Chapter 124: For Now, Miss Yalis, Perhaps Some Greens Would Be Best

Translation by: Weebsread👹

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“Sigh... If I’d known, I should’ve just said I lived right here in the Imperial Capital Magic Academy. At this rate, there’s no chance I’ll make it home anytime soon.”

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Department of Alchemy, Faculty Office.

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Lin Wei sprawled on a bench, his gaze drifting absently out the window. The apathy on his face betrayed pure and unfiltered boredom.

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Wilma—who had, not long ago, been making quite the scene—was now nowhere to be found. Flushed with a mix of shame and indignation, she’d stormed off after Lin Wei called in the campus guards to have her escorted away.

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Even the Vice Dean himself—the one who’d originally tried to foist the order onto others—had come by in person.

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He’d gotten an earful from Nerinette, and a blistering one at that, but by the end, the matter was resolved: the department would retain the remaining contracts from the other institutions.

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So, for the moment, that particular fiasco had—at last—reached its conclusion.

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“All that’s left is the most important part: rooting out the Holy See’s mole.”

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His fingers tapped a quiet rhythm on the armrest, thoughts churning. “Come to think of it, after all this provocation, Duke Ous must be at the end of his patience.”

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“So what now? Will he try to dump all the blame onto the Holy See—and dash off to quarrel with the Pope? That’d be ideal. Then maybe I’d finally have an excuse to put him in his place.”

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To know exactly who had given the order—to have the truth in his grasp—but still be powerless to strike back, was beyond infuriating.

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If this were Lottai, some insignificant border town—not the Imperial Capital—I’d just abandon my cover, unleash my Demon Lord form, and take him out in a single, thunderous blow!

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Sure, I gave up my Demon God’s Divinity and lost the invincibility that came with ruling the Demon Lord’s Castle…

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But I, Lin Wei, am no pushover. Taking down an imperial noble? That’s child’s play!

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“Mr. Lin Wei?”

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Lost in his spiraling thoughts, he barely noticed the hurried footsteps outside his door.

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The office door swung open and Paxson stepped in, slightly out of breath and all business.

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It had been several days since Lin Wei last saw him; the unexpected visit caught him off guard. He stood and offered a polite greeting.

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“Ah, Mr. Paxson. Good afternoon. Was there something you needed?”

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Paxson dispensed with pleasantries and got straight to the point. “Mr. Lin, are you expecting a visitor today?”

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Noticing Lin Wei’s confused expression, Paxson continued: “Just now, a woman arrived at the academy wearing a mask. She claimed to have an appointment with you here.”

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“She headed straight for your dormitory. I’ve never seen her before, but judging by her manner, she seemed honest, so I let her through… Does that sound familiar?”

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“Oh, right, I did set up a meeting... But why in the world is she wearing a mask in broad daylight?”

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As Paxson spoke, Lin Wei realized with a start that it was probably Veya. Yet her decision to show up in disguise baffled him.

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Still, it wasn’t worth dwelling on now.

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“In any case, thank you for coming all this way just to let me know, Mr. Paxson.”

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He’d better go see what was going on.

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“Now, where exactly is my dorm again...?”

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He vaguely recalled the Academy assigning him a room, but up to now, he hadn’t ever stayed there.

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“It’s not far,” Paxson supplied helpfully. “From here, just cross through the magic faculty hall, past the entrance to the labyrinth, and beyond the small chapel—the dorms are right after that.”

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“If you’d like, I can escort you over. I’ve some free time.”

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Paxson found himself unconsciously sizing up the mysterious woman in his mind.

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Even with her face hidden, her bearing and the purity in her voice left little doubt—she must be extraordinary beneath that mask.

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Was someone like her really sneaking into the Academy just to visit Lin Wei?

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And the dormitory, of all places?

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Wait, could this be—

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Instinctively, Paxson glanced in the direction of the faculty building where the instructors from the Holy Light Department gathered.

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Lin Wei had done the Academy a tremendous favor—rescuing the alchemy department’s contract, and even fulfilling that urgent order for the Holy See.

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But if he was going to abandon Miss Yalis like this… that just didn’t sit right.

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Looks like, come lunchtime, he’d better prepare something especially green and nutritious for Miss Yalis.

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“Thanks, but I’m fine on my own. No rush. Besides, it’s a perfect excuse to finally explore the campus.”

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After all, Lin Wei had been enrolled at the Imperial Capital Magic Academy for some time now, yet barely had a chance to look around.

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He politely declined Paxson’s offer. If Veya had gone to such lengths as to wear a mask, it was best not to attract unwanted attention.

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“In that case... please go ahead, Mr. Lin Wei.”

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“Will do. Thanks, Paxson. See you.”

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Utterly ignorant of the other man’s inner monologue, Lin Wei waved farewell and strode from the office.

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He passed through the academic building, skirted the entrance to the Academy’s labyrinthine ruins, and continued on.

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It wasn’t long before the small campus chapel came into view, its pointed steeple rising serenely among a cluster of ancient oaks. Not far from there, the dormitory cottages waited—a row of elegant single-room dwellings curving along the bank of a mirrored lake.

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At that very moment, a choral ritual was underway in the chapel. Sacred psalms echoed through its vaulted space, an ethereal tide spilling softly out to embrace the grounds.

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Though the holy energy drifting forth was faint—barely perceptible—it could still be keenly felt: a palpable sanctity, as if hungering to burst free and sweep away all trace of corruption in a single sweep.

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As Lin Wei passed the chapel, he looked up—and glimpsed a familiar figure through stained glass. Yalis, garbed in ceremonial white, stood at the heart of the choir, reciting scripture with the others.

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Their gazes met for an instant. The surprise and warmth that lit her expression were impossible to miss. Lin Wei grinned and gave her a casual wave—he hadn’t expected to cross paths here, but the encounter brightened his mood.

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He didn’t linger, though—he pressed on to the dormitory grounds.

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“This should be the spot,” he murmured to himself.

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On the far side of the lake, a line of picturesque cottages basked in the golden light, each with its own unique charm, each shimmering softly beneath the afternoon sun.

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Following Paxson’s directions, Lin Wei searched until he found his assigned cottage.

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Knock, knock, knock.

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“Who is it?” came a cool, commanding voice from within.

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He scratched his head in mock bewilderment—his own wife, unmistakable as ever, and about as icy as a secret agent facing a new assignment. Her tone was both chilly and imperious. Lin Wei found himself both amused and exasperated; why did she always act like such a clandestine operative, even now?

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He snorted softly and shot back, putting on a mock-serious air.

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“Who else could it be? Don’t tell me you can’t even recognize your own husband’s voice?”

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Outside the door, he looked for all the world like a man teetering on the brink of heartbreak—downtrodden, aggrieved, almost tragic.

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“As husband and wife, shouldn’t you intuitively sense when I’m nearby, just by instinct?”

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“No tacit understanding at all... Honestly, always working late and never making time to see each other... If this keeps up, I just might toss you out myself, you know?”

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“Now, try repeating that last line again—if you dare!”

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The door flew open.

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In the next instant, a slender hand seized him and yanked him inside.

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As the door clicked shut behind him, a familiar magic swept the room, instantly sealing it from prying eyes and ears.

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Standing before him, Veya finally exhaled, as if she’d let go of a heavy burden.

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There she was—breathtaking as always, the kind of beauty anyone would envy to call their own.

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Her dove-gray hair tumbled in gentle waves over her shoulders, artfully disheveled yet effortlessly elegant. Her golden eyes gleamed with a sacred glow—yet so intense, so pure, that one almost felt tempted to mar that holiness, just to see her falter.

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Up close, her scent—fresh and subtle, a blend of blossoms and fruit—hung in the air. It was a fragrance mature and refined, laced with the faintest hint of innocence, softening even the glare she shot him. Not that such a look had ever truly cowed Lin Wei.

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If anything, her glare was more endearing than intimidating. It made him want to tease her—just as he always did.

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Especially today, with that golden mask perched on her face, lending her a mysterious, almost otherworldly allure.

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No—he needed to keep his head!

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Restraint. You need restraint, Lin Wei!

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After going to such lengths to arrange this meeting, they couldn’t forget their true purpose.

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Lin Wei forced himself to focus, biting back the urge to get carried away.

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Unfortunately, his heart had little interest in what his brain had to say.

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Besides, her icy pretense wasn’t making communication any easier.

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If this conversation was going to get anywhere, maybe it was time for a change of approach.

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“I just missed you, that’s all,” he said quietly.

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A faint ripple of magic confirmed the room’s wards were intact and no one was listening in.

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Reassured, Lin Wei acted decisively—he swept Veya into his arms.

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Though she strove to maintain her frosty composure, he carried her deeper into the room without hesitation.

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“I’m going to show you just how much I missed you tonight.”

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“Don’t take off the mask. Let’s keep it like this,” he teased.

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“As if I’d let you get away with anything, you scoundrel! L-Lin Wei!!”

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Pope Selena—ordinarily the very image of sacred authority—was now fiercely determined to keep things businesslike.

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But the moment Lin Wei’s arms circled her, and her slender neck arched with instinctive grace, all her discipline wavered—her body betraying her every intention.

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“This... this is the last time I ever meet him alone,” she silently swore to herself.

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“Next time, I’m bringing my secretary! That’ll stop him from pulling these stunts every time...”

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Veya’s cheeks flushed a deeper crimson, though she struggled to hold herself together.

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Such worries swirled in her thoughts, reflected in her earnest, brilliant gaze. Almost unbidden, a soft sigh escaped her—a gentle, wordless admonition.

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Her resolve, so strong just moments before, suddenly faltered. She sagged against him, her composure crumbling as weariness finally caught up.

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All at once, the pretense fell away, leaving only honest longing—and all the unsaid words she’d carried here to share.