A Wonderful Day for Lanqi and Hyperion

Beyond the staged scene, beneath the theater's starry dome. "..." Antanas gazed at the curtain, the dimming lights and shadows of the stage playing across her face. Through the surround-sound system, the heartbeat of the demon governor and the voice of the half-demon lady echoed across the hall. Antanas had not whispered a word to Sinora beside her since the final act began. Thoroughly absorbed in the story, as if cut off from the rest of the world, she kept her eyes fixed on the two demon figures. She understood that in this farewell, what frightened the governor was neither death nor living on, but a parting that offered no hope of reunion. Suddenly, as if awakening her, the theater's lighting stirred Antanas from her reverie. Magnificent beams of light showered down like stars, illuminating the entire hall of music and dressing it in the guise of a dreamlike universe. Towering dozens of meters overhead within the opera house, chandeliers kissed countless crystal pendants that refracted a dizzying shimmer. Soft yet radiant lattices of light spilled across the wine-red carpet, weaving a dazzling dreamscape. Looking out over the colossal, empty auditorium, Antanas leaned back against her seat and looked up, completely relaxed. She had almost forgotten that today was merely a rehearsal. Adapted into a somewhat "thrilling" fantasy opera, it was truly a sheep in wolf's clothing—curses and grim coldness, the dread of believing she was no longer his most cherished person, ultimately resolving into the conflict between illusion and reality. All the horror, suspense, and atmospheric buildup had served only to heighten the warmth of the ending. In the end, both lonely souls had found their answer. The music concluded with a serene, ethereal coda, its resonance lingering long after. The distant melody seemed to whisper, to pray, to gaze, to contemplate. Wounds might never truly heal, but the power of love would mend every scar. The final note drifted into the air and quietly dissolved, leaving an impression that echoed in the heart for a long time to come. With that, the curtain finally fell. "Alright, thank you for your hard work! Today's rehearsal went wonderfully. From here on, we only need to polish a few details." Abigail rose to her feet and applauded the actors on the stage, expressing her approval. As long as they maintained this form, she was confident that the opening night a month from now would be an absolute triumph. The stage crew all wore celebratory expressions of a job well done. Only Lanqi and Hyperion remained dazed, as if lost in a dream, unable to pull themselves back to reality. Seeing this, Abigail had no intention of disturbing them further. Every actor's experience was different, but many indeed remained immersed in their characters' emotions and psychological states for a short while after a performance. In the theater world, this was known as "difficulty breaking character." On one hand, deep immersion required intensely analyzing and experiencing the character's mindset throughout rehearsals and performances, and that emotional connection naturally persisted for some time. On the other hand, emotions and psychological states possessed momentum. Theatrical acting often involved powerful emotional expression, and the feelings and physical states stirred up during a performance would not vanish instantly. After two hours of wholehearted dedication, transitioning from living as a character back to everyday reality demanded a period of psychological readjustment and identity shifting. Furthermore, the performance itself was an intensely exhausting physical and mental endeavor. When the curtain fell, excitement and fatigue set in, affecting one's state of mind in the short term. Abigail stepped slowly onto the stage, walking up beside Lanqi and Hyperion. "You two worked hard today. Your performance was truly brilliant. Go get some rest." She gently pressed her hands against their shoulders, glancing toward Lanqi to indicate that they didn't need to worry about anything in the theater; she would handle the remaining work. "Then we'll see you tomorrow, Abigail," Lanqi said, gradually regaining his senses as he looked at her. He then fixed his gaze back onto Hyperion, as if reluctant to look away, or perhaps harboring a lingering fear that she might suddenly vanish. "Walk her home." Abigail patted Lanqi on the back, as though urging him to hurry along, or perhaps wishing for him to spend some time alone with Hyperion. Hyperion looked remarkably fragile at the moment. The theater and the stage were no longer suitable for them; they needed to leave this place. "Mm." Lanqi nodded, took Hyperion's hand, and led her down the stage. Hyperion was momentarily startled when Lanqi took the initiative to clasp her hand. Then, as if making up her mind, she gripped it tightly in return. Lanqi and Hyperion walked leisurely up the marble staircase carpeted in thick red velvet along the auditorium aisle. Together, they pushed open the heavy, intricately carved double doors, stepping out as though crossing into another realm of time and space. Having left the main hall, they strode briskly down the opera house's interior corridors—hurried, yet without losing their decorum. Passing through the grand entrance, they finally emerged outside the building, greeted by the clear, bright city. They stood along the riverside park's stone pathway beside the grand bridge near the opera house. This was one of the northern exits of the Ikerite Opera House. "Lanqi..." Hyperion murmured his name softly, looking at the afternoon sky above Ikerite. The rehearsal had started in the afternoon, and by the time they finished, it was already approaching five o'clock. "Hyperion, I'll always be here," Lanqi told her with certainty. "I know. No matter what kind of trouble I run into, you always show up right away. Honestly, after meeting you in this lifetime, I don't know what else I could possibly pursue..." Hyperion lowered her gaze, recalling several turning points in her life. She used to think the greatest turning point had been the time the sky collapsed after her father's disappearance, never realizing that the moment that truly changed her life had been the day she met Lanqi at Ikerite Academy. Sometimes, what seemed like an ordinary day might actually turn out to be the best day of one's life. And later, she discovered... There might be an even better day still. "I don't know when it happened, but my prayer to the Goddess of Fate changed to asking that you stay by my side forever," she said, looking up at Lanqi and speaking candidly. Right now, both of them were still deeply affected by the emotions stirred up on stage. "I think my understanding of Lancrosse might have grown deeper now," Lanqi said, lingering sorrow still visible in his eyes. Whenever Lancrosse looked up at the stars above Purgatory City, what was he truly thinking? Even if those shooting stars granted him ten thousand wishes, he would likely only have wished for the demon maiden to stay by his side. "Your eyes look more like those of a young man now, rather than a benevolent saint." Hyperion reached out, wanting to touch Lanqi's cheek and see those emerald-green eyes more clearly. Lanqi's joy and sorrow had never been for himself in the beginning. More often, he was moved by seeing the happiness and suffering of others. He never experienced emotions purely for his own sake. Somewhere along their long journey, he had learned joy and begun to consider his own happiness, yet he still hadn't learned sorrow; he had never felt fear or despair truly from the depths of his own heart. "Do you think I've grown weaker like this?" Lanqi asked her. His heart now had a vulnerability, and perhaps he wouldn't be quite as strong as before. After all, everyone knew a large part of his strength had come from possessing a heart that was scarcely human. "Lancrosse's journey was one of being tempered into steel, slowly shedding his humanity to become divine, ending the suffering of a corrupted world. But your journey is one of searching for your heart through love, reclaiming your humanity." Hyperion's clear eyes curved with an endless, gentle tenderness. Lanqi said nothing. He simply raised his hand, resting it against the hand Hyperion had placed on his cheek. The starlight from thousands of miles away was now right beside him. Not only could he look into her eyes, but he could even reach out and touch her. The two lingered in silent stillness for a moment. Eventually, Lanqi led her onto the grand bridge crossing over to the northern bank of the Yala Moat. "My home is..." Hyperion had originally intended to tell Lanqi that her home was in the southern part of Ikerite, while Boss Cat Restaurant and Ikerite Academy were also south of the opera house, meaning they should be heading south. But on second thought, she swallowed her words. This afternoon was very leisurely, and they could take a longer walk. She wanted to spend a little more time with him, even if only for a while. "Lanqi, could you take me to the temple of the Church of the Goddess of Fate first?" Hyperion asked. Paladin Commander Florence of the Church of the Goddess of Fate had wanted to meet with her to talk in detail. Hyperion had originally planned to visit Florence at the temple on her own after today's rehearsal. Conveniently, the temple of the Church of the Goddess of Fate sat on the northern bank of the Yala Moat, not far from the opera house, making it an easy walk. "Sure. But isn't your mentor Almis sitting in the auditorium at the opera house today? Do you still need to go to the temple?" Lanqi glanced in the direction of the temple, mentally plotting a route as he asked Hyperion. He knew that ever since returning to Ikerite, Hyperion had been determined to continue serving as a cleric. Once she finished her completion procedures at Ikerite Academy, her career path would likely lead her straight into the Church of the Goddess of Fate. "No, no, it's Miss Florence who asked for me," Hyperion explained. As the Paladin Commander who had taken over Loren's duties at the Church of the Goddess of Fate in Ikerite for quite some time, Florence was frequently at the temple nowadays. Hyperion ran into her often, and because they kept in close contact, they had developed a very warm relationship. "Miss Florence, huh? It's been quite a while since I last saw her. The last few formal meetings were when she asked me to make [Metamorphosis: Human] so she could disguise herself as a young man, and when she asked for advice in the student council room." Lanqi recalled the council president's elder sister—a remarkably kind and friendly member of the clergy. They strolled through a wooded path in a park square. The view opened up once more. In the afternoon sky dotted with sparse clouds, flocks of birds flew in the distance. This area was far removed from the crowded commercial district across the river. A gentle breeze brushed against their cheeks, prompting them to narrow their eyes in pleasant comfort. A winter afternoon in Ikerite was as agreeable as spring. The bustling chatter of the crowd, the melodies of street musicians, and distant laughter and songs all drifted over. Vibrant citizens bustled to and fro along the avenue outside the plaza. Magnificent complexes of grand architecture rose all around, interspersed with ancient statues honoring legendary deities. The statues of the Goddess of Fate seemed to watch over them. This was an area Hyperion frequently passed whenever she visited the Church of the Goddess of Fate, but she couldn't understand why Lanqi—who rarely visited the church—was so familiar with the route from the opera house to the temple. The hands of the clock tower beside the temple plaza had just passed four o'clock. The Church of the Goddess of Fate in Ikerite was located at the far end of this plaza. The grand doors of the temple stood half-open, the carved pillars entwined with ivy, serving as silent witnesses to history guarding this sacred sanctuary. "Lately, the amount of work I've been doing for Professor Polao has been piling up. Originally, those tasks belonged to Dean Loren, and Dean Loren happens to be a high cleric of the Church of the Goddess of Fate. So, in a sense, wouldn't that mean I'm working for the Church of the Goddess of Fate?" Lanqi chatted casually with Hyperion. "I suppose so. I grant you my approval." Hyperion would normally have dismissed such logic, but since it was Lanqi, she indulged him. Climbing the tiers of stone steps, the ethereal sanctuary forged by a thousand years of faith appeared before their eyes. Their footsteps echoed as they crossed the threshold of the grand hall. When the warm natural light poured through the window lattices onto the white bas-reliefs, the depictions of various deities seemed to shimmer, giving them the illusion that the gods were enacting ancient legends. "Are you truly on vacation, though...?" Hyperion always felt that this man simply couldn't sit still. It wasn't that he actively sought out tasks to overwhelm himself—he genuinely wished to laze around and do nothing. It was simply that he was too earnest; whenever someone asked him for help, he took it to heart as long as it was within his power. She knew very well that the duties Lanqi was handling belonged to the School of Sages. Ever since Dean Loren became unable to return, those responsibilities had fallen on Professor Polao, Dean of the School of Magic Engineering. Professor Polao had now passed them along to Lanqi, which was essentially returning them to the School of Sages. "When I can calm my mind, appreciate a roadside blossom, and wonder what kind of flower it is, that's when I consider myself on vacation," Lanqi stated, giving his definition of the boundary between vacation and work. It wasn't defined merely by busyness or workload, but by the inner experience of leisure. "That actually makes a lot of sense," Hyperion agreed, nodding once more. They traversed the solemn, quiet depths of the temple. Pure white stone pillars rose majestically throughout the grand hall, and the farther in they walked, the clearer the sound of their footsteps became. Arriving before the massive door of the temple's confidential affairs office, Hyperion lightly tapped on the doorframe, which was formed from interlocking pure white jade and deep gray stone. "Miss Florence, it's Hyperion. May we come in?" "Please come in, please come in!" Accompanied by the thud of a book falling to the floor, or perhaps an accidental collapse of a stack of documents on a desk, Florence's eager and expectant voice sounded from within. Lanqi and Hyperion each took one side and pushed open the heavy stone doors. Before them lay an office with a towering, cathedral-like ceiling, its white brick wall alcoves lined with the scriptures and records of the Church of the Goddess of Fate. In the meeting area at the center of the hall, a young man sat quietly behind a desk. Florence looked slightly surprised to see Lanqi accompanying her today, but her surprise quickly turned into a delighted welcome. "Lanqi, hello!" Florence smiled and waved at Lanqi and Hyperion, revealing her dimples. "Come, please have a seat." She stood up and gestured for Lanqi and Hyperion to sit on the sofa in the lounge area. Once Lanqi and Hyperion closed the door behind them, she simply dispelled her disguise and reverted to her true appearance. She appeared only slightly more mature than a student of Ikerite Academy, exuding a gentle, harmless aura from head to toe. Her features were delicate, her skin radiant and supple, and her bright crimson lips were her most striking feature—looking entirely natural rather than painted with cosmetics. Most importantly, she shared the same pear-wood hair color as the student council president. This gave both Lanqi and Hyperion a strong sense of familiarity. "Miss Florence, it truly has been a long time," Lanqi greeted her as he and Hyperion sat down. During their time in the student council, both of them had received plenty of care from the president. After their "Royal Capital Bully Trio" resolved various incidents, the president had always helped handle the aftermath, ensuring everything landed smoothly. "The concealment metamorphosis spell you crafted for me has been so useful. It's been an enormous help—you truly live up to the name of a Platinum-rank card maker!" Florence praised him sincerely, without the slightest hint of flattery. "You flatter me. On my own, I'm probably the weakest Platinum-rank card maker around, haha," Lanqi replied with a laugh. He had heard from Hyperion about the state Florence had been in when she learned that Loren had supposedly fallen under the siege of the Three War Gods. Now, however, there was no trace of the grief that had once left her washing her face in tears. Her face was radiant with life again, which put his mind at ease. "Miss Florence, what did you want to see me about today?" Hyperion asked. "Should I step outside for a bit?" Lanqi immediately asked the two of them. "No, not at all!" Florence waved her hands repeatedly. It wasn't some grand church secret, and Lanqi was already in the know anyway. "You probably already know, but about a month from now, Loren will be returning to the Hutton Kingdom. He might pass through Ikerite for a day or two..." Florence explained in a low voice, anxiously fidgeting with her fingers. Originally, after staying here for a while, she should have long since returned to the Kingdom of Canbera in the Southern Continent's Western Hub. Only because of the war had she ended up staying here for several months. Now that the war had tentatively concluded, she probably wouldn't be able to stay much longer before having to return. While living in her homeland, the Kingdom of Canbera, she had to dress as a young man most of the time, so in the eyes of the vast majority of people, she was considered a young gentleman. All of this stemmed from her birth into the martial noble family of Atterread in the Kingdom of Canbera on the western side of the Southern Continent. As the eldest daughter, when her younger brother was born and her father, Duke Atterread, discovered that the eldest son lacked martial talent, he designated Florence, the eldest daughter, to be groomed as the next family head. Even so, before leaving, she still wanted to see Loren once more. If she missed this chance, who knew how many years it would be before they could meet again? The Western Hub did not share the eastern region's warm disposition toward Loren; their hatred and wariness toward the Crete Empire would not dissipate anytime soon. Before they even realized it, she and Loren were turning into an enemy emperor and a duke's daughter. "That truly is troublesome. When the time comes, he won't even know you're a woman, let alone consider marrying you into the Crete Empire." Lanqi rested his chin on his hand, already pondering the ending to the "sworn brothers" route. If Florence didn't meet Loren this time, the brotherly route would practically be closed for good. "Wait, Lanqi, what are you talking about?!" Florence's cheeks turned bright red as she held her arms out straight, shaking her hands vigorously. S-She hadn't been thinking that far at all... Well, alright, perhaps she had entertained those thoughts, more or less... Subconsciously, she didn't want to abandon that final sliver of hope, either. "Who knew he would end up becoming an emperor... Now that he's an emperor, will he even recognize me as his brother...?" Florence mumbled again, sounding downcast, well aware of how difficult her fantasy was. The current state of affairs was filled with absurdity. Even if she did see Loren, what could come of it? She couldn't very well make plans to continue calling the emperor of an empire her "brother" in the future. Moreover, her status in the Kingdom of Canbera was delicate. Even if she met the Crete Emperor, she couldn't speak casually; she would have to treat him formally as an emissary. Before Lanqi could offer any guidance— "One month from now, go meet Loren as your true self," Hyperion encouraged. "...?" Florence let out a startled, flustered sound. "N-No, no, no! If he suddenly sees me turned into a girl, he'll think it's utterly bizarre! What kind of guy disguises himself as a girl?" She shook her head frantically. "How could that be? He'll definitely be blown away by your transformation!" Hyperion declared to Florence with absolute conviction. "..." Lanqi didn't dare say a word. He had originally intended to offer Florence some relationship counseling just like he used to in the student council room, but he hadn't expected Hyperion to be so aggressive today. He was slightly worried that even if Loren saw Florence's true appearance, he wouldn't make much of a fuss. He might even casually ask, "Brother, why are you dressed like this today?" After all, Loren was likely used to such bizarre occurrences, and having pre-judged Florence to be a boy, he probably wouldn't even entertain the possibility that Florence was actually a girl. "Miss Florence, you are a super cute girl! Take off your armor!" Hyperion continued to urge Florence with all her might. No matter what, she was determined to push Florence to take that step today. Florence couldn't be allowed to live with regrets any longer. "R-Really...?" Florence awkwardly averted her eyes, looking down at her palms. She had never imagined herself taking on the role of a wife. She could barely take care of her own daily life, and whenever she stayed at Loren's place, she left it in such a mess that domestic cleaners had to be called in to tidy up. Sometimes, she even thought to herself that remaining Loren's brother for the rest of her life wouldn't be so bad. "Trust me, you can't go wrong," Hyperion said resolutely, as though she were the superior cleric here. Her gaze seemed to tell Florence that following Drillmaster Little Hyperion's orders was undeniably the wisest choice. "Alright..." Florence finally yielded to Hyperion's assertive demands. With her heart pounding, she nodded. Just the thought of surprising Loren a month from now made her squirm with nervousness, so much so that she felt like confessing her sins to the goddess. "Hyperion..." Florence cast a meaningful glance at Hyperion. The last time they spoke, they had agreed that the next time Florence went out with Loren, Hyperion would help her and offer some guidance—a pact even Lanqi didn't know about. What had seemed like an impossible promise had now arrived at the moment of execution. "Don't worry." Hyperion nodded seriously. On the day of the date, she would definitely provide Miss Florence with the greatest support. Half an hour later. At dusk in Ikerite, Lanqi and Hyperion were once again strolling across the temple plaza in the city's northern district. It was still quite a distance back to the ducal manor in the southern district, requiring a considerable journey even by carriage. Warm orange sunlight washed over the bustling city of towering buildings, gilding their edges in gold. The sinking sun descended slowly toward the horizon, the sky transitioning from a brilliant golden yellow to a soft rose-red and violet. "Lanqi, we'll have to work hard at tomorrow's rehearsal too." Hyperion ran toward the lakeside bridge, deliberately putting a bit of distance between them. Turning around on the bridge, she spoke to him, the gentle breeze lifting her long, beautiful hair. This subtle distance felt just like their rehearsal on the stage. "Sure. Please look after me on opening night a month from now. If I drop the ball, I'll have to rely on you to cover for me," Lanqi said with a self-effacing smile. Of course, it was also possible that he was simply playing modest out of habit, as he always did. But Hyperion didn't mind. "Leave it to me. I've got your back," Hyperion promised, patting her chest. She raised her hand to her lips as if holding a microphone, coughing lightly twice. "Take my hand, and stay by my side for a lifetime." Hyperion extended her hand toward Lanqi as she delivered the line. The corners of her lips curved upward with joy, her bright eyes shimmering with radiant light, mirroring the sunset glowing behind her. "..." Lanqi stared in slight bewilderment at that golden hour, as though time itself had frozen in the late afternoon. Hyperion was looking at him with a playful giggle. Her expression seemed to say she was merely practicing her lines. Of course, whether there was another meaning behind it, she had no intention of revealing to Lanqi. Lanqi walked toward her. The hands of the clock tower ticked on. The gentle ripples of water murmured along the lakeside. Someone, somehow, had brought a drifting dream to this very place. Lanqi reached out and wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders. "Eh?" Hyperion was caught off guard as he pulled her into an embrace. "You're not a ghost. Did you really think I couldn't hold onto you?" Lanqi hugged her close, leaving her nowhere to flee. "E-Eh?!" Hyperion felt like he was breaking the rules. "God guided us together; no one shall tear us apart," he whispered, as though reciting a line from the stage. "Wait, Lanqi, that's my line!" Hyperion protested, her cheeks blushing red as she looked up at him. Lanqi was countering her with her own tricks. In the play, a director was watching them, so they couldn't alter their lines. But outside the play, she was no match for Lanqi! In the end, she could only surrender, captured in Lanqi's embrace. They stood quietly, motionless. There was only the lingering glow of the sunset, and the swaying shadows of the trees.