Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

Those eyebrows and eyes, the habitual furrowing of his brows when serious, the slightly harsh curve of his lips—it's clearly him! A chibi version of Inuyama He, at least thirty years younger, yet whose expression and temperament have been subtly captured to the fullest!

It wasn't just the face. As the drop of blood seemed to possess a consciousness, it traveled throughout the doll's body, and the doll's originally simple linen clothes began to change. The color deepened, becoming close to the dark blue kimono that Inuyama Kazuo often wore, and even faint family crest patterns appeared.

The doll's body shape has also been slightly adjusted to resemble Inuyama Kana's upright and vigorous figure, even in his old age.

The entire process lasted only a few seconds.

When the transformation stopped, what lay on Inuyama He's lap was no longer a rough, faceless doll, but a lifelike, chibi-style Inuyama He doll, dressed in a miniature kimono, seemingly embodying the spirit and energy of Inuyama He in his youth! The doll's eyes even had a subtle luster, as if looking at its original form.

Inuyama He was completely stunned. He stretched out his uninjured right hand and, with extreme care, pinched the exquisitely detailed little doll between two fingers, holding it up to his eyes to examine it closely. He felt the delicate, warm touch of the doll's fabric against his fingertips, along with a faint warmth that connected him to his blood.

This is not an illusion.

"What, what is this thing?" Inuyama He looked up at Angers, his expression a mixture of shock, confusion, and instinctive wariness towards the unknown.

As a hybrid and the head of a mafia family, he had seen many strange alchemical items or spell effects, but the principle and purpose of this little doll that could recognize its master and transform was completely beyond his comprehension.

Angers glanced at Inuyama He's bewildered expression, his lips twitching slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He stroked the short stubble on his chin, as if pondering how to define this little creature.

"Hmm," he hesitated for a moment, then said in an uncertain tone, "I suppose it's some kind of 'alchemy tool'."

"An alchemical tool?" Inuyama He repeated, his gaze returning to the chibi version of himself in his hand that seemed to be smiling at him, feeling even more uneasy. "What is its purpose?"

“A substitute doll,” Angers uttered succinctly. Seeing the sudden shock and question in Inuyama He’s eyes, he added a little more, “It can take the brunt of a fatal injury for you at a critical moment. Of course, I didn’t ask about the specifics of how severe the injury can be transferred, or whether there are any limits on the number of times or other restrictions. After all…”

He paused for a moment, then said, "This is a gift from someone. My students always like to tinker with strange but very practical things."

"Your student?" Inuyama He carefully placed the chibi version of himself in his palm, as if holding some fragile treasure, while also being filled with awe.

"Could the person capable of creating alchemical artifacts of this caliber be that Vice Principal Flamel?" He had heard of the mysterious Vice Principal of Kassel College, the alchemy master Nicholas Flamel, who was said to possess the secrets of the legendary Philosopher's Stone. If it were the work of that master, it would be understandable.

Chapter 602 The Troubled Lu Mingfei and Frillie (Part 1)

“Flamemer?” Angers scoffed and shook his head, his expression saying, “Don’t mention that old show-off.”

“Nominally, Frilian is Flamel’s student, under the Alchemy Principles Department. But,” he drawled, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of pride and annoyance, “I think that, in terms of practical alchemy and, well, certain, niche areas, her ingenious ideas and their ability to implement them, that girl Frilian is probably much better than that old geezer Flamel, who only knows how to drink, watch striptease, and brag.”

“Frilian?” Inuyama He caught the name. He had heard Angers talk about Caesar, Chu Zihang, and Lu Mingfei before, but this was the first time he had heard this name.

Moreover, from Angers' tone, he could clearly sense a difference. It wasn't the expectation for Caesar's proud works, nor the calm assessment of Chu Zihang's sharp weapons, nor the tolerant smile of mystery and surprise towards Lu Mingfei.

When Angers mentioned Frilian, his tone carried a more complex mix of emotions—almost the doting affection of an elder for their mischievous yet excessively intelligent junior? A headache? Pride? And a deep sense of worry?

“Yes, Frillian,” Ang nodded, getting into the conversation after hearing the name. He stopped leaning against the sofa and walked over to the side, casually taking a new martini from a tray held by one of Inuyama He’s goddaughters, gently swirling the ice in the glass.

“I didn’t talk much about her just now.” Angers took a sip of wine, his gaze drifting into the distance. Through Tamamo-no-Mae’s magnificent dome, he saw the ancient castle of Kassel College, and a laboratory inside the castle filled with strange materials and books. “Frilian is rather special.”

Special? A student who can be described as special by Hilbert Jean Angers must be no ordinary person. Inuyama He listened quietly, even suppressing his physical pain for the time being by his curiosity.

“She’s not the type to fight, at least not the type to engage in direct combat,” Angers began to ramble on, his tone less like evaluating a student and more like chatting with an old friend about his troublesome nephew or niece.

"Her bloodline rating is a bit controversial, but it's definitely not low. Her main interests lie in alchemy, magical machinery, ancient runes, and some other obscure knowledge that I can't quite categorize. This doll," Angers pointed to the one in Inuyama He's hand,

"She somehow managed to create it by combining bioactive alchemy, contract runes, and what she calls the 'resonance link principle.' The materials sound very ordinary: linen, specific plant fibers, her own hair, and some strange catalysts. But you've seen the results."

Inuyama He gripped the doll tightly in his palm. Did it require the maker's own hair? A resonant link? These concepts sounded both ancient and cutting-edge, even somewhat mystical.

“She does these things so casually,” Angers continued, his “headache-and-pride” expression becoming more pronounced. “Sometimes it’s to finish an assignment, sometimes it’s because she thinks it might be useful, and sometimes it’s purely, well, according to her, for fun.”

"She gave a variety of little trinkets to many professors and close classmates in the college. Some were for saving lives, some could warn of danger, and some could help with memory or learning. The executives liked her a lot because her things often saved lives in critical moments, even though no one understood the underlying principles."

Angers remembered something, and his lips twitched slightly: "For example, she gave Professor Schneider a 'lung vitality enhancement patch,' which was said to alleviate his breathing problems, but it was shaped like a glowing dark green starfish and had to be stuck to the chest. Schneider wore it for a few days and was almost mistaken for some kind of new alien attack by students who didn't know the truth."

Inuyama He imagined the scene and felt a little like laughing, but then felt it wasn't appropriate, so he could only try his best to keep a straight face.

“But none of that is the point,” Angers said, his tone shifting, a hint of worry rising in his voice, replacing his earlier teasing. “The point is her and Lu Mingfei.”

Inuyama He's spirits lifted. Lu Mingfei, the student described by Angers as "fantastic" and possessing a mysterious smile. What story lies between him and this enigmatic alchemist girl, Frilian?

Angers took another sip of wine, organizing his thoughts and considering how much to reveal.

"You know Lu Mingfei, he seems ordinary, sometimes even listless and lacking motivation, but he's pretty good at video games," Angers said, his tone unusually gentle as he spoke of Lu Mingfei.

"But he has something hidden in his heart, something very deep. Frillian, on the other hand, seems quiet and spends most of her time in the laboratory or library. She seems a bit oblivious to social interactions, or rather, not very concerned about them. It seems that she only has her research, those ancient symbols and mechanical structures in her eyes."

Angers paused for a moment, recalling the details.

“They were close from the start; they came to Kassel College together. Their relationship was even closer, maybe because of a mission, or maybe because they often sat next to each other in the library—who knows?” Angers shrugged.

"In short, that kid Lu Mingfei has clearly fallen for Frilian. He'll sneak into the lab to bring her food, although eight out of ten times Frilian is so engrossed in her experiments that she doesn't notice at all, and the snacks end up being eaten by that guy Fingel who rushes over after hearing the news. He'll remember the rare ancient books that Frilian mentioned, and then try every means to get her copies. When Frilian encounters a bottleneck in her experiments or blows herself up and gets covered in soot, Lu Mingfei is usually the first person to notice and rush to help."

Angers' tone gradually softened, carrying the observation and murmur of an old father: "And as for Frilian, she probably has a high level of affection for Lu Mingfei, although her way of expressing it is very 'Frilian'."

"For example?" Inuyama He couldn't help but ask. He found himself somewhat drawn into the story, temporarily forgetting the physical pain and the conflict of the evening.

“For example?” Angers thought for a moment, “She would give Lu Mingfei the first alchemical gadgets she had developed that hadn’t yet undergone safety testing. She called it ‘data collection,’ but according to Norma’s logs, she had already obtained the test data for those gadgets through other means.”

"She would give Lu Mingfei a spare key to her lab. You know, even many professors have to report to get into that place. She even, well, according to a guy from the Equipment Department who was drunk, Frilian once secretly modified Lu Mingfei's combat uniform issued by the academy, replacing part of the lining with alchemical materials to improve comfort and some physical cushioning, but the appearance was completely unchanged, and even the Equipment Department didn't notice it at first."

Inuyama He listened, somewhat stunned. This kind of subtle, silent concern really seemed like something a genius, immersed in their own world and not good at expressing their feelings directly, would do.

“But!” Angers raised his voice, his brow furrowing, his worry no longer concealed. “These two are making frustratingly slow progress! No, not slow, they're going in circles! Sometimes they're even regressing!”

Chapter 603 The Troubled Lu Mingfei and Frillie (Part 2)

"That kid Lu Mingfei, in other aspects, is surprisingly courageous when it matters. But when it comes to clearly expressing his feelings to Frilian, he becomes as cowardly as can be! He hesitates for ages just to ask her out for a meal, and he edits and deletes messages repeatedly, spending an hour on it and finally only sending a 'Are you there?'. When he finally musters the courage to say something, he always fails to express himself clearly or makes some inappropriate jokes that ruin things."

Angers tilted his head back and took a big gulp of wine, trying to suppress his helplessness with alcohol.

“Frilian is even more of a worry!” He put down his wine glass and pressed his temples with his fingers. “That girl doesn’t seem to have any concept of ‘romance’ or ‘intimate relationship’ in her brain, which is filled with alchemical formulas and ancient runes! She accepts Lu Mingfei’s kindness naturally and reciprocates, but she doesn’t realize at all that it goes beyond the scope of ordinary friendship. Sometimes when Lu Mingfei hints at something, she either doesn’t understand at all or draws conclusions that would petrify Lu Mingfei on the spot!”

"For example, once, Lu Mingfei blushed and asked her if she wanted to go to the town at the foot of the mountain together on the weekend. Frilian thought about it seriously for a moment and replied that she would say yes, that's what lovers do in TV dramas."

Inuyama He: "..." He opened his mouth, unsure how to comment. This girl is indeed special.

“And another time,” Angers continued, having found someone to confide in, “Lu Mingfei somehow got hold of two rare classical music concert tickets and wanted to invite Frilian to go. Frilian took the tickets, looked at them, and said very seriously, ‘Is the concert really that good?’ Lu Mingfei’s expression at that moment, tsk.” Angers shook his head, looking as if he couldn’t bear to recall it.

Inuyama He finally couldn't help but twitch his lips and said in a low voice, "This does require a little patience."

“It’s more than just patience!” Angers sighed. “Sometimes I even wonder if that girl Frilian has put an emotional filter on herself! And that kid Lu Mingfei too, he can be so, so unpredictable in other things, but he’s incredibly clumsy in this matter, and he’s prone to self-doubt, shrinking back as soon as he gets a setback.”

He paced a few steps beside the sofa with his hands behind his back, his silver hair shimmering slightly in the dim light.

"I looked at the two of them, one afraid to speak, the other unable to understand; one cautiously approaching, while the other continued on its own orbit without realizing it. Like two stars operating according to different formulas, their gravity had clearly influenced each other, and their orbits had begun to intersect, but they were always missing that one crucial parameter, unable to truly converge."

Angers' voice was filled with deep emotion, as well as the keen anxiety about the passage of time that is unique to the elderly.

He stopped, turned around, and faced Inuyama He, his light gray eyes appearing exceptionally deep at that moment.

"Ahe, what do you say?" Angers' tone softened, as if he were asking Inuyama He, or perhaps himself, "Will I live to see these two worrisome little ones truly come together?"

This question was asked so personally, so unlike the always-controlling, calm, and decisive Hilbert Jean Angers. It stripped away the shells of the headmaster, dragon slayer, and avenger, revealing an ordinary old man's concern and worry for the happiness of his younger generation.

Inuyama He was stunned. He had never imagined that he would have such a conversation with Angers under such circumstances. Just minutes ago, they were fighting to the death, swords drawn, revealing each other's most bloody pasts and scars. And now, this man was talking to him about the innocent romances of his students, revealing an almost ordinary sorrow.

In her palm, the chibi version of herself seemed to still carry a faint warmth. It was a "scapegoat doll" made by Frilian, a precious alchemical artifact capable of transferring fatal injuries. And the girl who made it was trapped in an emotional maze that even the headmaster was struggling to navigate.

Fate and emotion, war and daily life, ruthless calculation and warm care—these seemingly disparate elements are intertwined in Angers on this night.

Inuyama He remained silent for a long time. He recalled his youthful love, those feelings that withered away in the chaos of war and family infighting, ending before they even had a chance to begin. Those regrets were buried by power, responsibility, and hatred, and he almost never thought of them again.

“Principal,” he finally spoke, his voice still hoarse, but less hostile and more complex, “relationships are like alchemy; perhaps they require a specific ‘catalyst’ and just the right ‘reaction conditions.’ Some people are destined to take longer to ‘become’.”

He paused, then added, his tone softening without him even realizing it: "You gave Lu Mingfei a smile and trust, and you gave Frilian the freedom to explore. Perhaps the rest really can only be left to time and themselves. After all,"

He glanced at the doll in his hand. "The girl who can make such an item, her inner world and emotions are probably not something that ordinary people can easily guess or interfere with."

Angers listened quietly without responding immediately. He tilted his head back and downed the rest of his martini in one gulp, the icy liquid sliding down his throat.

“Yes, catalyst, reaction conditions,” he repeated softly, casually placing the empty glass on the coffee table beside him with a crisp sound. “Perhaps you’re right, A-He. Some reactions can’t be rushed.”

He adjusted the suit jacket draped over his back, preparing to leave. But after taking two steps, he stopped, turned back to look at Inuyama He and the chibi-style doll in his hand.

"Here's your doll, keep it safe," Angers' voice returned to its usual calm and clear tone. "Consider it a belated graduation gift from your teacher to a slow learner. Although you've caused me more worry than all those other kids, like Lu Mingfei, combined."

Having said that, Angers didn't linger. He turned and walked with steady, composed steps across the messy dance floor towards Tamamo-no-Mae's heavy door. The red silk fragments rustled softly beneath his feet. In the hazy afterglow, his figure appeared both tall and imbued with the weariness and tenderness of the night.

Inside the Tamamo-no-Mae, all was quiet once more.

Inuyama He sat alone in the luxurious high-backed sofa, his palm tightly clutching the chibi version of himself that seemed to possess a life of its own, motionless for a long time. The pain on his swollen face was still vivid, and the turmoil in his heart had not yet completely subsided, but something heavy and cold had merged into the doll along with that drop of blood.

Goodbye, teacher.

Chapter 604 Ah He, You Idiot (Part 1)

Angers glanced one last time at Inuyama He, who was slumped on the sofa, idly stroking the chibi-style doll, and said nothing more.

He straightened the suit jacket draped over his arm, gently brushed aside a piece of red silk that was in the way of his feet with the tip of his shoe, then picked up the slightly worn handmade leather suitcase that had always been placed nearby, turned around, and walked toward the heavy door of the Tamamo-no-Mae Club, which was carved with intricate patterns.

Angers walked with steady steps and an upright posture, as if the thrilling battle and the heart-wrenching conversation he had just had were merely a memorable night in his long life, one that he didn't need to dwell on. Outside the door, the quiet Tokyo night, perhaps with waiting cars and a new game of chess, awaited him.

Just as his right hand was about to touch the brass doorknob.

"Click".

The clanging of metal, almost drowned out by the sound of breathing, came abruptly from above, from a great height.

The sound was crisp and light, like the gentle turning of the gears inside a fine Swiss watch, or like the faint, charged sound of a rifle firing pin being pushed to its limit before it falls.

The sound was so faint that the remaining, still-shaken people in the dance floor, Miyamoto Shio, Ryoma Genichiro, Kotono and their goddaughters, as well as the waiters, did not immediately understand what it meant when they heard it.

They simply raised their heads unconsciously and blankly, their gazes following the source of the sound to the towering dome of Tamamo-no-Mae, adorned with intricate red ivory eaves and stained glass.

The murderous intent descended from the sky like a sudden, violent thunderstorm on a summer afternoon during that brief moment of blank space!

Not one, not ten, but hundreds and thousands of torrents of scorching steel, accompanied by deathly screams!

"Da da da da da da!!!!"

A deafening roar that tore through the air instantly drowned out all other sounds, followed by a barrage of violent, continuous bullets that seemed to unleash every last drop of metal and gunpowder.

Above the dance floor, on the back of the decorative wooden structure that imitates the "red tooth eaves" of ancient architecture, two menacing black weapons, twin-mounted large-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns, have been fixed in place at some unknown time and in some unknown way.

At this moment, four dark gun muzzles were spitting out blazing tongues of fire over a foot long! The gun barrels were thrashing wildly, and the scalding hot cartridge cases fell from the heights like a golden rainstorm, crashing onto the crystal floor and red silk with a clattering sound.

Bullets! 12.7mm or even larger caliber machine gun bullets! Muzzle velocities exceeding twice the speed of sound. They weren't firing aimlessly, but guided by sophisticated automatic fire control equipment, forming a dense, almost seamless crossfire network that viciously sliced ​​through the central area of ​​the dance floor from above.

The area covered by the barrage of comments was several tens of square meters, completely engulfing the spot where Angers was originally standing and a large area around him.

Each bullet carries enough kinetic energy to tear through light armor; they rip through the air with a piercing, ghostly shriek.

There was no escape! The calculations were so precise, the timing so ruthless, as if they had already predicted that Angers would turn and leave at this moment, in this place.