Chapter 184: Talias Maternal Instincts

Chapter 184: Talia's Maternal Instincts

It was the dead of night at the capital. Inside an attic room at the far end of the second floor of the Cat Proprietor's Eatery, moonlight, fluid and silvery, filtered through the gap in the bedroom curtains. It lended an air of mystery and tranquility to the cozy space.

Faint patterns of light and shadow played across the quilts. Talia and Hyperion lay on opposite sides of the bed, their breathing soft and shallow.

Hyperion had been quite reserved when she first laid down on the bed with Talia, only gradually letting go of her inner tension as the night deepened. Her steady breathing had continued for a long period of time, suggesting she had drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Only then did Talia slowly turn over, no longer keeping her back to Hyperion. To her surprise, she found Hyperion curled up tightly in the quilt, sleeping soundly and completely unguarded while facing her.

Talia gazed at the girl's face. She felt a curious urge to reach out and touch this adorable young lady. However, she withdrew her fingertips before they even emerged from the warmth of the covers, afraid she might wake Hyperion or be caught in the act, which would be quite strange.

Talia simply watched Hyperion in silence, her golden eyes holding thoughts known only to her. The curtains swayed gently, ushering in an autumn breeze. The cool air brushed against their cheeks like the tender palm of Mother Nature.

Perhaps because the night air had grown a few degrees colder, or simply because Talia had been watching for so long, Hyperion stirred and began to wake, pulling the quilt tighter around herself.

"Miss Tali..." Hyperion murmured, her eyes fluttering open as if she were half-asleep. She saw that Miss Tali appeared to be watching her. She felt no surprise or discomfort. Instead, she felt a rush of gratitude, knowing that Miss Tali was earnestly watching over her.

Talia's voice was soft. "Can't sleep?"

"No..." Hyperion shook her head, the movement causing a soft rustling sound as her hair brushed against the pillow.

"Go back to sleep. You don't need to go to school tomorrow. Just rest here for two weeks. I'll protect you." Talia emerged from her own quilt to pull the covers up around Hyperion's back, worried she might catch a chill, before slipping back into her own bedding and falling silent.

Lance had said he would arrange a two-week leave for Hyperion, utilizing the post-Shadow Realm challenge vacation time she hadn't yet used. This meant she wouldn't have to return to the campus during this period, so he had entrusted Talia with looking after her around the clock.

However, Lance also mentioned that, if things went smoothly, the assassin might strike within the next couple of days. He planned to find a way to lure the killer into acting sooner rather than later.

That way, Talia and Hyperion wouldn't have to carry any mental burden for the remainder of the time. They could simply enjoy their vacation.

Hyperion murmured as if in a dream, "Miss Tali, you're completely different from how Lance described you."

Having grown up without a mother, she sensed something wonderful in Miss Tali. It was something that seemed to fill a void in her heart and wrap her in immense warmth. Yet, Miss Tali was still young. Perhaps it was rude of her to think of her as a mother figure.

At the mention of Lance's name, Talia's tone cooled slightly, though it also held a hint of curiosity. "What did Lance say about me?"

She had always suspected Lance of badmouthing her behind her back.

"He... said you were very powerful... and trustworthy..." Hyperion realized she had made a slip of the tongue. She wanted to gloss over it but couldn't think of a plausible excuse, so she decided to focus on the positive parts first. She felt so at ease beside Miss Tali that she had let her guard down and had spoken without thinking.

Sensing Hyperion's awkwardness, Talia said, "I'll ask him myself next time. Don't worry. I won't be angry."

She naturally realized that Lance must have said some bad things about her, but surely, he had said some good things too.

Wrapped in her bedding, Hyperion inched a little closer to Talia and whispered, "As expected, Miss Tali, you are the kindest."

Talia's voice grew even softer. "Alright, go to sleep now."

Lulled by Talia's voice, Hyperion quickly drifted back to sleep. It had been a long time since she had slept so soundly. She didn't have to worry about being startled awake by nightmares in the middle of the night, nor did she have to fear that some villain might come to kill her.

The room was protected by a barrier, but what gave Hyperion even greater peace of mind was the fact that Miss Tali herself was right there beside her.

Talia remained awake, pondering her earlier conversation with Boss Cat.

After her long travels, observations, and studies in the human kingdoms, Talia understood the feelings she held for Hyperion: it was love, the kind shared between family members. She extended the same affection and concern she felt for her own younger sister to Hyperion. If it were within her power, she even wanted to make up for the maternal love her sister had failed to give Hyperion.

However, Talia did not understand the kind of love that Boss Cat had spoken of. Her sister, Iphatia, had fallen in love with Duke Michael. This meant that demons were indeed capable of learning how to love someone, but she simply hadn't managed to do so herself yet.

There was an ancient legend in the Demon Kingdom: that only a demon who fully understood human emotions posed the greatest threat to humanity.

Demons were a race that were similar to humans in some ways. However, they were ultimately fundamentally different from humanity. There were certain emotions that were inherently difficult for their kind to grasp. Talia simply couldn't fathom or even imagine what that kind of feeling would be like.

She couldn't wrap her head around it. All she felt was her stomach growing hungrier the more she thought about it.

Forget it, it's time to sleep. There's no use in dwelling over it. With that, Talia turned over and drifted into a deep sleep.

***

The next day, Adam left the lodgings of the visiting Yaloran academic delegation early in the morning and headed alone to the Sages' College.

He had received a reply from Ikerite University the previous day: Lance was willing to engage in a friendly match with him. In fact, the first year would be waiting for him this morning in a conference room within the Sages' College main building to discuss the details.

Given that both parties were figures of significant public interest, this "friendly" match had garnered considerable attention among the students and received support from both the Student Management Council and the College of Magical Engineering.

The only downside was that Dean Lawrence had left the capital, Ikerite, to attend important church business, which meant he could not personally preside over the event.

Adam walked into the heart of the Sages' College, which was a towering edifice dedicated to learning. With its majestic stone pillars, arched windows, and intricate crystal carvings, every detail exuded a rich, classical architectural style. The spacious atrium of the main building was filled with a cultured atmosphere, and many students were chatting casually.

One student exclaimed, "Did you hear?"

Another student's eyes gleamed. "Hear what?"

The first student continued, "The gossip about Dean Lawrence and Knight Commander Juliana."

As the conversation continued, more and more students stopped and gathered around.

A third interjected, "What happened?"

The first explained quickly, "Actually, the relationship between Dean Lawrence and Knight Commander Juliana wasn't bad from the start, but it was incredibly ambiguous! Juliana wanted Lawrence to be devoted solely to her, but he couldn't bring himself to give up his dozen or so fiancées... In the end, Lawrence couldn't have the love he wanted, and Juliana turned her love into hatred. Then they had a falling out and became sworn enemies..."

As he walked along, listening to the students of the Sages' College discussing this hot topic, Adam couldn't help but clench his fists, causing the leather of his gauntlets to creak against the metal fittings.

His eyes burned with resentment as he snarled under his breath, "Lawrence..."

Who would have thought that the high priest, who appeared so dignified and upright, was actually a player in matters of the heart, treating Knight Commander Juliana like a fool? There was absolutely no need to question its authenticity. If it weren't reliable, what students would dare to discuss their own dean so brazenly? After all, Lawrence was one of the supreme powerhouses of the age!