https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-516-Talia-and-Huberian-s-Confession/12584726/
Chapter 517: Lanchi Learns Talia is an Eighth-Rank Demon
Chapter 517: Lanchi Learns Talia is an Eighth-Rank Demon
Reflected on the windowpane not far from the bedroom were the profiles of Talia and Hyberrian.
Their eyes, naturally cold, couldn't hide the emotions swirling within.
"Hyberrian, I could never replace your real mother, and I don't understand how humans should express their feelings at times. I can only interpret through the human logic I know, so please don't think I'm clumsy."
Talia murmured.
"Talia, you can be really silly sometimes."
Hyberrian smiled.
"...”
Talia looked at Hyberrian, taken aback.
"You always worry that you're not doing enough, even when you're clearly doing great. And you fret about whether others dislike you, even when you're already close to them."
Hyberrian explained.
"Is that so?"
A glimmer of realization flashed in Talia's eyes, and a hint of a smile tugged at her lips.
"Yes."
Hyberrian nodded in affirmation.
"If you have any questions about humans, feel free to ask me. I'll tell you everything I know. Even though I'm not exactly human either... Well, it's better than asking Lanchi, right?"
She paused, realizing that among Talia's friends who knew her true identity, she was probably the one who resembled a human the most.
Lanchi, on the other hand, was simply pretending to be human.
"Then, please take care of me from now on."
Talia replied softly.
"This is my Talia."
Hyberrian hugged Talia once more, unable to resist becoming a clingy bug whenever she met Talia.
Talia didn't move, allowing Hyberrian to hold her for a long while until she let go.
"...Does he know?"
Talia finally asked.
"...Yes."
Hyberrian knew that when Talia said "he," she was referring to Lanchi, and her question pertained to her identity as a demon.
"When did he find out?"
Talia's eyes held a complex mix of emotions.
If he knew she was a demon before they left for the Northern Continent, why was he still so kind and friendly to her upon their return to the Southern Continent?
"I don't know."
Hyberrian shook her head.
There always seemed to be mysterious sources of information surrounding Lanchi, making her suspect that he might possess the ability of foresight. However, she didn't intend to probe further; she trusted Lanchi.
"Do you think I should be honest with him about my identity?"
Talia seemed to be seeking Hyberrian's opinion.
She appeared indecisive and slightly anxious.
Even though Lanchi might already know everything and was just pretending ignorance, as long as she didn't expose the truth, he could continue feigning it.
But before Hyberrian could answer, there was a knock on the bedroom door.
"Come in."
Talia and Hyberrian exchanged a glance before responding.
Soon, Lanchi pushed open the door and entered, pushing a three-tiered small dining cart.
"Talia, lunch is here."
On the top tier of the cart lay a pristine white napkin, crystal glassware, neatly arranged silverware, and a fresh bouquet of flowers in the center.
Lanchi then began to take out the appetizers from the insulated cart—a small, exquisite piece of foie gras, adorned with subtle herbs and edible petals.
With practiced ease, he motioned for Hyberrian to switch places with him, taking the chair closer to the bedhead and beginning to feed Talia.
"...”
Talia closed her mouth, her eyes filled with confusion as she stared at the food Lanchi offered and his face.
Although her right hand was still wrapped in bandages, numb and devoid of sensation, she had never imagined that one day she would let a man feed her.
"Thank you for protecting the House of Wilford."
Lanchi smiled sincerely, expressing his heartfelt gratitude for her actions.
On the day the Destroying Holy Son attacked, Talia had ensured the safe evacuation of the Wilford family, and due to her dedication to protecting others, she had sustained several severe injuries that could have been avoided.
Now, the entire Wilford household considered Talia family.
"I'll do what I promised, of course."
Talia shook her head, feeling that it was only natural, or perhaps she was merely fulfilling a contractual obligation.
"So, while you're recuperating, let the House of Wilford take care of you." Lanchi continued, still insisting on feeding her.
"... "
Talia fell silent for a long while.
"I am Talia, a demon, and Tata is my alias. Are you still willing to associate with me?" She knew that Hyberrian would not reject her, but she wasn't sure if Lanchi's lack of reservation towards her was an act or if he truly didn't fear her.
"Of course! I still want to learn more about demon card crafting from you." Lanchi nodded without showing much surprise.
"I'm an eighth-rank demon. Aren't you afraid of me?" Talia looked at her hands, avoiding eye contact with him.
After pretending to be human and interacting with him for so long, it would be normal for him to feel some wariness or fear.
"... No." Lanchi shook his head, pursing his lips.
"?" Talia frowned.
Had Lanchi just implied that he was mocking her?
Initially, she thought it would be difficult to discern Lanchi's true thoughts about her, but now she could only confirm that this guy truly didn't care about her race. And that familiar scent was back again, for some reason!
"So, Tata, rest assured. Whether you are of a different race or have a different name, the times we've spent together are genuine, and so is this moment, aren't they?" Lanchi, who had put down the tray, picked it up again and asked.
"... "
Talia didn't respond.
But she slightly parted her lips and accepted the food that Lanchi offered.
"To be honest, at first, I couldn't tell that you and Hyberrian were related at all. How did you recognize her?" Lanchi asked while feeding Talia.
The only thing he was confused about was this. In his opinion, Talia and Hyberrian didn't resemble each other in the slightest.
"Her half-demon form bears a slight resemblance to Ifateeria, and when I confirmed that she had the traits of the Evil Demon Tribe, I was almost certain." Talia looked at Hyberrian and replied.
Back then, on the open-air giant screen at Ikelite Academy, she had happened to see Lanchi and Hyberrian challenging the Purgatory Corridor Academy's shadow world. In that shadow world, Hyberrian had directly transformed into her demon form. Later, she had also accepted Lanchi's request to track Hyberrian for a while, indirectly protecting her.
After that, Lanchi brought Hyberrian to her home, and during their conversation, they further confirmed the information about the Duchess.
"Wait, then why don't you and your sister look alike?" Lanchi pointed out a key detail.
He had heard that the Second Princess, Ifateeria, was exceptionally gifted, possessing talents that even intimidated other great demons. As a young female, her unique charm had even attracted the once-in-a-millennium prodigy, Duke Mikaya of the Herton Kingdom. Unsurprisingly, Duchess Ifateeria and Hyberrian both had small appetites.
"... "
"Back then, there were some civilian officials in the Demon World who raised similar questions, but without exception, they were all executed by the Demon King. So, the living demons either believed that we were sisters or chose not to believe it but dared not speak out." Talia sensed the ambiguous silence from Lanchi, and her expression turned cold as she spoke, her tone suggesting she wanted to eat him along with the food he was feeding her.
She didn't understand why, but that guy's simple statement, with its slightly exaggerated tone, seemed to hide a thousand unspoken words!
"I believe you, I believe you." Lanchi quickly waved his hands and shook his head.
He had intended to ask Pranai about this, but now he thought it was better not to pry into others' business.
Often, Pranai was the one who knew the most about the secrets of the Demon World. The difference between Pranai and Antanas was that Antanas would proactively reveal what he knew, while Pranai might pretend to be ignorant of certain secrets, as he knew how to survive for longer.
However, Pranai probably didn't know any explosive Demon World gossip either. Otherwise, if he ever accidentally exposed the secrets he kept hidden in his heart, Pranai himself might explode as well.
---
Thanks to the dads for the monthly tickets! Mwah! (Thundering sound)
(End of Chapter)
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