Chapter 42: Oh no, you aren't entrusting your legacy to me, are you?

"Roland, who was that guy?"

The voice beside him made Roland realize one thing: his troubles were far from over.

"Just a partner from the entrance examination."

"There are partners in the exam? I thought it was always a solo affair."

Roland explained, "The exam allows teams, but no more than two people. Generally, most people choose to take the exam solo because teaming up increases the difficulty and complexity of the trials."

Kalia tugged Roland gently toward her. "Then why did you team up? You were only at the Second Ring when you took the exam, right?"

"You know I was only at the Second Ring? That's exactly why I needed a helper." Roland shrugged. "Besides, the content of that exam was to survive for three days in a trial realm. It was specifically because the test was about survival that I managed to scrape through. In terms of raw strength, I was inferior to everyone else there. But when it comes to self-preservation and running away, they were still wet behind the ears."

Roland laughed as he spoke. Naturally, he couldn't tell Kalia everything. It wasn't that he didn't trust her; it was that even he didn't know what kind of vortex the Royal Capital had become.

The only certainty was that ever since Iluvia had been named the heir to the throne, assassination attempts against her had never ceased. If the military hadn't stood firmly by the side of the Imperial family, Iluvia's situation might have been even more perilous. But even so, judging by today’s events, even the military couldn't cover every angle.

Even here, in the Royal Capital—with its elite Imperial Guards directly under the Emperor's command, the City Defense Force, and two elite magitech corps tasked with protecting the city—assassination was not the military's forte. The Bureau of Inspection, a department nominally under military management, was the one truly responsible for such matters. Unlike in the provinces, where the army held absolute control over the local branches, the Bureau of Inspection in the capital could completely ignore the military's commands.

Clearly, although the Bureau had not declared support for any faction and maintained a facade of neutrality, such neutrality was, in itself, a form of bias. It was like watching a terrier fight a Tibetan Mastiff; if you stand by and do nothing, you are siding with the Mastiff. If the Bureau had leaned even slightly toward Iluvia, an assassination attempt on the main streets of the capital would never have occurred. Conversely, if they had leaned toward the assassins, Iluvia would not be alive today.

The capital was too complex. He wanted to go home.

He looked at Kalia, thinking it was better for her to know less. Otherwise, she would surely start exercising her "extraordinary" wisdom again.

"Hey, what's with that look?" Kalia pouted, feeling that Roland’s gaze carried a hint of pity.

"It’s nothing. Let's go finish the enrollment paperwork, and then I'll take you to the academy cafeteria. The food is quite good, and it's free."

"Free!"

As soon as she heard the food wouldn't cost money, Kalia immediately tossed aside the convoluted thoughts that had been swirling in her mind. How could she let such trivial matters ruin her appetite?

Seeing Kalia's reaction, Roland breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed their first day in the capital was coming to a relatively smooth end.

***

In a private office belonging to a senior consultant professor at the Academy of Sorcery, Flam manipulated her magic to levitate herself to the top of a bookshelf. Surrounded by precious magical tomes, she counted carefully before stopping her finger on the spine of the twelfth book from the left.

"Found it."

She pulled the book from the shelf. It was nothing special—just an introductory text on magical resonance. However, tucked inside the cover was a key. A key that should never have been in her possession.

But that was how life went, especially a long one. You meet countless friends, and then, because of their shorter lifespans, they depart first, leaving you with items they deemed precious as mementos.

Flam had many such gifts. For instance, the secret key that nearly caused a catastrophe in Ryscan. That had been a masterpiece created by herself and a scholar who worshipped the God of Truth in the Hero’s party after they had slain the Demon King. She still remembered that violent woman who wore glasses and loved to bash people's heads in with a crowbar. Unfortunately, after the Demon War ended, she joined an expedition to the Unknown Realms of the Far North and never returned. Flam wasn't sad; she knew that woman’s life pursuit was adventure, exploration, truth, and the unknown. Dying in the process of seeking knowledge was likely what she wanted. After all, she had only joined the crusade against the Demon King because his army was obstructing her academic work.

The key in her hand was different. It was not a legacy of a friend, but a much heavier burden. Salah III—that boy who used his status as a prince to pester her to teach him magic when he was young—had handed it to her before falling into his final, comatose state. This prince, who had no hope or desire to inherit the throne, was forced to do so after his two older brothers died in successive accidents, cutting short his life as an adventurer.

"In the blink of an eye, that brat is dying too? I really shouldn't get too close to humans..."

Flam looked down at the key in her palm and clenched it tightly. The news that Salah III had lost consciousness and was nearing the end was no longer a secret in the capital.

If Flam hadn't visited him in secret that day, she might already be targeted by a crowd. No... perhaps she was already being watched. Aside from that bishop from the Brotherhood of Chaos who had manipulated Kalia into bringing out the secret key, there was an old acquaintance currently residing openly in the capital.

"You just gave me the key to the Royal Chamber of Inheritance so casually? Salah, you're just like you were as a kid—completely ignoring what others think and doing exactly as you please."

Flam muttered to herself. After confirming the key was secure, she decided to hide it elsewhere. While the academy was safe, it was no longer foolproof now that various factions were beginning to reveal their ambitions. To be safe, she would carry it with her for now. At least that was better than leaving it here.

Flam stowed the key away and descended to the floor. She planned to go find her foolish student. She needed to warn her not to run around aimlessly, and that kid Roland...

*Knock, knock, knock.*

"Ms. Flam, are you in? It's Roland."

"Come in."

With a thought, Flam used her magic to open the office door. Roland stepped inside and looked at her. "Could I trouble you for something?"

"Looking to use that favor I promised so soon?"

"Uh... if possible, I'd rather save it. I wanted to ask, is there any way to gain access to the Great Library of Truth in the academy?"

Flam looked at Roland with surprise. "I didn't expect you to be so studious. You want to go there the moment you arrive?"

"That won't require using my favor. I've always liked studious students." Flam wore a face that looked like: "= w ="

"Take this. It's a pass."

"Oh, thank you, Ms. Flam!"

"Don't mention it. Just remember to take good care of Kalia."

Hearing this, the joy in Roland's heart—which had been soaring because things were going so smoothly—suddenly plummeted to freezing point. He recalled the system's mission.

His heart skipped a beat.

*Is she... is she entrusting her to me as if she's on her deathbed?*