Chapter 212
Chapter 212
Chapter 212
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 212 – Only Lan Qi Truly Cares for the Prince
At this moment, on the sixth floor of the Sage Academy’s Old Tower Library, from the high balcony just a few meters below the dome, one could easily lean on the railing and look down at the entirety of the central hall below.
If one’s eyesight was good enough, they could see the three figures standing on the central round plaza.
And if one had also placed magical devices in advance on the tables near the edge of the plaza, then they could clearly hear what was being said.
Today, Huperion and Sophia had done a bit of disguise, coming early to the sixth-floor stone railing, pretending to read books while secretly observing the situation below.
According to Lan Qi, this was a practical lesson.
When facing Karen’s manipulative words, Sophia was to watch carefully, reflect well, and learn how to respond properly.
Originally, Sophia had been nervous, worried that Lan Qi personally going up against someone like Karen would be too difficult.
But before Lan Qi even said much—
Just seeing Karen stumble at the start was enough to make Sophia laugh gleefully, gloating.
“...Sophia, you…”
Huperion, who had only come along to accompany Sophia, remembered that back at the Cardmaker’s Association, Sophia had once stood in Karen’s exact position.
Yet now, instead of being reminded of painful memories, Sophia was thoroughly enjoying the sight, which made Huperion worry deeply about Sophia’s state of mind.
How had she gone from being unable to bear seeing Ainor close with Lan Qi… to actually enjoying this sort of thing?
In truth, Huperion herself couldn’t feel at ease letting Lan Qi out of her sight for long. So after breakfast with Miss Talia this morning, she had asked Talia to bring her to the Academy, planning for Talia to take her home in the evening.
And so, the two of them quietly continued observing the situation below.
Lan Qi looked both helpless at Ainor’s closeness, yet also didn’t push him away, simply letting him be happy.
He patiently waited, listening earnestly as Ainor chattered on endlessly.
“No matter what, being able to see you today really makes me so happy. Whenever you have free time, I must take you to the palace to see my collection of famous paintings, and hear your insights.”
As Ainor spoke, he patted Lan Qi’s shoulder.
Finally, in the pause between Ainor’s words, Lan Qi smiled gently, meeting his gaze:
“Actually, Your Highness Ainor, I was also surprised to see you today. Because Huperion once told me that Sophia had long planned to invite you to view the Primordial Tablet together. If all had gone smoothly, when she reached her third year she would have requested Principal Loren’s trial… but unfortunately…”
At this, Lan Qi lowered his eyes, his expression full of regret, as if saying more would be inappropriate.
“...Really?”
“You can ask Sophia.”
At Lan Qi’s firm response, the smile slowly faded from Ainor’s face, replaced by a heavy guilt.
“...”
Ainor fell into deep conflict.
In truth, his heart wanted to be with Sophia. But since he had already agreed to Karen, by duty and by reason it would not be proper to go back on his word now—especially as a prince, he should never break a promise.
“Your Highness Ainor, it’s I who overstepped…”
Seeing Ainor’s state, Karen spoke in a voice full of worry:
“I finally understand why Sophia was so angry that day. It turns out everything was my fault…”
Even as she spoke, her eyes began to glisten with tears.
This left Ainor even more unable to speak.
With a quick glanced, Karen peeked at Lan Qi.
Was this guy deliberately sabotaging her, or did he just accidentally mention Sophia?
But thinking carefully—if Lan Qi was the same type as her, then normally he’d use his intellect and charm to draw others to him, rather than selflessly helping someone else’s romance.
Because such words and actions would be contradictory—after all, no scheming person spends all day doing good deeds. If he really did, then one would have to admit he was simply… a good man.
So, most likely, this guy was just naturally irritating without realizing it.
But that was fine.
No matter what Lan Qi said to Ainor, Karen still had ways to make him stay out of pity, step by step tearing him away from Sophia completely.
Yet just as Ainor’s heart was wavering—torn between Karen’s pitiful gaze and his reluctance to hurt her—
“Forgive me. As your closest friend, I won’t let you be embarrassed. Just do as you truly wish.”
Lan Qi spoke with genuine guilt, as though he deeply shared in Ainor’s pain.
“Lan Qi…”
Ainor looked at him, deeply moved.
“Ai—”
Karen was about to say something, but Lan Qi’s words seemed to seal her lips. Her expression flickered several times, yet she could not form a single suitable reply.
On the sixth floor, Sophia and Huperion leaned over the stone railing, watching.
“Why… why isn’t Karen talking anymore?”
Sophia asked in puzzlement.
Before, when Karen had been with her and Ainor, every time Ainor was forced into making a choice, Karen would always retreat to advance, putting on a pitiful act. Sophia had seen it many times.
She had never been able to prove Karen was faking, and so had swallowed her anger again and again.
Now Lan Qi’s response seemed plain and ordinary to Sophia’s eyes—
Yet the result was that Karen couldn’t say a word!
Sophia couldn’t understand the mystery at all. Surely Lan Qi hadn’t secretly cast a Silence spell in this situation?
Huperion was silent for a long moment.
Her mood seemed complicated.
“…What Lan Qi really meant was—‘All of you girls only fight each other for His Highness Ainor, but only I truly care about him.’”
Finally, Huperion shook her head and translated Lan Qi’s words for Sophia.
When all women’s thoughts were like riddles Ainor couldn’t understand, only his closest friend Lan Qi could turn it around and understand him.
After that one line, Karen had realized—no matter what she said now, it would only make her seem selfishly forcing Ainor.
“!”
Sophia suddenly understood, then turned to look at Huperion with a complicated expression:
“Wait… why can you understand Lan Qi?”
Having grown up with Huperion, Sophia knew her character well. She was an exceptionally good girl, and Sophia trusted her completely.
“Yeah… why can I understand him…”
Huperion’s expression grew dazed and bitter as she looked at Sophia, almost on the verge of tears.
After spending so much time around Lan Qi, she had begun to naturally grasp his thoughts.
But wasn’t that itself… a kind of mutation?
Her own humanity…