Chapter 164: Edward's Family Affairs, Heading to the Library

“Hmm, let me see what Edward and the cat-girl are up to now. They can’t still be drinking tea; they’d burst.”

After leaving Wang Yu’s home, Charles quickly cast his lingering doubts aside, humming a cheerful tune as he made his way toward the spot where Edward and Su Fang had been.

“Hm? What’s this? Grand Knight-level battle aura? How could a Grand Knight be in this vicinity?”

As Charles approached the area, the Tarot card tucked into his breast pocket, engraved with the image of a tall tower, began to pulse, feeding information directly into his mind.

The presence of a Grand Knight’s aura left Charles both bewildered and on high alert. Grand Knights were the pinnacle of power in the Royal Capital; their appearance here was highly irregular.

More concerning to Charles was the fact that the spot where Edward and Su had been chatting was now empty. While he couldn’t necessarily link the two events, the current climate forced Charles to elevate his vigilance to a new level.

The Wheel of Fortune Tarot card dematerialized in his hand, turning into a stream of light that washed over the ground. Glowing footprints appeared before his eyes, and as he studied the traces revealed by the card, the events that had transpired played out like a vision in his mind.

“Edward just stood up out of nowhere, looking frantic. He bid Su Fang a hasty farewell and bolted. She didn’t even have time to react, let alone ask what was wrong, and was left to return home, puzzled…”

Charles muttered to himself, reconstructing the scene from the traces. He tentatively confirmed that it wasn’t a sudden enemy ambush; rather, Edward had fled of his own volition. This made the situation even more suspicious, as Edward’s abrupt departure was likely tied to the sudden appearance of the Grand Knight.

“I just don’t get it. To suddenly ditch his girlfriend—what on earth is Edward playing at?”

Charles murmured, knowing he couldn’t just let this go. He followed the direction of Edward’s footprints, keeping a close eye on the traces revealed by the Wheel of Fortune.

“Wait… here, a second set of footprints. Iron boots. This style… let me think. Royal Guards? How did Edward get tangled up with the Imperial Guard?”

Soon, new marks appeared among the glowing footprints on the street—the distinct tread of iron boots. Based on the pattern, Charles identified them as standard-issue Royal Guard footwear. Clearly, the Grand Knight’s aura belonged to the owner of these boots.

“Whatever. I have to see what this is all about.” Charles stopped wasting time on idle speculation. If he could find Edward, he’d get to the bottom of it. Whether he’d provoked the Guard or something else, he’d know soon enough.

The footprints crisscrossed, showing that Edward and the Royal Guard had walked very close together. Their rhythm was erratic, with scuff marks suggesting that the Grand Knight might have been dragging Edward along.

“Who would dare provoke the son of the Northern Duke? Did Edward commit some heinous crime against the Crown that’s landed him in the dungeon…?”

Charles couldn’t help but continue his monologue. Who would actually dare to mess with Edward? While he didn’t act like a top-tier noble, his status was absolute; he was essentially untouchable. What could have happened this time?

“This must be it. Damn it, don’t drag me into this. I haven’t done anything wrong. If you’ve actually violated the kingdom’s laws, I can’t save you. You’ll have to get the Professor or the Captain to bail you out!”

Guided by the Wheel of Fortune, Charles tracked them into a narrow alleyway—a place that bypassed the crowded streets and saw almost no foot traffic.

Sounds drifted from ahead, and more importantly, the Tower card against his chest was screaming that a Grand Knight was nearby—a top-tier one at that.

Charles felt a shiver of apprehension. If this Royal Guard truly intended to haul Edward away, he wouldn’t be able to help. He’d have to report back to the Professor or the Captain, or perhaps even Edward’s father…

Regardless, he had to see what was happening first. It wasn’t as if they’d arrest him too. Gritting his teeth, Charles ran a few more steps; he wouldn’t be able to rest until he saw the situation for himself.

“Wait, that voice… no way. That’s the Grand Commander of the Royal Guard, Uller? The strength matches, but what he’s saying…”

Angry voices echoed through the alley. The man speaking made no effort to lower his voice, and Charles recognized the speaker instantly: Uller, Grand Commander of the Royal Guard.

But the identity was no longer Charles’s primary concern. The content of the speech made the nervous Charles freeze at the alley entrance, staring in with a strange expression, afraid to step inside.

In the alley, the Grand Commander—who had led the Royal Guard to carve a path through the demon army—stood in his signature heavy armor, pinning Edward against the wall. His eyes burned with fury as he glared at the boy, who kept his head bowed.

“Do you know how disappointed your father would be to see you like this? Is this how you run? You left his side just to escape your duty? Ha, don’t make me laugh. You aren’t fit to be his heir. The Lion of the North—how could he ever be someone like you?”

Uller peered through the visor of his helmet, his voice thick with a mixture of rage and the bitter disappointment of a mentor seeing wasted potential.

“You can’t do anything like this. You only disappoint those who have expectations of you. Do you care that much about your own status? Do you even understand the will of the Lionheart King? I could understand if you were unwilling to take up his power because you felt immature or incapable of leading these soldiers, but this—this cowardice—I cannot tolerate.”

Uller slammed a fist into the wall beside Edward. With the strength of a Grand Knight, even restrained, the stone wall stood no chance. It crumbled like tofu, the fist sinking into the masonry without causing the surrounding bricks to shatter.

“Regardless, you are the heir recognized by the Lionheart King, Duke Leon Leonardo. Both your brothers and I will continue to acknowledge you unconditionally.”

“But you must understand that running is useless. You must accept the past. Your father let you leave not so you could numb yourself or hide from your responsibilities in the Night’s Edge special operations team, but so you could find your own path.”

Uller pulled his fist back, his gaze still locked on the bowed Edward, his voice dropping low.

“Find your path, and do it quickly. Time will not wait for you. If you do not change yourself, you will only accumulate more regrets. I don’t think preaching will change anything, Edward. Don’t let your father, or us, down…”

Having said his piece, Uller didn’t waste another word. He turned and left, his heavy armored boots clanking against the stone floor.

As he exited the alley, Uller cast a glance at Charles, who had been standing there, stunned. Charles hadn’t hidden; he knew he couldn’t escape the senses of a Grand Knight like Uller. The fact that the man hadn’t come out to knock him unconscious meant he didn’t care, but being swept by that cold, icy gaze still made Charles shudder. The sheer pressure and presence were terrifying.

Without a word to Charles, Uller vanished from the alley, leaving Charles gasping for air in the aftermath.

“Damn, even a look from him is terrifying. I wonder how Edward feels after being grilled for so long.”

Charles clutched his chest. That feeling of being stared down was truly frightening. Even as a mage and a wizard, he could clearly perceive the raw, hidden power beneath that armor—a power that could easily tear him to shreds without him being able to offer any resistance.

As Charles caught his breath, he grew thoughtful. He had inadvertently stumbled upon some incredible information. He’d always wondered why Edward wouldn’t just stay by his father’s side instead of joining the Night’s Edge in the capital. It seemed there was more to the story than anyone knew.

“Clack, clack, clack.” Footsteps emerged from the alley. Edward walked out, his expression somber, his eyes clouded with an indescribable heaviness.

“Hey, what are you thinking about? Still haven’t recovered from the interrogation?”

Suddenly, Edward felt a hand on his shoulder and instinctively side-stepped, moving away.

Uller’s words had hit him hard—not just with self-doubt, but by dredging up the internal conflict he’d kept buried deep within himself until today.

He had been so lost in his thoughts that he’d lowered his guard. Realizing someone was close, he’d reacted to the perceived “danger.”

“What’s the matter? It’s me. Why are you so jumpy?” Charles’s voice reached him, and Edward realized who it was, his tense nerves finally relaxing.

“What are you doing here…?” Edward’s voice was low, the emotions from his “conversation” with Uller not fading so easily.

“I should be asking you why you ditched your cat-girl to run off here. Or rather, why you ran off with some old man. I’m starting to wonder what you’ve got in that head of yours.”

Charles shrugged, speaking casually.

“You heard?” Edward shook his head.

“Fine, fine. I know it’s some family business you can’t talk about. God knows what you’re up to, you Duke’s kid. You look like a wreck—want to go grab a drink?”

Charles waved a hand dismissively, not caring about Edward’s answer, simply asking if the guy—who had a notoriously low tolerance for alcohol—wanted a drink.

“…Sure.” After a moment of silence, Edward nodded.

……

Time passed quickly. Half a month flew by. After dealing with the Abyss Cult’s stronghold in the Royal Capital, Wang Yu had no further business with the Night’s Edge. He spent his time at home cultivating and contemplating what he should take from the Great Library.

He already had an idea of the knowledge he wanted, but as for physical objects, Wang Yu had pondered for a long time and decided he wouldn’t know until he actually stepped inside.

Exactly half a month later, Aviya returned from the academy with news: the Great Library would open the following day. The academy would open the gates once all qualified individuals had gathered. It was one of the academy’s most precious treasures, and for some unknown reason, this would be the final time it was opened.

The next day, Wang Yu and Aviya arrived at the Stevenson Magic Academy by carriage. The guards at the gate were already familiar with them and, after confirming their identities, let them pass directly into the academy.

On the way to the designated meeting point, Wang Yu was surprised to be greeted by the Dean of the Stevenson Magic Academy himself.

“Mr. Wang Yu, you’ve finally arrived. It’s been a long time. I must thank you again for everything you’ve done for Stevenson Magic Academy. Please, follow me. I’ll take you to the entrance of the Great Library.”

Westin’s voice was as pleasant as ever. Following the Dean, the two walked along the academy paths. As they crossed a certain trail, a subtle spatial fluctuation occurred—one almost impossible to perceive. When Aviya and Wang Yu looked back, the entire landscape had changed.

The academy’s scenery had vanished. Before them lay a narrow, gravel path flanked by a desolate wasteland. The earth was gray and white, devoid of any signs of life; even the plants were nothing but withered, brittle husks. The space on either side seemed infinite, yet somehow small, and it was unclear if the horizon in the distance was a boundary or merely an extension of the space.

At the end of the path stood an ancient-looking library. It was small in scale, with weathered exterior walls, glass windows clouded with dust, and a modest, damaged metal door. It was hard to associate this plain, somewhat dilapidated building with the legendary Great Library.

“This is a demi-plane created within the academy using magic arrays. It isn’t very large. This library appears to exist here, but in reality, it is merely an entrance,” Westin explained to them.

Looking into the distance, six or seven other students who had qualified for entry were already waiting. The merchant’s son with the impressive array skills and little Daniel, who had once been humiliated by Charles, were both there. It seemed the Great Library would be opening soon.