"Principal."
Luo Wei decided to seek help from Principal Danton. "Which graduating class was Teacher Evelyn from? Can I find her graduation photo when I go back?"
"Uh, well..." Principal Danton paused for a moment. "Let me think, it's been quite a while..."
Evelyn gave a helpless look and leaned close to Luo Wei's ear. "You really want to see it that badly?"
Luo Wei blinked. "Of course."
Evelyn suddenly flashed a seductive smile and whispered, "Then how about I wear it for you when we get home?"
"Really!?" Luo Wei exclaimed in delight.
He practically wanted to go home right then and there. What was the point of some duke's lousy birthday banquet compared to seeing Teacher Evelyn in a school uniform?
As the two whispered flirtatiously, Helena abruptly leaned in.
"Brother, if you want to see, I can wear it for you too!"
Luo Wei and Evelyn both sighed in exasperation, wondering how her ears could be so sharp...
Helena glared defiantly at Evelyn. "Hmph, what's so special about her wearing a school uniform? Trying to act young?"
The unspoken words "old woman" hung in the air, and Evelyn felt deeply wounded.
Mentioning age drained all her will to argue, and she could only murmur wistfully, "Ah... Helena really is at the perfect age for a student, isn’t she..."
Helena suddenly had a brilliant idea. "Why don’t I enroll at Callen University too? Then I can wear the school skirt for you every day!"
Luo Wei burst out laughing and patted her head. "Helena... Callen University isn’t just for anyone, you know."
Helena, who had been feeling triumphant just moments ago, immediately deflated at his words.
That’s right... She had never even been to school in her life...
The Saint Callen Royal Academy of Magical Science only accepted the brightest students, after all...
Principal Danton, completely oblivious to the subtext, assumed she was just another eager learner and smiled kindly. "You’re Luo Wei’s younger sister? A thirst for knowledge is a wonderful thing! If you’re truly serious about studying, as the principal, I do have the authority to make an exception for you."
"Really!?" Helena’s face lit up with excitement.
"Don’t celebrate too soon," Luo Wei said helplessly.
"Huh?" Helena looked at him in confusion.
Principal Danton continued, "Callen University never turns away talent. If you truly have the aptitude, I can arrange a special exam for you. You don’t need a perfect score—just an excellent result will suffice."
"Oh..." Helena’s enthusiasm deflated once again.
Evelyn couldn’t help but laugh heartily, feeling like she had regained some dignity.
While the three of them were chatting cheerfully, the group of four at the other end of the hallway wore strange expressions.
Mike looked puzzled. "Principal Danton seems awfully familiar with that fraud, doesn’t he?"
Lairs frowned, suddenly recalling something. "Isn’t Evelyn from the same school as Principal Danton? That Luo Wei guy might be from there too."
Laney narrowed her eyes. "Maybe, but that doesn’t prove anything. Danton is just a craftsman who’s built mechanisms for our family before."
Mike chuckled. "Exactly. Even a fraud can have connections. Knowing Danton isn’t that impressive."
But just as he was thinking this, several other guests approached.
"It’s the heirs of the Philip and George families," Laney noted.
The three families—Sword, Shield, and Thornflower—had always maintained close ties, supporting each other for generations as hidden allies of the Abraham family.
"Let’s go," Lairs said, leading the group to greet them.
The other side smiled warmly in return.
However, to Lairs’ surprise, their real target was Luo Wei’s group.
"Principal Danton, won’t you introduce us to your outstanding student?"
Philip walked over with a smile, his guards following closely behind.
Principal Danton proudly clapped Luo Wei on the shoulder. "The hero who saved Saint Callen, splashed across the newspapers for over a week—I hardly think he needs an introduction."
Philip laughed heartily. "True, but young Luo Wei, this isn’t our first meeting, is it? Do you remember me?"
Luo Wei studied the two affable noblemen and was tempted to say no.
But in the end, he smiled politely. "We must have met at the royal banquet."
If they claimed to know him and held such high status, that had to be the occasion—the same banquet where he and Ophelia had made a minor splash and even received an audience with the emperor...
"Good memory," Philip said, even more pleased.
Luo Wei then engaged in the usual aristocratic small talk with them, discussing trivialities in the roundabout way nobles always did.
At the same time, he couldn’t help but wonder—these two clearly had something to say to him.
After what felt like an eternity of pleasantries, Philip finally got to the point, lowering his voice. "The one handling the church delegation in the capital is Her Highness Ophelia, correct?"
Luo Wei frowned slightly. "What are you implying?"
Philip quickly clarified, "Given your close relationship with Her Highness, have you heard anything from His Majesty recently? Any hints?"
"You overestimate me," Luo Wei chuckled. "Why would His Majesty share his decisions with me? I’m just a student."
The other noble, George, gave him a look that said, "Don’t play dumb."
"Last month, Her Highness suddenly appeared in Brugge and met with the bishop of the southern diocese—and you were there too."
His expression turned serious. "Her Highness enjoys His Majesty’s full trust. None of her actions are without purpose. And sure enough, a month later, the church delegation arrived. His Majesty’s sudden closeness with the church must mean something."
Philip nodded. "Exactly."
Luo Wei sighed inwardly. What "exactly"? Ophelia’s visit last month was to settle the dragon tomb incident—it had nothing to do with the church delegation’s arrival this month. These two were reading way too much into things.
"This is highly unusual," Philip said worriedly. "What are the church’s true intentions? And what is His Majesty planning?"
George nodded solemnly. "Whether it’s war or cooperation, the stakes are high. Our three families must prepare accordingly..."
Luo Wei exchanged a glance with Evelyn. These nobles had no idea the emperor himself was in the dark—after all, no one knew what the church was really thinking...
But perhaps they’d find answers during their visit to Thornflower Castle.
Meanwhile, on the other side...
Watching Luo Wei surrounded by so many important figures, basking in their admiration, Mike and the others were utterly bewildered.
"Could he really be...?" Mike suddenly found himself almost convinced.
Laney narrowed her eyes, only now beginning to truly scrutinize Luo Wei with genuine focus.
Yet the social dance in the corridor was far from over, for Bishop Lawrence approached Luo Wei from the other side, accompanied by the piercing gaze of the priestess Feilin.
Monica, standing off to the side, couldn’t help but snicker as she glanced at Mike. "Still planning to tattle to Father?"
Mike shook his head without hesitation. "Better not."
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
g Yu was preparing for retirement when her organization decided to eliminate her. She transmigrated to a zombie apocalypse world. However, a tiny unexpected situation occurred: She somehow transformed into an adorable little girl?!
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
