"No, there's no problem," the knight replied, noticeably intimidated. He took a step back, slightly bowing his head in a sign of respect. "I was just doing my duty. My apologies for detaining you."

Nolan nodded calmly, yet he retained an air of authority that seemed to emanate from him.

Then he turned his head toward Emily.

"Let's go," he said in a tone that, while calm, left no room for discussion.

Emily nodded silently, following Nolan as they walked through the streets toward the church.

As they approached, the architecture of the temple became more visible, and what Emily saw left her completely bewildered.

The church was... extravagant.

Unlike the modest church in her neighborhood, which barely had what it needed to be called a church—with worn walls, a simple altar, and benches that creaked with every movement—this place radiated excessive wealth.

The tall towers, the windows adorned with stained glass that captured sunlight in vivid colors, and the gilded ornaments covering the façade gave the impression that this place was not just a temple but a work of art meant to impress anyone who passed through its doors.

Compared to the main church in the city, which, although prestigious, required certain standards like wearing clean clothes to enter, this one exceeded all expectations.

The size of this church rivaled, or even surpassed, that of the main church in the city.

Its luxury, more than a demonstration of faith, seemed a declaration of power.

Emily, who had been walking beside Nolan, suddenly stopped.

She looked at the enormous door of the church, observing the people entering and leaving.

They were nobles, without a doubt. Each one wore fine clothes, high-quality fabrics, detailed embroidery, and jewels that reflected their status.

Seeing this parade of luxury and elegance made Emily feel even more out of place.

Her clothes were dirty and unkempt, in a pitiful state after the morning's incidents.

She couldn't imagine walking alongside all those nobles without feeling a wave of embarrassment.

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Nolan, noticing that she wasn't moving, turned and looked at her curiously.

"What's wrong?"

Emily, biting her lip and feeling the weight of the situation on her shoulders, lowered her head, unable to look directly at Nolan.

"I can wait for you out here..." Emily said softly, clearly uncomfortable.

Nolan observed her for a moment, frowning slightly.

Something didn't add up.

Recalling the incident with the noble earlier and the looks that people in the area had given them, he realized that leaving her alone here wasn't the safest option.

Moreover, he sensed there was something more behind her reluctance to enter.

"Why?" Nolan asked calmly, already suspecting the answer.

Emily, still not looking directly at him, nervously fiddled with the folds of her dirty dress.

"I don't want to embarrass you..."

For a moment, Emily's words took Nolan back to his time as a student at the academy.

He remembered how, back then, he too had often felt out of place, always someone ready to remind him of his status.

He had been insulted, ridiculed for his choices in time magic, and looked down upon so many times that...

He didn't care anymore.

However, something Nolan noticed was that everything changed the day he demonstrated his skills in the war.

The insults turned into compliments, and doors that had once been closed now opened with invitations for him to share what he had learned.

Nolan let out a brief laugh, surprising Emily.

"Don't worry about that," he said with a smile, although inside he remembered his past. "I've been through worse."

Emily looked at him, bewildered, but still didn't seem convinced.

Her eyes returned to the entrance of the church, where high-ranking nobles were coming and going.

Each one had a presence that made her, in her dirty and modest clothes, feel even more out of place.

For her... it was impossible not to worry!

The contrast was too evident, and the mere thought of entering there next to Nolan, who seemed to belong to that world, terrified her.

Just as Emily was about to invent an excuse to stay outside, a soft yet firm voice caught their attention.

"Nolan..."

Nolan stopped and turned his head toward the source of the voice.

A young woman with golden hair and bright eyes approached them with graceful steps, her face reflecting a hint of nervousness.

Seeing her, Emily felt a wave of even greater discomfort.

The young woman was beautiful, with fair skin and dressed in clothes that seemed made from the finest materials.

Everything about her screamed nobility and grace.

"Is it you... Nolan?" the girl asked, shyness in her tone but without losing her composure.

Nolan frowned slightly.

He didn't recognize her.

"Do I know you?"

The young woman smiled with an air of apology, making a slight bow.

"It's normal that you don't remember me. It's been a long time since we last met..."

There was a brief silence before the young woman straightened up and, with a delicate gesture, said:

"I'm Iris, the princess."

The words echoed in Emily's mind.

'The princess...'

It was as if time had stopped for her.

The world around her shrank, and an overwhelming desire to disappear flooded her.

She simply wanted to vanish, to return home, to a place where she could escape all this display of power and nobility that only reminded her of her place in the world.

Nolan, for his part, didn't show the same surprise as Emily, though he was also somewhat taken aback.

He looked at the young princess, trying to recall any past encounter, but his memory failed him.

"No, I don't remember you."