Chapter 194
Chapter 194
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 194 – Huperion Resolves to Keep an Eye on Lan Qi
Raindrops fell like countless tiny hammers against the windows, casting the Victorian-style frames of the store in a slightly dim light.
Every time the drops hit the glass, they left wet spots, blurring the view outside even more.
Despite the weather, the store remained as calm and cozy as ever.
With a clear, long “ding-ling” from the door, thick wooden panels were pushed open by hands still damp from the rain, letting a subtle chill mix with the warm air inside.
It was a young man of refined and gentle demeanor. His clothes bore a touch of rain, his boots slightly wet, but most striking was the little black cat in his left arm, its eyes wide and fur slightly fluffed.
The little black cat seemed dazed.
Its brain appeared to be rebooting.
But arriving in the familiar environment of the shop, its pointed ears twitched instinctively, seemingly listening closely to the sounds around it.
The boy stepped carefully, water dripping from his umbrella onto the floor.
The waitress soon appeared behind the counter, her clean apron immaculate, her eyes fixed on the little black cat as if she had been waiting for it for a long time.
“Cat Boss, why are you back so late? The kitchen is overwhelmed!”
She hurried to Lan Qi and spoke to the cat.
“Oh-oh meow, sorry meow.”
The cat finally snapped out of its daze, leaping to the floor and heading to the kitchen.
It glanced back at Lan Qi with a complicated expression.
This boy looked gentle, polite, virtuous, and outstanding in every way—but now the cat felt something was seriously off.
It was the first time it had seen someone orchestrate connections like Lan Qi did. Too strange.
It needed to observe further.
Perhaps this newborn of Dongxi wasn’t suited for love!
The waitress watched the Cat Boss head to the kitchen and breathed a sigh of relief.
“By the way, Miss Talia said if you came, you should go to the second-floor storage room to find her.”
She looked at Lan Qi.
“Thank you,”
Lan Qi said, heading toward the familiar second floor.
He knew exactly what this meant.
Now he had caught the insider from the resurrection church within the Yaloran Royal Academy’s academic delegation. Tomorrow, when Dean Loren returned, surprises would be in store.
When he met Juliana, the Knight Captain, there would be plenty to talk about.
If he continued putting in effort over the next few days, Juliana might even come running from the Kingdom of Yaloran to actively seek Dean Loren’s company.
The staircase was made of dark wood, each step worn by time, with a slightly old carpet laid out for rainy days.
On reaching the second floor, a long corridor stretched out before him.
Vintage picture frames hung on the walls, and the dim yellow lighting added an air of mystery.
At the end of the hallway were a row of doors, each with a unique color and number, reminiscent of an old inn.
Lan Qi walked slowly, scanning the doors.
His gaze lingered on each for a moment, finally stopping at the door labeled “Storage.”
“Talia, Huperion, are you there?”
He knocked lightly.
“Come in.”
Talia’s familiar voice responded shortly after.
Upon recognizing Lan Qi, she briefly lifted the barrier.
Lan Qi placed his hand on the doorknob and gently pressed it down. The storage door, which had previously been impossible to open, clicked open.
A wave of old, slightly damp air spread, and Lan Qi stepped inside.
Looking around, Huperion and Talia were guarding a man bound to a chair—the suspect, no doubt.
But this wasn’t the important part.
From their expressions:
Huperion’s mood was bright and cheerful, showing no signs of grievance.
Talia, too, was calmer than expected, not upset on Huperion’s account.
The two of them seemed more harmonious than Lan Qi had imagined, even giving him the strange impression that they shared a good relationship.
“Lan Qi, you’re here.”
Huperion smiled, walking up to him.
“Yeah, unfortunately, I lost the match against Adams today.”
Lan Qi nodded, slightly embarrassed.
Immediately, Huperion’s expression stiffened.
If Lan Qi had won, she would have been fine.
But if he lost so easily…
The seriousness of the problem exceeded her imagination.
She didn’t want to go back to school, at least not tomorrow morning to face Dean Loren.
Talia glanced at Huperion’s face, then at Lan Qi, saying nothing.
“Thank you, Talia.”
Lan Qi turned to Talia, grateful.
He hadn’t expected her to be so agreeable this time.
It seemed that with age came a bit of human warmth.
Talia stared at Lan Qi silently.
“But since the insider from the Yaloran Royal Academy has been caught, Huperion can return home today.”
Lan Qi looked at the unconscious Phoenix on the chair and spoke to Talia and Huperion.
Letting them stay longer might cause grievances or temper issues.
But Huperion lifted her eyes.
“Lan Qi, I…”
She hesitated, embarrassed to speak.
If possible, she wanted to stay a couple more days with Talia.
But this thought felt shameful; she had no excuse.
Even if Talia had agreed to teach her magic, it didn’t necessarily mean she had to stay at her place.
“Let her stay a few more days, to prevent any other accidents,”
Talia said calmly,
“After all, by contract, she should stay here for two full weeks.”
She emphasized it in a matter-of-fact tone.
Huperion looked at her, surprised and touched.
If Talia had only followed the rules before, now it was clear she genuinely cared.
“Huperion, what do you say?”
Lan Qi naturally had no objections.
If Talia and Huperion got along well, it would be perfect for his future plans to expand Great Love Company.
Thinking carefully, Talia always handled matters this way—she didn’t seek advantage in agreements. If she promised protection for two weeks, she delivered.
“If Miss Talia doesn’t mind, I’d like to stay a little longer here,”
Huperion whispered, looking at Talia, slightly embarrassed.
“But I’ll return to school afterwards.”
She added that she would resume her studies and student council duties.
She didn’t dare let Lan Qi out of her sight; otherwise, during her two-week leave, something at the Ikerite Academy could go awry.
“Then I’ll escort you to and from school every day.”
Talia nodded.
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
Lan Qi breathed a sigh of relief.
With Talia’s serious protection, Huperion’s safety was assured.
He couldn’t help but feel their conversation resembled a mother escorting her child to elementary school.
Too strange… Could this be Talia’s plan to “claim the duke’s house as her own”?