Chapter 3 The Card Maker Association

The third floor of the Yikelit Card Maker Association was a spacious atrium surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass windows, with abundant natural light giving the entire floor a thorough sense of daylight.

A deep sea-blue carpet ran straight through the inner side of the atrium, flanked by display windows showcasing a wide variety of products, as well as service counters and meeting areas.

Lanchi and Hyperion had just walked out of the stairwell.

Their attention was immediately drawn to the front.

This floor, which seemed to have very few people, had only one very conspicuous area—

A meeting area furnished with comfortable and spacious sofas, where a young man with light blond hair was sitting. He was dressed plainly, but surrounded by several senior executives of the Card Maker Association, like stars orbiting the moon.

The young man's restrained yet composed demeanor made him even more eye-catching.

Sitting next to the young man was a girl wearing a silver-level card maker's ornament, her dark hair shimmering with violet-like luster in the sunlight.

Although she hadn't dressed extravagantly to be by the young man's side, the noble air that flowed naturally from her was impossible to conceal. She must be a noble lady who had taken great care in her appearance.

It was rare to see someone treated as such a distinguished guest by the Card Maker Association.

They must have an exceptionally noble status.

Before Lanchi could express his thoughts, Hyperion seemed to have recognized the young man's identity at first sight.

Her face instantly turned unpleasant, and she grabbed Lanchi's sleeve, preparing to turn around and leave immediately.

But.

Because Lanchi and Hyperion themselves were also quite conspicuous, it just so happened that they attracted the keen gaze of the light blond-haired young man.

"Hyperion? And, classmate Lanchi?"

The seemingly low-key yet extraordinary young man looked at Hyperion and Lanchi at the stairwell with a hint of surprise.

Then, he smiled, stood up quickly, and strode toward them.

"Sigh... there's no escaping..."

Hyperion muttered softly, secretly sighing.

"He's a good person, but also a troublesome one..."

When Hyperion looked directly at the light blond-haired young man who had already walked over, a clumsy smile appeared on her face:

"Your Highness Einol, good morning."

"Your Highness, good morning."

Lanchi, noticing Hyperion's subtle attitude, also greeted the young man along with Hyperion.

Hearing Hyperion's words, Lanchi instantly realized that this young man was Princess Vivian's brother.

Also the slightly troublesome older brother that Vivian had mentioned.

However, this was the first time Lanchi had seen Hyperion so unwilling to meet someone.

"I didn't expect to run into you two at the Card Maker Association."

Einol looked at the two people in front of him with a hearty smile, seeming to have completely forgotten about the dark purple-haired girl waiting for him in the distance.

Lanchi didn't say anything, but he was a little puzzled.

This prince didn't seem like the type to lack tact, so what was the problem?

"I'm accompanying a friend to the Card Maker Association to take a look."

Hyperion mumbled, lowering her head, seemingly not daring to meet the prince's eyes.

"Is that so? Let me show you around. I'm as familiar with this place as the senior executives!"

Einol said sincerely and enthusiastically.

He was clearly someone who would show genuine kindness to Hyperion.

This made Lanchi even more confused as to why Hyperion seemed so awkward.

However.

Lanchi gradually felt an intense gaze that couldn't be ignored.

It seemed to be staring straight at them.

He quickly looked in the direction of the gaze and soon noticed that, at the same time, the girl who had been ignored by Einol on the sofa seemed to be staring at Hyperion, an aura of strict defense almost wafting through the air.

Even in Lanchi's opinion, Einol's attitude toward Hyperion was probably just like that of an older brother toward a younger sister, but in the eyes of the dark purple-haired girl, who valued Einol but was never treated with such kindness by him, Hyperion seemed like a great threat, both jealous and wary.

After quietly observing for a while, Lanchi finally understood a little.

Hyperion didn't seem to be afraid of the cheerful prince, but rather didn't want the strictly defensive dark purple-haired girl to misunderstand.

The two of them seemed to know each other originally, and their relationship wasn't shallow either.

Hyperion looked at Lanchi with tearful eyes.

She believed that Lanchi should already understand.

Clearly, Prince Einol was only very close to her father, Duke Mi Gaia, which led him to treat her like his own younger sister Vivian, being as kind to Hyperion as he was to his own sister every time he saw her.

But in the eyes of that purple-haired girl who valued Einol but was never treated so kindly by him, Hyperion seemed to be a great threat.

Faced with Prince Einol's request to entertain the two of them.

At the same time, with this super-straightforward prince casually leaving the purple-haired noble girl behind.

Hyperion didn't dare to accept this invitation at all!

Lanchi saw Hyperion's pitiful expression and understood.

He decided to help his good friend Hyperion.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness Einol."

Lanchi looked at Einol seriously, neither agreeing nor refusing Einol's kindness, but first thanking him.

As long as he could attract the prince's attention to himself, the purple-haired noble girl would no longer misunderstand Hyperion, and Hyperion would naturally be spared this pressure.

Sure enough.

As soon as Lanchi spoke, a bright light flashed in Einol's eyes.

"Classmate Lanchi, I've always wanted to ask you about some questions regarding art, but I heard that you've been busy recently, so I didn't want to bother you."

Although this was the first time Einol had spoken to Lanchi, his sincere feelings were like a high mountain stream meeting a kindred spirit, as if he had thousands of words he wanted to talk to Lanchi about.

"I've long admired Your Highness Einol. I've also heard Princess Vivian mention you."

Lanchi smiled rather helplessly and said.

He naturally wouldn't reject a prince as approachable as this who was willing to befriend him.

Compared to his sister Vivian, he didn't feel even a trace of arrogance.

"Really? What did Vivian say about me?"

Einol was immediately piqued by Lanchi's words.

"She thinks you're very kind and a reliable older brother worthy of respect."

Lanchi replied with his usual high-EQ words.

Although Vivian's original words weren't exactly like this, Lanchi felt that the meaning was roughly the same.

What's more, in order to help Hyperion, he had to attract the prince's attention.

"Is that so?"

Einol's face lit up with joy upon hearing this.

Because the behind-the-scenes evaluation heard from a third person was usually the truth.

"It seems so, after all, she's always praising you."

While Lanchi was saying words that made Einol even happier, he noticed that Hyperion had finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She was indeed because of the purple-haired girl.

Their relationship must not be bad. On the contrary, Hyperion should have been taken care of by the purple-haired girl, which was why she cared so much about her.

"What else did Vivian say?"

Einol even put his arm around Lanchi's shoulder and inquired directly.

Then, he started chatting with Lanchi as if they had known each other for a long time, as if he had admired Lanchi for a long time, and now that they were chatting so congenially, he couldn't stop once the conversation started.

However.

For some reason.

After chatting for a few more sentences.

Lanchi felt that the sour gaze not only hadn't weakened, but had become even stronger!

At this moment, Lanchi suddenly realized that when he had attracted Einol's attention, the purple-haired girl had indeed stopped staring at Hyperion.

But what he hadn't expected was.

Prince Einol and he had instantly become sworn brothers. This short, less-than-a-minute increase in favorability seemed to have surpassed the purple-haired girl's years of effort.

It seemed that her jealousy had been drawn to him!

"..."

Lanchi pondered slightly for a while, and it seemed that he had an idea in his mind, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve into a faint arc.

Hyperion, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly realized that something was wrong again!

She looked at the direction of the purple-haired girl pleadingly.

Stop looking at Lanchi, really stop looking...

This great young man had always been particular about fulfilling others' happiness and couldn't bear to see others in trouble.

If you keep staring at him, he's going to do good deeds again!

Three updates today, there's another big chapter later

(End of this chapter)