* *

11.11 P.M.

"Your Majesty, another hidden Temple has been stolen in our country!!"

The familiar servant, Oliver Blake, came to the living room with bad news.

"Again?!"

My dad was really frustrated upon hearing that news.

Recently there has been someone who keeps stealing hidden Temples.

Hidden Temples can only be done once, unlike public Temples-which can be done multiple times and have a cooldown between explorations.

This is a really serious problem.

A really serious problem indeed.

Apparently, there is someone who has crucial information about the hidden Temple's location and even how to finish the Temple challenge.

"Your Highness, this action could be from the Divider..."

I gave a really plausible reason.

"Most likely."

My dad said that with a very serious but calm face.

"But where can they find that information? Who is the provider?"

"Your Majesty, I don't know."

"This kind of information is like a one-in-a-million chance to find it by accident."

"Your Majesty, I think... It could be that they had found... another Prophet..."

"No, that's just impossible. There are only 3 Prophets in the entire world."

"Your Majesty, I know, but it's the only likely answer to our problem."

Prophet is a really rare occupation...

No, really rare is still an understatement.

'They are one in a billion people.'

They are one of the most unique individuals on the entire Earth.

They have the ability to forecast the future of the Earth abstractly.

The Government, along with the Magic Council and the Royal Family, have to protect them at all costs.

"We have to-no, we must figure it out. Or else... It is going to be late."

"Yes, Your Majesty." He said, bowing politely.

"Oliver, go find more information about this right now."

"It would be my privilege, your Majesty." Oliver knelt down and said.

Then he immediately disappeared from the spot.

"Sigh."

"Your Highness, are you alright?"

"Charlotte, call me Dad when we're alone."

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"But you are still a king of this country, so of course not, your Highness."

He rolled his eyes and then mocked me.

"How are you today, my daughter?"

"I'm doing great, Your Highness."

"Are we still playing YOUR game?"

"Maybe."

"Gotcha there."

My dad is a bit childish compared to his status and power in this entire world. But he has to be serious, he will get the job done really responsibly.

"Did you notice some weird guy today?"

'That's a really weird question itself.'

"No-"

'Wait...'

'Is Ryoshu these days a bit different compared to himself in the past?'

Hmm. But maybe it's because of me.

I had accidentally shattered his warm heart.

He was a really nice person.

But I fell in love with Haruki first...

Although sometimes I really hate his innocence... He's just really dumb...

He couldn't notice my love for him even after all these years.

'Haruki is an idiot.'

"Why are you suddenly staring at me hatefully like that..."

"Huh? N-no, I didn't."

"Okay...? Do you have any problems?"

"NO, I DON'T HAVE."

"Ah, so it's related to love, init?"

"NOOOOO."

I ran away immediately.

* *

She ran for a while now...

'Why has she not come back yet?'

Sigh.

"She grew up so fast..."

"She used to be a really cute baby."

"And now more than 17 years have passed, she is always trying not to talk with me."

And then suddenly,

"You are remembering the good old days again, right?"

"Huh? Honey?"

"Good evening, Your Highness."

"Oh, come on, not you."

"I'm just kidding. Have you finished your work yet?"

"No, I haven't... There is still a lot more problem about the new SS+ rank Temple."

"I heard about that too."

"Honey... Perhaps... I have to go there... by myself."

"... Honey..."

"I know. But if something happens, Eric should be ready to take my place."

"But, honey, Charlotte and Alan still need you to grow up properly..."

"I'm sorry... But I'm the only SS+ rank Hero that is available now. Our country needs me there..."

'And there is still no SSS rank Hero... But the Temple difficulty is increasing year by year...'

'Soon there will be even an SSS rank Temple...'

Sigh.

"What about me... honey... I still need you..."

Her tears spilled from her eyes, tracing a glistening path down her flushed cheeks.

She clutched her chest as if trying to hold herself together, but her trembling hands betrayed her vulnerability.

Each tear seemed to carry the weight of a thousand unspoken words as if her soul poured out through her eyes.

But I cannot ignore the situation out there.

"The country's fate is all on me now."

"Sob." Her body shook intensively.

"I'm really, really sorry."

"Why are you apologizi-?"

"Elena William."

I said calmly with all my affection.

"I will love you till the day I die."

'I don't know why... But somehow, my eyes are having some kind of water right now.'

I hugged her with my arms, trying to protect my loving wife.

"Arthur..."

* *

11.14 P.M.

"What the fuc-?!"

"We're sorry, sir!!"

"You guys have only one FREAKING JOB!"

"I'm sorry, sergeant! It's my fault!"

He is the most trustworthy and experienced patrolman in the police station.

I didn't even believe it at first.

"Case!"

"I'm really sorry, sergeant! It's all my fault that we lost track of the thief!"

Sigh.

'At least he tried his best.'

"It's alright, but have you guys found any single clue about that thief?"

"He wore a really weird-looking mask!"

"Yeah, yeah, and he is kinda agile too."

"He can even climb the building!"

"Sir, he can even use a chain to swing back and forth."

Justin Case - the police officer who chased pretty close to Ryoshu - said:

"Sir, I think he is a teenager."

"Oh, why do you think so?"

"His height and his inexperience made me think so."

"Well done, Case. I know I can believe you."

"It's nothing, sir!"

"That kid... must have magic or something like that."

"I also think the same thing as you, sir!"

'This kid could be a homeless person from that slump... Perhaps I should ignore it for the time being.'

"Sir, I think this is a really concerning problem. We have to report this to the headquarters."

'Justin is a fantastic patrolman.'

"Why do you think so?"

"This... is just my hunch."

'His hunch is almost always right.'

And there is no harm in trying, right?

"Alright, I will report this to the headquarters."

* *

12.00 A.M

Good grief.

This is a really exhausting day.

And as always, people just look at me with bad intentions.

'It really bothers me.'

But... There was also this specific one who kept looking at me.

As I remember, he was the one who confessed unsuccessfully to Charlotte, right?

And what is his name again?

'I really cannot remember unimportant things.'

But why did he keep looking at me?

I thought he was in love with Charlotte, right?

So why?

And he didn't look at me with bad intentions either.

So I really don't know why he was looking at me.

...

Should I ask directly?

But... It will cause unnecessary misunderstanding too.

...

Never mind, I will figure it out sooner or later.

Let's just have a sleep now.