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Chapter 238

It was a chilly day, but it wasn’t too cold.

“I wish everyone was like you, junior.”

Even when we were in such close proximity, she did not pay herself any more attention than she did others.

Adriana wanted to be friends with everyone, and someone like me would have made a perfect friend.

Not everyone could be like me, or like Adriana. Therefore, it was an impossible wish.

Some people couldn’t bear the feeling of love and confessed to her, knowing they would be rejected, and others harbored malice when they saw the person they loved loving someone else.

“What should one do if a friend saw them as more than just a friend?”

Adriana had said this casually at that time, but there was deep contemplation behind them. I hadn’t really paid attention to it as I’d been preoccupied with my own problems. But if I had, could I have prevented this issue?

Even if I managed to, what was I supposed to do?

“You might think I’m quitting the Temple over something insignificant.”

“It’s not insignificant.”

It might seem a trivial matter, but if all it brought was pain, what reason was there to endure it? Even if she endured it all, she would still not find what she desired in the life that followed it.

I was curious as to why Adriana had suddenly decided to leave the Temple, and if possible, I wanted to tell her to stay.

I had to remain at the Temple, but Adriana didn’t have a reason to.

In the end, I couldn’t persuade Adriana to reconsider her decision to stay at the monastery, nor did I find a reason to.

Whether staying here was the best choice for Adriana, I did not know. But it seemed to be the only option left for Adriana, who found life at the Temple painful.

“Thank you for understanding,” Adriana said, looking at me with a sad smile.

I wanted to comfort her, but I didn’t know what to say.

Still, I had a concern.

This place was on the outskirts of Elsion, and I had arrived through the medium-sized warp gate.

In the near future, monsters would pour out from that gate too.

Almost every city outside of the imperial capital would face devastation, their populations massacred.

If I couldn’t prevent the Gate Incident, Adriana would inevitably die here.

Just as Adriana couldn’t be friends with everyone, I wouldn’t be able to save everyone. It would be great if there was a way, but I didn’t know of it yet.

In the face of an uncertain future, was it right to leave Adriana here?

I didn’t think on this for long.

If I couldn’t stop the Gate Incident, I could at least destroy the warp gate at Elsion, or even kidnap Adriana back to the Temple. However, that was still far off.

Adriana had made her choice, and I couldn’t deny her the right to it.

After all, this wasn’t the end of everything. I could get to this place within a day, and there was no rule stating that I couldn’t visit again.

“I’ll visit frequently.”

“...”

“That little kid, Rudina, was also very worried about you. I could bring her along.”

Adriana looked at me.

Rudina...

At the mention of that name, Adriana looked as though she was about to cry.

Rudina had followed Adriana around like her real sister, and Adriana seemed to harbor a deep sense of guilt and regret for leaving Rudina behind.

“Thank you, junior... no, you’re not a junior anymore.” On that moonlit hill, Adriana looked at me and smiled. “Thank you, Reinhart.”

I sighed. “I should be the one thanking you.”

She was always nothing but grateful.

‘For now, I’ll leave you here. But later, I promised to come back for you,’ I vowed.

***

Adriana had left the Temple, and I had not been able to bring her back.

Was it a failure?

It felt like a failure, but also not.

Adriana saw me off until I was far across the field.

I wouldn’t be able to see Adriana at the Temple, but I could always visit her whenever I wanted. I would have to bring Rudina along sometime as well.

With these thoughts, I left the Art-Ouen Monastery.

“Goodbye, Reinhart.”

“Goodbye.”

As I watched Adriana wave her hand, complex emotions swirled within me.

She was the person who had laid the foundation for my Temple life. I knew I could always see her again, yet it was still hard to step away.

“You can’t be friends with everyone.”

Adriana’s words continued to echo in my mind.

***

I had to return to the Temple, as it was already past midnight.

Adriana would remain at the monastery, and I tried not to dwell on whether that decision was right or wrong.

With this matter now settled, I had to focus on my own tasks.

So, the next issue... I had to do my best to return to the Temple by the end of the day.

[New Event Update - Return]

[Description: Return to the Temple before the day’s classes start]

[Reward: 200 Achievement Points]

A minor event had been triggered.

Although I could skip just one day, a small event that promised 200 Achievement Points for completing it had been offered to me. However, it seemed unlikely that I would make it back in time.

For now, I had to take the warp gate in Sentheon to Arnaka and then use the mega warp gate in Arnaka to return to the capital.

It wasn’t that difficult. But how was I supposed to cut through the enormous queue at the mega warp gate?

“Damn it...”

I sighed helplessly in front of Sentheon’s medium-sized warp gate.

If the others found out I’d caused trouble again, they might actually beat me to death this time. That was way more important than Achievement Points.

If Ellen found out I’d disappeared, her imagination would run wild, and she might really kill me if she found out what I’d been up to.

I’d have no excuse if she demanded to know why I didn’t tell her.

‘Hold on! I’m on my way back now! Although I might be a bit late...’

***

When I arrived in Arnaka, the capital of the Grand Duchy, from Sentheon, I was greeted by a splendid night view.

The Grand Duchy of Saint-Ouen, where magic had developed to the extremes.

Though they didn’t have massive magical facilities like the magic trains of the imperial capital, Arnaka was still a city of lights, and looked magnificent at night.

The grand, white, gleaming palace of Arnaria in the distance momentarily left me speechless.

The imperial capital had its own charm, but Arnaka exuded a unique, mysterious allure. I even saw trams moving throughout the city, which seemed to have been installed recently.

However, this wasn’t the time to get lost in the cityscape.

The murderous queues at the mega warp gate... What was I to do about that?

I headed towards the mega warp gate in the early morning hours. Arnaka was vast, so I took a tram that operated even at this hour.

Arnaka had three mega warp gates, which was remarkable. Since it was a country with highly-advanced magic, it had a good number of large magical facilities like warp gates.

But there was no need to visit all three. Just by looking at the queue at one of them, I was certain it would be impossible to get to use it that day.

All the people in front of me had probably received a queue ticket in advance and arrived in time for their departure, and it was probably not even all of them yet.

It was like this even at such an early hour.

I would most likely be stranded in Arnaka for several days. I had money, and there were plenty of places to sleep nearby, but the people back at the Temple might think that I had gone missing again, like the last time.

There was a time when I could’ve gotten a free pass with the imperial emblem.

‘How can I obtain priority access to the mega warp gate...?’

“Hmmm...”

My gaze inevitably landed on something.

The White Palace, Arnaria...

Being a student of the Temple Royal Class wouldn’t do. But this was Arnaka, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Saint-Ouen.

Could being a friend of the princess get me somewhere?

***

Charging straight to Arnaria to request priority use of the warp gate... Even I had to admit it was a crazy idea.

No matter how close I was to his daughter, the Grand Duke of Saint-Ouen was the ruler of a grand duchy, which made him essentially a king.

The timing was also an issue. It was the middle of the night, and if I woke him up just to ask for access to the warp gate, I couldn’t imagine what kind of curses would fly out of his mouth.

It was absurd.

Fearing Ellen’s wrath, I was considering demanding a favor from the ruler of a nation.

What kind of person had I become?

Nevertheless, my feet carried me in that direction.

This was about Achievement Points and whether or not Ellen would end up killing me, so I had to return to the Temple by morning.

If he said no, so be it, but if he said yes, it would be so much the better.

With resolve, I made my way to Arnaria.

The White Palace... A curious and beautiful palace that seemed as though it had replaced the top half of the mountain it stood on.

The palace walls and the five towering spires above them glowed white. Those spires had to serve some magical function, but of what nature, I did not know.

There appeared to be four gates located at the cardinal directions, and I headed for the southern one.

Once past the wall, a grand marble staircase would lead up to the palace.

“What is your business?”

“Speak.”

Two guards stopped me, their appearance human but their speech slightly unnatural.

They spoke to me as if they were one.

Despite their natural movements and weaponry, there was a peculiar artificiality about them.

These were golems.

In a place where magic was highly developed, it made sense, but to have golems that perfectly resembled humans guarding the palace...?

An automatic security system of sorts, I supposed. It was quite convenient. No fear of betrayal, and they wouldn’t tire since they weren’t human.

“My name is Reinhart, a student of the Temple’s Royal Class. I’m also a friend of Harriet de Saint-Ouen.”

The golems’ expressions did not change. The machines operated mechanically, as programmed.

“To be direct, I need priority access to the mega warp gate.”

The golems remained silent.

Perhaps thirty minutes passed, and then the guards moved aside cautiously.

Groan...

Then, the enormous gates began to open.

“The Grand Duke’s orders.”

“Enter.”

“Reinhart.”

These weren’t simple golems. It seemed they had a networked system in place.

This was going more easily than expected, and it was quite surprising.

‘Is this really okay?’

***

Past the gate was a grand staircase leading to the palace, and I ascended with one of the golem guards accompanying me.

It seemed that the Grand Duke could not only receive reports from the golems, but also issue commands to them. If the warp gate access were the only issue, he could have just authorized it, but he had specifically summoned me inside.

I had met the Grand Duke of Saint-Ouen once before. He was a doting father, bordering on the absurd.

I wasn’t sure what impression he had of me, but it probably wasn’t great.

As I ascended the marble steps, I got a closer look at the White Palace.

It didn’t share the same structure as the ancient castle of Epiacs. It was significantly larger in scale, and while Epiacs had a dangerous, foreboding feel, this place exuded warmth and softness.

Despite the late hour, lights were on everywhere, allowing a good view of the well-maintained gardens.

There were people—but more likely golems—bustling about the many annexes and the central palace, even at this hour. Though I had never been to the imperial palace, Emperatos, it seemed to me that the White Palace, Arnaria, was one of the most beautiful places on the continent.

‘What would it be like to live here?’ I wondered. It seemed like it would be rather lonely.

A place filled with nothing but golems... Their expressionless faces were both reassuring, and yet... empty.

There were surely some human servants and attendants around, but they must have been few in number.

‘So, Harriet grew up in a place like this.’

It suddenly occurred to me that she must have had a lonely childhood, surrounded by golems and without friends. Just as Adriana had accepted life in the convent because it was all she knew and was content with it, hadHarriet also accepted life in this White Palace, knowing no others, and thus found no dissatisfaction in its loneliness?

The White Palace, abuzz with golems working even in the early hours, was not a desolate place. But no one looked at me, and no one spoke to me.

From afar, the White Palace was a beautiful and splendid structure. But once inside, it just felt lonely to be in. It was still beautiful and radiant, but silent.

Accompanied by one guard, I walked through the garden, unchallenged and unspoken to by anyone, being led further within the palace.

It did not seem like I was being taken to an audience chamber.

I was led to the section of the palace where the Grand Duke’s private quarters were.

There, I arrived at the main parlor, and the central lobby.

“...”

I expected the Grand Duke to be there.

Of course, he was there, sitting on an ornate sofa, a tea set prepared before him, calmly watching me.

“It’s been a while, Reinhart.”

It was clear he had just been roused because of my visit at this hour. He looked a bit disheveled.

I was aware that my actions were incredibly rude, but to think the head of a nation, a Grand Duke, had woken up in the early hours because of me?

Well, that was something I could at least wrap my head around.

“You’re Reinhart? Oh my... oh, oh my...” an elegant and beautiful lady blurted as she appeared.

“Didn’t she say he was ugly? But he looks rather handsome!” a young man exclaimed as he examined me.

“Indeed,” another young man chimed in.

“He’s good-looking, alright, but he does look like he’s got a nasty temper,” commented yet another young man.

“Sit,” the Grand Duke commanded.

I sat on the sofa opposite the Grand Duke, sweating bullets.

‘What on earth is going on?’

It seemed like the entire Saint-Ouen family had gathered.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” a lady said, smiling gently and offering me tea.

Presumably, she was Harriet’s mother.

‘Uh... I... I only came here... Because I need priority access to the gate.’

“Are you getting along well with Harriet?”

Why did this feel like... I was meeting a girlfriend’s parents for the first time?

“Y-Yes, of course! We get along very well!”

And why was I playing along?

I felt like I was losing my mind!