NOVPUBOn the vehicle, seated at the driver’s position in the front row, the strategic officer dared not initiate conversation with the professor in the back.
At present, the other party was his superior.
Red Falcon Nicola had warned him that, aside from polite formalities, he should refrain from speaking to Professor Landry under any circumstance.
Lanci, sitting in the back, didn’t seem to mind and quietly watched out the window, passing the time.
He had many matters to consider.
His fiancée was truly an unexpected complication.
Thankfully, there was no rush.
It wasn’t as if he needed to immediately have Landry’s beloved come from the border, but there was a preparatory period.
Firstly, the journey was long; secondly, marriage was no trivial matter, and his fiancée had affairs to settle in Nixasende at the northwest border before she could relocate to the Capital.
According to Duke Dex’s overt and covert hints and Lanci’s deductions, the plan would be implemented by early November at the earliest.
Thus, it was best if his fiancée was in place by the end of this month, and in the meantime, Landry needed to demonstrate his upright faith in the Empire, achieve more, receive more endorsements, and then there was a good chance to compensate for his lack of experience and be selected as the leader for this plan.
Unaware of how time had passed, the Magic Energy Vehicle gradually came to a stop at the street opposite a building within Saint Kray Monastery.
The driver officer got out first and went around to open the car door for Lanci.
Lanci thanked the officer for the courtesy and stepped onto the sun-bathed stone path of the monastery. 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓅𝓾𝒷.𝒸ℴ𝓂
Although Nicola hadn’t come along, his own movements were likely still under the surveillance of this agent.
Only within the grounds of Saint Kray Monastery could Red Falcon Nicola and his subordinates not so easily see him.
To avoid any blunders, Lanci went straight to his workplace in the Siperte Building, located in the eastern part of Saint Kray Monastery.
This building was obviously much older, a structure from decades ago, but it had been refurbished several times and still looked comfortable. The lower floors were used for small-scale tutor courses whereas more of the office areas started from the seventh floor.
Lanci confidently ascended to the eighth floor and entered his office.
The verdant campus scenery outside the window was fully visible, and occasionally a comfortable breeze blew in.
"No matter where it is, one must always strive hard."
Lanci only slightly relaxed his eyes, then sat down at his desk to start dealing with the piles of letters and handouts.
In this peaceful setting, Lanci quickly immersed himself in busy teaching and research work.
In the afternoon, several professors visited one after another and had in-depth discussions with Lanci about academic issues.
Several professors from the Faculty of Magical Engineering had already scheduled appointments with Lanci; all of them were experts in certain fields. If the plan mentioned by Duke Dex came true, professors from the Magical Engineering Faculty or other departments at Saint Kray Monastery might also be selected as members.
They sat on the sofas, regardless of seniority, occasionally pacing between their seats and a small whiteboard in the office, discussing the feasibility of theories.
Not until the sunset turned the sky a reddening hue did the professors reluctantly end this brainstorming session, and Lanci saw each of them out one by one.
After bidding farewell to the professors, Lanci organized the papers and locked his office door, stepping out of the Siperte Building.
He took a deep breath of the fragrant autumn air, seeming to relax.
Lanci aimlessly walked toward an outdoor café in the peripheral area of Saint Kray Monastery and sat down outside, ordering a cup of mint tea.
The slanted sunlight cast similar colors on the distant maple trees and the wooden table in front of Lanci.
The evening breeze carried the fragrance of the soil and the crispness of creek water; from afar, the colorful autumn scenery of Saint Kray Monastery was fully visible.
Lanci leaned back in his chair, sipping his mint tea, pulling out his work journal again, resembling a professor who, while leisurely enjoying his free time, could not set aside his research.
As evening deepened,
few customers remained in the café, mostly the teaching staff of the monastery, stopping by for a brief repose, enjoying a moment of tranquility.
As dinnertime approached, many had already left, leaving only a few patrons strolling or quietly conversing in the garden.
Just as Lanci seemed engrossed in his thoughts, a woman in a black dress quietly approached and sat down at the table behind him.
She had a lovely figure, with long, black hair cascading down her back, gleaming softly in the sunset.
Her arrival seemed not to stir Lanci; he still sat quietly, intently staring at his work journal.
At that moment, the surrounding area seemed to fall silent.
The sounds of the autumn wind, the creek, and even the faint clinks of the café faded away from Lanci’s ears.
An invisible, small-scale soundproof barrier subtly unfolded, blocking out the surrounding noise, leaving only Lanci and the woman behind him.
Lanci didn’t do anything; the soundproof barrier had been activated by a Magic Device carried by the other party.
"You finally came."
Lanci’s lips didn’t move; he was already wearing a thought-transmitting ring made by Professor Bolao for the Great Love Poet.
He lifted his glass and lightly sipped, seeming unsurprised by the woman in black’s appearance.
"I thought you’d be more cautious, Professor Landry Washington."
The woman in black spoke coldly.
"This spot is quite safe; your willingness to show up proves that, doesn’t it?"
