Don't Take Away My Human Record Chapter 672: Lanchi is Questioned About the Pigeon - Novel Cool

Chapter 672: Lanchi is Questioned About the Pigeon

Chapter 672: Lanchi is Questioned About the Pigeon

Cardinal Lanchi and his companion strolled down a bustling street in the heart of Blossom City, the commercial center of the Bosen Kingdom.

"Meow, this street is so impressive," exclaimed Cat Boss, the cat in Lanchi's arms, its eyes sparkling with delight as it took in the morning bustle of the city.

"Indeed, we're almost at the Petras Auction House," Lanchi smiled at the cat.

The street they were on, Crystal Orchid Avenue, was one of the three most prosperous streets on the Southern Continent and was counted among the top ten charming pedestrian streets. It formed the central axis connecting the Platinum Palace to the New Pilgrimage Gate. Stretching for 1,800 meters with a maximum width of 120 meters, it began at the Rose Plaza in the east and ended at the Star Plaza in the west.

This was the very avenue where the grand national parade was held every August 24th to celebrate the Bosen Kingdom's Independence Day.

"Several hundred years ago, this used to be a marshy field. It was transformed into this tree-lined boulevard by the queen of Bosen at the time," Lanchi remarked, gesturing towards the distant open spaces, grand buildings, and squares.

Thus, in that era, Crystal Orchid Avenue was known as "The Queen's Boulevard."

The evolution of Crystal Orchid Avenue was intimately tied to the urban development of Blossom City. According to the historical records of the Bosen Kingdom, its true beginnings could be traced back three hundred years, when the royal gardener extended the east-west central axis of the Royal Rose Garden to the Round Plaza, creating the avenue's initial form.

"The fundamental planning was quite reasonable, which is why it has evolved into what it is today," Lanchi continued. "The first segment emphasizes natural scenery, with flat, park-like grass on both sides, creating a tranquil atmosphere. The final segment is a high-end commercial district, home to famous brands, clothing stores, and perfume shops of the Southern Continent, adorned with fiery trees and silver flowers, exuding elegance and luxury."

"How do you know all this?" Talia asked, impressed. She had read about Crystal Orchid Avenue in Professor Bolao's A Recent History of the Bosen Kingdom, but Lanchi's knowledge seemed far more detailed. It was as if he had deduced much of it from his own observations.

"If you ever visit the Northern Continent, you'll see my passionate contribution to the latest urban planning of Helrom, the imperial capital of Protoss," Lanchi replied with a mischievous smile, hinting at his involvement in grand projects beyond this avenue.

"It seems your connections and talents are indeed impressive," Talia acknowledged, her words carrying a hint of admiration.

Given Lanchi's diverse skills, it was no surprise that he had connections in various fields. At the very least, she acknowledged his artistic talent, as evidenced by the flattering portrait he had painted of her.

"It is said that at 5 p.m., if you go to a park on higher ground, you can watch the captivating sunset and fading glow on the western horizon along this unobstructed avenue," Lanchi remarked, gazing at the layered rooftops and the city's central road, which gradually ascended towards that direction.

"Oh," Talia replied nonchalantly, her tone conveying a mix of indifference and disinterest.

She made no indication of whether she wanted to join him for this sunset viewing, a suggestion that carried a hint of romantic undertones.

Lanchi smiled wryly, as if he could read her thoughts. "Cat Boss, would you like to watch the sunset?" he asked, lowering his head to stroke the cat's head. "If Talia doesn't want to go, just the two of us can go, okay?"

"…," Talia's eyebrows furrowed, and a slight twitch pulsed in her forehead vein as she heard Lanchi's deliberate provocation.

She knew he was goading her.

"Meow!" Before Cat Boss could answer, Talia snatched the cat from Lanchi's arms. "Cat Boss is coming with me," she declared, her voice as hard as steel.

Lanchi stared at her, momentarily taken aback, his empty hands hanging by his sides. It was as if he was challenging her, asking if she could keep up with his playful banter.

"You two are always tugging and pulling at me. Stop using me as a tug-of-war prize, meow," Cat Boss sighed in resignation.

The two humans and the cat continued their walk, sometimes chatting, sometimes bickering, until they reached a crossroads.

Towering camphor trees lined the street, their leaves shimmering in the morning light like emeralds embedded in the pavement. The sun had risen higher, casting a soft, pale blue hue across the sky.

As they waited briefly for the traffic signal to change, Lanchi noticed Talia's gaze fixed on the opposite side of the street. Intrigued, he followed her line of sight.

His eyes flitted back and forth between the street and her face a couple of times before he realized what had caught her attention.

In the display window across the street, an elegantly dressed wealthy man strolled by, his steps slow and deliberate, each one resembling a carefully choreographed dance move. Behind him followed a demon respectfully dressed in simple but clean attire. The demon's hands carefully held several lavishly decorated shopping boxes, maintaining his balance as he walked.

The shopping bags were not light, but the demon bore their weight without complaint, his demeanor reflecting only respect. The bracelet on his wrist marked him as a subordinate, a symbol of his servitude.

Lanchi glanced at Talia and noticed that she had averted her gaze, no longer wanting to witness a scene that reminded her of the changing times.

"This isn't unusual in Blossom City," Lanchi remarked, his eyes still on the traffic signal as he addressed Talia.

As an international metropolis, Blossom City faced the challenges common to modern cities, including issues of immigrant integration.

"I know," Talia replied. She was well aware that the times had changed. She had come to accept this reality long before arriving in the Bosen Kingdom. While her work contract was fine, the sight of demons in servitude to humans still made her feel slightly uncomfortable.

However, she also understood that there was little cause for complaint. Demons who entered into slave contracts did so either as a form of atonement or to sell their time and labor in exchange for large sums of money for various reasons.

In the Bosen Kingdom, the majority of contracts regarding slavery were fair and just.

As the signal changed, the two of them, with the little black cat in tow, continued walking.

"What is it, Talia? Do you also want me to help you win a championship, like I did for Duke Migaya?" Lanchi asked, a hint of amusement in his voice as he seemed to read her thoughts.

While their fundamental motivations differed—Miss Ifatiya enjoyed the spectacle, and Talia desired freedom for the demons—they shared a common goal. By showcasing a talented demon, they could potentially free them from slavery. Once the demon attained fame and a substantial price tag, there would be no shortage of nobles willing to pay for their freedom and enter into more equitable commercial contracts.

"I'm not the kind of woman who needs a man to curry favor with me. No matter how hard you try to please me, I won't even give you an extra smile."

Talia met his gaze, her reply indifferent and slightly cold.

On one hand, she was being realistic.

On the other hand, she couldn't stand Lanchi's tea-tasting probing.

"That's true. Even when you feed me, I'm happy, but I won't smile at you..."

Lanchi shook his head.

Before he could finish his sentence, he fell silent, sensing Tata's stare.

"I'm really curious about one thing."

Talia furrowed her brows and stared at him for a while before finally asking.

She wasn't angry this time.

Nor did she want to quarrel with him.

She was just genuinely curious.

"Ask away."

Lanchi replied with a sigh of relief.

"Why didn't you provoke me recklessly when we first met?"

Talia fixed her gaze on him, as if this question had been bothering her for quite some time.

"I think, according to your personality, you should have said something back then that would have infuriated me. Instead, it's as if you foresaw my dangerous side and chose a different approach to get to know me slowly."

As her words trailed off, her eyes remained locked on Lanchi's face.

"Meow."

Cat Boss was curious too.

After following Lanchi for so long, it had discovered that Lanchi's love for trouble meant that alcohol was like poison to him, yet he couldn't stay away from it.

And Talia was like alcohol to Lanchi, clouding his judgment, both dangerous and addictive. He simply couldn't resist her.

It was hard to say if he was drawn to Talia because she cured his alcoholism, or if he saw her as his new addiction and a necessity in his life.

"Maybe it's because that day I accidentally stumbled into the temple of the Goddess of Fate, and she let me have a dream that foretold how I should approach you?"

Lanchi recalled and met her gaze calmly.

Hans had mentioned that every time he drank to the point of memory loss, the day before he met Tata, he had blundered into the Church of the Goddess of Fate led by South Van Tina and accidentally knocked a gem off the statue of the goddess, causing quite a bit of trouble for the priests.

Fortunately, the pure and kind-hearted priests didn't hold it against him, considering it a twist of fate.

The priests believed in the Goddess of Fate's divinity; as long as the children of man prayed to her, she would gain the slight power to interfere with their destinies. The more devout and prolonged the prayers, the more their voices would reach her, and one must never make reckless oaths to the gods, regardless of whether they still exist or are able to interfere in mortal affairs, as it may forge a karmic connection.

Thus, in legends, there was a protective stone called the Reincarnation Jade.

It could be any stone associated with the Church of the Goddess of Fate, and as a medium, the goddess could weakly interfere with the mortal realm from the conceptual side.

The Reincarnation Jade was a gift for those with a connection to fate. If one prayed devoutly to the Goddess of Fate, she might grant them a beautiful dream, perhaps a coincidence or a memory from a past life.

But such things were too fantastical and unverifiable, so they were often dismissed as legends and fairy tales.

According to Hyberrian's beliefs,

She felt that she was the Witch Miss in her previous life, and Lanchi was the Sun Child. Of course, it was also possible that in the lives before those, they had reincarnated into other worlds and experienced a wonderful intermediate life. All of this was a blessing from the Goddess of Fate.

So,

It was possible that his accidental encounter with the Goddess of Fate's temple had granted him many revelations, imparting information that could change the future.

Of course, none of this mattered to Lanchi, who didn't believe in reincarnation.

He only believed that the Sun Child was a flower similar to himself from tens of thousands of years ago, and they had no direct connection, just like the Witch Miss and Hyberrian.

The essence of reincarnation was the repetition of history through the constant destruction and rebirth of the world.

After a long time, similar people and stories would always emerge.

Believe it or not—it's up to you.

"...

Talia fell silent for a long time after hearing this.

"Is that so... No wonder you know so much about Duke Migaya's disappearance, like a prophet."

She listened to Lanchi's thoughts and murmured to herself.

Hyberrian and Lanchi had already shared with her the intelligence about Duke Migaya and the blood tribe.

She was sure that Lanchi wasn't lying to them.

Nor had she probed into Lanchi's secrets.

Prophets, fortune-tellers, and future-seers were not uncommon in this world, though they were rarely seen.

[Fate] was a divine realm that mortals could not touch, and [Divination] was the limit of what the blessed could reach.

If the Plenary Demon Race had grown a few hundred years older, the demons might not have lost the war.

If Lanchi's knowledge came from the Goddess of Fate, everything could be explained.

"How can you know so many secrets and yet remain so nonchalant about their deeper mysteries? If Hyberrian were you, she would probably lie awake at night, plagued by doubts and questions."

Talia asked.

She could hear Lanchi's thoughts and see the snippets of stories recorded in the [Shadow Weaving Record of Caliera].

"I'm not really interested in theology or history. I prefer philosophy, aesthetics, and ethics. Only the present matters; the past and future are not worth delving into."

He explained with a smile.

"...

This guy might not believe in gods, but sometimes he sounded like a religious fanatic, the kind often called a cult leader.

His condition was most severe when he first returned from the Northern Continent.

Now, there were signs of improvement, and he was starting to act more like a human again.

"Have you ever thought of going back to the Church of the Goddess of Fate and truly seeking a Reincarnation Jade to see?"

Talia suggested,

"To see what our past lives were like."

She spoke in a nearly silent way, like a soft whisper in the morning mist, gentle and elusive.

If it was the Goddess of Fate who brought the two of them together, then perhaps they were also destined to be together.

Her connection with Lanchi might not be any less than Hyberrian's connection with him.

"I don't believe in the Goddess of Fate, not in the same way Hyberrian does with her sincere prayers, so I think if I went to the temple with any other purpose in mind, it would be pointless."

Lanchi shrugged nonchalantly.

"It's on the way, so we can drop by."

Talia suggested casually.

The Pariah Police Headquarters, where the two of them had stayed the previous night, was indeed close to the famous Pariah Cathedral.

And near the Pariah Cathedral were several temples and churches with branches in Blossom City.

Logically, the Pariah Cathedral should have been one of the places on their sightseeing list.

However, since it was quite late yesterday, neither of them had thought of going.

"We could visit the Pariah Cathedral, but there are temples of the Goddess of Fate everywhere, like in Ikelite for example."

Lanchi analyzed.

"What if we have a beautiful dream? Aren't you curious about what it might be like?"

Talia asked.

"Not really."

Lanchi shook his head and smiled calmly.

"..."

Cat Boss listened to the couple's conversation.

It felt like Lanchi was doing it on purpose.

The two of them were at it again, bickering and pulling at each other.

Tata wanted to go, but she didn't want to go that much. She hoped that Lanchi would suggest that they go to the temple of the Goddess of Fate together to seek a blessing, and Lanchi, knowing her desire, would pretend to be clueless unless she directly invited him to join her.

Thus, Lanchi and Talia remained silent, creating an awkward atmosphere.

"Don't you think that the [Shadow-Weaving Record of Caliera] also has a feeling of intertwining shadows with past memories? I feel that adding a piece of the Goddess of Fate's amulet to the card crafting process could be beneficial."

Talia finally spoke up.

As long as it was blended well with the formula, adding it to the process would likely neither increase nor decrease the success rate, and having an amulet associated with the Goddess of Fate would intuitively make one feel luckier.

"Er..."

Lanchi thought for a moment and felt that what Talia said made sense.

"Then let's go to the temple later."

He conceded.

"You two are completely..." Cat Boss finally snapped, "Every time you pull at each other until it reaches a delicate point, you stop and don't push any further, fully aware of how far to go to make the other person feel a subtle sense of disappointment without actually being disappointed or angry!

"Cat Boss, what are you talking about?"

Both of them stared blankly at the suddenly outbursting Cat Boss.

"..."

Cat Boss felt defeated. These two people were truly clueless.

They had no idea how their bickering appeared to others.

All they knew was that they were having fun with each other.

"But I think we might be going for nothing. Don't get your hopes up too high."

Lanchi didn't believe that he and Talia would see a dream similar to that of the Sun Child and the Witch Miss.

In the first three Shadow World cycles, there was no demon similar to Talia.

If he had to make a comparison, only the Shadow Lord Orion and the True Night Lord Esmod had some similarities with Talia and Daishirin.

However, even if these two great demons had offspring, they wouldn't appear until after the Sun Child's death.

At the end of the third Shadow World cycle, those two great demons were still brothers in arms.

Lanchi shuddered at the thought.

"It doesn't matter. Just from what you told me about the Goddess of Fate's temple and how it relates to our encounter, that's already enough."

Talia had also passed by the temple of the Goddess of Fate yesterday and vaguely remembered some disturbance there, but she hadn't paid much attention and had walked away after a brief glance.

In reality, their story had already begun that day.

"I remember that on the same day, I lost a Dark Pigeon familiar. Because I finally got an important job and a turning point in my vagrant life, I temporarily put aside the search for it and don't know if it's still doing well."

Talia reminisced about her past.

Now, more than a year had passed.

In the past, a year would have been like the blink of an eye for her.

"..."

Cat Boss suddenly felt Lanchi's expression freeze, and his heart rate soared to a hundred and eight.

He seemed to be exerting all his effort to control his thoughts and not let any abnormality show.

"That Dark Pigeon has been with me for many years. Even during the hardest times when I hadn't eaten for several days, I never considered laying a hand on it."

Talia continued, her eyes filled with memories.

"..."

Lanchi started sweating profusely.

"Why are you sweating so much?"

Talia noticed that Lanchi had remained quiet for a while without saying anything.

"It's a bit hot walking around Pariah in the morning. I didn't feel it when we were sitting at home, but now that we're out and about, I can feel the temperature."

Lanchi took off his thin jacket and draped it over his hand, forcing a smile.

"Oh."

Talia nodded.

She took out a handkerchief from her small bag and raised her hand slightly, then handed the handkerchief to Lanchi.

It was unclear if she intended to help Lanchi wipe his sweat or if she had wanted to lend him the handkerchief from the start.

"Thank you."

Lanchi accepted the handkerchief from Talia.

"By the way, if, I mean, if the pigeon had been harmed, what would you do if you caught the culprit?"

He asked further.

"Hehe."

Talia clenched her fingers,

"How the culprit treated my pigeon, that's how I'll treat the culprit..."

Her words were as cold as ice, sending chills down one's spine.

"Ahaha, that's scary. Hey, look, that dessert shop across the street seems nice. Let's go buy a couple of ice creams, shall we?"

Lanchi's throat felt dry as if something was stuck in it, and he quickly changed the subject with a nervous laugh.

"Which one?"

Talia's gaze was immediately drawn to the direction Lanchi was pointing.

The two of them started chatting enthusiastically again.

"Meow."

Cat Boss tilted its head in confusion, looking up at Lanchi.

Mr. Lan, why are your hands shaking? If that pigeon has anything to do with you, you're going to be in big trouble sooner or later.

(End of Chapter)

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