Chapter 42
Chapter 42
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 42: Lan Qi’s Law Firm
By 4:30 in the afternoon, the sun had already slanted from its peak, casting golden-orange light through the towering floor-to-ceiling windows. The glow deepened in color, adding a soft warmth to the classroom.
Light shimmered over the desks, empty chairs, and steps, as if silently narrating the passage of time.
At the long wooden table in the empty back row, only Huperion and Lan Qi remained.
Huperion didn’t know why Lan Qi was staring at her.
After a brief pause, she met his gaze, locking onto his striking green eyes before advising, "Lan Qi, you shouldn’t get involved in my affairs anymore. There's no need for you to be dragged into this..."
But Lan Qi didn’t waver. He simply blinked, his expression calm and unshaken.
"I won’t just stand by and watch a friend get bullied. And when Modan called me a 'pathetic lawyer' earlier, didn’t you want to defend me too?"
Lan Qi smiled. He had always believed in repaying kindness with kindness.
"Anyway, if you ever need legal assistance, you can find me at the Sage Institute dormitory, Room 101. Once I pass the bar exam, I’ll put up a plaque by my door—Lan Qi’s Law Firm."
"......"
Huperion once again found herself at a loss for words.
…
Some nearby students overheard Lan Qi’s words.
No one dared to bother him, though—his exhausted demeanor made it clear he had no interest in talking to strangers.
But that didn’t stop people from eavesdropping, eager to see where his conversation with Huperion would go.
Ikerite Academy had a remarkably open-minded set of campus rules.
Many students with unique skills—blacksmiths, sculptors, painters, chefs, alchemists, card crafters—would often turn their dorm rooms into makeshift workshops, attracting visitors from different institutes and grade levels.
The school embraced this culture of diverse student entrepreneurship.
But a law firm...
That was unheard of.
Who the hell needed a lawyer in school?!
This was a magic academy, not a law school!
…
Outside, the trees swayed gently in the breeze, their shadows dancing across the classroom floor in a silent performance.
Students passed along the campus pathways, and distant laughter and conversation drifted in through the windows—an ephemeral yet vivid reminder of the reality of time.
In the end, after much hesitation, Huperion nodded, accepting Lan Qi’s sincere goodwill.
"If I ever find my father, I’ll make sure House Aransal honors you with the highest regard and invites you to be our official advisor."
Her words carried the weight of a solemn promise.
Even if it was likely nothing more than an empty pledge, it was still a clear statement of her stance—
She acknowledged Lan Qi as a friend, and by extension, as a friend of House Aransal.
And House Aransal always repaid its debts.
"An advisor to a Duke’s household? Now that’s a prestigious title. If my old man found out I was making it big in the capital, he’d probably faint from shock..."
Lan Qi chuckled, not particularly concerned with whether or not the promise would be fulfilled.
He was more amused by his new friend.
"Huperion, you always put on a cold and ruthless front, but deep down, you’re surprisingly kind."
"What do you mean?"
Huperion didn’t understand why he would say that.
"Because all you care about is finding your father—not inheriting your family's title."
Lan Qi smiled as he explained.
"......"
Hearing his words, Huperion’s gaze slowly lowered. It was as if she had sunk into a deep sadness she couldn’t escape, unable to respond for a long time.
After a moment—
"...My father will be fine."
Her expression remained impassive, but her emotions were clearly in turmoil.
She had risked her life to uncover a few vague leads about her father’s disappearance, and all of them pointed south—to the Creyth Empire.
Right now, she was too weak.
She had no power, no allies.
She couldn’t even tell who in the capital was friend, foe, or a traitor.
Going to Creyth alone would be suicide.
She had to get stronger. Maybe her father was still alive—maybe there was still time to find him...
But she would never tell Lan Qi any of this.
She couldn’t drag him any deeper into this mess.
"You ever consider taking on a Shadow Realm challenge? Let’s team up and shake things up a little."
Lan Qi finally spoke after noticing Huperion had fallen into silence.
Out of everyone he knew, Huperion was undoubtedly the best teammate.
Not only had they fought together before, but she had also proven herself to be extremely reliable in combat.
That was precisely why they had managed to clear the Supercharged Version of the Infinite Phantom Canyon the other day.
Huperion’s fingers stiffened on the pages of her book. She stared at Lan Qi in stunned silence, her lips slightly parted as if trying to say something—or maybe just trying to breathe in fresh air.
"...You’re asking me to go with you?"
Finally, she managed to process what he was saying. She blinked, still struggling to grasp this sudden and almost unrealistic invitation.
"Of course."
Lan Qi’s tone was firm and certain.
Huperion lowered her gaze, staring at the book on her desk, biting her lip as if caught in deep conflict.
The only reason Lan Qi was treating her so kindly was because he still didn’t know she was half-Demon.
And she had no idea how to tell him.
Even if their friendship was just an illusion—just a fleeting bubble ready to burst—she still didn’t know how to be the one to pop it.
"You can back out anytime."
Huperion’s eyes remained downcast as she spoke in a quiet voice.
It was as good as accepting Lan Qi’s invitation.
But at the same time, she was leaving room for him to walk away whenever he wanted.
"I knew you’d say yes! We should hurry and challenge a Shadow Realm before the Magic Engineering Institute closes for the day. I swear, I can’t take this class anymore—who the hell decided to add Chantless Casting to this year’s mandatory courses?! I can’t learn that crap at all!"
Just thinking about this morning’s class gave Lan Qi a headache. He couldn’t help but complain.
He hadn’t expected the Sage Institute’s curriculum to be this difficult.
Or maybe...
His magic talent was just that bad.
This Chantless Casting class was absolute torture for Lan Qi.
The worst part? He had checked the previous course syllabi, and this subject wasn’t even a mandatory class before! Of course, the school just had to revise the curriculum this year and add it in.
"Today?"
Huperion murmured in a daze.
She clearly hadn’t expected Lan Qi to be this impulsive.
This was even more surreal than a spontaneous road trip—so much so that her heart suddenly started pounding uncontrollably in her chest!
For a moment, she didn’t even know what kind of expression to make or how to respond.
"Yeah, right now."
Lan Qi stretched lazily, like he was shaking off all the stiffness in his body.
"You coming with me?"
Leaning back against his chair, he turned to Huperion once more, his face lit up with an unmistakably confident smile.