NOVPUBIn this world.
Midsummer, a warm breeze carrying the freshness of dawn gently brushed over this enormous city.
The water droplets on the window sills of the buildings of Ichrite Academy were remnants of last night’s drizzle.
Loren returned to the school alone.
His temperament remained as mild as ever, similar to his student Lanci in this regard, with the slight difference that Lanci exuded a certain dignity, while Loren was more approachable, making it hard for others to recognize his strength.
He walked alone on the forest trail, occasionally disturbed by birds gliding past, shaking beams of light that clung to his face through the branches, causing his shadow to flicker.
"..."
The figure with white hair and silver eyes was pure as falling snow, even in the summer, standing in the distance, covertly observing Loren.
She couldn’t make out the man’s expression.
Approaching Loren rashly, much less taking such an interest him, was a dangerous move.
Maybe one day she would slip up.
But she knew some things could only be accomplished by herself.
Instead of sneaking around, it would be better to talk to him as if nothing was wrong.
Taking a deep breath, the Bingxue Witch adjusted her mindset.
Her movements appeared fast yet slow; in just a few steps, she was not far from Loren.
"Loren."
At the sound of her voice, Loren stumbled as if startled.
He then turned his gaze to the Bingxue Witch, Almis, who had approached him.
"Miss Almis, it’s you here at the school," Loren said with an almost relieved tone deep within.
Perhaps because he had his guard completely down around Almis, he didn’t notice her sudden approach.
"..."
Almis silently studied Loren.
He looked as if he hadn’t slept well the night before.
And he seemed to fear her, as if unsure how to explain to her about Hyperion being taken into the Seventh-order Shadow World by Lanci.
Was he feeling guilty?
Confusion began to set in for Almis.
For a moment, she couldn’t quite tell whether Loren’s behavior was clever acting or if he was hopelessly straightforward.
Soon, the Bingxue Witch came to a clear realization in her mind; regardless of how true or false Loren was with her, as a spy, the best disguise was also to act as if she knew nothing and just interact normally with him.
"I’m not here to pressure you. These days, seeing your struggles, I’ve realized you are a man of responsibility," the Bingxue Witch said in her flat tone.
"Thank you for handling the Church matters for me during this time, or else I really would have been overwhelmed," Loren expressed his sincere gratitude, exhaling deeply.
If not for the Bingxue Witch, who happened to come from the Northern Continent and could temporarily take over his Great Priest duties at the Church, he might have had no time to rest at all.
"It’s nothing, that’s my job," the Bingxue Witch remarked, turning her gaze away from Loren and looking ahead on the road.
The two continued to walk.
In the summer, the paths of Ichrite Academy were flanked by freshly washed green leaves, weighed down by droplets, taut like the string of a bow.
Almis herself had a very low body temperature, which made her presence feel even cooler amidst the summer heat.
The quiet lingered for a while, with just the cooing of a few doves in the branches, sounding slightly harsh.
"Almis, I assure you, with Lanci, you only need to believe in his potential and not worry about the risks. As long as he’s fine, Hyperion is definitely safe," Loren suddenly broke the silence, unable to endure the wordless tension with the Bingxue Witch beside him.
He always felt that spending time with the Bingxue Witch, even perhaps, was more difficult than fighting the Bishop of Destruction.
"They are alone together in the Seventh-order Shadow World, who can guarantee nothing will happen?" the Bingxue Witch turned her head to look at Loren, her voice light yet cold as she asked.
She had long heard rumors about Loren, that he had dozens of fiancées and maintained an especially ambiguous relationship with Knight Juliana from the Arolan Kingdom, feigning conflict to deceive his many fiancées. In reality, the two would sneak away for secret rendezvous under the guise of official business every so often.
Not only was he devoted to Knight Juliana, but he also managed to charm his many fiancées with sweet words, bringing them to their knees for him.
The Bingxue Witch believed that Lanci, as Loren’s student, was likely of the same disposition.
She was concerned that Hyperion, a girl of that age, could be deceived by Lanci.
"Don’t worry, Lanci is very dependable in that respect; he’s very mindful of his distance from women. He spends all his time on community service and has no interest in romance," Loren stated assertively, confident in his knowledge of Lanci.
"And as for those rumors about me—don’t you think the idea of dozens of fiancées sounds absurd?" Loren knew well why the Bingxue Witch would raise such a question.
It was all because of the gossip and rumors around the campus.
He had indeed suffered too long from them.
"..."
The Bingxue Witch fell silent.
It seemed she might have a point.
"How do you usually train Lanci?" the Bingxue Witch asked again.
She remembered from the Priest’s assessment that Lanci’s capabilities were indeed reliable.
But who could love community service so much? Not even Hyperion, who was always talking about philanthropy, had such an inclination.
"...I didn’t train him, he grew wild on his own," Loren confessed.
Loren’s voice faltered, his emotions complex.
Lanci was a prodigy, not someone he had cultivated.
This guy’s strength was his powerful capability; his weakness was also his too-powerful capability.
"Is that so?"
The Bingxue Witch muttered to herself and then asked Loren nothing further.
She just felt somewhat relieved.
Upon careful consideration, the Bingxue Witch thought that even if someone were incredible, having dozens of fiancées was a bit too exaggerated; he wasn’t selecting consorts like the Holy Emperor, such claims couldn’t withstand scrutiny.
Moreover, based on her observations over the past half month, Loren indeed didn’t seem to have any issues in matters of men and women.
At least Loren was quite the gentleman, treating her with utmost respect and courtesy, without the slightest intention of looking at her with a gaze meant for women.
After all, the mentor and disciple were cut from the same cloth; if Lanci was upright in matters concerning the opposite sex, then Loren would not deviate too far either.
"Alright, I believe you, Loren."
The Bingxue Witch said.
Convinced that Loren at least did not have issues in this respect, the Bingxue Witch felt much more at ease.
Even if one day she lost to Loren, she wouldn’t have to worry about him doing anything too outrageous to her; considering their past camaraderie, he would likely grant her a swift resolution.
The two walked through the tree-shaded path, nearing Jera Memorial Square.
The clock tower’s high-hanging face leisurely pointed to nine o’clock, and the outdoor giant screen surrounded by numerous teaching buildings was broadcasting the day’s challenges taking place in the Shadow World.
This weekend, the academy’s vitality surpassed any other day’s.
For reasons unknown.
Enthusiastic noises surged like a tide across the vast stone stair plaza; the steps were fully occupied by students, and even the surrounding roads were no exception, as passersby stopped in their tracks, attracted by this force, their eyes focused on the giant screen.
They shouted and screamed excitedly from time to time.
Some raised their hands high; some bowed with clenched fists, as if they were celebrating a festival.
"What’s going on?"
The Bingxue Witch looked at Loren and asked.
She always felt that the schools on the South Continent were too free, or rather the students were quite boisterous, always excited every day.
"You’ll get used to it; it’s nothing serious. Before, when Lanci entered the Cathedral Shadow World, the watching students liked to do the same," Loren said, his hand waving tiredly.
"Wait a second."
Loren suddenly realized something.
Could it be that Lanci had started a live broadcast?
A bad premonition made him quicken his pace, heading toward the direction of the outdoor giant screen at Jera Memorial Square.
His heartbeat quickened like the beating of a drum.
But it should be alright.
He thought to himself that at most, Lanci was just going to show off torturing the Blood Clan again. The situations that got the students riled up were nothing but Lanci’s consistently abstract maneuvers, and there had never been any other extraordinary incidents.
It wasn’t a big problem.
Two seconds later.
Loren’s legs seemed to freeze in place.
On the outdoor giant screen appeared a close-up of the Shadow World where Lanci was—
Under a sky sprinkled with countless stars, the dark-haired young man and the silver-haired young woman stood on the terrace of a seaside villa.
Hyperion mustered all her courage to approach Lanci, tiptoeing for a kiss on his cheek.
Lanci, staring out at the sea, suddenly widened his eyes, stiffening as he turned his head to look at Hyperion.
What followed was a long, silent stare that was anything but still.
The only sounds were the roaring cheers akin to thunderous waves from Jera Memorial Square.
Loren opened his mouth, gazing at the giant outdoor screen, his pupils trembling, unable to utter a word for a long time.
Occasionally, unclear shouts came through:
"Now the live broadcast has made it clear that Loren’s two students have no intentions of completing the mission, seizing the final opportunity at the end of their lives to fulfill their love on this last journey."
"Clearly, after entering the Shadow World, they too realized it was a trap, a catastrophe meant to be triggered by their lives."
"Loren, what else can you cover up!"
"..."
Loren, looking at the outdoor giant screen, felt an iciness beside him so intense that it seemed to freeze him solid.
He was like a mute with his vocal cords left at home, not even daring to turn his head to look at the Bingxue Witch.
Not just the Bingxue Witch, he was now a bit afraid to imagine how the entire kingdom would discuss him tomorrow.
In the end.
Loren covered his face and started laughing.
The true shattering of one’s state of mind isn’t manifested in a loud quarrel but in a faint smile.
"..."
The Bingxue Witch watched Loren’s quivering lips and shoulders, feeling chilled to the bone amidst her anger.
All of this.
Maybe it was all orchestrated by Loren.
He was now trembling with excitement.
Perhaps no one believed that the situation could be reversed at this point, but the Bingxue Witch did.
She was Loren’s final opponent, the only one who could expose his schemes!
The Bingxue Witch made up her mind, swearing in her heart as she clenched her fair hands.
