Don't Take Away My Human Record Chapter 692: Lanchi, Let's Eat - Novel Cool

Chapter 692: Lanchi, Let's Eat

Chapter 692: Lanchi, Let's Eat

Thin, nearly transparent red leaves plastered the window, allowing the morning sun to bathe the room in a warm, soft glow. The scent of wood filled the air, a pleasant fragrance that soothed the senses.

A gentle breeze wafted in from the balcony, caressing his body, and a soft knock sounded at the door, causing his eyebrows to twitch as his eyes opened involuntarily.

It wasn't the Palliaesi-style furniture in the room that caught his attention, but the reflection in the mirror a short distance away—a face with cold, emerald green eyes that couldn't quite hide a hint of confused drowsiness, as if trying to keep people at bay while also appearing harmless.

He sat up in bed, looking around.

Soon, his gaze settled, perhaps because the slight noise of his waking had attracted the attention of whoever was knocking outside his bedroom.

A figure with ash-blond hair and golden eyes opened the door, holding the doorknob and looking at him.

Her long hair was skillfully piled into a bun at the back of her head, both orderly and elegant, with a few loose strands gently framing her cheeks.

"Are you awake?" Talia asked.

She was still wearing an apron, apparently in the middle of preparing breakfast.

"Yes," Lanchi replied, a little dazed, blinking.

"Breakfast will be ready in a moment," Talia said, nodding and closing the bedroom door.

Although it was just an ordinary morning, Lanchi felt that today's awakening was somehow different from usual, though he couldn't quite put his finger on why.

Perhaps he was still sleepy.

After all, his last memory was of continuously fighting with Perlman and Inno.

He was so exhausted that he had fallen asleep right on the roof of the church.

He had no idea how long he had been unconscious before waking up.

Talia and Cat Boss must have brought him back, and this familiar bedroom was indeed the room prepared by Countess Rosalinda at the Platinum Forest Spirit Hotel, where he had been staying for many days.

He shifted his body, pushing the blanket aside and letting his feet dangle off the bed, resting them softly on the soft carpet.

"Bracing revival!"

He rubbed his eyes and stretched lazily, feeling a sense of relaxation spread throughout his body.

Lanchi got up from the bed and, after washing up, left the master bedroom and entered the living room.

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves outside the window, and birds chirped in the trees nearby.

A series of crisp notes drifted through the open window and into the hotel suite, lingering in the pleasant morning air.

To his surprise, the living room was filled with a delicious aroma.

He looked towards the dining table and saw Talia moving efficiently back and forth between the living room and the adjoining kitchen.

Today's breakfast was a cream stew of shrimp, wild mushrooms, and pasta, accompanied by black pepper cheese fried chicken.

Lanchi slowly walked over and took a seat at the table.

Talia brought over the last dish, a fig and grain yogurt salad, and placed it in front of him.

"Am I dreaming...?"

Lanchi looked up at Talia, feeling a bit surreal.

He realized that after bringing Talia back to the dorm, their home had always been spotless. The Great Poet, who never did any housework, now had a tidy space thanks to Talia's effortless skills.

And now, with Talia actually cooking and taking care of him...

Lanchi had to admit a fact he didn't want to believe—Talia seemed to be the embodiment of a model wife and mother.

It was just that her temper reflected her demonic nature, and after more than a year of living in comfort, even though she could cook, she usually didn't bother.

"Have you ever wondered why my place is always so clean?" Talia asked, sitting down at the table beside him, as if she could read his thoughts.

"..."

Lanchi was at a loss for words.

Every time he went to Talia's place to study card making with her, her living environment was never messy. It was not only neat but also exquisitely organized.

This single, unemployed ash-blond-haired girl seemed to have impeccable living habits. He often heard Hyberrian say that living with Talia as a roommate was a blessing.

Now he knew it was true.

"Come on, eat up. It's Wednesday today," Talia said, seeing Lanchi's dazed expression.

"Wednesday... Did I sleep for almost two days?" Lanchi exclaimed, picking up his fork.

That meant he had to go to work today.

He worked at Count Baptiste's house on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

And by that reckoning, he had skipped work all day Monday!

He had never made a mistake at work before, yet he had committed such an irreparable blunder!

"You two cats, why is work the first thing on your minds...?"

Cat Boss jumped from the chair to the table and lay down, watching the pair.

Now it wasn't just Lanchi but also Talia who was talking about work.

The two at the table seemed at a loss for words, and the atmosphere grew quiet once more.

Just seeing each other made them think of their last interaction on the roof—how they had ended up leaning against each other as they chatted.

Given their relationship, they shouldn't have been so physically close.

The more they recalled that proximity, the feel of the other's body, and the sound of their heartbeats and pulses, the more awkward they felt at that moment.

Lanchi could only direct his fork towards the food and take a bite.

Instantly, his eyes lit up.

It wasn't just his taste buds that were enticed, but also his empty stomach, sending relentless signals to his brain to keep eating.

The black pepper cheese-fried chicken had a golden, crispy exterior like shimmering gold foil, speckled with black pepper and cheese bits. Biting into it, the crisp exterior gave way with a crunch, revealing tender chicken meat infused with oily juices. The combination of the crispy coating, the subtle spiciness of black pepper, and the rich cheese created a delightful interplay of textures and flavors.

Lanchi couldn't help but empathize with Hyberrian's lifestyle at this moment.

In a way, this kind of care and nourishment was something he couldn't provide for Hyberrian.

As Lanchi ate, his thoughts wandered.

"La la la la, lovely Pariette, my favorite city of flowers~ Eat it up~"

A cheerful humming voice accompanied by light, bouncy footsteps approached from the balcony, making their way into the living room.

Due to the familiarity of the voice, Lanchi's instinctive reaction was to glance at Talia beside the table before looking up towards the balcony.

"Hey!"

The figure had gray hair like Talia's, but it was tied casually into a side ponytail with a ribbon, allowing a few playful strands to dance in the gentle breeze. Her deep blue eyes resembled the clear autumn sky.

She wore a dark sweater and form-fitting trousers that accentuated her slender legs, which were encased in brown, knee-high boots.

"Huh? Are there two of you now, Talia?"

Lanchi paused with his fork in mid-air, feeling like he must be dreaming.

"Meow..."

Cat Boss felt that Lanchi was a bit delirious from sleep; it was obviously Lanford, but Lanchi seemed to be thinking of Talia, so his brain defaulted to Talia.

"I'm back!"

The Great Poet winked her left eye at Lanchi and made a sideways scissor hand gesture on her cheek.

"Oh, when did you get back?"

Lanchi asked nonchalantly as he continued eating, chewing as he looked at her.

"......"

"Have you two gotten so close that you don't need me anymore?"

The Great Poet immediately stopped and stared at Lanchi, her expression turning from surprised to amused.

She had thought that her return would move Lanchi.

But this guy seemed to be indifferent to her presence or absence.

"......"

However,

This statement made both Lanchi and Talia feel awkward, prompting them to avert their gazes from each other.

To be honest, it had been excessive for the two of them to live together and be constantly aware of each other's thoughts for the past month.

But because of this prolonged proximity, they had gradually grown accustomed to it.

From Lanchi's perspective, if his destined card was the incredibly powerful trinity card, the "Madly-in-Love Demon King," then the "Great Poet" card did seem a bit primitive.

"Oh my... Could it be that during this time, something really happened between the two of you...?"

The Great Poet covered her mouth in exaggerated surprise, taking in a sharp breath.

"Nothing happened!"

Lanchi and Talia exclaimed in unison, assuring her.

The Great Poet's exaggerated expression was clearly meant to mess with their heads.

At this moment, they both found the Great Poet a bit annoying.

Lanford was much better.

Upon hearing this, a mischievous glint appeared in the Great Poet's eyes. She leaned forward, staring back and forth between the two of them.

After a while, she stopped paying attention to them and walked towards the room door, picking up her small jigsaw-edged handbag.

"I give up. I'm going sightseeing in the city of flowers. See ya!"

The Great Poet had already put on her sunglasses and was waving goodbye to the two of them with a stylish flip of her hair.

"Come home early."

Talia called out from the direction of the entrance.

"No problem."

The Great Poet nodded and left eagerly.

Lanchi held his fork, watching the Great Poet's departing figure and then turning to look at Talia.

Logically speaking, the Great Poet should be following his instructions.

Now it felt like she could bypass him, her holder.

"After you passed out that day, I felt that I could separate from her. Maybe it's because using my power excessively could cause our fusion to reach its limit and allow us to separate, or maybe it's just been a long time."

Talia estimated that she had been fused with the Great Poet for almost a month.

During the time Lanchi was unconscious, since he hadn't locked the Great Poet card, she had immediately separated from the Great Poet as soon as he fell asleep.

"She's too noisy, and she might disturb your sleep, so I let her go out to play. As long as she's home by eight, it's fine. Anyway, she doesn't use up much magic power, and she doesn't spend much money either."

Talia explained.

"......"

Lanchi didn't know what to say.

"Do you think I'm being too strict?"

Talia asked expressionlessly.

"No, it's great that you can keep her in check."

Lanchi shook his head and sigated.

In the future, he could consider turning Talia's place into a daycare and letting Lanford stay with her as well.

After the topic initiated by the Great Poet was briefly discussed, the two fell silent again.

Lanchi quietly ate his meal, while Talia sat quietly beside him.

Lanchi now realized what was different about today.

In the past, Talia might have directly shouted at him in her mind, but today, it was unusually quiet, and his soul no longer felt connected to something strange.

He had almost finished the shrimp and wild mushroom cream stew with pasta and the black pepper cheese-fried chicken.

Just as Lanchi was feeling a bit thirsty and about to pick up his water glass, his attention was drawn to the fig and grain yogurt salad, which exuded a refreshing and enticing appearance and a healthy amount of moisture.

The freshly sliced figs were neatly arranged, with a yellow and green hue, a smooth surface, and a crisp texture. They were surrounded by crunchy cereal grains that contrasted beautifully with the snowy white yogurt.

Lanchi swallowed, picked up a spoon, and tasted the salad. The mild sweetness of the figs, the crispness of the cereal, and the sweet and sour yogurt blended together in his mouth.

It was beyond expectations—perfect.

The chef had clearly put a lot of thought into creating such a delightful breakfast.

However, as Lanchi ate, his brow furrowed.

"What's wrong? Don't you like it?"

Talia noticed his expression and asked.

"No, it's delicious. I've never had such a tasty breakfast before."

Lanchi shook his head and expressed his gratitude.

But why, after apparently sleeping for about two days, did he only feel quite hungry instead of extremely hungry? Maybe he was so hungry that he didn't feel it anymore.

Lanchi decided not to dwell on this not-so-important issue.

"..."

Talia averted her gaze.

Actually, she had.

She had secretly eaten some food using Lanchi's body.

It wasn't that she wanted to eat using his body; she just felt that Lanchi might sleep for a long time, and she was worried that his stomach would get too hungry, so before separating from Lanford, she helped him eat a meal.

He probably wouldn't find out since he was sleeping so deeply.

Talia only realized this ability after trying it once when Lanchi was sound asleep. While in a state of possession, she could actually take control of his body without him noticing.

Time ticked by.

Lanchi finished his breakfast.

He put down his fork, appearing to hesitate.

After a long while, he looked at Talia, wanting to say something but not knowing what.

"Thank you."

Finally, after gazing at her for a while, he expressed his gratitude.

Talia just looked at him, confused.

"What are you looking at me for?"

She asked.

"Nothing."

Lanchi looked away.

He suddenly realized that he hadn't spoken aloud but had conveyed his thoughts instead.

He was so used to communicating with Talia via mental messages that he felt awkward now that they were separated.

Now, he couldn't communicate with Talia through mental messages anymore.

"What were you trying to tell me just now?"

Talia inquired further, curious.

She wondered what Lanchi was thinking, as she had never seen him make such an unusual expression before.

"Nothing."

Lanchi shook his head.

He wouldn't say "thank you" to Talia several times in a row. Expressing it once in his heart was enough.

It was fine to joke around.

But seriously saying "thank you" to her felt a bit strange.

In any case, he just couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

It was all because he hadn't adapted to the sudden change and was now unable to communicate with her via mental messages as before.

"What does 'old ascension' mean?"

Talia hesitated for a moment, having caught his thoughts.

When she was curious, she could occasionally hear faint voices.

However, since she could directly perceive Lanchi's thoughts, she hadn't used this ability, and whatever he thought, she could immediately perceive.

Her mind-reading ability was still unstable. Aside from successfully reading her opponent's battle intentions during the fight a few days ago, she could now only intermittently pick up fragments.

Perhaps due to the Great Demon Race mark on Lanchi, reading his thoughts was significantly more challenging than reading those of others.

"It's a colloquialism from our hometown. People in the Northeast have great respect for the elderly. When they see someone of a certain age, they will sincerely say 'old ascension' to express their admiration for the person's immortal aura and ascension to immortality."

Lanchi earnestly explained the phrase to her.

"..."

Talia nodded.

So, "old ascension" was a compliment.

But wasn't she, in a way, insulting her?

The veins on Talia's hand began to tremble.

Lanchi instinctively felt the sunlight dim slightly as Talia stood up, and he flinched in surprise.

"Oh."

Talia didn't want to deal with him and raised her hand, but she didn't strike.

"?"

Lanchi covered his head, expecting a blow, but Talia didn't lose her temper.

He peeked at her with one eye half-open, observing her.

Talia took a deep breath, seemingly suppressing the urge to pin him to the ground and beat him up.

Today, she seemed unusually tolerant, showing a hint of forbearance. Lanchi wondered what she was plotting.

After tidying up the table, Talia placed two fruits on it, took off her apron, and headed for the door.

"So, today, I have an appointment to meet with Rosalinda. Let's take care of lunch and dinner separately, and if you need me to make breakfast for you tomorrow, just let me know in advance."

She reached the door, ready to leave Lanchi's hotel room.

No longer concerned about Lanchi's magical power consumption, she, too, regained her freedom and no longer had to stay by his side constantly.

"Please give my regards to Countess Rosalinda."

Lanchi waved.

Talia nodded gently, and with the sound of the opening and closing door, only Lanchi and Cat Boss remained in the living room.

Lanchi heaved a sigh of relief.

He glanced at the clock on the wall and felt that he still had some time before he needed to head to Count Baptiste's place for work.

The count's mansion had been damaged, so he would probably have to visit the count's old residence on the south bank of Pariette. Fortunately, the hotel he was staying at was conveniently located for traveling to either place.

He gazed quietly out the window.

Despite the long sleep, aside from a slight soreness, his mind felt much clearer, but he still felt a bit drowsy.

"Are you still thinking about Inno?"

Cat Boss sensed that Lanchi seemed deep in thought.

"No, I won't remember her."

Lanchi shook his head, his eyes downcast.

In a sense, only Inno would choose death. As for Bishop Ivanoth, he would choose to live on.

So, he had only defeated an ordinary maid, not the kind of enemy that would leave a deep impression on him.

"Then good, don't pay tribute to her."

Cat Boss laid on the table and meowed softly,

"After you passed out, I went to retrieve Inno's body, and then Cat Boss and I cremated her. We'll have Ethio bury her in the Bosen Demon Realm."

It continued.

The corpse of an eighth-rank powerhouse was likely to attract covetous glances.

Aside from being able to serve as high-level materials for some very unorthodox magical artifacts, the body could also be used to create puppets or for biological experiments. A despicable character like Bishop Rotten would probably have his eyes on the corpse, so cremating her as soon as possible was the best option.

"I see."

Lanchi murmured, gazing out the floor-to-ceiling windows of the hotel.

From here, on the sixth floor of the Platinum Forest Spirit Hotel in the bustling 2nd District of North Shore, everything was laid out before him.

The hilly highlands, the Selina River, Flower Sea Park, the streets, the temples, and the squares were all within sight.

In just two days, the city of Flowers seemed to have made remarkable progress in its restoration efforts, and currently, there were hardly any traces of the previous devastation.

The Bosen Kingdom was already well-known in the eastern region for its highly developed magical engineering, and with the full force of its manpower and resources, it was likely that most of the repairs would be completed soon.

"Today, many famous attractions are less crowded, so if you go, it might just be a private date, meow. It's really perfect for a date."

Cat Boss, like Lanchi, gazed out the window as it spoke.

"Who am I going on a date with? Cat Boss, do you want to go on a date with me?"

Lanchi asked with a smile, stroking the little black cat with one hand.

"With Tata!"

Cat Boss paid no heed to Lanchi's joke and replied.

Even though Tata had sat there for so long, Lanchi had calmly eaten his breakfast without being swayed in the slightest. He was just like Tata!

"But I have to work, and she has an appointment with Rosalinda. Besides, a date between the two of us would be meaningless."

Lanchi picked up the apple that Talia had left behind and took a bite, his expression calm and collected.

"Obviously, she held you in her arms, and you slept so peacefully in her embrace."

Cat Boss jumped up in a hurry and added.

"Pfft!"

Lanchi almost choked and quickly picked up his water glass to take a few gulps.

"Lanchi, admit it. Her embrace made you feel secure, and her warmth caught your attention, didn't it?"

Cat Boss continued, staring intently at Lanchi's cheeks.

"No, that's impossible!"

Lanchi glared at Cat Boss and began to lower his head to focus on eating the apple, completely unable to regain his earlier graceful demeanor. In a few bites, he finished the apple, then stood up, washed his hands, put on his coat, and prepared to leave.

"Lanchi, meow, did I hit the mark?"

Cat Boss followed him, its paws padding softly.

It felt that Lanchi's behavior was very similar to how he had been when it first met him, or perhaps even more innocent.

Lanchi paused and turned back.

He squatted down and picked up the cat.

"Cat Boss, the term 'old master' is actually not appropriate or precise when used like that."

Lanchi looked at Cat Boss and explained earnestly.

He felt that Cat Boss was thinking about something particularly rude.

"Meow, isn't 'Old Deng' a compliment?"

Cat Boss widened its eyes in surprise.

"... "

Lanchi was at a loss for words and could only purse his lips, hoping that Cat Boss would understand his silence.

"So, Lanchi, am I right? You care about Tata a lot, don't you?"

Cat Boss asked innocently, returning to the previous question.

"Her embrace making me feel secure, me caring about her warmth... none of that is true. I was just too tired."

Lanchi looked up and took a deep breath, as if he found the whole situation utterly absurd.

He stared at Cat Boss with a hundred-watt smile and vetoed the idea with composure.

(End of Chapter)

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