Raindrops danced lightly on the car window in the night, making a soft, rustling sound that intertwined with the three people's conversation.

The atmosphere in the sealed space was serene and peaceful, a stark contrast to the rain and receding hustle and bustle outside.

"You... you can't be the headmaster again this time, can you?"

Hyperion squeezed her hands nervously, waiting for Lan Qi's response.

According to the Ice Witch, the Protos Royal Magic Academy was an extremely competitive school, directly under the Ministry of Education. The Great Sage Isis could intervene to a certain extent, but the rules were entirely based on the ancient magic enchantment settings from when the school was founded a hundred years ago.

Even many Protos Empire dignitaries couldn't manipulate the school for their own benefit. They merely had some advantages for their children within the rules, so there was no position of headmaster at all, blocking Lan Qi's chance to fulfill his destiny from the outset.

Logically speaking, Lan Qi's current status wasn't that of a noble, and he didn't even have student status. Starting as a teacher at the academy would likely be a hellish start, and his political status might not intimidate those students.

It was said that the top student at the academy was the daughter of Duke Berenhard, the most powerful figure in the capital, making her seem utterly unattainable.

"..."

Lan Qi turned his head, smiled at Hyperion, and spread his hands. A thousand words were contained in that gesture, as if he was welcoming Hyperion to Herloom, having already paved the way for her.

"Although I'm not the headmaster in name, everyone calls me that."

Lan Qi couldn't help it.

He could only say that the teachers were too enthusiastic to refuse. Strictly speaking, he had been pushed into this position during that cold winter.

As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility, and Lan Qi never shirked his responsibilities.

""

Hyperion looked at Lan Qi, her eyes wide, unable to speak.

Mishulla, who was beside her, was also stunned, repeatedly looking at her sister's expression and Lan Qi's face.

Mishulla didn't know why her sister was reacting this way to such a happy thing.

"Tell me how you became the headmaster first."

Hyperion took a particularly calm breath and exhaled, speaking to Lan Qi, or perhaps her heart would never beat again.

"That starts with Viscount Francis inviting me to be a tutor, and then me following Miss Zestira from the seaside city of Lilom to the capital, Herloom..."

So Lan Qi began to tell Hyperion the story of when he first came to the capital, Herloom.

Such as how he met Associate Professor Sido at the Protos Royal Magic Academy, and how, at Sido's invitation, he became a teaching assistant. Then, on the monthly assessment day, he started with a bounty of 130,000 credits, finally reaching the pinnacle of the Extreme Realm with the support and encouragement of the students. At the end, he proposed the McCarthy Reform for the Protos Royal Magic Academy and received 100% approval and praise from the entire school.

After listening, Mishulla applauded in amazement. The story sounded made up, but considering reality, the story might even be understated.

Then Lan Qi looked at Hyperion expectantly, waiting for her response.

As if asking her—are you satisfied with the academy I built for you?

Recalling the first time they challenged the Purgatory Corridor Academy together with Hyperion, this finally made up for their regret at the end.

Those twelve hours were too short. Lan Qi, who had just gained control of lightning, didn't have a chance to properly show Hyperion around the Purgatory Corridor Academy before the Shadow World turned into a bubble.

Tears slid down the corners of Hyperion's eyes.

But they weren't tears of emotion.

They were tears of terror.

She felt the Goddess was watching them.

From hearing the formula for the increasing bounty and Lan Qi's final bounty amount, Hyperion roughly calculated how many students' blood Lan Qi's position was forged from. She knew that all the merits she had accumulated in Aetheran during this time were gone.

When she was little, her father, Duke Micah, always told her that if she didn't do good deeds and accumulate merit, her luck would get worse. So, having had bad luck since she was a child, she was especially afraid of losing merit.

Now Hyperion realized that no matter how much good she did, she couldn't make up for Lan Qi's reckless spending.

"...You."

Hyperion's eyes were watery, and she seemed a little numb. After learning about Lan Qi's political achievements and then hearing that he was the headmaster, she didn't feel like the sky was falling as much as when she saw the interview in the square.

But Hyperion's heart was still beating—

This guy's story seems to be only a third told.

He didn't mention at all how he entered the Protos Empire's political arena.

This made Hyperion afraid to listen to Lan Qi's stories anymore.

But luckily, Lan Qi seemed to have shifted his goals due to the current situation. He didn't stubbornly join the Nihility Branch as he had initially planned, and he didn't go all the way down the dark path in this chaotic situation.

The Nihility Bishop was someone she absolutely couldn't provoke!

Just the Nihility Saint and the high priests of the Nihility Branch scared her and Mishulla enough. She couldn't imagine how terrifying the Nihility Bishop, one of the apexes of the Northern Continent, would be.

Moreover, she was now a priestess of the Church of the Goddess of Destiny, and was irreconcilable with the Church of Rebirth. She would never accept Lan Qi having any connection with heretics. If she found out that Lan Qi was going his own way, she would risk her life to take Lan Qi away from the Northern Continent.

"My heart and my actions are as clear as a mirror, and everything I do is justice."

Lan Qi said to Hyperion with righteousness,

"Don't worry, I guarantee that everything I do in the Protos Empire is aboveboard."

"..."

Hyperion did believe in Lan Qi's integrity.

She was just afraid, the more sunshine this person had, the more afraid she became!

Although along the way, not only Milford Territory, Box Hill Province, but even when they arrived in the capital, Herloom, and the Protos Royal Magic Academy, the hell mode that the Ice Witch had predicted had turned into the baby mode she actually encountered, making her feel exceptionally lucky.

However, the price of this luck at the Protos Royal Magic Academy had already been marked by fate.

Hyperion kept comforting herself, don't think too much, look forward. Now the only difficulty left was the final and most difficult prison break plan.

As long as she could rescue that Aunt Talia's close friend, she would have succeeded greatly. At that time, there would be a large amount of merit, which would definitely be able to make up for Lan Qi's deficit, and then the Goddess would bless him.

He who often walks by the river must have good luck to live his life safely.

"So handsome, brother-in-law, my father will definitely support you then. The Milford family and the allies of the Northwest Province will fully support you in the Upper House!"

Mishulla only gave a thumbs up in admiration.

"We're not that kind of relationship."

Lan Qi and Hyperion said at the same time.

Mishulla just nodded, a stiff smile forming on her face, making her look like she was eating melons (watching the drama).

"..."

In the slightly awkward and silent car for a moment, Hyperion didn't have time to think wildly, and still put the increasingly imminent mission first.

She didn't know how to ask Lan Qi to help her sneak into Herloom Prison.

If she used Lan Qi's authority, it might seem a little too despicable. He had never been a person who used his power for personal gain.

Wait and talk to Lan Qi later, see if she could... ask him to do a small favor.

As of 9 pm, the number of votes on the monthly ticket list is 17,884, calculated as 18,000, a total of 36 chapters need to be added. Currently, 6 chapters have been added in the past few days, and there are still 30 chapters left.

(End of this chapter)