"You should have let those two children come into the courtyard and rest their feet."
Professor Monteria stood in the shadow of the terrace, watching the two young uninvited guests leave the Institute of Abnormal Life's entrance in disappointment. His expression was unreadable. "Even if it was only for a cup of coffee?"
"You shouldn't have come here during the day."
The Institute of Abnormal Life's owner wrung his hands and glanced around uneasily, as if a fierce-looking Trident Sword might leap out from beneath every rustling leaf along the wall. "The Alliance, the school, the Dark Council, and Under the Moon Council... too many eyes are watching me."
"Daytime?" The professor raised his head with some amusement, glanced at the sky where only a sliver of light remained, then shook his head slightly. His gaze fell on the old servant struggling to close the gates as he murmured again, "...Even if it was only for a cup of coffee?"
"Stop setting your sights on them!"
Dr. Duzem keenly noticed that gaze and slightly sharpened his tone. "You must have heard about the incident at Wander Bar... I'm not a Wanderer Wizard, and Qingqiu Mansion is less than a block away!... Since you've already collected his blood, why go through all this trouble?"
"You used to run a laboratory too. You should know that experimental materials are never enough." Professor Monteria gave a low laugh.
"Isn't he just Su Shijun's fiancé? Is there anything else special about him?" the Institute's owner asked softly.
This time, Professor Monteria did not answer directly.
"Those watchful eyes are precisely what drive our experiments. Without pressure, there is no progress." Then he changed the subject and mentioned the purpose of his visit. "...The laboratory's consumption of 'stones' has slightly exceeded expectations. We need to