The next morning, Noah was fully prepared for his new journey.
He stood inside the study, wearing comfortable travel clothes with a backpack slung over one shoulder. For looking good and then put it inside storage ring once he left the house.
His mother, Catelyn, looked him over.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"I am going to meet a friend," Noah replied calmly. "He wanted to explore a labyrinth together."
"What?"
Catelyn frowned immediately.
"Out of nowhere?"
She folded her arms across her chest before firing one question after another.
"Who is this friend? How many of you are going? Where is this labyrinth? Which city is it located in?"
Before Noah could answer, Julian looked up from the documents on his desk.
"Catelyn," he said calmly, "stop asking so many questions."
He leaned back in his chair.
"If Noah wishes to go, then let him."
The three of them were currently inside the Duke’s study.
Catelyn let out a small sigh.
"I am not trying to stop him."
She glanced at Noah before continuing in a gentler voice.
"I simply want to know exactly where he is going. What if something happens to him? At the very least, we should know where to find him."
Hearing that, Noah patiently explained everything.
He told her that he would be meeting Damien Ashworth in Everhold City, located within the Thornveil Duchy. He also explained that they would be exploring a newly discovered labyrinth together and that Instructor Morgana would personally inspect it beforehand to ensure it was safe enough for them.
For a brief moment, Catelyn narrowed her eyes after hearing Morgana’s name.
"...I see."
She slowly nodded before pushing the money pouch toward Noah.
"Very well. You may have this."
Then she looked directly into his eyes.
"And don’t bother your Instructor Morganatoo much."
For some reason, she placed unusual emphasis on Morgana’s name.
Noah’s lips twitched slightly.
He had absolutely no intention of explaining anything.
Right now, all he wanted was to leave before another misunderstanding occurred.
"As you say, Mother," he replied obediently.
Catelyn smiled faintly before stepping closer and wrapping him in a brief, gentle embrace.
"And lastly...Take care of yourself. Stay safe."
Noah returned the hug before nodding.
"I will."
Julian then spoke from behind his desk.
"You are heading to Everhold, the capital city of the Thornveil Duchy. It is also where the Duke’s family resides."
His expression remained calm and dignified.
"You should not encounter any problems there."
He paused briefly before adding,
"However... try your best not to cross paths with your former fiancée. The Thornveil family does not hate you personally, but avoiding unnecessary encounters would still be the wiser choice."
Noah nodded respectfully.
"I understand, Father."
He bowed to both of his parents.
"I will take my leave."
Just before leaving, he looked toward his mother.
"Mother, could you please take care of Nancy while I am gone?"
Catelyn smiled gently.
"Leave her to me. You may travel without worrying."
Satisfied, Noah gave one final nod before turning around and leaving the study.
Not long afterward...
Noah stepped through a teleportation gate.
A bright flash of light engulfed him for an instant before the scenery around him completely changed.
He slowly opened his eyes.
"Not bad."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Using the teleportation network had allowed him to travel across the Empire in only a few moments.
"It’s good to be rich."
He muttered those words with satisfaction.
The Thornveil Duchy was located in the southern region of the Empire.
Unlike the colder northern lands ruled by the Eldritch family, the climate here was considerably warmer.
Noah looked around the bustling streets.
"Tch... It’s still not as beautiful as my duchy."
Everhold was undoubtedly prosperous.
Wide roads stretched through the city, modern vehicles moved in orderly traffic, and elegant commercial buildings lined both sides of the streets. People hurried about their daily lives, filling the city with energy.
Yet despite all its wealth and development, Noah failed to find anything particularly unique about it.
To him, it simply resembled another modern metropolitan city.
Nothing more.
He left the teleportation station and boarded a public bus that traveled toward the outskirts of the city.
Nearly forty minutes later, he stepped off at the final stop near the edge of the city. He left the city and came to edge of a vast forest.
Towering trees stretched endlessly before him, while distant mountain ranges rose against the horizon.
A cool breeze drifted through the wilderness.
"The world really is enormous."
He quietly observed his surroundings.
"Almost every major city seems to be surrounded by forests and mountains. I suppose that’s actually a good thing."
After all, monsters and magical beasts naturally inhabited such environments, making them ideal locations for adventurers, training grounds, and valuable resource gathering.
Noah glanced around.
"So... Where is that protagonist bastard?"
Damien had already explained how to reach this location.
Now all Noah had to do was wait.
A few moments later—
"Hey, Noah!!"
A familiar voice echoed from behind him.
Noah turned around.
Sure enough, Damien emerged from between the trees with his usual carefree grin plastered across his face, casually walking out of the forest as if he had been waiting there all along.
Damien walked toward Noah with his usual carefree grin.
The moment he reached him, he extended his hand.
Noah accepted it without hesitation, and the two shook hands firmly.
"How have you been, Noah?" Damien asked with a cheerful smile. "It’s good to see that you’ve fully recovered."
Unlike his academy uniform, Damien wore simple travel clothes beneath a set of light leather armor reinforced with metal plates around the shoulders and chest. A sword hung comfortably at his waist, while a travel backpack rested behind him.
He looked completely prepared for an expedition.
Noah smiled back.
"I have been doing well."
He returned the handshake before adding,
"And I am glad to see you again too."
Damien laughed.
"Good."
He turned toward the forest.
"Come on. Master is waiting for us."
The two of them began walking deeper into the forest together.
As they traveled along the narrow path between towering trees, Damien casually started talking about the past two weeks.
"I swear, training here all alone was torture."
He sighed dramatically.
"Master didn’t let me slack off even for a single day. Morning training. Afternoon training. Evening training. I seriously thought I was going to die."
Noah chuckled quietly.
"That does sound like Instructor Morgana."
After listening for a while, he asked,
"Why did Instructor Morgana choose this place in the first place?"
Damien shrugged.
"She told me there were several monster species living around this region that I had never fought before. She wanted me to gain experience against unfamiliar geography."
He scratched the back of his head before continuing.
"Oh... and she also mentioned that she had some business with the Duke of Thornveil. That was the main reason."
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