Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 515: Easter Egg - : The Healing Shadow_5

Facing Veraliz’s invitation, the gentleman quickly shook his head.

"I’m not interested in these, I’m now more concerned with poetry and music scores."

Two Shadow Beasts, different interests.

"So, Veraliz, do you want to become a new Advanced Magic Research Professor, or like in Mr. Fantasy’s novel, become a cat entangled in quantum mechanics?"

"I am a Shadow Beast, your kin, Mr. Avonreiter, if possible, please direct your excellent imagination elsewhere." The cat flicked its tail, its gaze moving to the thick book in the gentleman’s hands. "And what is that you’re holding? It looks like it too was taken from the restricted forbidden book section."

"Andrei’s Fairy Tales, children’s literature, the reason it’s a restricted book is... well... its widespread dissemination would be harmful to society, but the entire text is written in Emonese, so only Liches can understand it, but it’s also very dangerous for Liches not to read it. Thus, it’s a restricted book."

"The author is Sperg Yesh, also known as Mr. Journalist."

"Ha, another trick conjured up by your literary society." Veraliz’s face wore a teasing expression, "I’m all ears for your work, what does the fairy tale talk about?"

"Snow White Lich and the seven Ghouls, Red Hat Vampire and Werewolf chasing each other, Black Maiden, Sea Princess, Lich Bride..."

"Wait, why do some stories sound familiar... Avonreiter, is this... non-fiction? Not made up?!"

Mr. Gentleman spread his hands, "Journalists only record the truth, dear Veraliz, if you wish, I can include the story of the Witch Cat..."

"No thanks, the stories of the fallen king Raymontos are still hot in the market, I don’t want to become a kind of shame."

"Such a pity."

Reading continued throughout the afternoon, and the rich spiritual fulfillment made both of them look forward more to the night.

Sin District, Magi Tower Hotel.

A pale pink crystal statue stood in the center of the restaurant on the hotel’s top floor, where the brick walls were pure white, imitation marble patterns difficult to associate with the floor and the cooled sulfuric bitumen ground below, waiters and waitresses all dressed as immaculate Succubi, sky-blue window panes and white walls making it as gorgeous as heaven itself, all made by a renowned demon designer, Fallen Paradise Restaurant.

The gentleman unfolded the napkin folded into a cross and tied it around Veraliz’s neck.

"I originally wanted to set the dinner at the Greenleaf Restaurant in the Elf District, where the environment is most reminiscent of our homeland’s primeval forests. But, as you know, since that concert, my name seems to have become a taboo for the wandering elves of the Floating City. Considering the grudge-holding nature of the stingy Eternal Elves, maybe by the time of your five hundredth birthday, we could eat some moonlight berries, provided that the current administrator of the Elf District dies unexpectedly without passing my name on as a will."

Veraliz couldn’t help but smile, her gaze much softer than it had been in the morning.

"Avonreiter, I’m really happy today..."

The gentleman interrupted her with a gesture, "Don’t summarize too soon, there’s still one last, and best, surprise."

The sweetly smiling Succubus pushed the trolley to their table, "Your ordered cake has arrived."

It was a half-person-tall block of crystal, the crystal just a protective device whose function was to prevent the energy inside from leaking out, like now, with the cake inside, shining with so intense Holy Light that all anyone could see was a bright light.

"Andrei’s Lich specialty, Holy Light cuisine."

"Happy birthday, Veraliz."

The cake was placed on the table, and the Succubus waiter took a small gavel, tapped the surface lightly, and the crystal shattered into a cloud of Fluorite Worms that flew out of the restaurant.

Finally, the cake was revealed to them.

The gentleman felt things had somehow slipped out of control.

It was not an ordinary cake; its detailed carving showed the creator’s meticulousness, a work of art in its precision. However, the cake was in the shape of a man. A handsome man in a Divine Robe stood, crowned, in a thinker’s pose. Four pairs of wings enveloped his body. On the crown, twenty-three pointed horns with Holy Light candles flickered, weak yet eternal.

It was the image of an angel, and it bore a striking resemblance to the Dark Boss.

The gentleman broke into a cold sweat; the Dark Boss, also known as the Angel of Fire, was the very Destroyer of the Shadow Beast Horde, Veraliz’s greatest nemesis in this world.

"Nice sentiment, Avonreiter!"

"Eh? Ah?"

"Eat the angel cake, wasn’t that what you specially prepared?"

"Yes... Yes, it was."

Veraliz nodded, her eyes looking at the angelic cake filled with something indescribable.

"Hmm, since it’s an angel, then I might as well eat it in a way that’s a bit more like home."

The gentleman numbly nodded, picking up his knife and fork.

Veraliz’s body suddenly expanded, her upper half swelling like a flame in the wind, transforming into a large mouth with a diameter of one meter that swallowed more than half of the angelic cake in one bite.

Clatter.

The gentleman’s knife and fork fell onto the plate, making a crisp sound.

"So delicious!!!" The kitty clapped her slightly bulging belly, lying contentedly on the tabletop.

But the gentleman was startled, not by Veraliz returning to her former way of eating, but... the black fur on her body was slowly peeling away, revealing a glowing gold inside.

Shadow Beasts glowing?

Dark kitty turning into a light kitty?

Soon, Mr. Gentleman watched in horror at the Veraliz before him, who now shared the same color as a fortune cat.

"Vera..." before he could finish, Mr. Gentleman then witnessed the Holy Light kitty’s back sprouting a pair of small wings like an angel’s. "Holy shit!" Was this food poisoning too outrageous?

Veraliz seemed to finally notice something on her body.

"Eh?" With a roar, the Holy Light kitty with Holy Light wings suddenly transformed into a ray of light that broke through the ceiling, becoming a screeching, wildly flying meteor.

What to do, I just sent the birthday star flying like a skyward firework...

Faced with a situation he had never imagined, Mr. Gentleman panicked and in the end, followed his instincts.

"Or maybe, just slip away." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

The streak of light, as if having heard the gentleman’s voice, suddenly changed direction, barged in from the side of a brick wall, and headed straight for the gentleman.

"No way, the reckoning is coming so soon! I’m innocent! It’s not a prank! Really!!! Really!!!!"

Mr. Gentleman was hijacked by the Meteor Kitty, smashing through the South Wall and flying high into the sky.

In the pitch-black night sky, magical brilliance gradually lit up, the glow of the Arcane Eye, the brilliance of Silver King City, countless points of light appeared below, as though entering another world. But among all the lights, the most dazzling was the free spiraling Holy Light above.

In gentleman’s ear rang Veraliz’s voice of surprise.

"I’m flying! Avonreiter! Can you see it? I’ve got wings! I’m flying in the sky!!!"

Only then did the gentleman realize that Shadow Beasts couldn’t morph into birds; they were wild beasts that roamed the land and looked up at the sky. Flight, possessing a pair of wings, for Veraliz, was quite the novel experience.

The wings of Holy Light left a trail of light dust in the air, the faint specks seeming to replay everything Veraliz experienced that day. Without sadness, Veraliz’s smile persisted throughout today, just as the light on her body did at that moment.

A smile also appeared on the gentleman’s face, accompanied by a sense of relief that the mission was complete.

May she be carefree and shine brightly in the future.

"Happy Birthday, Vera."