Chapter 16: The Lover’s Awakening and a Desperate Plea

“I can’t possibly continue, let anyone else tackle this wretched thing!”

After half an hour of wrestling with the practice problems, Luluti finally broke down.

She threw her pen aside, decisively choosing to give up.

Yalin picked up the scrap paper beside them, which was covered in formulas.

He carefully examined it.

“Truly, you are the Young Miss.To achieve an accuracy rate exceeding thirty percent this time is a remarkable leap from your previous attempt—truly splendid!”

“Why does your infernal way of speaking invariably ignite my irritation?”

Luluti slumped onto the desk.

She shot a listless glare at Yalin.

As anticipated, magic remained her most despised subject.

“Alright, alright, the time is nearly up anyway, so let’s stop here.You can… go back now.”

Her initial impulse had been to tell him to ‘scram,’ but remembering her earlier outburst, she worried it might inadvertently come across as a reward for Yalin.

Thus, she substituted it with a more conventional phrase.

Yalin did not decline.

Finishing work early was always a good thing.

After assigning the homework, he left Luluti’s room.

Following his usual routine, he collected his day’s wages from Raymond.

The decision to be paid daily had, indeed, proven prescient.

Should any unforeseen circumstances arise, making a swift escape would be immeasurably simpler.

Raymond’s countenance remained as grim as ever, though a subtle hint of disdain seemed to flicker in his eyes whenever they met Yalin’s.

‘What is this guy thinking?’

‘Never mind, I’m too lazy to guess; as long as I get paid.’

By the time he left the mansion, it was already late afternoon.

The air hung heavy and damp, and a thick blanket of clouds had swallowed the sunlight, casting the afternoon into a gloom far deeper than usual.

Such was the nature of the season.

It had been a bright, clear day when he arrived, yet the weather had shifted in an instant.

Yalin quickened his pace, intending to head home early.

However, halfway there, the rain began to fall in a gentle drizzle.

What began as a mere drizzle rapidly escalated, transforming into a relentless downpour within moments.

The heavens opened—

Raindrops hammered down with startling force, creating a deafening clamor as they struck the pavement.

With no other choice, Yalin sought shelter beneath the eaves of a nearby general store.

This district, already less frequented than the city center, became utterly deserted under the sudden onslaught of the storm.

Shops along the vast street hastily shuttered their doors, leaving the thoroughfare eerily empty in a matter of moments.

“Tsk, what rotten luck today…”

Yalin brushed the water droplets from his clothes.

He watched idly as the puddles on the ground drained into the sewer.

Just then, amidst the ceaseless patter of raindrops, an incongruous sound pierced the air.

Turning his head, he saw a figure clad in a beige jacket.

They were running alone through the deserted street, braving the torrential rain.

She appeared to be in an extreme hurry, utterly oblivious to her drenched state.

Her thick-soled boots splashed through the accumulated water, sending sprays arcing into the air with each stride.

‘Presumably, something urgent must be happening.’

Yalin paid no attention.

He silently averted his gaze, as he had never been particularly interested in other people’s affairs.

However, just as the person darted past his line of sight, Yalin’s heart suddenly gave a violent lurch.

“W-What is happening?”

His vision began to blur, and an unbearable heat surged through his body, as though his very blood had ignited.

Yalin’s face contorted dramatically.

He clutched the fabric over his chest in agony.

This familiar sensation… his Lover’s Ability, had inexplicably activated at this precise moment.

“No, it can’t be, can it?”

Yalin’s face was etched with disbelief.

Ever since he had dedicated himself to the arduous task of being a ‘lick-dog’ (TL Note: A slang term referring to someone who excessively fawns over another, often to a humiliating degree), that dormant entity lurking within his consciousness had gradually receded into silence, almost causing Yalin to forget its very existence.

Yet, just now, in a mere instant, that thing had begun to stir restlessly once more.

‘Why?

Could the problem lie with that person?’

‘Yes, it must be her!’

Yalin looked towards the figure gradually disappearing into the rain.

He quickly gave chase.

“Hoo-hah… hoo-hah…”

Liyang paused.

She leaned on her knees, panting heavily.

She had lost all track of how long she had been running through the deluge.

Strands of her ink-dark hair clung haphazardly to her face, and rivulets of water incessantly traced paths down her pale, slender neck, disappearing beneath her collar.

Her cloak, utterly saturated with rainwater, clung heavily to her back, a constant source of profound discomfort.

However, Liyang was in no mood to care about such trivialities.

Wiping the rain from her face, she pulled a crumpled map from inside her clothes.

It was a hand-drawn map.

Now soaked by the rain, its already crude lines had become even more indistinct.

“This should… be the place, right?”

Liyang furrowed her brow.

She cautiously scanned her surroundings.

Broken bricks, churned-up mud… truth be told, the place was even more desolate than she had imagined.

This was a residential area, not exactly secluded.

However, only this particular section was undergoing repairs.

There was no one else around.

Though a current of unease rippled through her, circumstances had progressed too far for Liyang to retreat now.

Clutching the piece of paper tightly, she continued forward.

Beyond the narrow alley lay a space that opened up with startling suddenness into a wide, barren clearing.

Yet, it was tightly hemmed in by towering buildings, creating an oppressive atmosphere that made one feel almost suffocated.

“I-Is anyone here?”

Liyang mustered her courage and called out.

Her voice reverberated several times amongst the building facades, amplifying the profound emptiness of the surroundings.

_Squish, squish…_

Suddenly, an unpleasant sound emerged from behind the building.

It was the squelching, viscous sound of shoes treading through thick mud.

A man in black slowly stepped out from the shadows.

“My apologies, I truly didn’t expect the weather to be so dreadful today…”

“I have come as agreed,” a frantic Liyang interjected, cutting him off.

“So… please honor your promise and tell me the truth of the matter!”

“Don’t be so impatient; we’ve only just met.”

The man in black shrugged.

“Before that, shouldn’t you first prove your identity?”

Liyang remained silent, reaching up to pull down her hood.

As the hood fell away, two horns, strikingly covered in dragon scales, emerged prominently from her head.

These were the quintessential features of the Dragonfolk, a race hailing from a distant Eastern realm and exceptionally rare within Elanmia.

“Such a beautiful Dragonfolk lady, it is indeed you,” the man in black affirmed with a satisfied nod.

“Then, where is that item that proves your mother’s identity?”

Liyang hesitated for a moment.

Ultimately, she took off the necklace hanging around her neck.

The ruby, nestled within the necklace, emitted a faint, haunting red luminescence beneath the heavy, overcast sky.

“You mean this?”

“Exactly, that’s it.

Excellent, excellent… The [Eye of Void] is also perfectly intact.”

“[Eye of Void]?”

Liyang paused, startled.

She had never heard such a strange name before.

‘Is he referring to my necklace?’

Yet, this was the last thing her mother had left her.

She had worn it for nearly a decade, and nothing unusual had ever occurred.

A sharp surge of alarm quietly rose within her, prompting Liyang to swiftly tuck the necklace back into her bosom.

“I’ve shown you enough, haven’t I?It’s your turn now.”

“What is your connection to my parents?And where are they now?”

“Very well, it’s my turn to show my sincerity.”

The man in black emitted a pleasant chuckle.

“How should I put this?Your parents and I were colleagues.We often conducted research together, and we had quite a good relationship.”

“Colleagues?

Are you from the Academy?”

“Heh heh… there’s a slight difference.”

The man in black stretched his lips into a wide grin, then pulled up his sleeve to reveal a pitch-black emblem tattooed prominently on his arm.

“I wonder if you recognize this?”

The instant her gaze fell upon the emblem, Liyang’s pupils contracted and trembled violently.

“Y-You… you’re from the Abyss Church!?”