Lanqi Heads Out with Two Living Ancestors

It was already one in the afternoon, and lunch at their home had come to an end. In the ground-floor dining lounge of the professor's residence, a chilly breeze occasionally brushed past the courtyard outside, carrying the faint winter scent of the monastery's distinctive flora. "..." Lanqi stared dumbfoundedly at the scene before him, shocked to the point of turning ashen. Tata was Hyperion's mother, Hyperion was Side's elder sister, Side was Tata's elder sister, and Tata was Hyperion's mother again... So the question arose: between Hyperion and Tata, who actually ranked higher in seniority? If he ran into Hyperion next time, what if he had to break the news that she had acquired three younger sisters—one being her biological mother, and another her beloved aunt...? Lanqi's brain suffered a complete system overload. "Meow." Boss Cat trotted over and hopped onto the back of Lanqi's chair, reaching out a paw with concern to pat him, but Lanqi still showed no reaction. The good news was that Lanqi was alive. The bad news was that Lanqi had lost his mind. The cat knew full well that Lanqi had been plunged into utter chaos because Tata had called Side "Big Sister." "Lanqi, maybe you should consult a lawyer, meow?" Boss Cat asked. Lanqi's emerald eyes slowly shifted toward Boss Cat on his shoulder. "..." His expression eloquently conveyed that silence spoke louder than words. "Right, meow..." Boss Cat suddenly remembered that Master Lan held a lawyer's license himself. "Look on the bright side. The fact that they can get along harmoniously is already a miracle blessed by the Goddess of Fate, meow..." Boss Cat whispered softly into Lanqi's ear. It did not want to risk seeing this household blow up ever again. As for certain misunderstandings, they could slowly untangle them after returning to Ikerite. For now, treating Tata and Side like sisters was more than enough. "True." Lanqi quickly regained his optimism. When the mind turns with the path, the road ahead is always broad. As the saying went, a crisis often concealed an opportunity. He had survived even a calamity like this—what else could possibly stump him? Lanqi stood up, casting his worries aside. He still had plenty of work to do. The motto of Purgatory Corridors Academy was: *Handle the important matters before they become urgent.* "Tata, Side," Lanqi addressed Talia and Sigrid, whose relationship was steadily warming up. "This afternoon, I need to fetch Toliado from the Imperial Special Operations Department so we can locate Iphatia." He could not help muttering a complaint in his heart. Talia had been completely right earlier—Yabo was sometimes truly absurd. The Cardinal of Dimensions had likely burned most of his mana just teleporting Sigrid to the Creti Empire's capital, Brierda, and after teleporting himself over, his mana had probably been nearly depleted. Even so, he lacked the sense to keep a low profile until his mana recovered, wandering around until he walked right into the crosshairs of the Imperial Special Operations Department. They needed Toliado first so he could open a portal and bring Iphatia from the underground palace of the Brierda Port Mafia to the second floor of the opera house. Right now, Landry was being closely monitored by the Imperial Special Operations Department. Heading to the Brierda Opera House to catch a performance was still acceptable. However, running straight toward the Brierda Port district would easily arouse suspicion, as he had no justifiable reason to actively contact the mafia. "Uh..." Talia released Sigrid and looked back at Lanqi. Her original plan with Lanqi was to visit the Creti Empire Demon Crafters Association this afternoon to look for materials and see if they could order the proper proportions for Lanqi to advance to Tier 7 first. That way, even without the Great Demon King of Fanatical Love at his side, he would possess formidable self-defense capabilities. That was undeniably the highest priority. "Iphatia is still waiting for us. The sooner we cure her, the sooner her suffering ends," Lanqi explained with a helpless smile. After being released, Sigrid stayed behind Talia, holding her shoulders and sneaking a sniff of her scent. If Tata was her younger sister—and also her husband's wife—then sniffing her shouldn't count as harassment, right? Yet Talia's attention was entirely captured by Lanqi, leaving her oblivious to Sigrid's little antics. "Then someone needs to protect you. I'm coming with you," Talia said, a flicker of gratitude flashing across her eyes before she nodded. If Lanqi were Tier 7, Talia might have felt somewhat at ease letting him go out with just the cat. But right now he was only Tier 6; not only was his body far less durable, but he was also unable to cast [Decree of Eternal Punishment: Black Sun Tyrant]. "Tata, you two can't just go out on a date alone and leave me at home," Sigrid said hurriedly, stopping her sniffing of Tata's scent. "Then... the three of us will go together," Talia looked back, conceding. The thought that Side was going to save her sister, looked so much like Xigelei, and had such a pleasant personality made Sigrid seem more and more agreeable the longer she looked. Going out with Side actually sounded quite fun. "I'm going to the Imperial Special Operations Department. Is there any chance you two could divide the labor—one handling outside matters and the other looking after the home...?" Lanqi's scalp began to tingle with dread. Taking these two living ancestors to the Imperial Special Operations Department to bail someone out?! "We already agreed to be fair. Going out with you is something we share half-and-half." "Lanqi, you wouldn't want us to start quarreling again, would you?" Sigrid and Talia both stepped close in front of Lanqi, declaring their stance. "No, no, I'll take you both along!" Lanqi immediately yielded, clutching the cat tightly. As long as they didn't fight, anything was fine. Although bringing two Tier 8 bodyguards provided maximum security, the rumor that he had two wives would spread throughout the department by tomorrow, and reporters might even snap photographs of them. The only option was to stay optimistic. Thankfully, he was currently assuming the identity of Professor Landry and had few acquaintances in the Creti Empire, so it wouldn't tarnish his reputation back home. Rumors had a way of distorting as they traveled. By the time word reached the Hutton Kingdom, it would probably turn into him keeping two hundred fiancées in the Creti Empire. "Don't worry, Lanqi. We'll coordinate with you and play along nicely," Talia said with confidence. She was thoroughly experienced in acting opposite Lanqi. "If the Imperial Special Operations Department suspects us in the slightest, we'll actively prove that we are your fiancées," Sigrid chimed in. "Is that so..." Lanqi was rather terrified that the two of them might be *too* active. Those fervent gazes and earnest senses of duty were absolutely genuine—as if they would devour him whole without hesitation the moment an opportunity presented itself. A cold shiver ran down his spine. "Meow." Boss Cat looked up from Lanqi's arms. It could tell Lanqi's days ahead would not be easy. Still, at least there were only a wolf and a tiger watching over him, and the two managed to be reasonable with each other, miraculously maintaining a delicate balance. "All right, let's head out then." Talia glanced at the other two. She and Lanqi had only just returned home, and Side had arrived dressed for going out. They could depart immediately without further preparation. "Let's roll!" Sigrid said cheerfully. She was already looking forward to living in this household. Not only could she play the role of the Holy Son's fiancée over the coming period, but she had also gained a sister-mother, fulfilling her dream from the shadow world of ten thousand years ago—with even more domestic warmth than the dream of that era. "Let's go." His scalp tingling, Lanqi crossed the living room toward the entryway. He opened the heavy wooden door for the two ladies, and sunlight instantly flooded the space like a golden waterfall. Stepping out this afternoon felt comfortably warm; the winter sun carried none of the harshness of summer. Leaving the residence, they entered the courtyard. Passing along the monastery residential area, an afternoon breeze swept by, accompanied by the gentle, melodic babble of flowing water. Beneath the clear sky, a sweeping view revealed a tranquil canvas of azure and pristine clarity. After lunch, Lanqi, Sigrid, and Talia temporarily departed their residence at Saint Creti Monastery. Led by Lanqi, they walked out of the estate and stepped onto the avenue leading toward the monastery's eastern exit. This broad thoroughfare, known as Moon Goddess Way, was exceptionally quiet in the afternoon, flanked on both sides by towering oaks and lush emerald grass. Talia and Sigrid walked on either side of Lanqi, stealing occasional glances at him. Lanqi dared not speak to either of them, simply marching forward. As they crossed the area near the Main Cathedral, staff and students in academy uniforms grew more numerous. Figures dotted the plazas they passed, with pilgrim monks kneeling in devout prayer. Students gathered in twos and threes, either sparring with swords or conversing loudly. Whenever Lanqi walked past, he could hear murmurs trailing behind him. "Professor Landry Washington is back?" "Aren't those two women walking awfully close to him?" "Yeah, what happened to the Wall of Landry? I remember the professor was always a loner; even his sister Elsa kept a certain distance from him." "Did his fiancées from the northwestern frontier's Nixassend territory come over? Can they really get along so harmoniously?" It seemed the students could hardly believe that two women had suddenly appeared beside Professor Landry. By now, Professor Landry was a prominent figure at the monastery, drawing the attention of many students. "Why is everyone turning to stare at you?" Sigrid asked Lanqi beside her, puzzled. Tata had apparently stayed with Lanqi at the monastery for quite some time, but she herself had only just arrived. "Ahem, it's a long story, meow," Boss Cat, held in Lanqi's arms like a lifebuoy, said to Sigrid. Boss Cat recalled that when Landry's sister Elsa came looking for Lanqi in the afternoon last time, she had mentioned some rumors circulating about him in the school. Now, the more it thought about it, the more it felt those rumors were about to be confirmed. "I'll explain later. Back home, rumors about teachers spread around school all the time. It's perfectly normal," Lanqi replied. *It's fine, it's fine. They don't know Side and Tata are fiancées. To anyone else, the three of us just look like good friends,* Lanqi thought to himself. It wasn't as if he hadn't hung out with Talia and Hyperion as a trio back in his hometown of South Vantina; no one on the streets had ever mistaken them for being in a three-way relationship. As long as one's conscience was clear, an upright person had nothing to fear from crooked shadows. Just as the three walked toward the carriage boarding area... At the far end of this familiar monastery corridor stood a detachment of Imperials wearing distinctively styled military uniforms. This caused Lanqi to slow his pace. The brim of the lead officer's cap hung low, almost covering his forehead, and a heavy Imperial military greatcoat was draped over his frame. Even so, beneath the military cap was a sharply chiseled, handsome face, with neatly trimmed auburn hair that bore the crisp efficiency expected of a soldier. With such unmistakable features, Lanqi recognized this colleague at a single glance. And the First Internal Special Service Section he led was specifically responsible for monitoring dissidents in the capital region and maintaining regime stability. "Section Chief Nikolai, do you need something from me?" Lanqi asked politely. The Countermeasures Section had blocked his path, which was rather convenient since he was heading to the Operations Department anyway. Back when he had first arrived in this city aboard the magic-train at Brierda First Station and survived an attack by the Allied assassin Unity, it was this Imperial Operations Department officer codenamed Kestrel, Nikolai, who had investigated the incident. Ever since then, Kestrel Nikolai had frequently sought him out. "Professor Landry, it has been quite some time," Kestrel Nikolai greeted him with equal courtesy. "The Operations Team just apprehended a suspect near your residence and has already transferred him to the Imperial Special Operations Department for interrogation." Nikolai wore a faint smile that felt completely devoid of warmth. Glancing at the trio, he addressed the matter at hand. "How did the Operations Team beat you to the punch?" Lanqi asked Nikolai, feigning confusion. It wasn't just the students. Even Kestrel Nikolai's eyes held a strange glint as he looked at him. "I doubt Allied spies would be quite so foolish. My attention has always remained fixed on you, Professor," Nikolai replied casually. His words sounded as though he were simply prioritizing Landry's safety. In reality, Talia understood perfectly what Nikolai meant. A surge of irritation rose within her. This man refused to take his eyes off Lanqi, suspecting him from beginning to end. "He might turn out to be a big fish as well. How can you be so certain he isn't dangerous, Section Chief Nikolai?" Lanqi asked with an expression of worried innocence, playing the victim. Sigrid looked back and forth between Lanqi and Nikolai as they spoke, vaguely impressed despite not quite grasping everything. Both appeared exceedingly polite, yet both were putting on an act. "For instance, in my view, even that deliveryman who brought groceries to your door earlier was more worth investigating than a fellow brazenly peering at your residence through a telescope, Professor Landry," Kestrel Nikolai said, an imperceptible shift passing over his expression as he gave his answer. Lanqi and Talia fell silent. Sigrid felt like cursing. She could hardly bring herself to acknowledge that Toliado was a leader of the Resurrection Church and a fellow cardinal like her. "Section Chief Nikolai, my husband is quite safe within the monastery grounds, so you need not trouble yourself," Talia said with a slight bow, speaking like a devoted, supportive wife. She had long wanted Kestrel Nikolai to keep his distance from her Lanqi, and now she finally had the chance to appear in person and speak to this secret agent. *This Kestrel Nikolai truly is a tenacious hound,* Talia thought, *and his guesses are uncomfortably accurate.* They could never allow Nikolai to become the new director of the Imperial Special Operations Department; otherwise, they would face endless trouble going forward. "And these two ladies are...?" Prompted by her words, Kestrel Nikolai's gaze shifted slowly to the left before he addressed Lanqi. "My fiancées," Lanqi could only answer truthfully. "Both of them?" Nikolai had actually felt a touch of surprise earlier, though he hadn't asked until now. "Both," Lanqi admitted under the scrutiny of a pair of golden eyes and a pair of purple eyes. "Did you just finish having an argument?" Nikolai tipped the brim of his cap as if half-joking, shielding his eyes. It seemed as though he had noticed something, was puzzled by something, or was on the verge of catching onto something. "No," Lanqi denied immediately. None of them wanted an outsider to learn of that utterly embarrassing, chaotic spat over lunch. And they certainly couldn't let Kestrel Nikolai detect any flaws. "Then why do you and your fiancées appear so distant, Professor Landry?" Nikolai pressed, his voice growing cooler. Beneath the cap's brim, his brown eyes, glowing with a faint red sheen, resembled an eagle's locked onto prey. "Is Mr. Nikolai doubting that we are his real fiancées? This is our private family matter—does it concern you?" Sigrid's brows furrowed as she shot back forcefully. She was accustomed to ruling supreme in the Northern Continent; who was this mere secret service section chief to interrogate them here? "I wouldn't dare," Nikolai chuckled with apparent deference, though his gaze yielded not an inch. "It is merely that, as Professor Landry's colleague and friend, I hope his household remains in harmony. After all, he is a pillar of the Empire and should not be distracted by domestic trifles." His rhetoric consistently claimed the moral high ground of loyalty and duty, framing everything as official responsibility. "Sigh, thank you for your concern, Section Chief Nikolai," Lanqi sighed. Torn for half a second, he showed no outward hesitation, reaching out to take Talia and Sigrid's hands to draw them closer, putting on a show for Nikolai. Even though holding hands with two girls looked awkward no matter how you sliced it, Nikolai was indeed suspicious of him. Kestrel Nikolai narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Lanqi's every move. Yet the moment Lanqi moved his hand, Sigrid caught his wrist, as though refusing physical contact with him. "..." A glimmer of surprise and intrigue surfaced in Nikolai's eyes. His sharp gaze seemed to say that if she was so averse to holding hands while claiming to be betrothed, there truly was something amiss. "Why not put it right here instead?" Sigrid pulled Lanqi's hand behind her back until his arm wrapped around her waist. "Section Chief Nikolai, does this satisfy you?" Pressing flush against Lanqi, she challenged Kestrel Nikolai. "Ahem! Cough!" Talia coughed sharply twice. She was signaling that Side was breaking the rules! Sigrid, however, turned her head and gave Talia a wink. This was essential for the mission, so duty had to take precedence. "!" Talia realized what was happening and promptly followed suit. Taking Lanqi's other hand, she placed it around her own waist and leaned against him. Both women snuggled into his embrace. Lanqi was left with rolled-back, glazed-over eyes, staring in utter stupefaction at the crowd of Saint Creti Monastery students who were stopping to watch. Gasps of astonishment echoed from the students in the distance. Some even leapt for joy, cheering at the top of their lungs: "Landry is a legend!" "How on earth did you manage to get both of them snuggled in your arms?!" "Professor Landry, teach me your ways!"