tata happy was just fine by him.
"Then please contact us again whenever you need anything."
Stepping back outside, she instantly reverted to a cheerful delivery courier, conversing normally with Lanqi.
"Will do."
And so, back and forth several times, the courier finally carried all the grocery crates inside.
Wiping a thin sheen of sweat from her brow, she glanced around with satisfaction, ensuring everything was placed properly.
"Professor, all your groceries have arrived. Please check them in person to see if anything is missing or damaged,"
the courier said respectfully, handing over a delivery receipt.
"No problem at all. Your goods are always top quality. Thank you very much for your care and hard work."
Lanqi took the delivery receipt, skimmed it quickly, and signed his name at the bottom.
He couldn't help admiring Unity's professional acting skills.
Even though Unity despised him in her heart, she could still play the part of a respectful, talkative delivery courier flawlessly.
Unity flashed a radiant smile and accepted the signed receipt.
"It was my pleasure to serve you, Professor. Enjoy your meal, and feel free to contact us anytime if you have any issues,"
she said amiably, offering a slight bow to the professor.
"Thank you."
Lanqi smiled and thanked her.
Unity nodded, then pushed her handcart away.
The moment the door clicked shut, Talia strolled over.
"Boss Cat, use Telekinesis."
Talia took a deep breath, catching the fresh aroma wafting from the grocery crates, and immediately called on Boss Cat to haul the boxes to the kitchen.
"Don't you start copying Lanqi, meow..."
Boss Cat grumbled internally—it was a Tier 9 entity, so why was it still treated like a house cat?
Nevertheless, it began using Telekinesis to levitate the crates, floating them off toward the kitchen.
"Looks like the Allies can't be counted on,"
Talia remarked flatly.
"Then, Master, I'll head upstairs to contact Toliado. If he hasn't found a fake fiancée either, I'll tell him not to bother,"
Lanqi said, feeling that he truly had to rely on Talia now.
"Sure. I said I'd help you, so I will. I'm going to cook,"
Talia agreed.
Having just returned from the Shadow World, they needed a celebratory feast, and cooking alongside Boss Cat would be much faster.
"Thanks! I can't wait for your lunch; it's been days since I last tasted it."
Lanqi waved and headed upstairs.
The study was equipped with a superior shielding barrier, where he could safely bring out the holy communication apparatus of the Silver Moon Restoration Society.
The two had a clear division of labor.
"..."
Talia stood in place for a moment, the corners of her mouth curling into a faint smile.
Lanqi could say rather pleasant things sometimes.
She turned and walked toward the kitchen.
*Ding-dong—ding-dong.*
The doorbell chimed once more.
Talia started to call for Lanqi, but realized he had already gone upstairs and locked the study door, sealed behind a soundproofing barrier.
"Hello? This is Dimension Express. I'm looking for Professor Landry. Is the professor home?"
A crisp female voice drifted in from outside.
Finding that no one answered the door, the caller seemed to be checking verbally.
"...?"
They had only just mentioned the Dimension Branch, and the Dimension Branch's fiancée was already here?
Talia remembered clearly that Toliado had claimed at the Brillda Opera House that he would find a fiancée worthy of Rocky McCarthy; at the time, she had found it utterly laughable.
She truly wanted to see just what kind of woman was supposed to be worthy of her apprentice.
Talia simply marched over and swung open the door.
She now possessed an identity in the Creti Empire and was the one poised to become Lanqi’s fiancée; it was time to stake her claim.
Talia looked out at the Dimension Branch member with a touch of displeasure, intending to tell her not to bother—she was already here to serve as the fiancée.
"You can head right back. You're not needed here,"
Talia announced haughtily from inside the doorway to the young girl outside.
"Hello..."
The pale-haired, violet-eyed girl on the doorstep froze mid-greeting.
She seemed intimidated by Talia’s overbearing aura.
Yet she also seemed captivated by Talia’s peerless beauty and presence.
It was the look of seeing a mother.
...
Behind the foyer, by the kitchen entrance, Boss Cat finished moving the groceries. Trotting forward with light steps, it looked down the length of the entryway toward Talia’s back at the front door.
"Tata, meow, are we making..."
The little black cat suddenly spotted the young girl holding a black document case.
The girl’s pale, long hair was tied casually into a small bun at the back of her head, sharp and keen as a wolf yet carrying the lively vigor of youth.
A slightly oversized Saint Creti Monastery winter student coat draped over a knit sweater and collared shirt; long boots covered her knees over warm stockings.
"Holy shit, meow!"
Boss Cat nearly screamed, leaping clear into the air.
Isn't that a carbon copy of Zid?!
Why on earth has the Overlord Cardinal come knocking on the door?! This is the capital of the Creti Empire, Brillda!
Terrified out of its wits, Boss Cat scrambled and scurried back into the kitchen, nervously poking out its little black head to peek.
At the same time, Talia noticed something as well, slowly reining in her dismissive demeanor.
Instead, she stared intently at the young girl from the Dimension Branch.
With utter disbelief, she stepped outside, studying the girl’s face.
This cultist sent by Toliado to pose as a fiancée...
Looked too similar...
It was as if her Xigelei had stepped right out of the Shadow World...
"Excuse me, is there something on my face, ma'am?"
Sigrid asked politely.
After receiving the document case from Toliado at the Brillda Opera House, she had rushed straight here; Toliado had even driven her to the academy himself.
She felt an instinctive fondness for this woman from Professor Landry’s home. Just her faint, elusive aura enchanted her, sparking a momentary, unrealistic fantasy.
Yet reason told her that she was simply missing Caliera so terribly that whenever she saw a remotely similar woman, she couldn't help superimposing her onto the demon from tens of thousands of years ago.
Sigrid couldn't understand the woman's reaction either.
"Ahem, student,"
Talia wrestled with herself for a moment before clearing her throat and regaining her composure.
"Come inside and have a seat. I mistook you for a salesperson just now. So you're here to see my husb—I'll go call him."
In the end, she decided to invite the child inside.
Instinct made it impossible for her to be harsh with this girl; her heart even twitched with a strange tenderness.
Even though she knew it couldn't be Xigelei, she naturally fantasized that her daughter had returned.
She would explain everything clearly to the child in a moment, then send her back to report to Toliado.
There was no need to embarrass the girl; they were all working folk, and times were tough.
"So you're Professor Landry's wife, ma'am! To marry such a virtuous wife, Professor Landry is truly blessed!"
Seeing that the woman had grown warm and gentle, Sigrid beamed with delight, took off her shoes, and followed her inside.
Her fleeting curiosity about the mission had completely evaporated; her gaze remained glued to this woman who bore such an uncanny resemblance to Caliera.
"N-no, that's not... He and I are still..."
Talia turned her head away in slight embarrassment, her voice trailing off into a whisper.
On the other side.
Inside the kitchen, Boss Cat had tucked its head into its paws, curling into a terrified black loaf.
*You two living ancestors, please stop talking!*
Boss Cat was terrified that the entire house was about to blow sky-high.
Chapter 808