https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-835-Ran-Chi-and-the-Wolf-Clan-s-Bond/12937087/
Chapter 834: Talia's Pride Won't Allow It
Chapter 834: Talia's Pride Won't Allow It
In the late hours, the fervor of the Moon Goddess Festival at Saint Kreinti Convent had subsided, and the moon lanterns gradually dimmed, merging into the dark night sky.
"You're quite a bit heavier than the cat boss, aren't you?"
Lan Chi, holding the large gray cat, walked along the corridor towards the deepest part of the Great Hall, the High Priestess Chamber.
"Meow, meow, meow!"
Talia the cat squirmed in Lan Chi's arms.
She was furious, but she had promised Lan Chi that she wouldn't speak once they reached this place. All she could do was warn him with her meows.
They were in a place where important figures of the Sacred Convent could appear at any moment.
According to the unspoken understanding between Talia and Lan Chi, if Violet, the Sixth Divine General, had been telling the truth all along, Talia wouldn't make a sound. But if she discovered a lie, she would immediately signal Lan Chi.
"You're acting so cute, my adorable little gray cat," Lan Chi said with a smile, hugging the cat, which felt like a liquid blanket, and looking down at her.
"Meow!"
Talia became even angrier, but hearing Lan Chi call her his little gray cat made her feel like she had lost some of her resistance.
If he called her that while being so close to her, she would think he had gone crazy, spouting all sorts of strange words.
But now, with just the two of them, one human and one cat, it was surprisingly easy to say things that they wouldn't normally be able to say.
It was only at times like this that Lan Chi would call her that.
Lan Chi seemed to truly treat her like a cat.
His ability to perfectly blend in and adapt to his surroundings at an extraordinary speed was a level of adaptability that even Talia found exaggerated.
She could only adapt alongside him.
"We're probably neither too early nor too late," Lan Chi estimated the time and spoke to the cat.
Violet, the Sixth Divine General, had returned to the Great Hall before the end of the festival, while Lan Chi, still carrying Talia, had spent some time observing the surroundings from the outskirts of the Great Hall and wandering around. Now, they were likely approaching the time that Secretary Nera had arranged for him earlier.
Just as Lan Chi finished his thoughts, he saw a familiar slender figure standing at the end of the corridor.
"Professor Landry, you're here," Secretary Nera said.
Secretary Nera had been working around the Great Hall all day, and today, she was working overtime, needing to stay by Violet's side.
At this moment, she was waiting for Lan Chi near Violet's office.
"Secretary Nera, you've worked hard. If it weren't for me causing you trouble, you would have been off work by now," Lan Chi said, quickening his pace and speaking to her as he walked beside her.
"It's fine. During the Moon Goddess Festival, I almost always have to work. Chatting with you and then guiding you is the easiest task, it's not even considered work," Secretary Nera replied.
As someone entrusted with many of Violet's powers, she was also responsible for coordinating various tasks within the convent.
After slacking off for a good while in the afternoon, she actually didn't feel too bad about it.
Especially when she saw that Professor Landry had also worked overtime for the entire day, her mood instantly brightened.
Lan Chi looked at Secretary Nera's mouth, where a sly smile was forming as if it were nothing, but he couldn't quite find the words to say.
Why make things difficult for a fellow worker?
He could understand how happy Torilado must have been when he ran off with the cat earlier.
From the start, Secretary Nera's attention had been captured by the large gray cat in Lan Chi's arms.
"Professor Landry, you even have a cat. I thought you only had the little black bread," Secretary Nera tentatively reached out her hand and said, finding the cat too adorable.
But seeing the cat looking somewhat fierce, it became alert when she moved her hand closer, so she withdrew her hand.
Compared to the little black bread, this large gray cat seemed to only want to be close to the professor.
"Meow, meow!" the gray cat raised its paws and meowed in resistance.
Letting Lan Chi touch her was already the need to struggle, and she wouldn't allow anyone else to touch her in her cat form.
The most unbearable one was Sigrid, who even in her human form, had to be hugged and sniffed by Sigrid daily. If she were a cat, Talia dared not imagine what would happen.
"My apologies, Secretary Nera. It's just that she's a bit shy, and probably won't let anyone but me touch her," Lan Chi apologized.
If it were another cat, he might have let Secretary Nera pet it.
But this cat was his master, an eight-hundred-year-old senior, and he couldn't just touch it casually.
"Meow!"
Talia the cat raised her head alertly and looked up at Lan Chi.
Even though being protected by Lan Chi like an ancestor felt good, she was certain that Lan Chi's intentions were not that simple.
"It's fine. Last time, you let me pet the little black bread, and I was very grateful," Secretary Nera replied amiably.
Professor Landry almost always carried that fifth-rank little black cat with him, whether it was for teaching or administrative work. Only today did he bring out the large gray cat, probably because he had lent the little black cat to Elsa and Ursula today.
The secretary and the professor, one of them took the first step, and they headed towards the chancellor's office.
As Lan Chi followed Secretary Nera along the convent's corridor, employees in school uniforms and priests occasionally passed by.
In the corridor they walked through, there were always people working on the final inventory and cleanup tasks for the festival.
The gray cat in Lan Chi's arms became much calmer.
Even though being held by Lan Chi, she still felt a bit unaccustomed, but as long as this less than an hour passed quietly, her brief mission as a cat would be over.
Talia thought to herself as Lan Chi and Secretary Nera approached the vast, open area at the center of the Great Hall.
The emerald lawn was like a soft velvet carpet, and the falling golden-red leaves turned into colorful gems, adorning the open-air garden-like hall.
Nera led Lan Chi through the garden, arriving at the quiet corridor paved with brown stone bricks.
Through the continuous colonnade, they could still see the plants until the flower shadows disappeared, gradually entering the area under the High Priestess's jurisdiction.
"We're here."
Nera gestured to Lan Chi, indicating that he could go directly to the door at the end. She had already informed Principal Violet beforehand.
She believed that Professor Landry was no stranger to this place, as they had visited it together a month ago.
"Okay, thank you."
Just as Lan Chi was about to quicken his pace and walk towards the room alone, a sudden voice startled both of them, causing them to halt in their tracks.
From a distance.
"Violet! It's all your fault!"
A male voice, filled with anger and indignation, echoed from the doorway of the Violet Priestess's chamber.
Lan Chi and Nera also heard the sound of someone banging heavily on a table.
They exchanged glances.
Apparently, Nera was also unaware that before Professor Landry's appointment, someone else would visit Violet's territory.
It seemed that the person had forcefully entered Violet's office and found her, not even giving her time to activate the soundproof barrier.
"As the High Priestess, I can't always make rash choices like you do. Don't blame everything on others."
Violet's voice, rarely tinged with anger, carried more helplessness.
Being scolded so harshly, she was also at a loss.
"Fine, you're right. Talking to you is a waste of my time."
After saying this, footsteps sounded, and then he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
"The Empire is in its current state because of indecisive people like you, always worrying about unnecessary things!"
He turned and shouted angrily.
The young man walking in the corridor of the Great Hall had slightly disheveled dark red short hair. Beneath his hair, his fair skin and distinct features were clearly visible.
His eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and his black eyes held a hint of ferocity, as if he was always angry. Despite his casual attire, his noble aura was undeniable. His expression of anger and impatience contrasted with his upright posture and composed demeanor, revealing his well-cultivated manners since childhood.
Lan Chi stared at the dark red-haired young man in astonishment.
He noticed that after the young man emerged from Violet's office, he glared at him and Nera.
The young man's furrowed brows and tightly pressed lips conveyed a sense of restraint, as if constantly reminding himself to control his emotions.
He suppressed his anger and glanced at the unfamiliar yet harmless professor before walking away.
Today, it seemed like he would even kick a dog if he saw one on the street.
After a long while, Nera, the secretary, watched as the figure disappeared completely at the end of the corridor, and she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm sorry, Professor Landry. I didn't expect that the Tenth Divine General Julius would come here today. This rash guy must have forcefully entered the Great Hall. If it affected your mood, I'm very sorry."
Nera bowed slightly to Lan Chi, apologizing.
She mentioned the Tenth Divine General Julius with an unfriendly tone, clearly resenting his earlier rudeness towards Violet. Nera was biased towards Violet, unconditionally supporting her as a close friend and respected Principal Violet.
"It's okay. You couldn't control this either. It's normal for great figures like the Divine Generals to have disagreements and arguments. Don't take it too personally."
Lan Chi, holding the large gray cat, comforted Nera.
He had just recognized the dark red-haired youth in casual attire as the rumored Tenth Divine General Julius, the Red Garnet Seat, known for his constant battlefield exploits and aggressive nature.
Recently, he had been summoned back to the Empire for a hearing and had even visited the military court.
The Tenth Divine General Julius, the Red Garnet, was the Empire's top Heavy Weapons Engineer, known for his ability to suppress firepower on the battlefield. He was primarily an output-focused fighter, lacking in flashy abilities beyond sheer firepower, even in the control capabilities often associated with heavy weaponry.
This perfectly matched his personality.
"Alright, go find Principal Violet."
Nera led Lan Chi to a purple sandalwood carved door.
Professor Landry was always easy to talk to, and in situations like this, he would consider the feelings of those around him. Nera increasingly felt that Professor Landry was a pleasant colleague to work with.
Nera lightly knocked on the door, and the crisp sound echoed in the quiet corridor.
"Principal Violet, I've brought Professor Landry."
Just as she finished knocking—
"Please come in."
A dignified yet warm voice echoed.
Nera helped Lan Chi push open the heavy purple sandalwood door.
"Thank you."
Lan Chi thanked Nera and walked into the grand hall, holding the cat.
As soon as he stepped over the threshold, a rich floral fragrance filled his nostrils. The air was permeated with the intertwined scents of roses, jasmines, and violets, resembling a garden temple. Moonlight filtered through the rose window, casting semi-transparent silver waves on the marble floor, like a beautiful oil painting.
A woman sitting below the rose window, behind the desk, looked towards Lan Chi.
The moonlight cast a translucent glow on her fair cheeks.
"Professor Landry, I should have talked to you earlier, but as you know, I've been extremely busy recently and couldn't even return to Brillada."
Violet slowly stood up, smiled at Lan Chi, and gestured for him to sit on the sofa.
She seemed to have adjusted her mood in an instant, treating the earlier argument as a fleeting cloud.
After the festival, Violet had changed out of her lightweight attire and back into her form-fitting, elegant dark robe. Her long, dark cobalt hair cascaded down like a waterfall, resembling Professor Landry's sister, Elsa.
"I've kept you waiting, Chancellor."
Lan Chi nodded respectfully to Violet.
Secretary Nera didn't enter the room but waited outside, closing the door to the chancellor's office for them.
At this moment, Talia the cat in Lan Chi's embrace seemed more nervous than Lan Chi himself.
It was her first time being a cat, and she wasn't sure if she was doing it right. She tried her best not to speak and to stay still in Lan Chi's embrace.
Even so, Talia could clearly sense that Violet, the Sixth Divine General and the Water Aquamarine, possessed not only a noble status but also a strength that rivaled the empire's peak. Even Apollo acknowledged that he couldn't beat Violet.
"Julius must have scared you and Nera."
Violet spoke honestly to the professor, seeing how calm he was.
There was no need to pretend that nothing had happened in front of someone as intelligent as Professor Landry.
She was a little worried that Julius might have scared Nera, as Nera also had a stubborn temper. If she heard Julius arguing with her, Nera wouldn't give him a pleasant look.
"It's fine. Mr. Julius left soon after."
Lan Chi replied, carrying the cat and sitting down on the sofa.
"That's good. Oh, Julius has this temper, but we usually get along well, which is why he spoke to me like that."
Violet sighed lightly and turned on the soundproof barrier charm on the desk.
She seemed to have calmed down.
Nevertheless, hearing the harsh words from her colleague Julius, Violet's eyes still held a hint of sadness.
"Don't take it to heart. Friends arguing is a common occurrence."
Lan Chi sat on the sofa, looking at Violet with an optimistic tone.
Violet casually picked up a box of treats from the Moon Goddess Festival, specially prepared by Saint Kreinti Convent, and walked to the sofa opposite, her slender fingertips gently caressing the back of the velvet sofa as she sat down across from Professor Landry.
The sofa's texture was soft and delicate, like sitting on a fluffy cloud. The fabric beneath her was of the finest silk, emitting a faint scent of gardenia that soothed the heavy heart.
"Anyway, I'll wait for Julius to calm down a bit before talking to him."
Violet opened the treat box and placed it on the coffee table, looking at the large gray cat in the professor's embrace.
"What a cute cat. I heard Professor Landry also has a small black cat of the text, which protected Elsa. I didn't expect him to have a large gray cat as well. It seems you prefer this one, bringing it with you even to the Moon Goddess Festival."
She observed the gray cat.
The large gray cat in Professor Landry's embrace was plump, with soft, fluffy fur. The professor's fingers sank into its fur, as if stroking a soft, long strip of cotton candy.
At this moment, the cat seemed a bit tense and curled up slightly in Lan Chi's arm, its golden eyes showing a hint of resistance to strangers.
"I'm sorry, Chancellor. It's different from the Black Bread; it doesn't let others touch it. If it were the Black Bread, I would have handed it to you directly."
Lan Chi obviously noticed Violet's fondness for the gray cat and even brought some treats that both humans and cats could eat.
"It's okay. I can see it's very attached to you, as if it considers you its lover."
Violet leaned back on the sofa and joked in relief.
The gray cat in Lan Chi's embrace struggled a bit, as if Violet's words made it subconsciously want to move away from Lan Chi. However, if it acted like a female, it would only confirm Violet's words, so it tried its best to adapt to Lan Chi's embrace.
"Can I feed it?"
Lan Chi's gaze shifted to the treat box Violet had opened on the coffee table, and the lid was already lifted, revealing several fresh pastries. The cheese egg yolk pastry was perfectly round, with a dense layer of white sesame seeds that glistened in the candlelight.
"Of course. Take two more boxes with you later. I have plenty, and I don't even have time to eat them."
Violet agreed and pointed to the desk.
On the desk were also piles of iron gift boxes.
"It seems you've been incredibly busy today, Chancellor, and then you got scolded by a colleague. Anyway, don't take it too hard. The empire is currently in a critical period of change, and the more one cares about the empire, the more impatient they become."
Lan Chi spoke to Violet with empathy.
"I'm used to it. Not everyone is as patient as Hyssop, or perhaps most of the War Gods have peculiar personalities."
Violet shook her head, leaning against the sofa, and examined the professor with interest.
Professor Landry was also easy to get along with, a warm and understanding person who knew how to accommodate others.
If Professor Landry became the head of the Imperial New Energy Organization Committee in the coming days, as the rumors suggested, it would be a good thing for Saint Kreinti Convent, as Professor Landry would always be one of them.
"So, Mr. Julius, whom you consider a friend, despite his bad temper, also has his shining moments?"
Lan Chi asked Violet.
He took a piece of pastry from the box, broke off a bit, and held it with his thumb and forefinger, bringing it to the gray cat's mouth.
A faint cheese scent and the sweet aroma of grilled beef bits filled the air, mixing with the room's dense floral fragrance, weaving an invisible web of temptation.
Gray Cat's snout twitched, sensing an opportunity to gather information about the Imperial Military Deities, a rare chance given Violet's current post-argument mood, which was not ideal for discussing urgent matters. Instead, they decided to chat about trivialities.
However, Lanchi didn't seem interested in prying; he was genuinely conversing, emphasizing sincerity.
"You seem to have a unique perspective on things... But you're right about Julius. He's full of flaws, but he's loyal and talented, just a bit of a dunce. Back in the Imperial Institute of Machinery, he even surpassed the fourth Military Deity, Jasper, in many subjects, and that was before he became a star in another field and eventually, a Military Deity himself."
Violet chuckled softly at Lanchi's words.
Jasper, the fourth Military Deity and a few years Julius' senior, was a rare mechanical genius in the Empire. It was thought that her records would stand for many years, but Julius soon emerged as a new star in a different field and eventually became a Military Deity of his generation.
The large gray cat in Lanchi's arms seemed resistant, unsure of this sudden feeding. It tilted its head slightly, emitting a low whimper from its throat, hesitant to accept the offered treat.
"Being able to understand Imperial Machinery is truly impressive."
Lanchi was surprised.
Studying with Professor Pola, he realized the difficulty of mastering Machinery, a skill he couldn't grasp.
"You're not good at it? But you're an expert in Magical Engineering."
"There's a sequence to learning, and specialization in skills. Machinery is my weak point. I mainly focus on energy research, and I can't accomplish anything alone. I need everyone's help."
Lanchi continued chatting with Violet while patiently waiting for the cat to accept the pastry in his hand.
With his free hand, he gently stroked the cat's back, warming it with a comforting touch.
"No wonder Duke Dex values you so much. Is this how you view your own achievements?"
"Achievements in themselves are meaningless; what matters is their impact on future generations."
Under Lanchi's petting, the gray cat's tense body relaxed, its breathing steadied, and it half-closed its golden eyes, its snout still carrying the lingering scent of the treat.
It sensed Violet's gaze, wondering why the cat wasn't eating.
If it kept drawing Violet's attention, things might get awkward.
Finally, the cat cautiously extended its pink tongue, tentatively licking the pastry on Lanchi's fingertips. The taste of roast meat and cheese exploded in its mouth, and the large gray cat found long-awaited comfort, greedily biting into the entire treat and chewing noisily.
'Since I'm already a cat, I might as well stop thinking and just enjoy it!' Talia told herself.
"Now that you mention it, I can see more of Julius' good side, and I don't feel like getting angry with him anymore. But on second thought, these recent campus rumors seem more plausible, Professor Landry. You're quite skilled in handling interpersonal and public relations."
Violet commented.
She had been wondering if the cat didn't like the treat, but it seemed to enjoy it.
"Don't flatter me like that, Chancellor Violet," Lanchi shook his head.
The rumors he had heard today were outrageous, and the speed at which they evolved exceeded his imagination. But he felt they had probably reached their peak.
Habitually, he fed the cat in his arms while gently stroking its fluffy fur, his fingertips slowly caressing its neck, back, and belly, eliciting a soft whimper from the cat.
"In the end, it's your good temper, Chancellor, that allows for such commotion. It seems this isn't the first time."
Lanchi spoke to Violet.
Listening to Violet talk about the tenth Military Deity, Julius, felt like a mother soothing her son.
"Professor Landry, are you thinking about something impolite?"
Violet fixed her gaze on Landry, sensing his unspoken thoughts.
But she didn't seem to mind; she just felt he wasn't entirely a gentle and honest person. Sometimes, he thought of things that made her want to laugh and get angry simultaneously.
"No, I was just thinking that wolves indeed have great personalities. Thank you for taking care of my sister, Elsa. She's a good kid."
Lanchi thought and spoke from the heart.
"Is that so? I'm flattered. But I do feel your affability is special; it's hard to dislike you, especially with small animals. They approach you without hesitation, perhaps because you acknowledge that all creatures are alive, and deep down, you wouldn't harm them. And they, relying more on their instinctive intuition, are willing to let down their guard and befriend you."
Violet observed the handsome gray cat in Professor Landry's arms, speaking to herself.
The large gray cat completely let go of its reservations, immersing itself in long-awaited comfort and emitting a contented sound.
Under the youth's unconscious petting, the cat experienced unprecedented relaxation and satisfaction.
Closing its eyes and clearing its mind, the cat adjusted its posture lazily, lying on his lap and accommodating his palm, allowing it to easily reach more comfortable spots.
It looked entirely different from when it first entered.
(End of Chapter)
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