Chapter 26 – No Eternal Friend, No Eternal Enemy (1)

After stepping out of the testing venue, I parted ways with the boy. When I told him I had business that required me to drop by the leadership headquarters, he said he had memorized Namiya’s address and would go alone.

It was the boy’s own way of showing consideration, and since I also needed to save as much time as possible, I did not refuse.

“Then, see you later.”

Thus, I headed straight to the leadership headquarters to return Heimdall’s compass. I felt my mind would only be at ease once I returned it quickly.

‘If I wasn’t careful, I might get hooked.’

Though I had only felt it faintly since our first meeting, it seemed he had taken a liking to me.

Furthermore, since I had used the compass during the second inspection, there was no way the news had not reached Heimdall’s ears. The fact that nothing had happened to me despite that meant he was tolerating my actions of using his name.

In other words, I owed him a debt.

It was only right to shake it off quickly.

‘It’s close…’

From the testing venue located at 10, 1st Street to the leadership headquarters building was not very far. Due to the importance of its role and function, it was located at 1, 1st Street, meaning I only had to cross nine blocks.

The leadership building of the Immortal Embers that I thus faced boasted a luxury that was no different from a palace.

“…!”

Not only was it a high-rise building rarely seen in this era, but it also had high walls and statues that were practically works of art carved from marble.

But more than anything else…

‘A garden. Insane.’

A colorful flower garden was visible through the gaps of the main gate. Various kinds of plants, unfitting for this ice age, were planted along the path leading to the building, boasting their freshness.

Those flowers, beautifully in bloom in an environment where they could not possibly blossom, offered a glimpse into the status of the leadership and the Ember.

Decorative plants that had no value other than for viewing.

In a world where only practicality was considered, those things, which could be called the ultimate luxury, forced one to understand the reason why this place was called the First Ember.

“Halt. What is your business visiting the leadership headquarters?”

While I was marveling at the grandeur of the garden in that manner, a soldier in military uniform carrying a mana gun approached me.

Although they were also public servants, perhaps because this was the leadership headquarters where the key figures of the Ember resided, they did not seem to use honorifics.

“I came to return this.”

Having no time to argue, I immediately pulled out the compass from my chest. The soldier, who wore the rank of sergeant on his shoulder epaulets, was flustered at the sight of the golden compass, but after examining it here and there, he scoffed and spoke.

“It belongs to Heimdall.”

“…?”

‘Belongs to Heimdall?’ Even though this was an era where status only existed unofficially, could a mere soldier dare to speak of a noble lineage so informally?

As I felt a sense of strangeness at this reaction, which was completely opposite to the respectful attitude the lieutenant had shown during the inspection, the sergeant handed the compass back carelessly and spoke.

His voice was filled with pity and frustration.

“I wonder how many times this is… You’ve become a pitiful one as well.”

“What do you mean by that?”

When I asked back, prompted by the strangeness that had taken shape through his words, the sergeant looked at my armband and shook his head as if he understood.

“There is a whole pile of guys like you who were deceived by Heimdall’s family and visited the leadership headquarters, only to disappear from the city without a trace. They were all yellow-bands.”

“…Are the Lord Heimdall I know and the person you are speaking of the same person?”

When I asked out of a sense of discrepancy over whether we were talking about the same person, he clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Look at this. You’ve been blinded by the great name of Arcadius.”

“…”

“Heimdall is the scum of the earth and a playboy who enjoys using his family’s greatness to toy with the powerless. The moment you received that compass, you might as well have become his victim. Leaving our Ember as soon as possible would be for your own good.”

I did not know if those words were true, but I felt I understood why the sergeant referred to Heimdall Arcadius as just Heimdall.

Most likely, Heimdall was in the position of the youngest son treated as a troublemaker, just like a web novel cliché. He was an abandoned child.

“When on earth will that Heimdall pull himself together… If it weren’t for his mother, he would have been dragged down from his position long ago.”

However, the man named Heimdall I had encountered was absolutely not someone who deserved such an evaluation. There seemed to be some distortion or hidden story behind what the sergeant knew.

After all, he had disliked being called Arcadius in the first place.

“Thank you for the advice, but… I feel like I will suffer greater misfortune if I do not return this anyway, so may I go inside now?”

“Fine. Watch your step and watch your tongue inside.”

But I held my tongue. Since I would meet Heimdall soon anyway, I could just ask him directly.

“We will conduct a body search before you enter. It is a lawful procedure, so cooperate.”

Once I passed the sergeant, two men at the main gate came up and searched my body. As expected of the leadership building, it boasted airtight security.

Fortunately, I passed the search without a hitch. I had left all my belongings, including the mana gun I received from Jeremy Scott, in my travel bag.

“Heimdall’s office is…”

Having entered the building, I checked the directory for each floor and headed to Heimdall’s office, located at the very bottom, at the edge of the first floor.

“Isle… no, Charles? You really arrived alive.”

In front of the office stood the man from before who had been driving the off-roader.

‘Was his name Carlyle? It seemed he was not a mere driver.’

I had not realized it when I was in the car, but looking at him now, this man was no ordinary human either. With a sturdy physique that left no room for flaws and a sharp aura radiating from him, he was no simpleton.

From his extraordinary appearance, I could easily deduce that he was Heimdall’s closest guard.

“Is Lord Heimdall inside? I came to return the compass.”

Since my business was to return this compass, which was no different from a nuisance, to Heimdall, I spoke confidently without minding anything else.

The reply that came back was ambiguous.

“He is inside. But… you cannot meet him right now.”

Inside but unable to meet. We were not Romeo and Juliet, so what kind of nonsense was this?

When I asked back, utterly unable to understand, he only replied with a face distorted in anger.

“He was ordered to a week of confinement by Lord Odin.”

“Confinement? Judging by the fact that we did not cross paths on the way, it seems he arrived later than I did early this morning… Did something happen in the meantime?”

Was Heimdall really a troublemaker, just as the sergeant said?

I could not fathom what he had done to receive the punishment of confinement when it had not even been a single day since he entered the city.

As I said that, Carlyle spoke, his fists trembling.

“That is the problem. He received such an unreasonable punishment for the crime of arriving too late. Most disgustingly…”

‘Ah… the crime of arriving too late? I suppose that could be it.’

I did not know exactly what kind of crime that fell under. However, their mission was definitely to transport the candidates for the magic engineering qualification exam. Specifically, transporting those who had received letters of recommendation.

Therefore, arriving early in the morning of the exam day rather than the day before could easily be considered an offense. In a way, the candidates who received the recommendations were mistreated, and that could be seen as undermining the authority of the recommenders.

However, what I could not understand was whether the authority of the recommenders, no matter how outstanding, could surpass the authority of Heimdall Arcadius.

Most of all, the place he had headed to was our Ember, which had no authority to speak of, a place that should have been grateful just for him coming to pick them up.

Of course, leaving Yan aside, the authority of the recommender Demian Vale would be a separate matter from the shabby reputation of our Ember.

‘By the way, the crime of tardiness. It’s a bit funny when you think about it.’

I did not know why Carlyle was so furious. Wasn’t it rather something to be embarrassed about?

However, since the inner workings of the confinement were not important to me, I held out the compass without any lingering attachment.

Whatever it was, seeing the treatment Heimdall received, I had a strong premonition that I should not get involved with him any longer.

The plan to use Heimdall was changed… No, it was correct to put it on hold temporarily until I could grasp clear information.

“Anyway, it seems right to return what needs to be returned now.”

“I am sorry, but I cannot accept it.”

“What do you mean by that? Aren’t you something like Lord Heimdall’s private secretary?”

“The promise was made between my lord and you, not me. Return it yourself later. My lord would want that as well. His confinement will be lifted by the license issuance date anyway, so come back then.”

However, Carlyle’s attitude was more stubborn than I thought. His argument was that since it was not his own item but a promise between me and Heimdall, he could not presumptuously interfere in his lord’s affairs.

“…Then I will come back at that time.”

“Yes, thank you. Please make sure to return.”

Having no energy to argue with someone who would not listen, I turned around. Even if I threw a tantrum here, what could I do other than get dragged away?

“Then, shall we go to Namiya’s house?”

Since there was nothing essential left to do except for the failed return of the compass, I began walking toward Namiya Peloy’s house.

But even though I had resolved the important tasks, my heart remained heavy.

‘Did they say… Room 501, 260, 311th Street?’

The leadership headquarters was located at 1, 1st Street, yet she was at 260, 311th Street.

My mind felt like it was going blank.

* * *

“What’s with that sour look? Did you fail the exam after all?”

As I cursed under my breath and climbed the stairs to knock on the door of Room 501, Naomi Peloy, dressed in long sleeves, opened the door halfway, poked her head out, and sneered.

‘Should I kill her…?’

It was only for a moment, but I almost hit her. She must have known how far I had walked to get here, yet she babbled such nonsense.

Unfortunately, because I had business at the leadership headquarters located in the very center, I had to walk the long distance from number 1 to number 260.

From number 190, where Namiya’s Bookstore was, to number 10, where the exam venue was. Even crossing that distance of 180 numbers took nearly two hours, so how long must it have taken to cover 259?

I felt like dying right now.

“Failed… the exam? What kind of… nonsense is…!”

Placing my hands on my knees, I gasped for breath that rose up to my chin as I refuted her words. No matter what, I could not tolerate having the pride of a veteran of crushed.

But she only scoffed.

“Ah, yes. I’m sure you did well. Indeed, how could a promising mid-high level magic engineer fail the exam?”

Lacking the energy to talk back anymore, I cursed her with my eyes.

After catching my breath for a moment, I asked Namiya.

“Are the children inside?”

“Yes, both are sleeping. The journey here was long, so they must have been very tired.”

Was it thanks to Jack, the liquor store owner, or because Namiya possessed a kind heart? Fortunately, the young siblings seemed to have secured a place to stay for the time being.

It was the moment I was about to step inside to check on the children.

“Wait! Where do you think you’re going?”

“…?”

“What are you doing being so rude in a single woman’s house? You can’t come in. It’s already overwhelming enough taking care of the kids, so find your own place to stay.”

Namiya crossed her arms to cover her chest as if I were some kind of pervert.

Click, click!

Looking closely now, she had even latched the door.

“Sigh… are you really going to be like this?”

“Oh my? Where do you get the nerve to turn the tables? Do I owe you something?”

If she was going to be like this, I had no choice. The only way was ‘that’.

“I came from a nameless Ember, and while crossing 200 kilometers of the vast snowfield alone and empty-handed without any companions, I barely survived numerous life-threatening crises…”

Yes, begging. Appealing to my pitiful situation to beg for Namiya’s conscience.

However, whether Namiya was simply kind but not weak,

“Quiet.”

“T-Then, how about the bookstore…”

“I’m not opening the bookstore for the time being, you know?”

“Tch…”

Despite my desperate pleas, she did not unlatch the door.

However, Namiya suggested an alternative.

“If you’re that desperate, why don’t you try going to the library?”

“The library…?”

“Yes. It’s open 24 hours, huge, and has great facilities, making it perfect for sleeping rough. There are plenty of books to read too.”

Why hadn’t I thought of this? It must have been that my mental and physical fatigue prevented me from thinking of the library.

Above all, to me, who lacked knowledge and information about this world which had become so different from the game, the library was truly a treasure trove of knowledge.

It was a treasure chest that would make me a much more natural inhabitant of this other world.

Needless to say, all the more so if it was the library of the First Ember.

“So, where is the library?”

Just as I was rejoicing at the hopeful news.

“20, 9th Street.”

“…Pardon?”

“You just need to go straight for a distance of 280 numbers. Since it’s in the exact opposite direction from here, you’ll be there in no time. Well, goodbye.”

Slam!

The door shut tight.

My hope was closed just like that.