Chapter 695: Lanchi Just Wants to Be Struck Down by Tata
Chapter 695: Lanchi Just Wants to Be Struck Down by Tata
In the square of the Pariah Iron Tower, Cardinal Lanchi continued to hold onto Tata's hand, inviting her to walk with him.
"Well then," Tata replied without resisting or pulling her hand away.
She kept her emotions in check, suppressing the volcanic rage within. Had it been Hyberrian, she would have been furious with Lanchi by now.
I am Hyberrian, I am Hyberrian, she kept reminding herself, calming her turbulent emotions.
Lanchi and Tata strolled through the streets of Pariah, the morning bustle gradually giving way to the vibrant pulse of the city. Lanchi cheerfully held Tata's hand, his gaze often drifting to her profile.
They ambled along, chatting animatedly at times and falling into comfortable silence at others. Unbeknownst to them, Cat Boss, with his diminutive stature, was stealthily trailing behind.
Although he felt a sense of foreboding, his curiosity got the better of him. Tata was wearing gloves today, and Lanchi held her hand with casual ease. Yet, the closer they stood, the more Cat Boss feared that Lanchi might suddenly come to his senses.
As he darted back and forth between walls, benches, and newsstands like a shadowy figure, he spotted two other figures across the street, also keeping a discreet eye on Lanchi and Tata.
"Look, Athio, I told you they make a perfect couple, so well-matched!" whispered Countess Rosalinda excitedly, her eyes sparkling with gossip.
Both women were dressed casually, giving no hint of their true identities as countess and demon lord.
"Indeed, quite the spectacle," Athio agreed, a hint of relief in her voice.
Tata's two good friends hid in the corner, peeking out to observe and whispering to each other, oblivious to the stares they were attracting from passersby.
"Meow!" Cat Boss called out from across the street.
The two women immediately noticed him.
"Here, kitty kitty, come here," Rosalinda beckoned quietly.
During the first round of the Platinum-level Card Maker exam, the little cat had spent the entire day with her.
Cat Boss nodded and leaped over to them.
"You're also hoping for some sparks to fly between them, aren't you?" Rosalinda asked, hugging the little black cat close.
"Meow..." Sparks? Volcano! Cat Boss didn't know how to explain Lanchi and Tata's complex relationship to Athio and Rosalinda.
As the two women chatted, Athio noticed a deep red open-topped magic-powered vehicle speeding by. Tata, lost in thought, was almost hit as Lanchi led her across the street.
Tata's brows furrowed slightly, her cherry lips pressed together, and her almond eyes reflected her preoccupation.
"Hey!" Athio almost shouted.
Lanchi reacted instantly.
With agile reflexes, he grabbed the lady's wrist with one hand and pulled her slender waist close with the other, quickly stepping back towards the sidewalk.
Tata's crimson lips parted slightly as the speeding vehicle whipped up a gust of wind, sending petals swirling in a colorful vortex. In that fleeting moment, Tata felt as if time had slowed down. The pedestrians on the street, the rustling leaves on the trees, and the dancing petals all seemed to move in slow motion within her field of vision.
Only the strong and warm palm of Lanchi gave her an unwavering sense of security.
Tata slowly raised her head, her waist still encircled by his arm, their hands clasped together as if they were dancing.
She looked at him in surprise—his resolute and dependable demeanor, his unwavering gaze, and his handsome face, now that she took a closer look...
Once again, she felt her heart quicken, just as it had these past two days.
As she had thought...
I still...
"That was close," Lanchi breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Tata, sounding like a concerned citizen.
An ordinary magic-powered vehicle stood no chance against Tata.
It would be like crashing into an iron tower, resulting in instant destruction and loss of life.
"...", Tata remained silent.
From another street corner, Athio and Rosalinda watched.
"Look how comfortable they are together," Athio remarked.
"Yes, indeed," Rosalinda nodded, "Tata is so shy she's at a loss for words."
Just watching from a distance made her feel like her heart was melting.
Cat Boss: "..."
He didn't know what to say.
Instead, he recalled a story Lanchi had once told him.
When you're riding in a vehicle and you see a white goat on the side of the road, you can't assume it's a white goat because, on the side you can't see, it might be a black goat.
...
By the roadside, Lanchi and Tata walked hand in hand on the sidewalk.
"Hey, Tata, why do I feel like you're gripping my hand tighter?" Lanchi asked, looking perplexed.
Tata took a deep breath and slowly loosened her grip, allowing Lanchi to continue holding her hand as if she were a lifeless doll.
In the past, she would have threatened him, daring him to keep holding her hand and not let go.
But today, she was determined to disgust him.
As long as she didn't get angry, Lanchi wouldn't get what he wanted.
"I... I can be a bit scared too," Tata pretended to be weak as she leaned slightly towards him, "Can you hold my hand like this all day and not let go?"
Tata looked up at him and asked calmly.
"..." Lanchi, for once, was speechless.
Although his expression remained unchanged, his face seemed to be struggling to maintain its composure.
It wasn't until the goosebumps on the back of his hand disappeared that he spoke.
"Of course, but won't you run away?" Lanchi narrowed his eyes and smiled, his voice lowered as he asked, "After all, from what I know, Master Tata, you've never been on a solo date with a man in these past few hundred years. I'm afraid you're very shy."
Facing Lanchi's provocative words, Talia felt her blood pressure rising once again.
"Not at all. As long as you don't let go, I won't either," Talia replied, maintaining her smile.
"Then I'll do the same," Lanchi assured her.
Both of them wore fake smiles, their eyes locked in a stalemate.
Whoever let go first would be the loser today.
After a brief moment, Rosalinda and Athio had already hidden themselves behind the sunshade of an open-air teahouse, their eyes fixed on the couple in the distance.
"Oh my, Athio, did you see that?" Rosalinda exclaimed, gripping Athio's arm with excitement, her voice trembling slightly.
"Wow!" Athio covered her mouth with both hands, trying to suppress the urge to cry out.
Her eyes sparkled, and her cheeks flushed with excitement.
"I can't believe Lanchi could be so affectionate. Look at the way he's looking at Tata; it's as if she's his entire world!" Rosalinda hugged the little black cat tighter.
This was exactly the kind of sickeningly sweet romance they had been hoping to see! Listening to the couple's conversation, Cat Boss could only feel despair.
In the past, he had mistakenly thought that this was a romance between a cold and intelligent young lady and a gentle and clever young man, and he had been so excited to see the sparks fly between them.
But now, having gotten to know them, he felt that they were insulting the very concept of romance.
In the blink of an eye, Lanchi and Talia walked further and further apart.
Athio and Rosalinda quickly followed, leading the cat through the streets, hiding and sneaking around while also eagerly wanting to witness the entire date.
...
The couple strolled along the streets of Pariah, in the old northern district with its ancient architecture, enjoying the peaceful and beautiful moment.
"By the way, Tata, is there anywhere you'd like to go?" Lanchi turned his head to look at Talia and asked.
Today was probably the first time they had truly made plans to go out together.
Neither of them knew what to do.
Lanchi hadn't prepared anything in advance, and it wouldn't have mattered if he had.
Tata wasn't like most girls; the more carefully he planned, the more she would throw him off.
"Let's go to the Card Maker's Association first."
Talia thought for a moment; it seemed like it was almost ten o'clock.
Although she hadn't given Karen a specific time, she had instructed her to wait for her at the Pariah Card Maker's Association in the morning of the festival day.
She would leave Karen waiting there for an hour or two.
Karen would be kept in a state of both fear, anticipating Talia's arrival, and hope, expecting Talia to show up and give her a satisfying outcome.
Karen's mindset was probably undergoing a gradual change.
"No problem."
Lanchi and Talia crossed the Selena River via the River Port Bridge and headed towards the Card Maker's Association on the south bank.
From time to time, wild geese glided across the river, casting graceful reflections on the water.
After walking for about half an hour, the two finally arrived at the Card Maker's Association building in the 3rd district of the south bank.
Unlike usual, there were several lifelike fireworks billboards set up in the spacious square in front of the association today, announcing the time of the Fireworks Ascension Festival by the river that evening.
Neither of them paid much attention.
After all, they had originally planned to spend the day separately.
As they stepped into the association building, a pleasant scent of sandalwood wafted through the air.
The warm sunlight shining through the domed glass windows bathed the interior of the association in a soft, golden hue. A large escalator connected the back of the first floor to the second floor, where a suspended corridor encircled a towering fishtail palm bonsai that stood over ten meters tall.
They took the escalator up to the third floor, walking along the corridor with its deep brown, patterned carpet. On both sides, display windows showcased a dazzling array of card-making works; some were ornate and grand, while others were simple and rustic.
However, as platinum-level card makers themselves, neither Lanchi nor Talia was particularly interested in these cards.
Instead, their gazes were drawn to the red maple forest outside the glass walls, where the wind rustled the leaves, turning them a deep, enchanting red. In the morning light, the leaves seemed to dance like fiery flames.
After a few steps, their attention was captured by a girl in the third-floor atrium who was surrounded by a crowd as if she were the moon surrounded by stars.
Her light-colored hair fell gently onto her shoulders, and she wore a simple chiffon shirt. Her figure was petite yet curvaceous.
It seemed that everyone was congratulating her on passing the platinum-level card maker exam, and among the well-wishers were people of prominent identities, hoping to curry favor with her and forge a good relationship.
However, the girl's pale complexion and faint smile betrayed a hint of fatigue, as if she were burdened with worries or unwell.
As Talia paused to observe, the girl became aware of their presence.
She slowly lifted her head, her eyes scanning the crowd until they landed on Talia. In that moment, the dullness in her eyes suddenly gave way to a spark of fear.
Karen, as if she had been waiting for this moment, stopped paying attention to those around her and rushed over to Talia.
Seeing Talia sweetly holding hands with Lanchi at this moment, and thinking about what she herself would have to do next to barely salvage her reputation, Karen's heart was filled with mixed emotions, and she felt her eyes stinging with unshed tears.
"I... I came as you asked," Karen said in a soft, pleading tone to Talia, her eyes darting around anxiously to ensure no one overheard their conversation.
"Let's go to the card-making room first, and I'll give you the swimsuit and the sign."
Talia patted Karen on the back, encouraging her to straighten her posture and not let her cower like she was being bullied.
"Chest out, head up, otherwise, the way you're hunching your back might give you away."
Talia muttered beside Karen.
Karen knew that this was Talia's way of speaking indirectly.
She was deliberately humiliating her.
But the more she endured, the more she couldn't let herself be defeated. She just had to get through today, and it would be over.
Talia, with Lanchi in tow, led the three of them through the corridor and into a hidden private passage that led directly to the sixth floor, the exclusive area for advanced card makers.
Unlike the exhibition area downstairs, the space here was more understated and luxurious. Only those in managerial positions, like Countess Rosalinda, had access to this area.
It didn't take long for Talia to arrive at the door of an elegantly furnished advanced card-making room.
Talia gently pushed open the door and gestured for Karen to enter.
The private card-making workshop featured a classically decorated interior with moonlit rosewood counters of varying heights. Enchanted runes were intricately carved into the wood's surface, emitting a faint glow.
Talia motioned for Karen to take a seat in front of the counter while she led Lanchi to a storage cabinet, from which she retrieved a metal box and placed it on the table.
"I've prepared a swimsuit, a mask, and an apology sign for you in the card-making room. Just get changed and come out when you're ready," Talia instructed.
"..." Karen nodded mutely, her lips pressed together.
She opened the lid of the box and found a pair of men's swimming trunks, a disguise mask, and a piece of cardboard with the words "Master Tata, I was wrong" written on it.
Karen took out the items and searched through the box, but she couldn't find the waterproof fabric she had imagined.
"This... is the swimsuit?" Karen picked up the trunks, her eyes widening as she slowly realized what was expected of her. She turned to Talia, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Yes, I didn't specify whether it would be a man's or a woman's swimsuit. Seeing how much you adore men, I thought you'd prefer a man's," Talia explained nonchalantly, as if it were the most obvious choice.
"No, absolutely not! You're playing with words!" Karen exclaimed, grabbing Talia's arm in a desperate attempt to change her mind.
"Get off me," Talia snapped, shaking off Karen's grip and leaving her to fall to the ground. She looked down at Karen with a disdainful gaze, as if she were nothing but trash. "If you keep haggling, I'll take away your mask, and if I really wanted to make things difficult for you, I could make that sign even smaller, making it nearly impossible for you to cover what you want to hide."
An uncanny feeling crept over Karen, a chill running up her spine and spreading throughout her body.
Those godlike golden irises fixed upon her, rendering her immobile.
Even breathing became difficult.
It was that terrifying magic and gaze that made her entire body tremble.
"No, please, I'm sorry!" Karen broke down, the fear overwhelming her sense of humiliation. "Please forgive me! I won't dare to cross you again. I'll disappear from your life!"
Karen pushed herself up from the floor, wanting to throw herself at Talia's feet and beg for mercy, but she dared not touch Talia again. Instead, she sobbed and pleaded, her eyes swimming with tears.
"..." Talia acted as if she couldn't hear Karen's pleas. She picked up the mask and casually broke off a small piece, tossing it to the ground—a punishment for Karen's defiance.
It was also a clear message that her pleas would not lessen the severity of her punishment.
"Do you want it?" Talia held out the now-imperfect mask to Karen, as if offering a bone to a dog.
"..." Karen bit her lip, tears streaming down her face.
She couldn't bear to think about what it would be like to stand in front of everyone wearing nothing but a pair of swimming trunks and holding a sign.
The reputation and status she had built up so carefully would be destroyed in an instant.
But the fear of that terrifying presence overwhelmed her, and she couldn't bring herself to delay any longer. Ever since she had fled that day, her mind had been haunted by the image and voice of that silver-haired, golden-eyed figure!
"Karen, I've been more than gentle with you. This mask even has a wig attached, so when you put it on, I guarantee that no one will be able to recognize you. Only you, me, and the heavens will know," Talia said, her tone implying that Karen should be grateful.
As she noticed Karen's hesitation, Talia began to break off another piece of the mask. "But if I break it a few more times, I can't guarantee that people won't be able to identify you..."
Karen felt a suffocating sense of despair.
"I want it!" Karen finally steeled herself, accepting the reality of the situation and desperately trying to hide her emotional breakdown. She reached out to snatch the mask from Talia.
With each piece that broke off, she felt like a piece of her dignity was being stripped away! But Talia quickly pulled the mask out of her grasp, leaving Karen grasping at thin air.
"..." Talia stood there, her hand by her ear, silent.
She waited, as if expecting Karen to say something.
"Thank you, Master Tata..." Karen mumbled through her tears, biting her lip.
"Mhm, Sister Karen, if you had just been this cooperative from the start, things would have been much easier," Talia replied, a pleased smile curving her lips.
"Master Tata..." Lanchi began, a hint of concern in his voice.
In his opinion, he didn't really mind what Karen had done, and he barely even remembered it.
"!" Karen looked at Lanchi as if he were her last hope, her eyes misty with a mix of desperation and allure, as if silently pleading with him to intercede on her behalf.
This man, whom she had once looked down upon as meek and ordinary, now seemed like her only lifeline!
Even though she had mocked and humiliated him, reported him during the Platinum-level Card Maker exam, and publicly tortured him, he had still given her a fair score. He was a gentleman, just like Loren, and she was certain he wouldn't make things difficult for her!
But that glance.
In an instant, Talia noticed it, and her grip on the mask tightened, crushing it to pieces.
Frightened, Karen flinched, no longer daring to look at Lanchi.
Disgust filled Talia's eyes, though she quickly masked it. She held Lanchi's hand and took a step towards Karen, casually crushing the mask further under her foot, the shards scattering with a crisp sound.
In Karen's widened eyes, the pristine white mask lay in pieces.
"As long as you wear this mask, no one will be able to recognize you. This punishment is actually quite lenient. Yet, instead of sincerely thanking me, you try to bargain with me. Don't you feel any remorse at all?
Talia stared at Karen and asked.
The pity in her eyes seemed to convey that she was considering how to truly punish Karen.
"I know I was wrong! I really know I was wrong, Master Tata!"
Karen shook her head vigorously, not daring to hesitate this time, feeling suffocated and regretting that she had just looked at Lanchi. She didn't dare to provoke this gray-haired witch anymore.
"Stop crying. Pick it up, and I'll help you put it back together."
Talia bent down slightly, using her index finger to gently tilt Karen's chin, her tone softening as she spoke.
"!"
Karen sniffed and widened her eyes, not daring to let her tears fall again.
She crawled on the ground, reaching for the shards, and then reverently handed them to Talia, as if she had found true dependence.
"Be obedient, and there will be rewards; disobey, and there will be punishments. Do you understand?"
With a few quick moves, Talia used the tools in the card-making workshop to single-handedly repair the mask and turned to face Karen.
The once pristine white mask now bore cracks like a pieced-together ceramic.
"Understood, Master Tata."
Karen nodded repeatedly, her sobs subsiding as she replied.
"Alright, you have one minute to change and come out."
Talia said as she led Lanchi out of the VIP card-making room.
She wore an expression of comfort, raising an eyebrow at Lanchi.
"..."
Lanchi stood at the door, unsure of what to say.
He was now fairly certain that without any fusion, Great Love Poet was just a pretentious bully, and Talia was the true queen.
Impressive.
It didn't even take a minute.
The door lock clicked a few times as if Karen was using one hand to hold the signboard while the other hand trembled as she tried to unlock the door several times.
Complying with Talia's demands, Karen stepped out of the card-making room, feeling extremely awkward and walking as if on a knife's edge.
She wore only the swimming trunks, tightly holding the signboard to her chest. Despite her efforts, her sides and back were still completely exposed.
"Go stand at the entrance of the Card Maker's Association until 5:00 p.m."
Talia glanced at the time and instructed Karen.
"..."
Karen nodded, trying to prevent her tears from being seen by Talia, and then ran off with the signboard in her arms.
Not long after.
Talia calmly descended the stairs with Lanchi, arriving at the third-floor floor-to-ceiling glass window of the Card Maker's Association.
Looking down, they could see that the spacious square below the Pariah Card Maker's Association had slowly gathered a crowd of onlookers.
Karen stood there, holding a sign that read, "Master Tata, I was wrong," her expression hidden behind the mask, but her body trembled with stiffness.
Some were confused, some were curious, and some whispered to each other, unsure why the young woman was engaging in such a bizarre display.
Karen felt extreme torment, sensing the cool air on her skin, and every gaze that landed on her felt like a sharp knife piercing her heart. She stood there like an exhibit, scrutinized by countless eyes, her mind filled with chaos, fear, and anger—anger toward Talia and anger toward herself for succumbing to such unreasonable demands...
Her tears flowed secretly behind the mask, and her sense of dignity and self-worth were shattered in that moment.
"What a pervert..."
"Don't let the kids see this..."
"Is this performance art?"
"Maybe this will excite her even more?"
The whispers continued.
Karen's ears turned red, and her legs trembled uncontrollably, but she seemed to sense the gaze from the sky above, forcing herself to endure this humiliation. She stood there, tears streaming down her face.
At the same time, Talia stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass window on the upper floor, her eyes fixed on the square below.
From this angle, she could clearly see Karen's figure.
"Excellent. The greater the gap between heaven and hell, the more she will do whatever it takes to hold on to the vanity she possesses now."
Talia said with satisfaction.
Next, she just needed to tell Karen, "You wouldn't want me to expose your identity as the mask-obsessed woman from the Card Maker's Association, would you? I could easily turn your hard-earned platinum-level card maker status into a joke." Talia believed that Karen would then obediently follow her every command.
She led Lanchi down the stairs of the Card Maker's Association.
As they finally reached the entrance and walked through a door that was several meters high, the entire square came into view.
"Well, Lanchi?"
As Talia left the Card Maker's Association building, she glanced at Lanchi and asked.
She believed that Lanchi had witnessed firsthand how Karen had slowly fallen into the abyss.
From the moment Karen first compromised, it was destined that as long as Talia was willing, she could make Karen do anything she wanted.
"As expected of Master Tata."
Lanchi readily agreed, standing by her side.
"..."
Talia listened to Lanchi mimicking Karen's tone and found him to be a jester.
His tone was full of sarcasm and mockery.
He didn't seem afraid of her at all but rather eager to engage in a game of wits with her, one where the loser would face dire consequences.
"You are truly beautiful and powerful."
Lanchi added.
"Then shall we continue our date?"
Talia hugged his left arm and leaned on his shoulder, her voice soft as she asked.
She wanted to see who would crack first, Lanchi or herself.
Let the mutual harm begin.
"Mhm, let's go."
Lanchi paused for half a second, his shadow-clad face finally breaking into a relaxed smile as he nodded.
The two walked past Karen, who was standing at a distance.
Seeing the sweet couple, Karen thought of her own animal-like state, devoid of any dignity. A sense of grievance welled up within her, and her body trembled even more violently.
(End of Chapter)
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