Chapter 1 Saturday Morning

On this Saturday morning, Lan Qi and Sigrid's date began with a visit to the Sky Garden in the southern district of Heluom.

Around lunchtime, they leisurely made their way to the Hairsailun Restaurant on Fourth Avenue, its exterior striking a perfect balance between opulence and mystery.

The gothic architectural style intertwined with magical craftsmanship in the walls. Stepping into the restaurant, they were enveloped by an atmosphere of luxury and art. Countless immortal crystal lamps hung from the tens-of-meters-high ceiling. The interior was decorated in dark red tones and gold accents. Long tables were covered in smooth satin, and invisible tableware was arranged, changing color according to the user's magic upon being touched.

Hairsailun Restaurant was known for its unique dishes, blending North Continent cuisine with Heluom's distinctive flavors.

The restaurant's clientele came from all corners of the Proto Empire, including high-ranking government officials, famous explorers, and some mysterious mixed-race individuals.

It was the perfect place for them to discuss important matters, enjoy delicious food, or simply socialize.

Even the cat boss lingered here, reluctant to leave. A major feature of the restaurant was that some dishes were imbued with special alchemical magic, such as temporarily amplifying one's attributes or bringing about illusory experiences. Unfortunately, the cat boss couldn't learn it.

In the afternoon, their footsteps began in the art district of downtown Heluom.

In addition to the business district, it was also full of ancient Proto's artistic atmosphere, with colorful street graffiti and various independent art galleries.

They savored afternoon tea and watched magical performances on the wide pedestrian plaza.

Then, time flew by. Before they knew it, they had finished watching the Heluom evening show, walked out of the Heluom Broadcasting Company's building from the recording site, enjoyed dinner, and then walked back, strolling near the Starry Sky Theater.

Here, the night sky seemed to be magnified by magic, with the stars close at hand.

"Time flies so fast. It suddenly got dark today."

Sigrid looked up at the deep blue sky, wondering if there was something wrong with the sky.

But she also knew.

Today was coming to an end.

Any beautiful day moves forward.

But recalling the month or so they spent together going back and forth in the north, it seemed like they spent every day together. It was just that they hadn't realized at the time that every day was extraordinarily beautiful.

"Is there anywhere else you want to go?"

Lan Qi asked with a gentle smile.

He was never flustered, always relaxed. Especially after the day of the bishop election, he seemed to be enjoying himself all the time.

"I heard that there's an old district in Heluom that can teleport people to random places. Unlucky people might be teleported into the magical energy river."

Sigrid thought for a moment and looked at Lan Qi very seriously, and said.

"Wouldn't that be very dangerous?"

Lan Qi remembered this old district.

When he first came to Heluom, his student Zestila reminded him that the old district, which looked a bit distorted, was very dangerous and should not be entered casually.

Its spatial structure was actually different from the outside world, like a multidimensional intersection. Stepping into it could lead to any location in Heluom at any time.

"It's actually okay, not that dangerous, because the teleportation distance is not too far. Some people can walk around inside without triggering teleportation."

Sigrid explained to Lan Qi,

"But I heard that if two people are holding hands, they will be teleported to the same place."

At the end of her words, she added in a low voice.

"..."

Lan Qi walked forward and pondered.

"What do you think?"

Sigrid said, gently bumping Lan Qi with her shoulder, then secretly sizing him up from the corner of her eye.

She saw Lan Qi stop.

"Then you have to hold me tight and never let go."

Lan Qi held out his hand to Sigrid.

"...Huh?"

Sigrid was surprised for a moment, as if she hadn't expected the Holy Son to be so straightforward.

Actually, holding onto his clothes would have been fine too.

Just like back then, before the dark dawn in the northern snowfields when they were blocked by the Nihility Holy Son, she could have just held onto the Holy Son's sleeve.

"Isn't this kind of line usually said by girls? Holy Son, you're such a tease!"

Sigrid grinned, grabbed Lan Qi's hand tightly, and led him forward happily.

Although there was still some distance to the old district.

But once Sigrid grabbed his hand, she didn't let go, and they came all the way to the entrance of this district.

The streets were narrow and rugged, looking like mountain roads from a distance.

On both sides were ancient stone buildings, and street lamps cast a faint light, flickering in the night.

They walked hand in hand, exploring this unpopular attraction that few people set foot in.

Lacking the atmosphere of crowds, the building complex seemed to be filled with a lonely atmosphere.

In the dim light, the shadows of the benches along the street were stretched, and the shadows of the two people also danced on the walls.

"Are you afraid? If you're scared, you can hold my hand tighter, sister."

Sigrid turned to look at Lan Qi, her smiling eyes with a hint of testing meaning.

That bright purple looked particularly clear in the moonlight.

"Not afraid."

Lan Qi's voice was very calm.

This district, unlike the hustle and bustle of the outside world, now only had the two people's conversation gently fluctuating in the air.

"Tch."

Sigrid tugged at him in disappointment, pulled him a little closer, and continued to walk forward.

As she turned forward again, her hair flew in the air, and Lan Qi continued to be led by her, following behind her.

Sigrid hummed a little tune, seeming to be in a particularly happy mood, or perhaps today's date had finally become very satisfying at this moment.

After a long time, she brought Lan Qi to an ancient tower building. The outside of the building was surrounded by a steep and incomplete spiral staircase. This dangerous place could cause someone to slip and fall if they weren't careful.

"Let's go up and take a look."

Sigrid's voice was full of excitement.

Then she sized up Lan Qi again, wanting to see his scared expression.

To her disappointment, Lan Qi still didn't have any emotional fluctuations.

However, at this moment, the scenery of the district began to undergo subtle changes. The surrounding buildings seemed to gradually lose their inherent shapes and began to twist gently, surrounded by an invisible magic.

Suddenly, everything seemed to be spinning!

Accompanied by a sense of weightlessness, the field of vision changed completely in an instant.

The wind in the high altitude blew on their faces, and the view was filled with golden-dotted dark night city scenery.

This was a sparkling world, illuminating skyscrapers, streets, temples, and squares—all unobstructed.

This familiar thousand-meter-high aerial perspective meant that they had actually arrived at the edge of the Starry Sky Theater in the sky!

It felt as if they could reach the moon.

And the howling wind could cause them to fall down at any time.

Before he had time to appreciate this dangerous scenery, Lan Qi seemed to suddenly think of something and prepared to speak to Sigrid.

But Sigrid seemed to have lost her balance and grabbed Lan Qi to jump down from the clouds in the high altitude together.

The moment he saw everything clearly again, the whistling wind was in his ears. All gravity seemed to disappear, and the pressure of the air made him sure that he had been grabbed by Sigrid and started an unexpected bungee jump.

"Are you scared?"

Sigrid held Lan Qi's hand tightly, smiling as she asked him.

According to Gloria, this would have the suspension bridge effect. When a person nervously crosses a suspension bridge, their heart will involuntarily beat faster. If they happen to meet another person at this time, they will mistakenly interpret the accelerated heartbeat caused by this situation as a physiological reaction caused by the other person making them feel emotional, thus developing feelings for the other person.

"I'm okay."

However, the problem was.

Sigrid was very sure that this guy didn't seem to have much of an accelerated heartbeat at all!

"Why aren't you afraid?"

Sigrid asked a little irritably.

She had been wanting to scare Lan Qi a little just now, but he just couldn't be scared.

"I have the strongest woman in the world by my side."

Lan Qi replied very seriously, regardless of the fact that they were currently free-falling in the high altitude.

The look in his eyes as he stared at Sigrid was like saying, what do I have to be afraid of?

"Besides, I've been dragged into the sky by you twice already."

He added.

"Ahhh, you guy, when will you ever be scared!"

Sigrid still didn't plan to slow down with Lan Qi in the air, complaining unconvincingly.

Askesang can't scare you, Morrodian can't scare you either, does it take a Ninth Order to scare you!

"...That day in the Congress Hall, maybe."

Lan Qi thought for a moment and said.

"Oh? What specific moment?"

Sigrid suddenly became energetic, slightly adjusted her posture in the air, and listened carefully.

"Watching you and Askesang start a desperate battle, destined for only one person to walk out alive..."

Lan Qi replied.

"Mmm."

Sigrid covered her chest, her ears filled with the sound of her heartbeat besides the noisy wind.

The purple light in her eyes passed through the fog of the imperial capital Heluom, drawing a clear trajectory. The clouds and mist swept past her sides rapidly. The next second, everything began to accelerate, and the biting air hit her face. Every breath felt like inhaling from an ice cellar.

She held Lan Qi, using a force similar to the force magic to protect his whole body balance, and took him flying in the air.

Before long, they arrived at the lake on the northernmost side of the Proto Royal Magic Academy.

The cold air rushing towards her face during the aerial flight seemed to have restored her calm.

But she didn't look at Lan Qi, just looked at the lake, with her back to him, and slowly let go of his hand.

Even without words, the two knew that this date should end here today.

Sigrid was quiet and didn't say a word.

It seemed that she also hoped that the Holy Son wouldn't say anything.

Everything was quiet from near to far, and the gently contoured hills and trees, as well as the brightly lit Heluom, were looming in the night.

Under the starlight with dancing phosphorescence, the dim and vast lake seemed to be connected to the sky.

The two people just admired the night scene like this, without speaking.

Until after an unknown amount of time.

"Sigrid, I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon."

Lan Qi finally spoke.

"..."

Sigrid was silent.

"...I remember I said that I wouldn't agree to let you go. You should stay by my side and continue to serve me. In return, I can protect you."

She turned to stare at Lan Qi, already reverting to her appearance as the Tyrant Bishop Sigrid.

At this moment, it seemed that they had returned to the way they were when they first met. After she took off her disguise, she was a cold beauty who didn't seem to care much about Lan Qi's feelings, only caring about what she wanted.

"I'm going back to the South Continent, for at least a year."

Lan Qi said to her.

The Proto Empire needed the Tyrant Church. The country had just recovered from a turmoil and was on the right track. The deep-seated hostility lurking in the north, although contained, might brew and erupt again in the future.

Although he, Locke McCarthy, had retreated behind the scenes and still possessed deterrence, the Tyrant Church had to be in the open. She was now the new guardian powerhouse of the Proto Empire, jointly guarding the country's stability with the Great Sage Isis.

For Lan Qi, correspondingly, there were still hidden dangers in the South Continent that he needed to resolve in order to relieve the siege of the South Continent and ensure that it could support the North Continent at any time.

"I don't accept it."

These words, with a restored serious attitude, were the only willful persistence she held now.

"..."

Lan Qi looked at her helplessly and smiled.

Although she said that, she had clearly given him many opportunities to escape this week.

As long as he escaped earlier, she definitely wouldn't be able to catch up.

"Next time we meet, I will be stronger than Fifth Order."

Lan Qi promised.

"..."

Sigrid's ears instantly turned red when she heard these words.

"Oh well, go if you want to. Before you leave tomorrow, I'll wait for you at the old place. You still owe me a painting."

She turned to the side, waving her hand with exasperation, and her figure disappeared in a hurry.

Leaving only Lan Qi standing by the lake, smiling as he watched her leave.

——

Burnout of Dusk, please give me monthly tickets! Thank you, daddy!

(End of this chapter)