The Lord Demon King is Unfathomable!

Chapter 1302 383: Danger Always Approaches in Harmless Forms

Ever since the last unhappy encounter with Kurs, Ilana had gotten used to being alone in the dining hall.

Due to her aloof and distant demeanor, and some quiet gossip among the apprentices about her and Prince Colin, few people dared to approach her now.

Finn had kindly warned her once, saying that someone was deliberately spreading these rumors, but Ilana didn't care.

Since Prince Colin didn't care, why should she?

Moreover, being respectfully kept at a distance wasn't so bad for her; she quite enjoyed this simple and routine lifestyle.

Attending classes, going to the laboratory, then plunging into the vast world of academia.

She found that compared to handling complex and confusing interpersonal relationships, elegant and rigorous mathematical formulas were much more interesting.

Especially after witnessing Kurs's "change of face."

One morning, as usual, Ilana sat alone in a corner of the dining hall, carefully cutting her bread into small pieces with a butter knife while pondering a math problem she couldn't figure out the night before.

Just then, a figure suddenly sat across from her, slightly broad shoulders casting a shadow over the light from the Magic Crystal Lamp.

Ilana was somewhat surprised and looked up to see an unfamiliar face with a hint of baby fat.

She was wearing a blue apprentice robe symbolizing her status as a Mage, her hair was chestnut, and her smile was honest and sweet, like a sunflower blossoming in the fields.

"Are you Ilana?"

"Yes..." Ilana nodded cautiously, stopping her knife, and hesitantly asked, "Is there something you need?"

"I'm Anjie! Sorry to disturb you. I'm recently learning Calculus and can't figure out some problems. May I seek your guidance?"

"Of course." Ilana's face showed surprise, looking at the modest Miss Anjie asking for advice.

A Mage seeking guidance from a Preparatory Student like herself was indeed a rare occurrence in the Academic State, where the hierarchy was clear.

Anjie seemed to notice her confusion, nodded sheepishly but offered no explanation.

She reached her pudgy little hand into her bag, quickly pulling out paper and a feather pen she had prepared and respectfully handed them across the table.

The paper had a math problem written on it, which didn't seem difficult.

Honestly, compared to the problems Prince Colin assigned to Miss Ophelia, the problem posed by Miss Anjie was simple, almost "basic" in nature.

Besides—

Didn't Prince Colin mention this in class?

Ilana, after a brief thought, quickly found the solution.

"Senior Anjie, look here," she picked up the feather pen and lightly circled a crucial part of the equation, patiently explaining, "The core of this problem is not solving for a fixed value, but understanding the concept of 'approaching infinity.' You can't use conventional substitution, but should first simplify the equation..."

Her voice was clear and steady, the thought process was concise, dissecting a seemingly complex limit problem into an orderly explanation in just a few words.

Anjie nodded repeatedly while listening, the confusion on her face gradually fading, replaced by a thrill of sudden comprehension.

When Ilana finished explaining, Anjie couldn't help but clasp her hands together, looking at Ilana with almost worshipful eyes, sincerely exclaiming.

"So that's how it is! I understand now, Junior Ilana, you're really... amazing! This problem puzzled me for several days, and hearing your explanation, I feel enlightened!"

"I'm not as amazing as you say..." Ilana awkwardly scratched her cheek, returning the paper and pen to Anjie.

"That's not true! To gain Prince Colin's favor, you must have something extraordinary. Whether it's your beauty or your knowledge."

Laughing, Anjie took back the feather pen, looked at Ilana, who seemed slightly troubled by the compliment, and continued eagerly.

"Junior Ilana, may I ask you questions in the future if I don't understand something?"

"Of course... If my immature knowledge can inspire you, it would be my honor." Ilana didn't know why this senior was so polite; she, who rarely used formal courtesy, couldn't help but respond in kind.

To be honest, she actually had a pretty good impression of this simple and polite senior, much preferring her straightforwardness over Kurs's ulterior motives.

At least, Ilana couldn't see what this senior could gain from her.

If it was to get into Prince Colin's laboratory by getting close to her, it would be a wasted effort, as she was just an apprentice.

The seed of friendship was planted.

In the following days, Anjie was always by her side, dragging Ilana with her to eat together and attend classes, making her look less of an outsider.

Not only that—

Anjie's questions started with the basics and grew deeper, with a sincere and humble attitude, making Ilana see the persistence of her lab mates in her.

Although Ilana occasionally felt confused by this sudden enthusiasm, she didn't think too much about it.

Besides, she actually enjoyed using her knowledge to solve others' problems.

The pure sense of achievement not only comforted her but also made her feel that the knowledge Prince Colin imparted to her was meaningful.