Chapter 1 The City Awakens

On a Saturday morning in late February, the imperial capital of Helrom was awakened by both the cold wind and the first light of dawn. A faint white glow permeated every corner of the streets, and although the air was filled with biting cold, the city's pulse had already begun to throb.

In the center of the bustling downtown avenue, mana-powered vehicles surged like a tide, their indicator lights blinking at intersections, guiding vehicles and pedestrians in orderly fashion. Crowds of people, like fine threads, wove the fabric of the city. Street performers showcased their talents on pedestrian streets, attracting the attention of citizens and tourists alike. Shops and high-rise buildings along the roadside shimmered in the sunlight.

At regular intervals, the entrances to underground mana-rail stations hummed with the sounds of machinery, accompanied by the chatter of boarding passengers.

In the southern district of the imperial capital, near the Protoss Royal Magic Academy, the weekends brought an increase in youthful figures to the already thriving commercial area.

Inside a high-rise café, the sound of coffee beans grinding mixed with the sweet aroma of caramel. Frost patterns clung to the windows, and a clerk in a black apron carefully wiped them away with a towel. Several customers were already seated on dark brown high-backed chairs, holding freshly brewed hot coffees, white steam rising in plumes.

On one side of the café, a low wooden round table quietly held two hot drinks and a stack of books.

On the single sofas on either side of the table, two people were talking, seemingly alone in the midst of the noisy environment.

The young man's emerald eyes focused intently, gesturing towards the books on the table as he explained things simply to the girl. Whenever he hit a key point or answered a question, he would ask the girl for feedback, ensuring she understood completely.

The girl had long, dark hair. Peculiarly, she possessed metallic, blade-like dragon horns and vertical pupils. She was still wearing her Protoss Royal Magic Academy uniform, listening intently to the explanation, sometimes nodding, sometimes furrowing her brows in thought, and sometimes marking a few notes in her own book.

Although she didn't particularly enjoy the knowledge, she remained focused, showing respect to the teacher she acknowledged before her.

Their interactions weren't always serious. At times, they would set aside the books and talk about lighthearted topics. Zestiria would sometimes mention things at school or her own confusions, while Lanchi would share his experiences and offer advice, creating a mix of knowledge-sharing and everyday life, making them seem more like friends.

They had originally agreed that Lanchi would come to the Protoss Royal Magic Academy on Saturdays to find Zestiria.

But Lanchi told her that if she stayed at home or only traveled near home all day long, she would eventually turn into a moldy old woman. He knew a woman who was like that, and she was very old and still couldn't get married.

Although Zestiria had no thoughts about life, she didn't want to become a moldy old woman.

In the end, she decided to go out and wander around.

In any case, there were far more demi-humans in the imperial capital than in a small place like Liholm, so walking on the street wasn't a big deal.

The main thing was that Lanchi didn't mind being with a demon, so she had no objections.

"How is life in the imperial capital?"

Zestiria rubbed her brow wearily, changing the subject as Lanchi put down his book. She was ready to end today's study session.

She simply couldn't focus on the magical engineering and magical genealogy classes at school, so she spent her time reading her own books in class, mainly just keeping him company.

She could understand quite a bit of what Lanchi taught about demon magic script.

In the upcoming monthly assessment, although she could copy many of Lanchi's answers, she might copy them wrong if she didn't understand some basic knowledge.

"It's pretty good. Most of the time, I don't feel like I'm in a foreign country at all."

Lanchi also closed his book, sensing that Zestiria had probably reached her limit for the day.

He understood that Zestiria's tone of questioning was often very similar to Talia's, turning interrogative sentences into declarative ones, so he understood that she was asking a question.

He mostly used his original demon teaching method to help human students at the Iklit Academy who were seeking breakthroughs and power, but for a demon student like Zestiria, who was already heart-wrenchingly strict with herself, he could only use Dean Loren's method of edutainment, hoping that she could combine work and rest and grow up healthily.

"Besides being my tutor, you should be preparing for other work, right?"

Zestiria asked with a hint of relaxation, seeing that Lanchi was starting to pack up his books.

She knew that the salary her father paid Lanchi was very generous, enough to live comfortably even in the imperial capital. The young man had a strange and powerful adaptability, and seemed to be able to perfectly integrate himself within half a day, no matter where he went.

But his talent went far beyond that, and he certainly wouldn't be content with a mediocre life.

"Yes, I'm studying for the bar exam. I can try it next month."

Lanchi replied as he tidied the books on the table.

"..."

Zestiria was silent for a moment.

She had heard her father say that before the young man had even reached the coast of the Northern Continent, he was already studying the latest revised edition of the law on Viscount Francis's ship.

At first, she thought he was just trying to get a little understanding of the Empire's somewhat absurd new revised articles, but she didn't expect that he had really studied them all.

Although the vast majority of people who wanted to pass the bar exam so quickly could only do so by cheating.

But this young man would probably just tell her, "Do you need to cheat for something so simple?"

"It is said that you reported a grand cleric of the Rebirth Church by name the night before last."

Zestiria picked up her coffee, took a sip at her lips, and said slowly.

She only found out about this yesterday when she heard her classmates at the Protoss Royal Magic Academy talking about it.

Since yesterday, people had been talking about her, saying that her follower had done something, which confused her.

If he became a lawyer, and there were more such named reports in the future, his reputation in the industry would probably not be small.

"Zestiria, using legal means to protect our rights is our right. We can also actively proclaim justice when we can. Zestiria, don't be afraid if you are bullied or threatened at school. If you encounter problems, report them. The newly transformed Empire is actually at a critical moment now. Whoever dares to cause trouble, you can pin a label on them. As long as you seize the opportunity, you can report them accurately."

Lanchi leaned back on the sofa, talking eloquently, teaching Zestiria.

"The greater the power of a family, the more enemies it has. You just need to open a gap, and even if you do nothing, someone will help you deal with the enemy. This is called 'the just cause enjoys abundant support, while the unjust cause finds little support'."

"..."

Zestiria dared not answer him for a moment. She felt that "the just cause enjoys abundant support, while the unjust cause finds little support" did not seem to mean that.

Moreover, she couldn't seem to learn this skill. Humans couldn't learn it, and demons couldn't learn it, only dogs could.

(End of this chapter)