Chapter 6: School interview with parents

I had lost money, fame, and power, but I wasn’t unhappy.

In fact, I was happier now than ever before.

At first, I didn’t pay much attention to Elizabeth.

But at some point, I began to truly care for her—and love her.

And Elizabeth cared for me.

She loved me too.

The emptiness inside me was replaced with fullness.

The hollow space in my heart disappeared.

I no longer felt lonely.

What filled my heart was love.

When I saw the beautiful flowers blooming in spring, I found myself lost in sentiment.

That’s how much I had changed as a person.

Walking down the road with Elizabeth, talking with her, locking eyes with her—

These were treasures money couldn’t buy, no matter how much one had.

‘So this is what having a family feels like.’

I regretted not realizing it sooner.

Thinking of family reminded me of them.

‘They must be doing well without me.’

They had harsh personalities but were capable.

They wouldn’t be starving somewhere, I was sure of that.

***

“Wow! That looks amazing on you!”

“Oh my, Father, that fits you so well~ You’re tall, so you totally look like a model.”

“What are you talking about? He looks even better than a model. Look closely!”

“Y-You’re right. Now that I really look at it, he does. You look better than any model!”

At Elizabeth’s words, the store clerk’s lips twitched.

I looked into the mirror.

A man in a sharp suit stood awkwardly.

Getting dressed was tedious.

Shirt, pants, vest, jacket, necktie, shoes, coat.

It was expensive. 1.7 million harts.

‘Do I really have to spend this much?’

It felt wasteful—but this was for my daughter’s interview.

I had no choice.

I made the decision and paid.

***

We stepped outside and strolled down the street.

Elizabeth, carrying the bag with the suit, clapped her hands like she’d just remembered something.

“Oh right! The cane!”

“The cane? Do we really need that too?”

“Of course. And a hat. Since we’re already out, we should complete the look.”

“Shouldn’t we be buying clothes for you instead?”

“I can just wear my school uniform.”

“Is that allowed?”

“Yeah. They said to wear the uniform from your previous school.”

“Still. Let’s buy you some clothes too.”

“It’s really not necessary…”

“No refusing.”

***

We went into a women’s clothing store and bought a bunch of clothes for Elizabeth.

“Two… two million harts…! Dad, are you insane?!”

“Why are you yelling?”

I gently held Elizabeth’s shoulders and looked around.

People had turned their heads at her shout.

“How can I not yell? Look at how many outfits you picked out! How many are there?”

“Spending money on you isn’t a waste.”

“You really have lost it. I can’t wear all of these! Put them back right now!”

“Then should I show up in my pajamas on your interview day?”

“Don’t be childish!”

“Then wear them properly. I’m earning good money these days.”

“Haah…”

Elizabeth sighed but eventually gave in.

We spent several hundred thousand harts on clothes today.

It was a big expense.

But I didn’t regret it.

My hands had trembled when I bought the suit for myself, but seeing Elizabeth wearing new clothes made me feel lighter.

It even felt like we hadn’t bought enough.

‘Should I get more?’

The construction site paid based on the work you did.

‘If I worked seriously for a few days, I could make the money back.’

***

With shopping bags in both hands, we walked along chatting casually.

Then, suddenly—

A carriage wobbled dangerously down the road.

The two horses pulling it were running wildly.

At the same moment, a young child stepped out from a corner to cross the street.

The child saw the carriage barreling toward him and froze in fear.

The coachman pulled on the reins with all his might, but the horses wouldn’t stop.

They only ran faster.

A nearby elderly man—likely the child’s guardian—reached out with a twisted expression of despair.

Citizens screamed.

Some turned away, unable to watch the horror unfold.

The horses let out a thunderous cry.

I rushed forward and grabbed the child just in time.

“Huff… huff… Th-Thank you…”

The child, who had narrowly escaped death, panted heavily.

I patted his shoulder to calm him.

The citizens around us let out sighs of relief.

The coachman shouted his thanks before the carriage sped off into the distance, the horses still uncontrollable.

“Dad!”

“Felix!”

Elizabeth and the old man came running.

I raised a hand to signal I was okay.

As soon as she reached me, Elizabeth started hitting my back.

She looked like she was about to cry.

“What was that all about?! Do you have a death wish?!”

“But I’m fine, aren’t I?”

Seeing how serious she was, I tried to lighten the mood with a joke.

“You could’ve died!!”

Elizabeth shouted, her face full of frustration.

Her eyes began to tear up.

Golden eyelashes shimmered with moisture.

“I’m sorry. Really. I’m sorry.”

“You really could’ve died… Hrk…”

Her angry expression crumbled into sorrow.

She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

I pulled her into a hug and gently patted her back.

“Excuse me… are you alright?”

The elderly man, after checking on his grandson, walked up to me and asked politely.

“Yes. I’m not hurt.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much for saving my grandson. May I ask your name?”

He was wearing an elegant brown suit and coat.

His face was kind, and his neatly combed-back hair gave off the impression of a refined scholar.

His speech and demeanor confirmed it—he seemed like a learned man.

“My name is Leo Valentine.”

“Mr. Valentine. I’m Felix Ladenberg.”

‘Felix. Same name as my grandson?’

‘And that last name—Ladenberg.’

It sounded familiar.

I was sure I’d heard it somewhere before.

With graceful hands, Felix pulled out his wallet.

Even at a glance, it was clearly a luxury brand.

“This doesn’t come close to repaying your kindness, Mr. Valentine, but it’s better than nothing. I’m sorry—this is all the cash I have on me.”

Schlick.

Several bills slid out from the wallet.

Zeroes.

So many zeroes printed on them.

“Is this a check?”

“Please don’t misunderstand—this isn’t meant to show off my wealth. It’s literally all the cash I have.”

I had only asked because I’d never seen an Aichenvalt check before.

Let alone someone who carried one around in their wallet.

Felix handed me money worth one million Harts.

The check bore the image of the reigning king, the highest denomination in Aichenvalt.

He gave me five checks.

One million per check, totaling five million Harts.

Wow.

That was… an overwhelming amount.

After four years, my sense of financial scale had really eroded.

Back in my days with the Royal Guard, this would’ve been pocket change.

“Ahem, I’ll have to decline. That’s just too much to accept…”

“Too much? You saved my grandson’s life, and this is the least I can offer. Please, don’t turn it down.”

“Dad, remember what you always say? When adults give you something, take it.”

Elizabeth politely accepted the checks and placed them into my hand.

“This little rascal.”

I looked over at Felix, my expression clearly troubled.

But he just chuckled warmly.

“Your daughter’s got a good head on her shoulders. You’re lucky to have such a dependable girl, Mr. Valentine.”

With one more bow of gratitude, Felix left with his grandson.

***

One month later.

The entrance interview was just around the corner.

Shiver shiver shiver…

“Nervous, Dad?”

“No.”

“Then why are your legs shaking?”

We were on a tram running through the city.

Elizabeth, sitting right next to me, pointed at my leg with her index finger.

My calf was bouncing up and down at a ridiculous speed.

Other passengers were starting to glare at me in irritation.

I composed my face and said, “You don’t get it. I’m not nervous—I’m just stimulating blood circulation in my legs.”

“Aha. So that’s why you’re sweating, too~”

Elizabeth smirked and wiped the sweat from my temple with her handkerchief.

“Aren’t you nervous?”

“Not really. Whether I get into Lenz or not, I’ll still be living with you.”

“Isn’t your future more important than me?”

“So what if I don’t get into Lenz? It’s not like my life is over. I’ll just go to another school.”

She had just turned fourteen, but she seemed calmer than I was.

And she wasn’t wrong.

Failing an entrance exam wasn’t the end of the world.

There were always other paths.

Still, speaking as a parent, things felt different.

You always wanted your kid to succeed.

I was no exception.

Lenz—the most prestigious academy in all of Aichenvalt.

Students entered at fourteen and graduated at twenty, in a six-year program.

If you wanted further education afterward, you could go on to Lenz University.

All the top-tier professionals came from Lenz.

They accepted only a select few through rigorous standards and raised society’s super-elites with the best education in every field.

Today’s top leaders in politics, business, medicine, magic, science, and mathematics—all of them were Lenz alumni.

Especially in the field of magic—every single practitioner had studied at Lenz.

The government had designated it as the sole institution for magical education.

Its academic rankings competed for first or second place globally.

It was said to rival the Imperial Royal Academy.

Anyway, that’s what I’d learned from books about Lenz.

‘The bottom line?’ Graduating from Lenz meant joining the upper class of Aichenvalt.

And any parent would want that for their child.

I wasn’t the type to scold or sulk over rejection.

Just like Elizabeth said, not getting into Lenz wasn’t a death sentence.

There were plenty of other paths.

I’d support her no matter what she chose to do.

After all, I ran away at thirteen, became a mercenary, and eventually rose to the Royal Guard.

“Oh, we’re here.”

Elizabeth turned her head toward the window.

Her elegant neck looked like something out of a painting.

We got off the tram.

Lifting my head, I took in the grand sight of the building before us.

A harmony of white marble and gold—somewhere between an ancient temple and a decadent royal palace.

“This place is insane…”

Looking around, I saw other families entering alongside us.

The adults radiated extravagance.

They wore opulent outfits fit for nobles, decked out in glittering accessories.

Even the kids had cloaks or coats adorned with designer logos.

Many clutched luxury-groomed pet dogs like accessories.

‘They said commoners almost never make it into this place.’

With Elizabeth in just her school uniform and me in a modest suit, we stood out more than anyone else.

Several people sneered as they passed us.

I glared back and placed a hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder.

I was about to say something to comfort her, just in case she felt small.

“Don’t mind them, Dad.”

Elizabeth said coolly, staring right at them.

“They’re still not as good as you.”

“Uh… thanks.”

She wasn’t discouraged at all—instead, she was the one reassuring me.

Elizabeth marched forward with confidence.

She even looked at the sneering nobles as if to say, “So what?”