Lanqi's Bond with the Wolf Clan

"Meow, meow." The large grey cat pawed persistently at Lanqi's hands, urging him not to stop feeding her. "All right, all right, don't rush," Lanqi soothed, playing with her with one hand while reaching with the other toward the pastry gift box on the tea table, which was nearly empty. "She seems to really like those pastries. I'll have Secretary Naila send a few more boxes back with you later," Violet remarked, watching the grey cat in Lanqi's arms with great interest. The distance between the two of them had narrowed considerably compared to when they first met. Naila often reported to her on Professor Landry's teaching at the monastery. Having learned of Professor Landry's conduct and his sincere, wholehearted dedication to his students, it was difficult for Violet not to admire him. "Meow?" Cat Talia suddenly snapped to awareness, startled by a sudden realization. Why had she genuinely turned into a cat and started playing with Lanqi? Worse, she had gotten so lost in it that she nearly dozed off in pure bliss just moments ago! Yet things had already reached this point. If she suddenly snapped out of it now, it would only be mortifying. She might as well keep playing dumb. Thus, the large grey cat forced herself to swallow her guilty conscience, continuing to act cute and pampered while accepting Lanqi's hand-feeding. "All right, my mood is back in order. It's about time we talk business." Watching the large grey cat had proved quite therapeutic for Violet as well. "Professor Landry, you must have something quite important in mind coming to see me today. Have you run into some trouble?" she asked him. Warm candlelight intertwined with the cool moonlight, creating an atmosphere half real, half illusory. The sweet fragrance wafting through the air grew richer, intoxicating the cat with a hazy drowsiness and a sense of physical and mental pleasure. Lifting his head, Lanqi's gaze traversed the flickering interplay of light to meet Headmaster Violet's eyes. "Before that, I have one last question. I'm very curious why you and Mr. Julius were arguing earlier," Lanqi asked directly, seeking information from Violet. He had not expected such a deep rift between the War Gods. This indicated that between the Sixth War God, Violet of the Aquamarine Seat, and the Tenth War God, Julius of the Rubellite Seat, at least one was definitely not mind-controlled; otherwise, they wouldn't have engaged in such an open clash. According to what the Snow Witch had shared regarding the secret lore of high-tier divine arts and the legends of the Moon Goddess and the Wolf Witches, the Sixth War God, Violet of the Aquamarine Seat, should be immune to vampire control. That was also why the vampires sought to exterminate the Wolf Clan during the Blood Moon Ruined World era—the Wolf Clan always posed an existential threat to vampire survival. "Don't pry. I won't tell you." Violet didn't mince words and gave a straightforward refusal. Matters concerning internal affairs among the War Gods went beyond personal business. There was no way she would disclose such things to Landry. "Do you two argue often, then?" Lanqi asked again. From Violet's response, one could already tell that the clash wasn't a petty personal squabble, but rather a difference of opinion on a major matter. However, this indirectly supported the conclusion that the probability of the Tenth War God, Julius, being controlled by the vampires was very low. If he were a War God under Rasheal's mental control, he should have acted with quiet restraint like the Ninth War God, Marquis Ryan, ensuring he remained undetected by the uncontrolled War Gods—rather than storming over to pick a fight with an acquaintance like Violet and arousing her suspicion. Furthermore, according to the background information once explained by Barton, the mafia boss, the Third War God, Gyath of Sardonyx, the Seventh War God, Philip of Bloodstone, and the Tenth War God, Julius of Rubellite, were already three prominent hawks. The vampires didn't need to waste energy or take risks trying to control them; they would naturally support going to war anyway. "Let me think... Every time Hyacinthus and I talk about official duties, Julius gets inexplicably bad-tempered. Even though he can't beat Hyacinthus, he constantly challenges him to duels, giving Hyacinthus quite a headache." Violet didn't know why she was sharing this with Professor Landry either. Perhaps it was because the conversation had drifted that way, or perhaps because Landry felt like a therapist—students often said that talking to Professor Landry easily untangled whatever was troubling one's heart. "..." Lanqi paused his hand with the pastry for a moment and pondered. Originally, he had wanted to find out whether the Tenth War God, Julius, had shown any unusual behavior lately, hoping to deduce the likely cause of his conflict with Violet based on rumors and intelligence gathered in the empire. Now, it seemed a complex matter had turned out to be remarkably simple. Talia froze as well. She raised her cat head, looking at Lanqi, who had paused feeding her, and then at Violet, who had recounted those interpersonal dynamics with an entirely calm expression. As a master of romance, Talia understood completely. The more one loved, the more one hated; the more one hated, the more one loved. There was no way Julius didn't harbor feelings for Violet. Unfortunately, the Sixth War God, Violet, was surprisingly oblivious when it came to romance. Whether toward the Tenth War God, Julius, whose romantic feelings were quite obvious, or toward the First War God, Hyacinthus, whose intentions were subtle, she treated them entirely as friends and colleagues. "And how do you view Hyacinthus?" Lanqi recovered, bringing the pastry back to the grey cat's mouth as he asked Violet. "Hyacinthus... He is my best friend, more trustworthy than anyone else. Ever since we were children, he was determined to become a guide for the common people, so that tragedies like Bloodbath Day would never happen in the empire again." Violet's gaze seemed to look back across many years. The moment she laid eyes on that indigo-haired youth in the orphanage, she had known he was extraordinary. Growing up only slightly weaker than Hyacinthus, Violet had assumed she was merely average. Only later, when comparing herself to others, did Violet realize how powerful she truly was. Hyacinthus's talent had simply been so monstrous that it led Violet to mistakenly believe that being weaker than him meant being weaker than everyone else. "I see. I met Mr. Hyacinthus this afternoon as well. Thanks to him, I managed to get out of a tight spot. Before meeting him, I never would have imagined the First War God to be such a gentle, genial young man, with even a touch of recklessness to him. Of course, I don't mean to offend him; I just found it quite fascinating," Lanqi said while stroking the cat. Just as Violet had said, and consistent with the information Lanqi had gathered from various sources, Hyacinthus was now virtually the beacon of hope for the populist faction, and simultaneously a thorn in the side of many veteran imperial nobles. To Emperor Saint Baldo, Hyacinthus was a sharp sword used to keep those nobles in check. Yet Hyacinthus's own kind and gentle nature made it difficult for conflicts to escalate to a boiling point, which usually resulted in an outcome most favorable to Emperor Saint Baldo. Even so, Emperor Saint Baldo remained suspicious of the First War God, placing far more trust in Duke Dex as his confidant and exploiting Hyacinthus's temperament. Many people felt an injustice on Hyacinthus's behalf, yet none dared voice it aloud lest it reach the ears of His Majesty Saint Baldo. "He's always been that slightly eccentric sort, but by that same token, he's very easy to be friends with. In all these years, I've never seen him lose his temper or act on impulse, let alone do something so utterly devoid of grace as berating a woman," Violet remarked with a light chuckle and a hint of mockery. Lanqi could tell that Violet's sarcastic barb was not aimed at Hyacinthus at all; without naming Julius once, every single word took a subtle jab at him. Evidently, she still held a grudge and had not entirely forgiven Julius for coming to pick a fight earlier. "Secretary Naila mentioned that you and the First War God, Hyacinthus, have known each other for nearly twenty years, so you must know him very well indeed," Lanqi nodded in understanding. Not much intelligence regarding the War Gods' official business could be gleaned from Violet. Her speech was airtight, drawing a firm line between public duty and private matters. At most, one could only glean anecdotes about the other War Gods she was familiar with. "Hyacinthus and I met at the orphanage shortly after Bloodbath Day. I don't want the empire's tragedy to ever happen again." Violet's eyes mirrored a quiet sorrow, expressing her deep aversion to the bloodbath riot that had occurred on National Day twenty years ago. The riot that day had claimed the lives of not only many nobles, but even more commoners who perished in the clashes, slain on the spot or killed in skirmishes with the private guards of noble estates. Consequently, it had created many orphans. Hyacinthus, who came from commoner stock, lost his parents that day and only survived by fleeing to the orphanage at the Moon God Monastery. "..." Lanqi remained silent. Violet had clearly lived through Bloodbath Day herself, though having entered the Holy Sanctuary Church early on, she had been granted far more protection. "Still, it doesn't matter now. Twenty years have passed, and times have changed. The new National Day Festival is almost upon us. There won't be turmoil like there was twenty years ago. Even if Creti today cannot be called ideal, it won't be as volatile and cruel as it was back then. The lessons and changes bought with bloodshed have brought the standing of commoners and nobility much closer to equality." Violet shook her head, bringing the subject to a close. Then she looked toward Professor Landry, waiting for him to speak. Today, it was Professor Landry who had requested to meet her in private. The office fell into a brief silence, broken only by the faint sound of Lanqi gently rubbing the cat's back. "Have you noticed... that any of the War Gods have changed recently?" he finally asked after a moment of silence. Probing Violet so deeply carried immense risk. Even if Violet was practically immune to vampire mind-control, she was still a War God of the Creti Empire camp. Yet after conversing with Violet, Lanqi still felt he needed to attempt communication with her. Even if he couldn't recruit Violet to their side, he had to secure as much of her assistance as possible—or at least prevent her from becoming an enemy. The activities of the Decay branch in Brillda troubled both Lanqi and Toliado. If the Decay Cardinal were to reinforce Blood Moon City during the National Day Festival, it would place immense pressure on their side. "Why are you, too—" Hearing this, Violet's lips parted slightly. She broke off halfway through her astonished reply and sank into deep thought. "Me, too?" Lanqi observed Violet's expression. It seemed someone else had raised a similar question to her before Lanqi asked today. "Did Princess Alexia ask you this question?" Lanqi pressed. "No. But you can treat it as though she did." Violet stared at Lanqi, her eyes studying him as if taking his measure. Lanqi stroked the cat, saying nothing. Talia made no movement, which meant Violet wasn't lying. Deducing carefully under the premise that Violet's words were true, her meaning could be interpreted as: perhaps someone else who knew the truth had spoken to Violet, and Violet knew that person was connected to Imperial Princess Alexia. Someone who was both aware of the changes among the War Gods and connected to Imperial Princess Alexia was almost certainly a member of the Silver Moon Restoration Society. And since that person dared approach Violet, they clearly intended to recruit her, very likely having revealed their identity as a member of the Silver Moon Restoration Society. Violet hadn't stated it outright; by virtue of her position, she couldn't, lest she leave behind evidence of harboring a member of the Silver Moon Restoration Society. "Are you a member of the Silver Moon Restoration Society? Or perhaps, when you previously told me to hand over any members of the Silver Moon Restoration Society I found to you, you actually wanted to protect them?" Lanqi dispensed with beating around the bush and asked Violet directly. Thinking back to his conversation when he first met Violet, she had emphasized that if he found any Silver Moon Restoration Society members, he must hand them over to her. Now, according to Kestrel Nikolai's logic, that might not have been out of deep hatred for the society, but rather a method of protection. If Violet was an ally, many problems would be resolved instantly. Currently, three people's identities remained unknown. According to the most prominent traits in the intelligence: Number 4 hadn't returned to Brillda a month ago; Number 8 fell silent and evasive whenever Professor Landry was mentioned; and Number 9 could obtain virtually any intelligence if paid. All three knew the Third Princess, Alexia. The member who had laid their cards on the table with Violet clearly trusted her immensely, willing to gamble their life in her hands. First of all, Violet could not be Number 4, "Blazing," because when Lanqi first arrived in Brillda a month ago, Violet had received him at Saint Creti Monastery. That left only Number 8 or Number 9 as possibilities. However... Violet quickly gave her answer. "I am not. But I won't deny that I would protect them." She did not refuse to answer Professor Landry's question. In a sense, by asking this far, Professor Landry had exposed far more information about himself. "So you're not..." Lanqi silently stroked the grey cat in his arms. Cat Talia didn't move at all, which meant Violet was still telling the truth. Then where on earth were Numbers 4, 8, and 9? The feeling of missing a discovery he had thought was within reach left him slightly disappointed. The only silver lining was that he hadn't lost his gamble either; Violet was well-disposed toward them, leaving room for negotiation. "Then, Professor Landry, are you a member of the Silver Moon Restoration Society? Do you also possess a Divine-grade communication magic card?" Violet asked Lanqi at an unhurried pace. Having let the professor ask so many questions, it was time for her to ask a few of her own. "That's difficult for me to answer, but you're welcome to guess," Lanqi replied using typical leadership evasion tactics. "I see," Violet understood immediately. Since he hadn't denied it, that was tantamount to an admission. "Then, who was the person you mentioned earlier who said something similar to you?" Lanqi asked again. "Naturally, I can't tell you, but you're welcome to deduce it," Violet smiled, answering with the exact same tactic. If Professor Landry wasn't truly a dependable member of the Silver Moon Restoration Society, then confirming information about that person being a member would only endanger Imperial Princess Alexia and her companions. Moreover, to Violet's knowledge, the foundational principle of the Silver Moon Restoration Society was an alliance based on mutual privacy. This safeguard ensured that even if a single member were compromised, it would not endanger all the others. "Ah, a leader is always a leader," Lanqi said helplessly. He could imagine that Alexia had once tried hard to win Violet over, but because Alexia and Violet didn't share years of deep acquaintance, she hadn't succeeded in bringing Violet into their alliance before she was mind-controlled herself. Forming alliances was a delicate matter requiring prolonged observation and testing; being too reckless and aggressive could easily doom every other comrade. Violet's current stance couldn't be described as complete trust in them either. She still maintained distance and made sure to draw clear boundaries; one could only say she wouldn't harm them. "Since you have approached me again and gone so far as to discuss these matters at great risk, has the situation grown critical? Or perhaps... you are about to make your move?" Violet was well aware through imperial intelligence channels that the Silver Moon Restoration Society had been lying low in Brillda recently. This meant they were either preparing to lie dormant for a period to weather the storm, or about to launch their final revolution. Landry's actions were enough to demonstrate that the latter was far more likely. "Headmaster Violet, since you are willing to protect the Silver Moon Restoration Society, could you please help us deal with the vampires? They are our ultimate target for elimination, and currently the greatest threat to the empire. As you must know, ancient legends say the vampires and the Wolf Clan have always been mortal enemies. All of this is grounded in fact. Sooner or later, they will come to eliminate you, a thorn in their side," Lanqi bowed sincerely and pleaded with Violet. At this stage, he would humble himself and fight tooth and nail for every scrap of probability that could increase their odds of victory. "Can you elaborate on what you know?" Violet did not agree, nor did she hasten to refuse; instead, she inquired. "The fundamental root of the turmoil in the Creti Empire is the vampires. Naturally, there may already be individuals within the Creti Empire whose ambitions have swelled out of proportion. By neutralizing the anti-war faction, the vampires actually played right into the hands of the pro-war faction, making it appear as though the Creti Empire possesses tremendous wartime cohesion... If my prediction is correct, the vampires are plotting in their overt and covert struggles to eliminate the pro-war elements they cannot control, while the pro-war faction will sooner or later find a way to purge the vampires," Lanqi pondered and explained to Violet. The awakening of Duke Rasheal, the Third Progenitor, deep beneath the Creti Empire was the underlying driving force behind all of this. Although Duke Rasheal's authority, [Blood Mind Control], was difficult to employ in direct combat, strategically it was the most troublesome vampire authority. The heavier the enemy's negative emotions, the easier it was for Duke Rasheal to locate a psychological flaw and execute mental control and compulsory domination. "..." Listening to Lanqi's words, Violet fell silent, lightly tapping the armrest of her sofa as she sank into deduction and contemplation. The Creti Empire possessed enough power to contend against the entire United Council of Kingdoms. Yet as a massive behemoth, its internal voices had never been unified; even regarding war, not all the War Gods had agreed. This time, almost all the War Gods had committed to participating in the war, leaving even the United Council of Kingdoms baffled as to how the Creti Empire had managed to bring the War Gods to a consensus. If a Tier 9 super-ancient vampire had intervened, wielding an authority comparable to a Tier 9 Epic spell in the divine realm, then everything lined up. "Professor Landry... how did you come to know all this?" Knowing full well that Landry might not reveal such secrets, Violet couldn't help asking anyway. Even the members on Imperial Princess Alexia's side didn't possess intelligence this detailed and complete, let alone any evidence to substantiate such vague speculations. Perhaps Landry was the one who truly fit the role of a prophet within the Silver Moon Restoration Society. "I don't fully understand the mechanism myself. But after traveling so far, I can roughly confirm that this was an epiphany granted to me by the Goddess of Fate. Perhaps She believed that I once swore a binding vow with Her, and thus She broke the rules to intervene in my destiny, allowing me to witness things no mortal should see." Lanqi's gaze seemed to look back to the end of the Blood Moon Ruined World era eons ago. He didn't know what Lord Black Sun's ultimate fate had been. Perhaps after Lord Black Sun met Tamisha, they went through a tumultuous journey. Normally, Lanqi would never casually divulge such secret intelligence, avoiding alerting the enemy or exposing his own existence. But now, with the decisive battle against the vampires looming before them, Violet was the last external aid he believed he could recruit. Thus, he had to tell this Wolf Witch as much as possible. "I believe you." Violet believed the Goddess of Fate was capable of such a feat. When she had been approached previously, she was already somewhat inclined toward the Silver Moon Restoration Society, lacking only a convincing reason and more detailed context. More importantly, she was won over by Landry's sincerity as an individual, and his fearless determination to seek her out at a time like this, which bore not a shred of falsehood. The conviction he carried had long surpassed personal interest; it concerned a supreme calling. And the divine intervention described by Professor Landry sounded very much like a highest-order foresight coupled with a mental phantasm, bestowed upon him in a manner his mind could accept without causing brain damage. As long as there was a medium, it was entirely within the Goddess of Fate's power. If someone had entered the Temple of the Goddess of Fate and touched Her statue, all the conditions would be met. Every detail described by Professor Landry matched up, and as the High Priestess of the Moon Goddess, Violet understood the divine natures and authorities of every deity better than anyone. "In truth, from our perspective, the vampires were more like a hypothetical enemy... but recently, more and more signs indicate that what you've said is true," Violet spoke with a graver tone, then looked up at Lanqi once more. "So how can I help you? Under the premise that it does not violate my codes as High Priestess and War God. Nor do I wish to learn too much information about your group; that wouldn't be safe for you," she asked Lanqi. As the Sixth War God, serving strictly as external reinforcement was best for both sides. After all, their ultimate stances might still differ. "If you ever see vampires attempting to flee and throw Brillda City into chaos, please help intercept them and eradicate them at all costs. Even if it means fighting other War Gods, you must eliminate them," Lanqi made his request to Violet once more. For external reinforcement outside the Silver Moon Restoration Society alliance like Violet, giving such a commitment was more than enough. In any case, on National Day, all War Gods were required to participate in the divine blessing ritual, remaining immobilized for two whole hours. All War Gods participating normally in the blessing was also the optimal premise for Lanqi and his allies. That way, they could guarantee that no War Gods controlled by Rasheal would launch a surprise assault while they breached Blood Moon City. There was no need to take one risk by asking Violet to abandon her post, and invite another risk that might cause even more War Gods to fail to complete the blessing normally. "Agreed. Rest assured, I won't speak a word of what we discussed today to any other War God," Violet agreed crisply and decisively. Assuming Professor Landry's intelligence was true, every other War God could potentially be compromised. "Thank you, Miss Violet," Lanqi expressed his gratitude, holding the cat. She had spoken the truth from start to finish. Not only was it her sincerity, but it was also proof of her upright character, which instead made Lanqi feel a twinge of guilt for holding Cat Talia to test her this entire time. "Sigh, if it comes down to you eradicating the vampires, who knows who should be thanking whom? Protecting the empire was supposed to be the duty of our Twelve War Gods throughout the generations," Violet sighed with a chuckle. She formally rose to her feet and extended her hand toward Landry. "..." Lanqi looked at Violet's open palm. Instead of shaking it, he touched his fist lightly against her palm. "You know the etiquette of the Wolf Clan?" Violet blinked her eyes in surprise. She had assumed Landry would shake her hand in the conventional manner. In truth, the Wolf Clan preferred fist bumps as a sign of alliance. Even she had only read about it in the ancient records of the Moon Temple; modern people had no way of knowing it, nor had she ever had an opportunity to try it herself. "I have other Wolf Clan friends," Lanqi smiled. "No wonder. Once everything is over, you must introduce me. In all my life, I've never met another atavistic kinsman besides Elsa." After a momentary daze, Violet beamed with a bright smile and tentatively extended her clenched fist toward Lanqi. Someone who could befriend the Wolf Clan was definitely not a bad person. The Wolf Clan always trusted their instincts. "No problem. It's a deal," Lanqi bumped fists with Violet in a solemn pledge.