https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-530-Lanchi-Doesn-t-Find-This-Amusing/12584754/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-532-Shadow-World-The-Dark-Eclipse-of-Shadows/12584763/
Chapter 531: Huperian Wants to Save Lanchi
Chapter 531: Huperian Wants to Save Lanchi
It was lunchtime at the Cat Boss Restaurant, and the first floor was bustling with activity.
"Hmm?"
Standing by the wall, Antanas looked confused as the cat in her hands disappeared. She turned back, but everything seemed normal.
The three people sitting by the window had their backs to her, and nothing seemed amiss.
Antanas scratched her head, but eventually returned to her busy work, prompted by Sinora's reminder.
Plana had taken an early leave today, so there was only one waiter, Antanas, and Sinora, who occasionally helped out as a waiter, at the front desk.
At this moment, by the window counter, the three of them stared at the table in silence, their foreheads starting to sweat.
Fortunately, they quickly snapped out of it, preventing Antanas from noticing anything strange.
"...”
Huperian bowed her head, her cheeks reddening despite her attempts to control her expression with her acting skills.
She even considered using her invisibility to make a run for it.
But where could she even escape to?
If what Antanas said was true, the painting might be visible outside as well!
While it would be embarrassing if only the Wilfort family saw that compromising scene, they could at least try to forget about it over time.
But now, the painting was hanging right there in the Cat Boss Restaurant.
It was like a constant reminder of the bizarre incident they had experienced together.
The three of them were unusually taciturn, afraid that Antanas would notice something amiss. They forced themselves to act as if they had no reaction to the painting.
Soon, when they confirmed that Antanas had gone into the kitchen, just as Tata was about to get up and take down the painting, Huperian grabbed her hand tightly.
They exchanged awkward glances, their embarrassment palpable.
In that moment, Talia instantly understood Huperian's unspoken plea.
So Talia sat down again.
She glanced at Lanchi, who picked up his water glass and took a small sip, nodding slightly.
They had decided to pretend they hadn't noticed the painting.
Since the situation was already beyond repair, they might as well let it be.
As long as no acquaintances recognized them in the painting, they wouldn't be socially ruined!
It was a relief that Plana wasn't there today.
With Plana's keen eyes and intelligence, he might have deduced something from their earlier reactions.
This realization brought them some comfort.
The three of them exchanged glances once more, their unspoken agreement binding them together. It was as if their fates were intertwined, and they decided to take this secret to their graves, never to be revealed to anyone!
"...”
However, the silence between them soon became awkward again, and none of them knew what to say.
They had never felt like prisoners in the Cat Boss Restaurant before.
"...Talia, Huperian and I will be going to the Shadow World tomorrow, and we might not see each other for a while."
Lanchi finally spoke up.
"Oh, oh."
Talia replied absentmindedly.
She should have felt a bit of sadness at the thought of the two of them leaving again, but at that moment, she was genuinely relieved that they could give each other some time and space.
If the three of them continued to spend every day together, Talia felt that their mental health would suffer.
After that.
Lunch that day ended quickly—
The Cat Boss quietly served their meals, and they ate quietly, none of them speaking a word.
The three of them sat in silence once more, the reason for their gathering unclear.
"Well, I'll be heading back to school. See you tomorrow, Huperian, Talia. It might be at least a week or two before we meet again."
Lanchi bid them farewell.
"I'll come find you at school tomorrow."
Huperian nodded.
"Mhm."
Talia inclined her head.
Then she fell silent for a long while.
As Lanchi pushed his stool back under the counter, preparing to leave, he walked past Talia.
"Good luck."
Talia murmured, as if to herself.
"...”
Lanchi turned back, surprised, and looked at Talia.
"Are you cheering me on, Talia?"
Lanchi asked, pointing at himself.
He had never received such treatment before, and he never expected Talia to become increasingly gentle and feminine.
"You misheard."
Talia's eyelids drooped, and she replied coldly.
She found Lanchi annoying, or perhaps it was his face that seemed to speak even when he didn't.
It was best not to engage too much with him.
"Thank you, Talia. I'll celebrate your birthday when I get back!"
Lanchi waved cheerfully and bid them goodbye, stepping out of the Cat Boss Restaurant.
The sound of the wind chimes echoed, and the first floor of the Cat Boss Restaurant was once again filled with the white noise of lunchtime.
Talia stared at the clean plates, noticing a slight, unconscious curve to her lips.
"Wait..."
She hesitated.
If Lanchi knew her birthday, would he also know her age?
Talia shook her head after a moment's thought.
Even though Lanchi's mind was always filled with mischievous thoughts, he probably wouldn't do anything too outrageous.
"...”
Huperian remained silent beside her.
She felt that Lanchi would buy eight hundred candles that day.
She had already started planning how to rescue Lanchi from that situation.
...
The next day.
The sky shone a bright blue, reflecting the clarity of summer.
The campus of the Hecate Academy bustled with life and noise as students gathered in groups, chatting animatedly.
Lanchi and Huperian, well-rested after a hearty breakfast, strolled through the campus with energetic steps.
Their voices echoed in the air, mingling with the sounds of birdsong and rustling leaves.
"This time, the three of us are going to wreak havoc."
Early in the morning, the trio headed to the Magecraft Institute to collect Lanchi's rank approval letter and the Logistics Magecraft Challenger License for Cat Boss. They also gave Cat Boss their Civilized Model Team group card.
"Rest assured, Cat Boss, I will help you break through to the eighth rank. You must become the pride of all cats!"
"Meow-haha, I will puff up with pride, meow!"
Hearing Cat Boss's laughter, Huperian felt that it might not yet understand the weight of its destiny.
But who was she to talk?
Knowing that being with Lanchi would distance herself from her human ties, she had still decided to stay by his side, no matter what dangers or peace the future held.
In the early summer of mid-June, the warm breeze blew across the school's grass fields just after eight in the morning.
Soon, the two humans and their cat companion arrived at the very heart of the Hecate Academy –
Even during the end-of-term morning, layer upon layer of the highest-grade barrier spells sealed the deep blue iron walls surrounding the Void Gate, exuding an air of solemn isolation. Members of the Royal Knights were on duty, patrolling the area with vigilance.
They reached the first security checkpoint at the entrance of the building, passing through the only main entrance with their registered challenger licenses, followed by more security checks.
"If we're entering a sixth-rank Shadow World later, then nothing out of the ordinary will happen. But if it's truly a seventh-rank world, then Loren might face entirely new doubts, and even the rumors about Sister Asina could be overshadowed."
Lanchi spoke softly in the corridor, his voice echoing slightly in the empty passageway,
"However, this could also be a strategy to divert attention. Those who want to impeach Loren won't bring up Sister Asina anymore. I believe that Loren would rather be tied to me than involve the innocent Sister Asina. So, let me help both Loren and Sister Asina."
"......"
Huperian felt that Loren might not appreciate that.
A tiny little Lanchi, when he exerts his allure to the extreme, will make all his enemies lose their minds and go crazy for him.
And now, Loren sometimes gets to share in this allure at critical moments.
The shadows of the two and their cat stretched out on the quiet pathway as they finally stepped into the depths of the building, leading to the Shadow World.
On the distant platform in the plaza, the gate connecting to the Shadow World still reflected deep purple starlight.
"Cat Boss, have you bound our Civilized Model Team group card?"
Lanchi looked at the final checkpoint and counter ahead, then at the empty hall on this end-of-term morning, and asked Cat Boss.
All they needed to do here was register their challenger licenses, allowing the staff of the Southern Continent Shadow World Management Association to inspect their equipped [Shadow World Recording Program], before proceeding to the Void Gate for challenge matching.
If they also wanted to use the [Shadow World Collaborative Program] for a group challenge, there would be an additional step to register their team information.
"Got it, meow."
Whenever Cat Boss recalled their team name, Civilized Model Team, he didn't know what to say.
That damned Holy Cathedral Villainous Banquet, where they casually removed and devoured the blood clan's organs—what kind of model behavior was that?! But then again, he was excited and thrilled at the thought of being able to overcome the Shadow World, an incredibly challenging and dangerous realm, with their help.
Lanchi nodded.
Subsequently, the two humans and their cat submitted their licenses and magic cards to the staff at the checkpoint counter, waiting quietly as the staff completed the registration procedure.
"Can I...?"
The young female staff member curiously eyed the little black cat.
At first, she wanted to ask the challenger to dispel their transformation spell and register in their original form.
But when she saw Cat Boss's documents, she was stunned.
She had never expected the cat to be the original form, and it was an impressive seventh-rank at that.
"No problem. When you come out, just let me read your [Shadow World Recording Program] again, and you can get back your challenger license."
The staff member smiled as she returned their magic cards, and the gate in front of them opened.
Her gaze lingered on Cat Boss, as if she wanted to give the seventh-rank cat a good petting.
But this was not the time to lend Cat Boss out.
The two humans and their cat expressed their thanks, retrieved their magic cards, and walked straight towards the Void Gate.
They chatted as they covered the hundred or so steps to the gate.
The Void Gate still looked like a bottomless black hole, but standing near it, one could feel an invisible pulling force, as if all living beings approaching it would be sucked into this endless unknown world.
"Huperian, Cat Boss, we're about to challenge the Shadow World!"
Lanchi smiled at Huperian and Cat Boss.
"Ready,"
Huperian nodded, now a seasoned veteran at this.
"Meow-meow, no problem!"
Although Cat Boss was visibly nervous, he swallowed his saliva and bravely stood tall.
As Lanchi spoke, he walked through the Void Gate as if he were stepping through a surface of water.
Immediately, they were enveloped in darkness, unable to see or hear anything, not even their heartbeats.
Countless gears began to turn and intersect, their rumbling filling the pitch-black space.
[Blood Moon Calamity, New Node "Firefly Glow", Historical Projection Decrypted.]
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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