Eldritch Horror Theatre

The design wasn't identical, but the purity looked just as high, and the size was roughly the same.

Bathed in the genuine golden morning light, Fu Qian quietly appraised the item that had appeared since his departure.

He had previously asked Professor Chang Mo to requisition a piece of equipment for the Laboratory—a solid Golden Candlestick of full weight—but it had been consumed while forging Sword Three Short of One.

He had planned to request a replacement, but someone had already provided one during his brief absence. It had clearly been chosen with careful consideration.

As for who had done it, the answer was obvious.

Chang Mo and the others likely didn't have the free time. While the two currently stationed here both came from wealthy backgrounds, Wen Li clearly lacked the practical sense for this sort of thing.

The Laboratory assistant really was as dedicated as ever.

Amid his musings, Fu Qian didn't forget to pick it up and toy with it, confirming its density was perfect.

So, was the highly responsible Classmate Liushuang still busy giving their guest student, Eldest Miss Wen, a tour?

Even after the trouble was handled, simply verifying the absence of lingering side effects was a massive undertaking.

Because of that, there was a high probability that the great purge over at the Linghui Courtyard was still ongoing.

Under these circumstances, there was no way Wen Li could just dust off her hands and leave.

Classmate Liushuang, meanwhile, had long since embraced hospitality as her duty. Who knew what kind of meticulous itinerary she had prepared?

Deeply impressed by the Academy's orderly operations, Fu Qian didn't mind the lack of a welcoming committee. He simply went to take a shower and change clothes, trying his best to blend into the vibrant morning atmosphere.

Still no one here to brew tea, though?

He had to admit, spending days in a position of high authority had inevitably fostered a few bad habits.

After enjoying the leisurely morning light with his fresh new look, Fu Qian felt like something was missing.

Rather than just sitting there and stewing in dissatisfaction, he stood up the next moment, hawk-eyed and wolf-gazing.

He quickly locked onto a certain building not far away.

...

He had to admit, while the overall architecture of the Laboratory wasn't as magnificent as his own, the scenery around Professor Lisa's residence was noticeably better.

Thanks to the terrain, a gentle and pleasant breeze flowed through the area, making it feel significantly warmer than his own quarters. It matched the interior style of her Laboratory perfectly.

Professor Lisa might have mentioned that the Dean of the Apocalypse Branch had willingly yielded this Laboratory to her, but these flawless conditions made it seem custom-built for her.

Marveling at the serendipity of the world, Fu Qian arrived at Professor Lisa's front door.

Since she felt perfectly comfortable requisitioning an office in his building, there shouldn't be any problem with him dropping by to bother her, right?

Fu Qian was actually quite interested to know what Cass thought of the research findings from the Bone Spirit Realm now that he had returned.

"What are you—"

Unfortunately, the owner of the house didn't seem nearly as relaxed about the visit.

Before Fu Qian could even knock, the door was pulled open from the inside.

Professor Lisa peered out, unable to hide the wariness on her face.

...

"What's with that look? Is this professor really that untrustworthy?"

Naturally, Fu Qian wasn't entirely pleased by this kind of welcome.

"No, I just have too much confidence in you."

Faced with his righteous indignation, Professor Lisa finally seemed to realize her reaction was slightly inappropriate.

After all, he was the one who had inspired many of her recent breakthroughs.

But unwilling to lose momentum, she still managed to fire back a quick retort despite the slight embarrassment on her face.

"I thought I'd get a few days of peace and quiet. I didn't expect you to be back so soon.

"You left in such a hurry before. Did you get your business sorted out?"

As she grumbled, she stepped aside to invite her guest in.

"How should I put it... I wouldn't strictly say it's sorted out, but I did gain quite a lot."

Fu Qian didn't stand on ceremony as he walked right in, offering an honest assessment of his trip.

Professor Lisa's concern wasn't all that surprising.

Back when he declined to come over and inspect the results with Cass, she had looked a bit disappointed.

She might have known he was indifferent to fame and wealth, but she obviously didn't believe he had skipped out just to let her take all the credit.

Given that he had bolted the moment the real person in charge returned—assuming he wasn't fleeing to escape punishment—it was obvious he had urgent business to attend to.

"And here I thought nothing could stump Professor Fu."

His answer was clearly somewhat out of her expectations, and she stared at his face in momentary surprise.

Logically speaking, returning so quickly usually implied that everything had gone incredibly smoothly.

"Not at all. The mysteries of the Transcendent Tier are as vast as the sea. One must always remain humble."

Waving his hand, Fu Qian sighed dramatically, putting on a perfect show of modesty—

"So, you call this peace and quiet?"

But the next moment, he paused, staring at the scene in front of him, and immediately ribbed Professor Lisa for her earlier complaint.

Classmate Liushuang, Eldest Miss Wen, and was that... Lotte?

Three pairs of eyes were staring back at him in unison, having been quietly listening to the exchange between the two experts.

...

You just accused me of disturbing your peace and quiet, but you're running a kindergarten in your own home?

Isn't that a bit of a double standard?

The scene before him was more than a little bizarre.

He had wondered earlier what kind of morning activity Classmate Liushuang had planned for Wen Li. As it turned out, it was a visit to a prestigious senior.

Considering the close proximity, it made a fair amount of sense... but what was Lotte doing there?

Thanks to his mediation, Professor Lisa had indeed treated Lotte's hand, but it was hard to imagine someone with her personality providing post-operative checkup services.

Furthermore, the three people sitting around the table were surrounded by a chaotic spread of various papers.

It seemed they had been busily working on something before his arrival interrupted them.

"Let's take a break for now."

Professor Lisa walked up behind him and gestured for the girls to put their work aside so she could welcome Professor Fu's esteemed visit.

Phew—

In response, all three girls let out a collective sigh of relief, visibly relaxing.

"Shall I go prepare some drinks?"

Ji Liushuang, evidently the most familiar with the layout, immediately stood up. She smiled and asked for Professor Lisa's permission before heading off to the side.

...

He supposed this was a case of different paths leading to the same destination. He was going to get his morning tea after all, and it was even going to be brewed by his own Laboratory assistant.

Taking the development in stride, Fu Qian casually took a seat at the table without waiting for an invitation.

In contrast, the remaining two girls were a bit more reserved.

Wen Li smiled warmly at him without rushing to speak. Her complexion was looking remarkably good.

As for Lotte, ever since she had let go of her previous hang-ups, she seemed significantly more relaxed as a person.

However, her gaze kept darting back and forth between Wen Li and him. It seemed her natural talent for gossip was working in overdrive, dreaming up all sorts of wild speculations.

"What did you think we were doing?"

At the same time, Professor Lisa grabbed a piece of paper from the table and tossed it over to him.

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