Chapter 214
Chapter 214
Chapter 214
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 214 – Lan Qi is Always So Humble
At the center of the ground floor, the circular carpet resembled the very heart of the hall. Its colors were rich yet harmonious, forming the totem of the sun, shimmering brightly under the natural light.
“Lan Qi, you really are such a gentle and kind-hearted person.”
Kalian wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Despite herself, a faint smile crept onto her face, and she spoke with genuine emotion.
Then she turned to Ainor, placed her hand over her chest, and gave a respectful bow.
“Your Highness Ainor, I respect every choice you make, and I treasure you as a friend I must value. I hope you can forget what I just said… I don’t want you to remember me in such a shameful state.”
“No, no, Kalian, I’m truly sorry.”
Ainor quickly replied, flustered.
“Well then, Your Highness, you’ve stood me up once now.”
Kalian’s eyes were still slightly red, yet she smiled gently.
“Of course.”
Ainor understood—he would have to make it up to her next time.
Lan Qi stood by, watching the two reconcile with a sense of relief.
Even though Kalian was laying down future traps for Ainor again, this time Lan Qi did nothing.
He simply thought of it as Sofia’s homework. After all, a girl’s man had to be dealt with by the girl herself.
Lan Qi was the teacher, not the one to play the game in her place.
“…Dean Loren should be arriving soon.”
Ainor glanced at the clock in the library.
“In that case, I’ll be leaving first. Otherwise, it’ll be awkward to run into Dean Loren here.”
He gave an embarrassed smile.
If Dean Loren arrived while he was still here, Ainor would be forced to explain the whole dispute face to face again.
And right now, he wanted to find Sofia and apologize to her.
“Leave it to me.”
Lan Qi looked at him and nodded.
He knew Dean Loren well—everything from here could be left to him.
Unable to hold back, Ainor hugged Lan Qi.
His dearest friend was just too reliable.
“See you next time, Lan Qi, and you too, Kalian.”
With that, Ainor happily bade them farewell.
Inside the central hall of the Ancient Tower Library, time seemed deliberately slowed. In the vast open space, each footstep and each cough found its echo beneath the soaring dome, only to fade slowly, swallowed by the endless books and history.
The tall windows along the walls let sunlight stream in unreservedly, adding a transcendental calm to the hall.
After Ainor left, silence lingered between Kalian and Lan Qi.
It was, after all, the first time the two of them had truly spoken today, and with their only mutual acquaintance gone, there was nothing to bridge the quiet.
Kalian reflected. She found this black-haired, green-eyed young man rather intriguing.
At the very least, he was strong—comparable to the Holy Son and Holy Maiden of the Resurrection Church—and Loren’s most outstanding student.
As someone who studied magical engineering as a combat professional under the Sage’s Institute, she believed she and him surely had plenty of common ground.
Perhaps he might even have many requests of her. After all, strong fighters and strong cardmakers complemented one another.
So.
As Lan Qi stood admiring the murals of the Ancient Tower Library—
“I really underestimated you, Lan Qi. So you actually wanted to be alone with me?”
Kalian leaned a little closer, whispering.
Lan Qi blinked in mild surprise at her, but Kalian seemed pleased by his genuine reaction. Smiling slyly, she softly added:
“But my answer is—sure.”
…
On the sixth floor, Sofia—who had been cheering the moment Ainor left—froze when she heard Kalian’s words to Lan Qi.
This green tea girl was at it again!
Now Lan Qi had been dragged right into it.
Because knowing Lan Qi’s personality, no matter how he answered, it wouldn’t sit right. He could never say something rude.
If it were someone like Frey, he’d just say: “Woman, get lost.”
But Lan Qi was always polite, sincere, and gentle.
Kalian had perfectly calculated his personality, deliberately using this ambiguous, cunning test.
The more Lan Qi denied, the more it would look like he cared about her.If he admitted—he was done for!
“Hu—”
Sofia turned nervously toward Huperion. Kalian was trying to set her sights on Lan Qi now.
Hu Bao, shouldn’t you step in and shut her down?!
However—
“This is just throwing meat into the wolf’s mouth.”
Huperion only shook her head, mocking Kalian’s foolishness.
Sofia: “???”
Downstairs.
Lan Qi, after hearing Kalian’s words, finally came back from his surprise.
“That’s truly wonderful. I’ve long heard you became a Gold-rank cardmaker in your second year already, leaving me far behind. If I could be fortunate enough to hear even a few words of your guidance, that would be the greatest honor of my life.”
Lan Qi smiled warmly.
“Hehe, in that case, stick by me later on during the observation. I can give you a little teaching.”
Kalian thought to herself: As expected, this guy really was a pure-hearted boy. Once you grasped his nature, it was easy.
But this time—
Even Sofia, watching nervously from the stone railing on the sixth floor, understood what Lan Qi was really up to!
Yes, he might be fifty percent humble.
But he was also fifty percent scheming.
Either way—Kalian was in trouble!
…
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Ancient Tower Library.
A young man in formal attire walked in, his expression tired. At his collar shone a bright cross-shaped holy emblem.
He passed through the hallway, by the counter, next to a row of carved high-backed chairs. A bronze side table sat nearby, a crystal lamp atop it. Some lamps lit half-open books, with golden-orange ginkgo leaf bookmarks pressed inside.
“Fortunately, Lan Qi didn’t agree to my suggestion of watching with Kalian. Even if I’ll have to make separate time for Lan Qi later, that’s still far better than letting him get entangled with students from the Yaloran Kingdom.”
Loren thought as he looked around the library. Already, three students were beyond saving.
One was lying in a hospital bed.One was in prison.One had transferred schools.
And even the one who transferred had issues. Ever since her brother Phoenix entrusted her to him, she had grown increasingly dependent on him…
Just thinking about it all made Loren’s scalp ache.
Forget it. Don’t think about it.
He shook his head.
For now, at least, he had managed to keep Juliana from traveling personally to Ikerite.
He couldn’t afford to lose another student.
Beside him, row after row of ancient oak bookshelves towered to the ceiling, lined with gold-edged spines worn by time, their faded lettering exuding the heavy scent of history.
Loren’s figure slipped in and out of view between the shelves.
As the light grew brighter ahead, he passed through the stacks and stepped into the central hall.
The very next second—
When Loren entered the hall and caught sight of that figure standing near Kalian, his heart nearly stopped.