The Arbitration Office sat midway up the mountainside, its architecture grand yet serene, devoid of any oppressive sharpness. The round towers topped with platinum-colored tiles resembled white lotuses quietly blooming in a secluded corner of the world.
“Senior Shiyu is actually a good person; she just gets a bit too enthusiastic when she sees pretty, cute girls.”
Lania walked along the stairs shrouded in thick fog that seemed endless, holding Vyea’s cool little hand tightly to prevent her from getting lost in the mist.
“Senior?”
Vyea didn’t pay much attention to other things, but she was curious about the title. She tilted her face upward and asked, “But she looks younger than you. Could she be a genius?”
“Hmm… Miss Vyea, didn’t you say you also studied at the Academic Tower?”
Lania hesitated for a moment but then dismissed her doubts when she saw Vyea’s innocent curiosity. She explained softly, “Senior Shiyu is actually a very famous figure in the Academic Tower. Those widely circulated Branding Runes were improved from ordinary runes by her, and she even successfully achieved low-cost mass production.”
“Really? What exactly are Branding Runes?” Vyea asked, puzzled since she had never heard of them before.
Lania patiently explained, “They’re a type of rune that can be inscribed on various weapons, equipment, and even everyday items.”
“Even ordinary glass cups? Won’t that damage the durability of the item carrying the rune?” Vyea blinked in surprise.
Lania shook her head, “Of course not, unless you inscribe a Self-Destruct Rune and trigger it yourself. Branding Runes are lazier by nature compared to ordinary runes — it’s like a child’s doodle.”
She sighed softly, “The only downside is that the power contained within has a shelf life; once it expires, the power will gradually fade away.”
While they chatted, the two finished climbing the stairs, and the magnificent buildings came into view.
With just a glance, Vyea noticed several Arbitration Knights escorting a group of people shackled hand and foot, their wrists and necks bound in chains, toward a Prison Wagon. Among them were men and women, both humans and demon creatures.
“What is this…” Vyea frowned, feeling a flicker of unease.
“Some people have been smuggling weapons and equipment to the Demon Race, and the quantity is staggering. These few are just small fry the big fish haven’t even surfaced yet,” Lania sighed.
“Where does the Prison Wagon take them?” Vyea had never been so curious about this question before. She wasn’t worried for herself; it was pure curiosity.
Lania sensed Vyea was asking a lot of questions today perhaps deep down, she was worried. Although she often appeared calm and mature beyond her years, she was still just a child.
Living alone with no family or friends to rely on, forcing herself to survive… Now she was innocently caught in the turbulent conflict between humans and the Demon Race.
A helpless little girl trying to find a way to live in such an unstable world.
It must be so hard, right?
Lania could deeply relate to that feeling. Long ago, she had wandered for a time—not long, but enough to leave an indelible mark on her life.
“Miss Vyea, don’t worry.”
For the first time, Lania boldly met Vyea’s stern and intimidating gaze and reached out to ruffle her hair. The touch was just as soft and warm as she had imagined, with a thrill like poking a tiger’s backside.
“As long as you haven’t done anything wrong, even if the people from the Arbitration Office try to detain you by force, I’ll come and rescue you!”
“Rescue? But aren’t you the righteous hero?” Vyea found that hard to judge.
Lania proudly placed her hands on her hips and repeated a phrase often quoted by her teacher.
“‘My heart and deeds are clear as a mirror; all I do is justice!’”
Vyea’s eyes grew complex.