Chapter 144: The Academy's Gratitude; Visiting the Ryders

"I plan to visit the Ryder manor later to see Charles. This tarot card, huh...?" Wang Yu murmured, having just finished reading the long string of messages on the communication crystal. He naturally took out the tarot card again and pretended to examine it.

His eyes mock-widened in surprise. "Charles left something on it. Don't tell anyone about this tarot card. Charles himself will feign ignorance about it as well."

"Is that so? It must be related to their family's peculiar prophetic abilities," Edward nodded, not pressing for further details.

"I was planning to check on Charles with you, but visiting the Ryders directly will be quite troublesome given my identity. Some people might interpret the visit as a potential alliance between the Grand Duke of Lionheart and the Ryders."

Edward shrugged somewhat helplessly. Given his status, even something as simple as visiting a friend of high standing could end up as a complicated affair.

The two chatted as they waited for the cleanup to finish. Once the Nightblades technicians and other staff had cleared the area, Wang Yu and Edward would be officially free to leave.

The rest wasn't their responsibility. It was up to the academy to handle the aftermath.

However, before the academy and the Nightblades could fully take over the cleanup efforts, Avia returned. She had left momentarily during Wang Yu and Edward's conversation and was now heading back with Wendy. They were holding hands, and she was gently comforting her.

The usually lively and energetic Wendy was now devoid of her usual cheer. Tears streamed down her face from her red and slightly swollen eyes.

She seemed numb, but beneath that mask was a deep, painful sorrow. The shock had been sudden and overwhelming—Wendy felt as if she were in a dream, disconnected from reality.

Avia must have told her of her grandfather's death—it was an unavoidable truth. She would have to learn to face it outright.

Wendy had lost a family member. The academy had lost a professor who turned out to be a traitor that had died in the aftermath of the scheme he had concocted.

The subsequent investigations, followed by thorough examination and distribution of Weber Lanchester's estate—Wendy, while grieving the loss of her grandfather, would have to face a bevy of other challenges.

Wendy rested her head on Avia's shoulder, listening to her gentle words of comfort. Her eyes were dim, the tears having poured out from the sudden surge of sorrow, leaving only smoldering embers of grief.

At that moment, Avia, whom Wendy often called her "sister," was perhaps one of the few remaining pillars of support for Wendy.

Wang Yu didn't know who Wendy's parents were—he had never seen them or heard Avia mention them. Wendy was only ever frequently seen with Avia and her own mentor, Barrett.

Edward opened his mouth, wanting to comfort Wendy, but he was something of an outsider. Anything he said at this moment would feel like empty platitudes.

"Professor Lanchester was trying to resurrect Wendy's father. I'll stay with her for now. She needs someone to comfort her. Barrett will likely take care of her thereafter."

Avia sent Wang Yu a mental transmission. She patted Wendy as she made a shooing gesture at Wang Yu.

Then, Avia led the girl, whose knight's physique belied her exceptionally fragile mental state, away from the battlefield still littered with rubble.

Edward sighed. It was impossible to hide the sense of helplessness and frustration in his heart. Despite his own harrowing experiences, he hadn't grown numb or accustomed to pain. Instead, his sense of injustice had only deepened.

Wang Yu himself didn't attempt to offer any words of comfort. He knew how terrible he was at consoling others. Nothing he could say to Wendy now would help her.

On the other hand, Avia, who had once needed his awkward attempts at comfort, had now become someone who could provide solace to another person in distress. He hoped Wendy would be able to move past this quickly.

"Mr. Wang Yu! You're here. Principal Weston is looking for you."

A Nightblade rushed up to him while he was lost in thought. "The principal? What for?"

Wang Yu stood up. The principal of the academy was as respected as Captain Hugin in the capital. Since he didn't know the man personally, Wang Yu maintained the same formal respect as when he had met the king.

With a brief fluctuation of mana, a young-looking man in a robe appeared not far from Wang Yu. His attire was quite close to that of an ordinary capital resident. His robe wasn't the formal, bulky type that traditional magicians wore but rather a version tailored for mobility.

His appearance was otherwise quite ordinary, save for his slightly elongated ears. Was he an elf? No wonder he looked and sounded so young...

Before Wang Yu could bow to the dean, who held a far higher status within the capital than he did, Principal Weston Stevenson bowed deeply and respectfully to Wang Yu after teleporting in front of him via spatial magic.

"Sir Wang Yu, the academy is truly indebted to you. On behalf of the entire academy, allow me to extend my sincerest gratitude."

"Ah, no need to be so formal. This is part of the Nightblades' duties."

Wang Yu hadn't expected the dean to personally come and thank him, let alone with such humility. He didn't engage in excessive politeness but rather simply framed it as an ordinary responsibility.

"Regardless, without you, the academy's facilities, staff, and students would have perished wholesale, and the academy itself would have suffered immense damage.

"In this time of war, with scarce resources and lacking manpower, repairing the academy would have been nearly impossible. If the academy had been destroyed today, it would have existed in name only for years—if not longer.

"Therefore, Sir Wang Yu, you are undoubtedly the savior of the academy. Mere words of gratitude cannot allow me to fully express my respect for you."

The principal bowed deeply once more, leaving Wang Yu stunned.

"To express my personal gratitude, please accept this small gift." Weston reached into his robe and handed Wang Yu a mana crystal card.

Wang Yu accepted it with a bow. He couldn't help but marvel at the world of the wealthy.

A quick mental probe showed that there were five thousand gold coins within. It was only a mere fraction of the academy's value, but it still seemed outrageous that Weston Stevenson could casually pull out such an amount. Avia hadn't even finished spending the two thousand gold coins he had given her for alchemical supplies just yet.

"This reward is far from enough to express our gratitude for your kindness—it's merely a personal gift from me. As for the academy, due to the ongoing war preparations, there isn't much practical that we can offer you.

"After consulting with senior faculty, we have decided to offer you the most precious privilege we can on short notice.

"You may already know that our academy's Grand Library is about to close down. It's not academy property; we merely have access to it. Ten slots were reserved for students before its closure, but there are eleven slots in all.

"Originally, this slot was intended for a professor who had made outstanding contributions to the academy. However, after deliberation, we unanimously agreed that you, the savior of the academy, should receive it instead.

"Just like the most special slot among the ten reserved for students, this slot grants you the privilege of keeping one physical item from the Grand Library. We firmly believe that your friendship is more valuable than this slot, and we hope you will accept this token of our gratitude."

"Thank you." What else could Wang Yu say? The dean had put things so eloquently and shown such humility. Wang Yu could only accept.

The academy's principal was clearly a skilled diplomat. Wang Yu's immense contribution had been met with an appropriately significant gesture of gratitude. For scholars, who regarded knowledge as one of life's most precious treasures, this eleventh slot was far more than just a mere opportunity.

To offer such a slot to him conveyed the academy's sincerity without overburdening him.

"Once more, Sir Wang Yu, allow me to thank you for what you've done. You surely still have matters to attend to. I won't disturb you further.

"We will send a messenger regarding specific details about the Grand Library as soon as possible. Farewell."

With one final bow, Weston Stevenson disappeared in a faint ripple of spatial energy.

"Not bad at all. Access to the Grand Library and the opportunity to claim one physical item. Even I'm envious," Edward, who had been listening in to the entire conversation, stepped forward with a teasing smile to congratulate Wang Yu on his gains.

"What exactly is the Grand Library?" Wang Yu asked Edward. He had always been curious about it, and Edward certainly seemed to know far more than he did.

"Huh? Wang Yu, did you not obtain your knight's secret art from the Grand Library?" Edward's somewhat puzzled reply finally cleared up a long-standing question for Wang Yu.

No wonder Wang Yu had felt a strange sense of déjà vu when he first heard the name Grand Library. The place where he had obtained Blood Tempest was an enormous, nearly endless library—the same location!

Blood Tempest had been a tremendous help to Wang Yu. To Samuel, the librarian, it might have seemed like an ordinary knight's secret art, but it had provided Wang Yu with immense assistance since he first learned it.

If not for his Blood Tempest doppelgänger, Wang Yu would likely have died to Erphine's swarm of creatures during the invasion of Stevenson Academy.

Moreover, through long and unceasing practice, the secret technique had been autonomously modified, optimized, and transformed into a form far more suited to his body and more fitting for Wang Yu—almost like a unique power.

"Last time, you were limited to choosing a knight's secret art, but this time, there should be no restrictions for you, Wang Yu. If you have a clear enough goal, or simply get lucky enough, you should be able to find something that will be of great help to you. It's an incredible opportunity."

Edward was genuinely happy for Wang Yu. Seeing the mountains of carcasses littered around Stevenson Academy, it was hard for him to imagine what kind of fierce battle Wang Yu had gone through in his absence. The countless lives Wang Yu had saved in the academy also filled him with sincere admiration. No matter what, this reward was well-deserved.

"However, I'm not sure what the opportunity to take a physical item is about—that was never an option in the past. It must be a good thing, though, given that Principal Weston mentioned it explicitly," Edward added, sharing what little he knew.

Wang Yu smiled. It really was a generous reward. He could discuss with Avia later about what knowledge would be most beneficial for him at the moment. Or perhaps, a way home? Would such information be in there...?

"The biological remains have mostly been dealt with, and the cleaners have arrived. The incident is now formally over, and the cleaners and the logistics team will handle the follow-up efforts. Thank you for your contribution, Mr. Wang Yu. We salute you."

After some time, the top Nightblades technician responsible for cracking the barrier came to inform Wang Yu of the conclusion of the incident and expressed his respect. Having failed in his own task, he held even greater respect for Wang Yu.

In truth, he had done exceptionally well. Even a genius like Avia couldn't hold a candle to him when it came to his expertise.

Avia's plan had simply taken priority, influenced as it was by Wang Yu's personality. She had brute-forced her way through, bypassing all difficulties and forcibly overcoming the barrier.

"Then I'll take my leave. You've worked hard." Wang Yu returned the salute. He always held goodwill toward the Nightblades who fought on the frontlines of crises.

"We'll take it from here." The technician saluted again while watching Wang Yu leave.

A rented carriage carried Wang Yu through the city streets. Among the bustling crowd, some agile figures moved swiftly as they tailed it.

The carriage wasn't moving fast, making it easy for those sleuths to keep up. Curiously enough, Wang Yu seemed to be heading toward the Ryder estate.

This new member of the Nightblades' special ops team, who had just made an outstanding contribution to a shocking invasion, was heading toward the lands of one of the kingdom's most trusted families. Just what was he planning to do? Although they knew that Charles Ryder was also a member of the Nightblades special ops team, a simple visit seemed unlikely.

Having a family member in the Nightblades special ops team only increased the possibility of an alliance between the Ryders and the Nightblades, an organization that had always remained independent of politics. It was natural for other forces and factions to be concerned.

For his part, Wang Yu had already sensed them through his ripples, but he was currently too weak to bother with them. Besides, no matter what they thought, this was ultimately just a normal visit.

The carriage stopped some distance away from the Ryder family estate. The driver, an ordinary citizen, didn't dare to take his carriage into the territory of a great noble. After paying the fare, Wang Yu walked the rest of the way.

To his surprise, the Ryder estate's security seemed much less stringent than that of other great nobles. There were plenty of soldiers, but the atmosphere wasn't oppressive. Instead, their lands exuded a sense of prosperity.

Wang Yu, who didn't have much experience with the wealthy, now received a glimpse of just how true nobility lived.

Enormous, luxurious mansions, shops selling high-end goods, lush greenergy and beautiful architecture—even the servants' attire were likely beyond the means of ordinary residents. Every guard, even the most ordinary patrolman, was clad in runic armor.

It was surprisingly straightforward for Wang Yu to visit Charles. After stating his identity and purpose, an old man who didn't look much like a butler glanced at him and directed him to the main mansion. Wang Yu didn't see Charles's father along the way.

A maid led him through the labyrinthine mansion, past countless twists and turns, until he finally arrived at Charles's room. By then, it was already dark.

Wang Yu knocked on the door as she bowed and departed.

The old wooden door, somewhat out of place in the luxurious manor, slowly drew back to reveal Charles's face.

"Captain Hugin and the Professor aren't here, are they? I'm afraid they'll attack me," Charles murmured, peeking out cautiously. He seemed to be feeling guilty about having gone off-grid.

"No." Wang Yu raised an eyebrow and pulled something out of his pocket.

"Alright, then. Come in quick," Charles said, hurriedly ushering him inside.

He shut the door tightly. Seeing his nervous expression, Wang Yu couldn't help but smile slightly as he handed Charles what he had retrieved from his pocket.

"What's this?" Charles frowned at the strange cup of black liquid Wang Yu retrieved.

"It's cola, something from my hometown. You'll like it—take a sip to calm your nerves," Wang Yu suggested, smiling.

Charles took the cup and downed it in one go.

"Pfft!" Charles immediately spat out the black liquid, which Wang Yu caught mid-air with his wizardry to prevent it from spilling everywhere.

"What the hell is this?! Is this even drinkable?! Ugh!" Charles stuck out his tongue, his face twisted in shock. It seemed the "cola" had really gotten to him.

"Hmm... This stuff isn't easy to replicate, especially considering it's my first attempt using the void to do such a thing. But this also shows that the void can't read my memories—it can only interpret the descriptions from my mental energy. Interesting..." Wang Yu thought to himself.

"Alright, you're not Charles, but you're using Charles's body, aren't you? Let's talk about the messages you sent me," Wang Yu looked up at the surprised 'Charles,' his smile fading.

The real Charles, despite knowing that Wang Yu had no interest in tricking people and had never tricked him before, would still be wary that others might trick him in the same way that he had tricked others. There was no way he would just down whatever Wang Yu gave him without a second thought.