Chapter 269: Choose your price.



Never panic, no matter what the situation might be.

Those words, had carried me through more challenges in this world than I could count.

Subconsciously staying calm, assessing the situation, and thinking logically was the cornerstone of survival-an essential lesson I’d ingrained into myself ever since waking up in this maddening reality.

More specifically It was a crucial skill I developed naturally when it came to handling Liyana ever since we were young…

Finding the right actions and words just to please her most of the time was an almost must.

But no matter how much you prepare, no matter how many times you repeat the mental exercises to steel yourself, emotions have a way of creeping in.

They slither past the defenses of logic, a delirium you can’t fully control, and remind you that you’re, unfortunately, human.

After years of being stuck in this world, I thought I’d become adept at handling nearly anything.

Surprises?

I could try to deflect them no matter how unexpected they were.

Chaos?

I’d learned to navigate through it.

I had honed my reactions to the point where maintaining an apathetic poker face was pure muscle memory.

Or so I believed.

Turns out, even I have limits.

“Trails of Light… how’d you know of its existence, son?”

The Grand Duke’s question shattered my composure like a sledgehammer to glass.

“Excuse me?” I blurted, barely keeping the tremor out of my voice.

The Duke raised an eyebrow, his sharp gaze narrowing.

“Hm? Why are you acting surprised? You were the one who personally sent the message to the emperor.”

And just like that, I felt the blood drain from my face.

Oh, great.

Here we go again.

Technically, he wasn’t wrong.

The message had been sent under Riley Hell’s name.

But-and this is a very important distinction-it wasn’t me who sent it.

It was other Riley.

The bastard had apparently decided to meddle in world-altering secrets and conveniently left the consequences for me to deal with.

The urge to shout, “That wasn’t me!” at the Duke’s imposing face was overwhelming.

But, of course, logic prevailed. Yelling at the strongest swordsman in the world wasn’t exactly on my bucket list of good ideas.

[Trails of Light…]

One of the most treasured secrets of the Germania Empire, a mystery so profound that even the most dedicated historians and scholars dared not speak of it without trembling.

A secret closely guarded by the imperial family, shared only with their most trusted subordinates and advisors.

Hidden beneath the floors of the imperial castle lay the Trails of Light-a sacred relic said to be the last known gift left behind by the goddess herself.

It was more than just a place; it was a phenomenon.

An open, glowing path of light that shimmered with ethereal brilliance, almost as if it defied reality itself.

The legend spoke of the Trails of Wishes and Dreams—a place where one could walk through the goddess’s trial, face untold challenges, and be granted a single wish in return.

A wish that could bend fate itself, but not without a cost.

For every dream fulfilled, the goddess demanded a price-a balance for the scales of divine intervention.

In the game, it was a pivotal point in Snow’s arc.

The Trails of Light had served as the ultimate test of resolve and faith for her character.

It was where the main protagonist and Snow solidified their bond and a guarantee happy ending for Snow was established, it was where their trust in each other deepened as they braved the trials together.

Not only was it a narrative highlight, but it was also crucial for a smooth gameplay later on. Completing the Trails provided Snow and the protagonist with the necessary upgrades to their specs, ensuring they could stand a chance against the epilogue bosses.

It was a place where Lucas’s contract with the holy sword got fully established… the place where he recalled lost memories of his childhood.

And also, the place where he learnt the truth of his origin and purpose…

And now, somehow, I was dragged into this.

The moment the Duke mentioned it, the pieces clicked into place.

The other Riley must have had the same understanding as I did or maybe even more, given

his apparent knowledge of secrets I hadn’t uncovered yet.

I could feel the weight of his intention pushing me forward, nudging me into this unexpected

direction.

But wasn’t this way too fast?

In the original timeline, the [Trails of Light] weren’t even mentioned until much later, and

the challenges were supposed to align with specific growth benchmarks.

Yet here I was, far from ready to face the demands of such a trial.

And for the love of everything holy, why did he have to approach this in such a direct and reckless way?

Sending a message to the Emperor about the Trails of Light-just casually throwing one of the empire’s most protected secrets out into the open like that-was practically begging for

trouble.

Especially coming from an absolute stranger, it’s no wonder the Duke got involved.

After all, what I’d done was essentially a breach of national security-borderline treason if I wanted to exaggerate it. No, scratch that.

To the imperial family, I’d basically waved a massive red flag over one of their most sensitive

secrets.

Threatening national intelligence with a message like that? Yeah, I’d be lucky if the Duke

wasn’t involved.

In hindsight, it made sense.

The Emperor likely summoned the Duke not only to assess the situation but to keep things from escalating into full-blown chaos.

Because let’s face it-if things had been handled more directly, a battalion of shadow knights would’ve already been hunting me down, blades drawn and ready to silence me permanently. And now, here I was, standing in front of Luther Heavens-the strongest swordsman alive The worst part was the growing realization that the other Riley, the one who’d hijacked my life for this little detour, likely knew all this.

If he had access to my memories and relationships, he’d have known about my relationship and intentions with Snow, the Duke, and the high stakes surrounding the (Trails of Light.] Sooner or later, I would’ve approached Snow about the trial.

I needed the power it offered, not just to survive but to grow strong enough to face whatever lay ahead, and secure my happy ending…

‘Everyone’s happy ending…’

However, if the other Riley thought skipping the careful, diplomatic buildup and diving headfirst into chaos was a good idea, he clearly underestimated the risks.

Even if the Duke or Emperor allowed me to move forward with this-and that was a massive

“if” —there was no guarantee I could clear the trial in the first place.

In the game, the Trails of Light had a recommended level of 150, a threshold not lightly advised. I was nowhere near that mark.

The Duke’s sharp gaze bore into me, his tone dangerously calm as he leaned forward.

“You mentioned wanting to take part in the trial, claiming you had the right to do so. And

then… you sent a warning to the Emperor himself.”

I tensed, realizing my other self-had done more than necessary.

“The fact that you not only know of the Trails of Light but also the truth about the Emperor’s

grave weakness…”

Weakness…?

Fuck….

Don’t tell me I actually threatened him with that right?

His eyes narrowed, his voice dropping to an icy edge.

“Truly, I’m finding it harder and harder to believe this entire situation was caused by my

docile son-in-law.”

SWIISHHH!!!

Suddenly, before I could even process what was happening, a white flash surged toward me.

My body tensed as an overwhelming sense of dread froze me in place.

For a moment, I thought I felt the phantom sensation of my head being severed-only to

snap out of my trance, heart pounding in terror.

A silvery blade, glimmering with pure aura, hovered just centimeters from my throat.

Its cold, radiant energy seemed to pierce my very soul.

I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat pressing closer to the edge of the deadly weapon.

The Duke’s crimson eyes locked onto me, dark and brooding, their intense red hues glowing

with suspicion.

His expression, calm but laced with menace, carried an unspoken warning.

“Tell me,” he said, his voice low and unwavering. “Are you really my son?”

My stomach churned.

His gaze bore into me with the weight of judgment, as if he were dissecting every inch of my

being for answers I didn’t have.

The blade didn’t move, a silent reminder of just how little separated me from death.

I didn’t need to guess what kind of conclusions his mind was forming.

The Duke wasn’t a fool.

Everything about this situation screamed inconsistency.

In his eyes, the Riley he knew would never have acted like this.

Riley, the timid shadow, who always lingered in the background, silently following Liyana’s

whims. Riley, who lacked the initiative or boldness to challenge anyone and even interact in most

normal affairs, much less interfere in imperial affairs.

With the system’s somewhat functional help.

Too many things had changed, and far too quickly for his eyes.

My sudden spike in strength, the transformation of my body, my newfound decisiveness-it

was all a far cry from the man he once knew.

And the academy… Ever since I’d entered those halls, the stories surrounding me had become stranger and more

unbelievable.

The rumors, the unexpected victories, and now the audacity of my actions-it all painted a

picture of someone vastly different from the Riley he had known for years.

I couldn’t blame him for doubting me.

‘Did his suspicions start at the grand festival last year?’

Even I would’ve found this situation suspicious if our roles were reversed.

Somehow, I had to respond.

But with the Duke’s crimson eyes glaring at me like a predator ready to strike, one wrong

word could be my last.

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