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Chapter 830: Xiao Hei Mao, Fall In! (Part 1)
Chapter 830: Xiao Hei Mao, Fall In! (Part 1)
As the clock in Professor Landry's home struck three in the afternoon, the bells of the Grand Cathedral in the capital of the Creedentia Empire chimed in unison, marking the peak of the Moon Goddess Festival.
"It's time to head to the Main Temple," Lan Qi said, rising from his study and gazing out at the campus, now free of falling snow. He stretched lazily.
He twisted the cap of his fountain pen, gathered the documents on his desk, and organized them.
Today's work was done, and the next significant event would be the grand battle.
The upcoming activity at the Main Temple was both a fulfillment of his duties as a professor and a rare moment of leisure.
Lan Qi wondered where Torliado had taken Xiao Hei Mao.
At this moment, the only ones known to be playing nearby Saint Kreithian Monastery were Torliado and Xiao Hei Mao.
Antanas and the others were likely in the city center near the Brillada Opera House and would return later, while Sigurd was probably at the Pantheon, and Houbailian and the others could be anywhere.
It seemed that everyone would only be able to gather together in the evening to light the Moon Lanterns.
Regardless, Lan Qi would focus on his work today, leaving any chance encounters with friends to fate, as he didn't have time to play with them anyway.
Being alone was fine.
Currently, the rumors circulating around the campus were causing him much distress.
"It will all be cleared up soon enough," Lan Qi thought, his gaze and thoughts drifting with the bustling voices outside the window.
After noon, countless devout citizens had flooded into Saint Kreithian Monastery, planning to worship at the Moon Goddess Altar and seek the goddess's blessings.
Of course, there was also the blessing dance of the High Priestess of the Moon Goddess in the evening. Arriving early to secure a good spot would allow one to witness the prayer dance of the Sixth Divine General, Mizukyoku Yuiorete.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the campus.
Several kilometers away from the residential area, in the center of the Grand Cathedral, Elliot Square was bustling with people. White chalkstone open galleries were adorned with moonflower-patterned banners that fluttered in the wind.
Incense burned in five-meter-tall censers, filling the air with fragrant smoke, as if carrying the wishes of the people to the heavens.
In the center of Elliot Square stood a towering white obelisk, its four sides engraved with the sacred teachings of the Sages and Prophets. Devout citizens stood before the obelisk, reciting the precepts of the Sacred Domain of Elsia, seeking enlightenment.
The bells of Elliot Tower chimed, rippling through the air and mist.
"I often come to this building, Xiao Hei Mao. It's like a maze inside, and Alan always reminds Sid not to go there alone," Xiao Hei Mao said, gazing at the building where Lan Qi frequently attended classes, as Torliado listened.
"But without a professor to guide us, we can't enter the building for a tour. We can only buy Moon Goddess Festival special edition souvenirs from the shops in the public areas."
Torliado was showing Xiao Hei Mao around the lively festival.
Not far from the square at the base of the building, in the central area of the Saint Kreithian Monastery campus, stood the iconic Vened Library and the Great Hall.
The five-story giant main building was constructed with red bricks and gray stone, adorned with white decorative lines, and featured a rustic emblem of Saint Kreithian Monastery on the triangular pediment.
Below the pediment were three arched doorways, with the middle entrance inscribed with the words "Saint Kreithian Elliot Tower."
From the outside, the entrance hall of Elliot Tower, paved with black and white marble tiles, had brass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The entire building was said to have one hundred and twenty-one classrooms and seminar rooms, mainly used for undergraduate students' magic theory research and Arcanotechnology courses.
"Do you think Lan Lan will come later, Xiao Hei Mao?"
They wondered if Lan Qi, after finishing his work at home, would head to the Main Temple for the event. Since he would be traveling from the distant residential area to the central area where the Main Temple was located, he might pass by Elliot Tower and this square. By playing in the vicinity, they might even encounter Lan Qi later.
"You're still worried about leaving him behind, huh? It's the Moon Goddess Festival, and he's been working overtime all day. That's tough," Torliado said, stroking Xiao Hei Mao's head.
He had already realized that Xiao Hei Mao couldn't understand the principles of spatial magic.
Perhaps petting its head might offer a better chance for it to comprehend spatial magic.
"Even if we meet him, he won't have time to stay and play, Xiao Hei Mao. But we can give him some snacks," Xiao Hei Mao said, sniffing the aroma of grilled food from the temporary shops nearby and swallowing his saliva.
The grill master was exceptionally skilled.
Combined with the high-quality ingredients produced and sold by Saint Kreithian Monastery, seasoned with ancient imperial spices, this dish was usually sold at a loss and quickly snapped up by students. Today, during the festival, it was being supplied in unlimited quantities.
Moreover, Xiao Hei Mao also smelled the aroma of grilled fish, his favorite!
"This line is so long," Torliado said, standing on his toes but still unable to see how long the wait would be.
On the east side of the monastery, near Elliot Tower, a popular temporary shop had formed a long queue.
This was one of the many shops of the Saint Kreithian Alchemy and Cooking Academy, offering special festival delicacies. Torliado and Xiao Hei Mao were in line at the grill shop, where the sizzling aroma from the grill attracted customers.
"Xiao Hei Mao, do you remember the town of Lilom on the North Continent where we landed after the shipwreck? The fish jerky there was especially delicious. I've never had such tasty fish jerky before," Xiao Hei Mao reminisced about the North Continent's cuisine.
Perhaps it was because he and Lan Qi had just been rescued from the shipwreck and lacked a sense of security, so everything he ate during that time seemed exceptionally wonderful, leaving a lasting impression on his memory.
"I've heard of it. Isn't Locke's student Zestila the daughter of the Viscount of Lilom City? Zestila even attended my history class," Torliado recalled.
At that time, Zestila had a good impression of Torliado after attending his history class, so she introduced him to Lan Qi, who then became curious and decided to audit his class.
As they chatted, they realized they had met before in the North Continent and had many common topics to discuss. However, Xiao Hei Mao had always stayed in Lan Qi's shadow and never came out to meet Associate Professor Sid.
"I want to see how long the line is," Xiao Hei Mao said, sniffing the air with a twitch of his nose, floating up from Torliado's hand, and hovering in mid-air. His big yellow eyes stared intently at the front, as if he could already see the crispy grilled fish.
"Hey, don't worry, we'll get to eat soon enough."
Upon seeing this, Toliado waved and discreetly signaled Xiao Hei Mao to come down.
Xiao Hei Mao felt a little overwhelmed.
As expected.
"Look, that cat is flying!"
"What a cute little kitty, how does it do that?"
"Our college professor seems to have a contract with a powerful fifth-rank spirit cat."
The people around them started whispering and turned their attention to the unique little cat.
Toliado reached out and pulled the floating kitten back into his arms.
"Keep a low profile, little black bread, I don't want to be mistaken for a cat thief, and I'm not part of a circus."
Toliado instructed Xiao Hei Mao.
He felt the curious gazes of those around him.
"Why would you be mistaken for a cat thief, meow..."
Xiao Hei Mao asked, perplexed.
But when it looked up and saw Toliado's skilled posture, holding the cat and scanning the surroundings, it understood.
This guy might have stolen cats before.
The man and cat continued to wait in the crowded line, and no matter which direction they looked, there were people everywhere, making it dizzying.
From the south, the scent of herbs drifted over from the Sacred Domain Garden of the Monastery, and upon seeing it, the garden was thriving, full of greenery even in winter. The priests, dressed in clean white robes, held herb hoes and bustled about in the flower beds.
Many worshippers who had come to pray stopped here, some picking spirit herbs, others asking for medicinal recipes, hoping to cure their stubborn illnesses and regain their health. The garden also sold products from the Saint Kreithian Monastery's Herb College.
On Elliot Square, in front of the Elliot Tower, the streets on both sides were bustling with temporary shops.
Students from the Materials College were enthusiastically promoting their textiles, claiming that they were made from the latest six-stage mimic butterfly silk, which was light and soft, making it the best material for festival costumes and leather armor. The shops of the Magic Engineering College mainly sold mechanical plates for plate armor and finished arcanite jewelry from the Imperial College.
At the stall of the Culinary College, a half-meter-tall metal kettle was on display, with pine branches covered in fresh snow stuck in the lid, and white steam was billowing from the spout. A Beastman student shouted in a southern accent, "Camel milk tea to relax and warm your body!" attracting curious passersby to stop and taste it.
There was also a bard sitting on the edge of Elliot Square, holding a seven-stringed lute and singing about the legends of the Sacred Domain and the virtues of the sages.
The melodious music attracted a large crowd, and many listeners were captivated, tossing coins into the singer's bowl at their feet as a show of appreciation.
Children weaved through the crowd, shouting excitedly, their eyes shining with innocence. Some held candy canes made by a candy master, grinning from ear to ear, while others wore moonflower wreaths on their heads, imitating the adults and pretending to be solemn Moon Goddess priests.
The knights of the Moon Temple escorted the noble offspring through the crowd with a grand procession, maintaining a serious and dignified demeanor.
Although they wore inscrutable expressions, their eyes couldn't hide their joy and excitement, and they looked like they were truly enjoying the festival.
"I want to eat, buy, and be a pig, meow!"
Xiao Hei Mao was infected by the atmosphere and couldn't wait any longer.
Although he was still searching for Lan Qi, the aroma of grilled fish became more intense, and his tail swayed excitedly from side to side.
"Get ready for a feast, I saw them grilling fresh trout earlier."
Toliado lifted the impatient little black cat up a bit and spoke to it.
As they chatted, the line slowly inched forward.
"Meow, let me see."
Xiao Hei Mao felt the line was still long, so it lightly floated into the air and looked ahead to see how long the line actually was.
"Meow, I guess we still have half an hour to wait."
But this time, it planned to take a quick look and then come back down.
However, after it spoke, Xiao Hei Mao did not receive a response from Toliado.
"If they're fast, it might only take about ten minutes, meow."
Xiao Hei Mao, being a chef, estimated the time professionally.
But when it finished surveying the bustling scene in the distance and returned to its original spot, it found that Toliado was not only silent but had completely disappeared.
Xiao Hei Mao looked around in confusion and realized that, at some point, it had been pushed out of the line by the bustling crowd.
Toliado was nowhere to be seen.
No one considered the floating little cat as part of the line.
The crowd was too dense, and its vision was completely blocked, making it impossible to determine the direction.
"Meow?"
The little black cat meowed in confusion and weaved through the crowded flow of people, trying to find Toliado.
It was no longer just about the line; the problem was finding its partner who had disappeared in the blink of an eye.
It quickly took out its communication magic and started calling Toliado.
Within two seconds, the communication connected.
"Meow, where did you go, Toliado?"
Xiao Hei Mao asked with concern.
The connection made it breathe a sigh of relief.
"I'll come back to find you later."
Toliado spoke in a low voice, then hung up the communication.
"..."
Xiao Hei Mao looked at the communication magic card in confusion.
Toliado must have encountered an urgent matter and needed to leave, but from his tone, it didn't seem dangerous.
Toliado should be able to find it easily, but it would be difficult for it to find the mysterious Toliado.
So, in such a situation, it was best not to wander around and instead wait for Toliado to return and find it.
Xiao Hei Mao understood the issue.
But worse still, many passersby noticed the lone cat and tried to reach out and touch it.
"Meow, I'm not a stray cat!"
Xiao Hei Mao dodged repeatedly, a nameless fear rising in its heart.
"What the... A talking cat?"
"It must be a Cat Person's innate talent, right?"
"Maybe it's a student or teacher from the school?"
"Who cares, it's a cat now, and it's born to be eaten by mom!"
After that shout, everyone wanted to touch it even more.
"Meow?!"
Xiao Hei Mao turned and ran.
It was a noble Divine Beast, how could it be treated like a pet?
After a moment, the little black cat finally escaped the crowd and jumped onto the stone steps in the distance from the square.
"I wonder how long I'll have to wait for him, meow."
It tilted its head and thought for a moment.
Its gaze involuntarily drifted towards the direction of the grill stall.
Perhaps it was best to return to its original position so that Toliado could easily find it.
I wonder where Toliao suddenly went. It's been waiting here, salivating at the aroma of the grilled food.
But if it queues up alone, it will undoubtedly be mistaken for a pet, attracting unnecessary attention.
"What should I do, meow?"
The little black cat scratched its ear in distress.
It slightly regretted following Toliao out.
Lan Qi had never left it behind for so long, and Toliao disappeared in the blink of an eye, even faster than Hou Bao's escape.
Suddenly, an idea struck it—
If it became human, it could queue up without any issues and wouldn't be mistaken for a lost cat! It had a spare 【Transformation Spell: Human】 card that Lan Qi had given it for emergencies.
It was a magic card that it hadn't used the last time it went out with Elsa, but now it seemed like the perfect opportunity to put it to good use!
"..."
"Let's give it a try, meow."
With this thought, Xiao Hei Mao nimbly leaped down the stone steps and headed for a secluded corner near the end of the square.
It was a bit reluctant to transform into a two-legged human shape, but for the sake of grilled fish, it decided to compromise.
Xiao Hei Mao closed its eyes and gently tapped the purple semi-transparent magic card that appeared before it.
In an instant, its fur began to glow with a soft radiance, and its body gradually became blurred.
A few seconds later, the light faded, and a slender and proportionate figure appeared, standing at about one meter and forty centimeters tall, looking like a child around ten years old.
Its pair of agile cat ears twitched slightly, and its long black tail swayed leisurely behind it.
"Meow, meow, meow, is this me?"
Xiao Hei Mao opened its mouth, emitting its usual childish voice. It looked down at the marble tiles of the square, seeing its reflection on the surface.
Its physique was somewhere between a young boy and a girl, with smooth black short hair, slightly long bangs occasionally covering its eyes, soft facial features, and a youthful innocence that made it difficult to discern its gender.
It looked like a tomboy and a handsome boy at the same time.
Dressed in a white shirt and brown vest, along with small leather shoes, it resembled a child-sized version of Lan Qi's usual outfit.
"Among humans, am I considered pretty, meow?"
Xiao Hei Mao examined its new appearance, caressing its fair cheeks, and for a moment, it felt as if it could already taste the delicious aroma of the grilled fish from afar.
The only thing it was unsure about was why it didn't fully transform into a human but rather into a being more akin to an Ajin or a Beastman.
This might be because when Lan Qi and Houbailian used the 【Transformation Spell: Human】, their size change was minimal, while Xiao Hei Mao required a more significant transformation, leading to this issue.
However, it wasn't a problem.
The Creedentia Empire indeed had many Beastmen.
When the Creedentia Empire was formed, the three territories that made up its land included the Seros Empire, which was almost entirely human, the Elsay Sacred Domain with a small number of elves and rare races, and the Wensi Free Federation, where human lords coexisted with Beastman lords.
Even after unification, humans still made up the majority, but occasionally, one could spot some Kreithians with beastly traits or pointed ears on the streets and among the nobility.
(End of Chapter)
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