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Chapter 210: Rinella’s Destiny is Her Own (3)

No matter how talented one might be, this was an academy.

A locale that attracted geniuses from all over, and only those who could efficiently utilize each day would survive. Therefore, the tranquil morning scene at the academy felt strangely unfamiliar to me.

It indicated that the number of students heading home for the break had significantly increased.

Strolling along the deserted central avenue was an unusual experience. Despite my two years and six months at the academy, it was the first time I had witnessed the student union completely empty of students.

Well, I used to be one of the first to head home when the vacation started.

Had it not been for the Imperial Princess's situation, the attack of demonic beasts, or the unexpected love letter from the future, this year would have unfolded much differently. Yet, such assumptions are futile in the grand scheme of things.

Something was lurking in the Percus Territory.

Knowing such a fact now, I found myself unable to avoid it. My precious hometown, where my family dwelled, teetered on the edge of desolation by the Dark Order. How could I idly stand by and take no action?

I needed to gather some information.

Certainly, prioritization was essential amidst the information I needed to collect. The most urgent rumor to delve into was my own activities over the past two days.

The future me was well versed about various events, after all.

But he didn’t come from the same timeline as mine.

In other words, his existence seeped from a separate timeline itself. So, the information he knew could be somewhat rudimentary.

If I were to label the future I aspired for as a "well-achieved future," the timeline experienced by the other future version of myself existed distinctly as a "ruined future."

And in the timeline where love letters originated, it wasn't the "ruined future" but rather the "well-achieved future."

That was why, even if it was the 'me' from the future, there was no certainty that he knew about the events happening in the "well-achieved future."

Because, initially, the events he knew were limited to the "ruined future."

Nevertheless, the actions shown by the future ‘me’ still provided valuable clues.

It was evident that he held more information than my present self. After all, he originated from a future that could be years ahead, rendering it inevitable.

The advice he left on the back of the letter clearly highlighted this.

"Let go of what must be discarded."

That blunt advice hinted that the man had already sensed something.

It was time to discover what crazy things I had done over the past two days.

Although I felt a bit uneasy, I firmly strengthened my resolve.

After all, I had already dared to bother the Imperial Family.

There couldn't be anything crazier than that. With such faint hope, I headed to the sword training grounds.

There were already a dozen or so students practicing on the training grounds.

Despite the notable decline in the academy residents, the training grounds remained a hub of activity, bustling with visitors.

While the majority of nobles had typically departed for their homes, commoners lacked a proper refuge. Opting to reside in the academy proved more convenient.

Thus, despite the crowd not being even half of what it was during the peak times, it was still enough to stir up some rumors.

However, after questioning the training students, the result was shocking.

"…Nothing happened?"

"Uh, I don’t think you did anything wrong. By the way, are you staying behind in the academy?"

Even as doubts lingered in the story shared by a familiar face among my peers, I reluctantly pressed on, questioning several more students afterwards.

The conclusion was consistent.

"No, I haven't heard anything."

"Seriously, if Senior had gone anywhere, everyone would be talking about it by now, right? But there hasn't been a whisper of a rumor."

"Huh, weren't you going back to your hometown? I think Celine was looking for you last time."

Not only my peers but also juniors, and even my seniors were providing similar answers. This made things apparent.

My future self had not caused any incidents over the past two days.

It was a surprising fact.

Naturally, the sight of the Imperial Family seal stained with blood hinted at his involvement in some deed. Yet, I found reassurance in my knowledge that my reputation remained unscathed.

Tears almost welled up in my eyes.

For comparison, it felt like witnessing a brother known for being obsessed with swinging a hatchet, adapting normally to society.

‘That’s right. You can do it, too.’

Speaking those words quietly to myself, I proceeded with a lighter gait, the weather strangely invigorating on this particular day.

It didn't take much time until I stopped humming.

Suddenly, a blow struck my back, making me scream.

Enduring it with remarkable patience, my body jerked involuntarily, the familiar sensation promoting an immediate guess at the cause.

As my resentful gaze turned towards my back, there stood Celine, crossing her arms.

She wore an extremely displeased expression.

"...Ian Oppa, where have you been?"’

The mood already seemed serious with how she had crossed her arms.

Looking back, I recalled one of the pieces of information I had just inquired about.

Celine was looking for me, right? For a whole two days.

Despite the sharp pain in my back, I had to clear my throat silently.

“Well, I’m just trying to find that out right now…”

"...What kind of nonsense is that!"

Celine's fiery temperament was evident in her sudden burst of screams. Though she usually showed kindness towards me, none of that kindness was apparent when she was genuinely upset.

It was understandable, considering my unexplained absence for two days.

Despite my earnest response, Celine seemed to view it as a joke, heightening her frustration.

"Ian Oppa... Have you forgotten that we're leaving for the Percus territory the day after tomorrow? We need to buy gifts for your parents before we go, and also for Aaron Oppa and Ria."

"Why do we always have to buy gifts every time we go..."

"It wouldn't have mattered had it been only you going home, but I'm tagging along too, right?"

Upon meeting Celine's piercing gaze, I immediately shut my mouth.

It wouldn't be good to go to someone else's house empty-handed. It might have been different in our younger years, but now Celine and I were adults.

Nevertheless, I couldn't shake off the sense of unfairness that I had to confront the matter, prompting me to argue.

“Then, won't it be the same if you go with Leto to buy it?“

"Are you crazy?! Why should I go to the city alone with that guy?"

In response to Celine's cold rebuttal, I remained silent and rubbed my chin.

For Celine, it probably felt like going out to the city with her siblings, much like how it would feel if I went shopping in the city with Ria.

After much contemplation, I came up with a simple conclusion.

"…What’s wrong with that?"

"Weird kinks."

In Celine's caramel eyes, a hint of contempt was now apparent.

Facing that gaze, a wronged feeling welled up within me. I tried to persuade Celine in frustration.

"Celine, listen... Sibling dynamics are diverse. You and Leto may not see eye to eye, but there's also me and Ria, who share a bond of deep affection."

"…Ian Oppa and Ria are a bit extreme."

Celine scoffed and spoke as if she had heard something amusing.

"Especially Ria, that girl is a bit dangerous. She likes you too much, doesn’t she? If I choose a gift alone, she'll probably sarcastically comment in a polite tone..."

"Ria is not like that."

Celine's lips curled up in response to my firm voice.

And soon, with a sigh that seemed to say, ‘Yeah, right,’ she cast a sour look at me. It was an expression that conveyed a sense of resignation.

"So, where in the world have you been? It was almost like you vanished into thin air with no news for two days. Do you know how worried I was?"

I wanted to shout that I didn't know right now.

However, I had recently begun to see that honesty isn't always the ideal approach. So, I made the decision to lend an ear to Celine's side of the story.

If she had been searching for me for two days, Celine probably had the most eyewitness accounts of my whereabouts.

“…No one has seen me in the past two days? Really?”

"That’s right, no one!"

Upon reconsideration, Celine's frustration flared up anew, her foot stomping in frustration, displaying a distinct combination of anger and perceived injustice.

"D-Do you even know how worried I was about you? At first, there was no news, and when I looked around for you for two days, no one had seen you..."

Celine's voice gradually sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

She seemed to have desperately looked for me. Since I had disappeared without a trace, Celine must have been worried.

I would have felt the same way if Celine had disappeared like that.

Understanding her emotions, I softly ran my hand over Celine's head. In return, she pressed her head against my chest, emitting a gentle sniffle.

"I’m sorry, Celine."

"...Yeah.”

In this manner, I comforted Celine for a while until she was ready to resume her steps.

Celine recounted only one eyewitness account detailing my actions.

"Last night, there was a rumor that Ian Oppa bought whiskey and returned to the dormitory."

That moment was the only witness accounted for within the academy during my disappearance over the past two days.

Something was off.

If my future self had merged with me and stayed in the room throughout the day, there had to be some significance to it. However, upon examination, there was no sign of anything amiss in my room.

The answer was clear.

The Imperial Palace.

I was unsure of the things that had taken place. Though a contiguity with them had certainly happened.

The seal which was tucked in my pocket felt unusually solid.

**

In the end, I had to seek out Senior Neris to obtain information.

However, without needing to go to the press club, a shadow descended as I reached the sparsely populated open area.

It was a swift response as if it had been waiting for me all along.

It was obvious that my actions had been tracked in advance as I locked eyes with Senior Neris, whom I hadn't encountered in quite some time.

She stood before me, an impressive figure, with neatly cropped brown hair framing her neck and a pin discreetly tucked into her bangs. Her deep green eyes shimmered with a melancholic glow.

Above all, the most noticeable change was the bandages wrapped around her body.

From the neck to the shoulders and from her fingers to the wrists, the tight cover-up with bandages around her wounds hinted at injuries. At a glance, it didn't seem like just minor injuries.

Senior Neris immediately lowered her head as I gave her a momentarily puzzled look at her unexpected appearance.

The woman's body was trembling like a leaf.

"I-I've compiled the information you asked for. It includes the status of missing individuals in the Percus territory and the neighboring regions…"

"...Are you okay?"

For a person with typical emotions, it was a question that should arise naturally.

It was common sense to inquire about the well-being of someone clearly in pain.

However, as if hearing an unbearable sound, Senior Neris glared at me. I continued to scrutinize her, still questioning.

Senior Neris, who had been absent-minded for a moment, soon turned pale.

"O-Of course! Of course. Thanks to Sir Ian's merciful treatment..."

As my expression became increasingly bitter, unable to understand what she was saying, Senior Neris began pleading with a faint sob.

"I-I didn't doubt you... I won't doubt you again...."

In the end, I slapped myself and wiped my face.

I knew it. There was no way it would have gone smoothly.

‘What the hell did you do?’

Only after hearing Senior Neris's subsequent story could I grasp the overall situation.

****

The man woke up in a dark secret /genesisforsaken