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Chapter 875: Lance and Huberian's Recap After Two Years (Part 1)
Chapter 875: Lance and Huberian's Recap After Two Years (Part 1)
Ekerite Academy.
In the distance, birds chirped melodiously as they hopped from branch to branch in the Alchemy Garden.
"Huberian, shouldn't you be resting at home? Are you sure it's okay for you to be out here?"
After escaping from the Duke's Mansion, Huberian thoughtfully brought Lance to Ekerite Academy and walked towards the main building of the Mage Engineering Institute.
"It's fine. Maybe I'll have an episode once or twice a week at most? The frequency and symptoms are getting milder, and I have Antanas to look after me. I can endure the pain caused by the toxins."
Huberian explained to Lance.
In reality, her adaptation to her body's toxins was much easier than the side effects of using Merothas Desecration of Sovereignty. Perhaps after forcibly harnessing Merothas in Blood Moon City, her tolerance had increased significantly.
Currently, Ekerite Academy was in its winter break.
Students were less common on campus, with only those who had chosen special winter courses or were staying on campus still roaming the grounds. Returning to the campus after a long absence, it felt like just yesterday that they had last been there half a year ago.
"Actually, when I first returned to Ekerite, I went to see Professor Polao, and he asked me to tell you to come to the Mage Engineering Institute as well. And today, you're already planning to visit the Institute."
Although Huberian and Lance were students of the Scholar Academy, after the departure of the Academy's director, most administrative matters fell under Professor Polao's jurisdiction.
Since they were still on academic leave and had exceeded the allotted time, their student bracelets were locked and frozen to prevent anyone from misusing their identities to enter the Shadow World or access their dormitories.
Lance needed to find Professor Polao to unlock his bracelet if he wanted to move back into the dormitory and smoothly purchase items on campus.
With Loren absent, Professor Polao, the director of the Mage Engineering Institute, held the highest administrative authority in the school. After all, he was the genius behind the design of Ekerite Academy's curriculum system and the capital's defense barrier.
When they couldn't find Director Loren, they often sought out Professor Polao.
"I live on campus anyway. The most important thing is that I need to take Lan Fu to her class. She can only focus on her studies in the laboratory at the Mage Engineering Institute."
Lance sometimes couldn't stand the lively and playful Great Love Poet. When the Great Love Poet expressed her protests, Lance would start singing in the dormitory, turning it into her practice room.
"Are you treating the Mage Engineering Institute like a daycare...?"
Huberian felt that Lance seemed to dislike the Great Love Poet even more now. Perhaps he had gotten used to Tata, and couldn't adapt to the Great Love Poet anymore.
As they chatted, they came across a familiar place ahead.
On the path from the Scholar Academy to the Mage Engineering Institute, there was a cold-pressed juice shop with dozens of pure fruit juices, blended fruit juices, and vegetable juices. Before leaving Ekerite, they often saw students holding cups of juice after class.
The shop, which had just opened when they enrolled, had now become an old establishment.
The two glanced at each other and paused for a moment, buying two cups of juice.
"I remember that after listening to Professor Teresa's 'Introduction to Magical Genealogy' class in the Learning and Education Building, we walked along this path, drinking cold-pressed juice and chatting. That's when we decided to visit Askan in the Northern Continent and start this graduation project..."
Huberian reminisced as she looked at the paper cup in her hand, "It was also then that you said you would help me find my father. Even though I believed you were going to Askan, I didn't think you could really bring my father back."
Looking back now, she realized that that day was a turning point in the main quest line.
She had assumed that Lance would follow the normal route and excel in the academy, but she never expected him to directly embark on a legendary journey in the Northern Continent.
"Unfortunately, by the time I found Askan, he had already..."
Lance's eyes suddenly became desolate, and he looked down at his palm.
"..."
Huberian didn't know what to say. Sometimes, even talking to Lance might deduct merit points, although it was minimal. But she did feel it happening.
"However, your good deeds in the Kreitni Empire are immeasurable, and they should be enough for you to spend in this lifetime. From now on, you won't have bad luck, and divine punishments shouldn't come your way again."
Huberian muttered to herself.
Thinking this way, Huberian felt relieved. Unconsciously, her daily prayers to the goddess had turned into wishes for Lance's safety.
"Huberian, I said I would make it to the finale without any setbacks, and I did. Look, I'm still fine, and my work and journey are over."
Lance calmly sipped his juice.
He briefly crossed the tree-less crossroads in the forest path and gazed at the distant square building.
In the heart of Ekerite Academy, a massive structure stood tall, surrounded by the regions of the four major departments.
"That's true."
Huberian nodded in agreement and followed Lance's gaze to the place where their dreams began.
Despite the various modern and classical buildings on campus, each with its unique charm, they all seemed slightly inferior compared to the central building that sealed the Shadow World Void Gate.
In the blink of an eye, even Duke Mygaya had been saved by Lance.
She didn't believe that Lance was her wish-granting machine.
She only felt that Lance was a man of his word.
This persistence and sincerity...
Huberian chewed on her straw as if passing the time, taking small sips of juice while occasionally observing Lance.
She felt her heart beating, a lava-like warmth in her chest spreading throughout her body with each pulse.
"If there's any remaining work, it's probably the performance we promised to Miss Abigail. She's determined that you'll play the role of the governor, and I'll be your co-lead."
She suddenly met Lance's gaze, as if he had caught her watching him, and said this.
"Indeed, there's such a task. But this isn't my main job; it's just a part-time gig during the holiday to help a friend. No worries, I'll cooperate fully with your performance."
Lance grinned easily in response.
Performing in an opera with Huberian was like a bonus level.
He had already passed the hellish levels, so no matter how they rehearsed with Huberian, he felt it would be pure enjoyment.
Farewell to the cage; he would never be imprisoned on stage again.
"I feel like you're thinking about something else again..."
Huberian sensed that Lance's relieved smile had a deeper meaning.
He no longer needed to keep it a secret.
The daily tasks had become a part of his life and habits.
"Do you know, Huberian? Do you know how I managed to get through those two hours that day? Your co-lead was an actor who forgot lines, arbitrarily altered the plot, liked to toss props around, and only thought about food. And you, who had never even rehearsed, had to help her make everything fit together."
Lance clutched his head, just the thought of what happened on the stage at the Brillida Opera House that day made him feel a bit traumatized.
Only the angel Huberian could heal him.
He also hoped that with the next well-prepared performance with Huberian, he could rid himself of the lingering opera shadow in his mind.
"It's fine, it's fine. I'll be a good leading lady for you."
Huberian reached out and gently patted Lance's head, speaking softly to him.
In a few days, Abigail and the crew would arrive in Ekerite, and she and Lance would begin rehearsing again.
T
However, Huberian remembered that the date of the Demihuman Noblewoman opera performance might coincide with Loren's return. Professor Almis wanted to invite Loren to see this play, which was highly praised in the Creth Empire, and asked Huberian to save two tickets for her, preferably in a location away from the crowd, as he was the emperor of a neighboring country.
Thinking about this, Huberian realized that many of her friends and family might come to the Irekire Opera House to watch her performance.
If everyone came to see her that day, she would be quite nervous and couldn't afford to make any mistakes.
"Over the next month, we'll probably be called to the Ekerite Opera House by Abigail quite often. If I monopolize your time, will Antanas and Sinora have any objections?"
Lance looked at Huberian and asked.
Huberian had been spending every day with Antanas and Sinora over the past year. Without her, they would likely be very lonely.
"It's fine. They'll probably come to the theater to play with us. Don't worry. They often stay at my place, so we have plenty of time together."
Huberian was more than happy to spend each day with Lance for work.
Returning from the southern end of the Creth Empire, where conflicts were constant, to the peaceful King's Capital of Hutton in Ekerite, the pace of life seemed to slow down, and interesting and delightful things were everywhere.
At this moment, there were no worries or pressures, and they could enjoy the life in Ekerite leisurely. Huberian could understand Lance's early retirement mood and the daily life that Tata had already been living.
The quiet forest path was like a brilliant green gem, drawing endless, non-repeating patterns on the cobblestone road.
They took their time, walking this path for a long while.
"Our school might not become lively again until March."
Lance looked around the campus, his expression slightly melancholic, and sighed to Huberian.
"You still can't forget the school administration's style."
Huberian nodded in agreement with Lance.
"Speaking of which, do you remember? After our first experience with the Demon Realm Shadow World, even though our Demon Realm Shadow World images were not made public, the rumors grew more exaggerated..."
Huberian believed that if there were images, it would be better. Without images, people's imaginations ran wild, and every person added their own version, each becoming more abstract.
"I remember. The most absurd version said that Headmaster Lance, even while bearing the weight of the Demon Realm and holding up the Corridor Academy single-handedly, could still defeat a Bloodline Prince and remain invincible in the world."
Lance couldn't help but laugh at these trivial matters.
"Have you noticed that in the history of the Blood Moon Cataclysm, did Ranklos really fight the Second Ancestor Salavato Archduke in the Demon King's City?"
In the last Demon Realm Shadow World, Huberian learned about many events that occurred in the middle of the timeline. At that time, the strongest existing Bloodline, the Second Ancestor Salavato Archduke, was defeated by the ninth-rank Ranklos, after which the Honing Empire declared surrender.
In a sense, the Second Ancestor Salavato Archduke was the main culprit behind the death of the Demon King during the Blood Moon Cataclysm. If the Demon King hadn't died, with such a powerful supporter, the Ice Maiden might not have died at Lichtenstein Castle.
To say whether Ranklos hated the Second Ancestor Salavato Archduke, it was definitely a deep-seated hatred.
"..."
Lance fell silent.
Although this Headmaster Lance was not the same as that Headmaster Lance.
But all the jokes, when looked at again now, seemed to have a different meaning.
The two continued to walk toward the Mage Engineering Institute area as usual.
Today, they didn't have to go to the Student Council room, so they didn't walk through the lawn in front of the Mage Engineering Institute or the old Humanities Building leading to the Institute's entrance. Instead, they entered the Alchemy Garden, a botanical garden filled with various plants.
As they walked through the garden, they were surrounded by colorful flowers and the occasional startled bird, but once they emerged from the lush greenery, they caught sight of the Mage Engineering Institute's main building—a towering glass-walled structure resembling a steel tower.
Lance and Huberian emerged from the flower-filled garden, their eyes meeting the Institute's architecture.
They walked side by side into the main building.
"Let's go to Cat Boss Restaurant for lunch later," Lance suggested, turning to Huberian.
The restaurant was nearby, and it was one of their favorite dining spots.
"Have you become so used to it that it's become a habit?" Huberian asked with a smile, her words hinting at a subtle change in their relationship.
Since the beginning of the first semester, even though the distance between Ekerite Academy and Cat Boss Restaurant was just a few streets, Lance never let Huberian walk alone, even if Tata wasn't there to pick her up after school. He would personally escort her to the restaurant.
Even now, when she no longer lived at the restaurant, he still had the habit of seeing her home.
"It seems so," Lance replied, "I just feel uneasy if I don't see you home safely. But now that you're at the seventh rank, you're even stronger than me."
Lance and Huberian climbed the stairs together, and after a moment of thought, Lance spoke to himself.
Huberian's survival skills were top-notch, and when she was serious, she could even handle eighth-rank opponents. She was no longer the fragile Duke's daughter who needed protection.
"Nonsense," Huberian said, placing her hands behind her back and taking a half-step closer to Lance. "Please, my dear Governor, escort me home."
The fifth floor of the Mage Engineering Institute's main building housed the Dean's office.
Professor Polao was seated at his desk, surrounded by engineering component blueprints and measuring tools.
Earlier that morning, shortly after arriving at the Dean's office, he had begun drawing on semi-transparent blueprints with a mechanical pencil, occasionally pausing to examine the uniquely shaped components on his desk using magical engineering glasses.
A soft knock sounded at the door, as if the visitor was trying not to disturb Professor Polao's work.
"Who's here to see me at this hour?" Professor Polao wondered, accustomed to being sought out for help during work but not expecting visitors during the holidays.
"It's me, Professor," came the reply.
"Good morning, Professor Polao," the visitor said as the door slowly opened, letting in natural light.
(End of Chapter)
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