Talia Had Been Hungry All Day

The breeze beneath the Night Sky carried the fragrance of flowers and the fresh scent of grass and trees as it gently swept past the entrance to the Border Library.

The moonlight spilling onto the Stone Steps softened, like music played by time itself, making even the scattered passersby on the street want to stop and listen.

Talia sat motionless on the steps outside the library.

Until the sky grew a little dimmer still.

As the library's heavy, towering doors were pushed open, Lanchi finally emerged, holding a copy of the code in his arms.

Though Talia had her back to Lanchi, she slightly tilted her head at that instant, clearly sensing his presence.

"Huh?"

Lanchi looked at the familiar figure with mild surprise and quickly walked over to her.

"You've been waiting here for me the whole time?"

Lanchi was fairly relaxed about it and simply sat down beside her, leaving a respectful amount of distance.

"I accepted your payment. Naturally, I'll do what you hired me to do."

Talia said expressionlessly.

By chance, she caught sight of the "Hutton Kingdom Code" in Lanchi's hands.

She hadn't known what kind of book Lanchi had been so engrossed in that he'd spent the whole day at the library.

Now, she finally had her answer.

This guy probably wanted to become a lawyer or a judge.

He really was the rigid, rule-abiding sort of human.

"Didn't you... eat lunch?"

Looking at Talia, who sat with the poised serenity of a statue, Lanchi realized that she'd likely stood guard here all day and was still hungry.

She followed the terms of their deal even more strictly than he'd imagined. Perhaps that was the pride of Demon Royalty?

"..."

Talia said nothing, merely looking at Lanchi with faint displeasure in her eyes.

That seemed to confirm his words.

"Uh... I was just about to have dinner myself. Want to come with me?"

Lanchi paused awkwardly, then gave a sheepish grin.

"No need. Once you return to the estate, I'll leave."

Talia stood up, seemingly using her actions to tell Lanchi that if he was heading back to the estate, he should get moving already.

She would not accept a human's unearned kindness.

"This was my mistake today. From now on, I'll tell you beforehand how long I'll be staying here."

Lanchi explained sincerely, his voice filled with apology.

"So let me treat you to dinner as compensation."

Yet Talia merely stood there without reacting, as though she hadn't heard him.

"Our estate has the best chef in town."

"He specializes in the distinctive cuisine of this South Wantina Border Territory and uses only the finest selected ingredients."

"I guarantee it's food you'd have a hard time tasting in any other city-state."

"And there's also the finest Cheese Mango Mille-Crepe Cake, Mocha Hazelnut Crispy Tart, Platinum Strawberry Mousse Cake..."

"..."

As she listened to Lanchi's endless prattle.

The corner of Talia's eye seemed to twitch ever so slightly, but then her brows immediately furrowed.

"No."

Talia spoke coldly, turned her head away without sparing Lanchi a glance, and walked down the steps with no intention of waiting any longer.

Lanchi's words from just now lingered in her ears.

Like a demon's whisper, full of temptation.

For some reason, in that instant, she had felt as if a lifetime had passed—

It was as though a great demon strategist stood beside her. If she could win his wholehearted loyalty, he would surely help her Restore the Nation...

No.

This was clearly a human youth belonging to the kind and lawful faction. He had nothing whatsoever to do with her own kind.

Sure enough. Her obsession with restoring the nation was simply too strong.

That was why she'd had such an absurd illusion.

"What a pity."

Lanchi stood up, brushed the dust from his trousers, tucked the thick kingdom code under one arm, and followed after her with a crisp smile.

Talia was still as cold as ever, but that was simply her personality.

Still, Lanchi had inadvertently discovered something.

He remembered seeing in the character notes that Talia was designed as an extremely self-disciplined person.

She always maintained strict dietary principles and training habits, including waking early, jogging, meditating, and taking cold showers.

But.

As Talia's "creator," Lanchi clearly remembered a detail mentioned in a very obscure passage of the write-up—

She abstained from sweets, but whenever she had a rare chance to enjoy dessert, she only allowed herself the finest kind.

It was a very subtle detail.

Lanchi couldn't help growing seriously suspicious.

Could it be that Talia was secretly a foodie, yet afraid of falling prey to her appetite?

A demon's greatest weakness was their excessively powerful desires. Sometimes, when a more wicked demon saw through those desires and exploited them, it drove them mad.

The higher a demon's status, the more they understood the need to restrain and conceal their desires.

Lanchi smiled silently to himself.

Demons really were interesting.

The sky over the Border City-State darkened further.

The Lanqi Family estate shone especially brilliantly beneath the night, with crystal lamps in the courtyard and bright light streaming through the windows.

On the second floor of the estate, in a spacious and elegant study, sat an imposing middle-aged man. His temples were already tinged with gray, yet his commanding presence had not diminished in the slightest.

He wore an exquisite old-fashioned suit, every edge of it impeccably arranged, displaying a meticulous air.

He was Lanchi's father and the master of this household—Noe.

Beside him, the Butler was pouring tea.

Accompanied by the approaching footsteps from Outside the Door.

A moment later, the study door slowly opened.

A black-haired, green-eyed youth appeared in the doorway, looking somewhat puzzled.

He had just returned from the library and finished dinner. Before he even had time to return to his room and set down the code in his hands, the Maid had relayed a message summoning him to the second-floor study.

"You're here."

Noe leaned back in the chair behind his desk, scrutinizing Lanchi.

It seemed he had been waiting for Lanchi in the study for quite some time.

"Sorry, I didn't know you wanted to see me today."

Lanchi replied calmly and methodically.

Noe nodded.

He had expected Lanchi to return home late.

But he hadn't expected Lanchi to walk in carrying a copy of the "Hutton Kingdom Code" bearing the Border Library's insignia.

He'd thought the boy would come back drunk out of his mind again, but instead, he'd gone to the library to read.

Though Noe couldn't immediately understand why it was a code of laws.

At a glance, however, Lanchi actually looked rather like a dignified priest or scholar.

There was even a faint air of a magistrate holding the power of life and death.

Noe then pinched the bridge of his nose.

It was obviously just an illusion.

His wastrel son had no affinity whatsoever with religious personnel.

It would already be a blessing if he didn't get abducted by Cultists.

Sometimes, Noe truly worried that Lanchi might be seduced by those Cultists.

In the worst-case scenario, he might even become a fanatic and worship those calamity-like evil bishops.

Fortunately.

Noe was certain that Lanchi simply didn't have the nerve to provoke those creatures darker than darkness.