Chapter 130: Professor

In the master bedroom of Solstice Manor, a stunningly beautiful girl stood by the balcony railing.

The moment she had opened the window, she had heard Theo slam the courtyard table and shout those audacious words.

*’She has never been in love! She knows nothing of romance!’*

Liana’s thoughts drifted back to her past life. Ever since she had ascended as the Reborn Empress, she had severed all earthly attachments. She had decreed that all her disciples must purify their hearts, banning romance because love inevitably made people foolish.

And so, her world had become one of total solitude. Back then, she would often admire the snow alone. Though the winter was no match for the chill of her own aura, she occasionally felt... cold.

Until her rebirth.

A certain sunny, arrogant smile had inexplicably barged into her life, bringing the warmth of springtime to her frozen peaks.

Gradually, she had grown accustomed to being pampered by him, eating the food he cooked, and hiding behind his broad shoulders when the heavens themselves tried to crush her.

Was this... what mortals called being in love?

Liana did not know. The concept had been separated from her by an impenetrable layer of ice in her past life. Even now, it felt hazy. But she knew one thing: she did not hate it.

She changed into a simple black dress, descended the stairs, and walked over to Theo. The Abyssal Sword Sovereign was sitting on the threshold of the courtyard, eating breakfast and lost in thought. She gracefully took a seat beside him.

"What are you eating?"

"Mm... honeyed flatbread. Want a bite?"

And so, the two of them sat side by side on the threshold, braving the biting winter wind, sipping spiced goat’s milk and munching on flatbread as they watched the sun climb over the Capital.

Even Theo, the self-proclaimed tactical genius and love guru, had his own share of confusion. When advising others, he was authoritative and full of wisdom. But when it came to putting his anti-god romance theory into practice, he was at a total loss.

"Want more milk?" Theo asked.

Liana nodded.

Theo grabbed the bowl. Glancing at the Frost Empress hugging her knees on his doorstep, he could not help but feel this was all a little surreal.

"I want it hotter," Liana said softly.

"This is not hot enough?" Theo wondered why she suddenly had a taste for scalding drinks. He channeled his *Abyssal World-Forge* essence, heating the spiced milk until it steamed, then scooped up a spoonful.

"Try it now."

With an impassive expression, Liana parted her crimson lips and gracefully sipped from the piping-hot spoon. She exhaled lightly, a delicate puff of steam escaping as her pink tongue cooled itself.

"I do not think it is that hot," Theo muttered. He puzzledly drank the remaining milk from the very same spoon, smacking his lips twice.

Strange. No sugar was added, so why was there a lingering, floral sweetness...?

"By the way," Theo scratched his neck, frowning. "Why is my neck so itchy lately?"

Liana silently averted her gaze, her cheeks dusting with the slightest hint of pink.

*(Host preemptively executed the ’49 marks of devotion’ penalty while the target was asleep.)* The system notification had mocked her last night, but she had ruthlessly silenced it.

"Excuse me, were we not playing Tesserae?"

Pontifex Valerius had just finished meticulously setting up the carved ivory tiles on a square table. She stood there with a look of pure bewilderment. "You two started eating breakfast instead?"

"Want to join us?" Theo asked.

"...Not really hungry." The Pontifex had slept for thousands of years, yet she inexplicably felt full. Was it stubbornness? Or was she just desperate to play her favorite game?

She narrowed her gray eyes at the two youths. Was Theo’s ’Anti-Primeval Romance Operation’ already underway?

"You two are not planning to use ’love tiles’ to cheat, are you?" the Pontifex asked warily.

"What are love tiles?" Liana tilted her head, a picture of innocent confusion.

"A newbie?" The Pontifex smirked, a hint of ancient mischief flashing in her eyes. *Prepare to pay the tuition fee, Empress.*

"We are still missing a fourth player," Theo realized. He walked over to the guest room and pushed the door open. Professor Sylvia, the dignified Oracle of the Academy, was sprawled inelegantly across the bed, limbs splayed, snoring loudly after the exhaustion of the tomb raid.

"Professor!" Theo yanked the blanket off.

Sylvia groggily opened her eyes, her laziness laced with Archon-level murderous intent. *This had better be important, brat.*

"Tesserae. We are one player short."

"Bold of you to challenge me!" Sylvia instantly perked up, her hangover vanishing. "I am the undisputed Tesserae Queen of the Imperial Academy! I once plucked a royal griffin bare just to use its feathers as betting chips!"

And so, the inaugural Solstice Manor Tesserae Championship officially began.

****

On the mountain path leading to the Imperial Academy’s grand hall, Instructor Cassian and his elite disciples trudged forward. Their faces were heavy with grief, their armor still reeking of the Ashfall tomb.

Every few steps, they sighed deeply.

Amidst the sighs, they reached the grand hall.

"Cassian? What is the matter?"

Elder Tiberius happened to be heading to the hall as well. He and Cassian were old acquaintances from the military.

"Ah... I am not here for you, Tiberius," Cassian heaved a weighty sigh. "It is about Theo. I will explain once we see Headmaster Lucius."

*Theo?*

Elder Tiberius froze. He had literally just walked past Solstice Manor and seen the kid playing Tesserae with Professor Sylvia! Honestly, the boy could not even be bothered to formally announce his return from the southern front...

The two men entered the hall.

Upon seeing Headmaster Lucius, Cassian dropped to one knee. His first words were:

"Headmaster, my deepest condolences."

Headmaster Lucius exhaled a puff of pipe smoke, entirely baffled.

"Our academy’s brightest star... Theo... perished in the Sanctum of Somnus," Cassian said, his voice breaking. "I saw it with my own eyes."

"How is that possible?!" Elder Tiberius staggered back. *That kid was literally gambling five minutes ago!*

Yet Cassian’s expression was deadly serious. Cassian was a Fifth-Realm veteran; his vision was unparalleled.

"I am entirely certain. I even brought back his remains."

Cassian withdrew the single strand of black hair and recounted the catastrophic battle with the Cult, his story vivid, detailed, and entirely tragic.

Elder Tiberius’s mind buzzed in sheer disbelief.

If Cassian was telling the truth... then who was that person laughing and rolling dice at Solstice Manor?

A sudden, fierce chill ran down Tiberius’s spine.

From Cassian’s tone, the subterranean tomb was a cursed, eerie place.

Could it be that Tiberius had just... Seen a ghost?

***

The daylight was just right.

"How much are we playing for?" Liana asked. "Is betting silver not against Academy regulations? The last time Professor Sylvia gambled, she was reprimanded by the Disciplinary Committee."

Theo straightened his posture. As everyone knew, the Abyssal Sword Sovereign was a man of supreme virtue who stood firmly against all vices.

Sylvia curled her lips into a wicked smirk. "Who comes to the gaming table for no reason? It is rare to play Tesserae with my precious disciple. What is the fun without a little silver? Hehehe..."

*Did the dignified Oracle’s laugh just take a sinister turn?*

Pontifex Valerius wore the exact same wicked smirk as she taught Liana the rules. Theo only knew the basics of Tesserae, so he listened along.

In this game, when one player won a round, the other three could keep playing until the tiles ran out.

The first to win was not necessarily the biggest earner...