Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 547 - 501 Parents

Talking with Helena was like a dream since both activities required closing one’s eyes, and Lyle even had the illusion that he had just woken up.

The Loshutar castle was a complete mess, with slime and severed limbs rendering the carpet even more red. Nia’s self-control wasn’t bad, or perhaps it was because she had already stolen the Chimera Pouch from Lyle’s waist and was secretly making chewing sounds not far from Lyle. It was like a blend of the feeding sounds of a mouse and a lion.

Outside the shattered glass windows, it was still night, but the hidden horizon already showed faint lights of fire.

"Is it almost dawn?"

"Not at all, those are Black Armored Paladins setting fires all around, very professional thugs."

Her head was cradled in her arms, and the silver moonlight outlined a vague silhouette, with bright eyes and white teeth, blood-colored eyes, and bright lips, all set in a cool expression, as if, there were also some dissatisfaction.

"You seem to have become a bit prettier?"

The woman’s eyebrows raised slightly, and her lips curled into a sweet smile, "Is it me, or Beatrice?"

"You are Beatrice."

Her smiling face fell, returning to the cold initial look. Her prank of playing big sister had failed, and she seemed somewhat repressed and irritable, but the reasons were probably more than that.

"Enchanted by the big sister? I can confirm that."

Lyle looked into Beatrice’s eyes, probably the discontent that made her pupils look a bit dim. Accepting Beatrice’s support, he stood up, his injuries having mostly healed.

"Yes, Helena is indeed charming. But the true treasures of Naslan are the daughters of Naslan, not Helena and her sisters."

"Hmph." Other than this grunt, Beatrice did not respond, but the delicate arm she held was probably a passable gesture.

Lyle looked around, his purpose for coming to Degonris was not originally to kill an angel.

"Karen?"

"I’m here, Lord Lyle."

Karen, disheveled, emerged from a corner. She had already changed out of the thin gown and was now wearing a stunning suit of armor, torn from some collection, and was waving slowly to Lyle from a pool of blood.

The three walked towards the castle’s main gate, with Karen walking silently at the end, making Lyle always look back and check if she was injured.

Karen returned the gesture with a smile.

"Sister Helena has summoned the Wanderer and is waiting outside the gate. We must leave this place of trouble as quickly as possible, lest the Paladin’s wrath reaches us."

Everything was calm on their way, and as Lyle pushed open the great door, only a few fragments remained of the stone gargoyles that had crouched at the entrance. The Wanderer’s carriage was parked at the edge, its ghostly face smiling and giving a hat tip in greeting.

"Mr. Lyle, miss, you are the last to arrive."

Lyle, holding onto Beatrice, prepared to board the carriage.

"Karen?"

Karen Pembai stood in front of the Loshutar gate, facing Lyle and saluting with a fist.

"Lord Lyle, thank you for your rescue. Please depart with your friends."

"I am a Paladin, I must return to my kin. Thanks again for your rescue."

"Much obliged."

Lyle glanced at Beatrice, indeed, entrusting Karen to the Paladins was undoubtedly safer than leaving her in his own company, moreover, those around him were all creatures of the dark.

Lyle chose to wave goodbye to Karen, then opened the carriage door.

A black-gloved hand reached out in front of him. When Lyle looked up, he saw that the carriage was already occupied by several people.

Mr. Nameless was sitting on the left, resting with his eyes closed, Kevin sat opposite him, greeting a little stiffly. Verlet’s smile was radiant as her eyes lingered on Beatrice who was behind Lyle. Lastly, Ralph, serving as a cold air conditioner, reached out a hand, looking at his aloof nephew.

"Come on up."

The spectral coachman drove off into the distance, the little knight in clunky armor, his waving hand never stopping.

...

There was a subtle atmosphere in the carriage.

The elders sat on one side, at ease; Mr. Nameless, being of age, counted as an elder too. The younger ones sat on the other side somewhat constrained.

Ralph glared at Lyle, Verlet beamed at Beatrice, and Nameless curiously observed Kevin.

Lyle and Kevin’s demeanors were similar, sitting tucked in like fledglings facing vultures, with Ralph exerting his daunting presence as Cassandra’s nightmare.

Surprisingly, Beatrice was also sitting still in her seat, hands on her knees, head bowed and holding her breath, only the outer side of her thigh silently touching Lyle’s. Lyle could feel her trembling body.

Verlet leaned forward, happily appraising the lovely young girl, though Beatrice had lived far longer than her.

"Such a delicate and adorable girl, Lyle, won’t you introduce her?"

"I am Beatrice Naslan, madam," Beatrice answered even before Lyle could, first glancing at Ralph, then quickly withdrawing her gaze like lightning.

Verlet turned her head and drew Ralph’s arm into her embrace.

"Dear big bad wolf, you’ve scared her."

"I haven’t done anything." Ralph’s eyes seemed to express this as he glanced at Beatrice and saw the girl suddenly shiver. He looked somewhat helplessly away, shifting his gaze to Kevin.

The cold sweat on Kevin’s body dripped until the young master couldn’t take it anymore, but he didn’t dare to be too direct.

"Mr. Nameless, is there something strange on my face?"

"Not at all," Nameless replied indifferently. "But it’s interesting, your reaction to Mr. Ralph’s gaze is very amusing. Even though it’s a gaze of goodwill, your fate is also fiercely in motion."

Goodwill? I didn’t feel any goodwill—I just felt an irresistible urge to confess all the wrongs I’d done as a child, like breaking vases.

Ralph looked somewhat helpless; he turned his gaze again to meet the wry smile of his nephew.

"It’s really me, huh..." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"..." Ralph sighed, took off Verlet’s little hat, and placed it on his face. It was somewhat comical, but no one dared to laugh.

Except for Verlet, who was already laughing.

Lyle leaned close to Beatrice’s ear.

"Why are you so afraid of Ralph when you’ve never met him before?"

Beatrice first looked at the ’big bad wolf’ being played with by the sheriff, then answered with a lingering fear in her heart.

"Anyone would be afraid of him. I’m just not used to people with a serious demeanor... Mr. Ralph’s look, it’s so much like when a scholar gets angry."

"But scholars aren’t serious all day long, not even when they were teaching me," Beatrice muttered quietly.

While Lyle and Beatrice were whispering to each other, Verlet was also leaning close to Ralph’s ear.

After a moment, Ralph took off the hat and, accompanied by Verlet’s smile, looked over at Beatrice, who was sitting up straight.

"Miss Beatrice..."

"You can just call me Beatrice, Mr. Ralph."

Ralph turned to glare at Lyle before looking back at Beatrice with softened eyes—or at least he was trying to be gentle.

"You have thoughts about Lyle..."

Dead silence, that damn silence—since it was a ghost carriage, there wasn’t even the disguise of carriage sounds.

Kevin turned his head to look at his good friend beside Beatrice. He had been to Naslan, of course, so he knew about their superficial relationship.

"Yes, and I won’t lose to my sister, I assure you."

Kevin’s eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of their sockets.

"By my holy light!"

Kevin looked at his silent brother with admiration in his eyes.

Verlet quietly burst into cheers, her gaze on Beatrice becoming increasingly satisfied.

Ralph covered his face with his hand.

"Beatrice, you’re Alianna’s sister..."

"Is being the sister a problem?" Beatrice looked at Ralph.

"..." Ralph hadn’t started to speak.

"Being the sister is fine!" Verlet interrupted Ralph, "Having three wives and four concubines is very common among the nobility! Ralph!"

Ralph pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Beatrice, you are still a vampire..."

"Are vampires not okay?" Surely Liches are alright! Beatrice stood up with confidence in her heart, "Moreover, I can live without drinking blood, I have never fed on someone else’s blood!"

"..." Ralph opened his mouth.

"Beatrice, when you crave blood, will you endanger Lyle’s life?"

"I will ensure that I do not harm Lyle’s health." Indeed, she wouldn’t—Lyle’s body was long infused with the Evil God’s essence, his blood never at risk of running dry, so Beatrice didn’t need to restrain herself to keep Lyle healthy, as she couldn’t hurt him anyway.

Verlet turned her head and hugged Ralph’s arm tightly, her eyes filled with expectation as she looked at him.

"What’s your opinion, my dear?"

"Verlet, you’ve already decided. There’s no need to pretend by asking my opinion."

"That’s what your uncle says."

Verlet smiled.