Chapter 289

Jane and I wandered around until we each went our separate ways, still searching hard for a clue.

It would be great to understand the layout and to find out if a demon had slipped in. But it didn’t take long for me to realize that was impossible.

‘How can I find it among so many people?’

More people showed up than I expected. Typically, commemorative events are held in Byzantium since the Academy is close to it.

On the day of the festival, things might calm down a bit. But for now, it was crowded enough that giving up seemed like the best option.

It seemed much better to spend this time training instead. The only problem was that I couldn’t train for long if I wanted to conserve my energy.

In the end, even after training, wandering around was my daily routine. Time was passing, yet I felt like I had less to do.

‘I didn’t think about conserving my strength.’

I thought this as I bought a chicken skewer on my way.

I had confidence in my stamina, but it wasn’t limitless. That was something Rize had advised me.

Moreover, the moment I catch a cold, it could become a headache, so she told me to keep it quiet for now.

‘Everyone else is busy too.’

Feeling bored, I decided to look around and see what others were doing.

Kara was busy chatting with a messenger sent by Hector from her hometown.

Eli was churning out potions, worried about potential injuries when the Academy collapses.

Grace, as a noble lady of the Duke’s family, had many people to meet.

‘Even the notable faces are questionable…’

Lee Yeon-joo wasn’t close enough to meet separately, while Danyerin would surely be filled with suspicion.

If I were to wander outside openly, even someone as noble as Grace would draw suspicion. Danyerin wouldn’t want that either.

In the end, my daily routine came down to rushing around alone and returning to the dormitory.

“Hey!”

“Huh?”

I was sitting on a bench in the plaza, munching on my chicken skewer when a voice reached my ears.

Turning my head, my eyes widened in surprise. I found myself facing familiar faces I hadn’t expected to see at all.

“So this is where you were?”

“Long time no see. Have you been well since then?”

It was Rex and his group. They were the ones who helped me when I visited the neighboring Unity Village.

Despite their rugged and formidable appearance, they were surprisingly helpful in various ways. I didn’t expect to run into them here.

“Hello. What brings you here?”

“What do you mean, what’s bringing us here? We got hired.”

“They were looking for help because of the commemorative event, so we came.”

Rex’s group was quite a notable adventurer team from Unity Village. So, they occasionally get dispatched to the Academy.

I felt a brief moment of joy, quickly replaced by worry. What if they were still around when the Academy collapsed?

They weren’t weak, but they could still suffer significant losses.

“How long are you staying?”

“I’ll be heading back before the commemorative event. We have a festival in Unity Village too.”

That was a relief. They could have faced even more danger.

As I sighed quietly in relief, Rex grinned and asked casually.

“Why? You wanted us to be here?”

“No.”

“How cruel. By the way, where’s your girlfriend? That blonde girl.”

Blonde girl? I blinked in surprise, then quickly realized who he meant.

He must be referring to Luna, who followed me when I left the courtyard. I didn’t even know where she was.

“I don’t know. She must be somewhere.”

“Did you have a fight?”

“No?”

“You definitely had a fight. You see, girls…”

I always think this, but his nosiness is remarkable.

As Rex explained how to “cheer up your girlfriend,” I listened with one ear and let it go out the other.

That meddling was how I was able to slay the demon, so I couldn’t speak ill of it. I just had to view him as a kind-hearted guy.

“Hey, let’s go. Do you think she’ll listen to you? They need to resolve it among themselves.”

“Wait. Just let me share this…”

“If you just feed them something, they’ll forgive you. Now hurry up. We have things to do.”

Luckily, one of his companions caught on and quickly dismissed the idea.

I waved goodbye to the departing group, responding in kind as they left. What a uniquely vibrant party they were.

If only the world were filled with people like them. Unfortunately, the reality is that there are plenty of folks worse than beasts.

“Ugh.”

“Huh?”

Just as I finished the last of my chicken skewer, someone sat down beside me.

Turning my head, I saw an elderly man in shabby attire, notably wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

Thanks to that hat, I could see only his chin, if not his eyes. His beard was also quite bushy, giving off a wise vibe.

‘No, not exactly wise…’

With a bent back and a tattered cane, these two features almost screamed “beggar.”

Calling an old man a beggar feels a bit harsh, but the attire really made a point.

Even though it was winter, he was bundled up in thick clothes that still looked shabby.

“Hmm…”

“….”

The old man stroked his beard and surveyed the plaza. I sat quietly beside him.

You know that feeling, right? The kind where you hesitate to leave your seat for fear of annoying the other person?

I had missed the so-called “timing.” In the end, I had nothing to do but sit on the bench and look around the plaza.

“Hoo hoo. It’s nice to see.”

“….”

“Excuse me, young man. What’s your name?”

Hmm. I think I’ve accidentally gotten mixed up in something.

I rolled my eyes around before quietly answering.

“Sivar.”

“Sivar… That’s an unusual name. Are you an Academy student?”

“Yes. And you, sir?”

“Call me Warden.”

A pretty ordinary name if anything. I kept glancing at Warden, who, on the surface, looked painfully shabby.

He even had a cane, making him look like walking was a real struggle. What on earth was he doing here at the Academy?

“Is it not allowed for the elderly to come to the Academy? Have you seen this kid?”

“….Huh?”

“Your face says it all.”

Is he a mind reader? I blinked in surprise at him.

Warden nodded his cane and very openly expressed his feelings.

But judging by the smile that couldn’t be hidden by his bushy beard, it seemed he wasn’t in a bad mood.

“Uh… I apologize?”

“Yes. You should apologize. At least you have manners.”

“….”

Warden nodded in satisfaction. It seemed I’d inadvertently stumbled onto an eccentric.

I’d rather leave, but as mentioned, my timing is off.

I had no choice but to serve as his reluctant conversation partner. I wasn’t the type who could leave a bored old man all alone.

“Since this has happened, I’ll keep you company. I came to see my friend’s kid, but I haven’t seen them at all.”

“Your friend?”

“Yes. I heard they were at the Academy. But our paths must have crossed poorly, as I can’t see them anywhere.”

That made some sense. The Academy is a gathering place for talents from all over the world, not limited to any specific country.

As long as they have the ability, commoners can enroll too. But it’s also tough for noble parents to visit.

‘It’s such a long way.’

There aren’t even planes or cars here—only horse-drawn carriages and on foot.

Eli nearly couldn’t muster the courage to head back to her hometown. Didn’t she say it takes at least a month?

If parents come, then it’s one thing, but for a student to go back home is practically impossible.

Even if parents were to visit, it would cost an astronomical sum. Still, there are surprisingly many who come like the old man.

Just like children want to see their parents, parents would want to see their children. Worrying is inevitable.

‘You must have had a tough time.’

Thinking that made me feel a bit bittersweet. He walked all that way with no one he wanted to find.

Since I had time on my hands, I decided to help Warden. I figured I had nothing better to do.

“Can I help you?”

“No need. I’m not weak enough to need a young person’s help.”

“But your back seems bent.”

“It’s comfortable this way.”

If that’s the case, then I suppose he’ll manage. He’d come all this way to the Academy, so he must have decent stamina.

“I had been to the Academy a few times back in the day. So many things have changed every time I came, and it’s always new to me.”

“When did you come?”

“No idea. I don’t remember. But I did come.”

Warden began reminiscing about the old days, talking about how strong he used to be and how he was popular in his youth.

Mixed in with that typical old person’s “Back in my day…” it was starting to get a bit boring.

Still, he was surprisingly talkative, making time pass well. There were even some interesting stories in between.

“Kids nowadays are so rude. They’re too busy looking after their own interests.”

“There are good people too.”

“Do you feel that way?”

“Yes.”

“Then all…”

Warden wasn’t able to finish his sentence before I casually chimed in.

“Bad people. I’ve beaten them all.”

“You’ve beaten them?”

“Yes. Worse than beasts, I beat them.”

“….”

Warden’s chattiness suddenly ground to a halt. It seemed he was taken aback by my unexpected answer.

Due to the wide-brimmed hat, I couldn’t really see his facial expression. But there’s such a thing as atmosphere.

Then, he turned his head to look ahead and broke into a hearty laugh.

“Hoo hoo. I don’t know who you are, but you’ve been well taught. Since ancient times, a beast has always feared a club.”

His reaction was one of satisfaction. He definitely felt like an old-timer.

Perhaps it’s the times, but old people often romanticize violence.

As civilization progresses, it evolves into more verbal conflicts, which seems to leave them frustrated.

Warden might be similar to that, even if it was a barbaric era, the extent of violence must have lessened.

“Young man, what’s your dream?”

“My dream?”

“Yes. Your dream. Now that you’re in the Academy, don’t you have one?”

“Hmm…”

Warden unexpectedly asked me about my dream, and I pondered for a moment.

Honestly, my only dream is to return home. It’s my ultimate goal and true purpose.

To achieve that, I need to progress the story and maintain good relationships with those around me.

‘Though, getting too close poses a problem…’

This matter will require more thought in time. If someone accepts my secret, then I’m open to it.

I mulled over this and finally answered in my usual nonchalant tone.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“Yes.”

Warden didn’t know my circumstances. No matter how famous I was, that fame was limited to the Academy.

Outsiders wouldn’t know I was a wildling or anything about my notoriety. So I gave a vague response.

Since sharing it with outsiders wouldn’t really help me anyway. While I was sharing stories, that was about all it could be.

“I don’t know that… do you have parents?”

“No.”

“So, you’re not inheriting a family business. Why did you come to the Academy?”

“Just happened to find myself here.”

“Tsk tsk. You must have a goal to propel your life forward.”

Warden clicked his tongue, genuinely feeling sorry for me. Since he didn’t know my situation, such words were to be expected.

I’m confident that my life force isn’t lacking in comparison to anyone else. If I could return, I would do anything.

Of course, I would never cross lines. Especially if it involves my acquaintances.

“Could you extend your hand for a moment?”

“Huh?”

“There’s an excellent technique from the Eastern Empire. It’s called palmistry, a gift that predicts one’s future.”

“….?”

Palmistry? I tilted my head in confusion.

The old man opened his palm, pointing at the lines on it.

“It reads palms. Through this, you can predict the future.”

“Oh.”

So that’s what he meant. I had a rough idea of what he was talking about.

In this fantastical world, various superstitions tend to manifest into reality, and palm-reading is one of them.

Besides that, there are astrologers and tarot readers, etc. Instances of near-predictive elements appearing are frequent.

‘Since gods exist in this world…’

What’s more amusing is that such things aren’t governed by Gaia or Gulrak. They’re entirely under Chaos’s domain.

Astrology and tarot interpretation can vary widely. They suit the very nature of chaos.

Palmistry is similar. Each person’s lines are different, and the interpretations can also vary a lot.

Maybe this old man is a follower of the God of Chaos. I thought that while I extended my hand.

“Hmm…”

Warden scrutinized my palm carefully. I’ve never looked at my own lines, so I just waited in silence.

Then, he began to poke and prod at my hand, even tracing the lines with his fingernail. His actions were quite suspect.

It was awkward to call him a scammer. After all, he was doing this for free and was just having some fun.

“This is quite… surprising.”

After a moment, Warden finally spoke up. He looked a bit perplexed.

Since I hadn’t really expected anything, I hadn’t anticipated worrying too much.

“What do you mean?”

“If the lines related to marriage are long, they are excessively long. Plus, they branch out in several directions.”

Warden stroked his beard thoughtfully before asking me.

“Are you perhaps a womanizer? Only a womanizer would have such extensive lines.”

“No?”

So he’s not a fraud but a real star reader. Yet, when I denied it, my conscience couldn’t help but prick me.

Warden looked at me with a quizzical expression at my answer. I hurriedly changed the subject.

“What about the other lines?”

“The life line is unique too. The line itself is long, but it’s really faint. It seems you were a hard-earned child to raise.”

“….”

“And next is the wealth line; it’s quite long as well. You shouldn’t need to worry about money.”

Amazing. How can he be right about everything?

This made me trust him more and more. I waited for what would come next.

“Next is the line associated with fate, but… hmm…”

Warden seemed hesitant about whether or not to speak. This only fueled my curiosity.

What on earth was wrong with my fate that he was so troubled? No matter how bad the story was, I braced myself to hear it.

“What is it? Please tell me.”

“You might be disappointed.”

“It’s okay.”

“I don’t know what goals you have, but the truth is your goal won’t be achieved.”

A rather disappointing story tumbled out of Warden’s mouth. But I didn’t mind much.

There’s always the chance that one thing could be incorrect, no matter how right everything else is. So I was prepared to let that slide.

“The line of your fate has been covered by another line.”

“Huh?”

“Another fate has swallowed your original fate. Your goals are destined to remain unfulfilled forever.”

“….”

“What’s stranger is that your original fate line was longer. However, now it has become shorter again. I can’t discern what this means.”

Many incomprehensible phrases rolled off his tongue. I couldn’t grasp any of what he was saying.

‘Did I make a mistake by asking?’

If only I hadn’t heard it, I might not be feeling so uneasy. I pouted my lips in frustration.

I wouldn’t be able to achieve my original goals. Could this mean that the Academy’s collapse unfolds in sequence?

Or that my efforts would all turn to dust and drift to the worst outcome. That feels like it could be quite troubling.

“Sivar!”

“Huh?”

As I wallowed in disappointment, a familiar voice rang out.

I turned my head and spotted a striking woman approaching, catching my eye from afar.

Eli, with her golden eyes sparkling, was coming towards me with a bright smile. It was awe-inspiring how her chest swayed as she ran over.

I was treated to a live performance of stunning vivacity. Such magnificence never fails to impress.

“Wow. Look at that sway.”

“….”

For a moment, I thought about ripping my eyes out.

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