NOVPUBIn Professor Bolao’s research workshop on the second floor of the Old Literature Building at the Magic Engineering College, the immersed working sounds of magical automata often resonated.
Now, early in the morning, it was the casual chat time when students would seek him out to report.
Lanci and Talia exchanged glances, not expecting Professor Bolao to notice something was amiss before they had the chance to confide in him and explain the details.
"Where does she not resemble her?"
Lanci glanced at the woman beside him and asked Professor Bolao.
"Please, take a seat first."
Professor Bolao gestured for them to sit down, and seeing that they were not surprised, he also realized they had something to discuss with him today.
Lanci had mentioned that on Monday, he would bring his companion who would be going with him to Poseen Kingdom to assist in the Platinum Level Card Maker examination to the Magic Engineering College for registration.
Lanci and Talia exchanged a look and slowly took their seats across the desk.
When Lanci and Lan Fu visited Professor Bolao to ask questions, it was usual for the three to sit like this across the desk too.
"The tone and demeanor are different, she seems more composed and restrained, and the distance between you two is also not right."
Professor Bolao pondered aloud as he spoke.
Upon hearing this, both of them immediately moved their chairs a bit further apart.
"No, what I mean is that you and Lan Fu usually behave like brothers, without much barrier, but with her, there is a noticeable sense of distance. So, if you want to act more convincingly, you might consider being a bit closer."
Professor Bolao leaned back in his chair, giving them his feedback.
"No need!"
Both of them responded with exceptional embarrassment.
At the same time, they both started to suspect that Professor Bolao was playing a prank on them.
"So, what should we call her?"
Professor Bolao looked at Lanci calmly.
Of course, he didn’t mention the more critical point—the Great Love Poet would only offer a polite smile at the sight of candy, but the person before him showed a slight surprise upon seeing candy, as if she really wanted to taste it.
"Her name is Tata, actually the prototype of Lan Fu. Yesterday, due to an accidental piece of equipment, she merged with Lan Fu, and now they seem unable to separate, so she has to live for Lan Fu temporarily."
Lanci explained.
"I see, so she is your current cardmaking partner, lacking some rapport."
Professor Bolao inquired.
Yesterday, when he received Lanci’s message, he had heard the story of Lanci "having a friend."
"..."
Lanci and Tata both became even more embarrassed.
Both recalled the professor’s sudden utterance from the day before, "You all just need to date more."
"That’s good, take your time to stroll around Poseen Kingdom together, and maybe your rapport will improve. After all, card making cooperation is about accommodating each other, just like dating," Professor Bolao said as he pulled out the inspection report form and passed the paper and pen to Talia,
"Don’t worry about anything; since you’re Lan Fu’s prototype and Lanci’s friend, I’ll treat you as Lan Fu during this time. If there’s anything in this workshop that interests you, feel free to take a look. Thank you for helping with the Academic Committee’s inspection."
Professor Bolao continued.
"Thank you."
Talia took the paper and pen from the table and began to fill them out.
Though Professor Bolao always had a way of saying something unexpected, he seemed to be a very amiable old gentleman at the moment.
As Talia registered the information of the Poseen Kingdom examination assistant, Professor Bolao turned his attention back to Lanci.
"When visiting the Poseen Kingdom, you should be slightly cautious, as the local policies and cultural customs are quite different from ours, even vastly so,"
Professor Bolao said,
"However, your status as a Platinum Level Card Maker is still very high, and most nobles won’t trouble you much, especially now that you hold a title."
The Poseen Kingdom, as the eastern colossus of the South Continent, is extremely advanced in economy, construction, and magical engineering technology. Its international diplomatic status on the South Continent is also quite high.
Therefore, "Lanci’s own good performance" and "the Poseen Kingdom’s protection of Lanci" are equally important to both sides.
"The Great Priest’s disciple?"
Lanci asked.
"Yes, as the most trusted disciple of the Great Priest, the bigwigs in the eastern part of the South Continent all know that if they mess with you, they might provoke the Great Priest himself, so they won’t easily take action against you."
Professor Bolao nodded.
"..."
The Cat Boss couldn’t make a comment.
It might not be necessary to bring forth the Great Priest; he might show up on his own.
It’s almost becoming like Cat Lun.
"The power of the nobility in this country is very strong, and many things and conveniences can be obtained through trade, and they even allow the trade of slaves. It’s not necessarily just slaves, though; some equal contracts and work agreements can also be traded. So over there, contract documents are very important. Do not sign any contracts carelessly, and certainly don’t trick anyone else into signing contracts,"
Professor Bolao continued.
After the Demon Race was defeated years ago, a minority of them in the South Continent chose to surrender and, upon signing contracts, were accepted by certain countries as prisoners of war or refugees.
The Hutton Kingdom belonged to the faction that refused to accept the Demon Race in order to maintain the safety of the locals.
On the other hand, the Poseen Kingdom favored the labor and skills of the Demon Race and actively took them in.
Many of the Demon Race with real combat abilities and top-tier knowledge are in a separate, prosperous area of the Poseen Kingdom, controlled by the Demon Race themselves, and they have their own social system.
Usually, these powerful members of the Demon Race rarely visit human communities, and humans seldom stray into the Demon World of Poseen. The two sides maintain a cooperative and peaceful coexistence.
The knowledge of the Demon Race has indeed brought tremendous returns to the Poseen Kingdom; the kingdom’s strength is the best answer to that.
Now, a hundred years later, the Poseen Kingdom even has streets where humans and the Demon Race live together, as well as many newly born members of the Demon Race who are legal citizens.
But the integration of the two races is still at an early stage.
Every now and then, a major disturbance might arise, potentially affecting travelers.
"Don’t worry, Professor, Hyperion has already told me several times not to act like the god of contracts, as it can affect our reputation,"
Lanci responded.
Moreover, tricking the Demon Race with contracts is something that Talia would get very angry about.
However, according to the Bingxue Witch, there are only seven of the old era’s Great Demon Clan left.
They are either general defectors, civil officials, or princesses; thus there should be no Great Demon Clan in the Poseen Kingdom.
"Don’t underestimate these members of the Demon Race. Although they might not have been part of the Great Demon Clan a hundred years ago, after a century of cultivation, they only lack the trial of the Great Demon Clan to become one. Their combat strength might already be far superior to that of a civil official,"
Talia telepathically communicated to Lanci.
"Then why haven’t you made any progress after a hundred years?"
Lanci asked, puzzled in his mind.
She’s only gained one kilogram in weight.
Talia clenched her fists.
If it weren’t for being in Professor Bolao’s lab, she would have liked to pin Lanci to the ground and start a fight then and there.
