Family heirloom, then turned into a demon girl

Chapter 252 Mission: 03-5 Loneliness
"The students in your school are really talented." Lu Mingfei's uncle praised them highly, as if he himself was proud that Lu Mingfei could enter Kassel.

Nero responded to his uncle's compliment with a polite smile, while Guderian directly turned the topic back to Lu Mingfei: "My dear nephew, you are also a handsome man! It just so happens that I called you two here today because I have something to say, and it is about this matter..."

Lu Mingfei? A handsome man? Nero suppressed a smile and looked at the stern-faced Lu Mingfei, only to see that he had already started eating as if it had nothing to do with him.

Nero had been summoned here by Ye Sheng. Just as Lu Mingfei had guessed, she was supposed to submit her report today, and Professor Guderian's sudden invitation to treat everyone to a meal was something Ye Sheng hadn't anticipated. He and Aki Sakutoku had to rush off to support the "Kuimen Project" after the interview. Besides suddenly moving up the deadline and causing everyone trouble, the only option left was to have the professor include Nero.

Nero was surprised to learn she had to attend the "Welcome Lu Mingfei to Kassel Academy" banquet. Luckily, she had no role in the banquet; she just needed to show up and avoid bringing shame to the academy. Before arriving, she thought carefully and ultimately opted to use her magic to conjure a dress. While it might be a bit too formal, it was a surefire way to go.

As Nero followed the etiquette and began to eat, Guderian discussed Lu Mingfei's tuition. He explained that his uncle and aunt wouldn't have to contribute a penny, as Lu Mingfei's tuition would be fully covered by his scholarship. The conversation then quickly shifted to Lu Mingfei's parents, whom he hadn't seen in six years, and a letter that was delivered to him by both the principal and Guderian.

Nero, listening in on all this, was somewhat bored, but Lu Mingfei, the center of attention, was genuinely moved to tears by the letter. The atmosphere at the table reached a crescendo when Guderian himself relayed the words, "Mom and Dad love you," from the letter. Having established a connection through Lu Mingfei's parents' status as "honorary alumni," the table became as joyful as if it were a family dinner.

Guderian, laughing heartily, explained that the principal and Lu Mingfei's parents were old friends. He had instructed them to convey this personally. Ye Sheng and Shude Aki smiled wryly, saying that the professor's pronunciation wasn't quite perfect yet and hoped Lu Mingfei would forgive them. The uncle and aunt laughed cheerfully, teasing Lu Mingfei's parents about their romantic life together.

Only two people didn't laugh.

"Excuse me, everyone. Please excuse me for a moment."

Seeing Nero hurriedly leave the table with her head lowered and her dress in hand, Lu Mingfei was stunned. He had originally planned to go to the bathroom for a while. He knew it was not inappropriate for him to cry alone when the atmosphere was so good. But he did not expect Nero to take the first step.

This made him a little overwhelmed for a moment.

What's up with her?
Just as Lu Mingfei was thinking this, Ye Sheng suddenly gasped and covered his forehead with his hands.

Guderian didn't notice him, but Aki Sakutoku wouldn't ignore her partner's anomaly. She leaned over and whispered, "What's wrong?"

"I suddenly remembered something."

Ye Sheng had a bitter face, completely unable to smile. "Because it's related to the mission, I looked into Nero's files... It says that she was adopted from an orphanage - and her adoptive parents are already deceased."

The two men discussed quietly, clearly trying not to spoil the atmosphere. Yet, somehow, Lu Mingfei still managed to clearly hear most of the key words. Adoption, parents, death… His heart tightened, and he rose to his feet, only to be met with surprised glances from the others. The momentum that had surged in his heart vanished in an instant.

"I...I'm going to the bathroom."

Lu Mingfei nodded awkwardly and left in the same direction as Nero.

"What an idiot I am!" Lu Mingfei cursed himself softly, his back to the banquet table. The feeling of gratitude he had felt for receiving the letter and knowing his parents still cared about him was now squeezed into the deepest corner of his heart by a strong sense of guilt.

"Actually, this has nothing to do with you." A voice sounded in Lu Mingfei's ears, "You don't know anything about her parents, and you weren't even the one who mentioned it. Even if she was hurt, it wasn't your fault."

But the voice didn't make Lu Mingfei feel any better. Even if it was an unintentional mistake, it was indeed Lu Mingfei's fault that hurt the other person. He himself was so moved that he almost cried when he received a letter from his parents whom he hadn't seen in six years. So you can imagine how painful it would be for someone who had lost their parents to face this scene.

Lu Mingfei knew a similar feeling. Every time he saw other students being picked up by their parents, he felt a suffocating sense of melancholy. Every time they left the school after school, the number of people walking with them dwindled, until Lu Mingfei was always the only one left. He'd become numb to it, but he still remembered the faint bitterness and sadness that had settled in his mouth.

And he just couldn't see his parents - if he couldn't even imagine his parents wandering around the world during those countless nights, if he didn't even dare to hope that someone would suddenly appear when the school bell rang countless times, if what he suddenly saw today was a letter from six years ago - Lu Mingfei couldn't imagine that feeling, but he bet he wouldn't even have the chance to go to the bathroom.

In that situation, I felt that I would immediately lose my voice at the table and cry until I couldn't move anymore.

So... could it be the same for Nero? Was she silently shedding tears until she no longer had the strength to stand up?
"So what?"

The inappropriate voice rang out again, interrupting Lu Mingfei's thoughts. Lu Mingfei turned his head with a hint of anger and saw a boy in black sitting at an empty long table, raising his goblet towards him.

It was the boy who had appeared in Lu Mingfei's "vision" before. He appeared again.

Lu Mingfei turned around in surprise and looked behind him. His uncle, aunt, and professor had all vanished. In the vast room, apart from the blurry waiter standing in the corner, only he and the boy were left.

"Am I experiencing clairvoyance again?" Lu Mingfei asked subconsciously. He then shuddered. According to what Nero had said to him, hybrids often experienced clairvoyance after hearing dragon language.
Does that mean that someone is releasing his or her own spiritual words nearby right now?
Suddenly, Lu Mingfei fell into great fear.

(End of this chapter)