Chapter 334: First Prince Justinian, and now...

The days passed faster than Noah expected.

He kept wondering when the next incident would occur, yet for some reason, everything had been far too peaceful.

Nearly three weeks had passed since the academy reopened, and so far, Noah had done little more than train and practice.

And that, ironically, was beginning to make him nervous.

Noah sat on a bench at the edge of the training ground, resting his back against it as he stared at the evening sky.

He let out a long sigh.

He wanted to explore another dungeon and experience something exciting, but after what he had gone through inside the labyrinth with Damien, a part of him also wanted to stay as far away from dungeons as possible.

’There has to be something troublesome going on.’

His instincts refused to believe that things could remain this peaceful for long.

’Even Prince Justinian hasn’t done anything against Damien or me.’

Noah narrowed his eyes slightly.

’Though I’ve seen him a few times since then. He didn’t say anything, but the hostility in his eyes was obvious.’

Fortunately, nothing had happened yet. After sitting there for a while longer, Noah finally decided to return to his dormitory.

It was already evening. He stood up from the bench and made his way through the academy’s corridors.

Even at this hour, the halls remained lively.

Students walked around in groups, chatting with their friends after finishing their daily training and classes. Some were discussing their lessons, while others were simply enjoying their free time.

Then Noah noticed something else.

A few pairs of students men and women were walking together while holding hands.

Their faces were slightly flushed, and their expressions were filled with the unmistakable embarrassment of young couples enjoying their time together.

Noah clicked his tongue.

Tch.

’They’re enjoying romance while I’m over here worrying about what kind of disaster is going to fall on my head next.’

He couldn’t help but feel bitter about his life.

Even the one woman who had managed to make his heart genuinely beat faster had been separated from him before he could fall head overs for her.

Noah sighed. ’Maybe I already am...’

He paused. Then another thought suddenly entered his mind.

’Hmm... Since I’m living in a new world where having multiple wives isn’t exactly unusual... should I try it?’

His imagination began running wild.

’Become incredibly strong, make a fortune, marry several beautiful women, have lots of children, and then watch them grow up and fight over my property and legacy—’

Noah’s expression stiffened. ’...What the hell am I thinking?’

That train of thought had gone in a very strange direction. He definitely shouldn’t be fantasizing about enjoying the sight of his own children fighting over his wealth.

Though the idea of having multiple wives and a large family wasn’t exactly unpleasant.

Noah rubbed his chin.

’Maybe I should create my own clan someday, after I survive all the dangers surrounding me.’

A faint smile appeared on his face.

’Well, only if there’s no way for me to return to my original world.’

The thought immediately made that smile disappear. A bitter feeling settled in his chest as he look down at floor.

He had once been determined to find a way back home. But after spending so much time living as Noah Eldritch, things had gradually changed.

He had grown accustomed to this world, to his new identity, to his family, friends, to the people he had met.

Even his memories of his former life no longer felt as vivid as they once had.

’I can’t let that happen.’ He clenched his fist slightly. ’I can’t let myself forget my original life completely.’

Thud!

Something suddenly bumped into his shoulder.

Noah’s thoughts were interrupted. "I’m sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going."

He instinctively raised a hand to apologize as well. But the moment he looked at the person in front of him and he froze.

A bead of sweat slowly rolled down his forehead. He couldn’t tell whether it was because of the hours of training he had endured earlier.

Or because of the person standing before him.

’Why?’

His expression twitched. ’First Prince Justinian, and now...’

Standing before him was a beautiful woman with long, maroon-colored hair cascading down her back.

Her silver eyes were cold and sharp.

She looked at Noah with an indifferent expression, as though he were nothing more than an insignificant passerby.

"Noah Eldritch."

Her voice was calm. "You should look where you are going. Walking while staring at the ground is a rather bad habit."

Noah’s mouth twitched. He immediately recognized her.

"Your Highness—"

"No need to address me like that."

She interrupted him without hesitation.

Noah quickly adjusted his attitude. "Huh... Senior Viserra, then. It is a pleasure to meet you, and I apologize for my mistake."

’Shit.’

His expression remained polite, but his thoughts were anything but.

’Another dangerous person. First Prince Justinian, and now her? Why am I meeting all these troublesome people during this semester?’

Noah had only seen her once during his first semester, and even then, it had been from a distance. But he knew exactly who she was.

Viserra Augustus.

The First Princess of the Aurellian Empire. A third-year student at Novaris Academy.

If Justinian was a two-faced man who presented himself as kind and courteous while hiding his arrogant and petty nature beneath that mask, Viserra was different.

She didn’t rely on the same sort of facade.

According to what Noah’s elder brother had told him two years ago, Viserra was far more cunning and manipulative.

She was the kind of woman who would use people however she pleased if doing so brought her closer to whatever goal she had set for herself.

And despite being only twenty-two years old, she possessed an exceptionally sharp mind.

Noah had never interacted with her personally before. So he had no idea why she had suddenly approached him now.

Viserra studied him silently for several seconds.

Her silver eyes narrowed slightly, as though she were examining something hidden beneath his appearance.

A faint, amused smile appeared on her lips.

"Noah Eldritch..." She tilted her head slightly. "You have changed quite a bit since the last time I saw you."

Noah maintained his polite expression. "People change. The time I spent after being exiled from my family taught me many things. Most of them, I had to learn on my own."

Viserra’s smile deepened slightly.

For a moment, she said nothing. Her gaze continued to linger on him, as though she were assessing him from head to toe.

Then she finally spoke. "I suppose it was fortunate that I met you today."

"Hmm?"

Noah raised an eyebrow.

"Pardon?"

Viserra turned around. "I wanted to speak with you."

She began walking down the corridor without waiting for a response. "Follow me."

Noah remained standing there for a moment. He stared at her back.

’What does she want from me?’ His instincts were screaming that following her was probably a terrible idea.

Unfortunately, ignoring the First Princess of the Aurellian Empire probably wasn’t a particularly wise option either.

---

She led Noah to a secluded corridor of the academy.

Noah looked around and saw that no one else was there.

She stopped near an open window and leaned against it. The soft evening breeze made her hair sway gently.

As someone who had always appreciated beautiful women, Noah couldn’t deny that the princess was beautiful. However, he didn’t feel the same attraction toward her that he felt toward Arisha, Lyria, or Akira.

"So, Noah."

"Yes?"

"A few weeks ago... my brother Justinian had a heated moment with... one of your classmates named Damien, am I right?"

"Yes, that’s right..."

"Hmm. But it was resolved... You stepped in, and everything went well... but..."

Her silver eyes stared directly at him.

"Never would I have expected you to be in a relationship with Lyria of Sunweave. You do know what would happen if word reached her father... or perhaps it already has..."

Noah’s lips twitched.

To be honest, all he knew about Lyria’s father was that he was a devoted follower of the Sun God and supposedly a kind-hearted man.

But perhaps that wasn’t the whole story.

’I guess this might become more problematic than I initially expected... but well not like I accepted or reveal with my mouth that we are actually in relationship. This is what people think...’

---

[A/N: Hello, guys! I know you must be cursing me and wondering, "Why is this bastard author only uploading one Chapter again?"

Well, I’m focusing more on the story right now, especially the big families and the important characters from them. For example, I’ve just introduced two new characters, so I want to take my time and develop things carefully instead of rushing through them.

Also, guys, the novel did pretty badly last month. We didn’t get many new readers, so please support the novel by sending some gifts. I know it’s shameless of me to ask, but maybe, just maybe, I’ll make one reader’s wish come true for the MC if they send a Super Gift.

Just pray that the request isn’t too weird or crazy!]