https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-236-Lanchi-s-Racial-Compatibility/12584275/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-238-The-Darkest-Hour-of-the-Northern-Continent/12584277/
Chapter 237: Lanchi's New Journey
Chapter 237: Lanchi's New Journey
As the gentle-mannered young man with black hair pushed open the door of Cat Boss's restaurant, a string of bells chimed merrily, as if welcoming his arrival.
The moment he stepped inside, a burst of refreshing fruit-scented tea greeted him, mixing with the chilly winter air in a refreshing and pleasant blend.
Lanchi entered the restaurant, carrying a small suitcase.
Before his eyes could even begin to survey the premises, he spotted Hiberrian and Talia waiting for him at a table near the entrance on the first floor.
The lazy afternoon sun shone through the window, casting a warm glow on the wooden table by the sill.
Talia, propping her chin with one hand and glancing briefly at Lanchi, averted her gaze as she usually did, refusing to linger on him.
Hiberrian, on the other hand, held the little black cat in one arm and pulled the suitcase with the other, a smile on her face as she approached Lanchi.
Outside the window, the wind chime under the eaves rang softly once more, as if whispering to him, "You've arrived."
"Lanchi, shall we be off, then?"
She rarely left the royal capital, and the prospect of such a distant journey made her feel a bit anxious.
But come to think of it, it was much like the Shadow World—an ultra-long-distance trip without the hassle of traveling back and forth.
"Yes, we have plenty of time."
Lanchi confirmed their ticket time and replied.
After a short pause, his gaze shifted to the little black cat in Hiberrian's arms.
"Do you plan to bring Cat Boss along?"
Lanchi asked, puzzled, seeing that Hiberrian had no intention of putting the cat down.
"Cat Boss wants to come on the trip, too," Hiberrian said, glancing at Cat Boss.
Whether or not it could join them depended on Lanchi's opinion.
"Meow! I may be weak, but I'm a bona fide Seventh-Rank Elemental Beast!"
Cat Boss puffed out its chest, its tail held high in pride.
It wanted to witness the journey of the young adventurers! And the human it had taken under its wing was just too peculiar.
One glance, then another...
"Er..."
Lanchi wore a troubled expression upon hearing this.
"Lanchi, Hiberrian... Am I causing you trouble? I can cook and take care of you..."
Cat Boss asked timidly in its childish voice.
It was excellent at looking after people.
"No, I'm just wondering what kind of ticket I should get for you."
Lanchi, a law-abiding citizen, would never consider fare evasion.
But now he was torn between buying Cat Boss a child or adult ticket, or paying the cargo fee for a pet or luggage.
For a Seventh-Rank Elemental Cat, it was indeed challenging to make a judgment call.
"I feel like you're thinking something very rude..."
Cat Boss paused, then muttered.
Hiberrian shook her head.
This was just how he was.
He often expressed his most impolite thoughts in the politest manner possible.
However, upon further reflection, having a master chef accompany them on their journey would undoubtedly be a delightful prospect.
Back in the Shadow World of the Holy Temple, it was fortunate that the chamber of commerce young master's escort siblings were excellent cooks. Otherwise, with none of them particularly skilled in the kitchen, the last four days would have been far less enjoyable.
Moreover, they needn't worry too much about Cat Boss's safety.
Although its combat power was exceedingly weak, its innate magic, '[Shadow Stealth],' was an incredibly useful self-preservation skill. As a composite magic of shadow and space attributes, as long as its host remained alive, Cat Boss was practically invulnerable.
In this world, it was rare to encounter a being with space magic affinity, and records of space magic were scarce. Only a few races had a chance to draw it out through innate talent after reaching the Sixth Rank.
"But what about your restaurant?"
Lanchi wondered how the Cat Boss restaurant would manage, always short-staffed, without its head chef.
"I've left it to Asena and Tata! Asena is my student now. They'll make sure the restaurant runs smoothly!"
Cat Boss leaped onto Lanchi's shoulder, its tail curled proudly.
"Asena is very reliable," Lanchi agreed.
Ever since he and Hiberrian had asked for Asena's sweets to visit Talia, the food critic had given them an extremely high evaluation.
Asena then asked Hiberrian to bring new treats to Talia, and before long, through Hiberrian, Asena had befriended Talia, a renowned food critic, and a passionate aspiring top chef.
Now that the Ikelite Academy was on break, Asena, the vice-president of the student council, had no other commitments. She had planned to focus on culinary research during the holidays.
"Don't you also have a friend named Monaster?"
Cat Boss asked.
"Yes, he's our president," Lanchi replied, unsure how Monaster had become acquainted with Cat Boss.
"Monaster is so dependable. He's a business school graduate from the Alchemy Institute. He expressed his gratitude for my taking care of Asena and promised to help out while I'm away for the next few months to improve the restaurant's business," Cat Boss said happily.
"I can't help but fantasize about the possibilities. Who knows, maybe by the time I return, sales will have increased by twenty percent!"
"..."
Lanchi didn't say anything further, simply responding, "Well, you can look forward to that, then."
He hoped that it wouldn't turn into the Cat Boss Bank by then.
It seemed that Tata had made quite a few friends during the times when Lanchi and Hiberrian were not around.
Unknowingly, Tata was starting to live a life more akin to an ordinary person in the royal capital.
On the other hand, Lanchi was a little worried about Asena as the head chef and Tata as the hostess. One loved to cook, and the other loved to eat, so Lanchi couldn't help but worry if Tata would eat up all the ingredients in the restaurant under the pretext of taste-testing before they even opened for business...
"..."
Talia looked up at Lanchi but remained silent.
And that was it.
After a brief chat with Cat Boss at the counter by the entrance, Lanchi said, "Then, goodbye, Tata."
Lanchi and Hiberrian stood at the doorway and waved at Talia, who was sitting not far away.
"Goodbye," Talia replied, her attitude unchanged as always.
"..."
However, after saying this, she seemed a little hesitant.
Lanchi smiled, holding onto the handrail of the door lock, not pressing it down for a long time as if waiting for something.
Finally.
Talia stood up and walked over quickly to give Hiberrian a hug.
"Tata?"
Hiberrian's eyes widened in surprise, and then she slowly placed her hand on Tata's slender back, closing her eyes contentedly, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"..."
Talia said nothing, merely stroking Hiberrian's hair.
It was said that a human mother could hug her daughter when seeing her off.
But Talia didn't know what to say at this moment.
Without lingering, Talia released Hiberrian.
"Lanchi, Hiberrian, take care and stay safe on your journey."
Talia added, looking at the two of them.
"Mhm, don't worry, Tata."
"Okay!"
Lanchi grinned at Talia.
This old lady was becoming more and more humane.
He finally opened the door, and together with Hiberrian and Cat Boss, they left the restaurant.
The empty restaurant fell silent.
"..."
However.
After Lanchi and Hiberrian's figures disappeared, Talia stood there, frowning.
"Old...what...?"
Talia murmured, her lips barely moving.
"I still can't quite make it out..."
Never mind.
She was close to mastering the ability to read minds.
Soon, she would be able to hear that brat's inner thoughts clearly.
...
The sound of horse hooves echoed through the streets of Ikelite, the wheels of the carriage rumbling as the hustle and bustle of the city center gradually faded into the distance.
The afternoon sun shone on the gently swaying sightseeing carriage, and Lanchi and Hiberrian would arrive at the Ikelite Central Station before nightfall.
From a distance, one could see the ripples on the winding canal reflecting the setting sun.
In fact, the two of them had never toured the royal capital of Ikelite together.
Now that things had calmed down, the ancient and modern vibrancy of the city seemed especially delightful.
Once they left Ikelite, they would start using their new identities.
Hiberrian's disguise included black hair and dark eyes like her father, Duke Migaya, while Lanchi chose light brown hair like Dean Loren, keeping his original eye color.
As for their aliases, Hiberrian decided on the name "Mirian," borrowing the first syllable from her father's name.
Lanchi, imitating her naming style, chose "Loki" in tribute to Dean Loren.
Although Hiberrian could see Lanchi's admiration for Loren through this, she still felt that Lanchi's excessive imitation of the dean wasn't necessarily a good thing...
"Lanchi, I will definitely keep an eye on you."
Hiberrian hugged the little black cat thoughtfully, finally turning her head to look at Lanchi and saying seriously, "I will watch over you. I feel relieved."
Lanchi leaned back casually in his chair as the evening sky streaked with pink and orange flashed in his eyes.
Hiberrian paused for a moment, taken aback.
"In battle, of course, I will watch over you. That's what I promised when we first teamed up. But outside of battle, I will also keep an eye on you and stop you from doing anything reckless!"
She explained to Lanchi clearly the multiple meanings of "watch."
Supporting him meant not only encouraging his endeavors but also preventing him from going astray and, of course, helping him with all her heart when the situation called for it.
"How could I possibly do anything reckless...?"
Lanchi smiled as he looked at Hiberrian.
At that moment, her cheeks and the sky behind her were a mix of pink and orange, her beauty dazzling without the need for any extra lighting. Time seemed to stand still at that golden hour, which belonged solely to her.
"But...if you think I'm doing something reckless, please remind me."
Lanchi's gaze returned to the road ahead as he continued.
While he had grand and unwavering ideals, he was not obstinate or self-willed. Hiberrian was his reliable companion, and he would listen to her opinions.
However, all of that was still a long way off.
For now, all he needed to know was—
Their brand-new journey to the Northern Continent was about to begin!
---
(End of Chapter)
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