https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-750-Lanchi-s-Night-Out-in-the-Capital/12585242/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-752-Lanchi-and-Talia-Start-Their-Scheme/12585244/
Chapter 751: Sybrian and Friends Settle in for the Show
Chapter 751: Sybrian and Friends Settle in for the Show
Night had fallen, and the full moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the stars that sparkled across the vast canvas above. In the northeastern region of the Kreise Empire, within the province of Thuringia, a group of travelers rode aboard a magi-rail train as it slowly entered the borders of a city-state.
"This ancient imperial city-state is called Nestro," the male manager, who led the group, announced as the train came to a stop at the Nestro City Station. "We shall be staying here for the night, as the next southbound train will only depart at 10:13 a.m. tomorrow."
"Thank you for your hard work," Sybrian said with a smile, expressing her gratitude.
Plana, a former foreign minister during the Old Magi era, had efficiently arranged every detail of their journey. More importantly, the few Great Demons accompanying them possessed diverse anti-reconnaissance abilities, ensuring that even the most powerful divination and scouting magics would fail to detect their whereabouts.
"It's all just simple tasks, no need for thanks," Plana replied. He had once served as the secretary to the principal of the Royal Magic Academy of Protoss, so such tasks were second nature to him.
The group disembarked from the train and made their way out of the station toward the city. Nestro, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight, presented a dreamy visage with its distant spires reaching toward the starry sky.
An old-fashioned black imperial vehicle awaited them outside the station, along with personnel responsible for their reception.
Due to its immense size, the Kreise Empire spanned vast distances, having been formed from the merger of three southern continental giants in the past. A single province within the empire could rival the size of some nations in the Kingdom United Parliament Alliance. Consequently, direct transportation routes did not exist between certain provinces, and travelers often had to transfer at the terminus of one route to continue their journey.
Today, after a full day of travel, the group had moved southward from the northern border province of North Gran to Thuringia, significantly closing in on their target destination—the imperial capital of Bulrida in the province of Botswana.
Prioritizing safety, they opted to stay in a manor provided by their assisting partners, ensuring a peaceful night's rest.
As Sybrian settled into the back seat of the vehicle, the engine rumbled to life, carrying them deeper into the heart of the city-state.
"The atmosphere of war isn't as palpable here as it was in Granwythe earlier today," someone remarked.
"Well, we are in the interior of the Kreise Empire now," another replied.
"I heard that the capital, Bulrida, remains as vibrant as ever, with no hint of a wartime atmosphere," a third person added.
Their conversation continued as the vehicle made its way through the streets of Nestro, revealing the city's enchanting night scenery.
On either side of the cobblestone streets stood white stone buildings, their walls reflecting a soft radiance in the moonlight. The streetlamps cast a warm, amber glow, lending a dreamlike hue to the narrow alleys.
Weaving through the winding streets, the vehicle eventually arrived at a quiet residential area surrounded by towering walnut trees. It came to a gentle halt before a grand estate.
"We have a villa to stay in," one of the Great Demons exclaimed.
"Of course," replied another. "But once we reach the capital, our accommodations might be a bit more modest. We can't afford to stay in a place that's too conspicuous, given our identities."
"I miss Herlum..." Sybrian murmured as she stepped out of the vehicle, a sentiment echoed by the Great Demons who followed close behind, walking up the pebbled path toward the manor.
The path was lined with colorful roses and peach blossoms, their petals whispering softly in the night breeze.
As they entered the manor through its open doors, treading on a red carpet that covered the floor of the entrance hall, they found themselves in a lavishly decorated grand hall. Hand-woven rugs lay on the marble floor, muffling their footsteps with a soft, gentle sound.
Sybrian drew back the heavy velvet curtains from the floor-to-ceiling windows, inhaling the fresh night air. In the tranquility of this evening, she felt a sense of calm and peace like never before.
"This time, I don't want to rely on your protection anymore," Sybrian whispered to herself, her palm gently resting against the glass window.
Even in storybooks, there were no heroines who were carried by the male lead from start to finish without any growth of their own.
"Sybrian, come quick! You've got to see what's on the imperial media channels!"
Before Sybrian could dwell on her thoughts for long, Antanas interrupted, pulling her away from the window.
"Why are you so relaxed, Antanas?" Sybrian questioned, perplexed by his carefree attitude in the face of such a daunting mission.
This was an unprecedentedly grave undertaking. They had infiltrated enemy territory, and the dangers they now faced were exponentially greater than those during their time in the Protoss Empire.
"Have you ever noticed that the weaker and more helpless you are, the more the Goddess of Fate will arrange for a powerful Lanchi to carry you along?" Antanas tried to comfort her.
In Sybrian's heart, Antanas had become akin to a holy priestess of the demon tribe; with constant prayers, she would bring them good fortune.
"How could you say that!" Sybrian exclaimed, feeling that her devotion to the Goddess of Fate should not be taken for granted, and she didn't want to simply coast to a victorious ending.
"You're only at the sixth rank. How could you possibly shoulder the heavy responsibility of ending the Kreise turmoil?" Antanas said, gently patting Sybrian's head to ease her burden.
"I'll do my best, but alas, there's only so much I can do," Sybrian replied, feeling that regardless of whether she slacked off or not, Antanas would always do her part perfectly.
Take the upcoming Shadow World, for example. Although Lanchi might become a victim of the mechanics, Antanas believed that even if he had to bear a heavy burden, he would still be able to carry them through.
"...Just don't wear Lanchi out, okay?" Sybrian said, thinking that Lanchi probably didn't know that four more eighth-rank Great Demons would be joining them in the Shadow World this time.
If they started off separated again, Lanchi might end up pulling his hair out in frustration, wondering why the difficulty had increased so much.
In the distance, the city-state's lights twinkled like stars that had fallen to the earth.
The two chatted for a while longer, and Sybrian's mood gradually lightened under Antanas' optimistic influence, her tense spirit relaxing.
"So, Sybrian, the most important thing is to rest up and not stress yourself out. You always take on too much, and what you need is someone like Lanchi who can truly make you feel secure, even if it makes you lazy and unmotivated. Only then can you heal from your long-term psychological trauma," Antanas said, patting Sybrian's shoulder reassuringly.
She had once served as a demon world physician and provided psychological counseling as well.
In Herlum Underground Prison, she had seen Lanchi chat with all the Great Demons and prison guards, but he had never talked much with her because her mental health was robust and she didn't need his care.
"So, I really can relax?" Sybrian asked hesitantly, glancing at her teacher, who had been quietly reading a magazine on the sofa for a while.
"Just think of this as a vacation, Sybrian. Leave the Alliance's mission to us adults. Your job is to provide us with cover," the Ice Snow Witch said without looking up from her book, her tone as elegant and slow as the turning of her pages.
"Antanas is right. What you should be focusing on right now is treating this place as your own home in the Kreise Empire and learning how to naturally blend in. Sometimes, leisure and entertainment can be a great way to gather intelligence as well," she advised.
The Ice Snow Witch was well aware of Sybrian's capabilities.
The last mission to infiltrate Herlum had already pushed Sybrian to her limits.
This trip to the Kreise Empire was actually a mission for Almis, and Sybrian was merely an assistant. It would be too much to burden her with heavy responsibilities.
Moreover...
The Ice Snow Witch had a slight personal motive. She wanted to investigate whether there were any traces of that man in the Kreise capital, Bulrida.
There was a mysterious cardinal whose movements had always closely overlapped with Loren's, and recently, some unscrupulous media outlets had begun to suspect that Loren was the cardinal. They even fabricated stories, claiming that the last cardinal of the Resurrection Church was a man shrouded in wild winds.
It was only when Loren died some time ago that this speculation was put to rest.
Perhaps due to a last glimmer of hope, Almis couldn't tell if she wanted to see that man in Bulrida or if she was afraid to.
He... probably wouldn't be in Bulrida right now, would he?
"I see," Sybrian said, nodding as if she had just gained a new insight.
"Come on, let's see if there's anything good on TV," Antanas said, leaning back and sinking into the soft sofa.
Sybrian followed suit and sat down beside her.
Plana and Cynara were preparing dinner—one cooking and the other chopping vegetables.
Sybrian flipped through the channels on the crystal screen in the living room, finally stopping on one that seemed to have something of interest.
【At 8:00 p.m., we will bring you a live broadcast of the opera "Crusade Romance" from the Bulrida Opera House.】
【For the first time, special performance content will be publicly screened. Stay tuned to the Bulrida Arts Channel.
"Isn't this the novel I gave you last time?"
The Ice Snow Witch sat on the adjacent single sofa, glancing up at the screen before turning to Sybrian.
She recalled how she had initially taken the book from the bookshelf and given it to Sybrian to keep her entertained during their journey from the Kingdom of Aethertelan to the Protoss Empire.
She never expected that after more than half a year, a stage play adaptation would already be showing in the Southern Continent.
"This is the book Sybrian gave to Talia, which almost caused an accident..."
Antanas excitedly blurted out, only to have her mouth covered from behind by Sybrian.
"What?"
The Ice Snow Witch looked at them questioningly.
"It's nothing. What accident could a book possibly cause?"
Sybrian laughed it off, covering Antanas's mouth more firmly.
She cared about Talia's reputation more than anyone else.
The incident where Talia held a knife to Lanchi's neck and forced him to read embarrassing lines must never be known to more demons!
"..."
The Ice Snow Witch didn't seem too concerned. In her impression, Talia had always been very mature and proper, and she probably wouldn't have much interest in such reading material. As for Antanas, she tended to exaggerate when gossiping, so there was no need to be overly surprised.
"In that case, I'm a little curious about the quality of this stage play from the Kreise Empire."
The Ice Snow Witch picked up her teacup and took a delicate sip as she spoke.
The Buleirda Opera House was founded by a group of wealthy Cyrosians during the Cyros Empire era, initially located in the bustling district of Buleirda City-State. In 1662, the opera house relocated to its current location in the heart of the Kreise Empire's capital, Buleirda, with the new building designed by the renowned architect Ulti Stetsini.
After more than a century of development, the Buleirda Opera House has become one of the most renowned landmarks in the southern part of the Southern Continent.
Another notable structure designed by the half-demon imperial craftsman Ulti Stetsini is the Osheta Duke Plaza Buleirda First Station, located in the suburbs of the city. However, due to renovation and municipal planning issues at the time, it took many years to complete and open to the public.
Based on the architecture alone, Almis had a favorable impression of the Buleirda Opera House.
Although she lived in the Northern Continent, her home was in a southern coastal nation, making it convenient to travel to the Southern Continent. She also occasionally crossed the sea for official business, so she was familiar with the geography, history, and culture of the Southern Continent.
"I'm a little excited now, too," Sybrian said, her eyes fixed on the countdown timer displayed on the screen as she spoke to Antanas.
She was an official reader of the original novel.
Every official reader, like herself, had contributed to the book's success and was considered a veteran fan.
While the stage play would undoubtedly involve some adaptations, she trusted that the essence of the story would be preserved. After all, adaptations were not the same as arbitrary changes, and any deviations from the source material would be noticed by discerning fans like herself.
"It's said that the top imperial director, Abigail, is overseeing the production, and the entire Buleirda Opera House team is highly professional. The actors have rehearsed for over a hundred hours, and the previous performances were all successful. This public screening shouldn't have any issues, and the show will definitely be amazing."
Antanas flipped through a magazine on the coffee table and quickly found the relevant information to share with them.
"Won't the actors be too tired?"
Sybrian considered the starting time of the project and felt that Director Abigail might be too demanding on the lead actors.
"Professional actors should be fine. If there's really an issue, the director will definitely call in backups. They must have prepared alternatives; this is a public performance, after all."
Antanas brushed off the concern.
"What's this?"
Sinora walked over with a plate of cut fruit, placing it on the coffee table in front of them. She noticed their enthusiastic conversation and was curious.
"It's So Cute I Could Eat You Up! Come and watch it with us after you and Plana are done with dinner."
Antanas succinctly explained, referring to the novel by its nickname.
When it came to Crusade Romance, Sinora might need some time to recall which book it was since she read so many, but with So Cute I Could Eat You Up, she instantly knew what they were talking about.
Plana glanced over from the kitchen island.
"Okay, I'll be right there!"
Sinora nodded and hurried back to the kitchen.
Dinner with friends, followed by the entertaining show, would make for a wonderful evening!
(End of Chapter)
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