"...I dare not compare, how could I, unworthy as I am, be mentioned in the same breath with Prince Caesar Colin? You flatter me too much, Your Highness."

Luo Yan smiled modestly and composedly, pausing for a moment before continuing politely.

"It is Professor Adonia, however, whose immense reputation precedes you. I have long admired your fame."

"Oh? Am I really that famous?" Even though she knew it was just a formality, Professor Adonia's face still showed a genuinely joyous smile, her eyes curving like crescents in the sky.

"Of course! Your name appears in textbooks. I've heard it mentioned more than once in Magic History class. Everyone who speaks of you does so with endless praise...especially Principal Avin Krueger!"

Luo Yan spoke with conviction, then candidly explained his purpose for coming.

"...When I consulted the headmaster of Demon King Academy regarding the design issues of the Magic City Dome Crystal, he immediately recommended you to me. So, I brought his letter of introduction uninvited, hoping I haven't disturbed you."

As he spoke, he looked towards Vivian standing nearby.

Coming back to reality, she hurried to Professor Adonia's side and handed over the letter she had been holding.

Professor Adonia smiled at Vivian, nodding. She reached out to gently pat her on the head, then took the letter.

But instead of opening the envelope, she simply... swallowed it?

Luo Yan watched in astonishment as the letter merged into her palm and disappeared into her body.

Meeting that smiling gaze, he realized his staring might be impolite, so he quickly explained.

"I apologize, I've never seen... I was just curious."

"It's nothing, my kind are indeed rare in Demon City, so your curiosity is understandable." Adonia's face carried a knowing smile as she lightly skipped over the topic and continued, "Speaking of your principal, he and I also have an old acquaintance. Back when I wanted to build this Magic Workshop at the Demon King Academy, he disagreed, which led me to resign and came here."

Luo Yan said, smiling.

"I imagine Principal Avin is regretting it now. Not long after that, he built something similar at the Demon King Academy."

"Is that so?"

Professor Adonia chuckled noncommittally, her tone gentle as she continued.

"He is a Witch Demon who is wholeheartedly devoted to retaking the surface world. His dream is to create the darkest and most chilling graveyard on the sunny land above, so he strongly opposed certain aspects of my research... Frankly, it's quite a contradiction, isn't it? A thousand years have passed, yet he still won't admit that he adapts to Hell more than anyone else. This place is, after all, most suitable for the Undead. Whereas us, we do not entirely fit in here, though we have been trying to accept it over the years."

"Sometimes, a Witch Demon has no choice in their actions," Luo Yan tried to explain for Principal Avin, "Over the last thousand years, he has merged with too many foreign souls. Perhaps he can no longer discern his true self. But deep down, I think he understands you."

"Perhaps so. To be honest, our relationship isn't bad. We occasionally correspond by letter... just like now."

Professor Adonia smiled softly, walking across the soft earth and fallen leaves with Vivian to the tiled clearing.

"I've roughly understood your request from the letter. You want to build a garden like this in the Maze, right?"

"Bigger than this," Luo Yan said earnestly, "It's a whole forest, I haven't measured the exact area, but it's at least over a hundred square kilometers!"

"That's no small place, almost the size of Demon City," Professor Adonia said with surprise.

"Yes," Luo Yan nodded and continued, "The previous Demon King Regi Dragon sustained the Dome Crystal's illumination with the Power of Faith, but after calculating the costs, I found the Power of Faith to be somewhat unsustainable for keeping the Dome Crystal running."

He vaguely felt that Regi Dragon must be up to something significant, similar to Linte Isaac.

Otherwise, it would be hard to explain why he would go to such great lengths to create a forest in the Maze with the rise and fall of the sun.

Nevertheless, no matter how grandiose his plans, they couldn't mask the extreme imbalance in the Power of Faith's revenue and expenditures.

Luo Yan wanted to see if there might be another way to resolve the issue.

"Indeed," Adonia nodded, speaking softly, "The power of miracles is suited for miracles, not for covering daily expenses. Even Demon City couldn't sustain the operation of the Dome Crystal solely on the Power of Faith, unless Lord Demon God marshaled the entire Hell's strength... but that would be a loss too great."

"That's what I thought too."

Luo Yan nodded.

"So I wanted to ask if you have any alternative solutions? Like using geothermal energy, or tapping into the energy plants absorb from the sun."

"Energy from the sun?" A look of surprise, or perhaps admiration, flashed in Adonia's eyes, "You actually know about this? Impressive."

Luo Yan smiled sheepishly.

Was this knowledge considered incredible?

If he were on Earth, he might even think she was being sarcastic.

After pondering for a moment, Professor Adonia began to speak with a soft voice.

"I have long discovered that in our world, all energy in everything comes from the sun above us..."

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