Lanqiu took a shallow sip from his teacup. The moment the tea entered his mouth, a familiar crispness dissolved at the back of his throat, flowing down his meridians and washing away some of the stifling frustration lodged in his chest.
He closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them, his state of mind had stabilized, and his estimation of Li Yuan’s tea mastery rose another notch.
The tea was truly different—every time he drank it, his heart grew calm. Lanqiu didn't know if this was an effect of the brewing technique or if Li Yuan had added something to the leaves—nor did he intend to ask. Everyone had their secrets.
He finished the tea in one gulp, set the cup down, and turned around.
“Krieger, Li Yuan.”
The young man waiting outside immediately pushed the door open, while Li Yuan set down his tea towel and stood by the table.
Lanqiu looked at them for a moment. His expression remained cold, but his tone was more stern than usual.
“Stay in the hotel for the next two days. Don’t go anywhere.”
Krieger blinked, instinctively glancing at Li Yuan. Li Yuan had no particular reaction, listening quietly.
“I might bring guests back at any time,” Lanqiu continued, his gaze sweeping over their faces. “There will be much to do then. As for the academy—”
He paused and sighed.
“I’ll give you a few days off after the anniversary celebration. It’s not suitable for you to go there now.”
This sounded reasonable; as personal attendants, being on call was part of the job. Krieger nodded immediately. “Understood, young master.”
Li Yuan also bowed slightly, saying nothing.
Lanqiu glanced at him and offered a word of praise. “The tea is excellent.”
Li Yuan smiled. “I shall have it ready for you at any time.”
Lanqiu nodded, took his coat from the rack, and walked out. His footsteps gradually faded down the corridor.
Krieger let out a sigh of relief and pulled up a chair.
“Looks like we won’t have to run around tonight.”
Li Yuan didn't respond. He walked to the window and watched Lanqiu emerge from the hotel entrance, walking north alone. He wasn't heading toward the academy, nor toward the noble residential areas he had visited before.
He didn't believe a single word the young master had just said.
If it were truly to host guests, there was no need for such a solemn tone. Furthermore, if they were just meant to be on call, there was no need to specifically command them to “not go anywhere.” Lanqiu was lying—and not very convincingly at that. What Li Yuan was curious about was why he was lying.
Li Yuan recalled the aura he had sensed when entering the private room—the lingering scent in the air and the murky karmic debt on the previous visitor—and now Lanqiu was heading out alone... The connection wasn't hard to guess. But because it was so easy to guess, Li Yuan frowned slightly.
A twenty-year-old youth, the only son of a duke with a bright future, yet he was getting involved with people like that. It felt like a waste... Back on the Kyushu Continent, he had seen many talented young cultivators join the ranks of evil cultivators over a single errant thought, only to end up dead and their souls extinguished. As for whether the current Lanqiu would walk that same path...
Well, it wasn't his place to worry. He was a stranger here. However, if possible, he didn't want to see Lanqiu truly reach that point. This employer clearly didn't intend to drag anyone else into it, which meant he could still be saved.
Li Yuan withdrew his gaze and turned to the shelves to organize the crystal tea canisters. Beside him, he heard the sound of Krieger’s steady breathing—he had already fallen asleep in his chair.
He shook his head slightly. Young people were the same everywhere—carefree.
...
An inconspicuous manor in the northern part of the Outer City. From the outside, it looked no different from the abandoned old houses nearby—dusty stone walls, closed iron gates, and a few half-dead sycamore trees in the courtyard. But this was only a facade.
As Lanqiu passed through the iron gates, at least four gazes from the shadows fell upon him simultaneously. Those gazes vanished the moment he stepped inside. The guards recognized his face and the Cecil family crest embroidered on his coat.
The interior was a different world. Though the front hall’s decor was restrained, every piece of furniture was made of high-quality wood. A sheathless longsword rested on the mantelpiece, its blade faintly engraved with a string of runes.
Lanqiu went up to the second floor. The door at the end of the corridor was slightly ajar, revealing a warm yellow light.
He knocked.
“Enter.”
The voice was young, carrying a leisurely composure.
The room was small, more like a study than a parlor. A fire blazed in the hearth. A young man stood with his back to the door, flipping through a thick ledger. He wore white casual clothes with a dark cloak draped loosely over his shoulders.
Adrian von Augustus—the second in line to the throne, twenty-six years old, and a Rank 3 fire mage.
Unlike what most would imagine of a prince, Adrian rarely appeared at the palace or formal events. He preferred staying in obscure places like this, claiming he “disliked being the center of attention.” But those who knew him understood that the Second Prince wasn't avoiding trouble; he just didn't want people noticing what he was doing.
“You’ve arrived?”
Adrian closed the ledger and turned toward the desk. The firelight reflected off his face, highlighting regular features, a high brow, and golden eyes that carried a hint of scrutiny. He was only a few years older than Lanqiu, but his presence felt like that of someone a decade his senior.
“Sit.”
Lanqiu sat in the opposite chair and spoke directly. “Ignatius was here.”
“I know,” Adrian replied flatly, as if discussing a prearranged matter. “What did he say?”
“Tomorrow afternoon. The location is the academy. We are to deliver the goods to the old mill in the Seventh District of the Outer City tonight.”
Lanqiu didn't beat around the bush, relaying Ignatius’s words exactly. After speaking, he paused and looked at Adrian seriously. “Your Highness, these people cannot be trusted.”
Adrian didn't answer immediately. He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest.
“The Blood Moon Cult is unscrupulous, but they have one merit—they are punctual and keep their word. If they said tomorrow afternoon, it will be tomorrow afternoon.” His tone was calm. “So, it’s not their failure to keep the appointment that I’m worried about.”
Lanqiu’s brow tightened. “Then what are you worried about, Your Highness?”
“I’m worried they’ll be too faithful to their word,” Adrian said, glancing at him. “So faithful that after they finish the job, they’ll still have the strength to do something else.”
Lanqiu fell silent for a moment before asking, “If that’s the case, why proceed with—”
“Because they are useful right now.”
Adrian interrupted him with a factual tone that brooked no argument.
“The academy will be filled with the most powerful noble scions in the kingdom during the anniversary. Once something happens, the entire capital will be shaken. We need them to cause chaos in the academy—the bigger, the better. Moreover, Duke Sebas’s youngest daughter happens to be there. Only then will we have enough reason to ‘invite’ Hogg out of that magic tower. As for the Blood Moon Cult—”
He shook his head slightly.
“Once it’s over, my people will naturally deal with them. There is no need to worry about that.”
Lanqiu looked at Adrian. Those dark golden eyes held no hesitation or doubt, only a calm that bordered on cold certainty. He suddenly realized he no longer had the right to regret or withdraw; even the slightest hint of such a thought would result in him being ruthlessly discarded by the man before him.
The only way was forward.
“And what about us?”
“Full cooperation,” Adrian answered without hesitation. “Give them whatever they want—goods, routes, intelligence. Follow their requirements to the letter. Your only task now is to ensure nothing goes wrong before tomorrow afternoon.”
He looked down at the mana node distribution map spread across the desk. It was a map of the Royal Magic and Martial Arts Academy, with several magic lines extending from the center to the periphery, interconnecting to encircle the entire campus.
Lanqiu wasn't sure what these lines had to do with tomorrow's operation, and he didn't ask. Some things were more dangerous the more one knew.
“I understand. I’ll take my leave.”
He stood up and bowed slightly. Adrian nodded, simply picking up the thick ledger again. As Lanqiu reached the door, the Second Prince called out to him.
“Lanqiu.”
He stopped.
“That tea master of yours,” Adrian said, a rare hint of interest in his voice. “His name is Li Yuan, right?”
Lanqiu didn't turn around, answering softly, “He is just an ordinary tea merchant... a tea shop owner.”
“An ordinary tea merchant who could get Hogg to personally visit for tea?”
Lanqiu fell silent. He truly hadn't known about that...
Adrian didn't press further, merely letting out a light chuckle.
“Go.”
When Lanqiu walked out of the manor, the night had fully settled over the Outer City. He stopped outside the iron gates and pulled a small magic communicator from the inside of his coat. After injecting mana, a faint blue halo lit up on its surface.
After a brief waiting tone, a deep male voice came from the other side.
“Speak.”
“Tonight, deliver the goods to the old mill in the Seventh District. Time—” He glanced at the time displayed on the communicator. “Before the hour of the Pig. Follow the previous list for the specific inventory.”
“Received.”
The call disconnected. Lanqiu tucked the communicator back into his pocket and walked a few steps, standing under a dim streetlamp for a moment. The light cast a long shadow on the ground.
Everything was arranged, following Ignatius’s requirements to the letter. His father had agreed, and the Second Prince had nodded. As the only son of the Cecil family, he had done what he should and shouldn't have.
There was no turning back now. Although everything seemed to be going smoothly...
The unease in his heart refused to dissipate. What exactly was it? He couldn't say.
Lanqiu looked up at the night sky. The sky over the Outer City wasn't as bright with city lights as the Inner City, so more stars were visible. He stood there for a while, then wrapped his coat tighter and walked toward the Inner City.
Tomorrow was the second day of the anniversary celebration, a day destined to go down in history. As for whether the record would be good or bad... that would depend on how the victor wrote it.
Rate on N.U.
