NOVPUBThe winter morning in Herram was bitterly cold, with the sky still dim. The feeble morning light gradually brightened the eastern horizon.
In a quiet corner of the dormitory area of the Protoss Royal Magic Academy, the front yard of a beige brick house was covered with a thin layer of frost and snow.
It seemed to have snowed slightly last night.
The windows of the mansion appeared hazy, because a layer of mist formed due to the warm air inside and the cold outside. Through this mist, one could vaguely see the green plants scattered on the outside windowsill, the bare branches in the yard with frost flowers condensing on them. Each leaf appeared as if its time had been frozen, quietly waiting for the arrival of spring. On this cold morning, everything seemed so tranquil.
It was still a workday, Thursday.
The weekend was coming soon.
Zestira got up early in her bedroom and tidied herself up.
Then she walked through the living room, opened the door of the house, and left expressionlessly.
She stood at the door, lightly resting a hand on the door frame, and could see from afar that the yard was quickly turning into an animal garden.
Under that big tree, Lanci sat on the swing, feeding the gathered animals. The pitch-black large fox lay elegantly on the ground, soft and smooth like a sofa.
While he lightly sprinkled grain on the grass, the birds hopped around chirping, foraging for food, and also turned his head to chat with his new animal partner - the fox.
Even from a distance, one could hear the casual chatter of the teacher and the big fox drifting over with the cold air.
"Aoo."
"You ask if I know any other from the Great Demon Clan?"
"Aoo."
"What do you mean other Great Demon Clan? You really think I’m one of the Great Demon Clan?"
"Aoo."
"Don’t confiscate my human status! Everyone knows I’m a human."
"Aoo."
"You are still concerned about the Great Demon Clan..."
"Aoo."
"Don’t get your hopes up too high. Even if there are other surviving members of the Great Demon Clan, they might also be especially embarrassing characters."
"Aoo?"
"Such as those who appear aloof and elegant on the outside, but in reality are foodies with odd personalities, who after indulging in Gentle Town, completely lose the will to strive. Do you think that’s like the Great Demon Clan?"
"Aoo."
The big fox raised its head and shook it a little.
"Ah, I’m also quite worried for her. She is well past the marriageable age but still insists on living as a young human woman. I don’t know how long this identity will last."
"Aoo."
"Indeed. The disgrace of the Demon Race, de-citizenship from the Demon Cityship."
On the other side of the mansion’s doorway.
"..."
Zestira silently listened. She gradually narrowed her eyes and suddenly rubbed them.
"?"
It seemed her eyes had been dazzled just now, noticing the red light appearing over the teacher’s head, but it seemed to be an illusion. When she looked closely, there was nothing.
She pondered for a moment.
It’s better to act as if nothing happened.
She had thought about asking the knowledgeable teacher what it was, but it would not be polite to say something that might sound ill-omened on a beautiful morning.
Zestira still couldn’t understand the specific content of the fluent conversation between the teacher and the big fox.
But she believed that these chat records were all kept in the innocent mind of the big fox.
Given time, she would have a chance to read them.
"The teacher has a long life and will live a good life."
Zestira shook her head slightly and walked towards the garden path.
At the end of the monthly check day yesterday, Lanci had already accumulated over a million academic points in rewards.
In the end, 20% was settled, and 249,535 credits were given to Zestira.
Looking at the number on her bracelet, Zestira didn’t know what to say.
She was overjoyed.
She had no idea what the teacher was like in the Shadow World.
Previously, when he and she had just disembarked from the train, walked on the streets of Herram, he said, "if you find the Shadow World too difficult, take me with you." It seems he really meant he would help her clear the game at light speed.
Even after witnessing the teacher’s prowess, she now wanted to practice in the Shadow World herself, rather than relying entirely on the teacher’s protection.
She felt she had learned a lot from the teacher, gaining some enlightenment about her own path.
She needed to put it into practice.
Soon.
She approached Lanci.
"Teacher, are you busy with work today?"
Zestira asked.
Her tone was the same as usual, but there was a noticeable layer of modesty and respect in her voice.
"Not too bad, what’s up?"
Lanci thought about it. He had finished most of the meetings yesterday.
Next, there wasn’t much work left at the school. He planned to stay at the school for the next couple of days and talk to Associate Professor Xido about the empire’s affairs.
"We can go get the additional reward for Pink Holy."
Zestira said.
Aside from the reward of over 200,000 credits, there was an item that one couldn’t even buy with credits in normal circumstances.
That was a Pink Holy Level item.
It originally belonged to the treasury of the Protoss Empire. Each piece was registered and strictly controlled within the empire, constituting the list of items forbidden for private transactions.
"Alright, the Endless Library should be open now."
Lanci packed his feed, stood up, and was ready to leave. The great fox became like black silk and landed on his shoulder.
The collections were located in the treasury in the depth of the Endless Library, which wasn’t far from the Protoss Royal Magic Academy. They could get there in a short walk.
Zestira nodded.
When choosing the reward, not only would she need to use her bracelet, but she was also eager to see how the teacher would select the Magic Card.
...
Half an hour later.
On a wintertime working day in Herram, the commercial district still maintained its usual hustle and bustle. The temperature didn’t suppress people’s routine work and life.
On both sides of the street, pedestrians clad in thick winter clothes walked by. The white breath they breathed out mingled with the air around, forming patches of light mist.
In this bustling crowd, a young man and the girl following him crossed the street and headed towards a broad square.
The Endless Library, a grand building to the south of Herram, was the treasure of culture and knowledge in this peculiar city.
Unlike other buildings, this library seemed both ancient and modern. With its Gothic arches, futuristic metal lines, and revolving fictitious structures, it appeared to be the intersection of time and space.
The two people purposefully walked through the large bronze entrance gate. The ceiling was adorned with various totems and mythical creatures. The exposed spacious lobby had a huge floating crystal ball in the middle, projecting constantly changing text and images.
"I haven’t been to this library since I came to Herram."
Lanci looked at the navigation hub and said with a smile to Zestira.
"I always get lost."
Zestira apparently hated this building.
Because the library was so large, and its interior space was complex, it was easy to get lost.
Some essential areas were shielded by strong barriers and couldn’t be entered without permission. This resulted in numerous dead ends, making it challenging to find your way out of this maze, even with a map.
For most citizens and tourists in Herram, the Endless Library was mainly a place to explore the unknown and experience the extraordinary.
But they didn’t need to spend much time there today.
They just had to go to the Collection self-service extraction room and use Zestira’s student bracelet to pick a Pink Holy Level reward from the catalog.
