Chapter 398: Leaving Haven
Alexander remained silent for a long moment before finally managing a small smile. "My teacher has not done much teaching recently," he countered.
Elion’s grin widened, "Oh? So you would not mind if we got right into it?"
Alexander shook his head lightly, "Unfortunately, I will have to pass this time."
They both fell quiet for a moment until Alexander finally addressed the elephant in the room, "So, you are leaving?"
"Indeed," Elion shrugged lightly, "So this is goodbye. For good."
Alexander’s eyes trembled faintly, though his expression remained composed, "I see..."
"There is something else I need to ask you," Elion continued. "Isla will probably come and speak with you herself, but I thought I should inform you in advance that I want her to come with me."
Alexander did not seem particularly surprised.
"She is an adult," he replied. "She can make her own decisions. If she agrees to leave with you, then I have no say in the matter."
Elion studied him briefly.
He had expected at least a little more resistance, especially after everything that had happened over the past few days. But then again, Alexander had always been unusually mature for his age.
The young king hesitated before asking, "Forgive my asking, but why do you say that you are leaving for good? Does that mean you will never return?"
Elion nodded.
He had already thought about whether he should explain the truth to Alexander. Considering that he was planning to take his sister away, there was no reason to keep it hidden from him.
"Actually, there is a reasonable explanation for that."
Elion paused briefly and cleared his throat, allowing the young king to stew in suspense for a moment longer.
"You see, Aeron, Zenovia, Maya, and I are not from this world."
Alexander’s eyes widened.
For once, he looked genuinely stunned. A long silence followed, and then he slowly nodded in understanding, "I see..."
He asked no further questions.
Perhaps he understood that the matter was beyond him. Or perhaps he simply realised that knowing every detail would make little difference now.
Isla’s disappearance would undoubtedly cause a great deal of trouble for him. Questions would be thrown his way, especially since Xavier had already warned him that several powerful noble families were beginning to harbour ambitions of arranging a marriage with the princess now that Melroy was gone.
They likely believed she was finally within their reach. It would be troublesome, but Alexander would handle it.
He would simply tell the court that his sister had chosen to marry the hero who helped end the war and live a quiet, mundane life somewhere far from the capital.
After a moment, Alexander rose from his seat and approached Elion.
"Our time together was short," he said quietly, "but I thank you deeply for your service to this kingdom and for everything you taught me, Master."
Elion might have been imagining it, but he thought he saw the young king’s eyes glistening faintly.
’It must be my imagination.’
Alexander stepped closer, and the two of them embraced, patting each other firmly on the back.
"Take care of yourself, Alexander," Elion said quietly.
...
[Time Remaining Until All Participants Are Teleported Out of the Trial World and Into the Second Trial: 2 Hours]
[Rewards Will Be Calculated Once the Trial Ends]
In the end, much to Elion’s relief, Isla decided to leave her old life behind and follow her beloved. He watched quietly as she tearfully bid her mother farewell.
The two women held each other tightly for one final time, neither of them seeming eager to let go. Isla buried her face against her mother’s shoulder, her body trembling faintly as she tried to hold back her tears. Her mother stroked her hair gently, whispering a few quiet words into her ear before finally pulling away.
Her eyes were reddened, but she forced herself to smile as Isla slowly walked toward Elion, "Please take care of my little girl."
Isla’s mother looked at him with an expression that seemed half pleading and half threatening.
If Elion did not know any better, he might have thought she was silently warning him that if he ever hurt her daughter, she would hunt him to the ends of existence and burn him alive.
Elion smiled kindly as Isla moved comfortably to his side, "Of course, Mother-in-law."
The older woman blinked. The corner of her mouth twitched faintly.
At the moment, they were standing inside one of the palace’s open courtyards, with Aeron and Zenovia waiting nearby. They had to make their departure believable, with a small group of witnesses present to confirm that the heroes had left the capital alongside the princess.
Otherwise, unpleasant rumours would begin spreading almost immediately. Three mounts had been prepared for them.
Each was a large bird with an impressive wingspan, powerful enough to carry its rider across long distances. Elion and Isla had requested a single mount to share, though it hardly mattered. They intended to abandon the birds once they were far enough away from Haven.
It was late at night. The perfect time to depart beneath the cover of darkness.
Elion looked toward Alexander and Xavier, who stood a short distance away, and raised one hand in farewell.
Alexander nodded lightly. There was a faint heaviness in his eyes, but he still managed a small smile.
Elion mounted the bird and reached down toward Isla. She placed her hand in his, and he pulled her up with ease. She settled on the saddle in front of him, leaning back against his broad chest as he wrapped one arm around her waist to keep her steady.
She wore nothing more than a simple dress beneath a dark travelling cloak.
Aeron and Zenovia mounted their own birds shortly afterwards.
With a powerful beat of their wings, the three mounts launched themselves into the air and disappeared into the night sky.
The palace slowly grew smaller behind them.
Then Haven itself began to fade into the distance, its countless mana-powered lamps glowing beneath them like a field of stars scattered across the earth.
Along the way, Elion heard Isla sniffle quietly. He could feel the faint trembling of her body against his chest. No doubt, the decision she had made had not been an easy one.
She was leaving behind not only her mother and her brother, but everything she had ever known.
Perhaps there would come a day when she regretted the choice she had made tonight. Elion tightened his arm gently around her waist. He silently swore to himself that he would never allow that to happen.
He would do everything in his power to ensure that she never had reason to regret choosing him over staying with her family.
Elion had already told Isla about the women waiting for him beyond this world. He had not wanted her to make such a significant decision while believing that she would have him entirely to herself, only to discover the truth after it was too late to turn back.
To his relief, the revelation had not changed her answer.
Her father had maintained an even more absurdly large harem throughout his life. Despite the complicated politics involved, Melroy had still been a loving husband and a devoted father, even if he had shown a little favouritism toward some of his women.
Isla had grown up around that culture. She was not unfamiliar with it. That did not mean everything would be simple once they arrived in Elion’s world, of course.
But at least she knew what she was walking into. For now, Elion simply held her close as the cold night wind rushed past them.
Far behind them, the lights of Haven continued fading into the darkness.
Isla looked back only once. Then she turned forward again and rested her hands lightly over Elion’s arm.
The three mounts continued flying deeper into the night.
