Lu Li did not linger long at the Giant Tree Academy, nor did he return to the dormitory. Even though he was still nominally a student of the academy.

Before parting, Vice-Chancellor Criss tossed a set of keys to Lu Li: a house given by the academy located in the Inner City.

Dozens of minutes later, an elevator slowly descended into the Inner City camp of the City of Endless Night.

Vice-Chancellor Criss's house wasn't far from the academy camp, a three-story white-painted building.

It wasn't as neglected as imagined—the fireplace had only ashes left, but the furniture and other items weren't covered in dust.

The City of Endless Night is located underground, where dust is severe, and usually, a few days without cleaning would gather a layer of dust.

It's unclear whether someone occasionally cleaned or if it was some kind of alchemy.

Lu Li methodically checked each room: a storage room filled with items, a study packed with books, empty guest rooms, and rooms of Criss and her daughter.

Because there were no outsiders, their rooms were not locked.

Vice-Chancellor Criss's bedroom layout was similar to her office, with the alchemy stand replacing the desk, and a whole wall occupied by bookshelves. Claire's room was much simpler, with only a simple bed and desk, not even as good as the guest room.

In the end, Lu Li chose the attic with a west-facing window.

Just like the attic of the hotel next to Faust Park, it had a wide view and was relatively secluded.

Except everywhere was covered in dust and cobwebs.

Swish—

A bucket filled with cool water was picked up by a rolled-up sleeve hand and taken up to the attic.

Lu Li tied an apron found in the kitchen around his waist, poured some water onto the floor, and watched the dust-laden droplets bounce.

He dipped the mop into the bucket, wetting it, and began cleaning the attic where he would stay for some time.

Bucket after bucket of filthy water was poured into the lavatory, gradually revealing the true dark brown color of the wooden floor.

Once the floor was cleaned, Lu Li opened the window for ventilation, took a cloth to wipe the murky, unclear glass, followed by the bedside cabinet, the surface of the fireplace, and the roof.

Dust-laden abandoned cobwebs hung from the slanted roof. Many were ownerless, serving no more purpose than to underscore the attic's neglect.

However, some small creatures still lived in corners, stubbornly occupying the center of their webs, unmoved as Lu Li drew near.

Seeing it had no intention of leaving, Lu Li bypassed the spider and its web.

An hour later, Lu Li finished cleaning. Though it wasn't a complete renovation, it was livable.

Finally, filling a basket with firewood to take up to the attic, Lu Li untied the apron and returned it to the kitchen.

It was still afternoon, with some time before evening approached.

Lu Li temporarily left, heading to a restaurant a few hundred meters away to order dinner, returning home.

After completing his meal in quiet solitude at the restaurant, Lu Li came to the second-floor study.

"Dear, what do you plan to do next?"

"Nothing, just read some books."

"Reading?"

"Silver Cross·Sloan told me to do so."

"Seems like they've convinced you to participate in the March Tournament."

"What does this have to do with the March Tournament."

"Those respectable people who act like your servants haven't told you, then I must keep it a secret too."

"Professor Hagrid respects me the same."

"It's different... dear."

Thoughts drifted from the final dialogue, and Lu Li picked up the first book from the bookshelf: "Guide to Alchemy."

Flipping through it casually, the knowledge was as rudimentary as Alchemy Level 1, and the yellowed pages revealed its age.

Some immature annotations were at the end of each paragraph. It was unclear if they were left by Claire during her rudimentary alchemy study or by a young Vice-Chancellor Criss.

Obviously, one advantage of living here is never lacking books.

Though most were alchemy, the remaining mysticology was enough to pass the time until the March Tournament arrived.

As evening approached, Lu Li took the unfinished book back to the attic, lighting the oil lamp and fireplace.

In the core district, the light ball atop the tower grew dim and dusky. Streetlights took over its duty, illuminating the streets outside the window.

As night fell, there were fewer pedestrians on the streets, but many hadn't gone home, and shops weren't closed—"City of Endless Night" was a tradition of the City of Endless Night and its predecessor Midnight City.

Lu Li sat by the window amidst sporadically bustling noise, with the warm fireplace occasionally making the atmospheric-breaking "crackle" of burning wood.

At ten in the evening, Lu Li, for the first time, went to bed a bit late. Closing the window to block the street sounds, Lu Li lay in bed, contemplating the offering left by the Master of Balance before falling asleep.

It felt like an indescribable, obscure truth, encompassing real understanding of balance, simply distorted into narrow doctrine by the Balance Church.

Lu Li had no intention of believing in balance or becoming a believer. Yet this gift deepened his understanding of truth and laws.

Though it brought no power.

The more dangerous Lu Li's encounter today, the more peaceful his rest at night.

In the dawn of a new day, Lu Li awoke from his slumber.

Opening the window, the cool morning air and street sounds washed away the solitude.

Lu Li took out his eye sphere and went to the downstairs lavatory to freshen up. Merchant Anthony soon arrived, with the morning paper and news from the Giant Tree Academy.

[The academy has found a candidate to replace Spitt Hagg as a professor for lower-grade Mysticology]

A professor's betrayal and death evoked sighs, yet the impact remained after death. Those who had contact with Professor Hagrid, those he favored.

Among them was Dogmeat, acquainted with Lu Li.

However, with the Gatekeeper's in-depth investigation, subsequent news turned beneficial for Professor Hagrid, or rather, for the academy.

[Spitt Hagg was very clever... he didn't spread the doctrine, not even one. He deeply buried his beliefs, behaving like other professors, thus we never discovered he belonged to a church]

But the smarter one is, the more foolishly arrogant they become. Spitt Hagg was a vivid example, though he was coercively driven to belief by tragedy, seemingly pitiable, he chose to make this pity detestable, ultimately dying from insatiable greed.

Though he almost succeeded.

Covering the dying fireplace with ashes, Lu Li picked up the book he finished reading last night and went to the second-floor study to switch to a Geography Records.

In the following days, Lu Li maintained this tranquility between books and rest.

After searching, the luggage and pots from Professor Hagrid's residence were returned. Lacking Lu Li's companionship, a sprout less than three centimeters tall curled up and withered, but as time passed it would thrive again.

On the fourth day at noon, Lu Li entered Vice-Chancellor Criss's bedroom to select advanced knowledge books not in the study.

Click—

Coincidentally, footsteps sounded downstairs, coming up the stairs.

Lu Li raised his dark eyes, glancing at the half-opened door, but rather than check the hallway, he stepped back to the window, opened it, quietly waiting as the faint footsteps drew nearer—

The wooden door was suddenly pushed open.

"Lu Li?"

Standing in the hallway, Claire's tense figure revealed surprise, quietly scanning the room, an expression of "Have I interrupted something?" emerging: "You and mother already..."

"I'm staying here temporarily," Lu Li interrupted her.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.