Chapter 61 The Duke's Daughter, Hyperion

The twilight deepened, and the world outside the window began to be swallowed by the night. Stars began to twinkle in the Ikrithian night sky, and the full moon hung high, radiating a soft light. The streetlights gradually lit up, illuminating the royal capital's night.

Until the light spots on the bedroom window glass slowly disappeared, as if the whole world had fallen asleep.

Seeing that Lan Qi had fallen asleep due to mana exhaustion, Talia knew that even if she wanted to wake him up, she wouldn't be able to for a short time, so she simply left him at the table.

After handling her responsibilities that she had promised Lan Qi, she finally took out the [Shadow World Recording Program].

She had wanted to watch it as soon as possible.

She even thought it was more important than going to dinner.

Actually, apart from the content of the Shadow World recorded in it, Talia was more concerned about the silver-haired, amber-eyed half-demon girl who participated in the challenge with Lan Qi.

She took out a magic projector that she had modified from the bottom drawer of her bedside table, put the [Shadow World Recording Program] into it, turned the sound down to the minimum so as not to wake Lan Qi, and then turned off the lights in the room.

Immediately, a picture began to be projected on the dim wall facing the head of the bed.

The room was completely occupied by darkness, and the only source of light was the quietly running magic projector.

Talia sat on the bed, hugging her knees with both hands, watching silently like watching a movie late at night.

The dim light and shadow of the picture were reflected on her face, sometimes bright, sometimes dark, changing rapidly. Lan Qi and Hyperion's voices echoed in the room from the Shadow World recording.

Talia gradually became immersed in the story, as if isolated from the world, staring at the figure of the girl in the picture, as if remembering the closest demon.

"Ifatia, is she your daughter..."

After an unknown amount of time, Talia murmured to herself, making a barely audible sound.

Although their appearances weren't exactly similar, their hair and eye color were too alike.

After watching the latter half of the Shadow World live two days ago until the end, Talia witnessed the cultists shouting that this duchess was a half-demon, and only then did she deeply suspect that this duchess might really be her sister's daughter.

If she could see Hyperion with her own eyes, Talia might be able to sense whether there was really a blood connection between them.

However, it wasn't easy for Talia to contact this duchess, who was in the eye of the storm, in a place with many people.

Talia only felt that the more she looked, the more similar they became.

In the future, she might have to find a way to ask Lan Qi to bring this duchess to meet her privately.

Thinking like this, Talia also saw Lan Qi's inhumane and brutal methods of treating demons in the Demon Exam.

Gradually, she frowned.

Although her long-term interaction with Lan Qi had gradually made her familiar with him.

But it was also at this moment that she would wake up and feel the hatred and rejection between humans and demons more intensely.

Humans can never coexist peacefully with demons.

And the reason why Lan Qi can get along so well with her now and continue to trade is only because he doesn't know that she is a great demon.

The day he finds out the truth, he will definitely look at her with malicious eyes.

In the projection screen.

Lan Qi and Hyperion had just left the Demon Exam and were following the demon students in the corridor.

Hyperion, as if hesitating for a long time while running, finally lowered her voice and tentatively asked Lan Qi:

"Lan Qi, what do you think of demons?"

Lan Qi was slightly stunned when he heard this, and then replied:

"They can live for a long time, and they still look like girls even when they are several hundred years old."

"...!"

Talia in the bedroom immediately glanced at Lan Qi, who was sleeping by the table.

She didn't know if Lan Qi was doing it on purpose or unintentionally.

But she felt that no matter what, it was damn enough that Lan Qi would think that way.

Moreover, Lan Qi's answer.

He was still full of prejudice against demons, treating them as monsters, just like those humans.

The audio and video on the screen continued—

"Then if you encounter a demon in the real world, will you be like that just now?"

Hyperion still slightly nervously asked Lan Qi.

Lan Qi looked at her without saying a word, seeming to be speechless for a while.

Finally, he opened his mouth and asked:

"Do you think I'm taking poison, tired of living?"

Talia took in Lan Qi's reaction on the screen.

She only felt that he was becoming more and more annoying.

Soon, Lan Qi advised Hyperion earnestly:

"Let's not talk about whether it's dangerous to provoke demons, demons may also have good people, Hyperion, you shouldn't discriminate against demons."

Hearing this, Talia seemed to be stunned.

Until, after a long time.

She looked at the sleeping human boy again.

Just looking at him like that, no one knew what she was thinking deep in her golden pupils.

"..."

A gust of cool wind blew in from the half-open window, gently stroking Lan Qi's body.

Seeming to feel a gaze, Lan Qi felt a slight chill on his body, and his eyes opened involuntarily.

What attracted his attention was not the warm wooden furniture in this dim room, but a pair of golden eyes in the distance, and that beautiful face.

The cold and noble pupils contained a hint of confusion, emotion, and confusion that couldn't be hidden.

It was like wanting to keep people at arm's length while also wanting to explore a little bit more.

Lan Qi raised his hand and touched his face.

He thought that there was something on his face when he was asleep, so Talia was staring at him like this.

"Uh... Talia? Sorry, I fell asleep, what time is it now?"

Lan Qi asked tentatively, not knowing if his sleep would make Talia angry.

"Just past twelve o'clock."

Talia glanced at the clock and answered him.

Lan Qi breathed a sigh of relief, it seemed that Talia wasn't angry.

If she was angry, she would definitely choke him, instead of answering him.

"Ah, you've already started watching the Shadow World content."

He quickly noticed the only light source in the bedroom.

"..."

Talia shifted her gaze back to the screen, and remained silent. After a while, she spoke again,

"What do you think of the duchess who challenged the Shadow World with you?"

"She's a very good person."

Lan Qi replied decisively, he knew that Talia wanted to inquire about the news of her clan.

Lan Qi had already planned to introduce Hyperion to Talia, after the company was established.

Talia, an old demon whose strength was far stronger than Hyperion, should be able to see through Hyperion's half-demon identity at a glance, but Hyperion had almost no way to see through Talia's exquisite disguise.

At the moment when Lan Qi was thinking.

"Don't bully her, demons are very murderous, if you anger her, I may not be able to protect you in time."

Talia just said this calmly.

Her words seemed to be just performing her duty to protect Lan Qi, and she didn't show Lan Qi that she wanted to protect Hyperion at all.

"What do you think I am! I'm not a school bully, I'm a good student with excellent character and learning!"

Lan Qi complained in disbelief, holding his head.

He wouldn't bully an honest person like Hyperion.

Moreover, Hyperion's personality is so gentle, completely different from Talia, this grumpy and murderous old woman!

"...Sorry."

Talia was sure that Lan Qi was telling the truth.

When watching on the open-air giant screen square of the Ikrithian Academy at that time, she could clearly feel that the students didn't like the duchess with demon blood very much.

But Lan Qi sincerely regarded Hyperion as a trustworthy companion from beginning to end in the entire Shadow World.

Even after knowing Hyperion's identity, this sincerity didn't waver.

"Eh, Talia, what did you just say?"

Lan Qi immediately opened his eyes, put his hand next to his ear and turned his head, seeming to suspect that there was something wrong with his ears.

"Didn't say anything."

Talia felt that this guy was a little annoying again.

And he seemed to be very active in his mind just now!

"Don't worry, Talia, I won't allow discrimination against kind students to happen in the academy!"

Lan Qi said to Talia with a grin.

She was silent, and Lan Qi happily made a scissorhand gesture:

"My motto is to love all living beings equally!"

"..."

Talia didn't reply.

She was sure that this guy's "love" was a little scary, especially for those who provoked him.

But correspondingly, if they were friendly beings, even demons, he would treat them sincerely.

After Talia's decades of long travels through the human kingdom, she was already convinced that there would be no human who could treat demons kindly without prejudice.

——Until she witnessed Lan Qi's attitude towards Hyperion.

She saw the first one.

Right before her eyes.

No one spoke in the dim room, and it lasted like this for a while.

Only the quiet night in the royal capital, and the sound of a light breeze passing through the curtains.

"Are you hungry?"

Talia asked.

"Very hungry."

Lan Qi touched his stomach, feeling that after the drowsiness of just waking up disappeared, the feeling of hunger surged up completely.

"Let's go eat dinner, I'll pay today."

Talia's tone was emotionless, she stepped off the bed and strode forward on the soft carpet.

It is said that human teachers will reward students when they perform well, so in order to better imitate humans, it should be no problem to reward him.

This is also to make him more loyal to her.

"Eh? Talia, are you going to treat me to dinner?"

Lan Qi pointed at himself in surprise, his expression a little unbelievable.

"It's gone if you ask again."

Talia glanced at him and walked out of the room without looking back.

Thanks to Pseudo Canon Bro for the silver alliance, I will try to add more updates these days!

(End of this chapter)