Chapter 78 - - 78: Taking Heroine’s Place?

Chapter 78: Chapter - 78: Taking Heroine’s Place?

"Mother." Elena called out to her.

Adelia looked in our direction and smiled.

I had only met her a handful of times, so I still was not completely accustomed to addressing her directly, but there was no reason to hesitate.

As we approached, I straightened slightly.

"Good afternoon, aunt Adelia." That is what she told me to address her as the last time we met as marchioness sound distant.

Adelia smiled at me "Good afternoon, Kai."

She had a warm expression, although there was still the natural dignity one would expect from the wife of a marquis.

"Thank you for accompanying Elena."

"It’s nothing." I glanced at Elena before looking back at her.

"Actually, I wanted to apologize."

Elena immediately turned toward me.

"Kai?"

"I was not able to protect Elena properly and did not even realize that she was in such a danger."

Elena’s eyebrows immediately drew together.

"Don’t start that again."

I looked at her.

"I am only—"

"You don’t have to apologize for something that was not your fault."

She crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks slightly "And stop treating me like some child who needs to be protected from everything."

I stared at her for a moment. Her attitude seems completely different than yesterday.

Elena looked at me with a stubborn expression.

"You were injured much more seriously than I was, yet you are standing here apologizing to my mother as though you failed some responsibility."

I opened my mouth but did not immediately find a suitable response.

*Maybe because I am saying something embarrassing for her in front of her mother?*

Now I think it was really my bad.

Adelia had been watching the exchange quietly.

But she has a small, amused smile, and there was no trace of displeasure in her expression.

"You really don’t have to apologize for anything, Kai."

I turned toward her.

"I mean it. I have already heard about what happened."

Her eyes moved briefly toward Elena.

"And I have heard that you did everything you could to protect her, both during the incident in the forest and during the terrorist attack."

I don’t know how to respond to this.

She continues.

"So rather than apologizing to me, I should probably be thanking you."

I shook my head slightly "I don’t think I did anything extraordinary."

"Perhaps you don’t, but from a mother’s perspective, that is not something I would dismiss so easily."

Elena’s expression became slightly embarrassed "Mother..."

Adelia smiled at her "What?"

"You make it sound like I enter in trouble every other day."

"I have heard enough stories to know that you two have a talent for finding trouble."

Elena’s cheeks reddened slightly "That’s not our fault."

"I did not say it was." Adelia’s expression became somewhat more serious "In fact, if anything, I think the academy and the capital’s security are more responsible for what happened."

Neither Elena nor I responded immediately.

Adelia continued speaking calmly.

"Two incidents involving students have occurred one after another, and both were serious enough to put your lives at risk."

Her gaze became slightly firmer.

"Whatever the circumstances, students should not have to face situations like that simply because the adults responsible for protecting them failed to anticipate the danger."

I could not really disagree with that.

The Viridian Forest incident had already been strange enough, especially considering how quickly the situation had escalated.

Then came the terrorist attack. The fact that the two events had occurred so close together was difficult to ignore.

Adelia sighed softly "Fortunately, both of you are safe.

"And from what I have heard, you have even earned yourselves enough merit to be formally rewarded by the royal court."

I almost smiled.

I was nott particularly interested in being called a hero or having nobles congratulate me.

But if the royal court was going to hand out rewards, I certainly was not going to pretend that I am not interested in what those rewards might be.

Especially considering that I had almost saved the second prince’s life during the incident.

Perhaps the royal family would take that into consideration.

Adelia’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts "You should both be prepared for tomorrow."

"The last time you visited the palace several years ago it was a party, but the royal court will be much more formal, so don’t underestimate the occasion."

Elena nodded politely "We understand."

"So, let’s get going." Aunt Adelia signals Elena.

Elena stepped toward the carriage. Before getting inside, however, she turned around.

"See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you."

She climbed into the carriage.

Aunt Adelia followed after giving me one last nod.

"Congratulations for tomorrow in advance."

"Thank you."

.....

The next morning I woke up earlier than usual.

There was no particular reason for it other than the fact that I had to attend the reward ceremony at the Royal Palace, but since the event was being held by the royal court itself, I didn’t want to be rushing around at the last moment trying to get everything prepared.

After washing up and getting ready, I opened the wardrobe and looked at the clothes inside for a moment before selecting the formal attire that had been prepared for occasions like this.

I wore a properly fitted black tuxedo with a white shirt underneath, along with a simple dark tie, polished shoes, and the kind of formal clothing that was expected of a noble attending an official royal event.

There wasn’t anything particularly extravagant about it, since I had no interest in covering myself with expensive ornaments simply because I was going to the palace, but the clothes were still considerably more refined than what I normally wore at the academy.

I checked myself once before leaving the room.

It was acceptable.

That was enough.

The academy was already beginning to wake up when I stepped outside, although it was considerably earlier than the time when students normally started gathering for classes.

Since today was a special occasion, several carriages were already moving around the academy grounds, carrying students who had been invited to the ceremony.

When I reached the main gate, I immediately spotted the Shen family’s carriage waiting there.

The carriage itself was not particularly enormous, but it was elegant enough to make its purpose obvious, and the Shen family crest was prominently displayed on both sides.

Dalas were standing beside it.

As soon as he noticed me approaching, he straightened and smiled.

"Congratulations in advance, Lord Kai."

I gave him a small nod.

"Thanks, Dalas."

He opened the carriage door.

"I imagine everyone back home will be pleased."

"I suppose so."

I stepped inside, followed by Dalas, who took his usual place as the coachman after closing the door.

There was technically no need for me to use the family’s carriage.

The academy had already arranged transportation for the students who were attending the royal ceremony, and I could have simply boarded one of those carriages with the other students.

But I had deliberately chosen to use the Shen family’s carriage instead. There was a fairly simple reason for that.

The carriage carried the Shen family crest.

When a noble family member appeared at an important public occasion in a carriage bearing his family’s emblem, people naturally associated whatever recognition that person received with the family as well.

Today was not merely about me receiving a reward.

I was going to the Royal Palace as a member of the Shen family, and being publicly acknowledged by the king after participating in the defense of the academy would naturally add some prestige to the family’s name.

There was little reason to waste an opportunity like that.

I was not the only one who had apparently reached the same conclusion.

The Curzon siblings had also chosen to use their family’s carriage rather than the academy’s transportation, and considering how much importance noble families placed on reputation, I was not surprised.

For nobles, even something as simple as arriving at the palace in the right carriage could have a purpose.

The carriage began moving. I leaned back into the seat and looked through the window as the academy slowly disappeared behind us.

I spent most of time thinking about what the ceremony would actually be like.

I had attended formal events before, but a ceremony held inside the Royal Palace and presided over by the king himself was naturally on another level.

Still, there was no reason to overthink it.

I was not going there to negotiate with the royal family or discuss anything particularly important.

I simply had to receive whatever reward the kingdom had decided to give us, offer the appropriate greetings, and leave.

At least, that was what I hoped.

The palace eventually came into view.

Even from a distance, the enormous white structure was difficult to miss, with its tall towers and expansive walls rising above the surrounding buildings of the capital.

The main road leading toward the palace was considerably busier than usual, although the security presence around the royal district was also noticeably heavier.

Dalas slowed the carriage as we approached the designated entrance.

After the necessary checks were completed, we were allowed through.

Our carriage continued toward the area where the guests and honored students were being received.

When I stepped down, I saw several familiar faces nearby.

Elena was already there.

She was dressed formally as well, wearing an elegant black dress that suited her without being excessively elaborate, while her black hair had been arranged neatly for the occasion.

She noticed me almost immediately "Kai."

"You are here early." I said as I walked up to her.

"It is a special occasion" She replied with a smile.

"Indeed" I looked around and saw several familiar faces.

Ralf was standing a little farther away, dressed in formal clothes that looked considerably more expensive than anything he normally wore at the academy.

Jin and Jasmine Curzon were nearby as well, both wearing the formal attire associated with their family.

Ray and Luna had also arrived. Well I heard that the couple really saved some students and led them to save places.

The atmosphere among the students was surprisingly relaxed.

There was certainly some nervousness, especially considering the setting, but nobody looked particularly frightened.

After all, most of them were nobles.

They had grown up attending formal gatherings, banquets, ceremonies, and meetings where etiquette mattered considerably more than it did inside the academy.

In the game, heroine was also supposed to be here to receive the reward for being at the center of the attack and fighting back the terrorist.

But the timeline seems to be completely changed. The attack happened a day earlier and Hina was not involved in the incident since she was in the teacher’s office at that time.

Though she and other students received some rewards from the academy for treating the injured students but it was nothing compared to this.

*Could it be that I have taken the heroine’s place in this incident?*