Late at night, the fever pitch of the Moon God Festival had faded from Saint Creti Monastery. The glow of the moon lanterns grew faint and dimmed, melting into the vast, dark night of Brierda.
"You really are quite a bit heavier than Boss Cat."
Cradling the large grey cat in his arms, Lanqi walked along the corridor toward the High Priestess's hall in the deepest recess of the Chief Hall.
"Meow, meow, meow!"
Cat Talia began squirming in Lanqi's embrace once more.
She was furious, but she had promised Lanqi that she would not speak once they reached this area, so this was the only way she could register her displeasure.
Important figures of the holy monastery could appear here at any moment.
According to their tacit understanding, if Headmaster Violet spoke the truth the whole time, she would make no sound at all. But if she detected a lie, she would immediately alert Lanqi.
"You look like you're acting spoiled, my cute little grey cat," Lanqi said with a laugh, hugging the grey cat—pliant as a liquid blanket—a fraction tighter and looking down at her.
"Meow!"
Talia grew even more indignant, yet hearing Lanqi call her his little grey cat somehow sapped away a bit of her strength to resist.
If he had stood right before her and called her that while pressed so close, she would have assumed he had lost his mind and was spouting bizarre nonsense.
Yet now, as a human and a cat, words that would ordinarily be impossible to utter seemed to slip out effortlessly and naturally.
Only at times like this could she hear Lanqi call her that.
Lanqi really did seem to treat her as a cat.
He had an uncanny ability to blend into any environment seamlessly and accepted reality with superhuman swiftness. Even now, Talia found that adaptability bafflingly exaggerated.
All she could do was adapt alongside him.
"Our timing should be just right—neither too early nor too late," Lanqi murmured to the cat, estimating the hour.
Violet, the Sixth War God of the Aquamarine Seat, had returned to the Chief Hall before the festivities ended. Lanqi had lingered outside the Chief Hall with Talia for quite a while to watch the spectacles before taking a circuitous stroll, so the present moment aligned closely with the time Secretary Naila had arranged for him.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Lanqi spotted that familiar slender figure standing at the end of the cloister.
"Professor Landry, you're here."
Secretary Naila had been busy around the Chief Hall all day. She was working overtime tonight, remaining at Headmaster Violet's side.
At this moment, she waited for Lanqi not far from Headmaster Violet's office.
"Thank you for your trouble, Miss Naila. If not for my inconveniencing you, you would have clocked out long ago," Lanqi said, quickening his pace to approach her.
"It's fine. I almost always have to work during the Moon God Festival every year. Chatting with you and leading the way is the easiest part of my duties—it hardly counts as work at all," Naila replied.
As someone entrusted with substantial authority by Headmaster Violet, she was responsible for coordinating many affairs across the monastery.
Having slacked off for quite a while this afternoon, she actually felt quite good.
Seeing Landry working overtime alongside her all day made her mood improve considerably.
"..."
Lanqi watched the subtle, teasing smirk curling on Naila's lips, wanting to speak but thinking better of it.
Why must one wage laborer make life harder for another?
Now he fully understood just how overjoyed Toliado had felt when dashing off with the cat held aloft today.
From the moment they met, Naila's attention had been drawn to the large grey cat in Lanqi's arms.
"Professor Landry, you actually have another cat? I thought you only had Little Black Bread," Naila ventured, reaching a hand out tentatively. The cat was simply too adorable.
Yet when she saw how fierce the cat looked—tensing warily the moment her hand edged closer—she pulled back.
Unlike Little Black Bread, this large grey cat seemed willing to be close only to the professor.
"Meow, meow!"
The large grey cat raised both paws and let out an obstinate cry.
Allowing Lanqi to hold her was already her utmost concession. No one else was going to lay a finger on her feline form.
The most terrifying person of all was Sigrid; even in human form, Talia was hugged and sniffed by Sigrid every single day. If she were a cat, Talia dared not imagine what might happen.
"My apologies, Miss Naila. She's quite shy around strangers and probably won't let anyone but me touch her," Lanqi apologized.
With any ordinary cat, he might have encouraged Naila to stroke it.
But this cat was his master, an eight-hundred-year-old senior. She truly could not be petted at will.
"Meow!"
Cat Talia tilted her head warily, gazing up at Lanqi.
While being shielded and pampered like an ancestor felt rather nice, she was certain Lanqi's motives were far from pure.
"It doesn't matter. I was already very grateful that you let me pet Little Black Bread last time," Naila answered pleasantly.
Whether teaching classes or handling administrative duties on campus, Professor Landry almost always carried that tier-five little black cat with him. Today was the first time he had brought out this large grey cat, presumably having lent the little black cat to Elsa and Ursula again.
Neither the secretary nor the professor seemed certain who took the first step, but together they walked toward the headmaster's office.
As Lanqi followed Naila through the corridors of Saint Creti Monastery, academy-uniformed staff and priests occasionally passed by.
Along the cloisters, figures were busy finishing up inventory and wrap-up duties from the Moon God Festival.
The grey cat settled down considerably in Lanqi's arms.
Though being held by him still felt somewhat awkward, so long as she quietly endured this less-than-an-hour period, her brief mission as a cat would be fulfilled.
While Talia was lost in thought, Lanqi and Naila drew near the vast open-air atrium at the center of the Chief Hall.
A lush green lawn stretched out like a plush velvet carpet, and fallen golden-red leaves lay scattered like vibrant gemstones, ornamenting the garden-like sanctuary beneath the open sky.
Naila led Lanqi through the garden to a quiet corridor paved with brown flagstones.
Through the colonnade, greenery remained visible until the floral silhouettes faded, bringing them into the wing governed by the High Priestess.
"Here we are."
Naila gestured toward the door at the far end, indicating that Lanqi could head straight inside, as she had already confirmed the appointment with Headmaster Violet.
She was confident Professor Landry was familiar with this place, having come here together a month prior.
"All right, thank you."
Just as Lanqi prepared to proceed toward the room on his own, a sudden shout startled them both, freezing them in their tracks.
From up ahead:
"Violet! It's all your fault!"
A man's impassioned, fury-laden roar echoed through the doorway of Violet's hall.
Lanqi and Naila also heard the heavy slam of a hand pounding on a desk.
The two exchanged a glance.
Evidently, Naila had no idea someone else would be visiting Violet's domain just before Professor Landry's scheduled meeting.
It seemed the intruder had barged into Violet's office unannounced, not even leaving time to activate a sound-dampening barrier.
"As the High Priestess, I cannot make reckless choices like you do. Stop blaming everything on others."
Inside the room, Violet's voice uncharacteristically carried a hint of irritation, though it sounded far more laced with helplessness.
Being subjected to such a torrential berating had left her thoroughly bewildered as well.
"Fine, you're always right! Talking to you is a complete waste of my time."
With those words, footsteps resounded, followed by the violent slam of a door.
"The empire is in this mess today precisely because indecisive cowards like you are always obsessing over trivial nonsense!"
He snarled back over his shoulder in utter frustration.
The young man who stepped into the Chief Hall's corridor had slightly disheveled dark red hair, beneath which fair skin and sharp, well-defined features were clearly visible.
His brows were furrowed, and his dark eyes burned with an aggressive edge, looking perpetually furious. Though clad in casual attire, he could not conceal his noble bearing; despite his wrathful and impatient demeanor, his upright posture and composed carriage fully betrayed a disciplined upbringing since childhood.
Lanqi stared in surprise at the red-haired youth.
Upon emerging from Violet's office, the young man had glared straight at Lanqi and Naila.
The young man's furrowed brow and tightly pressed lips carried a sliver of restraint, as though he were constantly reminding himself to keep his temper in check.
Reining in his anger, he cast a glance at the unfamiliar, harmless-looking professor and strode past.
Today, it seemed he would have kicked a stray dog if one had crossed his path.
After a long silence, Secretary Naila watched the figure retreat until it vanished completely at the end of the cloister, then let out a sigh of relief.
"My apologies, Professor Landry. I didn't expect Julius, the Tenth War God, to show up here today. That reckless brute must have forced his way into the Chief Hall. If this spoiled your mood, I am deeply sorry."
Naila bowed her head slightly to Lanqi.
Her tone when referring to the Tenth War God, Julius, was thoroughly unceremonious. She clearly held a grudge over Julius's earlier insolence toward Violet.
Even though Julius was likewise a War God, Naila sided unconditionally with Violet, firmly supporting the headmaster whom she viewed as both a dear friend and a revered senior.
"It's quite all right. Such things are beyond your control. It's only natural for big figures like War Gods to have disagreements and quarrels. Don't take it to heart."
Lanqi consoled Naila while holding the large grey cat.
Only just now had he recognized the casual-clad, dark-red-haired young man as the famously aggressive and contentious Tenth War God of the Rubellite Seat, whose exploits on the battlefield were legendary.
Not long ago, he had reportedly been recalled to the imperial capital for a hearing and had even appeared before a military tribunal.
Julius, Tenth War God of the Rubellite Seat, was the empire's foremost heavy mechanist. He excelled at establishing crushing firepower superiority on the battlefield, functioning purely as heavy artillery. Apart from raw damage, he possessed none of the flashy utility skills, and even the crowd-control properties of his heavy ordnance were sparse.
It suited the man's personality to a tee.
"Well then, please go see Headmaster Violet," Naila said, guiding Lanqi to a grand carved rosewood door.
Professor Landry was always so easygoing, and at times like this, he even considered the feelings of those around him. Naila found him increasingly pleasant to work with.
Naila tapped lightly on the door, the crisp sound reverberating along the quiet corridor.
"Headmaster Violet, I have brought Professor Landry."
The moment she finished knocking—
"Come in."
A dignified yet gentle voice drifted out.
Naila pushed open the heavy rosewood door for Lanqi.
"Thank you."
Lanqi thanked Naila and stepped into the magnificent hall with the cat in his arms.
The instant he crossed the threshold, an intoxicating floral fragrance greeted him. The air was rich with the mingled scents of rose, jasmine, and violet, making the space feel like a garden temple. Moonlight filtered through the rose window, casting translucent silver-white ripples across the marble floor like a splendid oil painting.
Seated beneath the rose window behind her desk, the woman looked toward Lanqi.
The moonlight cast a soft, hazy halo over her pale cheeks.
"Professor Landry, I should have spoken with you much sooner, but as you know, I was far too busy recently and couldn't even return to Brierda."
Violet rose slowly, smiling at Lanqi as he entered, and gestured for him to sit on the sofa.
In the blink of an eye, she seemed to have collected herself, treating the recent quarrel as mere smoke on the wind.
Having returned to her office after the festival, Violet had already shed the light garments worn for the sacred dance and donned a form-fitting, elegant dark ceremonial gown. Her long, dark navy hair cascaded like a waterfall, looking strikingly reminiscent of Landry's sister, Elsa.
"It is I who am encroaching on Your Grace's time," Lanqi said, bowing his head in greeting.
Secretary Naila did not enter; she waited outside and pulled the heavy door shut behind them.
Compared to Lanqi, Cat Talia in his arms was far more tense.
This was her first time acting as a cat, and having no idea whether her imitation was convincing, she could only try her best to stay silent and refrain from fidgeting in his embrace.
Even so, Talia could clearly sense that beyond her noble status, Violet, the Sixth War God of the Aquamarine Seat, stood at the absolute pinnacle of imperial strength. In the terms of their Demon Realm, she was on par with a general; even Yabo admitted he could not defeat Violet.
"Julius must have startled you and Naila just now," Violet said frankly, seeing how calm the professor appeared.
Before a sharp mind like Professor Landry, there was no need to pretend nothing had happened.
She had been slightly concerned that Julius might snap at Naila, whose stubborn temperament would never allow her to look kindly on Julius after hearing him pick a fight.
"We were fine. Lord Julius walked past very quickly," Lanqi answered, carrying the cat over to sit on the sofa.
"That's good. *Sigh,* that is just Julius's temper. The two of us are actually quite close under normal circumstances, which is why he speaks to me that way."
Violet exhaled softly and activated the sound-dampening barrier ornament on her desk.
She appeared to have regained her composure.
Even so, hearing such venom from her colleague Julius left a trace of sorrow in her eyes.
"Don't take it to heart. Disagreements among friends are common," Lanqi offered encouragingly from across the table.
Violet picked up a pastry box specially prepared by Saint Creti Monastery for the Moon God Festival and walked toward the opposite side of the sofa. Her slender fingers lightly brushed the velvet backrest before she took her seat across from Professor Landry.
The sofa was soft and delicate to the touch, feeling like sinking into a fluffy cloud. The upholstery was made of premium silk, diffusing a faint scent of gardenia that subtly lifted the melancholy from the air.
"At any rate, once Julius cools down, I will go talk to him again."
Violet opened the pastry box, set it on the tea table, and looked at the large grey cat in the professor's arms.
"What an adorable cat. I heard you kept a tier-five black cat that protected Elsa, but I didn't expect you to have a large grey one as well. It seems you're even fonder of this one, bringing her along even to the Moon God Festival."
She examined the cat as she spoke.
The large grey cat in the professor's arms was plump and well-nourished, covered in long, fluffy, soft fur. The professor's fingers sank deeply into the coat, looking as though he were stroking a pliable bar of cotton candy.
At the moment, she appeared somewhat rigid and nervous, curling slightly in Lanqi's embrace, her golden eyes displaying a wary aloofness toward strangers.
"My apologies, Headmaster. Unlike Little Black Bread, she doesn't let other people touch her. If this were Little Black Bread, I would have handed her straight to you."
Lanqi easily recognized Violet's fondness for the cat; she had even specifically brought out pastries suitable for both humans and felines.
"It's fine. I can tell. She's very attached to you—almost as if she views you as a lover,"
Violet joked lightly, leaning back against the sofa.
The grey cat in Lanqi's arms squirmed slightly. Violet's remark seemed to make her instinctively recoil from clinging so close to him, wanting to pull away. Yet acting too much like a self-conscious woman would only lend credence to Violet's teasing, leaving her no choice but to force herself to endure Lanqi's embrace.
"May I feed her?"
Lanqi shifted his gaze to the pastry box on the coffee table. Violet had already lifted the lid, revealing several fresh treats. The cheese egg-yolk crisps were shaped into flawless full moons, their surfaces sprinkled with fine white sesame seeds that gleamed warmly under the candlelight.
"Of course. Take a couple of boxes back with you later. I have plenty here and hardly any time to eat them,"
Violet agreed, gesturing toward her desk.
Several more tin gift boxes were stacked upon it.
"It seems you've been extraordinarily busy today as well, Headmaster, only to be berated by a colleague on top of it. Try not to dwell on it. The empire is currently at a critical turning point; the more someone cares about the empire, the more impatient they become,"
Lanqi said with empathetic understanding.
"I'm used to it. Not everyone is as mild-tempered as Hyacinthus. If anything, the eccentric ones make up the majority among the War Gods."
Violet shook her head against the sofa cushion, observing the professor with keen interest.
Professor Landry was another person who was exceptionally pleasant to deal with—generous, mild-mannered, and thoughtful toward others.
If current rumors proved true and Professor Landry smoothly took charge of the Imperial New Energy Organizing Committee in the coming days, it would be a boon for Saint Creti Monastery as well, since Landry remained affiliated with them no matter what.
"So Lord Julius, whom you consider a friend despite his bad temper, has his own shining qualities?" Lanqi asked Violet.
He took a pastry from the box, broke off a small piece, and pinched it between his thumb and index finger, bringing it to the grey cat's mouth.
A subtle aroma of cheese and sweet roasted beef bits wafted through the air, blending with the rich floral fragrance in the room to weave an invisible net of temptation.
The grey cat's nose twitched. She understood that Lanqi's casual chatter about the imperial War Gods was a rare opportunity to gather intelligence on them, and Violet's present state of mind after a heated argument was poorly suited for urgent, serious business anyway; starting with light conversation was far wiser.
Yet Lanqi showed no apparent intention of digging for secrets at all. He was simply chatting, effortlessly and sincerely.
"You seem to possess an eye for the unconventional... But what you said is true. Julius is riddled with flaws, but he is fiercely loyal and remarkably gifted; he only looks like a brute. Back when he was at the Imperial Academy of Mechanics, he even surpassed the records set by his senior, Jasper, Fourth War God of the Jasper Seat, in several subjects. He actually has a brilliant mind, you know?"
Violet let out a soft laugh at Lanqi's observation.
Jasper, Fourth War God of the Jasper Seat, who had graduated several cohorts ahead of Julius, was already a mechanical prodigy the likes of which the empire rarely saw in decades. People had assumed many of her records would remain unbroken for a long time, only for Julius to emerge a few years later as a rising star in another branch, eventually becoming a War God of this generation as well.
The large grey cat in Lanqi's hands showed a hint of resistance, feeling bewildered by this sudden feeding.
She turned her head slightly aside, a faint whine slipping from her throat as she hesitated over whether to accept the offering.
"To master imperial mechanics to that degree is truly impressive," Lanqi remarked in surprise.
Only after studying under Professor Borao had he realized how brutally difficult the 'Mechanics' field was; he certainly couldn't master it.
"Are you not adept at it? You're an expert in magical engineering, after all."
"Knowledge has its precedence, and arts have their specialization. Mechanical engineering happens to be my weak point; my primary focus is energy. I could never accomplish anything entirely on my own; I require everyone's help."
While conversing with Violet, Lanqi did not pull his hand back, patiently waiting for the grey cat to accept the pastry.
His free hand stroked the cat's spine rhythmically, his palm transmitting a reassuring warmth.
"No wonder Duke Dex thinks so highly of you. Is that truly how you view your own achievements?"
"Achievements have no inherent meaning in themselves; what matters is what they can offer to future generations."
Under Lanqi's caresses, the grey cat's tense body gradually loosened. Her breathing steadied, and her golden eyes narrowed into slits as the lingering aroma of the pastry continued to tickle her nose.
She sensed Violet glancing her way every now and then, curious as to why this cat wasn't eating.
Drawing more of Violet's attention would not be wise.
At last, she gingerly extended her pink tongue, tentatively licking the crumb at Lanqi's fingertips. The savory roasted meat and cheese burst over her palate, offering the large grey cat a long-sought comfort. Craving more, she took the entire morsel into her mouth, chewing softly.
*Since I'm already pretending to be a cat, I might as well convince myself that I really am one and stop overthinking!* Talia told herself.
"Hearing you say that makes me see Julius's good side again, and I don't feel like staying mad at him anymore. But on second thought, it feels like those recent campus rumors might hold some truth after all. Professor Landry, you truly excel at managing interpersonal relations and public rapport," Violet commended.
She had wondered earlier whether the cat disliked the treat, but it seemed the creature was quite fond of it.
"Please don't flatter me, Headmaster Violet."
Lanqi shook his head repeatedly.
The scandalous rumors he had heard today were utterly absurd, evolving at a speed beyond imagination, though they ought to have reached their peak by now.
He continued habitually feeding the cat in his arms, gently stroking her plush coat. His fingertips smoothly combed through the fur on her neck, back, and belly, eliciting soft, contented purrs from the cat.
"When all is said and done, it's your good nature, Headmaster. It seems these spats are hardly a first," Lanqi noted to Violet.
Hearing Violet speak of the Tenth War God, Julius, gave off the distinct impression of a mother coaxing her son.
"Professor Landry, are you harboring disrespectful thoughts right now?" Violet asked, fixing her gaze on Landry as though reading his mind.
Yet she took no real offense, merely thinking that this man was not entirely an innocent, docile gentleman; sometimes his thoughts bordered on both infuriating and amusing.
"Not at all. I was simply thinking that members of the Wolf Clan truly possess wonderful temperaments. Thank you for looking after my sister Elsa all this time; she is a kind child as well."
Lanqi genuinely thought so from the bottom of his heart, and so he spoke it aloud.
"Is that so? You have a knack for dishing out compliments without one noticing. Still, I do sense you possess a peculiar affinity that makes it impossible to dislike you. Small animals, in particular, approach you without the slightest guard. Perhaps it's because you believe in the sanctity of all living things and harbor no intention of harming them. And since they rely on instinct far more than humans do, they willingly let down their guard and accept you as a friend."
Violet murmured to herself, her eyes resting on the beautifully coated grey cat in the professor's embrace.
The large grey cat had completely cast aside her reserve, immersing herself wholeheartedly in this long-missed pampering and letting out comfortable, contented sounds.
Under the young man's mindless petting, the grey cat felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation and fulfillment.
Emptying her mind, the cat closed her eyes and shifted her posture, sprawling lazily across his lap and nudging her head into his palm so his hand could easily reach the spots that brought her the greatest bliss.
She looked entirely different from the creature that had first walked through the door.
Chapter 833