Leon decided to log out after completing the Trial Domain with Alora. There were several things he needed to attend to in real life. Though he didn’t have many updates about what was happening in the city, Elincia had confirmed that everything was in order, which gave him some peace of mind.
He had to make a trip to the campus that day, something he had avoided for the past week. Since he wanted to talk with Freya, they decided to ride together in the same car, with Alfred driving them to campus.
“It was Maylock who decided to come after you,” Freya began.
“Maylock?”
“Yes, when they learned that you and the Princess were on an expedition, Maylock took the initiative to follow. So, he, Elincia, Toberry, Melliandra, and Kingsley all decided to join the pursuit,” Freya explained.
“Even before I consulted him about the demon? What prompted him to follow? Was it because I went with the Princess or something else?” Leon wondered aloud.
“I don’t know,” Freya responded with a giggle. “You’d better ask Maylock yourself. But it seems he always believes something interesting will happen when you’re on an expedition.”
Leon nodded slowly, understanding how crucial Maylock’s analytical skills were in navigating the complexities of the Trial Domain he and the Princess were trapped in.
“It’s because of this that they arrived quicker and took action immediately. They were assisted by two Knight Grand Crosses,” Freya continued.
From Elincia’s account, Tristan had eventually been captured and was taken to the palace for imprisonment. However, it was clear that he wasn’t a full demon, more like a half-demon. It seemed very likely that Tristan was the one who had brought Flauros into the cave, to begin with.
“Them, the demons,” Leon continued. “I couldn’t inspect their status, except for Tristan. Even then, I could only see one stat.”
Freya nodded. “So, I guess you could spend some time doing another scan of everyone who’s left there?”
She continued, “Princess Alora and her entourage had already returned to the palace. Only Elincia and Maylock were staying behind for a while longer.”
“Yes, I’ll do it once I get back to the game this evening,” Leon agreed.
As the car pulled into the campus area, Leon grabbed his bag. “Thanks,” he said, turning to Freya. “What are you up to today?”
Freya raised an eyebrow. “What’s with that? I have a lot of things to do.”
“Uhm… Hang out? Coffee?” Leon suggested.
“If you’re insisting, I won’t say no,” Freya replied with a playful smirk.
Leon walked towards the campus building, his mind still awhirl with everything that had happened inside the game, especially the expedition with Alora. He took a deep breath, his emotions a mix of relief and anxiety.
What they had gone through, trapped in the Trial Domain with its intense battles, kept replaying in his head. Even the slightest mistake or wrong decision could have put the Princess in grave danger. That would have been disastrous.
Leon felt the immense responsibility of everyone playing the Immortal Legacy, especially since the Crown Princess of Dissidia Kingdom was with him. Her fate was truly hanging by a thread, even though they finally managed to escape. But the decision to continue the Trial until the end, relying solely on Maylock’s analysis, was a complete gamble!
But if it turned out that Alora had to leave the Trial and he had to finish it by himself, would Alora be willing to do that? And could he complete the Trial alone? He wasn’t sure.
Alora was completely against the idea of leaving the Trial by herself. It was sheer stubbornness, and he wasn’t really sure if this was wise or just plain pigheadedness. But he knew he should prioritize her safety. At least, that’s what he thought.
Leon took another deep breath. Beyond that, there was a strange sense of exhilaration. Did Princess Alora really promise that he could marry her? He was still trying to convince himself that it had actually happened.
Yes, it did. They even shared a kiss! It was the most embarrassing moment, yet he couldn’t forget it. The memory was still vivid in his mind, even now. He didn’t know how it happened, nor did he understand what led to it.
It was a complete glory, the hardest struggle, the nightmare. Seeing Alora repeatedly getting seriously injured made him hold his breath each time. The battle demanded their utmost concentration and effort. And the final result was their victory! A massive one. How could he not be overjoyed? While he genuinely wanted to save the Princess and protect her.
But these thoughts began to settle deeper into his mind. Many players in Immortal Legacy had married NPCs and were happy with that. Would marrying a character in the game close off the possibility of marrying someone in the real world?
What if he ended up marrying Princess Alora? Would he never have a real woman as a wife?
Did he need to think about this? Did he care about the Princess? Yes. Did he love her? He didn’t know. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm
But would he be willing to marry her? That offer wasn’t something you needed to question; no one would turn down such an opportunity, including Leon.
But then, another name popped into his head-it was Ivana. He cared about her, too, and had committed to protecting her.
He could no longer distinguish between the feelings of care and love. Or perhaps they were actually the same?
Damn, Leon thought, quickly dismissing the peculiar thoughts. Maybe he was too stressed from the struggles in the game, causing his mind to become a bit chaotic. He needed to focus on something else today.
As he approached the classroom, someone called out to him from behind.
“Leon, Leon,” a woman called out.
Leon turned around and saw a woman with wavy blonde hair wearing a thigh-length blue
dress. It was Laura.
“Hi, Laura,” he replied.
They started walking side by side.
“It’s been a week since you were last at campus.”
“Uhm, Yes…” he responded with a grin. “It seems I’ve been getting lost in the game, and it’s always a struggle to force myself to come here. It’s really hard.”
Laura giggled at his words. “I made a summary for you, everything you missed. I’ll send it to
your email.”
“Thanks, Laura… I really need that, at least to pass the exams,” he admitted.
They entered the classroom, and Leon quickly moved up to a few rows of seats at the back. He turned to Laura, who was standing still, a bit hesitant. “Want to join me?”
“May I?” she asked uncertainly.
“Yes,”
Laura smiled and joined him. They sat next to each other, drawing the attention of several other students in the class. It was especially surprising because Leon was known to be quiet, not popular, and without many friends. But Laura, one of the most beautiful women in the class with many admirers, sitting with him? It definitely raised a lot of questions, among others.
While waiting for their professor to arrive, the class was quite noisy, but Laura and Leon appeared to be engaged in an interesting conversation, at least from a distance. Laura, with an enthusiastic expression, kept asking questions, and Leon answered them awkwardly. Laura laughed at his responses, clearly enjoying their interaction. The closeness between them was evident as Laura focused intently on Leon’s face, smiling at his every gesture.
That little laugh and the way Laura looked at Leon didn’t go unnoticed by others in the class. It seemed like Laura was paying special attention to Leon?! Laura was known for not mingling much with others. She was quite reserved and usually only responded to those who approached her first. Even then, it didn’t indicate a close relationship, just mere acquaintanceship.
However, the conversation between Leon and Laura suggested they knew each other much better than that. Some of the students knew they came from the same high school, but they never expected Leon, the nerd, to be so close to someone as beautiful and charming as Laura.
When the class ended, Laura invited Leon to have lunch together at the campus cafe.
“Yes… I think that’s a good idea,” he responded.
“Let me choose the menu, and I’ll treat you this time,” she said with a smile.
“I hope your choice won’t disappoint me.”
“You can bet on me,” she responded confidently.