NOVPUBOn the second floor of Boss Cat Restaurant, Talia’s room.
The natural light of the early morning spilled down from the glass skylight, lingering on the wooden beams and bookshelves, intertwining with the faint wood scent and the bedroom fragrance from the wardrobe, emitting a green leafy rich aroma, mixed with the elegant and fresh scent of rum, yet not overly sweet.
The atmosphere in the room seemed to be split in half: one side was a mix of soft cream, light orange, and beige colors weaving warmth and comfort, while the other was a blend of Talia’s rage and Lanci’s nervousness that culminated in fear and unease.
"You…"
Talia’s body was tense, with the blade in her hand reflecting the sunlight pouring in from the skylight, shimmering brightly. In her golden pupils, besides the burning rage, there was utter chaos.
Lanci had been driven to where there was no retreat, backed against the wall. His hands were slightly raised, signaling a gesture of pleading and helplessness.
His Adam’s apple bobbed lightly as if he were struggling to find the words, but under Talia’s gaze, his voice seemed trapped in his throat.
Lanci really wanted to cry out to Hyperion for help, but he dared not.
He didn’t even dare to think about it anymore, fearing Talia would read his thoughts again.
"So, not answering, huh?"
Every word Talia spoke was like a bullet striking directly at Lanci’s heart.
"How should I take responsibility?"
All Lanci could do was to ask that question.
The air in the room nearly solidified, and time became slow and heavy at that moment.
He was sure that Talia had been confused by the Great Love Poet.
Now, he needed to calm Talia down first.
Otherwise, everything would truly be over.
"…"
Lanci’s question seemed to have taken Talia aback a little.
She subconsciously thought to tell Lanci to just take responsibility in that way, but she couldn’t say it. She felt even more confused, her emotions were a mess and without a way to vent.
Suddenly, she noticed a book in the handbag she had thrown onto the table by the door when she came in.
Talia took out the book, which was as thick as a brick, causing Lanci to close his eyes in fright.
He felt that once Talia hit him with this book, his head would split open!
However, as Lanci kept his eyes closed for a moment without feeling any harm, he tentatively opened one eye.
He saw that Talia was still holding the knife against him with one hand, while the other had already flipped open the book.
Talia raised the book, bringing it into Lanci’s view as well.
"Now, read the lines from ’Holy War Romance’ to me… and be quick!"
Talia’s eyes were still clouded as if not even she was sure what she wanted to do at that moment, her emotions still unrested.
"…?"
Lanci looked at the page Talia had opened in the book.
This novel from the Northern Continent was lent to Tata by Hyperion when she was recuperating in Nanwantina.
After Tata finished reading it, she seemed to overly identify with one of its heroines.
The page Talia had flipped to was a scene of interaction between that heroine and the male protagonist.
Lanci finally understood what Talia meant by him taking responsibility: she wanted a declaration of love, to turn rumors into reality, but she couldn’t say it herself, so she demanded Lanci read the lines.
"…"
The situation turned into Tata holding a knife in her left hand, and a book in her right, with the implication of reading or facing death.
Lanci had to admit Tata was a good Demon Race teacher, very much in line with the educational philosophy they both agreed on.
But the problem was.
This book was more girl-oriented, and every line Lanci read made his scalp tingle.
"Can’t say it?"
The knife in Talia’s hand seemed unsteady again.
With a jolt, Lanci’s survival instincts made him look at the book.
"Tata, you’re also so cute today… so cute that I really want to eat you up instead of breakfast."
Reading such lines, Lanci felt like he might vomit blood.
Upon hearing him, Talia’s face began to heat up; she probably didn’t expect Lanci to actually recite it, and that it would sound like that.
"But…"
With gritted teeth, Talia glanced at the page of the novel, took a deep breath, and finally slowly recited the female protagonist’s lines—
"Can we talk about it after I finish my breakfast?"
"?"
Lanci suddenly paid attention to that part of the book.
True to form for the heroine who always appeared with food in her hands.
If the script is a win, what kind of dark horse must the author be?
Just as Lanci was about to storm with internal complaints, Talia’s icy gaze had drawn a fraction closer to him, and her fervent breath had come half as close.
She found it almost unbelievable that Lanci could still distract himself and even think of some damned things at this moment.
Immediately.
The two torture instruments in Talia’s hands were constantly warning Lanci that it was his turn to continue.
"So that means it’s okay?"
Lanci now felt it would be better just to kill him.
Saying such flirtatious lines, he really didn’t know why.
"I’ve finished eating. What were you saying just now?"
Talia continued to look at the book, reading aloud.
At this point, she also paused, stunned.
How did the heroine finish her meal just after a scene change?
"What I wanted to say was, the cute way you eat mesmerizes me, and before my memory starts to fade, I want to be by your side forever like in a lucid dream."
Lanci stared at the book and Tata’s face, feeling a sweet bile in his throat, about to throw up blood.
What sort of beta dialogue was this?
Suddenly.
The book in Talia’s hands fell to the ground, and she froze completely again.
What was she supposed to say?
Wait, weren’t they just reading a script?
However, both Lanci and Talia in the room, whose mental states had already exploded, failed to notice.
Outside the door, there were already a few people listening in.
When they heard Lanci’s words, the people outside could no longer hold it in, and due to Antanas’s excessive excitement, accidentally knocked down the door.
Thus, inside and outside the fallen door.
Three from the Great Demon Clan and Hyperion looked at the two people beside the room’s wall.
Lanci and Talia also gazed blankly at the figures at the door.
Hyperion was flabbergasted.
Her aunt and her friends were playing with something very new.
Hyperion remembered that this seemed to be a line from a book she had read.
Originally, she had planned to rescue Lanci, but after hearing the abstract conversation between Lanci and Talia outside the door, she was utterly too scared to enter.
Suddenly, Hyperion also realized that the three Great Demons next to her might have an even bigger misunderstanding—just the fact that a man and a woman were in a room together with trembling voices without letting others enter was suggestive enough, let alone being caught in the act now.
At this moment, perhaps due to the overly active mental activities of the three Great Demons.
Especially Antanas.
Inside the room, Talia seemed to have heard something—
"In the room... A man and a woman... Before enjoying the passion, they weren’t perhaps playing some sort of special game just now?"
Talia read with a dazed look.
Lanci frowned, this line was off, not quite what he remembered.
But the knife was still at his neck, and the book had already fallen to the floor, he could only stiffly continue the dialogue based on his memory.
"That’s right, I feel like I’m suffocating, and yet you are the air; I can’t wait a moment longer."
Lanci responded.
"I※!"
The Great Demons outside couldn’t hold back their exclamations.
"?!"
Talia suddenly seemed to realize something, and with a start of awareness, the knife also fell to the floor.
She looked towards the door, besides Hyperion, there were three demons and one cat.
"Ahhh..."
Talia covered her face, her head gradually feeling like it would emit steam.
And Lanci also covered his eyes, realizing in a flash that the last line might not have been script.
The others couldn’t tell whether he was crying or laughing.
It seemed like he was also going mad.
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Begging you, dads, for your votes at the beginning of the month, Xi kneeling and banging his head!
