More than an hour later.
The hour hand had just passed five in the afternoon.
Outside the Principal's Office in the Redmond Building, torrential rain poured down. Every raindrop struck the glass behind Lanchi with a ringing note, while flashes of lightning and rolling thunder made the sky alternately brighten and darken, as though the entire world had been shrouded in chaos.
The dark wooden furniture gave the room a dignified air. A bronze desk lamp stood quietly on the desk, casting a warm, gentle light that dispelled the chill of the storm outside.
Lanchi sat alone in his office, his back straight and both hands resting on the documents spread across the desk. Beside him was a cup of coffee that had already gone cold.
His gaze was fixed intently on the documents. From time to time, he picked up a fountain pen to underline important sections or write notes in the margins.
Generally speaking, their school closed at five.
Today, however, was a little different. According to their appointment, Duke Morodian should be arriving soon. That was why Lanchi had not yet left the office to end his workday.
The clock's gears ticked steadily and unchangingly.
Lanchi paid no attention to the time. Focused and composed, he seemed wholly detached from the thunderstorm and gale outside, immersed only in his academic and administrative work. Everything around him became quiet and orderly because of him.
That continued until someone gently knocked on the office door, followed by the voice of an administrator from the Redmond Building outside:
"Mr. Luo Qi, Duke Berenhard has arrived."
"Come in."
Lanchi raised his head and looked toward the door directly in front of him. His voice was calm and firm.
The door slowly opened. A school employee stood respectfully at the entrance, followed