Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

"Oh? What's your idea?" Lu Mingze asked, looking at her.

“Boss, look,” Su Enxi put down her potato chips and analyzed on her fingers, “Frilian is powerful, mysterious, and comes from another world. She has an aura of redemption and protection that makes it easy for a loser to become dependent on and trust her. So what do we do? We’ll do the opposite!”

“Let’s find a girl for my brother, hmm. A beautiful, innocent, strong girl who is extremely dependent on him and can evoke his protective instincts and masculinity! Let my brother experience what it feels like to be needed and admired! That way, wouldn’t Frilian’s kind of elder-like protection seem a bit bland?” Su Enxi smiled like a cat that had just stolen some cream. “That’s called using magic to defeat magic! Using beautiful girls to balance out beautiful girls!”

Lu Mingze stroked his chin, deep in thought. Beautiful, innocent, strong, dependent on her brother, evokes a protective instinct…

A figure flashed through his mind: a woman dressed as a shrine maiden, with eyes as pure as an infant's, possessing destructive power yet completely ignorant of the world.

“Eri,” Lu Mingze said softly. “Yes, she does seem very suitable.”

“She’s the one. Let’s make the arrangements. It’s time for ‘Little Monster’ to meet her ‘Sakura’.”

Chapter 207 Two Educators

Deep within Kassel College, beneath the clock tower, in a dark attic perpetually filled with the smells of alcohol, engine oil, and chemicals, the pointer of an old gramophone glides across a vinyl record, playing hoarse, nostalgic folk melodies that seem to drift from a forgotten century.

Angers sat elegantly at a table piled high with various alchemical parts and empty bottles, as if he were in the finest salon in Paris, not this chaotic shanty. In his hand was a glass of whisky from the vice-principal Flamel's collection, so strong it could be used as engine fuel, but Angers still sipped it slowly without changing his expression.

Yeah, after drinking it, my body will feel warm. I'll go to the Arctic and find a place to swim a few laps.

Flamel was sprawled out in a greasy armchair across from him, one foot propped up on the table, dangling in his flip-flops, holding an enamel mug with an anime girl printed on it, filled with goji berry and red date tea.

I don't know where the vice principal learned these bad habits from.

“So,” Flamel took a sip of his goji berry tea, squinting his eyes with his usual languid and teasing tone, “the duck that was already in your grasp flapped its wings and exploded right before your eyes, leaving not a single feather behind. How does that feel, our dragon-slaying hero, Mr. Hilbert Jean Angers?”

He was referring to the incident in BJ Nibelungenli, where Fenrir, the king of the earth and mountains, allegedly self-destructed.

Angers smiled slightly, swirling the amber liquid in his glass, his eyes appearing somewhat profound in the dim light: "Ducks? Flamel, we've never been tracking poultry." He took a small sip of his drink. "As for the feeling, it's like listening to a stirring symphony, and at the climax, the conductor's baton suddenly breaks. A bit of a disappointment, but it doesn't really matter."

"Doesn't matter?" Flamel raised an eyebrow. "Those old guys on the board of directors, especially those who are hoping to prolong their lives with the Dragon Bone Cross, must be furious, right? Especially the Gattuso family, they've been coveting the power of 'Power' for a long time."

“The Board of Trustees?” Angers’s lips curled into a faint sneer. “Of course they’ll get angry, they’ll roar, they’ll cut the budget, they’ll write strongly worded letters of inquiry. But so what?” He paused, his tone becoming somewhat playful. “And who told you the ‘duck’ really flew away completely?”

Flamel paused, his dangling flip-flops gleaming, a sharp glint in his cloudy eyes: "Oh? There's more to this than meets the eye? Could it be..."

Angers didn't answer directly, but said meaningfully, "Beneath the ruins of BJ, there will always be something left. Something that will bring some comfort to certain people. In the Board of Trustees, there will always be someone who gets the part of the dragon they want, won't there? After all, all we need is the result; who gets it and how it's obtained is not important."

Flamel paused for a moment, then suddenly realized, letting out a strange, snickering laugh. He slapped his thigh so hard he almost spilled his goji berry tea: "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! You old schemer, you really are! So you had a backup plan all along? A feint while secretly making a move? Having the school board send people to sneak around collecting scraps? Brilliant!"

Angers smiled noncommittally and changed the subject: "Speaking of which, the Gattuso family's reaction this time was somewhat unexpected."

"You mean Caesar was seriously injured?" Flamel scratched his messy hair. "That old show-off Pompeii, didn't he actually jump up and point his finger at you and yell at you for not protecting him properly? That's really not like him. That old guy usually treats his son like a precious treasure."

“Pompeii just made a phone call, his tone as casual as if his son had accidentally tripped and fallen,” Angers said, a thoughtful glint in his eyes. “He merely confirmed that Caesar was not in mortal danger and showed great interest in ‘forces suspected of being connected to Odin,’ but made no mention of the dragon bones. Isn’t that interesting?”

“Indeed interesting,” Flamel said, stroking his chin. “It seems the Gattuso family knows something about Odin that we don’t? Or perhaps they have ulterior motives?”

The two were silent for a moment, while the folk songs from the gramophone sang of bygone days.

Angers put down his wine glass, elegantly took a folded piece of paper from his suit pocket, and gently unfolded it on the table. It was Lu Mingfei's recent exam report card.

Flamel leaned closer and squinted at him: "Tsk, 'Dragon Family Genealogy' B-, 'Introduction to Alchemy' B+, 'Advanced Martial Arts' B, and even 'Magic Mechanical Design' got an A-? Is this really Lu Mingfei from high school, the one who failed every subject and needed your special approval to get in? Angers, did you leak the questions to him?"

Angers looked at the report card, his face showing an indescribable expression that mixed feelings of relief, doubt, and the joy of having a child late in life.

Frillie and Zero are really good; they've helped Lu Mingfei improve from an average student in his first year to an upper-middle level now.

“No leaked questions.” He gently pointed to the name on the report card that had become much more pleasing to the eye. “Lu Mingfei’s transformation started, well, let me think, probably after that Miss Frillian who claimed to be his cousin appeared. Although his theoretical knowledge is still weak and he often makes a fool of himself in practical classes, at least his level has improved a lot, and he has even reached an above-average level in a few courses.”

“Oh? Little Frillie has this ability? Tutoring part-time? I thought she was more introverted and shy,” Flamel said, intrigued. “Could it be some kind of brain-developing ‘magic’?”

“I don’t know,” Angers shook his head, his gaze deep. “But I can sense that something is changing in Lu Mingfei. Although he still looks the same, well, very ordinary, there’s something different in his eyes. Perhaps, he has someone he wants to protect? Or, is he being driven by a sense of responsibility?”

After this mission ended, Lu Mingfei seemed to have some secret on his mind. He decided to ask him about it sometime.

He put away his report card, picked up his wine glass, and looked out the window again, though all he could see was the cold stone wall of the clock tower.

“The times are accelerating, Flamel,” Angers’ voice became deep and penetrating. “The ancient kings are no longer content to sleep, the families of the Secret Society are eager to become the new dragons, and even Lu Mingfei, the model student in our eyes, is starting to quietly become talented. It’s getting more and more interesting.”

Flamel also dropped his nonchalant expression, finished the last bit of goji berry tea in his cup, and smacked his lips.

"Yes, a storm is coming. I just hope that our wrecked ship won't be sunk by our own people before we even see the final enemy."

The phonograph record had reached its end, emitting a hissing sound as it spun aimlessly.

Chapter 208 Film and Television Base

After BJ's mission concluded, everyone was exhausted and still felt a lingering tension. When the executive division's plane landed at Kassel College Airport, Principal Angers personally greeted them, inquired about their well-being, and announced that all personnel involved in the operation would be granted a seven-day holiday.

“Mingfei, you did a great job this time. Your parents will be very proud of you. Have you been keeping up with your studies lately?” Angers took out a cigar and lit it with a swish.

"No, no, it's all thanks to your guidance, Principal. By the way, did Fingel return early? I didn't see him at the subway exit earlier," Lu Mingfei said, bowing and scraping, clearly understanding the Chairman's ways.

"Haha, what are you saying? Mingfei, you should keep up the good work. There are already several Dragon Kings here: the King of Bronze and Fire, the King of Earth and Mountains. Maybe your generation can end the history of the Dragon Clan. As for Fingel, he has already returned. He couldn't participate in your dragon-slaying, but he brought the others with him."

"Principal, you flatter me." Lu Mingfei just wanted to find a place to lie down right now; he was too tired.

“Get some rest, you deserve it,” Angers said with a smile.

Caesar's injuries required further treatment, and the Gattuso family's private medical team was already waiting in Italy. Without a word, Nono started packing her bags, "I have nowhere else to go anyway, so I'll just treat this as a vacation in Italy."

Lu Mingfei stood on the platform, watching Nuonuo carefully adjust Caesar's wheelchair to avoid direct sunlight on his eyes. Although Caesar was pale, he still maintained his aristocratic demeanor, directing Nuonuo to arrange his suitcases according to their light and dark colors.

“Mr. Gattuso, you are a patient now, can you make fewer demands?” Nono complained, but still did as she was told.

“That’s precisely why I have so many demands,” Caesar said, slightly raising his chin, sunlight streaming through his long golden hair. “Or are you saying, Nono, that you’re disgusted with me?”

"Ha, glib tongue."

They are truly a perfect couple; it makes one's heart ache with envy.

Lu Mingfei touched his nose and thought that even though Caesar had been shot three times, lost too much blood, and still needed to use a wheelchair, he was still a hundred times more stylish than himself.

“Let’s go, Lu Mingfei,” Frilian gently tugged at his sleeve. “Our train departs in half an hour.”

Lu Mingfei and Frillian were arranged to visit the Wuxi Film and Television Base. The executive department's reason was "to relax and reconnect with daily life," but Lu Mingfei suspected it was simply because they didn't know how to arrange a vacation between a mature, good student and an ordinary college student.

"Okay, I'll use the 'Shameless Map' to find the route."

After boarding the bus, they sat facing each other. Frillie took a colorful flyer out of her backpack and laid it flat on the small table.

"A three-day tour of the film and television city, including Water Margin City, Three Kingdoms City, and Tang Dynasty City," Lu Mingfei read the text aloud, then looked up at Frilline, "Why did you choose this place?"

None of the Lu family members have yet entered the film and television industry. Could Lu Mingfei be the first?

"I heard that they're currently filming a large-scale TV series called 'New Romance of the Three Kingdoms,' and the brochure says that tourists will have the opportunity to see the filming process," Frillie said, pointing to a line of small print at the bottom of the brochure.

An unnamed middle-aged woman passing by casually handed her a flyer for the new Romance of the Three Kingdoms. She was quite curious about what was new about it, as she had never read the original Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Lu Mingfei picked up the flyer and examined it closely. It depicted replicas of ancient buildings and actors in theatrical costumes, with flags waving and warhorses galloping, creating a magnificent scene of an ancient battlefield.

“A TV series,” Lu Mingfei muttered to himself, “is a way of telling stories through images. You film the story, then broadcast it on TV, and everyone can see it.”

Frillie blinked her clear eyes. "Like a play, but one that can be recorded?"

“Yes, like, well, a drama that can be watched repeatedly,” Lu Mingfei tried to explain. “There are many kinds, such as romance films, action films, and science fiction films. Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a historical drama, which tells the story of a period in ancient China called the Three Kingdoms period.”

Frillie seemed thoughtful. "In my world, bards also sing of historical legends. But recording them on video is amazing. Can everyone see the same story?"

"Basically yes, but everyone's understanding may be different." Lu Mingfei recalled that when he watched Star Wars, he always felt like he was the hero wielding a lightsaber, although in reality he was more like the panicked robot.

“So, what is this story about?” Frillian asked.

Lu Mingfei perked up. He might not be an expert on history, but the Three Kingdoms? That was the setting for a game he'd played countless times!

"At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the world was in chaos, and heroes rose up everywhere..." Lu Mingfei began to recount, from the Oath of the Peach Garden to Liu Bei's three visits to Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage, from the Battle of Red Cliffs to the Three Kingdoms period. He was surprised to find that he actually remembered so many details, probably the result of playing too many games.

Glory, you've done a lot of harm.

Frillie listened intently. When Lu Mingfei recounted Guan Yu's journey through five passes and slaying six generals, she let out a soft "Ah." When he spoke of Zhuge Liang's borrowing arrows with straw boats, a glint of admiration flashed in her eyes. When he spoke of Zhou Yu's untimely death, she sighed with regret.

“These people are all very heroic,” Frilian said softly. “They have glory, regret, victory, and defeat. Their lives have not been in vain.”

Lu Mingfei suddenly realized that for immortal elves like Frilian, human life was as fleeting as a flash in the pan, and the stories of these historical figures might be a way for humans to pursue immortality within their limited lifespan.

The train rumbled forward, the scenery outside the window changing rapidly. Inside the carriage, a boy and an elf continued their discussion of a story from eighteen hundred years ago. Lu Mingfei found himself conversing with someone more fluently than ever before, while Frilian developed a keen interest in the way humans recorded stories through images.

“So we can see how they recreate these stories, right?” Frillian asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Lu Mingfei nodded, "It should be possible, if we're lucky enough to be able to film."

Hopefully, the production team can give him and Frillie a chance to play minor roles, out of respect for Kassel College. I'll ask the production team about it later.

Frillie smiled slightly. "That's good."

Chu Zihang stood in front of his own door, hesitating for a rare moment before taking out his keys. He had already prepared for all sorts of unusual situations—his "father" might have bought some strange antiques and filled the living room with them, or his mother might have suddenly decided to rearrange the entire house.

But when the door opened, everything seemed normal.

"Zihang!" Mom poked her head out from the kitchen, wearing an apron with a strawberry pattern. "You're back just in time. Come and taste the soup to check if it's salty enough."

Chu Zihang put down his luggage and walked into the kitchen. Several semi-finished dishes were laid out on the counter, and the casserole on the stove was steaming, emitting the aroma of mushroom and chicken soup. Everything was so ordinary that it was almost unbelievable, as if he hadn't just returned from a life-or-death mission, but had just come home from school.

"Is school busy? Are you eating on time? You look thinner." His mother asked a barrage of questions while chopping vegetables, but before he could answer, she changed the subject, "By the way, do you remember your Aunt Wang? Her daughter graduated from university this year, and she's very beautiful. I've seen her picture."

Chu Zihang stood quietly to the side, occasionally humming in agreement to show he was listening. He knew his mother didn't really need his answer; she just enjoyed talking on and on.

Chapter 209 The New Romance of the Three Kingdoms

The chicken soup was ready. Mom scooped up a spoonful, carefully blew on it to cool it, and held it to his lips. "Try it. Is it salty enough?"

Chu Zihang took a bite and said, "The taste is just right, not too salty or too bland."

Mom nodded in satisfaction and continued working. Watching her skillfully stir-fry the vegetables in the pan, Chu Zihang suddenly asked, "Where's Dad?"

"Where else could he be? In his study, fiddling with his junk." Mom said without turning her head. "Last week, he somehow got hold of an incense burner that's supposedly from the Ming Dynasty. He insists it's genuine, but I think it's just a cheap knock-off."

Chu Zihang walked towards the study. The door wasn't closed properly, and he saw his father staring blankly at a bronze incense burner, holding a magnifying glass in his hand, his brows furrowed.

"You're back?" The father asked without looking up. "Take a look at this. I think the pattern is wrong. It's too deliberate, like a fake."

Chu Zihang walked over, took the magnifying glass, and examined it carefully. He knew very little about antiques, but he could see the disappointment in his father's eyes.

Fingel knows a lot about this; I'll ask him when I have time. Chu Zihang could only tell that this thing didn't look real.

"It's probably a high-quality fake," Chu Zihang said.

The father sighed, "The technology for forgery is getting more and more advanced these days." He then looked up and carefully examined his son. "How's school?"

"It's alright," Chu Zihang said. Their conversations were always brief like this, but they both understood the concern behind them.