Saturday morning at the Ikelite Academy.

The Ancient Tower Library, one of the Sage Academy's iconic buildings, still saw many students entering and leaving in pairs on this weekend.

The interior of this gigantic building was magnificent, with exquisite murals, mosaics, and carvings. The towering stone pillars at the entrance supported a temple-like grandeur, and along the corridor were statues of eleven deities of the good alignment.

Two figures were walking in this corridor leading to the central hall of the library.

"Is it still making you unhappy that Sophia didn't come, Your Highness Einarr?"

The light-haired girl asked, blinking her bright eyes. Her pupils were a unique green, like a clear, pure spring in a deep forest.

"...No, I just don't understand it, I'm just confused,"

Einarr shook his head, unable to completely hide the worry on his face.

Dean Lauren had arranged to meet them in the inner area of the Ancient Tower Library at ten o'clock this morning.

Einarr obviously didn't want his mood to affect Karen.

According to Professor Polao's request, his job would be completed once he took good care of the foreign artificer friend and made sure she had a happy and satisfying two weeks at Ikelite.

"Your Highness Einarr, sometimes you need to be more considerate of Sophia's feelings. It doesn't matter if I suffer a little grievance, you should favor her more."

Karen walked lightly, her smile revealing confidence and tenacity.

Many upperclassmen and upperclasswomen always said that she must have been a child who was sensible from a young age, making people feel sorry for her.

"That won't do. As a prince of the Hutton Kingdom, I naturally can't allow a foreign friend to be treated unfairly here,"

Einarr said firmly.

Whenever this happened, he would think of his best friend.

He felt that if it were his best friend, he would definitely do the same. His best friend acted openly and was always selfless, which was admirable.

"Hehe."

Karen wore a smile on her face, as if every little thing in life could bring her joy.

Her favorite thing to do was to break up seemingly compatible couples.

Love is a game of deceiving oneself or others.

All expectations for love stem from fantasy.

And that fantasy had already been shattered when she was very young.

Give her a few more days, and she believed she could completely capture this prince. This was also one of the great joys she found in this academic visit.

The two chatted peacefully, and as the light grew brighter, they finally walked into the central reading hall.

What came into view was the magnificent domed ceiling, twenty-four meters high, covered with alternating patterns of deep gold and sky blue, as if the stars in the night sky and the dawn of the morning light were dancing together. A huge mirror in the center of the dome reflected everything in the hall.

The interior was converted from the earliest Hutton Kingdom Congress. The entire solemn circular hall had a structure similar to a courtroom or a parliament hall, with long tables arranged in concentric circles around the central open space.

Inside the hall, dozens of peach wood tables with curved surfaces were arranged in an orderly manner on the hard marble floor. Each table had a emerald green lamp. The distance between the tables was just right, arranged in a layered manner without appearing crowded.

Along the four sides of the hall, huge wooden bookshelves inlaid with glass stood tall, neatly lined with about 85,000 books. Above the bookshelves, a golden sign was inlaid, engraved with the field of the collection, from "History" to "Art," from "Magical Texts" to "Ecological Nature."

"The area in the very center is like a lecture area and a stage theater. It's usually not open, and it's only used when there are public academic lectures or external publicity releases. Sometimes, for large events, those dozens of long tables will be filled with various foreign guests."

Einarr pointed to the distance, introducing the Ancient Tower Library of the Sage Academy to Karen.

Generally speaking, the most frequent use of the central area of this library now is for semi-public projects like *Observing the Primordial Stone Tablet*.

Whenever a student successfully completes Dean Lauren's test, they will be arranged here. At that time, interested students and some scholars from the Magic Tower may come to take a look.

In addition to the circle of tables and chairs surrounding the center on the ground floor, looking up from the hall, the upper floors of the library were arranged in a semi-circle like the stands of a grand theater. From upstairs, one could not only overlook the activity in the central hall of the ground floor, but also feel the aura of knowledge and history from all directions.

"I see."

Karen looked at the clock in the distance. They were about half an hour early for their appointment with Dean Lauren.

Dean Lauren's official duties were quite busy, and the time was squeezed out, so it was naturally unlikely that he would arrive so early.

But soon, both Einarr and Karen noticed that in the very center of the central hall—

A dignified figure stood there leisurely like a chess piece.

His clothes were impeccable, the delicate grid on his collar and tie perfectly matched his dark coat, and his gentle gaze contained profound wisdom.

He was smiling and watching the visitors entering the hall.

"Your Highness Einarr, Student Karen, you've arrived."

Whether it was a slight nod or a slow movement of his steps, Lanchi's actions revealed a natural leadership quality. In this hall of knowledge, he was like a true mentor, waiting for students eager for knowledge and giving them the best guidance and advice.

Karen was a little stunned for a moment. If she hadn't met Dean Lauren before, she would have mistakenly thought that the young man in front of her was the highest leader of the Sage Academy.

"Lanchi, I heard that you just came back from the Shadow World these days and are very busy, so I didn't come to find you. I didn't expect to see you so soon."

The little bit of distress that Einarr might have had in his heart today disappeared in an instant when he saw Lanchi, leaving only joy. He quickly walked towards Lanchi.

"Your Highness Einarr, Miss Karen, originally Miss Karen should have observed the stone tablet alone this time, but considering that Dean Lauren's affairs will be quite busy in the next period, I agreed to his request to avoid Dean Lauren having to set aside time for me separately in the future."

Lanchi bowed slightly to Einarr, who was walking towards him.

"So, Your Highness Einarr and Student Lanchi are acquainted?"

Karen followed beside Einarr, showing a hint of surprise while feeling puzzled, and looked up at Einarr.

She had heard from Lauren when she submitted her task earlier that, due to a scheduling conflict, she was allowed to cut in line ahead of the Ikelite Academy students this time, so it was possible that they would observe it together. Karen had expressed her agreement, understanding, and gratitude.

Although the Sage Academy and the Magic Engineering Academy had some common ground in the magic courses they pursued, and a few students at the Sage Academy were also proficient in magical engineering.

But even Karen didn't expect that the student she cut in front of was none other than Lanchi, whom Adams, a third-year senior at their Allorran Academy, considered his rival.

It was said that this was the guy who defeated the Destruction Saintess of the Resurrection Church.

And when faced with Adams' challenge, he didn't care about winning or losing at all, and casually let Adams win, as magnanimous as Dean Lauren, and as if he didn't consider Adams a real opponent at all.

"Yes, my best friend Lanchi, the top student of the Sage Academy's first year."

Einarr introduced Lanchi to Karen with a smile.

Karen might not be very familiar with Lanchi. After all, after coming to Ikelite Academy, she had been traveling back and forth between the Magic Engineering Academy and the Church of the Goddess of Fate, and had not shown much interest in the combat jobs of the Sage Academy and the Knight Academy, as if she had long been tired of the atmosphere of the Allorran Royal Academy, which specialized in combat jobs and only knew how to fight and kill.

Einarr wanted to boast about his best friend several times, but he held back.

Professor Polao had said that before the key steps of Lanchi's platinum-level assessment were approved, those of them who knew the truth should not publicize the fact that Lanchi had become a quasi-platinum-level card maker a week ago, in order to prevent attracting more external obstacles. Einarr didn't say much for Lanchi's sake.

"Student Lanchi, it's a pleasure to meet you. Senior Adams has caused you trouble."

Karen turned to look at Lanchi and greeted him politely.

She didn't have much interest in these disputes between combat jobs, it was just too stupid. It was enough to just worship her.

"No, if Student Adams has a request, I will do my best to satisfy him. This is my responsibility and obligation."

Lanchi replied sincerely.

"As expected of Dean Lauren's excellent disciple. I believe he must also be gratified by the concessions you have made for him."

Karen had finished observing Lanchi in a short moment of exchange.

His temperament and sincerity didn't seem fake, and he seemed to be a consistent person.

Then it didn't matter if there was an extra third wheel today, it wouldn't affect her continuing to control Einarr.

"Your Highness Einarr..."

Just as Karen was about to continue talking to Einarr.

She inexplicably found that Einarr had his arm around Lanchi's shoulders, leaving her aside as if he had forgotten her, and only wanted to tell Lanchi those endless words.

"..."

This made Karen extremely awkward.

How did she feel that her charm was not even as good as a man's?!

Einarr wasn't even a tenth as fascinated with Sophia!

Lanchi smiled helplessly at Karen.

At this moment, it was just like that moment at the Card Maker Association.

Karen subconsciously clenched her fist slightly.

She didn't know if Lanchi's smile was truly helpless towards this prince, or if it had a hint of humiliation!

As if telling her—

You can never be as close to the prince as I am.

(End of Chapter)