Chapter 111
Chapter 111
Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 111
The Tea Aura Coming off Lan Qi Is… Potent
Prince Ainor and Lan Qi stood side-by-side before the great glass curtain wall. Through the floor-to-ceiling panes they could admire the pedestrian plaza below; both wore easy smiles, chatting away.
“Actually, Your Highness Ainor, it isn’t hard to judge. Based on the professor’s demonstration of period Demonrealm aesthetics, the second painting—though it looks abstract—has several obvious technical blemishes. They weren’t deliberate; they’re plain mistakes…”
Listening to Lan Qi recount his experience in the Demonrealm Painting class, Ainor nodded again and again, eyes full of appreciation. He felt that if he looked at those paintings one more time, he really could pick out which were by the professor and which by the students using the key points Lan Qi had just laid out.
Ainor was stunned as well—Lan Qi could analyze everything in an instant, and so thoroughly.
Even mastery of modern and classical art only applies to humans.For Lan Qi to step into the Demonrealm and immediately grasp ancient demonic aesthetics—unbelievable, almost beyond what a human brain should manage!
After a few minutes—
“Right—Lan Qi, did you and Lady Huperion come to buy cards today? Sofia is a Silver-tier Card-Crafter; if she purchases on your behalf you’ll get plenty of Association-internal discounts.”
Ainor reluctantly set the art talk aside and turned to ask the two of them.
In his delight, Ainor realized he and Lan Qi had been talking so much that Lady Huperion hadn’t gotten a word in, left to wait beside them.
“Sofia…”
Lan Qi repeated the name, slightly puzzled.
“Oh! I forgot to introduce you. You’re the only one here who doesn’t know her—this is Countess Sofia Fostok. I’m acquainted with her, as is Lady Huperion.”
Ainor clapped his hands, feeling foolish, and finally looked back toward the purple-haired girl who’d been watching him from the sofa.
He had nearly forgotten Sofia entirely.
Lan Qi inclined his head politely toward Countess Sofia Fostok.
But though Sofia had been sneaking glances this way all along, she clearly had no intention of responding to Lan Qi. She turned her face aside with a proud little huff, pretending not to see.
Devoted to card-crafting, she couldn’t care less how formidable Lan Qi might be in the Shadow World.
She also never broke school rules, and wouldn’t mix with the Student Council.
When Ainor and Lan Qi spoke so warmly and, because of Lan Qi, entirely overlooked her, irritation had already begun to spark in her chest.
Prince Ainor had never paid her this much attention, and yet in a matter of minutes he’d forgotten her completely—for a man!
By the glass curtain wall on the Card-Crafter Association’s third floor—
Accustomed to Sofia’s temper, Ainor apologized to Lan Qi with no princely airs:“Don’t mind her, Lan Qi. Sofia’s heart is in the right place.”
“Of course not.”
Lan Qi shook his head.
If she was Lady Huperion’s friend, then she must be a good person—just a little awkward.
He then answered Ainor’s earlier question: “I’m here to take the Registered Card-Crafter exam. Lady Huperion wants to watch me craft.”
Ainor’s expression brightened with interest.
“So you really do craft cards, Lan Qi?”
His tone brimmed with delight, as if he’d suspected as much.
“Mm. I’ve been practicing diligently.”
Lan Qi admitted.
“With respect, the last time I saw someone this gifted was Duke Migaya.”
Ainor’s words held a tangle of praise—for Migaya, and for Lan Qi.
“Duke Migaya?”
“Yes. Duke Migaya is beyond Platinum—at the Magi-Crystal rank—one of the finest Card-Crafters in the Southern Continent.”
To Ainor, Migaya had been mentor and friend; as a child he idolized the duke and clung to him.
Now, seeing the duke’s younger self in Lan Qi was one reason Ainor took to him so quickly.
Of course, Migaya was kindhearted—and not quite as… guileless as Lan Qi.
“But I’m sure you’re different in one way: you won’t secretly hide a great demon at home and then even marry a demon and shock His Majesty out of his wits. Hahaha—do you know what my father’s face looked like?”
Ainor laughed and launched into palace anecdotes.
Lan Qi: “…”
“By the way, Your Highness Ainor, have you perhaps kept your companion waiting too long?”
Lan Qi suddenly seemed to recall something and gently steered the topic, glancing toward Countess Sofia on the distant sofa.
She was still sneaking looks this way.
“!”
Ainor started.“My apologies—let’s head to the meeting area. As for the exam, Sofia could share practical tips.”
Prompted by Lan Qi, Ainor finally remembered he’d left Countess Sofia sitting alone for far too long.
He nodded apologetically in her direction and led Lan Qi and Lady Huperion over.
Naturally, Lan Qi and Lady Huperion didn’t refuse the kindness; there was still ample time before the exam.
As they walked, Lady Huperion glanced at Sofia, then side-eyed Lan Qi.
Her gaze was full of puzzlement, as if analyzing something.
She was very grateful Lan Qi drew the attention, but also worried that, being stared at for no reason by Sofia, he’d start… planning something.
…
In the third-floor atrium hall, the soaring ceiling and columns carved out a stunning sense of space, dark woods and textured stone interwoven.
On one side, a meeting area furnished with plush sofas and a low coffee table matched the room’s décor; a few floor lamps by the table added a quiet elegance.
Seeing that Prince Ainor had finally “remembered,” Sofia stopped staring at them in front of Ainor, turned away, and sat quietly on the sofa with arms folded.
As the three neared, Lan Qi smiled placidly and, out of nowhere, asked Ainor:
“Your Highness Ainor, have you noticed—there’s a gentlest girl, the one you most wish to see, who’s always quietly by your side?”
On the sofa, Sofia visibly jolted.
She clenched her fists; even her ears were burning.
She wanted to glare at Lan Qi for such an inexplicable question, but didn’t dare look at Ainor’s face. Her heart pounded, waiting for his answer.
“No.”
Ainor replied, puzzled.
Clean and unequivocal—no hesitation.
Sofia, fuming, stamped her feet on the sofa twice.
“…”
Lan Qi, too, had nothing to say.
They reached the sofa and prepared to sit.
Trying again to help, he discreetly prompted:
“In that case, Your Highness, I think beyond your devotion to creating and appreciating art, you should also look at the people beside you—don’t keep her waiting too long.”
Sofia, who had been about to death-stare Lan Qi and warn him to stop talking nonsense, found her expression easing.
She realized Lan Qi actually was a good person, doing his utmost to help her.
Alas, blockhead Ainor was simply too dense.
Lady Huperion settled beside Sofia, while Ainor and Lan Qi naturally sat together on the opposite sofa like brothers.
What neither Sofia nor Lady Huperion expected was—
Ainor suddenly wore an enlightened look.
He gripped Lan Qi’s shoulders earnestly.
“I get it, Lan Qi—you’re an irreplaceable treasure of our Hedon Kingdom. You mean I should be the one to take the initiative to find you sooner!”
“…”
Lan Qi could only offer Sofia and Lady Huperion a helpless smile from across the table.
Seven parts regret, three parts apology.
He genuinely wanted to help her, but failed. Ainor plainly couldn’t notice her at all, while Lan Qi—doing nothing—filled his eyes.
The atmosphere in the atrium shifted in that instant.
Amid the hush, a chill crept in.
It was the whiff of powder before smoke—stifling, tense.
Lady Huperion’s eyelids began to twitch.
Lan Qi looked pure and well-intentioned.
But—
Given the scene, and everything he’d said and done, if you imagined Lan Qi as a girl, an overwhelming green-tea aura hit you in the face!!
Lady Huperion genuinely couldn’t tell whether Lan Qi was truly boosting Sofia or perfectly disguised green tea in the flesh!
At the limit, purity looks like green tea; at the limit, green tea performs flawless purity. Once again, Lady Huperion saw duality in Lan Qi!
Sofia, trapped in this delicate setup, teetered toward emotional detonation.
From her “victim’s” perspective, she began to suspect Lan Qi had planned this—masking himself in innocence to win Ainor’s unreserved trust while actually toying with her!
And if so, perhaps that sly scoundrel would leverage that trust to toy with open-hearted Ainor as well!
“Lan Qi, I’m truly looking forward to the cards you make today—more than that, I hope to have the privilege of appreciating your paintings someday.”
Having witnessed Lan Qi’s connoisseurship, Ainor was now burning to know how good his own brushwork would be.
“…”
Sofia sat on the opposite sofa, head bowed, hands clenched tight.
Hearing Ainor once again gush over Lan Qi as if smitten, her mood grew more agitated until she couldn’t contain it. She lifted her head and, in a low voice, said to them both:
“Ainor, I am the finest Card-Crafter at your side, and the most gifted painter. You don’t need to revere him like this!”
Her breath had turned quick; she was a hair from shouting, “Look at me!”
“Sofia…”
Ainor seemed lost, finally pulling his gaze from Lan Qi to Sofia.
In truth, he was simply envious of Lan Qi’s effortless cool in the Demon Academy—a style he wanted to learn.
But somehow Sofia’s reaction was unusually intense, as if a demon were plucking her heartstrings.
He looked at Lan Qi—who wore an innocent, baffled expression.
In the end—
Between the girl and the bro, Ainor once again chose the bro’s side.
“Sofia, look—you’re scaring Lan Qi… What if you rattle him for today’s exam? He’s a man destined to be a pillar of the Hedon Kingdom.”
As he spoke, he couldn’t help praising Lan Qi again.
He had no sense of Sofia’s mood—or that these words were gasoline on her jealousy—still taking Lan Qi’s side.
Lan Qi’s face, meanwhile, kept that gentle, helpless smile.
Finally Sofia’s jealousy burst forth uncontrollably.
She looked to Ainor, unwillingness written all over her:
“I’m seventeen—and already a Silver-tier Card-Crafter.”
Among newly promoted second-years in the Magitek Institute, only a handful had reached Silver.
“Why are you so eager to admire someone who hasn’t even qualified as a Registered Card-Crafter—and won’t spare me a real look? I’ve worked so hard.”
All the feelings she’d bottled up surged out; she spoke her truth to Ainor.
Ainor stared, stunned.
“Sofia… is that how you’ve felt? I’ve always valued you…”
He’d never seen her reveal herself so plainly; shocked, he fumbled for words, unable to comfort her.
As his breath fogged, he finally felt the chill.
“Your Highness, I should go.”
Lan Qi patted Ainor’s back in passing, then signaled with his eyes: now was the time to sit beside Sofia and comfort her.
“Your Highness Ainor, Countess Sofia—I need to hurry to the fifth-floor exam hall.”
Lan Qi checked the time, stood, and took his leave.
“Oh—of course.”
Ainor nodded, seeming to catch Lan Qi’s meaning.
Lady Huperion quickly followed.
She snuck a look back and saw Ainor had taken a seat beside Sofia, speaking to her quietly. The mood was improving. It seemed the prickly Sofia and the blunt Ainor needed a dose of strong medicine to move their romance along.
“Lan Qi, did you foresee that only this would bring their feelings into the open?”
Lady Huperion asked, curious.
At last, Lan Qi lowered his head and exhaled, smiling faintly.
“No. I’m no love guru. It all just… followed its course, that’s all.”
Then he gave Lady Huperion a warm look.
“Being stared at by Sofia wasn’t pleasant, was it? You worked hard today, Lady Huperion.”
But—
Hearing that, Lady Huperion suddenly felt a twinge of fear—and wondered what that smile meant.
Angel-pure kindness—or a little devil’s payback? Hard to say.
Another thought struck her.
If Lan Qi underperformed on today’s exam, fine.
But if he were directly ranked Silver—Sofia’s line, “I’m seventeen and already Silver,” compared to sixteen-year-old Lan Qi…
She’d die of embarrassment in front of the Ainor she adored.
And if—just if—Lan Qi happened to over-perform and take Silver, or even…
Lady Huperion didn’t dare follow that thought to the end.
(End of Chapter)