Hogg watched her quietly, slightly shocked by her resolve and attitude, but he still shook his head.
“You are making things far too simple.”
Venus shrugged.
“Perhaps, but how will we know if we don't try?”
Hogg's tone carried a rare note of warning.
“Venus, don't try to use the Empire's ways on Mr. Li. If you truly anger him, no one will be able to clean up the mess.”
“I'm not a fool.”
Venus glanced at him.
“It's not like I didn't see what happened last night. If he doesn't want to go, who could possibly force him? I'm talking about terms, not threats.”
Hogg's expression softened slightly, but he still did not relax.
“If Mr. Li wishes to go to the Empire, that is his choice. But if you plan on using methods you shouldn't, I will not stand by and do nothing.”
Hearing this, Venus suddenly laughed.
“Hogg, the way you look right now, you really seem like you're protecting some precious treasure.”
Hogg did not look embarrassed in the slightest upon hearing this.
He neatly weighted down the list in his hand again, looked up at Venus, and said calmly,
“If the treasure you refer to is Mr. Li, then you are not wrong.”
Venus had only meant it as a casual jibe, but she had not expected him to accept it so readily, causing her smile to stiffen slightly.
Hogg looked down at the names of the fallen on the desk, his voice dropping slightly lower than before.
“During the Blood Moon Cult's attack, if Mr. Li hadn't intervened, the royal capital would likely have been wiped out long ago. Not to mention this Abyssal Rift—without Mr. Li, the Kingdom would probably not have survived until now.”
He paused, taking off his glasses and gently pressing his temples.
“So when you say treasure... you're not wrong.”
He spoke with such seriousness and certainty that Venus lost all interest in continuing to probe.
She stared at Hogg for a long moment, as if trying to find some other emotion on his face. But Hogg remained completely calm; aside from fatigue, there was only a natural, unshakable certainty.
Venus suddenly found it rather dull.
“Fine then.”
She turned and walked toward the door, her boots clicking sharply against the floor.
Just as she reached the door, she stopped again and looked back at Hogg, her lips curving into an enigmatic smile.
“Then I wish you luck.”
Hogg did not speak again, simply watching her leave.
He stood before the desk, looking down at the papers covered in names, remaining motionless for a long time.
Only after a long while did he put his glasses back on, pick up his pen, and continue writing new annotations on the next list.
The Kingdom was not yet in a position to fully relax.
Although the disaster had passed, a new round of battle had only just begun—the aftermath.
Over the next few days, the royal capital gradually began to regain its former vitality.
The City Guard patrolled non-stop, damaged districts were cordoned off, and residents were evacuated to various relocation centers to conduct systematic sweeps for abyssal remnants.
A large number of people still gathered to pray outside the temples, with many commoners firmly believing to this day that the gods had answered and saved them that night.
Hogg did not stop them or make any effort to correct this belief.
For ordinary people, sometimes having a reassuring explanation is more useful than the truth.
The Royal Magic and Martial Arts Academy reopened as well, though the gates were noticeably quieter compared to the usual bustling scenes. Many students had taken long leaves of absence, and some teachers would never return to the podium again.
Carriages in the noble district were more numerous than in previous days, but each one moved slowly, with their window curtains mostly drawn tight. Occasionally, guards from noble houses passed by on the streets, their faces still carrying the tension left behind from that night.
The Midnight Teahouse had remained completely closed during these days.
The wooden sign on the door constantly read “Closed,” and Li Yuan was happy to enjoy the leisure.
Without business, he didn't need to prepare tea, balance the books, or worry about some strange guest pushing open the door. Resting during the day, brewing a pot of tea at night, flipping through a few pages of a book, and occasionally visiting the small world to check on Hui's condition, his days passed peacefully.
Of course, peace was only relative; after all, there were far more people in the royal capital keeping him in mind now than before.
Fortunately, the Empire's people were sensible enough not to rush to his door just yet.
Tonight, the streets outside were even quieter than the previous days.
The soft light inside the teahouse was as warm and cozy as ever.
Li Yuan sat behind the bar counter, an old book he had randomly pulled out lying open before him.
Steam rose slowly from his teacup; tonight had brought him back to his favorite routine.
Just as he lifted his cup, the sound of a carriage stopping came from outside the door.
Immediately after, the door to the teahouse was gently pushed open.
Li Yuan looked up and happened to see the Sebas family walking in.
Walking at the very front was Duke Sebas.
This duke, currently the only surviving duke of the Kingdom, was wearing dark casual clothes today. Even so, the aura of someone long accustomed to a high position was not diminished in the slightest.
Duchess Sebas walked by his side, her eyes slightly red, clearly having just had a good cry before coming.
Reinhardt was half a step behind. His expression was more stable than his parents', but the gratitude in his eyes when he looked at Li Yuan was not shallow in the least.
Setis was there too.
Not having seen her for a few days, her complexion had mostly recovered, and her expression was as calm as ever.
Li Yuan set down his teacup, stood up from behind the bar counter, and bowed slightly to them.
“Your Grace, Duchess, Young Master Reinhardt, Lady Setis.”
Before he could even finish his greetings, Duke Sebas took a step forward and grasped his arms with both hands.
“Mr. Li.”
The Duke's voice was deep, yet it carried a distinct tremor.
“This time, I truly cannot thank you enough.”
Duchess Sebas could no longer hold back. She took two steps forward, and as she looked at Li Yuan, tears were already falling.
“Mr. Li... if it weren't for you, Setis, she... she would have...”
She was unable to finish her sentence. She merely raised her hand to cover her mouth, trying her best not to lose her composure here.
Li Yuan was least adept at handling such scenes.
He had witnessed too many life-and-death separations, and had seen the gratitude and grief of many. Yet, the more genuine these emotions were, the more he felt at a loss as to how to respond.
He did not rush to explain. Instead, he raised his hand to guide a wisp of gentle spiritual energy, letting it lightly brush past the Duke and Duchess.
The power was not strong, just enough to gently soothe their tense emotions.
“Please, have a seat first.”
Li Yuan's tone was warm, though it carried a trace of helplessness.
“Lady Setis is already fine. You do not need to worry excessively about this anymore.”
Hearing this, Duchess Sebas's tears fell even faster.
“I know, I know she's fine now.”
She looked at Setis, then quickly turned back to Li Yuan, her voice choking with emotion.
“But that night, when she lay there... I really thought I would never see her again.”
Reinhardt stepped forward, supporting his mother's arm, and gently advised,
“Mother, didn't we agree not to cry before we came... Please sit down first.”
Duke Sebas also patted his wife's shoulder.
Only then did the Duchess manage to rein in her emotions, allowing Reinhardt to guide her to a seat by the window.
Rate on N.U.
