NOVPUBOne month later, in the Hutton Kingdom.
As the Magic Power Rail Train came to a stop, the scenery outside the window gradually came to a standstill. The doors opened to reveal a station, its roof constructed from reddish-brown bricks.
"We’re here!"
Antanas’s cheerful voice and footsteps echoed across the platform of Ichrite Central Station.
Two towering towers at either end made the Central Station a spectacular sight. The marble pillars, murals, and stained glass windows all showcased a thick sense of history. This was a style they had never seen in the Protoss Empire.
After a long journey of over a month, they had traveled to the southern coast of the Protoss Empire by train, then met up with Hyperion to cross the sea by boat. Afterwards, they traversed several nations on the South Continent, finally arriving from the northern border of the Hutton Kingdom into Capital City Ekrite.
She couldn’t wait to see her friend Talia.
"Alright, you’ve all worked hard on the journey, let’s get you back to your accommodations."
Lanci counted the number of people on the platform and said to them.
"...."
Hyperion didn’t find the journey tiring at all. In fact, she had been on vacation for half a year, but she just didn’t dare to say it out loud.
Moreover, the trip back was even more enjoyable for her.
They started as two people and a cat, but now they were two people, three demons, a cat, and a fox.
Most of the time, Mr. Pranay would accompany Lanci, while Antanas and Sinola would play with her on the cruise ship. Even though the two Great Demon Clan members were a generation older than her, there was no generation gap or distance when they interacted. They treated her more like a close friend than a niece.
"Meow meow meow, I miss home!"
Cat boss tumbled around in Antanas’s hands.
Cat boss got along best with Antanas and spent most of his time being held by him.
Looking at his three friends from the North Continent who had already become familiar, Cat boss felt incredibly satisfied and happy.
Lanci had brought back three elites from the Protoss Empire, the enthusiastic and diligent Antanas, the dignified and gentle Sinola, and the steady and talented Pranay. Cat boss loved each one of them!
The key was that they all respected him, treating him like a National Guardian Beast, which surprised him!
Though he was indeed powerful as a Seventh-order, he didn’t think he deserved such treatment!
The more Cat boss thought about it, the more delighted he felt.
"Phew."
Seeing Cat boss this happy, Lanci also felt happy.
Everyone was satisfied, and his goals had been achieved.
They passed through multiple checkpoints and left the platform level.
Lanci’s luggage had been registered for delivery and would be sent directly to the dormitory of Ichrite Academy, while Hyperion’s group needed to return to Boss Cat Restaurant, so they needed to keep their luggage on the vehicle.
The group walked through the hall of Ichrite Central Station, the noise gradually fading as they found their pre-booked magic-powered vehicle in the spacious square, beginning their long-awaited journey through Ichrite.
The afternoon sun in spring was relaxed and comfortable, making the city seem even more beautiful.
Not long after they boarded the vehicle, they could see the reddish-brown walls, pointed eaves, and the tulips and lotuses in the Royal Botanical Garden. Various plants were such a spectacle, the scent of blooming wildflowers filled the air.
"So this is Ichrite? No wonder Talia loves this city so much, it’s indeed beautiful."
Antanas exclaimed, looking around while holding Cat boss.
In comparison to Herram, the style here was much fresher and brighter.
The Protoss Empire had a lot of dark and grey buildings, and the city had a somewhat enchanting aura. Meanwhile, the city here was filled with beige and white buildings, showing a blend of classic and modern, with well-planned streets.
"Indeed, one’s status is very important. Being a citizen of the Protoss Empire, we are considered international friends in the Hutton Kingdom. Otherwise, even if we sneak in, we would be considered illegal."
Sinola, who was sitting quietly on the other side, couldn’t help but sigh as she recalled the complex screening processes at the northern border of the Hutton Kingdom.
Luckily, the Second Princess was the Duchess of this country, which saved them a lot of trouble. Otherwise, they would need to spend several months at the border for observation before they could travel to the central key cities.
Now they were all considered guests of the Duke’s family, and with Duchess Huberian as their guarantor, they could proceed directly to the Capital City Ekrite.
"Huberian, it’s fantastic to have you here."
Sinola said to Huberian sitting beside her.
"Eh? That’s nothing."
Huberian modestly replied, scratching the back of her head.
This was the first time she had been praised like this. As a half-demon, she had always been secretly despised in Ekrite...
"Huberian, why don’t you hurry and become the duchess? Our boss will then have to cling to your coattails. Let him kneel before your power."
Antanas encouraged Huberian, with a shoulder to shoulder friendly gesture upon hearing this.
"What are you talking about?"
huberian asked in surprise, looking up.
"Hasn’t the boss mentioned his goal in the South Continent is to hold onto Duke Migaya tight, and then retire at the age of twenty in his hometown? If you could become the duchess, shouldn’t he be clinging onto yours?"
Antanas craftily grinned and countered.
The Hutton Kingdom was too peaceful and stable. Antanas felt that the king had become lazy since returning. No wonder he told Huberian that he would definitely help her save Duke Migaya and then rely on the Duke’s family to support him in his old age.
She then looked out the window again. Vehicles drove across the winding canal with the spring breeze, and the rippling water reflected the shadows of swaying branches.
"..."
Huberian lowered her head, bewildering the demons around as to what she was thinking or observing.
She felt that Lanci’s words were mainly a joke back then. But thinking about it now, it seemed he really didn’t have any desire for power and could readily give up the achievements of the Protoss Empire.
If Lanci wanted a tranquil life, then she wouldn’t mind supporting him. But she felt somewhat unseemly changing their cordial relationship into something that sounded akin to patronage.
However, the more she recalled her first encounter with Lanci in the Northern Continent and how he was led around by the nose by the bad woman from the Hegemony Branch, the more she felt that she would rather support Lanci herself than let him have contact with those women who might lead him astray.
During the minutes of silence, the scenery outside the car window involuntarily changed into a bustling commercial district. They passed various cafes, restaurants, bars, and shops, with the broad avenues increasingly filled with the bustling atmosphere of people’s daily lives.
"Is the public order in ’Ekrite’ so stable?"
Pranay had been observing that this place was particularly civilized and friendly. Vehicles would automatically take the initiative to yield to pedestrians and maintain order to such an extent that one could hardly find any police on the streets.
In contrast, in Herram City humans and all kinds of mixed races lived together, full of uncertainties. They might run into an out-of-control Alchemical beast on the underground magic power rail, and chaos, crime, and violence could erupt at any moment.
"Pranay, do you know how good the security is around Ekrite?"
The Cat boss raised a paw, its expression that of a senior questioning him.
"What’s the matter?"
Before Pranay could speak, Antanas who was holding the Cat boss, asked confusedly.
"Take the wild wolves outside the city as an example. Many years ago, they were always starving and it was common for them to attack passing merchant caravans."
The Cat boss quoted an example.
"And now?"
Antanas remembered that they also didn’t see any high-security barriers set by the farmers on the outskirts of Ekrite when they were on the magic power rail train. There were only ordinary fences, not at all a preparation against ferocious wild wolves.
"Nowadays, residents of the city often go out to feed the wild wolves various delicacies. They are practically fattening them up."
The Cat boss shook his head as if lamenting the state of the world.
"Consequently, they’ve completely lost their aggressiveness towards humans and will even approach them affectionately for food."
"Pfft."
Lanci couldn’t help laughing from the side.
Pranay was the first to glance at Lanci and then instantaneously shifted his gaze elsewhere, pretending not to understand anything at all.
