Chapter 128 | After Maxing Out, I Became a Landlord in Another World

After hearing Chen Mian's words, Loviki turned her head, picked up her cup of water, and took another sip, pretending to be displeased.

“What’s wrong?”

“Someone clearly promised to let me handle it, but they went back on their word.” Loviki turned her head back to glare at him. Her voice rose by half an octave, but there was clearly no anger in her eyes; instead, they sparkled slightly.

“If a matter can be resolved directly, there’s no need to beat around the bush with them. It’s better to save that time to continue exploring the Royal Capital.”

Loviki’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. She lowered her head and took another sip of water, her voice a bit muffled. “…Then you aren't allowed to make a move before me.”

“Alright, I won't make a move.” Chen Mian nodded, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

“…That’s more like it.”

“But I did accidentally alter the palace’s magic circle just now.”

“Y-You’re cheating!” Loviki said, her cheeks puffing up in annoyance.

“I’ll try not to activate it. It’s just to trap them so they can't run away.”

“Hmph!”

Louise leaned back against the sofa cushions, resting her chin on one hand. Her violet-gold eyes gleamed with mischief. “Actually, Loviki is quite cute when she’s angry.”

Beside her, Flora nodded earnestly, a gentle smile on her lips. “It’s like she’s acting spoiled.”

Velyan was eating fruit, her cheeks bulging. She added with absolute certainty, “She’s already been snatched away.”

“…I am not acting spoiled!” Loviki’s ears flushed crimson instantly upon hearing this.

With that, she simply set her cup down on the table, turned, and headed toward the stairs. After a couple of steps, she paused, looking back at Velyan. “Velyan, didn't you keep saying you wanted to eat grilled lamb chops? After I change my clothes, let’s all go get some. My treat!”

“Awesome!” Velyan’s eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously.

Loviki turned and walked upstairs, her footsteps light and brisk, though the blush on her ears had yet to fade.

Flora watched her figure disappear at the top of the stairs, then stood up and said, “Then I’ll also go change into something suitable for going out. Louise, come along too.”

“Sure~” Louise set her book aside and stood up.

“I’ll wait for you at the door!” Velyan ran over and squatted by the doorway, her golden eyes sparkling as she mumbled, “Grilled lamb chops! Grilled lamb chops!”

Chen Mian looked at her, amused. “Velyan, show some restraint. If anyone else sees you, they’ll think I’m starving you.”

“Loviki said there’s a really delicious grilled lamb chops place in the Royal Capital.”

Before long, the three who had gone to change came downstairs.

Loviki had changed into a light blue dress. The silver hairpin was still in her hair, making her look a bit more youthful and charming. “Let’s go!”

The five of them walked along the streets of the Royal Capital. The lights on both sides were already beginning to glow, and the night market was filled with a mix of aromas from various foods.

“I smell grilled lamb chops,” Velyan said, walking at the very front and sniffing the air.

“How is your nose so sharp?” Loviki quickly caught up and pointed ahead. “It’s about three hundred meters further.”

“Because I am a Chaos Dragon.”

“Shh! We’re out on the street.” Loviki lowered her voice helplessly in warning.

“Loviki, as long as I don't expose my dragon traits, no one would believe me even if I shouted it out on the street,” Velyan said earnestly, looking up.

“Have you tried it?”

“Yeah, with Irena,” Velyan said, the corners of her mouth curving up slightly.

After walking a bit further, Loviki pointed diagonally ahead toward a narrow alley. “The shop is inside there. Just turn in here and keep walking straight.”

Warm yellow magic lamps hung on both sides of the narrow alley, illuminating the cobblestone path like a warm, golden band of light.

“We’re here.” Loviki stopped in front of a grayish-white two-story building. The shop's sign read: Hippe’s Grill.

“Loviki!” A young girl wearing a dark apron walked over quickly upon seeing her, a pleasantly surprised expression on her face. “You haven't been here in so long! The usual spot? This meal is on me!”

“No way, I’m treating my friends today.”

“Oh? Are you all Loviki’s friends? Let me tell you, Loviki was incredibly popular back at the magic academy,” the girl said happily, gesturing with the menu tucked under her arm.

“Hippe! I’m hungry!”

“Alright! Just a moment! I’ll come back later to tell you more about Loviki!”

“Keep it down!”

“Okay, okay~”

Hippe’s Grill wasn't very large. The first floor held about a dozen square tables, with yellowed menus and a few faded adventurer posters plastered on the walls.

It was currently peak dining hours, and almost every table was packed. The air was thick with the scent of charcoal and spices, mixed with the sizzling sound of fat dripping onto the hot coals.

Loviki navigated through the crowd with practiced ease, stopping in front of a square table in the corner.

The table was situated in a slightly secluded spot, but it offered a clear view of most of the shop. A small magic lamp sat on the tabletop.

“Still the same spot.” Hippe brought over two round stools, then skillfully pulled a rag from her apron pocket and wiped down the table in a flash. “Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll go prepare the charcoal grill for you.”

“Is Hippe your classmate?”

“Yeah, though we didn't interact much back at the magic academy. I only found out about this place by chance,” Loviki said with a nod, her tone relaxed.

“Does the magic academy teach how to grill meat too?” Velyan asked, looking up curiously.

“Yes, as an elective under lifestyle magic,” Loviki nodded and explained. “Not everyone has a talent for combat magic. Many people never reach the Gold Rank in their entire lives, so there are plenty of students at the academy who specialize in lifestyle magic.”

“I think learning how to grill meat is great,” Velyan said, nodding seriously.

“Right? This blonde lady’s opinion aligns perfectly with mine.” Hippe walked over carrying a portable grill, a bright smile on her face. “If you don't have combat talent, studying lifestyle magic is also great! After all, any path can make a living. Plus, it brings the academy’s most famous genius and top beauty to my shop as a regular customer.”

She bent down to set the grill securely onto the iron stand on the table, then fished out a pair of long-handled iron tongs from her apron pocket. “The lamb chops will take a while, so let’s grill some vegetables first to tide you over.”

“If Loviki didn't come here so often, I’d definitely think she was aloof and unapproachable, just like everyone else does.”

As soon as Hippe’s words fell, Loviki reached for the teapot on the table, pretending not to hear.

But Hippe clearly had no intention of stopping there. She set the grilling mesh in place, sat down next to Loviki, and rested her hands on her knees, her gaze shifting across the table to land on Chen Mian. “Did you know? Back at the academy, she never took the initiative to greet anyone she ran into. Because of that, many people rumored that she didn't talk because she looked down on others. But when I first opened and was promoting this place, she saw that no one was visiting, and since I was also a student from the magic academy, she came over to support me. She was my very first customer! Loviki is a really good person, she’s just not great at expressing herself.”