"Welcome to the capital city of the Pargoina Empire."
As soon as I walked out of the teleportation portal, a lady bowed down in front of me in a welcoming gesture.
I nodded my head in reply, my face still covered with a mask while wearing the hoodie.
The place was bustling with people, many of them moving around with staff and security helping them.
[Where are we going now?]
'I need to buy a phone, some new clothes, and some other things as well,' I replied as I walked out of the hallway, heading towards the exit of this lotus-like building.
[You know you are still weak, Azariah—]
'I know that! I fucking know that,' I grumbled as I exited the building. 'But do I have a fucking choice? I will die if I remain at home close to my mother. I might also die if I go to the academy.'
The thing is, there is a chance that I could survive at the academy, but surviving while being close to that woman?
Not possible.
"Sigh..." I let out a tired sigh as I walked towards the parking area.
But...
My steps halted when a car parked in front of me.
The door of the car clicked open as a woman came into view.
"Why are you here?" I asked calmly, but inside I was terrified, because the one who opened the door was Adaliah.
"Get in," she replied, her voice emotionless as always.
"I have to go—."
"You don't have a say in this matter, Azariah. Get in." My words were quickly interjected as she looked at me with her disdainful eyes.
And once again, my body trembled. I felt scared, scared of the woman in front of me.
It was drilled into my body, the pain, the misery she has caused me since I was a child, making my body instinctively afraid of her.
Nodding meekly, I got inside the car, taking a seat beside her.
"How do you know I was here?" I asked, looking outside the window, trying not to make eye contact.
"You didn't think that you were actually free, right?" She replied, with a hint of amusement in her voice. "There wasn't a single second that you were out of our reach, and there isn't a thing that you have done that we don't know."
I remained silent, not knowing how to reply to that.
"Hahah," I let out a weak laugh as I closed my eyes.
All this time...
All this time...
I was just in an illusion that I was free...
Free from that woman...
"What do you want?" I asked, opening my eyes as I kept my distance from her. But instead of replying, she just looked at me calmly.
"Your body is absorbing mana," she mumbled before she took out her phone and sent a message to someone.
"I am not going bac—."
"I am not here for that," she interrupted me again before she took out a bracelet and handed it to me. "It has all the essentials you will need in the academy."
I took the bracelet from her before I looked out of the window.
"And yeah, one more thing," she said as I looked at her. "Duke Mendonca has asked for the annulment of the engagement between you and her daughter."
".....What did Mother say?" I asked softly.
"Unlike before, Lady Esmeray doesn't need the support of a different dukedom," she replied, and I nodded my head. "Ask her for the marriage annulment as soon as she comes back."
It's true.
Unlike before when she purged an entire kingdom, and five years later, she executed an entire Duke family of the empire on false charges, making a lot of people dissatisfied with her.
And to maintain her control, she made the best decision she could...
To have me marry the daughter of another dukedom.
Things did calm down, and she solidified her position in the dukedom.
But as if killing a Duke family was not enough, she also killed a viscount family.
And I will be the one who will face the consequences of her actions.
I looked outside again instead of replying, the light of the sun dawn falling on my face as I thought about her.
Christina...
I am sure she will try her best so the engagement does not break.
Well, yeah, until she falls for that guy.
"Anything more?" I asked, looking back at her.
"There is a key for the closest hotel from the academy; stay there for today before going there," she replied, shaking her head.
"Leave me here then," I replied, looking at the bustling streets.
"You have four months left, Azariah," as the car stopped, she reminded me, her hand lightly slapping my face. "Don't disappoint my lady; it won't end well for you."
Nodding my head, I walked out, blending with the people.
It's a beautiful city, with people bustling about, shops for clothing, street shops; everything was present here.
Couples walking, holding hands, children happily playing; it was filled with happiness. Amidst all this, I alone was in a gloomy mood.
[Is your fiancée strong?]
'Yeah, she is one of the best in the second year,' I replied as I found a seat and looked at the sky.
[Then shouldn't you be close with her? I mean, you are weak; you should get all the help you can.]
'No,' I replied, shaking my head. 'I can't. If I get close to her, she will die.'
I raised my gaze slightly, noticing the elevated train track stretching across the sky, weaving its path between the towering buildings—a network of rails suspended in mid-air, connecting distant destinations with ease.
With a low hum, a train whizzed past, its design cutting through the air with remarkable speed and efficiency.
[What do you mean?]
'It's as I said, the closer I am to a [Main Heroine], the higher her chances of dying increase,' I replied with a tired sigh.
[It's not a game—]
'I know it's not a game, but I don't want to take chances,' I replied, closing my eyes. 'I...I don't want her to die.'
With another tired sigh, I wore the bracelet she gave me and used my mana to confirm my identity.
Closing my eyes, I gazed inside the bracelet before I touched the phone present inside with my mana and took it out.
I opened the browser as I searched for stores for things I wanted, such as a trampoline.
[So, are you going to be alone in the academy?]
'No,' I replied as I stood up and walked towards the location of the shop, 'She isn't the only [Main Heroine] in the game.'
I need to prepare for all the things I can.
Because tomorrow is going to be a pretty shitty day.