"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

Smoke rose from Rowena's head for a moment as she closed her eyes in deep thought for a long time, but ultimately refused to believe the astonishing fact spoken by Ethan. This not only stemmed from her resentment of being single for hundreds of years, but more importantly, she found it hard to imagine her close friend falling deeply in love—could the first seat of the Holy City really nestle in someone else's arms like a little woman?

Absolutely not!

"Actually, I've always had a question, I wonder if it's appropriate to ask?"

Magician Rowena was Ethan's friend, so naturally he couldn't bring up some harsh questions directly. However, since it was his first meeting with Rowena of the Holy City, he didn't feel any psychological burden.

"Why don't you give it a try?"

"A try? A try at what?"

"A try at love."

From an objective standpoint, Rowena's abilities and image were top-notch. If she showed any intention in that regard, the grand nobles of the Imperial Capital would probably surround her manor completely, yet it proved that Rowena had no interest in it. She found pleasure in disrupting others' dates and equally resented each couple, making her a chosen one of the God of Singles.

"Reproductive isolation."

Rowena replied without a hint of hesitation, her tone revealing a chilling aloofness, "Humans and monkeys can't spark any love interest."

This was also why she firmly believed her close friend was impossible to fall in love with anyone. Although Lindong wouldn't always hurl the derogatory term "monkey" like other top scholars of the Origin Society, as observed, Lindong's intolerance for ignorance was far worse than theirs.

She kept shaking her head, "How could humans and monkeys be compatible? Wouldn't that turn into a human-animal relationship?..... What is that expression?"

Ethan's shocked expression stirred significant turmoil in Rowena's heart, making her feel as if her heartbeat slowed a beat. Ethan's reaction was definitely not feigned, especially with the words "human-animal relationship" seemingly hitting him deep inside.

And indeed, that's the case.

When Rowena uttered the words "human-animal relationship," images of Lindong, who often transformed into a ragdoll cat wrapped around Ethan's neck, immediately flashed through his mind. Recalling their first meeting in Ximu Town, Lindong was in her cat form, and when they met again two years later, she still remained in her cat form.

This touched upon a profound academic issue.

——If your girlfriend spends half of her time in the form of a cat, does that count as a human-animal relationship?

This profound question struck Ethan's brain and also stirred his inner depths.

"Listen, you're Ethan, right."

Rowena took a deep breath, "I know some things about you. You've just recently gained awareness, so it's normal to have a limited and confused understanding of human emotions. However, I must correct you on this: Lindong stays by your side out of curiosity, and you're mistakenly treating this emotion as a romantic relationship."

She quickly regained her composure, believing the key to truth was in her hand, "Though it might sound harsh, I must correct your misunderstanding. Believe me, if you continue down this mistaken path, it will only lead to greater harm."

"...I believe you."

Ethan chose to compromise; he couldn't further devastate Rowena's inner world any longer.

As the ancient philosopher Uchiha Obito put it, what's wrong with the world of illusion?

"That's more like it."

Rowena immediately broke into a satisfied smile, "I didn't expect you to be so agreeable."

Unknowingly, they had talked for quite some time, and the atmosphere was much more harmonious than she had imagined.

A considerate, optimistic, and cheerful young man.

That was her entire impression of Ethan. If not for Lindong's prior hint, she wouldn't have connected Ethan with the human-eating monster in the node space, and moreover…

It had already been an hour.

She glanced at the phone screen, time flies, and this conversation didn't make her uncomfortable in the least.

Normally, her conversations with monkeys rarely lasted more than five minutes. Once the safe time was exceeded, she would experience a severe allergic reaction because, to people like them, stupidity was indeed a severe illness.

"This city is somewhat different from what I imagined."

Ethan mentioned the sights he saw along his way to the First Special District, as Lindong had described it as a Paradise Society under the Messiah's rule. In his imagination, the residents of this city should constantly be in a state of chemical sedation. However, the second seat gentleman he had previously met in the laboratory had personal emotions that were much richer.

Arrogance, envy, excitement, fear.

Almost indistinguishable from a normal human.

"I thought the city was constantly emitting anesthetic gases."

"This is the First Special District; there's no need for mandatory measures here."

Rowena said sternly, "Those gases are usually used in remote star zones, especially in the marginal worlds challenging for the Holy City Council to control. The less steadfast in belief, and those filled with resentment, are the ones who need guidance from the Lord of the Holy City."

"Like those who need to work twenty hours a day and still find it hard to make a living."