https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-669-Lanchi-Thought-it-was-Too-Easy/12585041/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-671-Cardinal-Lanchi-and-Talia-Find-Common-Ground/12585043/
Chapter 670: Lanchi and Thalia Seem to Have a Date
Chapter 670: Lanchi and Thalia Seem to Have a Date
The following day.
"This is your second day in the Flower City of Paris, Kingdom of Posen," said a young voice, belonging to none other than the black cat, who was promptly cut off by the simultaneous death glares of Lanchi and Thalia. Cowering, the little cat retreated, transforming back into a plain black loaf of bread, devoid of any sugar or grains.
In the morning streets of Paris, a couple strolled through the old-fashioned lanes of the north shore. Their steps were slow, as if the entire city were serenading them with a leisurely tune. The aroma of coffee wafted from the street-side cafes, and the orchid, viola, and hydrangeas in the brown brick flower shops shone vividly in the morning light, their petals glistening with dew.
Lanchi donned a simple gray shirt, exuding a casual air. When asked about his choice of color, he attributed it to paying homage to that legendary mentor.
"Do you think traveling together like this will really increase our rapport?" Thalia asked.
Their gazes casually wandered over the morning bouquets, devoid of any romantic vibe, as if they both found each other's company boring.
Thalia, as always, needed no adornment to enhance her natural beauty. She wore a lightweight white dress, its skirt gently swaying with her steps. Her gray hair, unstyled, was lifted gently by the breeze of the old town, giving her an ethereal, elven appearance—pure and enchanting.
Their accommodations, arranged by Countess Rosalinda, were located in the Platinum Forest Spirit Hotel in District 2 of Paris, boasting an excellent location within walking distance of the Platinum Forest Palace and the Art Bridge.
One unique feature of the hotel was the option to enjoy breakfast in a "cave-like" space, and it also offered a 24-hour reception service to ensure guests' comfort and convenience.
Overall, the Platinum Forest Spirit Hotel seamlessly blended traditional Posen-style living with modern amenities, making it an ideal choice for those exploring Paris.
"I don't know," Lanchi replied, holding the black cat.
Since the hotel was conveniently located near two distinctive attractions, they didn't feel the need to rush. After all, they could easily pass by whenever they wanted.
After stepping out, they unanimously decided to venture into the bustling downtown area on the north shore.
As a melting pot of diverse cultures, the downtown area of Paris, the Flower City, offered not only the traditional arts and cuisine of the Kingdom of Posen but also influences from the Posen Demon World and various other places.
The museums, art galleries, theaters, and concert halls in the city stood as a testament to this cultural fusion, and the literary scene was equally vibrant, with cafes and bookstores that had once been gathering places for renowned writers and thinkers.
"... "
Thalia felt that back in the South Ventina Domain, she and Lanchi had also embarked on similar morning outings, only returning after sunset.
However, their purpose had been clear back then.
Whether it was escorting Lanchi or teaching him card crafting, they had a definite goal.
Now, ironically, they seemed to have less to do.
In other words, she couldn't pinpoint a specific reason for their outing today or if their goal of "increasing rapport" would even be achievable.
Surely, it wasn't a date.
"But that's what Professor Pola taught us," Lanchi replied with a shake of his head, his voice lacking conviction.
The task of collaborating to turn the 'Shadow Weaving Record of Kaliella' into a mental magic card seemed deceptively simple, yet it presented an insurmountable hurdle.
They appeared to have run out of options to enhance their card-crafting rapport, and rather than engage in futile exercises, they decided to heed Professor Pola's advice.
Caressed by the summer breeze of Paris, Lanchi felt a wave of drowsiness wash over him, and he let out a lazy yawn.
The night before, they had returned to their hotel from Countess Rosalinda's residence well past midnight.
He had intended to sleep in until nine or ten, indulging in a rare moment of laziness.
However, Thalia had other plans, summoning herself out of her magic card state at seven in the morning and waking him up in the process.
The reason? She wanted to go downstairs for breakfast.
Lanchi could only oblige.
Ever since Thalia and the Great Lover Poet had become one, she would revert to her magic card state every night, sinking into a slumber within Lanchi's soul space to reduce his magical power consumption and give him time to recover.
Consequently, when she awoke and regained consciousness, she invariably ended up rousing Lanchi as well.
"I didn't think you'd be the type to sleep in," Thalia remarked.
Back in the South Ventina Domain, Lanchi had always risen early and left punctually, but it seemed that this habit was a facade, and he actually struggled with mornings.
"Have you ever considered that the reason for my increased magical power consumption and constant exhaustion might be because of someone insisting on waking me up early every day?" Lanchi retorted.
Lanchi looked down and asked Thalia, who was walking beside him.
"..."
Thalia remained silent for a moment before replying, "Alright, I'll try to conserve your magic power from now on."
Expending a large amount of magical power did indeed induce fatigue.
She hadn't realized that using Lanchi's magic power had increased his exhaustion, and she surprisingly found this state of maintaining a Demon King's body while being free to act quite comfortable.
"What should we have for lunch?"
Thalia asked as she walked alongside Lanchi, taking in the ever-changing scenery of the surrounding buildings.
If this were a date, that would be the first question to ask.
"..."
Lanchi paused slightly, as if surprised by Thalia's question, or perhaps because he found the question all too familiar.
"Le Jouvin, located on the second floor of the Pariah Rose Eiffel Tower, offers a unique geographical location and a panoramic view of Pariah's downtown area, as well as high-end Posen cuisine. It's not only a place to enjoy delicious food but also an excellent spot to experience Pariah's iconic scenery."
He quickly snapped out of his daze and replied,
"Or there's Lastrance Posen Cuisine, a restaurant managed by Posen Demon World's famous chef, Pascal Barrier, known for his innovative Posen Demon World cuisine, especially his careful selection of ingredients and magical culinary creations, which have earned high praise from foreign customers."
"And of course, there's also the option of Le Meris, the highest-rated restaurant within the eponymous luxury hotel, renowned for its classical decor and cuisine throughout the Southern Continent. Customers can experience the luxury of the Posen Kingdom's royal court while enjoying delicious food."
He thoughtfully listed the options.
"Okay, you decide."
Thalia nodded.
This had always been the case; she followed Lanchi.
This guy always seemed to know his way around and had a good eye for restaurants. She didn't have to worry about him not planning their lunch.
More importantly, he would actually take the time to plan their lunches and dinners in advance, making one feel that he truly cared.
However...
Why did it feel like they had been on a date like this before, even though it was their first time going out for non-official business?
The two strolled along the cobblestone road in the morning, until they had walked through several streets, and their surroundings gradually opened up, with Pariah's buildings, streets, and even passing pedestrians becoming the backdrop to their story.
"By the way, although we are here to investigate the Great Wizard Parroni's grudge curse, Sergeant Nigel may be a bit busy these two days, and we may not be able to find him. In the meantime, we can only go elsewhere to investigate first."
Lanchi conveyed his thoughts to Thalia, who was walking beside him.
Unlike travelers like them on vacation, the Executioner Nigel had busy military duties every day and hardly any personal time outside of his vacation.
"Did you contact him this morning?"
Thalia asked him in her mind.
"Yes, he said there's something he needs to discuss in person, so he asked us to come find him in a couple of days."
Lanchi replied.
The two of them had discovered that sometimes, mental communication was quite convenient and efficient.
"Before that, Executioner Nigel did mention to me that there was a place where a demon frenzy incident occurred recently, which may not only have some clues but could also be an accident-prone area."
Lanchi continued to convey his thoughts to her.
According to the information provided by Countess Rosalinda, the Petras Auction House had experienced a frenzied curse incident involving a cursed demon tribe not long ago.
Based on Rosalinda's intelligence, the Posen Kingdom's internal investigation results indicated that the grudge curse of the 'Great Wizard Parroni' was more likely to forcibly pollute slave contracts and work contracts. In contrast, the public's citizen safety contract was actually a more challenging type to contaminate.
And sometimes, Petras not only auctioned off precious artifacts and materials but also various contracts, allowing wealthy individuals to purchase contracts for demon tribe followers and employees.
"Then, let's take a detour to Petras Auction House on our way. We can investigate while we're there checking out the materials, and then we'll have lunch afterward?"
Thalia asked Lanchi.
The once-a-week auction was held in the morning.
The plan for the first half of the day suddenly became clear.
As expected, there was still some official business to attend to, and going with Lanchi made her feel more natural.
When it came to pure leisure and play, she didn't quite know how to spend her time.
"No problem. Visiting the Flower Capital's Petras Auction House is also a good choice this month. There are many festivals and projects in the Posen Kingdom, making the auction house particularly active."
Lanchi replied.
Many challengers from the Shadow World and adventurers from the mortal realm were reluctant to sell their precious materials to the Southern Continent Card Crafting Association.
This was mainly because certain rare materials were highly sought-after by specific card crafters, who would pay a premium for them. However, finding such buyers depended on both time and luck.
While the Southern Continent Card Crafting Association often acquired materials quickly and offered fair prices, they tended to be formulaic in valuing extremely rare materials and were unlikely to offer a premium.
If one wasn't in a rush for money, consigning items at merchant guilds or auction houses might fetch a much higher price.
Therefore, when Countess Rosalinda was unable to quickly procure certain materials through the Association, she had no choice but to look elsewhere.
"Why are you two not talking again, meow? Can you please stop using your private channel?"
The cat boss noticed that the two had been staring at each other for a long time without saying a word, and he knew they were having a private conversation again.
"We're discussing where to go this morning, and we've decided to go to the Petras Auction House in Flower City."
Lanchi explained to the cat, gently stroking it.
"Don't get too used to chatting like that, meow."
The cat boss admonished them as he gazed at the pair.
He didn't like feeling left out.
"That won't happen," they both assured him.
"Meow."
The cat boss was somewhat reassured. He preferred hearing their daily chatter.
Moreover, if they became too accustomed to mind-linking, they might accidentally do it later at the Cat Boss Restaurant when they were in the company of others. From an outsider's perspective, it would look strange, like they were putting on a silent play, clearly up to something intimate and covert.
"By the way, isn't this auction house a membership-only establishment? Can we just walk in without a reservation today?"
The cat boss asked, tilting his head.
"It's fine. Have you heard Hubert mention the Petras Merchant Guild before?"
Lanchi gently stroked the cat boss as he asked.
"Yes, meow. That merchant guild is quite famous, especially in the Western Hub Region. In the Eastern Region, they only have a branch in the capital of the Posen Kingdom."
The cat boss thought for a moment before answering.
"Do you remember the name of the merchant guild of that young master we met in Hubert, Frey, and my second shadow world, 'The Evil Dinner of the Holy Church'? The one who became good friends with the three of us, along with his sister, who was his bodyguard."
Lanchi drew small circles on the cat boss's forehead as he asked.
Back then, in addition to the trio of gods, the Holy Destroyer, the Destroyer Branch Direct Soldiers, and the little princess of the Krexe Empire, their three teammates were the young master of a merchant guild from the western kingdom of Campbell and his bodyguard siblings.
"I think it was indeed called Petras, meow."
The cat boss realized.
"He owns a large portion of the shares in the Petras Group. When we parted ways in the shadow world, he told me that he would help us register as members, so we could visit any Petras Merchant Guild branch whenever we wanted."
Lanchi explained.
"Not bad," Thalia commented from the side.
She noticed that Lanchi seemed to have connections everywhere. Not only in his hometown of South Ventina, but wherever they went, he quickly integrated into the local environment and established good relationships with the locals.
Perhaps he had made some connections in the Northern Continent as well. If they ever decided to revisit the north, it would surely be more convenient with his network.
Although, when it came to the Northern Continent, she was undoubtedly more familiar with the region.
However, after so many years, some places might have changed beyond recognition. Many old demon ruins might have been occupied by humans and turned into restricted areas, making it challenging to return to her homeland.
"Do you want to go to the Northern Continent?"
Lanchi read Thalia's mind.
"It's been a while since I've been home. I'm curious to see how it has changed," Thalia nodded.
"If you want to go back to the Northern Continent, we can go whenever you like. I'm quite familiar with Protoss Empire on the south shore now," Lanchi said.
"I figured as much. After all, you managed to rescue Antanas and the others from Hellrom Prison. You must have some connections," Thalia said nonchalantly.
But she had grown accustomed to and fond of her life in Ikelite.
Let the past with the demons and the demon world remain in the past.
For a long time to come, she wouldn't think about returning to her homeland.
From now on, each chapter will be a compilation of the daily updates, maintaining the same word count but without dividing it into smaller chapters. Although there will only be one chapter, each one will be a large chapter of 4000 characters or more, occasionally reaching 6000 or more.
PS: Recommended book: "Is It Wrong to Want to Marry the Empress?"
(End of Chapter)
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