https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-735-Hubertian-s-Good-Sister-Sigrid/12585211/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-737-Rumors-of-Lanchi-Spread-in-the-City/12585213/
Chapter 736: Lanchi's Stress Disorder
Chapter 736: Lanchi's Stress Disorder
In the capital of the Kreise Empire...
On the south side of the city of Brillerda, within the walls of the Saint Kreise Abbey...
The afternoon sun of autumn bathed the floor-to-ceiling windows of the dining hall in a warm glow, infusing the pristine white walls and deep brown wooden furniture with a cozy ambiance.
"Wow."
Cardinal Lanchi sat upright at the dining table, his eyes widening as the food before him continued to multiply.
From time to time, Talia would bring out another dish, filling the dining hall with delectable aromas.
"Go on, eat," Talia urged, noticing Lanchi's restrained demeanor as he eyed the feast before him.
"I'll wait for you," Lanchi replied firmly.
In truth, watching Talia eat was even more delightful than eating himself.
"You..." Talia didn't know what to say and turned back toward the kitchen.
Before long, a plethora of dishes were served, each one a masterpiece crafted by Talia and presented with care in the dining hall.
The main course was a large plate of crispy, golden fried pork chops. The crackling golden crust, when cut, revealed juicy meat accompanied by lemon slices and finely chopped scallions. On the side was a small dish of tangy cucumber salad, a refreshing appetizer with a subtle hint of spice.
On a white porcelain plate sat several roasted potatoes, each one shaped like an adorable cat's head. They were soft and fluffy, and with a dab of butter, they exuded a mouthwatering aroma of salt and oil.
Talia brought out the final dish, removed her apron, and sat down across from Lanchi.
"Talia, you're the best, meow!"
Cat Boss, the feline companion, voiced its delight. In front of it was a small bowl filled with its favorite treats—tuna, shrimp, and a garnish of green seaweed.
Talia had become even more diligent in the kitchen than Cat Boss, taking on the role of head chef in the household most of the time.
And she did not disappoint, ensuring that both Lanchi and Cat Boss were well cared for and content.
It was now lunchtime.
The aroma of baked treats still wafted from the kitchen—condensed milk bread and apple cake baking in the oven.
But Talia had already retrieved three slices of the freshly baked cake for Lanchi, herself, and Cat Boss to sample.
The soft cake was studded with large chunks of apple and sprinkled with cinnamon and fine sugar, resulting in a scrumptious bite.
The two humans and one cat chatted leisurely as they indulged in their afternoon treats, their conversation as nourishing as the food itself.
Occasionally, an autumn breeze would drift in through the window, carrying with it golden leaves that danced in the courtyard, as if whisking away all worries and fatigue to the far corners of the sky.
In less than half an hour, their lunch came to an end.
"We agreed that this afternoon, we'll go to the creek by the abbey and soak in some sun," Talia said as she cleared the dishes. "We'll sit on the bench and not think about anything. Just rest and relax."
"No problem, no problem at all," Lanchi agreed, leaning back in his chair, his expression sincere.
Talia had become both his strict teacher, pushing him to focus on card creation, and his gentle reminder to take breaks when his work became overwhelming.
Over time, he had almost forgotten what Talia looked like when they first met in South Ventina, sitting beside him as she supervised his card creation.
But indeed, it was time to unwind and ease his frayed nerves.
Lanchi pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the drowsiness of a Saturday afternoon nap creeping up on him.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang, interrupting Lanchi's peaceful afternoon plans and jolting him back to alertness.
He glanced toward the entrance, and at that moment, Talia appeared with a slice of apple cake, her gaze drifting to the foyer.
"Go see who it is," Talia suggested.
Lanchi and Talia exchanged a glance, and then Talia disappeared from view, only to reappear moments later at the door.
"We didn't have any appointments scheduled for today," Lanchi said, a hint of confusion in his voice as he wondered who could be visiting at this hour.
His residence had been kept confidential, thanks to the thoughtful efforts of Nala, the principal's secretary.
Intrigued, Lanchi made his way to the entrance and opened the door to his mansion.
The gentle sunlight of autumn bathed the cobblestones outside in a soft, golden hue, casting a warm glow on the visitor.
Lanchi's eyes fell upon the young woman standing at his doorstep, and his expression turned to one of mild surprise.
It was none other than his sister, Elsa Washington, the same girl who now held the identity of Landry Washington.
Her long, black hair fell loosely over her shoulders, and she was dressed casually yet stylishly in a beige shirt and a gray-blue pleated skirt, her outfit carefully chosen for this visit.
"Brother," Elsa greeted him with a smile, a hint of hesitance in her voice, but her eyes remained warm and familiar.
"It's been a few days since we last saw each other, although... I did see you in class."
"Elsa, what a pleasant surprise," Lanchi replied, returning her smile. He gestured for her to enter, saying, "Come in and have a seat. There are still some afternoon treats left."
"No, thank you, brother," Elsa politely declined, waving her hand.
"I just wanted to chat with you about something minor. I didn't want to disturb your rest by coming inside."
"I see," Lanchi said, a touch of surprise in his tone as he respected Elsa's wishes. Leaning against the door frame, he asked gently, "What is it that you need my help with?"
Elsa lowered her forehead, her slender fingers twisting the hem of her skirt as if choosing her words carefully.
After a moment, she raised her eyes.
"I want to go to the Pantheon in the afternoon, and then there's a performance at the Imperial Opera House in the evening. Ursula and I plan to watch it together."
Elsa took out two tickets for the play and held them up for her brother to see.
It was said to be an adaptation of the play "Holy War Romance" by the playwright, Siduo Allen Dale, from the southern shore of the Northern Continent.
Her violet eyes held unspoken words.
Lanchi glanced at the tickets and understood Elsa's intention. She probably wanted him to accompany them.
It seemed that Ursula, the daughter of the Roland Marquis, had a good relationship with Elsa, as they were often seen chatting after class. Seeing that Elsa had made a friend, Lanchi felt somewhat relieved.
Suddenly, Lanchi noticed something and fixed his gaze on the theater information on the ticket stub.
"Wait, Siduo Allen Dale?"
Just seeing this name triggered Lanchi's stress disorder.
'Holy War Romance'—wasn't this the play that Talia had held a knife to his neck and forced him to read?
He wasn't sure if the adorable line about "wanting to eat him up" would be included in the performance, and if it was, he wasn't confident he could remain seated in the audience if that scene played out on stage.
But that wasn't even the main issue.
He noticed a familiar name—
Back in the Protoss Empire on the Northern Continent, he had interacted quite a bit with Associate Professor Siduo, and it was the evidence left by Associate Professor Siduo for the military that had ultimately cornered Duke Morotian in the Congress building of the Protoss Empire.
"Have you read Teacher Siduo's book, brother?"
Elsa asked curiously.
The Protoss Royal Magic Academy was one of the top overseas institutions recognized by the Kreise Empire's Ministry of Education.
Writer Siduo, as a historical scholar who frequently traveled between the Northern and Southern Continents, held a formal overseas professor position and had a long-term residency permit in the Kreise Empire.
"I have," Lanchi replied, his voice strained.
He had 'read it' in the literal sense.
When Associate Professor Siduo was targeted by Duke Morotian and went missing, he had eventually fled to the Southern Continent, which was why the duke hadn't been able to find him.
Lanchi thought to himself.
"So, can you come with me today? Ursula gave me an extra ticket."
Elsa's violet eyes lit up as she gathered her courage to make the request.
If her brother was already a fan of the original work, he would likely be interested in this adapted play.
"Sorry... I still have some official business to take care of," Lanchi hesitated, then shook his head apologetically.
This was the truth.
He also wanted to avoid being alone with Elsa.
If she casually brought up the past, and Talia couldn't read her true intentions, things could go wrong very easily.
"Okay."
Elsa didn't show any disappointment and merely nodded obediently.
However, when Lanchi saw her lower her head and her eyes dim, he felt guilty.
If only Elsa were a little more willful or showed a little more disappointment, instead of always considering others before herself.
"Then I'll be off. We can chat again when you're less busy, brother."
Elsa quickly regained her cheerfulness, not wanting her brother to worry. She took a half-step back and smiled at him.
"Mhm."
Lanchi nodded and waved goodbye to Elsa.
However, after a moment's thought, he hesitated.
"Take this cat with you when you leave the abbey."
Lanchi crouched down at the entrance and pulled Cat Boss out from the shadows, handing the cat to Elsa, who was standing at the door.
Ever since he got the little gray cat, the little black cat had become much less useful.
"Who's the little gray cat?"
A cold voice rang in Lanchi's mind.
"One who always runs to me, can cook and do housework, salivates at the sight of food, and is a little on the heavy side..."
Before Lanchi could finish, Talia gripped his heart, causing him to choke on his words.
"Brother, are you alright?"
Elsa looked at the black-haired, blue-eyed youth before her with concern.
He seemed to be having difficulty breathing for a moment, but soon recovered and his breathing returned to normal.
"I'm fine, just a bit tired lately, and my heart is a bit uncomfortable.
Lanchi shook his head, placating the young girl before him.
"You're so annoying, Lanchi!"
The mere thought of Lanchi secretly sensing her weight made Talia want to drag him to death.
Standing at 168 cm tall, 53 kilograms was already quite slender, and she certainly wasn't heavy!
"So, you're already 53 kilograms, Talia..."
Lanchi realized with a start. He remembered that the last time he fed her in the Kingdom of Bosen, she was 52.6 kilograms.
"Ahh! Go die!"
Talia didn't know why this man was always so concerned about her weight, and it was driving her crazy.
Lanchi argued with Talia in his mind, but his expression had already returned to normal.
"Big brother, you really need to get more rest. It's not good to work yourself too hard."
Hearing her brother's assurance, Elsa felt relieved.
Then she looked at the adorable little black cat with delight. Previously, she had thought that her brother wouldn't let anyone touch this cat.
A fifth-rank contracted beast was far stronger than her second-rank beast.
By giving her this cat with combat capabilities, her brother was clearly concerned about her safety outside of school.
"What's its name?"
Elsa asked her brother as she gently stroked the little black cat's back.
Even though she knew the cat's rank was much higher than hers, Elsa couldn't help but feel a little afraid, as harmless as a house cat.
"Little Black Bread."
Lanchi replied.
"Meow!"
Cat Boss meowed angrily.
You're the bread, and your whole family is bread!
Just as it was about to retort, it remembered that it needed an alias in the Kreise Empire, so it reluctantly held back.
If it rejected this name, Lanchi might come up with an even worse one.
All things considered, 'Little Black Bread' didn't sound too bad.
"Take good care of it, then."
Lanchi winked at Cat Boss.
Suddenly, Cat Boss understood Lanchi's intention.
Who would be wary of a little black cat like it?
Elsa would only treat it favorably because it belonged to her brother.
Perhaps Elsa would even confide in it soon, sharing her memories and feelings about her brother.
This was Lanchi's plan—to send Cat Boss, the captain of the spy cats, to gather intelligence! And all it had to do was act natural and listen as Elsa poured her heart out!
Thinking about it made Cat Boss feel that Lanchi was so despicable...
He was taking full advantage of a girl's thoughts.
"Right, take this."
Lanchi beckoned Cat Boss with his finger, summoning it back to his side and handing it a rare purple magic card.
[Transformation: Human]
[Category: Spell Card]
[Grade: Purple Rare]
[Attribute: Stealth]
[Rank: 2]
[Effect: Can transform the user's race into a human. Does not change the user's true attributes or appearance. Cooldown time: 24 hours.]
[Note: Classic Reissue.]
"Meow?"
The floating Cat Boss looked at the familiar translucent purple card.
The idea of changing its form filled it with an unknown fear—it was afraid of walking on two legs and falling, and it felt strange to become human.
Even though it knew Lanchi had countless [Transformation: Human] cards, it had never asked for one.
"Don't use it unless it's absolutely necessary. I've registered you as a contracted beast of a Saint Kreise Abbey teacher, and if someone finds out your rank, it'll be a hassle to explain later."
Lanchi whispered to Cat Boss's ear.
In cat form, Cat Boss exuded an extremely harmless aura, devoid of any wildness, and only possessed the docility of a house cat. Unless it used eighth-rank magic or was identified by a powerful appraisal magic, others wouldn't be able to probe its true rank.
However, if it took on a human form, the moment it utilized its eighth-rank mental power, it would instill an instinctual sense of being 'outclassed' in those of the same race, regardless of its actual magic power level.
In times of need, transforming into a human could be an effective way to intimidate enemies.
"Meow."
Cat Boss understood and kept the [Transformation: Human] card.
Even though Brillerda had excellent daytime security, the fact that a terrorist organization like the Silver Moon Reform Society could successfully assassinate nobles of the Empire proved that dangers still lurked.
Having spent so much time with Lanchi, Cat Boss had become quite adept at bluffing and intimidation.
"Rest assured, with this divine beast around, there's no need for you to worry or intervene. Should anyone dare challenge me, I shall end their life! The legendary card configuration has been activated."
Cat Boss boasted confidently to Lanchi and Elsa, its head held high and its tail swaying.
(End of Chapter)
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