At first glance, the conversation seed to be proceeding quite smoothly.
"That's Deputy Minister Danis from the Municipal Planning Departnt."
Secretary Nyla spoke.
"You know him?"
Lanci was not surprised by Nyla's encyclopedic knowledge of Brilda, and it even gave him the impression that Nyla possessed a database—any question he asked seed to have an answer.
"It's just familiarity with student and family records. He's quite a dull fellow."
Nyla said indifferently.
She had a mory far above the average person.
Due to her job, she interacted with more people and incidents daily, docunting everything without omission—forgetting was simply impossible.
"As for the man he's conversing with, I also know his na—it's Earl Brown. Care to guess what they're discussing?"
Nyla posed a question to challenge Lanci.
"Surely it's just hawking a municipal project for mutual gains."
Lanci replied casually.
Even without hearing their voices, from Deputy Minister Danis' body language and eager expression, it was evident he was currying favor with the Earl to secure the Earl family's support—there was no doubt about it.
What the Earl could provide him was either land or redevelopnt permissions. Once settled in private dealings, they'd save a lot of trouble on the surface.
Taking things further, after establishing trust and deeper collaboration, transferring money back and forth would be all the more convenient.
"Oh?"
Secretary Nyla's lips parted slightly, eyeing him with curiosity.
"Right now, everyone's thinking about how to line their pockets. Whether the Empire wins or loses this war, most of the elites are busy leveraging their power for profit. Those who truly care about the Empire's cause are in the minority."
Lanci, accustod to opportunists since his ti in the Protoss Empire of the Northern Continent, offered his judgnt without any particular emotion—neither dislike nor approval.
"You even know this?"
Secretary Nyla raised her eyebrows in slight surprise.
She knew more insider details than Landry.
It was certain Landry had only observed the two elites for the first ti earlier.
The truth was exactly as Landry had speculated.
"Seen it enough tis; it's always like this."
Lanci's gaze shifted northward, as though seeing sothing far away, or perhaps sothing buried deep in the recesses of his mory.
Nyla nodded in understanding.
This kind of exchange, in the end, was rely a matter of mutual need.
She had grown accustod to witnessing such transactions regularly.
After the "Blood Cleansing Day," the Empire's initially improved state began to deteriorate again within roughly twenty years. Although the Blood Cleansing Day itself was a tragedy, it had engendered so degree of change. But the Empire, now drowning in materialism and greed, had enabled the grand elites to chant ideologies with their lips while calculating profits in their hearts.
Just as Landry said, only a small fraction still upheld their steadfast faith in the Empire.
"Still, occasionally watching such absurd antics can be quite amusing."
Nyla chuckled lightly. In any case, her abilities were limited—her greatest contribution to the Empire was assisting Headmaster Violet, the Sixth Military God.
"But you, you seem to have grown weary of these matters, as if you were a Monarch who's seen through the earthly world."
Secretary Nyla shared her impression.
"Last ti you told I had the fate of a disastrous Emperor."
Lanci thought for a mont, then murmured blankly,
"At the ti, I didn't believe it. Now, I sense if I don't try harder, the important won in my life might end up sharing my plight."
When he first arrived at Saint Kray Monastery, Nyla had remarked that he was quite popular with won but needed to et compatible and fated ones to truly connect.
"I told you I guessed right. If you're even slightly careless, you might regret it deeply."
Secretary Nyla conversed with Lanci as they strolled through the garden of the Main Hall—suddenly, their surroundings expanded, and the number of idle chatterers diminished.
"Ah, if not for the South Continent's chaotic situation, I might wish to confront major life decisions seriously… Or perhaps after I departed the Shadow World, I resolved to give them an explanation. If I have a choice, I don't want to miss it again."
Lanci looked at the hazy colors in the shadows of the flowers, sighing emotionally.
The garden belonged to the section of the Main Hall, where, on ordinary days, access was restricted to staff mbers. The central fountain churned out crystal-clear water that flowed constantly, producing lodious murmuring sounds. Periodically, enormous crystalline blooms erged from the fountain and fell onto the thick shrubbery.
"It seems your experiences in the Shadow World left a profound impression."
Nyla was well aware that Professor Landry had recently visited the Shadow World.
Though she wasn't sure what kind of Shadow World it was, it evidently had a profound impact on Professor Landry's mindset.
Even Nyla could sense he harbored deeper emotions now.
"You're really not a Diviner?"
Lanci asked Nyla with a laugh.
"My aptitude for Divination attributes is low—I can't beco a true Diviner. But thanks to reading plenty of books, I can deduce so things based on experience. By the way, Professor Landry, are you aware of the recent rumors about you?"
Nyla recalled a fairly significant matter and turned to ask Lanci.
[Divination] attribute holders were the rarest among the thirty-one attributes. Often, discussions about mysticism were preferred by those with the Divination attribute.
As the Headmaster's secretary, Nyla had unrestricted access to the countless ancient texts hidden within Saint Kray Monastery, making them part of her duties.
"Stop, stop! That nonsense about being a love guru is completely absurd! Do I look like that kind of person?"
Lanci turned his head, raising a hand in protest, clearly overwheld.
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