https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-808-Toriyato-s-Bloodthirsty-Audience/12934318/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-809-Talia-s-Mother-Wouldn-t-Dream-of-Baby-Sigrid-Part-2-/12934331/
Chapter 809: Talia's Mother Wouldn't Dream of Baby Sigrid (Part 1)
Chapter 809: Talia's Mother Wouldn't Dream of Baby Sigrid (Part 1)
11:30 AM.
Saint Crethine Academy.
The architectural style here was vastly different from the Northern Kingdoms, with marble towers and flying buttresses everywhere. The main area was traversed by verdant tree-lined paths, and a clear stream meandered through it, its gentle flow audible from the courtyards of the residential quarters.
In Professor Landri's living room, a floor-to-ceiling window faced a scenic garden, and a classic-style dining table nearby was piled with mail he had just collected from the school's engineering department along the way.
At this moment, the youthful-looking professor was dressed in a sophisticated suit, with a long, slender wrist exposed from the cuff of his shirt.
"Meow."
Cat Boss lay beside him, watching as Lanqi read.
After returning from the Void Gate Seal Zone to the Saint Crethine Academy mansion, he didn't rest for a moment. Instead, he sat down at the dining table and began flipping through the mail and newspapers.
Lanqi's fingers glided over the papers, his eyebrows furrowing and relaxing from time to time.
Until a while later.
Outside the window, the leaves rustled gently in the breeze, and occasionally, a pair of goldfinches perched on the branches, chirping merrily.
Footsteps echoed from the staircase on the first floor of the mansion.
Lanqi put down the newspaper, took a sip of the coffee beside him, and looked in that direction.
He saw the gray-haired, golden-eyed woman had tied up her hair, forming a bun at the back of her head, with a few loose strands gently hanging on her cheeks or the back of her neck.
She had changed into a white shirt and a fitted black skirt suit, looking exceptionally competent.
She stood coldly at the staircase, gazing at Lanqi.
"..."
Lanqi stared at her in confusion, then disdainfully averted his eyes.
"How dare you look at me like that? Come and bow to me."
The gray-haired, golden-eyed beauty asked.
"You're still 799 years too early," Lanqi shook his head and chuckled.
This little girl with no charm at all wanted to pretend to be Talia, just as ridiculous as Talia pretending to be the Great Love Poet.
Earlier, after ordering the ingredients, Talia said she would go upstairs to change clothes and then come down to cook.
But when she came downstairs again, it was Lan Fu.
Apparently, the two of them had separated again.
However, upon further thought, they had been together for over a month this time. It seemed that they could separate after a certain period each time.
"Tsk, tsk, the love has faded, and it's no fun anymore."
The Great Love Poet clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction, realizing that her act as Talia no longer had any intimidating effect on Lanqi.
Lanqi could actually distinguish between the two of them, who looked like twins.
She didn't know what she was doing wrong. After all, she was wearing Talia's clothes and had even changed into golden-colored contact lenses.
In the past, not only could she scare Lanqi, but she could also put him in a focused state when making magic cards, helping him enter a state of flow.
"Or, have you... with her already?"
The Great Love Poet guessed something, narrowing her crescent-shaped eyes and leering at Lanqi downstairs and Talia upstairs.
"Lan Fu, don't talk nonsense."
Talia, standing on the upper staircase, calmly admonished her,
"During our stay in the Kreithine Empire, you might need to endure some hardships and continue to sleep for a while. Once we return to Ikarite, I'll let you have fun, okay?"
She walked down the stairs and stood on the higher step, gently stroking Lan Fu's head.
The Great Love Poet was slightly taken aback, never expecting that Talia, who was initially harsh towards her in Ikarite, would now treat her so gently.
"No problem. My purpose in being born is to bring you happiness, my creator."
The Great Love Poet nodded, hugging Talia and surrendering to her, while sticking her tongue out at Lanqi downstairs.
She had always wondered why, despite being Talia's intended awakener, she felt naturally close to Talia, but her actual lifebound contractor turned out to be Lanqi.
"Lan Fu, come here, I want to show you something good."
Lanqi thought for a moment and waved to the Great Love Poet.
He wanted to show her the new lifebound card he had obtained in the Shadow World.
She should be interested in the Shadow World's natural magic cards.
"Lanqi, I don't want you anymore. You're fired, hmph."
The Great Love Poet heard Lanqi's thoughts and declared arrogantly.
She felt Lanqi's disdain today.
A mere Lanqi, she would make him regret it. She was Lanqi's greatest orange epic lifebound card, and the Shadow World couldn't compare to her in terms of magic cards.
Immediately, the Great Love Poet dissipated into thin air, transforming into an orange semi-transparent card with floral engravings in Talia's hand.
Hearing this, Lanqi placed his hands on the table and shook his head with a smile.
It was the first time he had heard of a magic card letting go of its holder.
"It's great that she listens to you so well."
Lanqi said, gazing at Talia, not in a hurry to get the Great Love Poet back.
After more than a month, he once again felt the ease of being able to freely express his thoughts.
The Great Love Poet was indeed of no use anymore.
If she wanted to be with Talia, it would be a relief for Lanqi.
Lanqi was afraid that the Great Love Poet wouldn't listen to him in the Kreithine Empire, as she had always been a hard-to-control summon. This was different from the Hutton Kingdom or the Bosen Kingdom, where the Great Love Poet could go out and play freely.
"If you find her troublesome, I can help you manage her."
Talia, having heard Lanqi's thoughts, was about to return the Great Love Poet to him, but she paused and looked down at the magic card in her hand.
She sensed Lanqi's annoyance with the Great Love Poet.
"That would be a great help."
Lanqi immediately agreed and expressed his gratitude.
Now, if he needed to use it, he would use the Mad Love Demon King.
Having the Great Love Poet in Talia's hands not only saved him the trouble but also allowed Talia to melt the Great Love Poet into the Mad Love Demon King whenever necessary.
"What, can't you bear to part with my powerful abilities?"
Talia read Lanqi's thoughts and said nonchalantly, as if she knew he was still thinking about the Mad Love Demon King.
This foolish disciple of hers would one day willingly offer his soul to her, and that was the price of making a deal with a demon.
She had already imagined the scene of playing with a cartoon version of Lanqi, who looked like a sticky rice ball, in the palm of her hand, and a sinister smile crept across her face.
"You're right, Master. I do need your power."
Lan Qi readily acknowledged that the advanced fusion material, Talia, was essential to him, especially against the powerful Mad Love Demon King.
"Bloodmoon City in the Kreithine Empire is far from easy."
His gaze shifted to the Brillada City-State map on the table, beneath several envelopes, and his tone became more solemn.
"How different is the Bloodmoon City we'll face in the Present World compared to the one from tens of thousands of years ago in the Shadow World?"
Talia felt communication was slightly more cumbersome without being able to fully share Lan Qi's thoughts.
In the past, without needing to speak, Lan Qi's knowledge would flow into her mind like a stream, allowing her to think freely while sharing his brain.
In her opinion, the Bloodmoon City in the Present World shouldn't differ much from the one in the late Bloodmoon Abyss. They had also experienced a siege-mode Bloodmoon City in the Shadow World.
"First, we won't have the powerful teammates like the Blasphemy Lord, Mercury Lord, and Bone Lord. Second, the Bloodmoon City in the Present World may not only have the four Ancestors but also many Vampire Counts. Additionally, if we encounter any hidden Eighth-Rank Overlords during our mission, a slight mistake could trigger a chain reaction, leading to our entire team's annihilation."
Lan Qi also found it more convenient to share thoughts with Talia.
Usually, they didn't need to talk much.
"If the Bloodmoon Abyss in the Shadow World was the easy mode, then the Bloodmoon City in the Present World is undoubtedly the hard mode."
Lan Qi explained concisely.
For him, the Twelve Archangels were far more challenging to deal with than the Vampire Ancestors, as he lacked human-specific abilities.
Moreover, the Bloodmoon City Assault Team's objective wasn't just to conquer Bloodmoon City but also to rescue Duke Migaya.
This additional victory condition alone significantly increased the difficulty, possibly requiring a separate team to locate and rescue Duke Migaya.
"You two finally turned off your private chat channel, meow."
The Cat Boss, lying on the table, listened and sighed.
It was tired of watching Lan Qi and Talia's silent drama.
Although it couldn't understand their conversation, it was relieved that they were willing to include it.
"Indeed, our combat strength is insufficient..."
Talia, despite her reluctance to admit it, was well aware that Blasphemy Lord Merogus was level 89 and the strongest Eighth-Rank demon.
That creepy female demon, just thinking about her voice and aura, made Talia feel uncomfortable.
Among the other three powerful demons, Lord Aogrin was likely level 88, very close to level 89. Lord Damon Gate and Lord Misio, the Bone Lord and the Mercury Lord, seemed slightly weaker than the Cardinal Bishops, but they were undoubtedly stronger than the few administrative demons in the Old Demon World.
This formidable lineup could likely defeat two Upper Archangels and two Lower Archangels.
Aside from the teammates' strength differences and the Kreithine Empire's threats on the surface, the Bloodmoon City in this era presented far more challenges.
"Another problem is the Kreithine Imperial Army in Brillada. On National Day, some areas will undoubtedly be off-limits, especially the spatial nodes leading to Bloodmoon City. We'll need an insider within the Imperial Army to support us, making it easier to avoid conflicts on the surface and infiltrate Bloodmoon City smoothly on that day."
Lan Qi's gaze fell on the Capital Guard's command center in the central region of Brillada City-State.
While it was possible to use Toriato's spatial magic to teleport them into Bloodmoon City, it would likely deplete Toriato's magic power significantly, resulting in the loss of their strongest core fighter.
It was better to consider the best entry procedure, also facilitating a successful evacuation with Duke Migaya.
The Capital Guard, known for its rigorous selection process and brutal training, was a renowned elite force responsible for the capital's security and defense.
Among its various departments, the Imperial Guard served as the Emperor's personal bodyguard and protected vital locations like the palace and government offices. It was the force that Barton, the Mafia boss, had once served in.
The Constabulary, on the other hand, maintained social order in the capital region, suppressed rebellious activities, and monitored the behavior of officials and citizens.
The Air Defense Force managed the air raid warning system and operated the capital's air cavalry units to counter enemy air attacks. The Fortress Guard, stationed in several large fortresses surrounding the capital, formed the first line of defense and was known for its toughness, making it challenging to engage in large-scale conflicts within the Brillada City Defense Barrier.
When Lan Qi first arrived in the Kreithine capital, an accident occurred on the Brillada Mag-Rail. The Second Regiment of the Constabulary, responsible for the outer region, responded, led by Colonel Burke von Arnold.
Closer to the central region, the First Regiment of the Constabulary maintained order.
"We'll have to rely on Toriato's connections... Oh, wait, he's also a wanted terrorist. Maybe Princess Aleksia is a more reliable contact."
Talia paused, realizing something.
As the organizer of the Silvermoon Reform Movement, an illegal organization within the Empire, Princess Aleksia would be a target for elimination if the Empire discovered her identity as the Dimension Bishop.
"I'll do my best to reach out to her."
Lan Qi put down an envelope from Captain Maquaire of the Imperial Special Operations Unit and picked up an invitation letter from Saint Crethine Academy's Moon Goddess Festival.
Despite their current lack of combat strength, Toriato had promised to call for reinforcements. If they could contact Princess Aleksia and find other members of the Silvermoon Reform Movement, they might have a chance.
The issue now was that Princess Aleksia seemed to be under house arrest or felt it was too dangerous to appear, as she hadn't been seen for a long time.
On the 5th, when Princess Aleksia remained silent, her confidant, 4689, whom she had brought into the Silvermoon Reform Movement, seemed to sense the potential danger and stopped using the public channel.
"Why is Captain Maquaire contacting you?"
Talia glanced at the envelope from the Imperial Special Operations Unit and asked Lan Qi curiously.
The previous month, she had hidden within Lan Qi's body, sharing his vision as he visited the Imperial Special Operations Unit.
Lan Qi had gotten along well with Director Deks and Falcon Nikola, but he didn't have much interaction with Captain Maquaire.
"Captain Maquaire didn't say much, just a simple greeting and an invitation to dinner."
Lanqi replied, "Of course, he might also have realized that Falcon Nikola and I aren't on good terms and wants to win me over."
Before entering the Shadow World, the number of assassination attempts on Professor Randall had increased. Whenever he left the Holy Creed Monastery without disguise, he was followed by vehicles from the Imperial Army.
On one hand, they might be keeping an eye on him, and on the other, they were also protecting him, all with the tacit approval of Duke Deks.
At this point, Professor Randall was, to some extent, an excellent bait.
By following him, they could catch anyone with malicious intentions towards him, and those individuals would undoubtedly be suspected of being major enemy spies.
The Imperial Special Operations Unit currently had an important task, personally ordered by Emperor Santabaldo, and executed by Duke Deks—to find the spy within Brillada who had been observing the latest research on magic power fission and passing the information to the allies.
Both Falcon Nikola, the head of the Countermeasures Division, and Captain Maquaire of the Action Team were carrying out this task, but there was no cooperation between them.
"Meow, Captain Maquaire seems much better than that Nikola. Nikola never trusts anyone."
The Cat Boss watched as Lanqi blatantly lied, promising Duke Deks that he would pay close attention to any suspicious individuals and would not tolerate anyone who endangered the Empire.
Lanqi was expected to become the top candidate for the new Magic Power Institution Committee of Kreithine, and he couldn't avoid dealing with the Imperial Special Operations Unit.
Falcon Nikola, the head of the Countermeasures Division, and Captain Maquaire of the Action Team kept a close eye on Lanqi. Nikola seemed genuinely suspicious of Professor Randall, while Maquaire was trying to find the allied spy close to Randall, but he couldn't find any clues.
In the past few weeks, Lanqi spent most of his time outside of his academic work dealing with Duke Deks, Nikola, and Maquaire.
However, as time passed, he might still reveal some flaws.
"What you said about Duke Deks retiring to the background is coming true, meow."
The Cat Boss skimmed through the letter and gazed at the newspaper below, exclaiming in astonishment.
All of this stemmed from Duke Deks of the Imperial Special Operations Unit retiring to the background, and the position of the new head needed to be filled, either by Nikola or Maquaire.
Nikola was a lieutenant colonel, and Maquaire was a colonel, so logically, Maquaire had a higher chance.
However, before Duke Deks officially confirmed this decision, if Nikola accomplished a significant achievement and was promoted to the same rank as Maquaire, Duke Deks might give the opportunity to his protege Nikola. That's why Nikola and Maquaire were both keeping an eye on Lanqi during this period.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
